Oh, how I love this time of year! The emails I receive get so interesting around the holidays.
Anybody have any idea what this person is trying to say. I think I need a Scientology to ADHD Dictionary:
Interesting how deeply invested you are in this enterprise of "educating" the laiety. Do you think ADHD is a discreet disease state of the brain (I can only assume that you ascribe this "state" to its "proper" medical category?)
As an interesting aside, I did pain myself to count the number of book titles at my local university library, where "AD(H)D" was part of such title. I counted exactly 105 titles! This, of course, does not constitute the total number of titles, including such titles that would "merely" mention this putative disorder in passing.I do wonder how your faith, regarding the existence of this so-caled discreet disorder (including its "subtypes") squares with any "unitary" view you might hold regarding human problems in living and social conflict, as being symptoms-or causations-of mental illness?
In light of the amount of attention by academics and lay public, of ADHD, your assertion, that not much is (yet) known of this putative disorder, seems to me a rather vapid statement.
There are now tens of millions of children who are being forcefully drugged for some disorder or other, and with psychopharmacology and biopsychiatry as the paradigms informing the mainstay of psychiatric treatment modality, I think the aforementioned statistics will not change. However, this inflation of what constitutes disease, and with our culture of sickness, worshiping "health", I think you are well placed to share in the sacraments.
Oh and here's my response to his email:
Huh?
I think my own ADHD is getting in the way of understanding your email. Can you please reword it a way that somebody with a short attention like my own could actually follow what you are saying. I've tried to read it 7 times and still aren't sure what you are asking me or telling me.
I thought about ignoring this but it makes an interesting blog post…Don't ya think?
8 replies to "Scientology Translation Email"
Lol. Your comment made my day! I hope it all shows up when i post this.(ipad not working right) but anyways:Heres how I interpreted the email:
First paragraph, they wonder how your views relatete to societys views of ADD/ADHD ( are your views different than societys? Are they the same?).
I had to think about the second paragraph in a backwords fashion. Problems in living and social conflict cause mental illness. Do your views on ADHD agree (or correlate with) the statement I just made?
How I would have wrote the third paragraph:mADHD is reciving a lot of attention from schools and the public. Because it is reciving so much attention, your statement that “Not much is known yet about ADHD ” lacks significance. (Go to google and enter Define:vapid and click on the first link)
Finally, the last paragraph is saying that Addereal, Ritalin and the rest of the ADD/ADHD drugs cause ADD/ADHD. (contridiction? How can you read a book if you don’t know how to read?) And because your blog is “worshipping health”, you and some ADD/ADHD drug go hand in hand.
Ive been diagnosed with ADD for 10 years now (Im 19). I dont know how i just did that with out my Addereal (i dont take them on the weekends).
Well, thats my 2 cen…im hungry
Wait, what was thinking about? 😛
Good answer, but why apologise for not understanding due to your ADD? He is making no sense. I would simply have said “I don’t know what you are talking about. Could you make your point more succinctly” and leave it there.
he’s definitely doesn’t make since to me. I think he might be saying that ADD/ADHD isn’t real or dissing the entire mental health field.
Wow, loved your reply, it was so perfect! how can you say anything other than that, I mean who uses the word vapid anymore? it makes a very interesting post, it does not however do much for the reputation of scientology!
Scientology does not recognize any mental disease or mental states. all medications are bad. Scientology can fix anything. Think Tom Cruise………
It has its own language that changes word meanings, so those that have not paid enough money yet cannot understand what the elect are saying. I think it makes them isolated and crazy. Think tom Cruise again…… As opposed to ADD which makes you just isolated (he he he).
Thanks for the blog. Please keep it up. when you think about it……
he loves the word putative — like if you can SAY it has no research and background behind that makes it so.
What a magnificent example of pseudoskepticism. Trying to tarnish the reputation of ADHD and those diagnosed with it my smear and innuendo.
Nice response.
My ADD prevented me from getting past the word putative
What an ugly sounding word!! Aside from that– Scientology members tend to be holier than thou when talking about mental health issues. The more they talk, the more they ruin their credibility. Even Tom Cruise realized the folly of such rude behavior and backed off when he received bad press over his outrageous statements about post-partum depression and psychology in general. The work being done with ADD will prevent a lot of kids from becoming adults with severe depression and anxiety. Rock on.