Religion-based con artists prey on the faithful...

Why Some People Hand Their Lives Over to Cults.

Fox Host PANICS When Trump Starts Trashing Christians.

The research on abdication syndrome.

The follower has a psychological need to worship someone, and the leader has a psychological need to be worshipped. It’s an agreement between a person who wants to take the role of child and a person who wants to take the role of parent.

"Abdication syndrome" occurs when followers hand responsibility for their lives over to leaders. The "syndrome" may be due to a desire to return to early childhood, when parents were seen as omnipotent. There is an "abdicated state of consciousness," similar to hypnosis, with a vacant "glassy-eyed" stare. It is an agreement between a leader who craves to be worship and followers who crave to worship someone.

BUT THE MAGA EVENGELICALS DON'T WANT TO STOP AT JUST TURNING OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LIVES, THEY WANT TO TURN OVER THE COUNTRY AND YOUR LIVES WITH IT...

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/out-of-the-darkness/202305/why-some-people-hand-their-lives-over-to-cults

Duty to Warn: Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess the “Dangerous Case” of President Trump.

We revisit our interview with someone who’s led a discussion of mental health professionals who are deeply concerned about President Trump’s psychological instability. Dr. Bandy Lee is a forensic psychiatrist on the faculty of Yale School of Medicine who organized the “Duty to Warn” conference at Yale and edited the best-selling book, “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President.” Dr. Bandy Lee declares that she is not representing the views of Yale University, Yale School of Medicine or Yale Department of Psychiatry.

Antisocial personality disorder, sometimes called sociopathy, is a mental health condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others. People with antisocial personality disorder tend to purposely make others angry or upset and manipulate or treat others harshly or with cruel indifference. They lack remorse or do not regret their behavior.

People with antisocial personality disorder often violate the law, becoming criminals. They may lie, behave violently or impulsively, and have problems with drug and alcohol use. They have difficulty consistently meeting responsibilities related to family, work or school.

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of antisocial personality disorder include repeatedly:

Ignoring right and wrong.

Telling lies to take advantage of others.

Not being sensitive to or respectful of others.

Using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or pleasure.

Having a sense of superiority and being extremely opinionated.

Having problems with the law, including criminal behavior.

Being hostile, aggressive, violent or threatening to others.

Feeling no guilt about harming others.

Doing dangerous things with no regard for the safety of self or others.

Being irresponsible and failing to fulfill work or financial responsibilities.

Adults with antisocial personality disorder usually show symptoms of conduct disorder before the age of 15. Symptoms of conduct disorder include serious, ongoing behavior problems, such as:

Aggression toward people and animals.

Destruction of property.

Lying and dishonesty.

Theft.

Serious violation of rules.

Antisocial personality disorder is considered a lifelong condition. But in some people, certain symptoms ― particularly destructive and criminal behavior ― may decrease over time. It's not clear whether this decrease is a result of the effect aging has on their mind and body, an increased awareness of the impact that antisocial behavior has had on their life, or other factors.

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR

People with antisocial personality disorder are not likely to seek help on their own. If you suspect that a friend or family member may have the condition, you might gently suggest that the person seek help from a mental health provider and offer to help them find one.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/antisocial-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353928

Books: The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President.

More than two dozen psychiatrists and psychologists offer their consensus view that Trump's mental state presents a clear and present danger to our nation and individual well-being. This is not normal.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6145972/

Trump Promotes Messiah Complex With Low IQ, Religious Voters.

https://www.newamericanjournal.net/2020/08/trump-promotes-messiah-complex-with-low-iq-religious-voters/

If someone wonders if they are deluded or not, they almost certainly are not. A Christian colleague, after a long silence, said, ‘I suppose the difference between delusion and faith is that delusion is held without any doubt, but religious belief is held with some doubts, or at least an understanding that others could have doubts.’ This is reminiscent of the father of the epileptic boy who was healed by Jesus: ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’ 12 Whereas delusions command rock like certainty to the deluded, believers only require a minute amount of belief – like a grain of mustard seed - as a foundation for their faith 13.

https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/members/sigs/spirituality-spsig/is-faith-delusion-andrew-sims-editedx.pdf

Low IQ And Conspiracy Theories: A Hand In Glove Relationship.

https://www.adamstaten.com/blog/2021/2/7/low-iq-and-conspiracy-theories-a-hand-in-glove-relationship

MAGA pastor tellS his followers that Democratic voters are demons who are unwelcome in his congregation...

Religiocentrism or religio-centrism is defined as the "conviction that a person's own religion is more important or superior to other religions." In analogy to ethnocentrism, religiocentrism is a value-neutral term for psychological attitude.

Signs of religious delusion include:

paranoia

performing excessive religious rituals

unshakeable belief in false information

grandiose beliefs

extreme guilt or feelings of being punished

incoherent or jumbled thoughts and communication

extreme emotional responses to religious topics

withdrawing from social life

neglecting responsibilities

defensive behavior in response to reason

Possible causes of religious delusions include:

psychotic disorders

personality disorders

trauma or extreme stress

traumatic brain injury

depressive disorders

drug use or withdrawal

While magical thinking is not a cause of religious delusions, a person who is predisposed to magical thinking may be more likely to experience a delusion episode.

