Dr. Laura Schlessinger

[Rosa Mystica]

Hi all,

I'm posing this question to all those who are of Jewish faith.

Many of you have probably heard of Dr. Laura Schlessinger. She has a daily radio show in which she helps callers deal with moral dilemmas. Dr. Laura claims to be an Orthodox Jew. However, I have my doubts about her, mostly b/c she has often made contradictory statements on her show, some of which seem to be against what Judaism teaches. For instance, she once advised a caller to get a vasectomy, which (and correct me if I'm wrong) is against Jewish teaching from what I've heard (has something to do with "wasting the seed" or something). I was just wondering: what is your guys' take on Dr. Laura? Is she who she claims to be? Or do you think she's just a hypocrite?

 

[nyj]

Dr. Laura has renounced practicing the Jewish faith.

http://www.forward.com/issues/2003/03.08.15/news.drlaura.html

 

[Hix]

Dr Laura wanted the good things and was unwilling to take the bad things of Judaism. The hard work of the Yoke of the commandments to have a relationship with HaShem, and yet be so unpopular in the world wasnt enough for her. Its a shame, she really didnt keep at it and experience the brilliance of the mitzvot, but its obvious all she really wanted was exceptance into a group etc. *shrugs*

 

[theseed]

Hi all,

I'm posing this question to all those who are of Jewish faith.

Many of you have probably heard of Dr. Laura Schlessinger. She has a daily radio show in which she helps callers deal with moral dilemmas. Dr. Laura claims to be an Orthodox Jew. However, I have my doubts about her, mostly b/c she has often made contradictory statements on her show, some of which seem to be against what Judaism teaches. For instance, she once advised a caller to get a vasectomy, which (and correct me if I'm wrong) is against Jewish teaching from what I've heard (has something to do with "wasting the seed" or something). I was just wondering: what is your guys' take on Dr. Laura? Is she who she claims to be? Or do you think she's just a hypocrite?

She is awful , not from just a religious perspective, but from a psychology perspective too. "Counselors" are never suppose to give advice (I'm a school counseling student ), her popularity is based on shock value and sensationalism. She uses a moral framework for her advice, and hypocritically preaches that people should lead thier own lives--but gives advice. "In many instances, she is abusive to her callers, models remarkable intolerance, and provides terrible advice". But gets 15 million listeners a week.


Weiten, W. and L. Lloyd. (2003) Pscyhology applied to Modern Life.
Thompson/Wadsworth Inc. Belomont, CA.

 

[Henaynei]

I am profoundly sorry - for her - for her family - for her community and for her listeners....

 

[Woodsy]

I have seen her criticised by some public figures who are Jewish Conservatives, saying that she simply couldn't take it.

However, from what I've read (from her) it seems to me that she experienced some of the same things that pushed me away from Judaism and the Jewish community. To be politically and socially conservative and to be Jewish is to be disowned by that vast majority of Jews (who as we know, are overwhelmingly Liberal). And to be honest, there seems to be a world of difference between the Christian community and the Jewish Community (at least in my personal experience). In the Christian community (including CF), I was made to feel very welcome, I honestly felt good about the majority of people I met, many people seem genuinely concerned about my well-being and spiritual health, the focus almost always seems to be God-centered and spiritual. In the Jewish community, I had been very much left to fend for myself, Rabbis wouldn't even talk to me on the phone unless I was a dues-paying member of their synagogue because they "had their hands full," when I started attending a synagogue regularly, I found it full of gun control propaganda, never felt any spiritual connection or focus in the community, and did not feel edified by the company of those in whose company I found myself there. My Dad is a bitter (Jewish) man because his experience has been the same, but he chose bitterness because following Christ would seem like a betrayal of his Jewishness.
My wife and I always get flyers and emails from various Jewish organizations, local and national, and we always make a game of it to see whether God is even mentioned in any of them. Usually, there is no mention of God. It used to anger me, then it broke my heart, and now I realize that I have found all that I have looked for - in Christianity.

Just my two cents, and I may well be projecting, but I know how viciously some Jews can treat those who leave Judaism, and I wanna cut her a break and not assume it was a personal failing. I hope she finds a community in which she feels nourished and in communion with God.

Please take this post in the spirit in which it was intended - empathy for Laura Schlesinger and her religious path, not a slam against Jews and/or Judaism in general.

