Religious Discrimination and Religious Bullying

"Religious Bullying ... Ain't nobody got time for that!"
(I created this meme using Sweet Brown's photo & slogan at MemeCenter.)



I like to use humor a lot because sometimes having a good chuckle lightens you up enough to be more receptive to the ideas of others.

I am against all types of bullying. Religious bullying bothers me because some parents (and some family members) are rejecting their children because they are LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) or if they don't out-right reject them, they try to preach their sexual orientation out of them. The Bible is being used as a weapon against their children. This makes for a "hostile home environment" and many children leave home to get away from being bullied. There is no bigger turn off to me than for someone to preach to me even when obviously well intended.

"I don't understand why people think that having a gay child means they
failed as a parent. Disowning your child means you failed as a parent."
(Source: PolitiComments.com)

Here are 4 articles with my excerpts:

1.) "Big Bullies: How the Religious Right is Trying to Make Schools Safe for Bullies and Dangerous for Gay Kids" Source: People For the American Way

"Students deserve an education that is free from bullying and harassment, and in many districts parents, teachers, principals, community members and students are working together to create a safe and welcoming environment for all children. Bullying can impede learning and ruin lives. ... However, many Religious Right activists want to derail efforts to combat bullying. An increasing number of conservative leaders and organizations have fiercely opposed anti-bullying programs developed by schools and education groups for the sole reason that such programs identify and attempt to combat the widespread bullying of LGBT youth. ... The crux of right-wing opposition to comprehensive bullying prevention programs is that by addressing bullying directed towards gay and gay-perceived students, schools may engage in “homosexual indoctrination. ...”

Feel free to use this graphic that I made from "Manifesto Against Religious Bullies" (by Richard J. Rosendall) on your Facebook pages and elsewhere.

2.) "Manifesto Against Religious Bullies" by Richard J. Rosendall
"... There is nothing wrong with people proclaiming their faith publicly; the problem is when they seek ...to impose it on everyone else. When Jesus said, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matthew 7:1), He was talking to bullies and hypocrites. ..." Manifesto Against Religious Bullies as a handout in .pdf format. (Adobe Reader, free PDF viewer download).



"Religion is like a penis, it's fine to have one and be proud of it, but when
you take it out and wave it in my face, that's when we have a problem."

Your religious freedom is not a Billy Club. (Source: AddictingInfo.org)

3.) "Religious Bullying Could Become Reality In Kentucky If This Happens" By Rika Christensen (March 23, 2013).

"... According to the ACLU, people and organizations have been using religious freedom with increasing frequency as justification for discriminating against people that, in some way, do not fit with their religious ideals. Some types of discrimination that they’ve seen include graduate students who are in training to be social workers refusing to provide their services to gay people, schools firing women for becoming pregnant out of wedlock, pharmacies refusing to fill prescriptions for birth control, and wedding service providers shutting out gay and lesbian couples. Therefore, the statement beginning with, “The right to act or refuse to act in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief…” could be used to refuse any and all manner of services, even publicly funded services, to the LGBT community. ..."

"Our faith forbids us from providing parenting services anymore."



The ACLU Campaign to End the Use of Religion to Discriminate - Join & Donate


4.) "Using Religion to Discriminate" (Source: ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union) This article is packed with a lot of information and specific examples, so be sure to see it.

" ...With increasing frequency, we are seeing individuals and institutions claiming a right to discriminate – by refusing to provide services to women and LGBT people – based on religious objections. ... Religious freedom in America means that we all have a right to our religious beliefs, but this does not give us the right to use our religion to discriminate against and impose those beliefs on others who do not share them. ..."




"Excuse Me Ma'ma ...
I'd like to take a minute to talk to you
about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."








OPPOSE PRIVATIZATION OF PRISONS! The mentally ill need to be in mental heath hospitals, not prisons!

THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS: 

The United States of America is home to ...

4% of the world's population and 25% of the world's PRISON population.



Here are some examples of what is wrong with this:

1) Kids for cash scandal demonstrates why we should never privatize prisons: "The 'Kids for cash' scandal unfolded in 2008 over judicial kickbacks at the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Two judges, President Judge Mark Ciavarella and Senior Judge Michael Conahan, were accused of accepting money from Robert Mericle, builder of two private, for-profit juvenile facilities, in return for contracting with the facilities and imposing harsh sentences on juveniles brought before their courts to increase the number of inmates in the detention centers. ..." Also see: "Judges, Mark Ciavarella & Michael Conahan Guilty in Scheme to Jail Youths for Profit" and "Pennsylvania Judge Gets 'Life Sentence' For Prison Kickback Scheme"  by Walter Pavlo, Contributor.