Disorders that may relate to religious delusions include:

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder

bipolar disorder

major depressive disorder

postpartum psychosis

brief-psychosis disorder

sleep deprivation psychosis

paranoid personality disorder

borderline personality disorder

narcissistic personality disorder

schizotypal personality disorder

Parkinson’s disease

dementia

SPLC RELEASES ANNUAL YEAR IN HATE & EXTREMISM REPORT, DECODES THE FAR-RIGHT'S PLAN TO UNDO DEMOCRACY.

Report documents record numbers of white nationalist and anti-LGBTQ groups in 2023 and shows how hard-right groups are actively working to destabilize democratic institutions in America.

https://www.splcenter.org/presscenter/splc-releases-annual-year-hate-extremism-report-decodes-far-rights-plan-undo-democracy

Hyper-religiosity is a psychiatric disturbance in which a person experiences intense religious beliefs or episodes that interfere with normal functioning. Hyper-religiosity generally includes abnormal beliefs and a focus on religious content or even atheistic content, which interferes with work and social functioning.

Hyper-religiosity is characterized by an increased tendency to report supernatural or mystical experiences, spiritual delusions, rigid legalistic thoughts, and extravagant expression of piety. Hyper-religiosity may also include religious hallucinations.

Hyper-religiosity was associated in one small study with decreased right hippocampal volume. Increased activity in the left temporal regions has been associated with hyper-religiosity in psychotic disorders. Pharmacological evidence points towards dysfunction in the ventral dopaminergic pathway.

Silly Cults, Trumpanzees, and Abdication Syndrome

The reason so many people are attracted to cults, and not just wackadoodle religious cults but also political cults like neo-Fascist white supremacist cults and fanatical supporters of Donald Trump, is explained by psychologist Steve Taylor, Ph.D., writing in Psychology Today.

It all comes from a desire to return to the ‘safe’ authoritarianism of childhood, where decisions were made for you by authority figures who provided you with a safe and secure environment and catered for all your needs. It’s for these reasons that we remember our childhood with affection.

https://brewminate.com/silly-cults-trumpanzees-and-abdication-syndrome

Isolated Hyper-religiosity in a Patient with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4550801/

Religion and Mental Illness How we define hyper religious and what does that mean.

Are there hyper religious people walking around with schizophrenia or hypo mania that don’t even know it? Can religion be a springboard to help uncover a mental illness?

I was a holy kid. It started at a young age. I attended a parish grammar school and religion was the backbone of my education. During Lent, I’d give up my recesses to attend mass and always did the rosary before I went to bed. I was the only one in my family that was hard core pious, and the only one that was hypo manic as well. I look back now and can’t help but wonder: How did my mental illness play a role in fueling my religious devotion?

An easy answer for a reason why people with mental illness can be hyper religious is they need some type of hope so they turn to God for answers or understanding. This is a go-to description that is somewhat obvious. When we are confused or lost in life, we often times turn to God for guidance. But, what if its more complicated than that? What if the written word of the bible enters the brain and interprets religious writings differently in a person with mental illness?

https://psychcentral.com/blog/manic-depression/2012/09/18/religion-and-mental-illness-how-we-define-hyper-religion-and-what-does-that-mean#1

Hyper-religiosity in psychotic disorders.

Conducted a chart analysis on 50 patients (31 men and 19 women) with a variety of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III (DSM-III) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III-Revised (DSM-III-R) defined psychotic disorders to examine hyperreligiosity. There was a trend for a significant interaction between gender and diagnosis, with there being a lower male to female ratio. A significant difference in the frequency of psychosis with religious content was found among the various psychotic disorders. To some extent, the specific psychotic religious content was colored by the patient's religious upbringing or culture. Patients with bipolar mania had the highest frequency of hyperreligiosity, followed by patients with complex partial seizure disorder and schizophrenia with focal EEG changes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1994-37551-001

Inside My Manic Mind: Delusions and Hyper-Religiosity: Examining notes and art from a neuroscientist's manic episodes.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/night-sweats-and-delusions-grandeur/202207/inside-my-manic-mind-delusions-and-hyper-religiosity

New-Onset Hyperreligiosity, Demonic Hallucinations, and Apocalyptic Delusions following COVID-19 Infection.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9938787/

Hyper-religiosity in frontotemporal dementia with predominant atrophy of the right temporal lobe.

https://pn.bmj.com/content/21/2/173

Holy Apparition or Hyper-Religiosity: Prevalence of Explanatory Models for Religious and Spiritual Experiences in Patients with Bipolar Disorder and Their Associations with Religiousness.

The role religion plays in relation to mental health can be ambiguous. Increased religiosity can be a sign of religious coping with the symptoms of the illness (Tepper et al. 2001) but might be an indication of the severity of psychosis as well (Abdel Gawad et al. 2017; Getz et al. 2001). Those studies included patients with various diagnoses, not just bipolar disorder (BD). Other studies point to both beneficial and harmful aspects of religion for people with serious mental illness (Koenig 2009; Mohr et al. 2006, Mohr et al. 2012).

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11089-019-00892-3

The neurobiological basis of hyper-religiosity

The neurobiological basis of hyper-religiosity is discussed by comparing the neurobiological substrates of the four disorders in which hyper-religiosity usually occurs. These disorders are obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and mania. After an introduction on hyper-religiosity, the four disorders and their neurobiological basis are discussed in four separate chapters. An integrating chapter compares all brain areas involved in the four disorders and through this comparison, a general neurobiological basis of hyper-religiosity is found. The main areas involved in hyperreligiosity are the frontal lobes, the temporal lobes, and the limbic system. In the discussion, the limitations and validity of the thesis are discussed, and hyper-religiosity is compared to the regular expression of religiosity.

Keywords: Hyper-religiosity, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, temporal lobe epilepsy, mania.

https://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=114836

Hyper-religiosity in malignant brain tumors: a case report and accompanying bibliographic review.

Religion is a complex cognitive process with biopsychosocial and cultural dimensions, product of the activation of different circuits of the neocortex. In some cases, religiosity can appear as a pathological correlate in patients with brain lesions in the areas involved. We present the clinical case of a patient with an astrocytoma in the right prefrontal region, with apparent inflammatory involvement of the right temporal lobe. This tumor debuted almost exclusively as an alteration of personality consisting of hyperreligiosity, logorrhea, and mystical experiences. A review of the literature has been conducted and possible pathophysiological mechanisms are proposed.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13554794.2016.1265985

Religious Delusions in Bipolar Disorder.

Religious delusions are a type of delusion with religious content. Although there are no clear guidelines to differentiate normal religious beliefs from pathological ones, a belief is generally only considered delusional if it is idiosyncratic, grandiose, and not an accepted part of a particular culture or subculture.

Researchers note that there is no consensus on where the boundary between religious belief and psychopathology lies

https://www.verywellmind.com/religious-factors-in-bipolar-disorder-380485

Hyper-Religiosity and it's Danger to Individuals and Society.

Hyper-religiosity refers to an excessive and obsessive devotion to religious beliefs and practices. While religion can provide many benefits, including a sense of purpose and community, hyper-religiosity can be dangerous to both individuals and society. In this debate, I will argue that hyper-religiosity poses a significant danger, leading to harmful behaviors and attitudes that can cause harm to both individuals and society.

Argument 1: Hyper-Religiosity Can Lead to Extremism

Hyper-religiosity can lead individuals to take their religious beliefs to an extreme level, leading to extremism. Religious extremism has been responsible for many acts of violence, including terrorism, hate crimes, and even wars. When individuals believe that their religious beliefs are the only truth, and anyone who does not follow their beliefs is wrong or evil, they may become more prone to acts of violence. Such extremism can be dangerous not only to individuals but also to society as a whole.

Argument 2: Hyper-Religiosity Can Lead to the Rejection of Scientific Evidence

Hyper-religiosity can lead individuals to reject scientific evidence that contradicts their religious beliefs. This can have serious consequences, particularly when it comes to public health. For example, some hyper-religious individuals may refuse medical treatment for themselves or their children based on religious beliefs, even when that treatment is proven to be effective. This can lead to the spread of preventable diseases, putting not only the individual but also the wider community at risk.

Argument 3: Hyper-Religiosity Can Lead to Discrimination and Intolerance

Hyper-religiosity can lead to the belief that one's religious beliefs are superior to others, leading to discrimination and intolerance. This can manifest in various ways, such as religious discrimination in the workplace, hate crimes against individuals who do not follow their religious beliefs, or even the persecution of religious minorities. Such intolerance can create division and conflict within society, leading to harm to both individuals and society.

Counterargument: Religion Can Provide Positive Benefits

It is true that religion can provide many positive benefits, including a sense of purpose, community, and comfort during difficult times. However, it is essential to recognize that hyper-religiosity goes beyond normal religious practices and can lead to harmful attitudes and behaviors. It is not religion itself that poses a danger but rather the excessive and obsessive devotion to religious beliefs that can be harmful.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, hyper-religiosity poses a significant danger to both individuals and society. It can lead to extremism, the rejection of scientific evidence, and discrimination and intolerance. It is essential to promote a balanced and healthy approach to religion that recognizes the benefits of religious practices while avoiding the dangerous extremes of hyper-religiosity. Which is ultimately ironic, since Christians admire Jesus's extreme commitment to his religious faith, but are very adamant to not raise their children to be as zealous as Jesus.

Here are some things Jesus required of his followers:

1. Denial of self: Jesus taught that his followers should deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him (Matthew 16:24). This means putting aside their own desires, ambitions, and comfort for the sake of following Jesus and doing what is right.

2. Love your enemies: Jesus taught that his followers should love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44). This is an extreme teaching because it goes against our natural human inclination to seek revenge and hold grudges.

3. Give to the poor: Jesus taught that his followers should give to the poor and needy, even if it means giving away everything they have (Matthew 19:21). This is an extreme teaching because it requires sacrificial giving and a willingness to put the needs of others before our own.

4. Turn the other cheek: Jesus taught that his followers should not resist an evil person, but instead turn the other cheek when struck (Matthew 5:39). This is an extreme teaching because it goes against our natural instinct to fight back and defend ourselves.

5. Forsake all and follow him: Jesus told a rich man that if he wanted to be perfect, he should go and sell all his possessions and give to the poor, and then come and follow him (Matthew 19:21). This is an extreme teaching because it requires complete surrender of one's material possessions and personal desires.

6. The implication that the Bible is true, and the word from God, yet, few people read it, even fewer study it to understand it. And the few that do either become atheist, or turn into apologists and perpetuate the many lies I've documented. (If I believed the Bible was truly the word of God, I'd immediately do everything Jesus said. Most Christians don't, because, as every prayer circle and Bible study group knows: most people aren't really Christian.)

https://debatingchristianity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=40544

Newer insights to the neurological diseases among biblical characters of old testament.

Religion, Spirituality, and Mental Health.

The Three Personality Disorders Prevalent in Religious Environments.

If only churches, synagogues, and mosques were safe places for people to learn about God and grow spiritually. But sadly, many are not. Rather, they can become safe places for three of the most intense personality disorders. Regardless of the religious belief system that a person subscribes to, these three disorders can be found within the leadership structure of many religious organizations.

Why? Because followers of the organization come with an honest desire to grow spiritually, fellowship with other like believers, and worship God. They are not suspecting to be taken advantage of, lied to, manipulated, and coerced. They expect this behavior outside of the religious institute not inside it.

If only churches, synagogues, and mosques were safe places for people to learn about God and grow spiritually. But sadly, many are not. Rather, they can become safe places for three of the most intense personality disorders. Regardless of the religious belief system that a person subscribes to, these three disorders can be found within the leadership structure of many religious organizations.

Why? Because followers of the organization come with an honest desire to grow spiritually, fellowship with other like believers, and worship God. They are not suspecting to be taken advantage of, lied to, manipulated, and coerced. They expect this behavior outside of the religious institute not inside it.

Here are the three personality disorders prevalent in religious institutions and how to identify them:

Anti-Social Personality Disorder (Sociopath/Psychopath). This is the most dangerous of the bunch because Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD) is the most difficult to identify and the most treacherous. ASPDs frequently wear a variety of masks and have the ability to be chameleon-like in nature. This allows them to make commitments (which they have no intention of carrying out) while actually doing the opposite. Their ability to deceive is so excellent that even when caught, they are able to talk their way out of anything. The best evidence of an ASPD is the wake of destroyed relationships in their past. If they will stab one person in the back, they will do it to another without any remorse. The danger in confronting ASPDs is that they are highly revengeful and will stop at nothing until a person is completely destroyed. This personality can be violent when provoked.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder. A person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) loves to be the center of attention. Religious environments provide a great place for NPDs to be treated superior whether or not they deserve it. Many times they will appear to listen to the advice of others, but their actions do not reinforce it. NPDs believe they have a special relationship with God and therefore should be in complete control. Often, they will degrade, discount, or dismiss those who are not entirely loyal to them. It is easy to pick out the NPD because they are the most charming of the disorders with an unusual ability to appear harmless, caring, and generous. But at the heart of a NPD is a deeply insecure person who will stop at nothing to protect their image and fend off any embarrassment. NPDs can be confronted but only in very small doses and surrounded by excessive praise.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is not the same as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This article explains the difference: http://pro.psychcentral.com/exhausted-woman/2016/05/difference-between-obsessive-compulsive-personality-disorder-and-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/. In religious circles, OCPDs are very legalistic about the rules and order to the point that they miss the real meaning behind worship. Ironically, OCPDs claim they are not dogmatic but their actions and treatment of those living outside of the rules proves otherwise. There is no compromise with OCPDs, everything is either black or white and they are the principle determining factor as to who falls into which category. By appearance, OCPDs are easily recognizable as they always look very put together and are impeccably groomed. Confronting them can be very successful if it is presented as a better and more efficient way. But be prepared to have a long exhausting analytical discussion.

Having an understanding of these personality disorders and how they thrive in religious environments helps to prevent becoming entangled with them.

https://psychcentral.com/health/i-hate-people

15 Narcissistic Religious Abuse Tactics.

A narcissist uses their religious belief to manipulate, control and dominate you through fear. They systematically take the life out of your faith and replace themselves in the center.

It doesn’t matter the religion. Major organizations such as Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Jewish or even minor sects such as Mormon, Taoism, Confucianism, New Age, or Rastafari can be used. Even those who do not profess a belief in God such as Atheistic, Agnostic, or Satanism can be included.

It is not the type of belief but rather how the faith is used that makes it abusive.

