from religious addiction. Also, counsel- legal niche, where at least 10 to 15 ors could be certified as "Humanist, percent or more of the population "One can have a degree in Moral, and Ethical Counselors" who can can have an empathic and rational serve a large portion of society that is psychology and still be irrational, ear from a humanistic worldview. I struggling with these issues. Humanist superstitious, and unaware of one's can't think of another place that would counselors would be legally entitled to own conditioning." be safe and sane to which clients can deal with these issues just like any turn when confronted with religious member of the clergy. As Wendell and nonreligious moral dilemmas. Watters points out in Deadly Doctrine, reality, most of the interventions they If we go in this direction, we can "As a result of this cautious attitude make are value-laden." If not most, then expand the humanist movement. toward clinical implications of their certainly many of these mental health theoretical approaches, health clinicians clinicians are religious and are promot- often function like boxers wearing ing the very pathology that is described Newton Joseph is a counselor on the staff straightjackets. They pretend that they in Deadly Doctrine. of the nonprofit San Fernando Valley are concerned only with health and not The Humanist Moral and Ethical Counseling Center in Northridge, Cali- with ethical belief systems, whereas in Counselor would carve out a new fornia.

And Now Psychiatric Wards for Born-Again Christians Only

Edmund D. Cohen

rom 1988 until August 1992, one Fcould—if one took the time to watch—see the tragic consequences of "A specialized, parochial, mental deep indoctrination in fundamentalist health treatment industry for Christianity unfold on Pat Robertson's the twice-born has arisen. It has "The 700 Club." Sheila Walsh Miller, become the most active and a literate, witty, impeccably groomed, fastest developing segment of the and very attractive Scottish woman in contemporary conservative her early thirties, was Robertson's "700 Club" co-hostess and the hostess of her church subculture. Among born- own half-hour talk show, "Heart to agains all over North America, the Heart." These programs aired "back to traditional coping strategies of On November 2, 1992, Miller reap- back" every Monday through Friday denial, secrecy, and keeping up a peared on "The 700 Club"—not as co- hostess but as "special guest." Then the morning on the Family Channel. Miller good front are collapsing." thought herself called to a "ministry of "ministry of transparency" took a transparency," and often disclosed some horrendous turn, as Miller described of the most intimate details of her travails Miller disappeared from "The 700 Club" what had happened: leading the Christian life. "Heart to for several weeks, and her talk show went Miller: It's not quite been R and R. Heart" was an especially fascinating into reruns. On October 21, 1992, It's been kind of more intense than window on the conservative church Robertson took a few minutes to explain that, and probably more serious than subculture, replete with interviews with that Miller had become "physically and that. I—I think for about a year I knew that I was really in trouble. I remember the authors of the latest Christian books emotionally exhausted," that she was last New Year's Eve saying to Norman and performances by the latest Gospel under a physician's care, and that she [her husband, an aggressive Christian rock musicians. Miller, herself, was a would be gone for "a protracted length music promoter], "If I make it through recognized Gospel rock star. Her singing of time." He offered a prayer for Miller this next year, and I'm still standing could easily be mistaken for Enya. Frank to be "healed in body, mind and spirit" at the end of it, Ill be amazed." And I don't think he quite knew what to Zappa once told me that he admired and announced that the following make of that. It was more an internal Miller's fine musicianship very much. Monday "Heart to Heart" would be thing. I felt like I was really struggling. Finally, without an explanation replaced by another show. And in July of this year, it just all

