American Mental Health — Failed Anthropology

Stoked by Christianity and Science

How their negative effects on spirituality and resilience affect my work:

Let me first start by stating that to make America great again would be mythological. Again? When was it so great? Oh, one might belabor patriotic drivel about “the founding fathers”. However, I would immediately ask the question if those “founders of freedom” were in fact, good fathers? What would their wives and children say, for starters? Otherwise, with the folksy stories and songs about the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s ride, etc… yeah… weren’t we great? Might be best to define who “we” is during that romantic period of revolution. Just be aware of the “his-story”. Were Native Americans included in “we”, as we took advantage of them and stole their land before, during, and after their pending slaughter. Is it a glorious and great history that 12 American Presidents were slave owners. I wonder if those slaves felt as part of “we”? Okay, so not so great.

Were we great during the Civil War? The Spanish-American War? Can the greatest militaristic and imperialist nation be “great”? Were we great during WWI? Were we great in our reticence to support Jewish refugees prior to Pearl Harbor? Were we truly “the greatest generation” when spurred on by a mostly white “conscience collective” when “we” dropped atomic bombs — the largest killing devices ever known to mankind on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Wasn’t that just great?! Man kind; such an oxymoron. Is America great with it’s gun culture? Does sanctioning violence as the world’s biggest bully a “great” thing? I think if one intends to fix or repair it, it is imperative that the problem be accurately assessed and rationally examined and subsequently defined.

By now you might be realizing I am a heretic. Other than greatly appreciating my freedom of speech and my white male privilege I am no patriot. I do not believe in hate nor in hurting other human beings — save for any of those who persecute, perpetuate, and perpetrate inhumanity against others. And this is where America’s culture is built upon a house of cards. Beware the myth and the claims of a Christian-based culture that claims to provide freedom of religion. Does it really? Are all religions created equal? My thesis includes the idea that like America’s “greatness”, American Christians seem to struggle greatly in living by their religion’s precepts. I am certain there is a commandment specifically related to killing. This within the same nation’s culture of guns and violence?

Yes, I’m not a patriot and I am a heretic. It’s so simple; as written in 1977 :

“Open up the gates of the church and let me out of here

Too many people have lied in the name of Christ

For anyone to heed the call

So many people have died in the name of Christ

That I can’t believe it all.

by Graham Nash

If asked I would state, I’m a deist. Somehow this happened despite a staunch indoctrination into the Christian faith — seriously thanks mom and dad; value exists in trying to live a Christ-like life. Oh, it’s taken decades for me to foment and ferment these ideas and develop my own sense of identity, morality, code of ethics, and ongoing commitment to help my fellow people. Quite simply I do attempt to nurture, maintain and possess a strong faith in the power of spirituality. Please understand, I do not see spirituality and most organized religions as simpatico. However, I am not particularly knowledgeable about religions beyond that called “Christian”.

My concerns with “patriots” are similar to my concerns with Christianity. Similarly, I believe they’re based on that which gives rise to the patriarchy; supporting it and its storied ideas. I feel these notions grow within the fertile soil of “the good book”. And, in a symbiotic relationship it’s the patriarchy that pays homage to the “word of god”. I question it’s authenticity; the bible. I also struggle with words “inspired by god”. Really? It concerns me greatly that an individual walking down the street, speaking out loud to him or herself might be considered psychotic and could perhaps be detained in a psychiatric hospital. All the while pastors preach about how they’ve had visions, have been visited by “the holy spirit”, and have “heard the word of the lord”. Is this not a similar candidacy for a forced involuntary commitment?! Why not? It seems rather unusual behavior; verbalizing other-worldly encounters. How is it that this form of mysticism is widely accepted?

I have a friend and professional colleague in the field of psychology. He’s a fellow clinician who shared the term I’ve used in the title; “failed Anthropology”. However, my dear friend is also a staunch Catholic and in fact studied at seminary school to initially become a priest. He did not. Nonetheless, he would exemplify those folks who maintain, the decay of American society is the result of: the downfall of the American family and general population straying from the church, its doctrine, and god. This strikes me as odd. Some folks proceed further down this road — highly travelled. To a large extent, particularly young adults have not just left the church. They appear to reflect a further cultural shift from religion to science and its almighty school of empiricism and this shift has become the root of this rotting moral decay. That may be true. At the same time, in the midst of our Pandemic, it appears clear that science has its failings as well. However, I believe it to be more polarized nonsense. Seriously people, how many of those masses, yearning to breathe free, give a hoot about any of these concepts? Oh! My friend was speaking to a gentrified, classicist, academic elite’s demoralizing crash from lofty heights. Yeah, Christmas has become a commodity. Thanksgiving celebrates European tribalism and genocide. Easter sparks discussions and belief in mysticism. We will skip the immaculate conception. Science excoriates these ideas as failings. They’re not data-driven nor empirically-based. Don’t believe me? Prove it! So, the spiritual has been progressively escaping and the faith derived from science can be fleeting.