It begins with dichotomous thinking, diving people into two parts. Those who agree with the narcissists beliefs and those who don’t.

Interestingly, only the narcissist is the judge and jury of who belongs on which side. Your opinion is insignificant. Then the narcissist makes fun of, belittles, and shows prejudice towards other beliefs. This tactic is done to remind you that if you change your views, you will be treated likewise.

Suddenly the narcissist becomes elitist and refuses to associate with people or groups they consider impure or unholy. They prefer isolation and insist you do the same while condemning others who don’t.

Next, the narcissist requires that you completely adopt their point of view. There is no room for differing opinions or questioning their authority. Any voicing of opinions to the contrary are met with threats of abandonment or divorce. There is no free will for you.

Demands of total submission without question follow. You are not free to question their authority and any attempt to do so is met with spiritual, physical, and/or verbal discipline. Name calling, chastising, and the silent treatment are common maneuvers into compliance.

The narcissist is no longer satisfied with private dominion but instead needs the appearance of power in public. They expect strict adherence to whatever image they have created regardless of the accuracy of that image. Even the slightest hint of challenging their facade is met with quick and cruel reprimands.

To further intimidate, the narcissist labels people who don’t comply with their beliefs as disobedient, rebellious, lacking faith, demons, or enemies of the faith. This is done in front of others to reinforce their opinions and instill fear inside and outside the family.

There is huge emphasis on public performance. They demand perfection and happiness at all times. Religious activities such as attending church have extreme demands, excessive expectations, and rigidity. No allowances are given even for grieving over the loss of a friend or relative.

Strict adherence to their rules and regulations are commanded with absolute statements about insignificant issues such as hair color or style. Non-compliance is met with severe discipline and even excommunication.

To further segregate, the narcissist uses secrecy or withholds information to a few select worthy individuals. Sometimes they require proof of advanced spirituality or some deeper level of commitment before they will share.

Questioning the narcissist is worse than questioning the religion. Blind obedience to the narcissist is expected as their opinion is more important than the religion. In essence, they have replaced your religion with themselves and you are expected to worship them.

The narcissist frequently uses their religious position of authority to connive for their own personal benefit which is often financial. They will justify this behavior by saying they deserve it because they are better than others. You, however, will not be included because even your best is not good enough.

For the narcissist, the end justifies the means. They may engage in criminal misconduct or cover up the transgressions of others in the name of their religion. This includes covering up sexual abuse, physical abuse, financial felonies, and misdemeanors. They believe they are above the law and therefore can subvert it.

To complete the isolation, estrangement from extended family members and friends outside of the religion is mandatory. This includes shunning, alienation, or persecution. You are completely alone now with only them as the voice in your life.

At the end of this, you find your own beliefs have lost their vitality and your religious growth is stagnant due to the constant abuse by the narcissist. It is not unusual for you to question you faith and even abandon it due to the sadistic behavior.

You don’t have to be subject to religious abuse. Study these steps and refuse to be part of any organization that encourages this behavior. Your faith is far too precious to be destroyed by a narcissist. Don’t let them steal your joy.

https://psychcentral.com/pro/exhausted-woman/2015/05/15-narcissistic-religious-abuse-tactics#1

Religion-based con artists prey on the faithful.

Regulators at the North American Securities Administrators Association are issuing a warning to investors. A new breed of securities fraudster is targeting members of religious groups. The association notes a surge in the number of such cases.

Regulators have dubbed the phenomenon “affinity fraud.” Con artists hit people that share their ethnicity, background, or religion. Religion-related targeting is particularly pernicious, the association says, because it plays on people’s faith. It also exploits the greater trust people place in those professing to share their beliefs. As with most scams, the elderly are particularly vulnerable.

The NASAA cites a number of recent examples of affinity fraud. In Indiana, elderly investors were fleeced by a couple of insurance agents and an investment adviser “who often got on their knees and prayed with their victims to gain their trust.” Another promoter nailed investors with a scheme to find oil “based on visions he had received from God.” A Tampa-based Ponzi scheme at a church may have defrauded more than 17,000 investors out of US$200 million. The victims were fundamentalist Christians.

Christian fundamentalism, Conservative Protestant movement that arose out of 19th-century millennialism in the U.S. It emphasized as fundamental the literal truth of the Bible, the imminent physical Second Coming of Jesus, the Virgin Birth, resurrection, and atonement.

https://www.investmentexecutive.com/news/from-the-regulators/religion-based-con-artists-prey-on-the-faithful/

5 Ways to Recognize Religious Abuse.

Is your abuser using your spiritual beliefs to control you?

https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/identifying-abuse/5-ways-to-recognize-religious-abuse#google_vignette

Trump Looks to Evangelicals for Financial Boost.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has been holding meetings at Manhattan's Trump Tower to try and court members of the evangelical community.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-23/trump-looks-to-evangelicals-for-financial-boost

The idea that “my freedom ends where yours begins” is a fundamental principle that lies at the heart of a harmonious and just society. This concept encapsulates the understanding that while individuals have the right to exercise their freedoms, those freedoms must not infringe upon the rights and freedoms of others.

