Mormon Doctrine - Psychiatry

[Kishkumen]

Psychiatry. See CHURCH OF THE DEVIL, PHYSICIANS. No doubt psychiatry-the study and treatment of mental disorders-has some virtue and benefit in certain cases. But in practice, in many instances, it is in effect a form of apostate religion which keeps sinners from repenting, gaining forgiveness, and becoming candidates for salvation.
To illustrate: An individual may go to a psychiatrist for treatment because of a serious guilt complex and consequent mental disorder arising out of some form of sex immorality-masturbation, for instance. It is not uncommon for psychiatrists in such situations to persuade the patient that masturbation itself is not an evil; that his trouble arises from the false teachings of the Church that such a practice is unclean; and that, therefore, by discarding the teaching of the Church, the guilt complex will cease and mental stability return. In this way iniquity is condoned, and many people are kept from complying with the law whereby they could become clean and spotless before the Lord- in the process of which they would also gain the mental and spiritual peace that overcomes mental disorders.
- pg 548-549

[Hagoth]

Good one.

I remember a GC talk around that time. I don't think it was BRM but it might have been. The speaker said that a psychiatrist would tell you that if you felt guilty about a sin the solution would be to keep sinning until it felt normal to you.

In a totally unrelated story, when I found the temple to be so weird and antithetical to everything I believed in that it made me physically ill, I was told that I had to just keep going until it felt normal to me.

[græy]

Psychiatry. See CHURCH OF THE DEVIL, PHYSICIANS. No doubt psychiatry-the study and treatment of mental disorders-has some virtue and benefit in certain cases. But in practice, in many instances, it is in effect a form of apostate religion which keeps sinners from repenting, gaining forgiveness, and becoming candidates for salvation.
To illustrate: An individual may go to a psychiatrist for treatment because of a serious guilt complex and consequent mental disorder arising out of some form of sex immorality-masturbation, for instance. It is not uncommon for psychiatrists in such situations to persuade the patient that masturbation itself is not an evil; that his trouble arises from the false teachings of the Church that such a practice is unclean; and that, therefore, by discarding the teaching of the Church, the guilt complex will cease and mental stability return. In this way iniquity is condoned, and many people are kept from complying with the law whereby they could become clean and spotless before the Lord- in the process of which they would also gain the mental and spiritual peace that overcomes mental disorders.
- pg 548-549

I need to show this to my wife. She laughed every time someone on Leah Remini's Scientology series mentioned how psychology is literally the enemy of the church of scientology.

Scientology is Mormonism's more insane younger brother. But the two religions have the same DNA.

[alas]

Good one.

I remember a GC talk around that time. I don't think it was BRM but it might have been. The speaker said that if a psychiatrist would tell you that if you felt guilty about a sin the solution would be to keep sinning until it felt normal to you.

In a totally unrelated story, when I found the temple to be so weird and antithetical to everything I believed in that it made me physically ill, I was told that I had to just keep going until it felt normal to me.

Well, my training in psychology sure conflicts with this assessment of why psychiatry/psychology is evil. I was taught that when a client comes in feeling “guilty” about “sin,” was to help the client discover their own values and then live them. Because quite often the person has been taught X, and yet their behavior is Y. So, there is conflict, not between some magical right and wrong, but between their behavior and what they were taught. Sometimes the person is behaving in a way that deep inside they feel is wrong. They feel guilt. They need to change their behavior. Other times, the person is behaving in a way their parents would disapprove of. They feel afraid of losing parental approval, but not guilt. They need to let go of the childish need for parental approval, not change their behavior, because deep inside, they see nothing wrong with their behavior. The trick of therapy is to get the client to figure out if they feel guilt or fear of disapproval.

This assessment of psychology/psychiatry shows a basic misunderstanding that comes from never getting past psych 101 and having a very black and white concept of right and wrong.

[Thoughtful]

My parents took it very very hard when I went into psychology and when I married another psychologist. I still hear anti psychology comments in church. Packer ripped on behavioral science more than once as well. I think the church fears the idea that scientific knowledge is overcoming their dogma, and even back then they could tell where it was going.

[Not Buying It]

Mormonism fears the mental health sciences because they are able to recognize and identify Mormonism’s toxic impact on mental health.

[RubinHighlander]

In a totally unrelated story, when I found the temple to be so weird and antithetical to everything I believed in that it made me physically ill, I was told that I had to just keep going until it felt normal to me.

Same for me, especially with all those penalties in the 80's. There were no prep classes and my parents gave me zero info on what I was about to undertake; they just threw me into the deep end. I felt like I had walked into an evil cult and it took me a long time to do the gymnastics enough to assimilate into normality.

[Hagoth]

In a totally unrelated story, when I found the temple to be so weird and antithetical to everything I believed in that it made me physically ill, I was told that I had to just keep going until it felt normal to me.

Same for me, especially with all those penalties in the 80's. There were no prep classes and my parents gave me zero info on what I was about to undertake; they just threw me into the deep end. I felt like I had walked into an evil cult and it took me a long time to do the gymnastics enough to assimilate into normality.

Yup, that was how it went down for me. My parents had planned to go out to dinner afterward to celebrate my endowment. Instead, I had them drop me off at home so I could go to bed because of my pounding headache and general WTFitis while they went out to celebrate on my behalf.

[deacon blues]

Mormonism fears the mental health sciences because they are able to recognize and identify Mormonism’s toxic impact on mental health.

I go to an LDS psychiatrist. He's a good guy, but as you might imagine, we don't talk about the Church much. It would be fun to take McConkie's book to our next session, but I'm probably too chicken.

[Rob4Hope]

Will someone in the Mormon Q15 or such just answer this question once and for all:

IS MASTURBATION A SIN!?

These guys talk about being all inspired, but their lack of a clear position shows them as pandering idiots!

[Arcturus]

I need to show this to my wife. She laughed every time someone on Leah Remini's Scientology series mentioned how psychology is literally the enemy of the church of scientology.

Scientology is Mormonism's more insane younger brother. But the two religions have the same DNA.

Conspiracy theory... Joseph Smith reincarnated as L Ron Hubbard and started scientology

After watching going clear, there are odd similarities between Smith and Hubbard. Smith = general fascination with Christianity and esoteric theology. Hubbard = pulp fiction enthusiast and crazy sci-fi imagination.

[Red Ryder]

Will someone in the Mormon Q15 or such just answer this question once and for all:

IS MASTURBATION FUN!?

These guys talk about being all inspired, but their lack of a clear position shows them as pandering idiots!

Do you really want the church to answer that?

[moksha]

I imagine Bruce McConkie came up with that statement against psychiatry during numerous Sunday dinners at the Fielding Smith household. McConkie and Fielding Smith worried about psychiatry curing patients of Mormonism. Additionally, they were worried about Sigmund Freud's statement that sometimes bananas are just bananas, rather than an extension of the patriarchy and priesthood.

[Rob4Hope]

Will someone in the Mormon Q15 or such just answer this question once and for all:

IS MASTURBATION FUN!?

These guys talk about being all inspired, but their lack of a clear position shows them as pandering idiots!

Do you really want the church to answer that?

I already know the answer to that one....