Posts that don't deserve threads, Volume I.

[psychodiva]

OOPS!!!

[Davin]

But his last name is Banner, did anyone check to see if he got angry and green?

[psychodiva]

Oh- and re the above post about the psychotic man

http://www.aclu.org/blog/prisoners-r...-tamms-closure

[psychodiva]

Spurlock

"She was reading from the Bible with him (the child) and realized he was infested with demons and had to release these demons from him," a spokesman for the Magnolia police department told reporters.

realised?????- no, I think they meant to say- her delusional belief became fixed on the idea that..... fucking realised???????? seriously- what is the level of education about mental health over there?

[psychodiva]

shit fuck and damn!!!! when are people going to 'realise'??

She said the voices in her head were Jesus, said the husband, who was not home at the time of the attack in their Magnolia home.

oh that's ok then!!!!as long as its jesus --- for fuck's sake!!

[Davin]

Obviously, people suffering from mental illness are merely posessed by demons. Why, do you have a better explanation?

[Davin]

I know people say that the religion is secondary to the problem, that they're crazy first and use religion as an excuse, but wouldn't there be fewer people doing this if voices in the head were more commonly accepted as "crazy" instead of "blessed"? Though I'm not sure how one would test that out.

[psychodiva]

Before organised religion voices in the head were thought of as 'blessed' - its the degree to which they harm the person or others that is crucial- I have many patients who 'hear' and 'see' things but they are happy in their little beliefs- its the command hallucinations I worry about and they would be there with or without the religion to hang them on- religion is a red herring where mental illness is concerned - taking religion away wouldn't have a slight bit of difference on real mental ill-health- it may a very slight impact on figures for depression, anxiety and low-level mental health problems but not the real nitty-gritty stuff.

[psychodiva]

oh and the impact would probably be on the negative for a while- by taking away people's crutches etc- until the balance is found

[Smellyoldgit]

Minister steps down - admits to being one of us Dark Side Heathen Baby-Eating Bastards.
I'll wager there's a few hundred thousand more waiting in the wings for the real job market to improve.

[Eternal]

It has always amazed me that people who are supposed to think about such things as part of their job don't all realise it is bollocks very early on.

[Smellyoldgit]

I'd bet many of them do realise the bollockosity of much of it - but hey, a job's a job innit.

[Irreligious]

Eternal wrote

It has always amazed me that people who are supposed to think about such things as part of their job don't all realise it is bollocks very early on.

To be fair, I wonder if some ministers are not, as a practical matter, just trying to meet members of their flocks where they are.

I know of some politically progressive ministers who I suspect do not believe in a literal god, but that is what the members of their churches are invested in believing. Without professing a shared belief in a literal god and Jesus, these ministers would have no sway with such people, which I think would actually be a shame.

Bear with me, please.

The point I am making is that some (perhaps, a very small number) of these ministers are performing a social good by directing the energies of their flocks in socially positive directions. But they would have no such influence with committed theists if those ministers came out as atheists.

That's quite a dilemma. It's certainly dishonest to profess to believe in a literal god when one does not, but is it too Machiavellian to attempt a positive influence on those who do by meeting such folks where they are?

[Eternal]

It's a bit of a double edged sword I think Irr.

I can see the merit in what you are saying, but ultimately those good deeds will be credited to god/jesus. People who are prepared to invest so much of themselves in a deception like that could better spend their energies on productive and positive things as well as promoting their true beliefs whilst doing it.

I can sympathise with someone who is already in the role before realising it, potentially causing a lot of upset to just walk away, so tries to make the best out of the situation until a time when they feel comfortable about being honest.

[psychodiva]

Bag (aka Whisper- aka Hannah) got the job teaching in Korea!!!! Now the wailing starts - anyhoo- I am now both happy and sad