Religion & Democracy. How far should religious liberty extend in democratic societies?

What role should religion play in the conduct of citizens? The most prominent tensions are institutional: the relations that do or should exist between “church” and state. But ethics and political theory also extend to standards appropriate to the conduct of individual citizens, and how they should understand the role of religious convictions—especially their own—in civic affairs.

“Religion & Democracy” takes on the challenge of outlining standards that balance respect for both religion and democracy, and provide for their mutual flourishing. The volume addresses both institutional questions and the ethics of citizenship as bearing on how individuals, religious or not, may best regard their role in the political system in which they live. **Freedom of religion or belief, including the ability to worship in peace and security, is a universal human right**. It is enshrined in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, among other key human rights documents.

https://www.amacad.org/daedalus/religion-democracy

The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has made a “fascinating” discovery: Brain Activity declines as subjects speak in tongues.

http://pneumareview.com/tongues-and-brain-activity/

Tongues on the Mind

Psychiatrists probe what happens in the brain when people "speak in tongues"

https://www.science.org/content/article/tongues-mind

Attribution of Mental States in Glossolalia: A Direct Comparison With Schizophrenia

Glossolalia (“speaking in tongues”) is a rhythmic utterance of pseudo-words without consistent semantic meaning and syntactic regularities. Although glossolalia is a culturally embedded religious activity, its connection with psychopathology (e.g., psychotic thought disorder and altered mental state attribution/mentalization) is still a matter of debate. To elucidate this issue, we investigated 32 glossolalists, 32 matched control participants, and 32 patients with schizophrenia using the Animated Triangle Test (ATT) and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). The ATT can detect hypo- and hypermentalization using animations of two moving triangles. Healthy adults describe these as random movements (e.g., bouncing), willed actions (e.g., playing), or they mentalize (e.g., tricking). We found that glossolalists provided more mentalizing descriptions in the ATT random and intentional movement animations relative to the control participants. They also recognized more mental states in the RMET than the controls. None of them had a diagnosis of mental disorders. In contrast, patients with schizophrenia hypermentalized only in the ATT random movement condition, whereas they showed hypomentalization in the ATT intentional movement condition and in the RMET relative the control subjects. Hypermentalization in the ATT positively correlated with intrinsic religiosity in the glossolalia group. In conclusion, our results demonstrated a substantial difference in the mentalizing ability of glossolalists (generalized hypermentalization) and patients with schizophrenia (both hypo- and hypermentalization).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7174730/

What role does religion play in a democracy?

From the secular point of view, religion is a hindrance to democracy as it enforces a set of legal and societal principles. Separation of religion and state is required to protect freedom and ensure equality.

https://www.amacad.org/publication/religion-democracy-interactions-tensions-possibilities

Speaker Mike Johnson calls separation of church and state ‘a misnomer’

Christian nationalist House speaker bemoans ‘misunderstanding’ of one of US’s founding principles

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has delivered his verdict on the separation of church and state: it is a “misnomer”.

The second-in-line to the presidency informed Americans on Tuesday that their time-honored conception of one of the founding principles of the country was a “misunderstanding”. Speaking to CNBC’s Squawk Box, he tried to turn the conventional wisdom about the founders’ intentions on its head and claimed what they really wanted was to stop government interfering with religion, not the other way around.

“The separation of church and state is a misnomer,” the speaker said in an interview with the TV channel from the US Capitol. “People misunderstand it. Of course, it comes from a phrase that was in a letter that Jefferson wrote. It’s not in the constitution.”

Johnson was referring to Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut, written in 1802 when the third president was in the White House. It makes clear that the founding fathers subscribed to a powerful separation of church and state, which they enshrined in the establishment clause of the first amendment.

Jefferson in his letter quotes the establishment clause saying that Congress should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”. He goes on to say that it builds “a wall of separation between Church & State”.

Johnson’s contentious remarks fall in line with years of effort on his part to bring their version of Christianity into the center of American politics. The New York Times has dubbed him the first Christian nationalist to hold the powerful position of speaker.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/15/mike-johnson-separation-church-state-misnomer

The latest church revenue statistics show that religious congregations in the U.S. take in around $74.5 billion per year.

I'd call most of that $74.5 billion - profit... wouldn't you? And it should be taxed..

The Most Secret Bank In the World Reports $32 Million Dollar Net Income In 2022.

The Vatican bank's assets—valued at about **$5.6 billion** at the end of 2018—consisted of investments and deposits from almost 15,000 account holders. These account holders included Catholic clergy, Vatican employees, and Catholic religious orders around the world.

The Vatican houses tens of thousands of pieces of art in its 26 museums, including the Sistine Chapel, which contains works from some of the most renowned artists in history.

There’s Raphael’s fresco “The School of Athens” and Michelangelo’s fresco “The Creation of Adam.” In 2004, a Vatican accountant said that St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel were priceless and “listed at a symbolic 1 euro” (or $1.07).

