Religious delusions among Jews.

Religious delusions are not limited to Christians; a review of cases at Friends Hospital found they are equally common among Jews. Five cases are presented, four showing psychotic reactions to stress and one illustrating that a religious experience does not necessarily lead to psychosis. Delusional content may draw from the Old or New Testament. The Messiah delusion is examined in detail, including a historical 17th-century example. The authors argue that persecution and social stress can foster fantasies of a savior, making Jewish people particularly vulnerable to Messianic delusions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Though most previous publications described religious delusions only among Christians, a review of cases at Friends Hospital revealed that they are equally common among Jews. Five cases are given, four illustrating psychotic reactions to stress, one demonstrating that a religious experience does not necessarily result in psychosis. Content may come from either the Old or New Testaments. The Messiah delusion is discussed in more detail, with a historical example from the 17th century. Since persecution and other social stress leads to fantasies of a savior, Jewish people are now particularly vulnerable to Messianic delusions.