Monday, November 24, 2008

Komunitas maya adalah komunitas nyata











Komunitas maya adalah komunitas nyata
Perenungan terhadap dunia maya dan Internet
Jeffrey Lim
Setelah diskusi dengan Daniel di Reformed Institute

Di dunia jaman informasi ini berkembang satu hal yang dinamakan komunitas maya atau disebut Virtual Communities. Kita dapat melihat hal ini di dalam blog dan juga website atau chatting ataupun juga forum diskusi dan juga sharing files. Contoh-contohnya banyak yaitu Facebook, Friendster, Yahoo Messanger, MSN Messanger, Forum-forum, Blogger dan Blogspot, Joomla, dll. Tetapi saya ingin membawa kita pada satu perenungan. Apakah komunitas ini komunitas maya ?
Ketika saya berpikir dan berdiskusi maka saya mendapatkan satu pengertian bahwa sebetulnya komunitas maya itu bukan komunitas maya tetapi komunitas nyata. Atau lebih tepatnya yaitu komunitas maya membawa kita kepada komunitas nyata dan komunitas nyata juga dapat berinteraksi di dalam komunitas maya. Saya tidak mau terlalu abstrak tetapi saya ambil satu contoh yang pasti terjadi di dalam dunia nyata ini.
Seorang laki-laki bernama X melihat situs pornografi dan akhirnya dia masuk ke dalam diskusi chat dengan seorang wanita yang tidak benar dan mereka ngobrol. Kemudian diberikan no telpon dan berakhir bertemu di dalam satu hotel dan mereka melakukan kejahatan disana. Bukankah ini yang terjadi di dalam dunia sekarang ?
Contoh lain. Ibu-ibu yang hobby masak mereka semua bikin blog-blog dan mereka semua sharing resep masakan. Kemudian tinggalkan pesan offline dan juga di shout box. Dan akhirnya bertemulah mereka di dalam sebuah kelompok dan masak bersama. Kemudian pulang ke rumah dan menulis resep lagi dib log.
Masih banyak contoh lain.
Jadi kita harus waspada betul-betul dengan dunia maya. Karena dunia maya itu dunia nyata ! Karena itu anak-anak remaja dan anak-anak jangan ada Internet di dalam kamarnya. Anda pikir anak-anak dan remaja begitu baik. Tidak keluyuran dan pulang malam. Mereka tidak minum-minum dan makan obat. Tetapi mereka hanya pulang masuk kamar dan kunci kamar. Dan anda tidak tahu apa yang mereka lakukan di kamar itu.
Perempuan jalang di dalam Amsal yang merayu itu bukan lagi di pinggir jalan. Tetapi di depan komputer anda dan keluarga anda.


Jeffrey Lim
http://limpingen.blogspot.com
Senin, November 2008
Jakarta, Institut Reformed
Perenungan terhadap dunia maya dan Internet setelah diskusi dengan Daniel


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Friday, November 07, 2008

120 Reflection Questions about Psychotherapy, Integration Position and Biblical Counseling













120 Reflection Questions about Psychotherapy, Integration Position and Biblical Counseling
By Jeffrey Lim
Translated By : Victor Yaputra ( Brother far in Sydney )

1. Was psychotherapy available before or after the fall of man unto sin?

2. Does psychotherapy (soul healing) presuppose of the notion of total depravity?

3. Is Psychotherapy an order of creation? (Compare and contrast with “the state as an order of creation”)

4. Is total depravity is directional damage or structured and directional damage? Which is more Biblical?

5. If man total depravity is just direction problem, then
- How do you explain the curse of man and creature (Adam shall have hard work and Eve shall have birth-pain and the universe shall produce thorns and thistles)?
- How do you explain why man becoming ill and die?
- And in terms of counseling therefore relationship between body and soul creates a problem. Pain in soul can bring about pain in body (psychosomatic). While recovering of the soul can bring about hormonal change in body and bring about cure to the body.
The question is: Is the damage in the soul just a directional damage or directional and structural damage?


6. Is the purpose of Biblical Counseling to cure the man or the primarily to sanctify the man so that he becomes the image of Christ and glorifies God?

