--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religious people are forced to perform…" description: "\"“Religious people are forced to perform mental gymnastics to reconcile real life with their delusions. When Christianity, Islam and the rest of the wor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/al-stefanelli-10033_abnormal-psychology_religious-people-are-forced-to-perform-m_2478332.jpg" --- # Religious people are forced to perform mental gymnastics… ![“Religious people are forced to perform mental gymnastics to reconcile real life with their delusions. When Christianity, Islam and the rest of the world religions finally have gone the way of Zeus, they will leave behind a legacy of case studies for students of abnormal psychology.” quote by Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/al-stefanelli-10033_abnormal-psychology_religious-people-are-forced-to-perform-m_2478332.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/al-stefanelli-10033_abnormal-psychology_religious-people-are-forced-to-perform-m_2478332.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/al-stefanelli-10033_abnormal-psychology_religious-people-are-forced-to-perform-m_2478332.jpg) > ““Religious people are forced to perform mental gymnastics to reconcile real life with their delusions. When Christianity, Islam and the rest of the world religions finally have gone the way of Zeus, they will leave behind a legacy of case studies for students of abnormal psychology.”” [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious belief often requires mental adjustments to align with reality; when religions fade, they become case studies for abnormal psychology. **In simple terms:** Religion may conflict with reality. Key Takeaway Question beliefs critically. Themes faith psychology religion delusion legacy Mood critical analytical Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - academic research - personal belief assessment - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts cognitive dissonance cultural studies psychopathology Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile belief and evidence? - What value do religions hold today? A Different Perspective Belief systems can provide comfort despite contradictions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abnormal psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abnormal-psychology/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-people/) ## Related quotes > [“Putting atheism up as a legitimate parallel to religion takes mental gymnastics of Olympian proportions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/putting-atheism-up-as-a-legitimate-parallel-to-religion-takes-mental/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“God told us to love everyone. However, when you don’t like someone then you need to walk away and focus not on him or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-told-us-to-love-everyone-however-when-you-don-t-like-someone-then/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“There are two ways of thinking. One is living life based on fear. The other is trusting. Letting go and allowing trust to control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/there-are-two-ways-of-thinking-one-is-living-life-based-on-fear-the/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [“Years later, (Paul) Jones described the mental gymnastics that went into writing these scripts. "Every evening I would close my eyes in a quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-mallaby/years-later-paul-jones-described-the-mental-gymnastics-that-went-into/) Sebastian Mallaby > [Political partisans are very good at certain things, including mental gymnastics. We can explain away almost anything that doesn't support our party, candidate or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-tarlov/political-partisans-are-very-good-at-certain-things-including-mental/) [Jessica Tarlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-tarlov/) > [I have to do some mental gymnastics as an actor sometimes, to remember not to let certain things in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merritt-wever/i-have-to-do-some-mental-gymnastics-as-an-actor-sometimes-to-remember/) [Merritt Wever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merritt-wever/) > [“With enough mental gymnastics, just about any fact can become misshapen in favor to one's confirmation bias.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/with-enough-mental-gymnastics-just-about-any-fact-can-become/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I started in radio. I enjoy the mental gymnastics that go along with matching voice to picture and vice versa and trying to accent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/i-started-in-radio-i-enjoy-the-mental-gymnastics-that-go-along-with/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) > [“Unless it was an elaborate double-bluff on Wayne’s part and it was so obvious as to be not obvious at all … Christ, it was too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/unless-it-was-an-elaborate-double-bluff-on-wayne-s-part-and-it-was-so/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [If mental gymnastics were an Olympic sport, Republicans desperate to defend Trump would all be gold medal contenders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-tarlov/if-mental-gymnastics-were-an-olympic-sport-republicans-desperate-to/) [Jessica Tarlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-tarlov/) > [I enjoy the mental gymnastics that go along with matching voice to picture and vice versa and trying to accent the action as opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/i-enjoy-the-mental-gymnastics-that-go-along-with-matching-voice-to/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) > [Acting is different from mental gymnastics. You try to discover as much about the character as you can, but a large area is mysterious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faye-dunaway/acting-is-different-from-mental-gymnastics-you-try-to-discover-as/) [Faye Dunaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faye-dunaway/) > [Not everything that steps out of line, and thus "abnormal", must necessarily be "inferior".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-asperger/not-everything-that-steps-out-of-line-and-thus-abnormal-must/) [Hans Asperger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-asperger/) > [“Freud was the man who seeded a progeny of doctors interested in abnormal psychology. With the intellectual force of a battering ram, Freud penetrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wilbur/freud-was-the-man-who-seeded-a-progeny-of-doctors-interested-in/) Dan Wilbur > [Interesting survey in the current Journal of Abnormal Psychology: New York City has a higher percentage of people you shouldn't make any sudden moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/interesting-survey-in-the-current-journal-of-abnormal-psychology-new/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) ## More by Al Stefanelli > [“. The understanding that what is good supports basic human rights and anything that threatens it is bad. We do not need a supernatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-understanding-that-what-is-good-supports-basic-human-rights-and/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Somewhere during the process of intellectual development there was a disconnect in the believer’s ability to discern fantasy from reality and the outlandish, scientifically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/somewhere-during-the-process-of-intellectual-development-there-was-a/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Fundamental Christianity and Islam are diseases. They are viruses that have infected our species, and I see no reason to cease my broad-brushed