DISTORTION OF FAITH AS A FACTOR IN UNHEALTHY SPIRITUALITY

Abstract

The article analyzes the phenomenon of unhealthy religiosity and the distortions of religious faith. It shows that the distortion of religious faith is an important factor that has significant negative impacts on a person’s spirituality. The author outlines the main manifestations of unhealthy religiosity and the consequences of faith distortions, illustrating some of them with examples from current events affecting Ukrainian society. According to the author, distortions of religious faith are closely linked to mental disorders. These are often caused by rigid and demanding religious doctrines, the cultivation of guilt, and constant internal tension. Among the consequences of distorted religious faith, the author highlights aggression, intolerance, and violence toward followers of other faiths, provoked by a sense of religious exclusivity and disdain for other religions. The article also examines the phenomenon of religious fanaticism, which poses a serious danger to the fanatic, their loved ones, and those around them. The author clarifies the causes of this phenomenon, identifying fragile self-identification of the potential fanatic, a lack of mental flexibility, their internally infantile position, and a hidden desire to renounce freedom of choice in exchange for the illusion of control and certainty about the future. The author notes that distortions of religious faith are also present in the doctrine of the “Russian World”, which sacralizes aggressive war and justifies killing as a means of fighting for higher values. According to the author, faith distortions are often characterized by neglect of personal health as well. A striking example of such distortion is the “COVID dissidence” that was widespread in Ukraine during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article also mentions that scientists are still unable to definitively say what precedes the onset of severe mental disorders – individual predispositions or a religious paradigm. The question remains open as to whether faith can cause mental disorders in a person with good mental health. The author argues that distortions of religious faith led to numerous problems, not only for the person experiencing them but also for those around them.