Is Faith an outgrowth of mental illness?

[Mije]

14 hours ago, Selah7 said:

Do you mean “Is faith inflamed by mental illness” or “Is mental illness inflamed by faith?” 

What I mean is, does mental illness produce faith? 
Are mentally ill people susceptible to faith, especially a faith such as Christian fundamentalists and other religious extremists share?

Are we faithful because we are crazy or are we crazy because we are faithful?

[Marathoner]

1 hour ago, Mr. M said:

To dispossess oneself of the things of this world with a divine motive and intent,  

is the expression of a healthy hatred for this life.

John 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it,

and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Indeed, and well said. I was merely sharing what others have proclaimed. I pay such things no mind, and I'm not the only one who was branded a lunatic for casting everything aside to follow the Lamb.

Imagine what happens when according to our testimony in Jesus Christ, it becomes known that the Spirit speaks, and we hear His voice. 

I understand the perspective of the unbeliever well for there was a time when I was also an unbeliever, brother. I haven't  forgotten! I thought it impossible that the Lord God would reveal Himself to a worthless nobody like myself. It was inconceivable.

Therefore, when the Spirit of the Lord spoke, I knew right away that He is God. I was undone in that moment. I began weeping for the Lord declared that I belong to Him. I knew this was true.

Besides, I'm not about to justify myself to others for any reason, for my justification is of the Lord alone. If others think I'm loony, it's quite alright with me. Let them believe what they wish to believe. I know what's true. 

[Raven]

11 minutes ago, Mije said:

What I mean is, does mental illness produce faith? 
Are mentally ill people susceptible to faith, especially a faith such as Christian fundamentalists and other religious extremists share?

Are we faithful because we are crazy or are we crazy because we are faithful?

Faith stems from knowing the truth. Truth is reliable and unchanging. It is unconditional. You can trust the truth explicitly, and it becomes so obvious that it is easy to have a conviction of its genuineness and authenticity.

I have faith in the Truth. God is Truth. I have faith in God. Why wouldn't I.

[Waggles]

1 hour ago, Mije said:

What I mean is, does mental illness produce faith? 
Are mentally ill people susceptible to faith, especially a faith such as Christian fundamentalists and other religious extremists share?

Are we faithful because we are crazy or are we crazy because we are faithful?

So who is crazy ? define crazy please.

Why do you associate mental illness with having faith ?

1 hour ago, Mije said:

especially a faith such as Christian fundamentalists and other religious extremists

Who and what are Christian fundamentalists?? Bible believers ??

And who and what are religious extremists?? Islamic jihad supporters??

And what has any of this to do with mental illness??

[Michael37]

2 hours ago, Mije said:

What I mean is, does mental illness produce faith? 
Are mentally ill people susceptible to faith, especially a faith such as Christian fundamentalists and other religious extremists share?

Are we faithful because we are crazy or are we crazy because we are faithful?

Ask an experienced medical health practitioner and they will tell you that absolutely anyone will become mentally ill when their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being is compromised.

Symptoms of mental illness include generalisations and exaggerations that contribute to fantasies, delusions, paranoia, and ultimately detachment from reality.

Genuine Christian Faith is never the result of mental illness but Christians can suffer from illnesses, including the mental variety.

Some Pharisees thought Christ was crazy, but they were snakes and blind guides whose opinions were void of truth and lacking in faith.

[Mije]

I’m not sure I follow some of the responses here. Anything taken to an extreme is unhealthy- hence the terms fundamentalist and extremist. 
And I don’t think you can make the case that mental illness is more prevalent in the non believing communities.

I notice from experience that mental illness pervades the art community and the teaching community, for example.

Mental illness is not necessarily a negative- it sparks great creativity. I’m just wondering if it also sparks great faith.

[Who me]

10 hours ago, Mije said:

What I mean is, does mental illness produce faith? 
Are mentally ill people susceptible to faith, especially a faith such as Christian fundamentalists and other religious extremists share?

Are we faithful because we are crazy or are we crazy because we are faithful?

 

No mental illness does not produce faith, it can and does distort faith and love into a parody of faith or of love but it does not produce real faith or real love.

 

Religious extremist are not mentally ill, any more than a football fanatic or a political extremist is mentally ill.

 

As there is a God, only those who worship and serve him in accordance with his will have any claim to sanity.

 

Think about it, just how sane is someone who denies there is a God?

[Mije]

3 hours ago, Who me said:

 

No mental illness does not produce faith, it can and does distort faith and love into a parody of faith or of love but it does not produce real faith or real love.

 

Religious extremist are not mentally ill, any more than a football fanatic or a political extremist is mentally ill.

 

As there is a God, only those who worship and serve him in accordance with his will have any claim to sanity.

 

Think about it, just how sane is someone who denies there is a God?

Did you read my post?

[com7fy8]

On 2/9/2023 at 7:01 AM, Mije said:

Or, is it inflamed by it?

Real faith has us with God in His own love. And the almighty power of this effects our minds to become sound.

So, no > mental illness does not inflame Biblical faith, nor does sickness help a person to have Biblical faith.

But "faith working through love" (in Galatians 5:6) cures us of unsound things, at their spiritual roots >

By faith >

"the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (in Phukippians 4:6-7)

 

[Who me]

6 hours ago, Mije said:

Did you read my post?

Christian faith is the height of sanity.