punditry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/fundamental-christianity-and-islam-are-diseases-they-are-viruses-that/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“. Christianity is marketed as a religion of love and tolerance, but inwardly it is a destructive virus that causes division, promotes willful ignorance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/christianity-is-marketed-as-a-religion-of-love-and-tolerance-but/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“When mystical elements are introduced into morality, the whole system ends up being corrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/when-mystical-elements-are-introduced-into-morality-the-whole-system/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Prayer – The Art Of Talking To Yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/prayer-the-art-of-talking-to-yourself/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“The vilification of atheists is becoming the anchor knot of religion. The more they resist us, the tighter it gets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-vilification-of-atheists-is-becoming-the-anchor-knot-of-religion/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“For unbelievers, evil can best be described as the abandonment of our minds to the minds of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/for-unbelievers-evil-can-best-be-described-as-the-abandonment-of-our/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“One competent scientist is worth more than a thousand evangelists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/one-competent-scientist-is-worth-more-than-a-thousand-evangelists/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“The belief in a god is irrational, and once this leap of faith is made it only takes short steps to abandon the standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-belief-in-a-god-is-irrational-and-once-this-leap-of-faith-is-made/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Basically, the field of apologetics is an entire discipline built around the concept of getting people to believe the biggest bullshit stories to ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/basically-the-field-of-apologetics-is-an-entire-discipline-built/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“When we could not explain the horizon, we simply calculated that the earth has an edge and if you go out too far, you’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/when-we-could-not-explain-the-horizon-we-simply-calculated-that-the/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Take Creationism. Please.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/take-creationism-please/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Equating abortion with murder is not only playing fast and furious with the truth, such a comparison is legally disingenuous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/equating-abortion-with-murder-is-not-only-playing-fast-and-furious/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“The scientific community thrives on probabilities, working theories and fact-based hypothesis that have resulted in the advances we have made in fields such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-scientific-community-thrives-on-probabilities-working-theories/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) [Explore all 68 Al Stefanelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) ## More Abnormal psychology quotes > [Interesting survey in the current Journal of Abnormal Psychology: New York City has a higher percentage of people you shouldn't make any sudden moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/interesting-survey-in-the-current-journal-of-abnormal-psychology-new/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“Freud was the man who seeded a progeny of doctors interested in abnormal psychology. 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Previous memos had borne messages from Zwingli, Lévi-Strauss, Rilke, Chekhov, Tillich, William Blake, Charles Olson and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/this-was-the-first-of-the-st-augustines-previous-memos-had-borne/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [As the days go on…you will discover that most of the subjects you studied in college are useless, except the abnormal psychology and attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goutham-aditya-devaguptapu/as-the-days-go-on-you-will-discover-that-most-of-the-subjects-you/) [Goutham Aditya Devaguptapu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goutham-aditya-devaguptapu/) > [Abnormal, adj. Not conforming to standard. In matters of thought and conduct, to be independent is to be abnormal, to be abnormal is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/abnormal-adj-not-conforming-to-standard-in-matters-of-thought-and-2/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Here I want to stress that perception of losing one’s mind is based on culturally derived and socially ingrained stereotypes as to the significance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erving-goffman/here-i-want-to-stress-that-perception-of-losing-one-s-mind-is-based/) [Erving Goffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erving-goffman/) > [“Behind a barbed-wire fence, a dirt road disappears into the distance in the pine trees and corners. Lost, dead roads, no ends or remaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gilmore-this-kind-of-city-ghost-stories-and-psychological-landscapes/behind-a-barbed-wire-fence-a-dirt-road-disappears-into-the-distance/) Tim Gilmore This Kind of City Ghost stories and psychological landscapes > [I'm afraid you can't create tragedy out of abnormal psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sarris/i-m-afraid-you-can-t-create-tragedy-out-of-abnormal-psychology/) [Andrew Sarris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sarris/) > [Al Gore's performances could be a case study in abnormal-psychology classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/al-gore-s-performances-could-be-a-case-study-in-abnormal-psychology/) [Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/) > [We cannot selectively numb emotions, when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-cannot-selectively-numb-emotions-when-we-numb-the-painful-emotions/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Depressed people think they know themselves, but maybe they only know depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-epstein/depressed-people-think-they-know-themselves-but-maybe-they-only-know/) [Mark Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-epstein/) > [“While the Mystic masters prided themselves on being 'lunatic', this was understood in two distinct senses: one, a lunacy below reason, and another, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hossein-elahi-ghomshei-phd/while-the-mystic-masters-prided-themselves-on-being-lunatic-this-was/) [Hossein Elahi Ghomshei PhD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hossein-elahi-ghomshei-phd/) > [Let the credulous and the vulgar continue to believe that all mental woes can be cured by a daily application of old Greek myths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/let-the-credulous-and-the-vulgar-continue-to-believe-that-all-mental/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [Oh! This'll impress you - I'm actually in the Abnormal Psychology textbook. Obviously my family is so proud. Keep in mind though, I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/oh-this-ll-impress-you-i-m-actually-in-the-abnormal-psychology/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) [Browse all 17 Abnormal psychology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abnormal-psychology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Religious people are forced to perform mental gymnastics to reconcile real life with their delusions. 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