 

2.) "Maine officials seeking pepper-spray video leak" By David Hench (Staff Writer). This video is very disturbing but this is how the mentally ill are treated in prisons. They need to be in mental hospitals:

 

"... The newspaper's story and the accompanying video offered a rare glimpse inside the prison and into a confrontation between officers and a medicated, mentally ill inmate.

Paul Schlosser had received hospital treatment for a gouge he inflicted on his left arm, but had repeatedly removed the dressing in an effort to get medication and a book to distract him.

Inmates who hurt themselves to manipulate staff are among the most difficult to deal with, Ponte said last week.

Officers restrained Schlosser in a restraint chair so the medical staff could treat his arm, because he refused to go to the medical unit voluntarily.

When one officer pinned his head to the chair, Schlosser struggled and spit at an officer. Welch sprayed him at close range with pepper spray, called OC spray, from a canister intended to be used on multiple people at a distance of 18 to 20 feet, according to an investigator's report. ..."

 

For a more direct link to just the video and not the article, 17 minute video.

 

3.) Prisons are becoming big business. If you privatize prisons, the crooks will come out of the woodwork to run them. Your son, grandson, or other relative may be sentenced a lot harsher so the judge gets his kickback and the prison make more money. OPPOSE PRIVATIZATION OF PRISONS! See: "13 Signs That America's Prison System Is Out Of Control" by Michael Kelley.

 

4.) "Lake Erie Prison Plagued By Violence And Drugs After Corporate Takeover" by Chris Kirkham.

 

"... The report's findings offer ammunition for those decrying the trend toward privatizing prisons -- not only in Ohio, but across much of the country -- as strapped communities seek to raise revenue and minimize costs by handing control of inmates to profit-making entities. ... Corrections Corporation of America, which bought the Lake Erie institution in late 2011 for $73 million, has touted the purchase as a model of the benefits of prison privatization, arguing that it saves state taxpayers money while elevating the welfare of inmates."

There are many other examples of what is wrong with the prison system. I do not believe that: prisons should be run for-profit; mental ill inmates should be transferred to mental health hospitals/facilities; prisoners should be rehabilitated; prison rape should be stopped; etc.

If you have time, please follow the links to read the articles in their entirety.

Narcissistic psychopaths and sociopaths

 

I could not have said it better!!! Females can be narcissists, too. If you meet a woman or a man like this ... Run as fast as you can!!! Also see: http://www.clinicalsocialwork.com/psychologicalviolence.html

 

Now, imagine these narcissistic psychopaths/sociopaths running our country and our World. They have been destroying the "American Dream" because they feel entitled to have all the money and all the power.

 

 

If you have not seen this short movie, it is a must see! Watch just the clips if you time is limited but otherwise the movie ties it all together. Watch "Fishead, the Movie" at http://www.fisheadmovie.com/ Click on "where to see" and enter password: fhmovie

 

The movie is about the 1% of the U.S. population that are psychopaths who are high functioning and rise to the top of their professions and are consumed with seeking money and power. They are "without conscious, have stunning lack of empathy, lack of concern for other people, and look at people as mere objects." They are superficial charming and easy to like but that is their mask that is a fabrication to manipulate people. They mimic "normal." They are often very well educated having multiple degrees. I feel it is one of the most important movie because for me, it is a "wake up call" that our country's financial stability and our "American Dream" is in danger from these psychopaths. It presents these concepts very simply. They could be your congressman wanting to reduce our "safety net" programs while giving more tax breaks and power to the Wall Street types: "bankster" and their our government regulators. They may be real estate agent and their underwriters who do not provide you with "full disclosure" before buying your house; organizational/industrial; your religious leaders; or could even be someone that you are dating or married to.

The other concept of the movie is that through "happy pills" or prescription drug use (Valium, Prozac...), people take the pills to deal with "psychopathic conditions." "So what is the connection between psychopaths and happy pills? Empathy. Simple human empathy or the lack of it. Psychopaths don't have it and happy pills kill it. Also discussed: Václav Havel, former Czechoslovak President, playwright, essayist, poet, dissident, politician, and his country's hero; Herd mentality; Morality; Altruism; "Most people are basically good, good and passive." Peter Coyote narrates.

