Be sure to check out Bob Spense's posts, he too is from your country.  I just don't understand how you stay on the floor when you guys are upside down.

 Welcome aboard Clive, great to have you here.

I'm curious if you've ever seen this....

"If the thesis of this article is correct, religion goes hand in hand with the basic irrational beliefs of human beings. These keep them dependent, anxious, and hostile, and thereby create and maintain their neuroses and psychoses. What then is the role of psychotherapy in dealing with the religious views of disturbed patients? Obviously, the sane and effective psychotherapist should not—as many contemporary psychoanalytic Jungian, client-centered, and existentialist therapists have contended he should—go along with the patients’ religious orientation and try to help these patients live successfully with their religions, for this is equivalent to trying to help them live successfully with their emotional illness." - Albert Ellis, the most important psychologist of our time

What about termite?

I think it would definitely be Vegemite. Marmite is for kiwis. And it could be termite. The bastards are everywhere.

I'm curious to know if Clive thinks the Ruddbot is actually going to church because he has a personal relationship with Jesus or just for appearances?

Having heard Rudd speak a few times, he seems clever enough and canny enough, not to swallow religion.

Oh, referee! Low blow!

An elementary class is talking about an upcoming career day and the teacher has asked the children to stand up and tell what their fathers do for a living. The first child stands up and says: "My daddy's a doctor, he heals people when they're sick." The second child stands up and says: "My Daddy's a lawyer, he helps put bad people in jail." The third child stands up and says: "My Daddy's a male stripper and sometimes he lets men have sex with him for money." The teacher is horrified and whisks the boy to another room and asks "Now why would you say that about your father?". The young boy, with tears in his eyes answers "I was too ashamed to tell the class that he's a Coach for the Washington Redskins."

It can only get better, Brian, AND Orakpo did make the Pro Bowl in his rookie season, so Yay!

Hey, another Aussie!

Welcome!

I live in Brisbane, and do software development.

That is your pass time. Your real work which deserves a Nobel Peace Prize is putting up with my ranting ass every day.

That's a great quote mate - I also have struggled as a clinician with this issue - it's been apparent some client's religious indoctrination are at the centre of their neuroses, yet there is a cultural (and to some degree professional) norm that inhibits challenging one's religiois beliefs - stuff it though, if it's irrational it should be treated as such.

I'm so glad you had such a positive experience "down under" - I love Byron Bay ... just an hour from where I live on the gold coast.

In terms of your question - it's easier for me to operate as a free agent (I'm in private practice), so I would challenge irrational religious claims/beliefs just as I would with any other area of someone's life.  It is more challenging for psychologists who work with agencies - sometimes funded by churches, or other NGOs who consider someone's religious beliefs as "sacred". 

Thanks for the welcome guys - you can also find me on the "FreeThinkers" page on facebook - would welcome your input.

I hear you.  What ever happened to the seperation of church and state?  

Anyway - welcome.  

Also, just wondering what you think of meditation practices, and if any of your clients have used them.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie !!

I'm curious... the people you've seen in your profession whose lives have been adversely affected by religion, do you think they were conscious that religion was the cause or a contributing factor to their issues ?  If so did they still hold on to their beliefs regardless ?  

               I see you've   been a memeber fo'  damn  nigh    3 years.   Whee'r  ya  been hyddyn ...mayt?

Hey Clive, I am in a related field. Specifically I am an non-clinical psychiatric social worker.

As a fact of my professional orientation, I deal with physicians regularly and some of those people are quasi-religious about the idea that “we have a pill for that”. I would guess that you are familiar with the basic idea. When it works, it works. All too often, it sucks.

In any case, I am a hard atheist. I hold that the notion of god needs to be proven before anyone should act on the matter. No proof, no life choices.

Hey bobSpence1, I know that you are from Queensland. Perhaps I missed it but I was not aware of the specific city. I have had my hat in the ring for a couple of years to get some professional training from Stepping Stone Clubhouse in Bonaroo.

According to google maps, that is in your back yard. When the economy cycles around so that my company can afford it, I should be down your way.

I don't know if a six pack will make it through checked baggage or not but I am willing to disprove the assertion that American beer is like making love in a canoe. As a tradeoff, you will have to treat me to something better that Foster's.

Not only are you a heathen Republican but now you are knocking Fosters! YOU BLASPHEMER! I love Fosters.

Bob, never mind this sorry excuse for beer lover. He wouldn't know taste if it bit him in the ass.

(Note to Gene: Did I think that, or type it?)

Nah, I mean a fruit-picking holiday in Northern NSW while frequenting Nimbin, for it's peculiar vegetation I can only presume, is like Australian Woodstock.

Um yah, the Stepping Stone web site agrees with you.  Bonaroo was a spelling that I got from google.  I would assume that they know where they are better than google would.