Addiction to Faith

[britjojo]

We have seen over the years many different instances of cults who take their followers to mass deaths-such as David Koresh. These people are charismatic preachers who get followers so worked up and hyped up on the adrenalin from their speeches that the people stop thinking for themselves.

On the outside, to me at least, this appears to be an addiction of sorts. How would you classify it?

[QuietLunatic]

I don't think I would call it an addiction as much as a form of brain-washing. Although I do think there are people out there who are sort of addicted to various forms of faith, including people who jump from religion to religion searching for *something*. People like David Koresh, and the more extreme Jim Jones are very charismatic and frightening.

[mtajim]

I wont say it addiction of faith , but certain people do brainwash people's mind to get into once faith

[britjojo]

But then that leads to another questions. What is the brainwashing if not a form of addition? Heroin and other drugs take away one's means of self control-they take over your thinking. Is this not also like brainwashing? A person faith 'issues' needs to see Jim or David again one more time to get their sins forgiven or whatever-they need their fix.

[mtajim]

I think -

When your mind is manipulated by drugs then it is addiction and

when it is manipulated by human beings then it is brain washing.

[destiny]

I think -

When your mind is manipulated by drugs then it is addiction and

when it is manipulated by human beings then it is brain washing.

Interesting question asked, and I think these are the thoughts I agree with. There aren't withdrawal symtoms to brainwashing, and I think brainwashed people can just "snap out of it" a lot of times where that may not be so easy with an addition to other things.

[mtajim]

Thats right , if a person if brain washed that he can come out of it if he starts thinking differentely but an addict has to go through long process to come out of addiction

[PneumaticMuffin]

I think that before you can claim to have faith you first need to know what faith is about and have a clear personal definition of faith. You cant just believe everything the world feeds you. You need to have faith in things that make logical sense to you and has some sort of credibility, or possibility.

[mtajim]

The problem is no one cares what faith is . He just followd what he is said and does what he is said to do. In such cases people dont think of right and wrong

[easternbrain]

Well thats fanaticism. Dying for religion seems to be too worthless a cause. I mean how can a religion want its followers to die?

[hazephase]

The thing for me is that I belive that God is in me and I don't have to look for God out side of me . People try and keep things together by making groups and other things but people have to be free that is the base line of the full trip .

[easternbrain]

I absolutely agree with you. Just have faith in Him and you will find him with yourself anytime and evreytime.

[attagirl]

I think there are people that are addicted to religion but everyone can have faith. I do not think that faith as the word can be an addiction but you can be addicted to what you believe in.

[jr_sci]

Many people have this addiction. They think faith is their life and they devote everything for faith. It might be for God or for any other things.

[Ronaldo]

Yes, we can be addicted to faith. Generally I see old people are having this addiction. The set some such strict rules that are impossible to follow.

[addictionstyle]

We live in the love of God. The beauty of this concept is that evolution can be validated in the eyes of today’s religions. Evolution is the gathering of information provided by the environment so that the organism can survive. It becomes worship.below is the simple explaination
http://www.technical-jesus.com/images/holy_spirit.jpg

[Sharath]

All religions depending on your interpretation require, demand, revere sacrifice.
There are no exceptions. Especially, when it's the survival of the religion or what is interpreted to be its core message that's at stake.

[GHill]

I think -

When your mind is manipulated by drugs then it is addiction and

when it is manipulated by human beings then it is brain washing.

I agree. But I find it fascinating that it seems to be the same areas of your brain that are affected. :o

[happyguy]

You may call it brain washing or addiction to faith but the fact remains that the government of every country of the world may have a role to play in this. How and why? When the government permits anyone and everyone to start a church or group, there is no way you will not see or hera of some weird cases. I am not advocating that the government should restrcit religion but what I am saying is there should be a kind of control that will stop weird claims by people.

In all, i want to say that the only solution to this problem is to know the word of God yourself. If you knwo it and understand it by the help of the Holy Spirit, there is no way a leader will ask you to kill yourself so that you can get to heaven quickly when you have read it in the bible that God frowns at suicide.

Hope this helps.

[Swastik]

It is not addiction I would say that some people get easily influenced by others. You can call it is a brain wash thing.