I’m wondering aloud. Have you, the reader, come to question the contradictory nature of my musings and writing? I would hope so! It is clearly my intent to unveil a paradox. By its very nature it is hypocrisy and quite ironic.

So, as far as I can recollect man’s inhumanity toward his fellow man has never ceased. Now that I would call “failed Anthropology”. Perhaps it is both our fate and destiny. Well, that makes sense. We know we are broken but will not attempt to make a change in the recipe — the recipe for disaster. Not happy with others and their way of thinking? Solution: objectify, discriminate, judge and either subjugate, rape, and/or kill them. It’s a sliding scale in which some have less and some receive more quarter and privilege. Interestingly enough it is through this rhetoric and moral high-mindedness that a negative reciprocal feedback loop is in fact exposed. If the behavior validates the “rightness” and purity of the chosen religion for just some, is it not inherent that the progress of mankind is doomed to failure? That is, if religion can be used to justify the abuse of others and simultaneously provide existential strength is that more “failed Anthropology”?. And, in the silliest of syllogisms then, that failure validates and proves the gospel as correct. Right, got it! Makes no sense, but then again it does. That’s the power of the spirit! It can be used to eradicate reason. If the spirit was not powerful why then would Marx have bothered to describe it as a defense mechanism — avoidance; it being the opiate of the masses. While I view it as mysticism it does give relief and an increased sense of comfort — power and control. So too do the opiates — temporarily. Look around; more false promises.

A mystery can be solved through the paradox. As therapists we try to make accurate assessments on the mental health and functioning of others. We need to evaluate and explore their numerous trials, tribulations, and traits. All the while we examine the underpinnings of their belief systems, their ability to regulate their emotions and behavior. However, in the midst of my training as a therapist, I questioned the thoroughness of these realms and the failure to assess a critical dimension of functioning — that of their spirituality. In providing trauma therapy I have noted the far-reaching effects of trauma. I have also passionately railed for greater circumspection and examination of the individual’s resiliency factors. These factors seem essential, not only for recovery prognosis. They also must be considered when making use of “trauma assessments”. I believe there must be a balance between the two. In order to ascertain the level or degree of hurt and suffering, one must simultaneously develop insight as to a particular individual’s ability to heal and create a new narrative. What is their resource network, healthy family and friends, their affirming relationships — those they have with self and others. It is here then, when we focus further on the health of that relationship with self, that we tend toward the trinity. No, not the holy trinity, but that triad of how they tend to their mind, body, and spirit. Were “self-actualization” a worthy goal (if not rather lofty for most of us) would it not be prudent to assess the strength of one’s spirit? If “living in the now”, while trying to escape the traps of the cognitive mind and its deceitful tricks, is a worthy goal — maybe even intervention, would it not be prudent to meander through the realms of mysticism and the strength, hope, and faith it may provide? I do believe so.

I’ve not come to this conclusion for the purposes of disparaging religions. In the hearts and minds of some people, this is the realm of living in which they derive strength. How can we not consider their sense of purpose and spirit as imperative without including the feasible benefits their faith allows? Can we not rely on both rationality and religion? Must they be mutually exclusive? That debate might be endless. I refute and reject religion because it does not jive with my observations of mankind’s behavior over time. However, as a therapist one must be aware, especially if the dismissiveness gives way to blind spots. It does matter that the individual’s religion gives them hope, even if I believe it’s false hope. My own beliefs matter not! The client suffering without hope is a sorrowful soul. My beliefs about this culture can be and are a separate and distinct entity. However, those of the client, they must be examined, taken into account, and where applicable, brought to the fore. Their beliefs are part of their life’s context and hence, inseparable When I explore a client’s sense of spirituality and they reveal they have none, I become even more concerned for the sorrow in their soul. That can be changed in many and miraculous ways. It need not be “religion” but it may not be science either. Somewhere there is a middle ground between art and science.