Been praying lately...

[elshiva]

It's my psychological crutch, I know, but I do love to pray. I just hope that the war would end. It's been a difficult time for my family, but my church has been one of the only safe places besides my house to have a physical refuge. I love DU, but I don't have any friends that I actually see.
God, Jesus, and the saints have kept me company.

[Richardo]

1. More power to you, elshiva

Positive thoughts and thinking, in any form, cannot hurt. :hug:

[elshiva]

2. Thank you, Richardo. However, How would you

answer Freud's assertion that "God is merely a psychological crutch?" I agree with Freud, but unlike him I do believe in God.

[Richardo]

10. I'd say a crutch is not necessarily a bad thing

If one's psyche is such that there is no requirement for God, then so be it. But for some, the idea of God is a comfort, and is a crutch for their psyche in the same way a physical crutch helps someone who needs it get around in the world.

[elshiva]

16. Richardo, thank you. I was thinking along the same lines.

I struggle with mental illnesses, so I need a crutch to get by, it's better then an illegal drug addiction. Some folks don't need this crutch. I know some philosophers who are atheists and they are fine, but I think in many ways they are usually better off than I am mentally.

[otherlander]

14. I know you didn't ask me, but...

maybe God is a reason to do good things? I used to call myself an atheist, but the more I think about it, the more I realise that I really don't care if there's a God or not, and if I said I was an atheist, it would mean that I cared that there wasn't one. All I really care about is people. Also plants and animals, but... yeah. I believe in love, though, not meaning the romantic kind, but as a force people create inside themselves that drives them to help those they feel love for overcome the problems that exist in people's perception.

I think the difference is that I see these things (love, and difficulties to overcome) as things that only exist in people's perception, but are no less important because of that, in a universe which has no morality of its own, only things living in it which create their own morality. But if I thought that the universe was created by a God which was on the side of love/compassion, then I would see those things as absolutes instead. In the end, though, I don't think it really makes a difference. They're just two different reasons to act out of love.

Also, Freud was a cokehead.

[elshiva]

17. He might have been a cokehead, but he was still a great thinker.

That said, from now on I am going with therapists who believe it's ok to believe in God.

[otherlander]

18. You got a therapist who was giving you a hard time about that?

Man, sorry about that. That must suck.

Just be careful not to get one with a God complex... :yoiks:

[elshiva]

22. Once I had a therapist who was uncomfortable with it.

The current therapist is fine with it all, thank God.

[aquaman]

19. Actually I am a therapist.....

And I have always thought that ole Freud was interesting, but full of shit. Just my opinion.

[elshiva]

21. That is interesting. What was he full of shit about?

[aquaman]

26. I think most of his theories........

Were about him, and his own insecurities. He had beliefs about homosexuals, women, and people that believed in god. Called all of them basically fucked up. He was the most sexist, homophobic asshole in the world, provided therapy to his own daughter which says something in itself. He also had a major oral fixation with the cigars, died of mouth cancer.

[elshiva]

31. My therapist has a Freud action figure with a cigar.

[aquaman]

32. Get a new therapist.....

just saying....

[elshiva]

33. No, do NOT worry. She is great. She believes in God and prayer.

Somebody just gave her the action figure and she keeps it because she also does therapy for little children. The children can play with him while she talks, it's part of therapy.

[aquaman]

35. Oh....

Okay, that is actually quite funny. Sounds like you have a good one.

[EFerrari]

44. At his most wrong, he was righter than anyone else at the time.

And providing therapy to your own family was a pretty common practice, too.

[aquaman]

3. Nothing wrong with that....at all....nt

[elshiva]

4. Thank you, aquaman. What is wrong with it is that some people

might say that it is stupid to believe in God.

[aquaman]

5. Yea, well, the most.....

"open minded liberals" can be the most judgemental. DU lets you know that fast. I believe in God too. So, I guess that I am stupid as well.

[elshiva]

6. How do you respond to the idea that God is just

a pyschological crutch?

[aquaman]

8. I don't because.....

that is someone's opinion. And unlike many on DU, I will not judge them for their beliefs.

[I Have A Dream]

7. I have also been praying. I feel that it is our connection to the eternal...

and takes us out of the mundane. You've been keeping good company, elshiva.

I'm glad that you have support from your church. :hug:

[Dinger]

9. I Know How You Feel Friend

I really do. :hug:

[wildhorses]

11. freud wasn't right about everything

:hug:

[LeftyFingerPop]

12. Take your comfort where you can find it...

and let it heal you.

[aquaman]

13. By the way elshiva......

check out a band named 16 Horsepower, they have you written all over them.

[elshiva]

15. Never heard of them! Thanks for the recommendation

[w8liftinglady]

20. I make prayer beads for all my patients and their families

over the years,i've learned the people who need a prayer.the beads are a tangible contact with faith
believe it or not,I get a strange sense of peace making and giving these,and my patients are SO grateful.I started helping my mom with her beading group-it's grown.Feel free to incorporate these ideas,and pm me with questions
http://www.gigibeads.net/

[elshiva]

23. I make prayer beads, too! Thank you.

[w8liftinglady]

24. I affected three families today-they all cried

the simple act of giving hope through faith is powerful.

[elshiva]

27. Thank you for doing this.

I make Anglican prayer beads. I gave some to my professors.

[w8liftinglady]

28. it's amazing the lives you can touch with a simple action

[elshiva]

30. AMEN!

[w8liftinglady]

25. when i make my prayer beads-I incorporate a prayer

of peace and love into each one.it's my mission(one of many)

[w8liftinglady]

29. i try to make each one different-they look like this

[WindRavenX]

36. wow I'm an atheist and that's beautiful

Do you sell these? I would love one.

[w8liftinglady]

37. i can't sell them.pm me your address/fav colors-i'll send you a secular one

[w8liftinglady]

38. they are my therapy-I love helping people in grief/distress

[u4ic]

42. VERY beautiful!

:hi:

[w8liftinglady]

34. serious question...if you were deathly ill,and your family were

distraught-would it offend you if i gave you a tangible way to gain courage?I have multiple faiths on my prayer beads.People have told me that it eased their grief/suffering.Just curious

[w8liftinglady]

39. so-kicking or those who found religion when someone was sick

[w8liftinglady]

40. allow me to kick for the sick

[w8liftinglady]

41. and remember-i make prayer beads for the sick..

[u4ic]

43. I don't see it as a crutch, elshiva

it is a source of comfort for you.

What gives you comfort may be different than what gives me comfort, but that's just because we're two different individuals - but still seeking the same thing. We may go about it in a different way (meditating, praying - similar), but we know what we want to experience from it.

There is a lot of religious/Christian bashing on DU - I think you are a brave soul who continues to express your faith, despite many others (sometimes harsh) opinions. :hug: