rationalskepticism.org

Autumn Clouds wrote:

Yeah, religious delusions are rather common among psychotics. It makes me wonder if there isn't some primitive part of the brain having to do with woo and religion that is more activated during psychotic episodes.

Psycopaths* don't have a primitive brain, any more than you or I have. They only seem to have a considerably smaller amygdala.

Ted Kaczynski was a brilliant mathematician, and by far more advanced than his peers. He genuinly belived his delusion, which he explained in his manifesto. It shows a bizzare form of logic to justify his acts. I doubt it was instinctive at all.
As for the French Revolution, though, impulsed by noble goals of both enlightment and reason, it came all down to shit when Robespierre, belived himself to be a god. He even held somesort of ritual. It was a really strange case this one, he was the prime opposer of the death sentence, the prime voice of reason in the chaos, and then completley out of the blue opposed all his principles. I'm not sure what was the cause for his insanity, but things went from bad to worse then.