Islam and Mental Illness

[Jroc]

Here's a good piece about the state of islam, and the reformation that needs to happen within it. The same reformation that other religions have went through. This Rabbi is brilliant, I've met him and heard him lecture

Yitro: Beauty or the Beast? - The Meaningful Life Center

 

[westwall]

When a person does something crazy, even violent and crazy - we usually accept that they are mentally ill. Our culture still has a long ways to go in regards to erasing the stigma of mental illness, and recognizing it as something that needs treatment - but it's come a long ways.

But, when that person is Muslim, there seems to be a double stigma attached to it. One: they are Muslim, and any crazy or violent behavior is blamed on their religion. Two: they are crazy, and mental illness still retains a huge stigma in the Muslim Community.

Take for example:

Amina Ali Ahra, who out of the blue grabbed a flag, and started attacking a nearby woman. She'd been reported as hanging around the area but did not live there, chased another woman into her house and when arrested was unable to give police coherent information. This sparked threads, claims of outrage directed at Muslim extremists and Muslims in general and immigrants in general, and in the end it was determined she had mental issues.

Nicholas Salvadore, who went on a bloody rampage, decapitating an elderly woman and two cats. Much was made of it as a religious terrorist attack because he was a Muslim. But, he was also mentally ill, and a paranoid schitzophrenic.

If they were not Muslim, it would quickly have been yesterday's news, no demands for "why isn't this in the news" etc. If they were not Muslim, people would have considered mental illness as a causative factor because the "religion thing" would not have been occupying so much headspace. It's also possible that if they hadn't been Muslim, their families and friends may have recognized signs and sought treatment in childhood before it erupted in to a tragedy.

‘Muslims must fight this taboo’ Islamic leaders want stigma around mental illness to end

Praising the Sunday Express for its Crusade for better mental health Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, assistant Secretary-General for the Muslim Council of Britain, said feelings of shame, cultural and religious ignorance and a general lack of physical fitness meant that the rate of mental illness within Muslim communities far exceeded the three per cent national average.

In some quarters the situation was so bad that parents have banned schools from referring to their children as having special educational needs in awards ceremonies because of the perceived stigma involved, or feelings of personal guilt.

“Mental Illness still remains a taboo subject in Muslim communities and people are not seeking the help that is available. This is causing unnecessary distress to themselves and loved ones,” he said.

“Many parents try to keep mental illness with children hidden and under the radar. They don't want anyone to know. Sometimes they feel it's their fault, that as parents they are responsible for their children’s’ conditions. And others might agree.”​

Religion of all types is a catch all for violent crime. There was a pedophile recently sentenced to multiple life sentences for his crimes. The UK media referred to him as a "practicing Christian". He wasn't. He used the Christian group he was a part of to gain access to his victims. That is clear in all of the evidence released to the public. The media though is invested in the meme that Christians are pedophiles thus they will lie to keep that meme alive.

The same go's for the Islamic extremists. I agree that many are insane. However they are useful tools for a religious group that is waging a new religious war against the western countries. When ISIS declared they were reestablishing the Caliphate that WAS the declaration of war. Anyone who is not familiar with Islam and how it is administered should read up on the Caliphate of Baghdad which was destroyed by Hulagu in 1258.

I think religion can be a tool which can be abused to legitimize evil. It can attract saints and thugs.

Of course it has been since it was first invented. Both sides felt that God was on their side in WWI. However, when one looks at history it becomes very apparent that most "religious" wars are simple wars of expansion and conquest and the ruling elite use religion as a tool to get people to do what the rulers want.

islam is a religion of conquest and domination. WWI was not a religious war I think you're confused

I know. I was referring to the fact that all sides in wars tend to claim that God is on their side. Fundamentalist Islam is indeed a religion of conquest, and destruction. Moderate Islam is not.