Summer 1993 25 fell apart. face—is now being forced out into the process of valuing people and things— Robertson: What were you strug- open. The same psychological effects of making emotional investments in gling [with]—was it the past, was it that made the conservative church the terrible schedule of concerts? them—by laboring to constitute an Miller: I think it was everything. movement strong and cohesive during imaginary and fictitious being as the ... It was things I'd never dealt with the seventies and eighties now so overtax primary recipient of his or her affec- in the past, to do with my father. It those who are caught up in it that a tions—the Bible-believer makes himself was marital issues that I had never breaking point has been reached. or herself depressed. Being constantly at resolved, and it was the ridiculous schedule, so that you never deal with war with one's natural and normal anything. You just keep going, and ntil recent years, only the theolog- emotions wears a person out. you stay busy, and you help everybody Uically least conservative in any given The causes of the generalized emo- else and you never deal with what's church were interested in mental health. tional distress, however, are obvious, and going on in your own life. But it all Church-related mental health materials just what people commonly suppose they came to a head ... and I didn't know consisted merely of repackaged secular where to go for help.... I did some are. That distress is grounded in salva- really bizarre things ... and in July, psychology (usually a few years out of tion doubt and nagging fears about what I left my home. I left my husband. date), with no more than lip-service paid will happen after death.5 And the pressure and strain of that— to Christian theology.2 Variations of biblical counseling of the guilt, of feeling like I'd let the In the seventies, approaches to mental pervaded the born-again movement in Christian community down. You health treatment embodying fundamen- the seventies and early eighties. All but know ... when you've talked about marriage, and then your own crum- talist theology came to the fore. Calvinist the smallest conservative church bodies bles—how can you deal with the purists who believed their own rhetoric and parachurch ministries developed shame of that? too well began the biblical or "nou- their own materials to teach biblical So, I had a breakdown, and I ended thetic"3 counseling movement, rigor- counseling. up in a Christian clinic—for a month. ously applying the Bible's devotional And it was kind of crazy, to go from Alternative approaches that syncretis- one day being on "The 700 Club," instructions to personal counseling.4 tically mix contemporary mental health where they do your hair nice, and your Since such purists regard science as lore with born-again theology also make-up and clothes, to checking into ultimately irrelevant to the Bible's view developed and progressed in the seven- what effectively was a psychiatric of humankind, the biblical counseling ties and eighties. These have surged ward, where they took my hair dryer movement rejected everything about the ahead in the last ten years, largely dis- and my make-up away—you know— in case I hurt myself—where I wan- secular mental health professions, and placing biblical counseling. They now dered around in a bathrobe—where never sought rapproachment with psy- constitute the born-again movement's I was reduced to nothing. And yet, chiatrists or psychologists. So far as leading edge. in the midst of my darkness—I biblical counselors are concerned, One of the born-agains' brightest discovered God loved me! .. . psychological problems are spiritual rising stars—indeed, the only up-and- And I remember one of the doc- tors—it was a Christian place—and problems, and if a troubled individual coming high profile born-again leader he said to me, "Isn't it like God, that can only be led to a closer, more obedient who does not project an outrightly he would bring you to prison to set relationship with Jesus, everything else disreputable or bumpkinish image— you free?" will come right. Christian psychologist James C. Dob- In my own research on the born- son, Jr., Ph.D., is a practitioner of such This was the last live appearance of agains, I found out that behind their a mixed approach.6 Dobson's "Focus on Sheila Walsh Miller on "The 700 Club," facade of euphoric calm, people mari- the Family" ministry disseminates his where problems like her own and worse nated in the Bible and surrounded by books on child-rearing and other mental are purportedly healed—instantly and the born-again church subculture tend hygiene topics, as well as his syndicated permanently—by supernatural interven- to be depressed, and suffer from a sort radio programs, broadcast on hundreds tion every day. of generalized emotional distress par- of Christian radio stations. Dobson and Stories like Miller's have become so taking of anxiety, worry, and fear. The the Reagan-era White House domestic commonplace that a specialized, paroch- way that Bible indoctrination brings advisor Gary L. Bauer have built Family ial, mental health treatment industry for about depression is complex. To put it Research Council, once an