7. If the purpose of Biblical Counseling is strictly for the cure of the man then what is the difference Biblical Counseling and secular psychotherapy? What is unique about Christian Counseling as compared to secular psychotherapy?

8. Is psychotherapy a general revelation? Or more accurately is it the sinner’s response to general revelation?
9. If psychotherapy is general revelation how do you explain the presence of many systems, theories and citations that are anti Christian? If general revelation, then why there are many theories, systems and views that go against special revelation? Is general revelation in opposition to special revelation?

10. If psychotherapy is part of general revelation, then which part is that which is general revelation and which part is the product of sinful human’s thoughts?

11. If psychotherapy is sinner’s response to general revelation, then is this truth clear or uncertain?

12. If psychotherapy is sinner’s response to general revelation, then can this become the standard of truth? If can, which part?

13. If psychotherapy is general revelation then do general revelation and common grace have the power to transform sinner to become Christ-like? If there is, then what is unique about the special revelation? What is the uniqueness of Christ and the Bible?

14. Does the Holy Spirit use the common grace for transforming the sinner’s nature?

15. Is the common grace useful only for restraining sin and for doing civil righteousness and is not for spiritual righteousness?

16. What is psychoneurotic? What is the definition and explanation of ‘the soul’ in Reformed Theology (Hebrew and Greek)?

17. Is psychoneurotic a physical or spiritual illness?

18. How do we see nature of man? Is it Trichotomy or Dichotomy or duplex (one that emphasize unity – Jay Adams)?

19. Does the doctrinal understanding of nature of man as Trichotomy corresponds to Reformed Theology or that doctrine of Trichotomy nearer to Greek philosophy?

20. If Integration follower utilizes doctrine of Trichotomy, Does that correspond to Reformed Theology? Is the Integration follower truly have Reformed theology? (Particularly Doctrine of human Humanity because this doctrine is tightly linked with psychological issues). If they do, then give example of who?

21. Do Integration followers, who don't follow Trichotomy understanding, contain Trichotomical doctrine in their concept?

22. Is there any room for integrating the Bible with secular psychotherapy, if we don't use Trichotomical doctrine? Are there professional Christian counselors who claim that they don't follow Trichotomical doctrine nor Dichotomical nor Duplex, but in it dimly have Trichotomical understanding of the nature of man?

23. If Integration followers see the nature of man as Trichotomical and Biblical Counseling follower see the nature of man as Duplex, contrast the practice of Counseling to psychological problem?

24. If someone were to be diagnosed with Schizophrenia, then how do the Trichotomical followers view it? And how do the Biblical Counseling followers view it?

25. If someone were to be diagnosed with Schizophrenia, then what will be done by Trichotomical follower? Would they refer him/her to psychiatrist?

26. If someone were to be diagnosed with Schizophrenia, then what that will be done by Biblical Counseling follower?

27. Is the practice of Integration and Biblical Counseling the same? If yes, then where do they agree?

28. What is the view of Biblical Counseling on using medicine in healing the soul?

29. How does Jay Adams view medical procedure? And how does Edward Welch view medical procedure? And how does Robert D. Smith view medical procedure?

30. Does Biblical Counseling position view the medical as fundamental and long term solution? And why does so?

31. How does Biblical Counseling view the medical model?

32. When we say that antidepressants medicine or stimulants or antipsychotic or anti anxiety is common grace (obviously course there is aspects of common grace in them), then what (particular) medication would you advises?
- E.g. Ritalin is used as stimulants for people who were diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive disorder). Is Ritalin safe?
- E.g. Lithium is used for person which were diagnosed with Manic Depression (Bipolar Depression). Is Lithium safe? Doesn’t Lithium contain toxic substance?
- Or e.g. one of most used and most well known antidepressant is Prozac. Is Prozac safe? What do you think of the information that the company (which produced Prozac) hiding its research data which says that can it can cause suicide and violence? And how about the juridical problem with Prozac?
- Is SSRI Antidepressant safe?
- Is Thalidomine is safe? How about babies that have been born flawed because their mother consumed this medication?
- How about another Antidepressant such as Effexor, Luvox, Prozac? Are they safe? What about other Antipsychotic medication such as Abilify, Zyprexa, Risperdal? Are they safe? What about other Antianxiety medication such as Xanax. Are they safe?
Hint: Check www.breggin. com