It is also available at YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXFmo6WipNk
or here:

Documentary relevant for the Occupy Wall Street protesters and those in relationships with psychopaths!

The Occupy Wall Street protestors need to see this documentary about how Corporate Psychopaths (Wall Street, bankers, mortgage companies, etc,) and Government Psychopaths (regulators, Congress and the white House) are destroying the American Dream and the dreams of peoples of the World. They are responsible for our recent financial collapse.

If you have not seen this short documentary, it is a must see! Watch just the clips if you time is limited:
http://www.fisheadmovie.com/watch1 and
http://www.fisheadmovie.com/watch2
But otherwise, this documentary ties it all together. Watch "Fishead, the Movie" at http://www.fisheadmovie.com/ Click on "where to see" link and enter password: fhmovie

The movie is about the 1% of the U.S. population that are psychopaths who are high functioning and rise to the top of their professions and are consumed with seeking money and power. They are "without conscious, have stunning lack of empathy, lack of concern for other people, and look at people as mere objects." They are superficial charming and easy to like but that is their mask that is a fabrication to manipulate people. They mimic "normal." They are often very well educated having multiple degrees. I feel it is one of the most important documentary because for me, it is a "wake up call" that our country's financial stability and our "American Dream" is in danger from these psychopaths. It presents these concepts very simply. They could be your congressman wanting to reduce our "safety net" programs while giving more tax breaks and power to the Wall Street types: "bankster" and their our government regulators. They may be real estate agent and their underwriters who do not provide you with "full disclosure" before buying your house; organizational/industrial; your religious leaders; or could even be someone that you are dating or married to.

The other concept of the movie is that through "happy pills" or prescription drug use (Valium, Prozac...), people take the pills to deal with "psychopathic conditions." "So what is the connection between psychopaths and happy pills? Empathy. Simple human empathy or the lack of it. Psychopaths don't have it and happy pills kill it. Also discussed: Václav Havel, former Czechoslovak President, playwright, essayist, poet, dissident, politician, and his country's hero; Herd mentality; Morality; Altruism; "Most people are basically good, good and passive." Peter Coyote narrates.

On a personal level, the documentary is very relevant for those in intimate relationships with psychopaths! See my webpage: http://www.clinicalsocialwork.com/psychologicalviolence.html

Patricia Darlene McClendon, MSSW
Article updated on March 22, 2013

Am I Going Crazy The Gaslight Effect with Robin Stern 8/5/2008 - Dispelling the Myths | Internet Radio | Blog Talk Radio

Am I Going Crazy The Gaslight Effect with Robin Stern 8/5/2008 - Dispelling the Myths Internet Radio Blog Talk Radio

Ingrid Bergman in the 1944 film Gaslight

 



From Wikipedia: Gaslighting: "Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse in which false information is presented with the intent of making a victim doubt his or her own memory, perception and sanity. Instances may range simply from the denial by an abuser that previous abusive incidents ever occurred, up to the staging of bizarre events by the abuser with the intention of disorienting the victim. The term "gaslighting" comes from the play Gas Light and its film adaptations. The term is now also used in clinical and research literature...."

SEDONA TALK RADIO

EPISODE NOTES ...
Host Name:  Dispelling the Myths with Kaleah LaRoche
Show Name: Am I Going Crazy? The Gaslight Effect with Robin Stern
Date / Length: 8/5/2008 9:00 PM - 1 hr
Length: 1 hr
Description:
How to Spot and Survive the Hidden Manipulation Others Use to Control Your Life. Join us as I interview Dr. Robin Stern, the author of "the Gaslight Effect" as we explore the common narcissistic behavior called "Gaslighting." Find out how this subtle form of manipulation can cause an individual to believe she is going crazy! 

Also see: http://www.clinicalsocialwork.com/psychologicalviolence.html

Updated: March 23, 2013.