obscure the twice-born has arisen. It has become in the smallest possible nutshell: for the conservative "think tank," into a major the most active and fastest developing prescribed prayer and devotions to Washington lobby promoting the stock segment of the contemporary conserva- achieve their intended altered state of Religious Right agenda. tive church subculture. Among born- mind, much effort must be expended to Two disturbing themes recur with agains all over North America, the suppress thoughts and feelings con- Dobson. The first involves his position traditional coping strategies of denial, sidered inappropriate for a saved person. as the leading critic of permissiveness and secrecy, and keeping up a good front Pro-social or neutral interests and desires proponent of spanking in child-rearing. are collapsing. Instead, the widespread that conflict with the religious agenda If one reads Dobson's books2 in isola- prevalence of substance abuse, mental come to arouse as much guilt as tion, one finds psychological insights disorders, sexual deviance,' etc. in the genuinely anti-social ones for the Bible- taken from B. F. Skinner and E. L. pews—long brewing beneath the sur- believer. By thwarting the normal Thorndike. Dobson's much criticized

26 FREE INQUIRY advice on squelching children's unde- sired behavior by force is tempered by common sense exhortations to have patience and respect. There is nothing particularly wrong with it, the way it reads on paper. One must see and hear Dobson, as well as read him, to get the true picture. What is wrong comes through clearly in the videotape, "The Strong Willed Child: Shaping the Will Without Break- ing the Spirit."8 In it, Dobson spoke to a large crowd assembled in a sports arena. The nervous laughter, cheers, and applause greeting Dobson's graphic descriptions of spanking—not to men- tion the time when his mother beat him with a girdle laden with metal stays and garter hardware—convey a message radically different from his mere words. He played to his fans' inordinate pre- occupation with controlling their child- ren, and their exaggerated fears of the breakthrough of impulses in their chil- dren and themselves. The atmosphere was laced with hysteria—mean-spirited bordering on sadistic—and Dobson worked the crowd like the consummate 64A mixed-message demagogue that he is.9 The other recurring theme is the have occurred if society had just kept to be a Christian bookstore bestseller.13 aggressive intellectual dishonesty with the pornography away from him. Dob- When I began assembling literature which Dobson pursues the question of son mounted a publicity campaign, from these programs, I found in them whether or not pornography causes sex touting this as proof of the elusive causal an unexpected and crucial validation of crimes. In 1985, then-Attorney General connection. The episode got Dobson the my own work. The born-again treatment Edwin Meese convened a presidential first seriously negative press of his career, providers' renditions of the psycholog- pornography commission stacked with and diminished contributions to Focus ical disorders they treat corresponded right-wingers to obtain a result different on the Family for a time." exactly to my rendition of psychological from the earlier Nixon-era presidential By far the most striking contemporary disorders Bible indoctrination fosters. commission that found no causal con- development within the born-again Depression, which had been at the top nection between pornography and sex Christian subculture is the rise to of my list, was also at the top of all of crime. Dobson and the other commis- prominence of fundamentalist Christian theirs. Near the top were "worry," sioners—including fellow sexual purity psychiatric inpatient programs. The first "stress," and "anxiety," along with the crusader Father Bruce Ritter of Coven- of these was Palmdale (California) prevalent culture-related problems, such ant House—railroaded the desired General Hospital, where both Jim and as substance abuse, eating disorders, conclusion through, despite the obvious Tammy Bakker were treated in 1977.12 incest recovery, PTSD, etc.'' failure of the evidence to support it.10 Three such programs, Minirth-Meier The most influential of the programs Just before serial sex murderer Clinics, Rapha, and New Life Treatment is Rapha, with a chain of twenty Theodore Bundy was executed in Jan- Centers, have grown rapidly into large, treatment centers and hospital programs uary 1989, he sat for a videotaped multi-state health care businesses. These in Texas, Georgia, and Florida, and interview with Dobson. The handsome, have become major influences on the plans are to rapidly expand into all manipulative