33. If antidepressant and antipsychotic medication is perilous, then what is the side effect of the medication (we need to know)? and what is the danger of consuming this medications? Is Christian Counselor responsible if he advises long term consumption of the medication as long time solution? Is the Christian Counselor responsible if they do not know side effects of this medication? Is it ethical for Christian Counselor to refer the sufferers to the psychiatrists without knowing the side effects of the medication?

34. If we view that in psychotherapy there is general revelation and common grace aspects (obviously there is and we will work through this later), then what is the particular’s data about general revelation and common grace, particularly in psychotherapy?
E.g. Is oedipux complex a general revelation?
E.g. Is sex therapy or nude therapy a common grace?
E.g. Is Electric Shock Therapy a common grace?
E.g. Is psychosurgery a common grace?
E.g. Is inner healing a common grace?
E.g. Is occult practices to heal the soul a common grace?
E.g. Is the use of hypnosis to soul therapy a common grace?
E.g. Is the Dream analyzing a general revelation?
Identify their positive position and danger position? Are there pagan elements (paganism) in their theories and practices?
Are we being responsible if we say that secular psychology or psychotherapy is common grace without knowing the detail about which part is common grace and which part is common curse? We acknowledge that there must be common grace aspect in psychology and psychotherapy but the question is where is the common grace and general revelation aspect in particular?

35. Is Biblical Counseling too hard (in terms of teaching) and inhuman? Isn’t it better to say that they (the sufferer) are environmental victim or victim of brain damage (their brains) or hormonal victim or genetic victim?

36. What is the method of counseling in Biblical Counseling? What is the distinction with the Integration position?

Reflection questions Christians ask about the psychiatric world

37. What is DSM?

38. Is DSM a science? If DSM is science, then why is it that the content of the DSM often changes? Why is it that, previously, homosexuality is categorized in DSM as psychoneurotic but now not categorized in DSM, when the society thinks that homosexuality is OK ethically? What fundamental method to determine whether a person is psychoneurotic? And on what basis/authority do they determine what is normal and what is abnormal?

39. What is problematic in DSM? Is there any relationship with politics?

40. What is dangerous in labeling which corresponds to DSM? Is that labeling impersonal? Is that kind of labeling a kind of reduction of human being? Is that kind of labeling to see man as low? Does that kind labeling give a permanent image and sense? Does that kind of labeling divide man as hierarchy?

41. Is it true that psychotherapy and secular psychiatry is motivated by humanitarianism and love? What is your reason in saying this?

42. What is schizophrenia? What is schizophrenia, according to secular psychology concept (DSM)? What is schizophrenia, according to Integration position concept? What is schizophrenia, according to Biblical Counseling view – especially Jay Adams? Do they have the same view?

43. What is the cause of Schizophrenia? Is the cause organic or nonorganic?

44. If schizophrenia is because of organic, then how to prove it empirically? CT-SCAN? MRI-SCAN? Or what?

45. What is the theory of chemical imbalance and is the theory are proven scientifically?

46. Is explaining the problem of Depression and Schizophrenia using the serotonin and Dopamine neurotransmitter theory scientific? Why is 50 more neurotransmitters in the brain not mentioned? And why are there some data where depressed person have a high composition of serotonin (in conflict with the theory) and there are some data where Schizophrenic person have a low composition of Dopamine (in conflict with the theory)? Is this theory valid? If it is not valid, then why does drug manufacturer use this theory as a mean to advertise the drug? What motivates them? Why are they so brave to lie to the mass society?

47. How do psychiatrists measure the composition of serotonin and dopamine in patients who have depression or schizophrenia? Is this done during the counseling process? If this isn’t done, then how can psychiatrist know if the problem is chemical imbalance in the brain? Is this claim objective and empirically proven? If it is so, then why is it that when patients shifts to another psychiatrist the diagnosis its soul can varies? Why is it that if you pretend to be a psychoneurotic the psychiatrist can be fooled? Can the psychiatrist be sure that the patient is honest? If they are not honest, can the psychiatrist really know?

