THE CASE AGAINST RELIGION: A Psychotherapist's View and THE CASE AGAINST RELIGIOSITY "In II sense. the religious person must have no real views of his own and it is presumptuous of him. in fact. to have any. In regard to sex-love af­ fairs. to marriage and family relations. to business. to politics. and to virtually everything else that is important in his life. he must try to discover what his god and his clergy would like him to do; and he must primarily do their .. bidding . - Albert Ellis by Albert Ellis Ph.D. Introduction by Jon G. Murray THE CASE AGAINST RELIGION: A Psychotherapist's View and THE CASE AGAINST RELIGIOSITY "In II sense. the religious person must have no real views of his own and it is presumptuous of him. in fact. to have any. In regard to sex-love af­ fairs. to marriage and family relations. to business. to politics. and to virtually everything else that is important in his life. he must try to discover what his god and his clergy would like him to do; and he must primarily do their .. bidding . - Albert Ellis by Albert Ellis Ph.D. Introduction by Jon G. Murray THE CASE AGAINST RELIGION: A PsychotherapistV'ise w and THE CASE AGAINST RELIGIOSITY by AlbertE llisPh,. D. Introduction by Jon G. Murray 0·910309·18·3 ISBN: 140195 i.@iAMERICANATXT H78E7I1S4-T0P19R5E SS P.O. Box Austin, Introduction Albert Ellis is one of the leading sexologist­ psychotherapists in the world. Because of his expertise in this area, in puritan United States, he has been both censored and denied the popular recognition he deserves. His impeccable creden­ tials are of no avail vis-a-vis the fundamentalist religion and the reactionay politics which have dominated our nation in the last decade. Al­ though he is well known to and acclaimed by the professionals in his field he has not become the folk hero he should be. Ellis was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 27, 1913. September He received him BB.A from 1934, City College, New York in his M.A. in 1943, 1974 and his Ph.D. in from Columbia Uni­ 1948 versity. In his career started in the north­ ern New Jersey Mental Hygiene Clinic and by the next year he was the chief psychologist at 1950 the Diagnostic Center, in Meno Park. By he was the chief psychologist of the New Jersey Dept. of Human Services. However, he has al­ ways maintained his own private practice in 1959 psychotherapy. In he founded the new psy­ chotherapeutic method of Rational Emotive Psy­ chotherapy and became the executive director of the Institute for Rational Living, a position which he still holds. He has been the Executive Director of the Institute of Advanced Study in 1968, Rational Psychotherapy since a professor 1973. of psychology at Rutgers University since He is a member of the American Psychological Associatino (division of consulting psychology,) the Oversexed Woman, 1964; (with Ralph Bran­ past president of both Social Science Study of cale) The Pscyhology of Sex Offenders, 1965; Sex, and American Academy of Psychothera­ Suppressed: Seven Essays Publishers Dared Not pi'its, past vice president, National Council on Print, 1965; Sex without Guilt, 1966; Art of Family Relations, past chairman, division of ErOtic Seduction, 1968; (with John Gallo) Murder m�."riage couns,�lingj past board of directors A­ & Assassi:olation, 1971; Executive Leadership; A merican Association of Marriage and Family Rathmal Approach, 1972,; Sensuous Person: Cri­ Counselors, and past executivp. council, New tique & Corrections, 1973; How to Live with - York Society of Clinical Psychologists. He is a and without - Anger, 1977; (with Russell Grieger) f�llow of American Sociological Association, of Handbook of Rational-Emotive Therapy, 1977; American Pscychological Association, the Amer­ Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy, 1977; ican Associ.ltion ft)r the Advance of Science, and (with Robert A. Harper) A Guide to Successful of American Anthropolotica Association. He is a Marriage, 1978; (with William Knaus) On Over­ Diplornat� in American Board of Examin�rs in coming Procrastination, 1979: Growth through Professional Psychology, and Vice President A­ Reason, 1980; (with John Whiteley) Theoretical merican Acndemy of Psychotherapists. and Em )irical Foundations of Rational-Emotive He received the Distinguished Research Award Therapy, 1980; (with Janet L. Wolfe How to for Social Science Study of Sex in 1971, the Raise an Emotionally Healthy, Happy Child, Distinguished Professional Psychologist Award, 1981; (with Irving Becker) Guide to Personal Division of Psychotherapy American Pscyhologi­ Happiness, 1981; (with Eliot Abrahms) Brief Psy­ cal Association in 1974, chotherapy in Medical and Health Practice, His books include: The Folklore of Sex, 19S1; 1983. (with A. P. Phillay) Sex, Society and The Indi­ Albert Ellis was featured as the principal vidual, 1953j Sex Life of the American Woman speaker at the 10th Annual National American and The Kinsey Report, 1954; The American Atheist Convention in Chicago, Illinois. At that Sexual Tragedy, 1954; (with Ralph Brancale) The time, he delivered a speech which he titled, "The Psychology of Sex Offenders, 1956; How to � Case Against Religion." Subsequently, with his with A Neurotic, 1957; Sex without Guilt, 1958; permission, this was brought out as a booklet by (with Robert A. Harper) The Art and Science of American Atheists. Recently Dr. Ellis updated Love, 1960; (with Robert Harper) A Guide to that treatise and both the old and the new are Raticmal Living, 1961; (with Albert Abarbanel) included in this booklet. The old, printed first, The Encyclopedia of· Sexual Behavior, 1961; Cre­ begins on page 3; the new, just received, and i ative M.'lt"tiage, 1962,; Reason and Emotion n titled "The Case Against ReligioSity" begins on 2,3 . Psychotherapy, 1962,; If This Be Sexual Heresy page .:.'