psychopath—so skilled at larger conservative church subculture principal U.S. population centers. In the telling his interlocutor whatever he or through books and videotape teaching first five years after its founding in 1985, she wanted to hear—recited how the packages. It is common for the latest Rapha treated more than seven thousand pornography he had consumed com- book in Thomas Nelson Publishers' patients. Its television commercials and pelled him to commit his crimes. After Minirth-Meier Series, or the latest book "Rapha Hour" radio program leave no all, favorable press might have gotten by Robert S. McGee, founder of Rapha, doubt that inpatient hospitalization paid Bundy a reprieve. In Bundy's considered or Stephen Arterburn, chairman and for by health insurance is the main opinion, none of his woes would ever CEO of New Life Treatment Centers, product it is organized to sell. In dulcet

Summer 1993 27 tones, Pat Boone or Ben Kinchlow beneficial result to the religious devo- health problems that it needs its own encourage "all who are heavy laden" to tions of born-again Christianity. The dedicated psychiatric treatment infras- call Rapha's 800 telephone number for religious aspect of these programs takes tructure is an obvious nonstarter when more information. The radio program, all the credit if anyone gets better, when it comes to attracting unchurched people begun in January 1990 and aired the borrowings from the despised to get involved in church119 Also, the primarily in markets where Rapha secularists—snuck in through the back notion that born-again Christianity is a facilities are in operation or being door—are undoubtedly the active ingre- complete, self-sufficient Weltan- organized, consists of discussions with dients. If that were not true, then biblical schauung has been pivotal to the born- Rapha's professionals, interviews with counseling would have been a successful again resurgence of the 1970s and 1980s. satisfied former patients sounding approach, and nothing more would have The need for additional, imported suspiciously like "testimonials," and been needed. material to help compensate for some- listener call-ins. The program is essen- Academic dishonesty aside, the first thing lacking, erodes that cherished tially a full-hour "infomercial," promot- impression these programs' materials premise. ing inpatient treatment and instructional make is one of the commendable candor Steven Arterburn and Jack Felton20 materials. as to the prevalence of substance abuse provide a fascinating and surprisingly The ironies surrounding Rapha begin and mental disorders among the faithful. unguarded look into the contemporary with its name. Early in any presentation, By incorporating popular psychology, born-again mental health scene in Toxic Rapha representatives proudly define the conservative Christianity is made to seem Faith: Understanding and Overcoming biblical Hebrew verb rapha, "to heal," very open-minded and mainstream. The Religious Addiction.21 The title plainly as in Exodus 15:26, "the Lord that hidden implications were slow to dawn implies a skeptical book—perhaps along healeth thee." However they never bring on me. But on reflection—particularly the lines of Deadly Doctrine: Health, up the homophonous Hebrew noun, about the drastic departure from past Illness and Christian God-Talk by rapha, "giant" or "fearful one." 15 Wendell W. Watters. Instead, Arterburn The clients of Rapha, Minirth-Meier, and Felton attempt to explain away the and New Life would no doubt be "The mixing of biblical devotions myriad terrible individual outcomes of chagrined to find out how much of their and psychology presents the involvement in born-again churches as parlance is lifted directly from secular same problems as the mixing of an addiction to excessive and compulsive mental health sources. There is much Genesis and paleontology to get church participation. At one point, they talk about "self-esteem,"16 "addiction," so-called creation science." label it as "churchaholism." "co-dependency," and "dysfunctional 22 They families." The overall approach closely explain: resembles Aaron T. Beck's Cognitive practice these innovations represent—I Therapy. Psychological and theological see that fundamentalist leaders must When people are admitted into New Life Treatment Centers, they rarely jargon are mixed indiscriminately, with surely be experiencing extreme turmoil identify their problem as religious the evident aim of ameliorating the most in their ranks to be driven to ventilate addiction. They come to us depressed, severe results of Bible indoctrination just these ills so openly. The resounding anxious, or with some other major enough so that the overall structure can