Was Freud Right?

Posted on 2.20.2012

Thanks to the great PR people at ACU for putting together this little promotional clip for The Authenticity of Faith.

Amazon link here.



[Post-Script: In the clip I'm wearing one of those retro ties Jana buys for me at Goodwill as mentioned in my last post.]

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12 thoughts on “Was Freud Right?”

  1. Love the tie! And I look forward to seeing more on the faith discussion. There is no doubt that atheists make a big deal out of that claim. I responded to a post just last week.

  2. Nice tie!  ...Very professional :-D

    I received my shipment of 'The Authenticity of Faith' on Thursday, and have only had the chance to read 20 pgs. or so into it, but I am all *in* for "the messy and difficult journey toward a faith that is honest, truthful, and fearless."  You know, I think that I was initially drawn to this blog because the content fearlessly deals with "messy truths" without the tone feeling like I am being crucified.  (Lady Gaga anyone -- "I won't crucify the things you doooooo!"  ~ from Bloody Mary)  This has been a gift.  Many thanks.

  3. Does ACU Press have a bookstore here locally or on campus? I'd rather just drive over to buy your book and have it the same day, if it's possible, than order online and have to wait an indefinite time period.

  4. I'm not sure if copies are over at the ACU Bookstore yet. But ACU Press has some. They are at 1626 Campus Court
    Abilene, TX 79601. You can call them to make sure they take walk-in orders at 325-674-2720.

  6. And the really nice thing about that clip is that after all this time reading your blog, today I got to hear your voice and see your body language (complemented by a very nice tie!... not that I like that sort of thing... tensions of a fallen world bla bla bla)

  7. Well I just had a random thought that I wanted to share with this community so the following has no relation to the wonderful little snippet that Dr. Beck has posted.

    What if we, as Christians, scapegoat Christianity? What if we blame Christianity for all of our insecurities, our failings, our bitterness, or our anger? What if, when we stripped all of Christianity away, all of these things remain? Can we still blame Christianity or the Church for doing these things to us? 

    I'm sure this isn't true of everyone at all times and that Christianity and the Church have merited much of their scrutiny. However, I do think that it is quite easy to use Christianity to scapegoat all of those nasty feelings that we have, the same feelings that non-Christians have, that non-religious people have. What if, at the end of the day, we have to own up to our past and present and realize our part in it; realize that we have made ourselves bitter, insecure, or angry?  Can we handle that kind of openness and honesty? I really don't know if I can. Sometimes reality is the last thing that we want. And sometimes it is just too darn heavy for us to bear.

    I think Christianity gets a really bad rap from Christians - myself included, very much so. It is overly scrutinized and analyzed to the point where any misstep is a false step. Perhaps this has something to do with so many people growing up in a Christian saturated culture, I'm not quite sure.

    But perhaps if we owned up for our own parts in this mess instead of blaming something, anything else, we might be able to have a better outlook on Christianity and the Church. We might realize that things really aren't as bad as we think, that our petty quibbles and quarrels are nothing in comparison to the ties that bind.

    Maybe if we were better at standing on our own, theologically, ecclesiastically, and socially, we might be able to disassociate ourselves just enough to take some of the blame. 

  8. Hi Stephen,
    Thanks for this. I can't speak for others but I see myself making this sort of journey. I agree with you, there have been times when I've scapegoated Christianity, particularly conservative Christianity, in a way that was probably really about making myself feel better in relation. But I think I'm making progress with this. I feel more relaxed and less reactive when I encounter things within Christianity that, in the past, would have set me off. By no means have I arrived in this, but I feel a change within me.

  9. Hi Stephen,
    I would agree with you that each of us is, ultimately, responsible for our own faith journey.  A former pastor used to cite this quote in reference to choices in responding to trials and tribulations of life:  "We can either curse the darkness or light a candle."
    That being said, in order to be honest with ourselves and others (and God!), I think we have to confront our feelings, even those less socially acceptable in the Christian set.  I also think that it's a big mistake to respond to someone who confesses, "I am so angry and hurt," by attempting to invalidate that feeling.  Whether or not the emotion is misdirected, if that person perceives having been wronged, to tell them they are overreacting or have no right to feel that way only exacerbates the alienation and harm, imho.  If a person is hurting, and feels that their hurt was caused by a church or the institution of the Christian religion (doctrine/dogma), then it seems to me that simply acknowledging their pain and seeking to be a compassionate, healing presence to them is a more helpful way of responding.
    Also, I think we must admit that real harm has been inflicted by the Church (various churches under that universal umbrella) throughout its history.  The question for me right now (that I have worked through my personal grief with the church a little more) is, assuming that the Church is totally redeemable, how will I spend my energy:  railing against what's wrong with the Church, or working with all my strength to be a part of what's RIGHT with the Church?  I'm not a Pollyanna who lives in denial of the ongoing wrongs coming out of certain sects of Christianity; but neither am I going to let anger and bitterness rule or discourage me.  I intend to focus all that energy on participating in Christ's creative, redeeming work as one who knows my identity as belonging to Him, and therefore, part of the Body which is the Church.  :-)

  10. This is a very good look for you. It's very retro-Beat-Poets. Not stodgy at all.

    Freud still sucks, though. Consistently. ;)

  11. I wouldn't say nobody has taken Freud up on that.  Merold Westphal, for example, wrote a book on Freud, Nietzsche and Marx.  and takes their claims very seriously.

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