 

[P_G]

Poor Laura

Maybe some prayer is called for here and perhaps she can see the true light.

Perhaps Rauch speaks to her heart? She needs Messiah too you know?
Maybe she left "Judiasm" because where she needs to be is with us?

Perhaps righteousness is not as easy as it first seemed? Perhaps grace and mercy for her own sin is what her soul hungers for?

Pray for her because she is one of our own!

PG

 

[TovahTikvah]

She needs Messiah too you know?
Maybe she left "Judiasm" because where she needs to be is with us?

When I heard Laura's reasons for removing herself from the Jewish community, that's exactly what I thought. She spoke of longing for a connectedness, not just to her community of faith (though that was certainly a part of it) but also to G-d. She wanted to feel -- this is a paraphrase of what she said on her program when the "news broke" -- the same kind of joy from loving and serving G-d that she saw in her Christian friends and co-workers. Combining that with her continued belief that G-d is paramount, that following his laws (at least in some fashion) is the only way to live, and her obvious desire to be connected to him, and her (head) knowledge that believe in Y'shua can bring joy, this woman is ripe to come to a saving knowledge and relationship with HaMaschiach.

L-rd, let it be. Send your servants to that field ripe for harvest.

She is awful , not from just a religious perspective, but from a psychology perspective too. "Counselors" are never suppose to give advice (I'm a school counseling student ), her popularity is based on shock value and sensationalism.

First off, she is not a counselor to people with whom she has no relationship and deals with in a five minute phone call, and is not bound by the ethical constraints which govern a counselor-client relationship. Second, she repeatedly refers people with deep-seated issues to local practitioners. Third, and most important, she makes it clear from the beginning of every single hour of her program what she's about, her tagline is "I'm here to preach, teach and nag" and anyone who listens knows precisely what she means by that. Sensationalism only applies in comparison to officebound "mental health professionals" who never dare tell someone that they've made stupid, hurtful or unethical choices or take the effort to offer helpful suggestions to someone to help them to fix their problems, even when asked. As for shock, absolutely -- someone complacently going along making immoral choices needs a wake-up call, not coddling. That's the biggest problem psychology has, the inability to get right to the point -- of course, a psychologist can't make a living iif they don't protract therapy, can they?

(Yes, I know of which I speak, my educational background is psychology and I was a practicing therapist for a half-dozen years. It's a fairly ung-dly pursuit, on the whole, as it's currently approached. I have no sympathy left for it.)

 

[Henaynei]

Combining that with her continued belief that G-d is paramount, that following his laws (at least in some fashion) is the only way to live, and her obvious desire to be connected to him, and her (head) knowledge that believe in Y'shua can bring joy, this woman is ripe to come to a saving knowledge and relationship with HaMaschiach.

L-rd, let it be. Send your servants to that field ripe for harvest.

Ken v'Omeyn

That's the biggest problem psychology has, the inability to get right to the point -- of course, a psychologist can't make a living iif they don't protract therapy, can they?

Ken, again - my atheist sister has been in nearly weekly therapy for 30+ years to get to the place in her relationship with our mother that it took G-d only 13 years (without the $$ and the weekly visits) to get me. And look at the side benefits I got. Meanwhile she has been told over and over that her anger is right and healthy and her venomous response to mom's pathology is also right! LOL Wish I had the $$ she has spent @ $75/hr over the years.. Don't get me wrong, my little sister is no "weak sister" but I think her particular course of therapy has done her more harm than good. Note also that I *do* believe in getting (and have for myself and family members) therapy when needed.

Disclaimer: those with clinical mental and emotional diseases *do* need a physician! I believe that g-dly consul can greatly augment a wholistic course of theraputic intervention!
I know Dr. Laura would agree

 

[P_G]

When I heard Laura's reasons for removing herself from the Jewish community, that's exactly what I thought. She spoke of longing for a connectedness, not just to her community of faith (though that was certainly a part of it) but also to G-d. She wanted to feel -- this is a paraphrase of what she said on her program when the "news broke" -- the same kind of joy from loving and serving G-d that she saw in her Christian friends and co-workers. Combining that with her continued belief that G-d is paramount, that following his laws (at least in some fashion) is the only way to live, and her obvious desire to be connected to him, and her (head) knowledge that believe in Y'shua can bring joy, this woman is ripe to come to a saving knowledge and relationship with HaMaschiach.

