Re: Skepticism Is Not Cynicism

I don't know if you are addressing Jane or me. So I will answer for myself. Anyone who is comfortable about talk of spirituality and "spiritual growth" in the context of the applied science of psychology (psychotherapy, for instance) and in sex therapy in particular ought to able, it seems to me, to explain what one is talking about.

My own discomfort comes from two sources, as I expalined above. First is the obscurantist nature of such terminology as "spiritual growth" in which words are spoken without clarity of meaning. Obscurantism is not in the best interest of a scientific approach to anything. Second is my concern that "spiritual growth," insofar as it is allied to religion, is unlikely to be friendly toward the possibility of acceptance and understanding of the full range of human sexual behaviors and expression.

I think I have been clear, very clear, so far in my earlier messages about these two sources of my discomfort and wonder why anyone would need to ask whether I am uncomfortable about this issue. Clearly I am.

I am, however, eager and interested to learn if someone can bring some clarity to the issue so I can discover if there is something about the term "spiritual growth" that does indeed refer to anything other than more unspecified words--such as you have presented in referring in your message to a "higher being" without any mention of an explanation of what this concept refers to. That sounds a lot like a god to me. If so, I wonder why applied scientists are promoting religious god concepts. If it is not about god, then just what is "higher being"? I am open to learning, but I have to find something first that is more than yet more unspecified words left in obscurity before new learning is even possible.

I am not so much cyncial as I am both skeptical and somewhat confused and worried that so many fellow therapists seem to find merit in this kind of terminlogy and especially am I perplexed that anyone would find value in using this aparently religious terminology to understanding human sexual behaviors and expressions since relgion is not especially famous for its willingness to bring clarity, understanding, and wide-ranging acceptance to matters of human sexuality.

Some clarity for what is otherwise obscure terminology is what this skeptical inquierer is seeking.

Replies:

Re: Skepticism Is Not Cynicism, by Heather, 07/30/00 Re: Skepticism Is Not Cynicism, by Quest, 07/31/00 To Dr. Quest, by Monica, 07/31/00 Re:To Dr. Quest, by Quest, 07/31/00 Re: To Dr. Quest, by Quest, 07/31/00 Clients' beliefs and values, by Heather, 08/02/00 Re: Clients' beliefs and values, by Quest (Still Here), 08/02/00

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