The Narcissistic Catalyst 12/14/2010 - Dispelling the Myths | Internet Radio | Blog Talk Radio

The Narcissistic Catalyst 12/14/2010 - Dispelling the Myths Internet Radio Blog Talk Radio

SEDONA TALK RADIO

EPISODE NOTES ...
Host Name:  Dispelling the Myths with Kaleah LaRoche & Anah Maa
Show Name: The Narcissistic Catalyst
Date / Length: 12/14/2010 1:00 PM - 1 hr 16 min
Length: 1 hr 16 min

Description:
Going through narcissistic abuse can be one of the most painful, crazy making and debilitating experiences in one’s life. At the same time going through the experience of narcissistic abuse can be the catalyst for ones greatest awakening. In this episode Kaleah and Anah explore the common lessons, experiences and takeaways that can come from your dance with the narcissist. Find out the powerful things that can happen when we learn to focus within ourselves rather than focusing our energy and attention outward on the narcissist.

Also see: Kaleah LaRoche's "Recovery from Narcissistic Abuse! Understanding Narcissism, Naricissist Personality Disorder, NPD"

Also see: http://www.clinicalsocialwork.com/psychologicalviolence.html

Meredith Baxter, Psychological Abuse, "Gaslighting," and Domestic Violence

Today's blog entry was inspired by Meredith Baxter's revelation this week that her ex-husband was abusive to her. Also, she came out as being a lesbian in 2009. See: "Meredith Baxter Alleges Ex-Husband David Birney Abused Her"

Perhaps, in a later blog entry, I'll discuss the number of women in the lesbian community has sky-rocketed in recent years with the number of ex-married (to a man) women now seeming to outnumber the lesbian who consider themselves always a lesbian. Why? Has it been abusive men pushing normally "straight" women into the arms of lesbians or is it that many of these women were lesbian all along and didn't realize it? I'd love for someone to do a study or a survey of this ... may NBC or CNN?

Back in January 2011, I add a new web page to my web site, Pat McClendon's Clinical Social Work, called: Psychological Violence (or more completely, Psychological Violence or Psychological Abuse or Ambient (Stealth) Abuse (including "Gaslighting") and Bullying.

This web page evolved from reading online material about domestic violence and in particular, this article: "Domestic Violence and Abuse: Signs of Abuse and Abusive Relationships." The article discusses the signs that you are being abused: emotionally (psychologically) or physically; cycle of abuse; and its progression from psychological abuse to overt abuse, aka, domestic violence. The statement which I found most disturbing was: "Violent and abusive behavior is the abuser’s choice ... Despite what many people believe, domestic violence and abuse is not due to the abuser’s loss of control over his or her behavior. In fact, abusive behavior and violence is a deliberate choice made by the abuser in order to control you. Abusers use a variety of tactics to manipulate you and exert their power: Dominance; Humiliation; Isolation; Threats; Intimidation; and Denial and blame." The article described each tactic used by the abuser. Then, there is the section of the "The cycle of violence in domestic abuse:" Abuse; Guilt; Excuses; "Normal" behavior;" Fantasy and planning; and Set-up. These last two (2) were jaw dropping experiences for me. Is this true for ALL abusers? or just some of the worst abusers?

Fantasy and planning – Your abuser begins to fantasize about abusing you again. He spends a lot of time thinking about what you’ve done wrong and how he'll make you pay. Then he makes a plan for turning the fantasy of abuse into reality.

Set-up – Your abuser sets you up and puts his plan in motion, creating a situation where he can justify abusing you.

Here is an example they cite:

The Full Cycle of Domestic Violence: An Example: A man abuses his partner. After he hits her, he experiences self-directed guilt. He says, "I'm sorry for hurting you." What he does not say is, "Because I might get caught." He then rationalizes his behavior by saying that his partner is having an affair with someone. He tells her "If you weren't such a worthless whore I wouldn't have to hit you." He then acts contrite, reassuring her that he will not hurt her again. He then fantasizes and reflects on past abuse and how he will hurt her again. He plans on telling her to go to the store to get some groceries. What he withholds from her is that she has a certain amount of time to do the shopping. When she is held up in traffic and is a few minutes late, he feels completely justified in assaulting her because "you're having an affair with the store clerk." He has just set her up. Source: Mid-Valley Women's Crisis Service

How diabolical! Are abusers really this depraved? They tell you that they love you, don't they? I did NOT want to believe it! I read on ... more online articles.