reception the speakers, books, and tapes dependency that has gained control of remain standing. These programs, like from these programs have received in their lives. As we work with them, we often find that below the presenting the born-again subculture generally, put church circles is a symptom of acute problems are layers of family dysfunc- out an unending stream of invective needs unsatisfied by traditional religious tion, toxic faith and religious against "humanists," "secularists," and devotions. addiction.23 "liberal intellectuals."17 That makes their All the while, Christian leaders resort to distinctively secular and remain too full of their own rhetoric to Arterburn and Felton tell anecdote humanistic methods, and their finessing understand how fragile their movement after anecdote as bizarre and tragicomic that crucial point with their followers, really is, and how limited in its ability as the ones in Austin Miles's Don't Call ironic. to withstand such candor. For the Me Brother.24 At the end of Toxic Faith The many instructional books gener- average pew-sitter, church is really an there is a twelve-step program for curing ated by these three programs are attempt to turn carefully managed happy "religious addiction," and a twenty- contrived to appear scholarly by includ- appearances into reality through wishful question true-false test, measuring ing elaborate references to theological thinking. The illusion that born-again whether or not one is a "religious addict." sources, while failing to credit the secular Christians have an inner strength, a If one answers three or more of the sources for their key elements.18 peace, and a joy—that their spiritual and questions "yes," then one should call the Throughout this literature, willful psychological ills, if not their physical included 800 phone number to enroll in omission of appropriate references to ones, are supernaturally healed—has the nearest New Life Treatment Center. "secularist" or "humanist" sources runs been absolutely crucial in the spread of If one rejects their dogmatic premise rampant. The main gimmick simply the born-again movement in recent that biblical doctrine and devotions consists of administering secular mental years. For the conservative church to cannot be injurious, Arterburn and health treatment, but attributing any begin portraying itself as so full of mental Felton's book becomes an unwitting

28 FREE INQUIRY indictment of born-again living. They aside the phony theological issues so that tology to get so-called creation science. seem oblivious to their method's far- the real personal and ethical issues could The aspiration of improving the mental reaching implications. By making con- be focused on more clearly—would be health disciplines' scientific basis goes temporary mental health lore the con- even better. Within the limitations of the out the window if such a conglomeration trolling criterion, having that lore born-again church subculture, the of natural science and supernaturalistic determine what the Bible demands or incomplete liberalization offered by the antiscience is considered tolerable. The does not demand from born-again born-again mental health professionals credibility of the mainstream profession- believers, the basic principle of trusting is better than nothing. als involved suffers if they thought- and obeying the Bible is reduced to a Although a fascinating constitutional lessly welcome as equals practitioners farce. For example, Arterburn writes: case will inevitably come out of the abuse who think it it a high, moral virtue to of civil commitment for mental health ignore scientific data when it disagrees In working with people in need of treatment in order to conduct what with religious doctrine. Where is the psychiatric care, I have seen some very amount to court-enforced religious outcry that such a subversion ought to depressed mothers who let their programmings, my concern is not along elicit from leading psychiatrists and children be abused because they didn't church and state lines. Also, I have seen psychologists? think they could counter the head of the house. It was too late and their no evidence that the treatment admin- children had been badly hurt before istered by the new born-again Christian Notes they realized that was not what God mental health professionals is any less wanted. The realization that they 1. Sheila Walsh Miller often said that to her good than that of their mainstream personal knowledge, sexual deviance of every could have done something to stop the counterparts. I perceive no horror story kind is rampant in the churches she frequents. abuse produced severe depression and emerging about the conduct of new born- Her constant