scientology
denialism | February 16, 2009We'll have to add Scientology to Pal's list of disease-promoting groups. Via Screw Loose Change I learn that as part of their bizarre hatred of psychiatry, they've now taken to saying that 9/11 was caused by psychiatrists in addition to the holocaust. Apparently, Osama was just a regular guy until al-Zawahiri, a psychiatrist, got to him. Strange considering al Zawahiri was not a psychiatrist at all.
Scientologists Try to Explain how Psychiatrists caused 9/11 and the Holocaust from Chris Doyle on Vimeo.
Anyway, watch the crazy!
I'll have a post up on my experience on my psych clerkship…
choofnagle | June 23, 2008The hat tip has to go to that self-love-fest, BoingBoing...nevertheless, this is a masterpiece.
sb admin | April 16, 2008There are a few news items worth mentioning.
The daughter of a Norwegian politician killed herself after taking a "personality test" at a Scientology cult office near her dormitory. Given the cult's history, I can see why folks would like to draw a causal connection here, but there aren't many details in the news reports. I hardly seems likely that one encounter with the cult would be enough to drive someone to suicide---it is more likely that she was already depressed, and was unlucky enough to seek help in the wrong place.
A not-so-well-known TV actor who used to be a cult member is…
sb admin | April 1, 2008Based on earlier posts, it's pretty clear that I feel that Scientology is a dangerous and bizarre cult. The responses to the post included some apologetics for the CoS and their stance on psychiatry.
As is typical in these situations, the commenters simply refused to answer any substantive questions and fell back on such arguments as "prove that Scientology believes X", when of course all we have to work with are leaked documents, as the "church" is quite secretive.
So here is my challenge:
Scientologists---please debunk my false beliefs about your religion. Since you abhor psychiatry,…
sb admin | March 27, 2008I think I made clear that Scientology is a wacked-out cult. The primary concern from my perspective as a doctor is their denialist position on psychiatric illness.
Given the toll mental illness takes on society, and the amount of influence exerted by Scientology, everyone should be shouting from the rooftops (in a perfectly calm and sane way), "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!"
The Church of Scientology has a little friend called the "Citizens Commission on Human Rights". It's motto is "investigating and exposing psychiatric human rights abuse". Who is this "commission"…
sb admin | March 27, 2008My pager went off at about 7 p.m. I had already finished rounding at the hospital, gone home, showered off the day, and sat down with a cup of tea. It was my senior resident. We had admitted a psychotic young woman to the hospital, and her parents were trying to sign her out against medical advice.
The young woman had been acting more and more strangely over the past several months.
When her parents finally brought her to the hospital after being unable to help her at home, she was completely disconnected from reality. She was hearing voices, screaming, picking at her clothes and skin,…