48. How does medication works in the body and brain? What is the side effect and its danger? What is the side effect physically and emotionally? Is that true that the medication cure the body and brain? If medicine has side effect, then what is side effect and what is main effect? Does the medication really cure Schizophrenia patients or just restrain psychoneurotic action that troubles society?

49. Does modern science say that they can cure Schizophrenia? What will they do to Schizophrenic patients? Do they give hope for Schizophrenic patients?


Theological Reflection Questions:

50. Why does man have troubled thoughts and emotions and behaviours? Why do they happen?

51. What is the solution to the sinner’s struggle of the soul?

Relationship questions about Psychotherapy and Gnostic and Neo-Paganism:

52. When does modern psychology emerge? Can you tell about the history of modern psychology?

53. Who is the Father of Psychoanalysis?

54. How did the Father of Psychoanalysis view Christianity?
55. How did his students view Christianity?

56. Is there any secular psychology theoretician and practitioner who follows Christianity? If there are, then who are they? And what is their theory? And is the theory in accordance to the Bible?

57. What is the main theory from Sigmund Freud?

58. What drives a person to action of someone, according to Sigmund Freud?

59. Does Sigmund Freud believe in God? Does he practice a lot of occultism? What kind of occultic practice that he ever done? Had Sigmund Freud ever claim himself as Messiah?

60. From Sigmund Freud's books, how does he analyze someone’s dreams?

61. At one time, someone had once a slip of tongue and Sigmund Freud said that the man has a problem with adultery and interestingly that thing came true, then Sigmund Freud claims that he can read a person heart. Can sinful man read another person’s heart? How does the sinner know the evil intention in the human heart?

62. Sigmund Freud used the hypnosis to dig up someone unconsciousness. The question is that if the practice of psychotherapy is right? Is that the hypnotic practice actually an occultic practice?

63. What is Carl Jung's attitude to theology and to Christianity? Why does he hate theology so much and hate holy communion so much?

64. What is Carl Jung’s religion? What occultic practice had he ever done? Data: He did necromancy (talk with dead man), spirit guides, Ouija board and many other occultic practices.

65. What is Carl Jung’s theory that influence Christian person in healing the soul? Is inner healing right? If it is not right, then why has it not been practiced in church? What about Christian Counselor, called David Seamands, who wrote the book about emotional healing? What is relationship between his theory with that of Carl Jung's? What is the danger of integrating it with pagan view?

66. What are the traces of paganism in Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung? Is there traces of Gnostic belief in Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung?

67. What is Sigmund Freud's view of man and what is Carl Jung's view? Do you think this view is nearer to Theism or Monism?

68. What the relationship between secular psychotherapy and the Gnostic?

69. What is Gnostic?

70. What does the Gnostics emphasize?

71. Does everyone have the secret knowledge or only particular people (the elite)?

72. Who that can read the soul, according to secular psychotherapy? Does the ordinary people or the elite men, such as psychiatrist and psychologist, who have the “secret knowledge ”?

73. Who holds the secret knowledge about the human soul?

74. Are Alfred Adler, Albert Ellis, William Glasser, Thomas Harris, Carl Roger, Abraham Maslow, Victor Frankl, etc. Christians? If they are not a Christians, then is there any of their theories that correspond to Bible? Or do you think that many their theory, their philosophy and their worldview go against Bible?

75. Is psychology a science or a religion?

76. If psychology is a science, then what is their scientific methodology? Empiricism? Do they correspond to criteria of science, that is if they cohere and corresponds to reality? If psychology is a science, then why is their theories is not coherent and many times changing?

77. If psychology is a religion, then which religion? Humanism religion? New age religion? Or NeoPaganism religion?

78. In relation to the secret Gnostic and elite person in the world of psychology and psychiatrist, how does Jay Adams view who one can counsel troubled man? Is that true that psychologist and psychiatrist is more authoritative than Servant of God such as a Pastor?