.:..:. 1963; Sex and The Single Man, 1963; The In both articles, Or. Ellis explores the traits Intelligent Woman's Guide to Manhunting, 1963; necessary to a minimally anxious and hostile (with Edward Sagarin) Nymphomania: A Study of individual, and how religion and a belief in a Associatino (division of consulting psychology,) the Oversexed Woman, 1964; (with Ralph Bran­ past president of both Social Science Study of cale) The Pscyhology of Sex Offenders, 1965; Sex, and American Academy of Psychothera­ Suppressed: Seven Essays Publishers Dared Not pi'its, past vice president, National Council on Print, 1965; Sex without Guilt, 1966; Art of Family Relations, past chairman, division of ErOtic Seduction, 1968; (with John Gallo) Murder m�."riage couns,�lingj past board of directors A­ & Assassi:olation, 1971; Executive Leadership; A merican Association of Marriage and Family Rathmal Approach, 1972,; Sensuous Person: Cri­ Counselors, and past executivp. council, New tique & Corrections, 1973; How to Live with - York Society of Clinical Psychologists. He is a and without - Anger, 1977; (with Russell Grieger) f�llow of American Sociological Association, of Handbook of Rational-Emotive Therapy, 1977; American Pscychological Association, the Amer­ Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy, 1977; ican Associ.ltion ft)r the Advance of Science, and (with Robert A. Harper) A Guide to Successful of American Anthropolotica Association. He is a Marriage, 1978; (with William Knaus) On Over­ Diplornat� in American Board of Examin�rs in coming Procrastination, 1979: Growth through Professional Psychology, and Vice President A­ Reason, 1980; (with John Whiteley) Theoretical merican Acndemy of Psychotherapists. and Em )irical Foundations of Rational-Emotive He received the Distinguished Research Award Therapy, 1980; (with Janet L. Wolfe How to for Social Science Study of Sex in 1971, the Raise an Emotionally Healthy, Happy Child, Distinguished Professional Psychologist Award, 1981; (with Irving Becker) Guide to Personal Division of Psychotherapy American Pscyhologi­ Happiness, 1981; (with Eliot Abrahms) Brief Psy­ cal Association in 1974, chotherapy in Medical and Health Practice, His books include: The Folklore of Sex, 19S1; 1983. (with A. P. Phillay) Sex, Society and The Indi­ Albert Ellis was featured as the principal vidual, 1953j Sex Life of the American Woman speaker at the 10th Annual National American and The Kinsey Report, 1954; The American Atheist Convention in Chicago, Illinois. At that Sexual Tragedy, 1954; (with Ralph Brancale) The time, he delivered a speech which he titled, "The Psychology of Sex Offenders, 1956; How to � Case Against Religion." Subsequently, with his with A Neurotic, 1957; Sex without Guilt, 1958; permission, this was brought out as a booklet by (with Robert A. Harper) The Art and Science of American Atheists. Recently Dr. Ellis updated Love, 1960; (with Robert Harper) A Guide to that treatise and both the old and the new are Raticmal Living, 1961; (with Albert Abarbanel) included in this booklet. The old, printed first, The Encyclopedia of· Sexual Behavior, 1961; Cre­ begins on page 3; the new, just received, and i ative M.'lt"tiage, 1962,; Reason and Emotion n titled "The Case Against ReligioSity" begins on 2,3 . Psychotherapy, 1962,; If This Be Sexual Heresy page .:.'.:..:. 1963; Sex and The Single Man, 1963; The In both articles, Or. Ellis explores the traits Intelligent Woman's Guide to Manhunting, 1963; necessary to a minimally anxious and hostile (with Edward Sagarin) Nymphomania: A Study of individual, and how religion and a belief in a supernatural being eradicate each of these per­ sonality traits. Furthermore, Dr. Ellis gives in­ sight into the irrational beliefs held by most seriously disturbed individuals, and shows how religion supports these detl'itDental beliefs. His basic premise is, n AU true believ�rs in any kind of orthodoxy are distinctly disturbed, since ..• they are obviously rigid, fanatic, and dependent individuals M:any liberal religionists of vari­ . .•• Tt11: CASI: AGAIi'ojST IlI:LlGI()i'oj: ous groups are ... e:notionally childish. For that ... is wha t all manner of religion essentially is: A VSYChCltheraplst's View childish dependency." Jon Murray by Albert 1:111. Vh.D. supernatural being eradicate each of these per­ sonality traits. Furthermore, Dr. Ellis gives in­ sight into the irrational beliefs held by most seriously disturbed individuals, and shows how religion supports these detl'itDental beliefs. His basic premise is, n AU true believ�rs in any kind of orthodoxy are distinctly disturbed, since ..• they are obviously rigid, fanatic, and dependent individuals M:any liberal religionists of vari­ . .•• Tt11: CASI: AGAIi'ojST IlI:LlGI()i'oj: ous groups are ... e:notionally childish. For that ... is wha t all manner of religion essentially is: A VSYChCltheraplst's View childish dependency." Jon Murray by Albert 1:111. Vh.D.