Jesus saves, Oedipus wrecks. Is the Bible good for psychotherapy?

The Chicago Sun-Times tells us that a new university course for psychotherapists - "A Biblical Approach to Mental Health" - says that the Bible is better than Greek myths (Oedipus complex, etc) as a model for therapy - because Bible stories  'tend to end on a note of hope rather than despair.'
     Fine until you get to the destruction of Sodom and Lot's wife.  Psychs are always telling us to look back..Mrs Lot did, and you know what happened to her.
If you don't, click here.  Or look left.

Comments

[Stuart Hartill]

Was the subtitle of the course 'If You're Happy And You Know It Clap Your Hands' by any chance?

[Rick Beekman]

Libby;

The Bible Was written over a long period. It is God's way of letting us know Nothing has really changed with Mankind Since The Garden Of Eden. Adam and Eve Were given anything they desired but God Gave them a Warning about the "Tree of Knowledge of Good And Evil" It never said it was an "Apple Tree" or a Pear tree etc. But They Decided Thanks To The Influence Of Satan To Rebel Against God And His Word And We All Know What the rest of the story is.
Lot's wife did the same thing..they were told not to look back at the destruction..but she rebelled against God's Word. And On and on. Rebellion And The Un-Belief in God And His Word is The Theme Of The World We Live In.

[jim]

Psychoanalysis is not the only way to resolve inner conflicts. Life itself still remains a very effective therapist. --Karen Horney
Smart people believe weird things because they are skilled at defending beliefs they arrived at for non-smart reasons. --Michael Shermer
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe.-- Albert Einstein
And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence.
I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.
The fundamental cause of trouble in the world today is that the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
So far as I can remember, there is not one word in the Gospels in praise of intelligence. -- Bertrand Russell
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.
Suppose the world were only one of God's jokes, would you work any the less to make it a good joke instead of a bad one? --George Bernard Shaw
The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also. --Mark Twain
The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it. -- Terry Pratchett
I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing. -- Douglas Adams
The problem with writing about religion is that you run the risk of offending sincerely religious people, and then they come at you with machetes. --Dave Barry
If God exists, I hope he has a good excuse. - -Woody Allen
God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. -- Voltaire
In a dangerous world there will always be more people around whose prayers for their own safety have been answered than those whose prayers have not. -- Nicholas Humphrey
I once wanted to become an atheist but I gave up . . . they have no holidays. --Henry Youngman

[John]

Hi Rick,

If I was in the garden and i'd seen a big cloud man make a woman out of one of my ribs, I'd listen to him.

If a talking snake came up to me and said don't worry about that same talking cloud man, I'd tell him, very politely, that I'd seen what this guy can do and I'd take my chances.

It seems bizarre that you can't seperate common sense from myth. Even accepting your myths as truths, the stories they tell make no sense to anyone, unless you make up more fairy stories explain things.

[Felix Turner]

Please Rick don't think The Garden Of Eden is real. The Bible is not a journalistic book.

[Jess H]

I feel very disturbed that my comment has been ommitted from this blog.

[Rick Beekman]

Let me try and answer the comments directed at me. Opinions are like Heads..everyone alive has one.

Jim; Not surpringly you quoted various individuals that like you know absolutely zilch about Spiritual matters but are very sharp and poetic with their views and Worldly..Carnal mind.
Romans 8 v 6 & 7; "But to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be."

Romans 8 v 9; "....If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his."

John; great scenario what you would have done if you would have been Eve.

Let's now analyze what really transpired in The Garden...
(1)Genesis 3 v 1; "Now the serpent was MORE SUBTIL then any of the beast of the field which the Lord God had Made. And he (Serpent) said unto the woman; yea..hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden?
Satan was the very first to cast doubt on God's Word..something all Atheists know a lot about. The Satan got to her "Pride Factor"...he said "Ye shall not surely die" (More doubt casting on What God said) The he told her she could become wise..eyes will be opened and shall be like God....So her foolish Pride and ego just had to break out on her own to see if the Serpent was telling the Truth. So for her Disobedience and rebellion she and Adam lost a perfect life which was passed on John to all of us and is the primary reason this World is in the constant turmoil we see daily.

Felix; the Bible is not a Journaltic book? Sez who Felix? maybe it was the same one who conned Eve out of the Paradise she once lived..think about it.
I really have no axe to grind with any of you. If you want to remain spiritually blind God will let you do whatever you wish to do. He did'nt beg me to follow him nor anyone else I know. It's a Personal choice. Amen

[John]

Jess H,

I'm very disturbed that for every post of mine that makes it on to the site, another 6/7 don't. It takes a while to type this up and we have no way of knowing whether they are published or not.

I think this needs to be looked at. I've emailed them directly but received a fluffy explanation. I sent in another email asking for clarification but have heard nothing else. This was about 6 months ago.

[John]

You only believe in that because it says so in the bible. You've proved my point, you've created more magic and conjecture to fit this story.