presentation of the "testimonies" emotional turmoil. Their desire to be again Christian mental health profes- of people who have been sexually victimized submissive was poisonous to them- within their church communities had the effect selves and to their families. Their faith sionals. Nevertheless, there are compel- of desensitization, building up the viewers' ability was also destroyed because they ling reasons for taking a strong stand to be confronted with such horrors and not have questioned how God could allow against them. I am afraid that, after the it dawn on them that these might signal something those things to happen.25 fundamentally amiss with their churchly way of born-again churches have taken those life. hapless people's money out of one pocket 0n the February 12, 1990, "Heart to Heart," Arterburn takes very unfundament- in exchange for making them sick, these Miller told the following story: "I have a friend— alist liberties with Scripture by claiming a Christian businessman [whom] I respect programs take more out of the other tremendously—and he joined Sex Addicts "... that was not what God wanted." pocket—and the pockets of the rest of Anonymous because he needed help. And he said This is a subject where the Bible is us as well, indirectly, through the health to me [that] when he went along, he expected completely unequivocal. Mere danger it all to be old men with raincoats. A large insurers—to undo in part what the percentage of the people there were Christian that one's children or oneself may be churches have done. Also, to a naïve businessmen. Why are we, as a church, so messed traumatized, maimed, or killed by a believer, a practitioner clothed in the up?" violent husband is no proper biblical 0n the April 24, 1990, "Heart to Heart," Miller authority of medical science and super- told of her friend who is an executive of a hotel ground for the believing wife to leave naturalistic antiscience at once is a highly chain that was host to a convention of Christian her husband or to disobey him.26 Any overbearing (and historically unprece- businessmen, and found that the attendees to that other conclusion simply stretches the convention watched far more extra-cost "late- dented) authority figure. That calls into night, steamy movies" than regular business biblical language beyond its elastic limit. question the ordinary believer's ability travelers did. That agrees with a report in Reason, The supposed unimportance of earthly to give informed consent to anything in 0ctober 1989, p. 20: "A survey of hotel bills from life and the steadfastness commanded of last year's National Religious Broadcasters such a setting. The checks and balances Association convention found that 80 percent of the Christian in expecting relief in the that operate in the mainstream mental them watched an X-rated movie in the privacy afterlife alone form the context of that health setting are missing in the church- of their rooms. Just doing a little research on Draconian biblical principle, ". [L]ean anointed one. the enemy, we suppose." 27 2. The well-known, nominally evangelical not unto thine own understanding. .."1 Mainstream mental health profes- doctoral programs in Clinical Psychology at sionals are understandably slow to take Fuller Theological Seminary and Biola University ltimately, the new born-again were founded on the premise that the Bible and a position against these new players, who secular psychology could be reconciled, or Christian mental health profes- belong to the same professional societies "integrated." The psychological "integrationists" sionals are in the business of granting as they do, are licensed by the same have never been a major influence in the larger dispensations—indulgences—from the born-again subculture. The books of Clyde governmental authorities, apply to the Narramore and the counseling and inpatient many Bible teachings that are too same insurers for payment, and who programs sponsored by Robert Schuller Minis- formidable for contemporary people and appear to be doing no immediate harm. tries also exemplify a theologically "minimalist" that make the strain of being a modern But there is a fundamental issue about approach. 3. After the New Testament Greek word, born-again too great. If defeating and the nature of psychiatry and psychology noutheteo, to admonish or warn. disabling the more detrimental effects of that will eventually have to be joined. 4. Biblical counseling first appeared in the born-again doctrine and devotions is form of John Broger's "Self-Confrontation" The mixing of biblical devotions and training program. The standard work is Jay E. good, then abandoning those doctrines psychology presents the same problems Adams, Competent to Counsel (Phillipsburg, and devotions altogether—sweeping as the mixing of Genesis and paleon- N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co.,

