CNN: Faith, delusion or excuse for crime?

[usregimechange]

He's a self-proclaimed prophet who called his bed an altar.

He wore robes, grew his beard long and penned a rambling manifesto.

He said he received revelations and was destined to take 49 wives.

And he is on federal trial for kidnapping Elizabeth Smart, now 23, and moving her across state lines for sex.

The lawyers for Brian David Mitchell do not dispute that he abducted Smart, then 14, and held her captive for nine months. But they say his religious beliefs were delusions, that their client was insane and therefore cannot be held responsible for his actions.

Smart, in her courtroom testimony last week in Utah, countered that he "used religion…to justify everything." And that is the prosecution's case: that Mitchell's religious "revelations" were all self-serving.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/15/on-trial-faith-delusion-or-an-excuse-for-criminal-action/?hpt=T1

[Angry Dragon]

1. He sounds like a Mormon

He should have to live with beck and have him be responsible for him

[Angry Dragon]

2. DUPE

[dmallind]

3. all of the above.

Just because he was deluded does not make him insane. Optimistic Cubs fans stand as testimony here.

[elleng]

4. Delusion NO EXCUSE.

http://www.psychiatry.us/articledetail.php?ID=44&CID=

[DCKit]

5. Religion has been used to excuse many henious crimes and atrocities.

This judge and jury have a golden opportunity to set an example for those who would excuse their actions using religion.