Gaslighting? What is that, you ask? Gaslighting: The extremes of emotional abuse by Jeanne Sparks-Carreker answers that question well, and these two (2) entries really bring it home:

page 2: " ... When no sympathy or support for the hurt feelings are available, more times than not it is due to the Gaslighting abuser not wanting to empathize with their spouse/girlfriend because he would then have to take responsibility as having been the one who caused the hurt. Gaslighting methods offer no solution to the problems between couples because only genuine love can comfort and understand, an intimacy that is a must in a relationship. ...."

page 6-7: " ... Eventually a Gaslighting abuser wins the ultimate war, the final argument, when she begins to collapse mentally and emotionally. The worst Gaslighting abusers will then mock her, humiliate her by sharing her "wrongdoings" (of searching for a solution) with their mutual friends, hoping to get a response of "I wouldn't listen to all that nagging, Man," from them. Perhaps it better eases his conscious to have others tell him it is all her, or that she's just a bitch, or just a nag. Hell, she's not worth the effort it takes him to keep on living with her! ..."

Then there was the web site about bullying. I read this article and learned how I have been bullying in various settings in my life: "Bullying: Half the population are bullied ... most people only realise it when they read this page. What is bullying, how to recognise bullying."

Then this blog entry continued clearing my eyes of all those cobwebs of denial: "The Silent Victims" - Karin's World - Blog (Saturday, 24 July 2010), she writes:

" ... There is a lot of prejudice when it comes to infidelity and emotional abuse. There seems to be the common belief (at least until the Sandra Bullock "case") that women are cheated on if they are unattractive and/or not interested in sex. Likewise, there seems to be a general opinion that women in abusive relationships are to blame for the continuous abuse, because "…they could just get up and leave". I hope to help spread the understanding that it is far from being that simple. ..."

I continued to stumble along reading more online articles over the course of several months and I was slowly and methodically becoming jaded! Totally jaded!

Definition of jaded: "The end result of having a steady flow of negative experiences, disappointment, and unfulfillment fed into a person where they get to the point where their anger circuits just sort of burn out and they accept disillusionment." (Source: Urban Dictionary)

Then, to make matters worse, the "final straw" was when I stumbled upon: Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited By: Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. Be sure to see his videos on YouTube. One of his entries states:

"... Avoid all contact with the narcissist in your life. All other advice is spurious and erroneous. Narcissists cannot be “fixed” and, if you do not keep absolute distance, will ruin your life thoroughly. To believe that one can affect the narcissist’s wellbeing is malignant optimism, a manifestation of the rescue fantasies that are so common among co-dependents. ..."

Some part of me wished that I have not read all this material. I wanted to remain naïve and continue to believe that people are basically good! I wanted to hold onto my malignant optimism.

I have selected a few of his videos, as well as a few of his articles that are eye-opening on my web page: Psychological Violence  (or Psychological Abuse or Ambient (Stealth) Abuse (including "Gaslighting") and Bullying for your review.

I don't believe that anyone is a pure psychopath, narcissist, borderline (BPD), bipolar, etc. but some certainly may have psychopathic, narcissistic, borderline, bipolar, etc. "parts." I believe in the multiplicity of people: "All of us operate at multiple levels of consciousness, which we acquire through socialization and we are microcosms of our families and our society." (Rivera, 1989) See my article: "Multiplicity and Victimization: What part of `No!' don't you understand? vs. What part of you doesn't understand `No!'?"

If you think that you or someone that you hold dear is in an abusive relationship, I recommend that you review ALL material on my web page: "Psychological Violence or Psychological Abuse or Ambient (Stealth) Abuse (including "Gaslighting") and Bullying." See threse two (2) sections: Why do the victims stay? and Who are the abusers and why do they abuse?

Self-medicating with drugs and/or alcohol probably keeps many victims in a relationship longer with their abusers much longer because while it medicates their pain, it fogs their thinking and it can also lead to addiction to drugs and/or alcohol.

Passages Malibu Drug Rehab & Alcohol Rehab Addiction Treatment Cure Center states that the Philosophy of Passages Addiction Cure Center is that: "Addiction to drugs and alcohol is a symptom, not a cause, and not a disease. Addiction is triggered by either mental or physical pain; the drugs and alcohol are what you do to cope with it. To heal your addiction permanently, you must first go to the underlying cause, and heal it; then the addiction will cease to exist. In essence, you will have removed the thorn, the pain will subside, and so will the need for drugs and alcohol. ..."

More about addictions when I blog about Charlie Sheen.

Update: March 23, 2013