L-rd, let it be. Send your servants to that field ripe for harvest.

The problem that Laura has is the same one that so many of us have. We have the law or rules and try very hard to stand by them. (I was raised Roman Catholic so I know from rules!)

But we fail and usually miserably so "For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God"
Who can be as Holy as Ha'Shem? No one no man that is who!

So we have law we have failure and with out grace we have damnation!

Laura needs Grace and Mercy. Just like the rest of us.
Messiah provides this and in abundance.

Her state today is as it was as a common garden variety sinner in need of a savior.
Y'Shua is that savior!


PG

 

[theseed]

This is where she errs, and you too. "Suggestions" are not helpful at all, they usually backfire, and what works for me might not work for you, there are two many variables. Moreover, how am I helping you if I give you advice? Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. Hence, counselors teach people how to deal witth and solve thier own problems, to do other wise is to cause harm, even counselors who address right and wrong do this. No, Laura is not a counselor, she is the anti-counselor, she is the antithesis of a counselor. All she does is cause arm, people listen and call in for the shock and sensationalism than any other reason.


And what do you mean by coddling people? I know no counselor that does that. But perhaps you are refore to Rogers Person centered approach, which is soley listening. This is only one of many approaches, and it is the only approach that is completely non-directive, in couseling there needs to be a balance, this is not the couseling that is usaully portrayed on TV and cousneling on TV is rarely accurate to real life.

"Yes, I know of which I speak, my educational background is psychology and I was a practicing therapist for a half-dozen years. It's a fairly ung-dly pursuit, on the whole, as it's currently approached. I have no sympathy left for it.)"

It is not an ungodly persuit, what higher calling can someone have than to help people? There is no offical way to do counseling and therapy. There are many popular approaches like Reality Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Behavioral Counseling, REBT, SFBT, TA, and the list goes on. The counselor has a choice on how they want conduct therapy/counseling.

​

 

[theseed]

couseling sites for the U.S.



American Counseling Association
www.aca.org

Amercan School Counseling Association
www.asca.org

 

[yod]

I haven't read all the posts in this thread but I wanted to give an opinion that "maybe" hasn't been given?



WIth all the sources of "counselors" in the media from MTV to politicians to liberal news media to atheistic psychiatrists to hypnotists.....Laura Schlesiinger is a G-d Send!!!

Whether she is a good counselor professionally is a moot point. There are people who simply can't afford what counselors charge these days and could use some common sense advice from someone. She seems to cut through the crud pretty quick. Does she give wrong advice sometimes? Probably.

She's going on the limited information that she gets...like any counselor would.

But the "patient" still has to make the decision of whether a counselor has given good counsel and then follow it. I doubt she is as harmful than your average psychiatrist. I don't listen everyday but I think she's fantastic. Her advice is usually right on target.

Definitely as good as "Hints from Heloise" or "Dear Abbey"

 

[theseed]

I haven't read all the posts in this thread but I wanted to give an opinion that "maybe" hasn't been given?



WIth all the sources of "counselors" in the media from MTV to politicians to liberal news media to atheistic psychiatrists to hypnotists.....Laura Schlesiinger is a G-d Send!!!

Whether she is a good counselor professionally is a moot point. There are people who simply can't afford what counselors charge these days and could use some common sense advice from someone. She seems to cut through the crud pretty quick. Does she give wrong advice sometimes? Probably.

She's going on the limited information that she gets...like any counselor would.

But the "patient" still has to make the decision of whether a counselor has given good counsel and then follow it. I doubt she is as harmful than your average psychiatrist. I don't listen everyday but I think she's fantastic. Her advice is usually right on target.

Definitely as good as "Hints from Heloise" or "Dear Abbey"

Hy Yod,

Dr. Lauara is not a counselor, nor does she claim to be. But to avoid debating in here.Below, I explain why advice is general is not effective, even if it is good advice. By nature, people will resist expert advice and do the opposite (Romans 6-8). In most places in the US, there are counselors that work on a sliding scale, and becasue of mental illness among the poor, many recieve counseling through governmental insurance . I've worked one year on a mental hosptal, they take people witout insurance, and work to get them insurance.

Counselors don't work on "information" per se, but techniques of listeing and problem solving, they usually work to see thier clients learn these techniques.