Some pieces are easier to put a price tag on compared to others, like Vincent Van Gogh’s “Pieta,” a 41.5 cm X 34 cm painting that shows the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. This is a piece that is portable and entered the collection “in modern times,” explained art dealer Robert Simon, owner of Robert Simon Fine Art in New York City.

“Not a typical work for the artist, and a lot less appealing in the marketplace than most works by the artist due to its religious subject, but great provenance for sure,” Simon said.

So this painting might go for “only” $40 million to $50 million, he said by email.

Like the church’s other assets, Simon said trying to assess the value of the Catholic Church’s art is an “impossible” task.

“And this is coming from a long-time art appraiser who has valued so-called ‘priceless’ works of art, including ones by Leonardo and Raphael,” Simon said.

Some of the art is part of the physical structure of its buildings, like the paintings on the Sistine Chapel. If you somehow “liberated” some of the artwork from the structures they’re a part of, they’d reach “stratospheric prices,” Simon said.

“And there are many, many other cultural treasures — thousands upon thousands — of ‘priceless’ value in the Vatican collections: paintings, frescoes, sculptures, books, manuscripts, antiquities,” he added.

You also have to consider adding up the other art the Catholic Church owns beyond the Vatican.

“But before being horrified by the immense wealth implicit in all of this, it is best to remember that as much as it is all officially ‘owned’ by a single entity, it really belongs to all of us, whatever one’s faith,” Simon said. “It is like the Statue of Liberty, the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, the British Museum or Niagara Falls. They are all owned by some entity, and I suspect there are insurance values placed on each, but they are really part of our civilization’s wealth — and are really inseparable from that.”

The Catholic Church’s property across the globe spans nearly 277,000 square miles, which is just about the size of Texas, said Gerald Posner, author of “God’s Bankers: A History of Money and Power at the Vatican.”

“That includes embassies, churches, cathedrals, monastery schools and convents,” Posner said.

And some of that real estate is very valuable. Take St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, for example. Just imagine how much a developer would value that land, which is in the heart of Fifth Avenue, he said.

“So we’re talking billions and billions of dollars in terms of real estate,” Posner noted.

Posner said that he’s tried to get a valuation on the Catholic Church’s property from tax authorities.

“We know tax appraisals for property are often less than the real value of the property if it were sold,” Posner said. “But they don’t even have that. Since it’s a tax-exempt property, nobody in the government wastes time trying to come up with a valuation.”

In the U.S., churches “are generally exempt from income tax,” according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Posner said he was raised Catholic and remembers the parish priest was always bringing up how poor the church was and how they didn’t have enough money for renovations.

“So they get people to contribute money by saying, ‘We need money,’” he said, noting that the last thing the Catholic Church wants is media reporting on its wealth, which is why it’s never flashy about it.

“They don’t brag about what they have, they try to downplay it all the time,” he said.

But Posner said he thinks the Vatican is “straightening out its house in terms of finance” — and that’s all thanks to the euro, which it adopted in the early 2000s.

“What they didn’t realize then is that by going with the euro, they agreed to Brussels doing oversight on their central bank and making sure that they were compliant with international banking rules,” Posner said.

So we have entered a period of greater transparency with the Catholic Church. But it’s likely we’ll never truly know the extent of its assets.

When people say, “more money than God,” what might be a real number for that amount of money on Earth that God has? I’m thinking of the entire income and assets for all faith organizations, including houses of worship, faith charities, etc. How might we estimate that and compare it to large nations’ GDPs, the world’s wealthiest billionaires and our national debt?

If you’re looking at the Catholic Church alone, “God” has at least — and we’re putting a huge emphasis on “at least” — $73 billion in assets.

https://www.marketplace.org/2023/02/10/how-much-money-does-catholic-church-have/

What is the net worth of the Scientology church?

According to Jeffrey Augustine, author of the blog The Scientology Money Project, the church has a book value of $**1.75 billion**, about $1.5 billion of which is tied up in real estate, mostly at its headquarters in Clearwater and in Hollywood, Calif.

How much money does the Mormon Church have in the bank?

Value of its main investment fund now tops **$49 Billion**, **with $3B in Apple**. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Church Office Building, shown in 2022, in downtown Salt Lake City. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' main reserve fund is now valued at more than $49 billion.

Jehovah's Witnesses...

Very limited info. Funds kept "locally." In 2001 Newsday listed the Watch Tower Society as one of New York's 40 richest corporations, with revenues exceeding $950 million.

Religion Preys on the Weak​.

Religion is a bit of a touchy topic for a number of Americans these days. Some will claim a belief in this or that, and yet based upon their actions you may as well assume that their belief has no authority over their lives.

The average American churchgoer most likely belongs to this particular breed of “religious” person. You’ll notice that for them, Monday through Saturday belongs to no one but themselves, and this is when they will explore all of their worldly desires. But when Sunday rolls around, these same people walk around like their mother just washed their mouthes out with soap and made them put on their best suit.