If we accept that God created the universe and everything in it, surely nothing could have been created without him/her/it doing so?

If this is the case, then God created Evil and God created Satan. If God created us in his own image, then is God full of sin and carnal desires? Why create the tree in the first place?

If I was Eve, I would have even thanked the serpant for his efforts. I may have even reminded him, that if he didn't change his ways, he'd be crawling on his stomach for all his days, which is a truly cruel punishment for any snake, and we can see today just how difficult life is for them as absolutely supremely adapted predators.

Anyway....... After thanking him, I would have told him, that a few days ago, I was nothing, then here I am as a fully grown woman. According to Adam, he literally pulled out one of his ribs and in a puff of smoke here I am. So if he doesn't mind terribly, I think I'll listen to the bloke booming his orders from the clouds. Who's been doing all this brilliant stuff with Adam, and praise God even more for giving me the language to be able to talk to Adam and find out exactly what was going on.

Put yourself in Eves sandals and with your brain, try telling me with all that magic and wonder going on around you, you would have listened to the snake, because that's a leap of faith that even you must struggle with, surely?

Whichever way you go, you'll tie yourself in more knots and sink deeper and deeper into magic stories to justify your stance.

[Rick Beekman]

John;
Thank you for your comments regarding The Garden of Eden.

First John You are correct..God did create Good And Evil.
Isaiah 45 v 7; "I form the light and create darkness I make peace and CREATE EVIL; I The Lord do all these things."

It's called..Free Choice. You can stay away from evil and enjoy peace of mind and his blessings.
Or you can listen to the Devil and serve him (Knowingly/unknowingly)

If you were God.It would be very boring to him to make everyone a programmed Robot where everything is perfect. Doing it the way he does it gives us a choice John.

"....A man without the Spirit of Christ is none of his". (Romans 8 v 9). If you receive his spirit..there won't be anymore sinning. His Spirit restrains Sin unless you back out and want to go back to your old lifestyle...free choice!

[John]

The choice that were are given is not free, is it? Burn for eternity or believe in me.

So where would a good man, who gave his life to help the poor and sick end up, Heaven or Hell?

What about a true believing child-abusing member of the priesthood?

I would personally call a load of people who believe the same things, follow the same rituals and sing the same songs in the same places at the same times, more robot-like than any free-spirited non believer.

So the all powerful, merciful, flock loving God, created Satan and Evil? This same God punishes forever when we relate to one part of his creation more than another part?

Surely this is another example of how masterful his creation skills are? If he created evil for this world and we have been seduced by it, surely we have ultimately been seduced by God and his powers?

Rick - please answer the points I've raised using your head and logic. Just for one reply, please do not quote scripture at me.

[Felix Turner]

Rick- What I meant to say is that The Bible is a book of parables and stories meant to teach religious messages not a history book. How can you honestly believe Adam and Eve is literally true? It is a story invented by Moses meaning to show what happens when you disobey God and go against him. Also when you're having a debate with non-religious people you can't go around quoting The Bible to them because it's worth nothing and just makes your points entirely obsolete. Please comment properly because if you don't it makes other religious people look bad.

[Rick Beekman]

JOhn;
O.K. let's go over this slowly. When Adam And Eve were in The Garden God told Them of EVERY tree in the Garden...Except..The Tree Of Knowledge Od Good and Evil. Along with various other trees God Told Them they could partake of was another particular tree called "The tree of Life". That tree symbolically means..God is "The tree of life". I can quote chapter and verse to prove my point if asked.
"The tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil" Is another symbolic tree John. It Means Adam And Eve Decided to Step away from the pure and innocent mindset God Had given them..and Decided to Think they could be sinners and still enjoy God's Love And Fellowship...That Was Mistake #1. The next thing they did where God gave them a Chance to own up to their folly..Was Play the "Blame Game" we humans like to do. She Blamed the Serpent..He Blamed Her..Neither one Admitted to God They were wrong and asked for Forgiveness which God would have gladly done.
Jesus said in Luke 13 "Except you Repent you shall all likewise Perish"..a warning to All John..Everyone.
So God Put Them out of his Early Paradise And Made life for them and all Not so Pleasant From Then on...UNLESS They Repent and come Be one of his Children. John God is Holy..He will not Pollute Heaven with sinners..Unbelievers. Only Converted Former sinners Who Cling and Eat from The "Tree of Life" Will go to heaven. Our Early life is Very short indeed compared to The eternal and final life.
Let me share this One Scripture To show you what transpires after we leave here and go to Heaven; (Revelation 21 v 4; "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away."

You won't get this kind of teaching in a traditional "Christian" Religion. All they teach is "Fluff and Buff" and send you home. That is why so many former believers have fallen away John..nothing to feed their Souls.

John just remember God created heaven..The Earth..Everything It Might seem to you it Does'nt seem "fair" He gives us a Choice to choose Right or Wrong. The Rewards of choosing Him and Good Far outweighs any temporal pleasures of this life..Lord Bless you John.