Pelagianism has contemporary relevance outside of Theology!
Pelagianism came to mean the belief in Free Will.
Determinism came to be another word for the belief that we do not have such a thing.
ID EST - that all that we do is determined ultimately or in entirety by factors other than our own free will - which is not usually believed to exist at all in full Determinism.
Thomas Szasz is regarded as the Heretic of Psychiatry - in the same way that Pelagius was regarded as the Heretic of the fundamental Cristian doctrine on Free Will.
Both are right.
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In conventional Psychiatry the so-called "Mentally Ill" cannot but behave - have no choice but to behave - in the way dictated to or stipulated by their non-existent "Disorder".
Szasz simply points out that all behavior must be chosen and that "Mental Illness" does not and cannot exist.
Pelagius pointed out that Augustine's TOTALLY FALSE doctrine of Original Sin - which dominated and scarred Cristianity for centuries - has no basis AT ALL in Scripture.
Pelagius was one of history's "losers" for centuries - in the sense that Augustine's doctrine was what was taught so prominently - making a mockery of the religion.
But his attempts to preserve true Crisitianity were not in vain. For the truth was on his side.
Well the truth is also on Szasz's side.
We can only hope that it prevails sooner than Pelagius's truth does in Cristianity.
In neither case is the required simple reform completed.
In the case of "Psychiatry" reform must - I am afraid - mean its termination. Obviously so.
In the case of Cristianity - the extinction of the false doctrine of Original Sin - could save the religion.
This is not something I personally desire, since I see Christianity as mistaken.
Both the Doctrine of "Mental Illness" and the Doctrine of "Original Sin" are extremely useful for controlling and dominating people, and making them believe in their own individual powerlessness.
Interesting!
Pelagianism came to mean the belief in Free Will.
Determinism came to be another word for the belief that we do not have such a thing.
ID EST - that all that we do is determined ultimately or in entirety by factors other than our own free will - which is not usually believed to exist at all in full Determinism.
Thomas Szasz is regarded as the Heretic of Psychiatry - in the same way that Pelagius was regarded as the Heretic of the fundamental Cristian doctrine on Free Will.
Both are right.
.............................................................................................
In conventional Psychiatry the so-called "Mentally Ill" cannot but behave - have no choice but to behave - in the way dictated to or stipulated by their non-existent "Disorder".
Szasz simply points out that all behavior must be chosen and that "Mental Illness" does not and cannot exist.
Pelagius pointed out that Augustine's TOTALLY FALSE doctrine of Original Sin - which dominated and scarred Cristianity for centuries - has no basis AT ALL in Scripture.
Pelagius was one of history's "losers" for centuries - in the sense that Augustine's doctrine was what was taught so prominently - making a mockery of the religion.
But his attempts to preserve true Crisitianity were not in vain. For the truth was on his side.
Well the truth is also on Szasz's side.
We can only hope that it prevails sooner than Pelagius's truth does in Cristianity.
In neither case is the required simple reform completed.
In the case of "Psychiatry" reform must - I am afraid - mean its termination. Obviously so.
In the case of Cristianity - the extinction of the false doctrine of Original Sin - could save the religion.
This is not something I personally desire, since I see Christianity as mistaken.
Both the Doctrine of "Mental Illness" and the Doctrine of "Original Sin" are extremely useful for controlling and dominating people, and making them believe in their own individual powerlessness.
Interesting!