79. Which is the better for studying counseling? Theological School or Psychological school?

80. Can ordinary people counsel? What are the criteria for good counseling?

Questions about Biblical Counseling Movement

81. What does it mean with Biblical Counseling?

82. Who pioneers Biblical Counseling? and in the context of what kind of era? Why did Biblical Counseling arise?

83. Who is Jay Adams? What is his education history? Where is he now? Does his book influence the world of counseling? How did John Calvin influence Jay Adams? How did Cornelius Van Til influence Jay Adams? What are his struggles?

84. Who belongs to the second and third generation of Biblical Counseling movement?

85. Which Theological schools and seminaries in the world that follow this concept of Biblical Counseling?

86. Which journal and research does Biblical Counseling Movement produce?

87. Which Counseling organizations which are influenced by Biblical Counseling Movement?

88. Why do we choose Biblical Counseling over other positions?

89. What do we mean by the sufficiency of Scripture?

90. What is the Integration’s view about Bible’s sufficiency?

91. If they see that Bible is sufficient, then why the need to use secular psychology?

92. Which books are produced by Biblical Counseling Movement?

93. What is the purpose of Biblical Counseling?

Question about other Reformed’s position in Counseling apart from Biblical Counseling

94. What are the other positions from Reformed with regards to counseling?

95. What had they done, in areas of research and journal? How strong is their theory and influence?

96. Which books did they publicize?

97. Which counseling organizations that they influenced?

Other questions:

98. In ancient times, when Jesus healed human soul, did he use psychotherapy? If not, then what did Jesus use? Is the Old Testament the Bible? Or also His teaching as the Messiah, which would become the New Testament, also?

99. What is the view of soul healing during the Puritan era?

100. How does the healing of the soul viewpoint shift in Jesus’ era, Church Father era, Middle ages, Reformed era, Puritan and modern-day now?

Question about theory and practice

101. Are theories not important?

102. How does theory influence practice?

103. Is there theory behind every practice, whether we realize it or not?

104. If the theory is wrong does it make the practice faulty? Or can incorrect theory beget right practice?

105. Do we, Reformed people, guard the correctness of the theory to correspond to Reformed theology principle?

106. Can wrong Theological concept in the Counseling beget right practice? If this is true, then how?

107. Do we refuse the Counseling concept that is in conflict with Reformed theology? Or do we accept and adopt or redeemed it?

108. Concept of the doctrine of humanity (anthropology) is so important in the issues of psychology and psychotherapy. The question is: does follower of Integration position utilizes Reformed theology in the doctrine of man? Do they agree with view about the nature of man which is unity which have two entities that can be differentiated which is body and soul/spirit? Is there any doctrine in Integration that have an anthropological understanding that is similar to Reformed theology?

109. Which position and counseling method which is the nearest to Reformed theology?

110. Is Biblical Counseling concept equal to that of Integration position?

111. If they are different, then are their methods and practices of their counseling the same? If is they are the same, then which aspects are the same? And they are not the same, then which aspects are different?


Question about Bible’s sufficiency

112. If the Bible is sufficient, then why do we need secular psychotherapy?

113. But if Bible is not enough, then why are there are so many Reformed people developing Apologetic, Counseling, Education? So what does it mean that the Bible is sufficient?

114. When the Bible is sufficient, does it mean that we do not need to study from tradition? (Radical Reformation and maybe Charismatic position)

115. What is the position of radical reformation according to the Bible and tradition? What is the position of magisterial reformation according to the Bible and tradition? Which is more reformed position?

116. What is magisterial reformation and how does magisterial reformation view about Bible and tradition?

117. Do (they) discard psychology theory? We know that even there is a some particular data of general revelation that is strung up in system of atheism, so how can we redeem its data and put them into the Christian framework?

118. How can we study and interpret antithetically?

119. Does the secular psychology and psychotherapy makes us understand Christianity deeper? Does the Gnostic make understand Christianity deeper?

120. How should believer view the Bible and psychology? Does the Bible and psychology on par? Or does psychology overbid? Or does the Bible guide us to understand true psychology?


Will be added more questions :)

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