Change and Thinking

There are many things that bother me about the current fervor to rid America of God. It attacks our civic history and it shows the deep ignorance of many of our lawyers and judges. But as a therapist I am also concerned because the suit to ban the Pledge of allegiance from schools is based on junk science about the ways people think and feel.

The mere fact that children stand and recite "One Nation, Under God..." Is supposed to "make disbelieving children feel badly". This statement is based on a complete fallacy about how feelings are formed. Proponents of this suit would have us believe that kids are a bundle of uncontrollable feelings that are damaged by the hearing of any word about God.

Secondly, that children are so sensitive that any misspoken word can set them up for a life of pain and suffering and that it is in the interest of the state to protect them from such brutality.

let me say at the outset that I strongly promote gentle and caring speech with any person, child or adult. However, reciting a statement about God cannot disturb a child or an adult unless that person has decided to be offended. Do you remember the old saying, Sticks and stone can break my bones but words can never hurt me? Like many wise proverbs it is true.

Unless I give you power over my feelings I cannot be wounded by such a Pledge. Now, should a parent, an ACLU lawyer or a counselor convince you that the Pledge is harmful you can choose to be harmed. In fact, facing and overcoming Adversity is good for children. Learning to accept and affirm diversity is good for kids. Knowing we are different from others is healthy.

Rather than harming kids such things can actually develop an ability to be more resilient.

The Winds Of Fate

One ship drives east, the other drives west
With the self same winds that blow.'
Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
Which tells us the way to go.
Like the winds of the sea are the ways of fate,
As we voyage along through life.
'Tis the set of a soul
That decides it's goal,
And not the calm or the strife.

Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919)

Pray that the courts will not make laws based on junk psychology.