Thank you for taking the time to respond to such a harmful article. It grieves me that the original article even exists but grateful that you have dismantled their insidious model. The OCD community appreciates you.
As other commenters have said along with you, Alan, the article is about a worst case thing to read for a Christian suffering with OCD. Thanks for taking the time and care to write this (and do an article drop on a Saturday). I love that there are such incredible, thoughtful, grace-based voices that are springing up all over the place to do what I think Statler says is the heart but misses in a message that results in more condemnation: the beauty and grace of Christ is more than we can fathom. That is good news for the OCD sufferer and all of us. But wow, how it makes a difference when we define things correctly and approach with a lens that brings fruit. Alan, you are a gem.
I am no fan of the “biblical counseling” approach; but I can see them responding to your article by zeroing in on the fear component you described as key to an OCD intrusive thought. Might they simply grant you that sexual temptation (in that example) is not the real sin in the heart but rather fear (and then start hammering you about how “fear not” is the most oft repeated command in the Bible!)? How would respond to that?
I’d still say the fear is not a sin but a weakness that needs to be corrected through, in part, a proper understanding of yourself in relation to God. But also behavioral work that reminds you in an embodied way that these fears are not from God but from your imagination.
I skimmed through the original article. I don't want to attribute anything to the original author he doesn't believe, but I too am skeptical he knows what an intrusive thought even is.
You could almost leave that piece thinking that people with OCD have never met an intrusive thought they didn't like, and hate themselves for it.
Thank you for taking the time to respond to such a harmful article. It grieves me that the original article even exists but grateful that you have dismantled their insidious model. The OCD community appreciates you.
Amen to that-- we appreciate you Alan!!
As other commenters have said along with you, Alan, the article is about a worst case thing to read for a Christian suffering with OCD. Thanks for taking the time and care to write this (and do an article drop on a Saturday). I love that there are such incredible, thoughtful, grace-based voices that are springing up all over the place to do what I think Statler says is the heart but misses in a message that results in more condemnation: the beauty and grace of Christ is more than we can fathom. That is good news for the OCD sufferer and all of us. But wow, how it makes a difference when we define things correctly and approach with a lens that brings fruit. Alan, you are a gem.
I am no fan of the “biblical counseling” approach; but I can see them responding to your article by zeroing in on the fear component you described as key to an OCD intrusive thought. Might they simply grant you that sexual temptation (in that example) is not the real sin in the heart but rather fear (and then start hammering you about how “fear not” is the most oft repeated command in the Bible!)? How would respond to that?
I’d still say the fear is not a sin but a weakness that needs to be corrected through, in part, a proper understanding of yourself in relation to God. But also behavioral work that reminds you in an embodied way that these fears are not from God but from your imagination.
I skimmed through the original article. I don't want to attribute anything to the original author he doesn't believe, but I too am skeptical he knows what an intrusive thought even is.
You could almost leave that piece thinking that people with OCD have never met an intrusive thought they didn't like, and hate themselves for it.
That ain't it, church bro.