chapter 1: george

Question 1

results of george’s compulsive neurois

Answer 1

health deteriorated, performance slipped, impatience with the family – finally broke down (6 weeks in)

Question 2

what was learnt in the first 3 months of therapy (george)

Answer 2

 sex life was non-existent
 wife was depressed and had a hatred towards George
 alienated from his two older children
 on his eighth birthday – father killed his sisters kitten
 father had schizophrenia
 mother was a religious nut case

Question 3

explain the medical model and christian model

Answer 3

 Medical model – used by psychiatrists, best way to learn about someone physically and disease (ex: George’s case was very typical)
 Christian Model – locked in this titanic struggle between the forces of good and evil, between God and the devil – o In terms of the Christian model – George put his soul in the greatest jeopardy known to man

Question 4

general overview of the case of george

Answer 4

o George – salesman, carefree, orderly, worried about the little stuff
o Late October – went to sales convention in Montreal – visited cathedral
o Saw a donation box as he was leaving, indecision whether or not to donate – unreasonable fear that it may jeopardize the balance of his life
o Immediately after donating the money a thought came to him to saying “you will die at 55”
o Two weeks later, he went to a sales trip to Kentucky – passed a speed limit sign – thought edged into his mind “you will die at 45”
o Two more instances came – once a week later when driving through the small town of Upton “You will be killed by a man named Upton” and another two days later passing by an old railroad building - “that building will collapse with you inside”
o These thoughts now happened on the daily – still bearable
o One morning passed over the Roanoke river bridge – “Thats the last time you will ever cross over that bridge” – considered telling his wife
o Rather than avoiding the bridge, living in fear he decided to go dive back to it that night and realized the thought was false – felt better
o Similar event happened when passing empty quarry – had to drive back to feel better
o Every few days he would have a new thought about his death, anxiety would torment him until he gave in to go back to that specific location
o Continued for 6 weeks – health deteriorated, performance slipped, impatience with the family – finally broke down
o Diagnosed with obsessive – compulsive neurosis
o The worst part about this is the fact he can no longer control the compulsions to go back to the original place where he experienced the thought
o Curable, but difficult
o next three months learned plenty about his life/childhood
 sex life was non-existent
 wife was depressed and had a hatred towards George
 alienated from his two older children
 on his eighth birthday – father killed his sisters kitten
 father had schizophrenia
 mother was a religious nut case
o George was reluctant to face the realization that we will eventually all die – until you think of death voluntarily, you will think of it involuntary (forms of his premonitions)
o One day George seemed to be becoming better yet he didn’t know why – he asked about the devil
o Confessed he made a pact with the devil to help prevent his motives to return to the spots – pact stated that if he returned to the spot, he’d be killed – thus why he wouldn’t go back
o Claims he has a feeling of guilt – one, because he made a pact with something he doesn’t necessarily believes in and two, included his youngest son, Christopher’s life as well (as insurance)
o Claims George is the one who is playing the games – no one knows any more than he does, whether it is a he/she/it, a concept or nothing at all – whatever it is he made a contract with it
o George has a weakness – he is a coward – runs away from anything once it gets rough
o You only kept avoiding suffering – made the pact (not matter how evil) to relief your suffering
o In his desire to avoid pain, the devil became real in his mind

Question 5

what is magical thinking

Answer 5

the belief that your thoughts will influence and affect the real world (George’s pact with the devil was just another manifestation of his magical thinking)
o Although the pact was entirely mental, he truly believed his and his son’s life was in danger if broken

Question 6

explain evil

Answer 6

 Evil: the opposite of live, the reason for death
 This doesn’t only include murder, but also killing of the spirit
 There are several essential attributes about life – sentience, mobility, awareness, growth, will etc. – it is possible to kill one of these, without destroying the body
 There are those who are necrophilic and those who are biophilic
 The only reason to recognize human evil is heal it whenever we can, and when we cannot, to study it further that we may discover how to heal it – eventually to get rid of all evil

Question 7

three theological models

Answer 7

I) the nondualism of Hinduisma and Buddhism, in which evil is envisioned simply as the other side of the coin (life/death, growth/decay, creation/destruction,etc). Consequently, the distinction of evil form goodness is regarded by nondualism as an illusion. II) Evil is distinct from good but nonetheless of God’s creation. To endow us with free will allow” evil. This model, which is termed “integrated dualism” – yeast in the dough, the ferment placed in the soul by God – without the yeast the dough will not rise. III) from traditional Christianity, labelled “diabolic dualism.” Here evil is regarded as being not of God’s creation but ghastly cancer beyond His control. Although this model has many pitfalls, it is the only one which can adequately deal with murder and the murderer.