Dr. Pamela Wible runs a suicide hotline for physicians. She describes herself as having been obsessed with death and suicide since she was in utero, marinating in a brew of her mother’s own severe mental illness. And as a young child, Dr. Wible could only access father-daughter time if she accompanied her dad, a pathologist, […]
suicide
Posted inEthics
Neither sin nor crime: A philosopher’s take on suicide
David Hume lived in Great Britain in the middle of the 18th century and is said to have been the greatest philosopher writing in the English language. Hume bears a lot of the credit for the resuscitation of ancient classical skepticism about religion. Although he had to be cautious, it is clear from his various […]
Posted inDeath & Dying, Psychology
Speaking of suicide: How institutions harm people they were made to help
TW: suicide, police, child sexual abuse Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, and yet it is a taboo conversation. The subject understandably makes most people uncomfortable. But ignoring it only adds to misinformation and mistreatment of people who experience suicidal thoughts and feelings. This can only change by allowing people […]
Posted inHistory, Religion
The remarkable story of Christina Johansdotter
Here’s a clever Christian loophole: if you want a quick trip to heaven but suicide is against the rules, murder someone and ask for forgiveness.
Posted inDeath & Dying, Taboo
The day I almost died laughing at a suicide workshop
When I learned that Philip Nitschke, founder of the euthanasia group Exit International, was about to try his hand at stand-up comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2015, my immediate reaction was “about time too.” Six years earlier, during a controversial suicide workshop I attended in Brighton, on the south coast of Britain, the […]
Posted inReligion
An Introduction to Bro-Dude Christianity
Hello and welcome! A few months ago, we talked about evangelicals’ reckoning with mental illness in their ranks. One flavor of Christianity seems especially vulnerable to this problem, too: bro-dude Christians. Today, let me show you what bro-dude Christianity is — and how it’s made toxic Christianity even worse. (Disclaimer: Today, we discuss toxic Christianity. Obviously, quite a […]
Posted inGeneral
The Fate of Pat Krueger in ‘This Present Darkness’ (LSP #153, Ch. 35)
Hi and welcome back! The showdown at Ashton continues today in Frank Peretti’s novel This Present Darkness. In this installment, we learn the final fate of Bernice’s sister Pat. Today, Lord Snow Presides over the ghastly fate of Pat Krueger — a fate that sounds all too evangelical. (Please click here to find the master list of […]
Posted inSex & Gender
Link Between LGBT, Religion & Homelessness, Suicide
Being gay or in any way sexually different can be a real challenge for people who live in religious communities, and it appears that the higher the religiosity, the more challenging this will be. The BBC recently reported on the phenomenon of homelessness in the context of those who have come out as LGBT: Nearly […]
Posted inCartoons, General
The Death of Todd
Todd Almighty has been feeling less and less relevant these days. With a decreasing number of followers, it has been difficult to keep his spirits up.
Posted inUncategorized
Promises, False and Discovered
Now, you’d think that sensible salespeople would want to avoid making promises they can’t possibly keep. Alas for Christians, these promises are so much a part of their overall sales pitch that they can’t. Join me for a look at false promises, and why they devastate Christian evangelism attempts.