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human
CMV: Claiming to hear/see a deity is part of an illness

People who claim to have heard a deity speak to them, or who have claimed to see one, have hallucinations. The definition of hallucination is "a sensory experience that appears real, but is created by the mind". - paraphrased from Healthline. This is often a symptom of several illnesses, so we can conclude that the person who claims to see/hear a deity has an illness, because nobody else can perceive what the other hears/sees. I think that claiming to see/hear a deity has no basis in reality, whatsoever, can potentially cause the person to do dangerous things and is very strange.

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Now, I perfectly accept that it is not in their control, and it is perfectly OK to have an illness, whether that be of mind or body, but why isn't people claiming to see/hear deities viewed as an illness by doctors? Serious question. Any attempts to change my view, **especially** from anybody working in the medical field will be greatly appreciated.

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Edit: View has since changed. Thanks everyone who commented on the thread and gave me scientific,, logical,  medical explanations as to why my view was flawed. I admit that this view could have been seen as deeply offensive to people with mental illnesses and to many religious people, and I definitely don't want to be seen as offensive by anyone, so I'm glad you could change it! Well done!!!
gpt
I mean, lots of people that claim to see / hear a deity *do* have a mental illness, sure.

With that said, plenty probably don't:

* Lots of people *want* to believe in a god or a higher power, and are willing to believe someone who tells them that they are being spoken to by a god -- and follow that person's instructions. Given that basic fact, a person desiring religious authority could certainly *claim* to be hearing or seeing a deity, without *actually doing so,* and perfectly sane (if unprincipled).
* Historically, taking hallucinogenic drugs was often a part of religious practice, as was the interpretation of dreams; both of these create altered mental states, but neither are an illness. Seeing god in your dreams (or in your DMT trip) isn't the same as being insane.