New Reading Material

If you get bored with all this, do go to the last paragraph and find out where I am buying most of my books these days. It's a cool place.

Not surprisingly, my new classes are stretching my usual reading material choices. Thought I would tell y'all about some of them. First, if you get the chance to read Anton Boisen's Exploration of the Inner World, DON'T bother!! Unless, of course, you like nonsense or are a good old fundamentalist Christian (like me!) who has low blood pressure which needs a rise! This dude was schizophrenic who attempted to justify his schizophrenia (who needs to???) by his thesis in the book that religion and mental illness-particularly schizophrenia-were the same except that the outcome of one is positive and the other negative. One of his main examples was George Fox, founder of the Society ofFriends . Mr. Fox seemed pretty normal, if a bit eccentric, to me. I read about him extensively because of this study; and while I found him to be depressive, he didn't seem all that mental. Mr. Boisen claimed that Mr. Fox had been committed to mental institutions several times and was considered mad when, as far as I could find, he was committed but to prison for defying the beliefs of the Church of England--a common habit back in the 1600's.

OK, so that was bad enough; but next, he claimed that "obviously" the Old Testament Prophets had schizophrenia (also called "dementia praecox" says Mr. Boisen) because how else could they have had the hallucinations and heard the voices they claimed to be from God? And further, says he, the only possible way to explain Paul's Damascus Road experience was a classic schizoid experience. He has the sense to NOT say overtly that Jesus was schizophrenic, but hints broadly at that very thing saying that He has "elevated sense of Self" characterized by schizos and that He arranged His death for the supposed sins of the world. He also, as characterized by the other prophets, was obsessed with a world cataclysm. On and ON.

I got so angry with him that it took me 3 weeks to finish the darned thing cause i could read only a chapter or 2 before I had to read something nicer to calm down. He tended to jump around in subject matter but ususally lead back to the mentally ill patients he served (as a chaplain even!) when he was well. Not always though: some of his chapters seemed to be just thrown in for filler. He did say a few good things but I was so mad at him that I couldn't find much!

I did write a report on it though it wasn't a nice one. See how I do on it. Typical Vinson fashion, I couldn't stop reading it. Oh, unless you have an extra couple hundred $$ to spend, don't try and buy it!! Nor his autobiography either!

I read a couple of really great books while I was reading that one and they made up for the stress of it. Both books I read for my Bereavement job as well as school and both I have bought as worthy of my library. One, When Your Friend is Dying by Betsy Burnham, deals with what to say-and NOT say-to a dying or seriously ill friend. She was a pastor's wife who was dying of cancer. Wonderful book! I have used it once in a speaking engagement I had, and plan to use it soon again. The other one, It Hurts so Bad, Lord by Andrew Lester deals with grief, not only from death-though that is the main part-but also from depression and divorce. Talks about kids and grief also. It is very easily read and the author, though brilliant, speaks to the average person though not "down" to us.

Now I am reading The Art of Ministering to the Sick by Richard Cabbott & Russell Dicks. It is as good as the other was bad! Fantastic and should be in every minister's library--hear me, Brian? If you don't have it, let me know. Was published in 1936 but, except for the medical things which are really interesting (one of the guys is a Dr. and the other a minister), it is as relevant now as it was then. I love it and will use it a lot!!

I kind of look forward, however, to getting back to Haddix and Curious George!!!!

And, by the way, if you have managed to wade this far in this very looooooong message: I have found a great used book place. Better World Books out of Mishawaka, IN. is great! They have tons of books--don't charge shipping in U.S. and $2.95, i believe, outside US. AND, what is really neat is that each book you buy contributes to some needy oarganization. Oh yes, and they ship environmentally safely. I wish I knew how to do a link for it but go to betterworld.com and you will find them.