When is hearing voices a delusion and when is it religion? [View all]

Have you heard the old joke?

When you talk to God, we call it prayer, but when God talks to you, we call it schizophrenia.

Joan of Arc had God speak to her. She went down in history.

Conservative politicians all claim that they make decisions based on conversations they have with God. They may well also go down in history, but not for the same reasons as Joan of Arc.

Peter heard God talk to him on the road to Damascus. Based on how he then twisted Christ’s teachings to suit his own interpretation of the what he wanted Christianity to look, one might wonder if he was following Gods instruction or listening to his own ego? Not sure he was mad, maybe just bad?

So, what determines who is speaking to God? Or who is speaking to the little people who live inside one’s head? I suppose in some ways it really does not matter, unless of course one is listening to the voices inside one’s head and using it to try and determine public policy. Then we get to ask the question: When is hearing voices a delusion and when is it religion?

So, does this mean the people who rule you are delusional? Logic 101... hehe