Summer 1993 29 1970). in made him commit the offense, excuse him, A. Salladay, RN, Ph.D./ Medical Ethicist." Bill Gothard's Institute in Basic Youth and keep him in the fold. The cynical valedictory 18. Cf. Frank Minirth, Paul Meier, and Don Conflicts is a parallel development. Gothard that Dobson obtained from Bundy is typical of Hawkins, Worry-Free Living (Nashville, Tenn.: holds massive week-long "seminars" in large such "testimonies." Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), and Robert auditoria and sports arenas in every major 12. The Palmdale program's mastermind, S. McGee, The Search for Significance (Houston, population area at least once each year. Because psychologist Fred Gross, now operates a similar Tex.: Rapha Publishing, 1987). Gothard wisely avoids publicity outside born- program at another hospital, in Buena Park, 19. The annual Rapha luncheon has become again circles, he is little known to the general Calif. Another born-again Christian psychiatry a major event at the Southern Baptist national public. But he is every bit as important a figure pioneer figured in Jim Bakker's life during his convention each June. It has drawn overflow within the movement as Jerry Falwell or Pat 1989 criminal trial. Dr. Basil Jackson, a senior crowds each year. Robertson. psychiatrist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose It is fascinating to screen the videotapes of 5. The cause is not a mystery to the person credentials include a Menninger Clinic residency, these luncheons, where past presidents of the suffering from it, as is the case in phobias. The a long list of publications in establishment Southern Baptist Convention and other celebrity believer merely becomes increasingly critical of psychiatric journals, and a hospital superinten- pastors come forward trying to outdo one another himself or herself, for not being able to be happy dency, practices an odd mixture of psychoanalysis with lurid stories of substance abuse, mental despite this morbid preoccupation. Mainstream and Charismatic Christian ministry. Jackson illness, incest, etc. in pastors' and missionaries' mental health professionals, in their reticence befriended Bakker, and appeared on two of the families, and in their churches generally. To hear about discussing religion with their patients, often last television shows Bakker mounted from them tell it, these maladies are ubiquitous and misdiagnose the born-again's fearfulness as Orlando, Florida, before the fraud trial began. epidemic in their ranks. phobia. Jackson helped select the jury for Bakker's disas- In 1989, the featured Rapha luncheon speaker 6. 0n Dobson's rise to national prominence, trous trial. was Adrian Rogers, who spoke on "Depression see Laura Sessions Stepp, "The Empire Built on As the prosecution's case was commencing, in the Ministry." In 1990, William J. Bennett, Family and Faith," The Washington Post, August Bakker began to suffer from sleeplessness and President Bush's drug czar gave the featured 8, 1990, p. Cl; Peter Steinfels, "Why Psychologist panic attacks. Jackson was summoned, and gave address, and intimated that the ultimate cause Without a Pulpit Is Called Religious Right's New Bakker Xanax, a powerful medication often of drug abuse is Satan. For this, he deservedly Star," The New York Times, June 5, 1990, p. prescribed for those symptoms. Because its side- received bad press. He said that drug abuse is A22; also Robert Jay Lifton and Charles B. effects include delirium, Xanax is a controversial "a product, one could certainly agree, of the Great Stozier, "Waiting for Armageddon," The New medication. Bakker suffered what, from Tammy Deceiver. The Great Deceiver everyone knows. York Times Book Review, August 12, 1990, p. Bakker's subsequent description of it, appears to . . . Many, many people in treatment have I. In 1991, Dobson moved his base of operations have been a delirious episode, which was still described to me their version [sic] of crack, simply to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where more than going on when the famous pictures of him, as calling it, 'the devil.' ... This has come up fifty right-wing Christian organizations have their disheveled and distraught looking, being led off too often—it has occurred too much, too headquarters. These organizations combined to to the lock-up by federal marshalls were taken. spontaneously, too often in coversation to be campaign for the passage of the anti-gay The tall, husky white-haired man in transparent- ignored." Amendment 2, in 1992. An ugly atmosphere of rim glasses, seen in those pictures walking behind 20. A prominent fundamentalist pastor and divisiveness and hostility in the local community with his hand on Bakker's shoulder, was Jackson. marriage counselor from 0range County, has resulted. See Steve Rabey, "Focus Under I regard those pictures as the most important California. Fire," Christianity Today, March 9, 1993, p. 48, single media image of conservative Christianity 21. (Nashville, Tenn.: 0liver Nelson Books, and Dirk Johnson, "Rise in Christian Right of recent years, surpassing the tearful Swaggart 1991). Divides a City," The New York Times, February whimpering, "I have sinned. . . ," and Jerry 22. Arterburn, Felton, op. cit. p. 119. 