Friday, July 01, 2005
I Hate It When The Messenger Destroys The Message
I have to agree with Jollyblogger that Tom Cruise is a few bricks short of a full load. But I wonder if deep within the rantings of his fevered mind, there might not be a modicum of a point?
Initial disclaimer -- psychiatry and psychology have done wonders for humanity. I do not wish to dis them as disiplines or healing arts.
But like with any good thing, they can be overused, and misused. For example, most people I know at least suspect that ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is over-diagnosed and over-medicated, particularly in boys. I truly wonder if the same thing is not true about the various syndromes for which Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and the bunch are prescribed? Or more precisely, I wonder if there aren't more effective, if more difficult, means of dealing with those syndromes.
Yesterday I posted that that I think the transformation offered by Jesus is not a morphing, but a tearing down and a rebuilding. (Gal 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.) If that is the case, might not the depressive, anxiety-ridden, unhappy periods of our lives be a part of that process?
Now, of course, there are life-debilitating depressions, but that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about people that turn to the doctor (or the medicine cabinet) when they should turn to prayer. We need to be broken to experience the joy of resurrection. I just hope and pray that we do not let the power of our mental medicines get in the way.
Initial disclaimer -- psychiatry and psychology have done wonders for humanity. I do not wish to dis them as disiplines or healing arts.
But like with any good thing, they can be overused, and misused. For example, most people I know at least suspect that ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is over-diagnosed and over-medicated, particularly in boys. I truly wonder if the same thing is not true about the various syndromes for which Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and the bunch are prescribed? Or more precisely, I wonder if there aren't more effective, if more difficult, means of dealing with those syndromes.
Yesterday I posted that that I think the transformation offered by Jesus is not a morphing, but a tearing down and a rebuilding. (Gal 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.) If that is the case, might not the depressive, anxiety-ridden, unhappy periods of our lives be a part of that process?
Now, of course, there are life-debilitating depressions, but that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about people that turn to the doctor (or the medicine cabinet) when they should turn to prayer. We need to be broken to experience the joy of resurrection. I just hope and pray that we do not let the power of our mental medicines get in the way.
