Delusion Quote by Lekan Wahab
“When a person suffers from a delusion it is called insanity; when a number of people suffer from a delusion it is called religion.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Unknown philosophical essay, date unknown
It contrasts individual delusion (insanity) with collective delusion (religion), implying that shared false beliefs become institutionalized as religion.
In simple terms: Individual delusion is insanity; group delusion is religion.
Key Takeaway
Question the basis of widely held beliefs.
Themes
psychology
religion
social dynamics
belief
truth
Mood
skeptical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- Personal introspection
- community discussions
- academic study
- interfaith dialogue
Key Concepts
Mass psychology
Sociology of religion
Groupthink
Questions to Reflect On
- What distinguishes harmful delusion from meaningful belief?
- How can societies critically evaluate shared doctrines?
A Different Perspective
The comparison can be seen as dismissive of genuine spiritual experiences.
![“It's [Los Angeles] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them aren't even young and beautiful now.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a86/christopher-hitchens-117_beautiful_it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense_10462.jpg)