14, 1993, p. 24. Falwell going down the PTL water slide in a three- 23. Ibid., p. 192. 7. Dobson's main books on child-rearing are piece suit. What makes the image so important 24. (Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1989). Dare to Discipline (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House is how it undoes all that has ever been saki about 25. Arterburn and Felton, op. cit., pp. 70-71. Publishers, 1970) and The Strong-Willed Child Christians facing adversity—even martyrdom by 26. Matthew 5:38-48; 10:28; Luke 6:27-38; (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 1978). lions in the Roman arena—confidently and nobly. 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 7:4-16; 11:3-10; Ephesians 8. Waco, Tex.: Word, Inc., Educational 13. I.e., 200,000 to 300,000 copies. 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18-19 and 1 Peter 3:1-2. Products Division, 1979. The tape has been shown 14. 1 was particularly struck by the scant 27. Proverbs 3:5. in churches extensively, and is readily available mention of schizophrenia in the programs' in nearly any Christian bookstore that rents brochures. The Minirth-Meier and Rapha ©1993 Edmund D. Cohen videocassettes. brochures are completely silent to schizophrenia. On Sheila Walsh's "Heart to Heart" television (What few references to schizophrenia I have show on February 15, 1990, a Dobson disciple, encountered in those programs' books are Christian psychologist Mels Carbonell, was the accompanied by wrong information.) No inpa- Edmund D. Cohen was a born-again guest, promoting a Christian home do-it-yourself tient psychiatric operation can possibly avoid Christian who broke with Pat Robert- children's personality assessment kit, based on encountering schizophrenia frequently. Since one son. Both a lawyer and a Ph. D. in an obsolete and long disused psychological test cannot indoctrinate a schizophrenic, I suppose developed by secular psychologists. Repeatedly the fundamentalist psychiatrists are content to psychology, he is the author of Mind and revealingly, Carbonell misquoted Dobson's parcel them out to secular facilities. It would seem of the Bible Believer. catch-phrase, "shaping the will without breaking that only prospective patients with processes of the spirit," saying instead, "breaking the will attention and cognition intact enough for them without breaking the spirit." to read their Bibles and pay attention to sermons MOVING? Make sure 9. An even more potent scene of descriptions need apply! FREE INQUIRY follows you! of punishment together with harangues about the 15. E.g., Deut. 2:20 or 1 Chron. 20:8. God-decreed duties of children to obey parents 16. But along with the popular psychology Name and wives to obey husbands welcomed by a notion that people need to overcome past roaring, screaming crowd, can be witnessed at experiences that have unreasonably lowered self- Subscriber # a Bill Gothard meeting. esteem, the doctrine of original sin is also New address 10. See generally, Philip Nobile and Eric inculcated, i.e., that there can be no honest self- Nadler, United States of America v. SEX, (New esteem except as a saved person, "justified" by City York, N.Y.: Minotaur Press, Ltd., 1986). God. State Zip 11. Note how the current fundamentalist furor 17. The full-color brochure that Rapha sends for censorship keeps coming back to the notion with its first response to an inquiry prominently 0ld address that the purveyor of pornography rather than the displays this kudo in the largest type found in City criminal offender is the party responsible for sex the brochure: "Rapha is a watershed in the offenses. That way, church people can readily American wasteland of mental health care—a State Zip accept the "testimony" of the revealed sex supplier of Living Water into the desert of Mail to: Free Inquiry, Box 664, Buffalo NY 14226 offender who claims that the pornography he took psychological skepticism and humanism. Susan

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