My brother in Christ, if you (or anyone else) would like to discuss this more, you can click on the thread I posted in the Psychology forum below .


http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=1688327#post1688327

 

[yod]

Quote:
Originally Posted by: PastorFreud

Heard Dr. Laura on the radio today. She basically wouldn't help the woman since she was living with a man she was not married to. Relationships only have to meet certain standards of basic respect if they are covered under law, apparently. She called the woman names in a sly, sideways sort of way, and went on sounding morally superior for the rest of the show. I wonder how the poor caller felt.

I hope the caller figured out that she needed repentance before any counseling was going to work. This is central to what she really needs. Her "feelings" about it are secondary.

Even though I didn't hear that show, frankly I think Dr Laura gave this woman better advice than most counselors would have....and for much less dinero.

My experience with "professional" marriage counselors was not a good one. They spent way to long getting to the point of making any helpful decisions. To this day, I'm not sure if they ever did make any kind of judgement that helped my particular situation.

All I know is that it was costing $90 (EACH) per session each & every week and they totally disregarded my side of the story...even accused me of lying.

I wasted almost 3 months and a LOT of money with them. Nothing good happened until I left those "counselors". My wife was using them to manipulate me and they were unable to see it.

I've heard Dr Laura get to the point in a few seconds with similar situations.

As someone has already pointed out, the one being counseled has to make a decision to follow any advice so I'd rather not spend a few thousand dollars and months getting to that point.

Dr Laura may be beneath you guys....but opinions are like ear lobes...everyone has a couple of them.

 

[Benedicta00]

I have a really strange question. Why are the Messianics opposed to Dr. Laura leaving Judaism and accepting Christianity, if she ever did or would? I mean don't you think it is best that she believes in Christ rather than not? And BTW I love her. Is there any recent article about where she is at faith wise?

 

[New Creation]

I have a really strange question. Why are the Messianics opposed to Dr. Laura leaving Judaism and accepting Christianity, if she ever did or would? I mean don't you think it is best that she believes in Christ rather than not? And BTW I love her. Is there any recent article about where she is at faith wise?

She DOESN'T believe in Messiah yet. This is from the article:

"Schlessinger began her program last Tuesday by noting that, prior to each broadcast, she spends an hour reading faxes from fans and listeners. "By and large the faxes from Christians have been very loving, very supportive," she said. "From my own religion, I have either gotten nothing, which is 99% of it, or two of the nastiest letters I have gotten in a long time. I guess that's my point — I don't get much back. Not much warmth coming back."

Schlessinger even hinted at a possible turn to Christianity — a move that, radio insiders say, would elevate her career far beyond the 300 stations that currently syndicate her show. "I have envied all my Christian friends who really, universally, deeply feel loved by God," she said. "They use the name Jesus when they refer to God... that was a mystery, being connected to God."

In her 25 years on radio, Schlessinger said she was moved "time and time again" by listeners who wrote and described that they had "joined a church, felt loved by God and that was my anchor." "

I feel so sorry for her; she sounds so empty. She does need prayer, that's an excellent idea.

I just want to say that I am only a year old Christian but I listened to Dr. Laura for about a year about 6 years ago. She actually was instrumental in me finally taking responsibility for the actions in my life. She made me look at myself with different eyes.
I can only imagaine how effective she would be if she had the love of Christ in her life. What an exciting thought!!!

 

[P_G]

She DOESN'T believe in Messiah yet. This is from the article:


Schlessinger even hinted at a possible turn to Christianity — a move that, radio insiders say, would elevate her career far beyond the 300 stations that currently syndicate her show.

There is also a HUGE difference between being a run of the mill - lip service "christian" and a person who is heart and soul in love with messiah.

He is my Lord - Where he leads there shall I follow - I will crucify the flesh for it offends Him - I have heard his voice and I want to be his sheep.

I would rather be a follower of Christ bought with the blood, repentant of my sin and forgiven for it than some one who shows up at church on Sunday or umm some times you know when it's convienent.

Blessings

Pastor George

 

[ShetlandRose]

Removed by ShetlandRose.

 

[Suzannah]

How very sad to hear that she has lost her faith. I can relate to the pain of that. At one time in my life, I "lost faith" and turned to many unfulfilling things. It is a very painful journey to come back to God. I will pray for her that she will find Him again.