Two women, each of whom was institutionalized for believing she was the Virgin Mary, chanced upon one another and engaged in conversation. They had been chatting for several minutes when the older woman introduced herself as "Mary, Mother of God." "Why you can't be, my dear," the other patient replied, unable to conceive of such a notion. What might happen, he wondered, if a psychologist were to deliberately pair up patients who held directly conflicting identity delusions? Soon he found several suitable subjects: three patients, all in state care, each of whom believed himself to be Jesus Christ.