Religious paranoia

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Religious paranoia is an irrational fear of being purposefully attacked by an outside agent(s) in or through some religious context. Some examples:

  1. The fear of one's soul being stolen
  2. The fear of being tempted by demons
  3. The fear of being plotted against by cultists
  4. The fear of being a target of God or Satan

It is a condition which has been compared to extremism and intolerance.[1] It has been cited as a possible contributor to political violence.[2][3] It is often related to splitting, psychological projection, a desire to maintain a sense of purity in situations of real or perceived persecution, and rigid and unchallengeable attitudes.[4]

In an alternate form of religious paranoia of a psychiatric nature, the patient can suffer from a permanent delusion of a primarily religious nature. He could, for example, believe that he is the messenger of God who has been sent to the world to propagate some religion.[1]

See also[edit]


  1. ^ Field F., J. (August 8, 1999). "China’s Religious Paranoia". National Catholic Register. Retrieved November 29, 2011. 
  2. ^ Presidential peril: Assassin Nation, Globe and Mail, May 31, 2008
  3. ^ Mustaffa, Ahmad; Manaf, Abdul (January 18, 2011). "Religious paranoia can wreak havoc if unchecked". The Star. Retrieved November 29, 2011. 
  4. ^ The destructive power of religion: violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, J. Harold Ellens, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 ISBN 0-275-99708-1, ISBN 978-0-275-99708-3