These are the same people who will tell you you’re going to hell because of who you love, or make you feel guilty for literally anything you’ve done “wrong”. They live as if they subscribe to no moral or belief system, yet they talk to normal folk as if they are “holier than thou”.

And if you look close enough you’ll realize, these people are also victims of religion. They are the weak that have been preyed upon. They are the confused, they are the hopeless, they are the kids who grew up with no sense of identity. And whether they grew up in the church, or found it on their own, they were all promised one thing: a cure. The idea that they don’t have to be these troubled humans anymore. They can have a relationship with a god, and be a better human.

The weak are then lured in by this hope to be a better human, but they can’t see the reality behind it. The scam. The rules they have to follow to become this ultra-human, the fake mask of charity they’ll have to hide behind while they start to feel obligated to spread this message of “hope” to the weak of the world. They’ll never get to see an unmasked view of the way their love turns into hate, as it grows into a demeaning shame-on-you.

Then the cycle continues. The weakest of the weak succumb to it, and turn in to the very thing that degraded them down to the pits of Hell.

https://medium.com/@owenpeterson27_46462/religion-preys-on-the-weak-b057b6e5be26

2 Timothy 3:6 - They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires

https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/3-6.htm

2024: Trump’s brand of Unchristian conservatism is driving people away from church.

Religious trauma syndrome (RTS) occurs when an individual struggles with leaving a religion or a set of beliefs contributing to their indoctrination. Religious trauma often involves breaking away from a controlling environment, lifestyle, or spiritual figure. In some settings, the symptoms of religious trauma can be similar to those of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).

Donald Trump, a 77-year-old Bible salesman from Palm Beach, Florida, has emerged as the nation’s most prominent Christian leader. Trump is running for president as a divinely chosen champion of White Christians, promising to sanctify their grievances, destroy their perceived enemies, bolster their social status, and grant them the power to impose an anti-feminist, anti-LGBTQ, White-centric Christian nationalism from coast to coast. That Trump doesn’t attend church and has obviously never read the book that he hawks for $59.99, seems of interest exclusively to his political opponents.

What might catch the attention of some evangelical conservatives, however, is that Trump’s ostentatious embrace of White Christian militantism coincides with a precipitous decline in religious affiliation in the US. According to the Public Religion Research Institute, one-quarter of Americans in 2023 said they were religiously unaffiliated. “Unaffiliated” is the only religious category experiencing growth. In a single decade, from 2013 to 2023, the percentage of Americans saying that religion is the most important thing, or among the most important things, in their life plummeted to 53% from 72%.

Support of Trump within church has driven some Catholics to the exits.

The day after Donald Trump won the presidential election, Mike Boyle decided he was ready to become an Episcopalian.

A practicing Catholic all his life, Boyle was serious enough about his faith that he had spent three years as a member of a Dominican community, in the priestly formation track. But even prior to 2016, he was growing frustrated with the behavior of lay Catholics and clergy. With the initiation of the Fortnight for Freedom during the Obama administration, he began to be uncomfortable with the church leaders' obvious promotion of right-wing political ideologies.

Then Pope Francis was elected. Boyle initially hoped the new pope would bring about much-needed reform, but after a few years started to doubt whether Francis could really change things. He began to be drawn toward an Anglo-Catholic Episcopal parish.

"But I still held on," Boyle said. "With Trump, it was basically like watching a car crash in slow motion. Deep down, I knew that the hierarchy and all the usual suspects were going to jump on board the Trump train, but I still hoped that I was wrong, that I was being too cynical. But, of course, I wasn't being too cynical."

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Religion-based con artists prey on the faithful...

MAGA pastor tellS his followers that Democratic voters are demons who are unwelcome in his congregation...

Religiocentrism or religio-centrism is defined as the "conviction that a person's own religion is more important or superior to other religions." In analogy to ethnocentrism, religiocentrism is a value-neutral term for psychological attitude.

Hyper-religiosity is a psychiatric disturbance in which a person experiences intense religious beliefs or episodes that interfere with normal functioning. Hyper-religiosity generally includes abnormal beliefs and a focus on religious content or even atheistic content, which interferes with work and social functioning.

Hyper-religiosity is characterized by an increased tendency to report supernatural or mystical experiences, spiritual delusions, rigid legalistic thoughts, and extravagant expression of piety. Hyper-religiosity may also include religious hallucinations.

Hyper-religiosity was associated in one small study with decreased right hippocampal volume. Increased activity in the left temporal regions has been associated with hyper-religiosity in psychotic disorders. Pharmacological evidence points towards dysfunction in the ventral dopaminergic pathway.

https://youtu.be/kNZldAbN5DI

SPLC RELEASES ANNUAL YEAR IN HATE & EXTREMISM REPORT, DECODES THE FAR-RIGHT'S PLAN TO UNDO DEMOCRACY.

Report documents record numbers of white nationalist and anti-LGBTQ groups in 2023 and shows how hard-right groups are actively working to destabilize democratic institutions in America.

https://conspiranon.blogspot.com/2024/06/duty-to-warn-psychiatrists-and-mental.html