M. Scott Peck

by leavingwt 10 Replies latest jw friends

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    I purchased and read the first 2/3 of M. Scott Peck's book, 'The Road Less Traveled'. His thoughts on Honesty and Love were very helpful to me. I was able to better understand myself and those around me. I didn't read the final portion of his book on Religion, as I quickly lost interest.

    However, just today, I read an interview with Dr. Peck from a few years ago. After reading this interview, I admit, the man sounds flatout crazy. I've only quoted the opening. Follow the link for the entire interview. It's about a 10-minute read.

    What are your thoughts on 'The Road Less Traveled' and what do you make of the interview, linked below?

    The exorcist

    In his new book, mega-selling self-help author M. Scott Peck asserts that demonic possession is real -- and tells the story of two exorcisms he conducted himself. By Rebecca Traister

    In 1978, psychiatrist M. Scott Peck published "The Road Less Traveled," a book that melded his interests in psychotherapy and spirituality. A bracing snap-out-of-it call for individual responsibility, difficult decision-making and the abolishment of laziness as the keys to mental health and happiness, it sold over 7 million copies. It was also one of the building blocks of the nation's infatuation with the school of psycho-spiritual therapy commonly referred to as self-help.

    Twenty-seven years and a dozen books later, Peck, who was baptized a nondenominational Christian at age 40, is publishing what he says will be his last book. And it's a doozy -- one that aims to scientifically examine and report on the rather radical notion that some people who appear to suffer from mental illness may in fact be possessed by demons, or by Satan himself. "Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychiatrist's Personal Account of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption" chronicles Peck's work as an exorcist more than 20 years ago in two cases of satanic possession. He's written briefly about both cases before, in "People of the Lie," his book about the role of evil in human nature. But in "Glimpses of the Devil" Peck "comes out" as the actual exorcist in both examples -- the only two exorcisms he says he's ever performed.

    Peck's path toward encountering what he believes to be demonic possession began with the publication of "The Road Less Traveled," which received a positive write-up from Malachi Martin, a priest and the nation's most public exorcist. Peck took a liking to Martin and dedicated "Glimpses of the Devil" to him. Peck expressed an interest in evaluating patients Martin considered possessed, anxious to scientifically prove, he writes, that there is no such thing as demonic possession.

    But when Martin referred a young mother from the Southwest to Peck for evaluation, Peck's mind was gradually changed. In "Jersey," he encountered a woman who claimed to have been possessed by demons for 15 years.

    . . .

    http://dir.salon.com/story/mwt/feature/2005/01/18/peck/print.html

  • transhuman68
    transhuman68

    I have four of his books. He is a brilliant man, but has been going flaky for quite a while. He is not the first guru to go ga-ga.

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt
    I have four of his books. He is a brilliant man, but has been going flaky for quite a while. He is not the first guru to go ga-ga.

    I'm glad that I read his book prior to reading this interview. The interview would have likely caused me to prejudge his book.

  • cyberjesus
    cyberjesus

    Oh brother. I read the Road Less Traveled and I liked it. But now he went bananas. That tells you that even sound minds can go JW I mean crazy too

  • Robdar
    Robdar

    I didn't know what to make of "People of the Lie" when I read it. For the most part, I enjoyed the book until he started babbling on and on about demon possession. I never finished the book.

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    bttt

  • JWoods
    JWoods

    Sad to see these old men (who actually contributed something at one time) wandering drooling down the street with their flies unzipped and trailing toilet paper from their shoes.

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    LOL @ JWoods

    Quite the imagery!

  • Lozhasleft
    Lozhasleft

    Wow I read and enjoyed his Road Less Travelled...thought he was a really sound guy...

    Loz x

  • transhuman68
    transhuman68

    I was going to write that I thought Peck was a complete flake... but I'm reading 'Further along the road less travelled' (1993) and it's quite good...

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