(R) State Senator: Mental Illness caused by Sin and Demons

[usregimechange]

NORFOLK — Several mental health advocates say state Sen. Nick Rerras has twice during the past four years expressed extreme and insensitive positions about the origins of mental illness, including the belief that psychological disorders are caused by spiritual demons.

By LOUIS HANSEN, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 1, 2003

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=61791&ran=9025

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. That is the prevailing view, judging from insurance co's and funding of

public mental health care services.

[meegbear]

2. Sounds like he's possessed himself

[Bridget Burke]

5. He's just passing on

What the voices inside his head keep telling him.

[bloom]

3. I wonder how they explain

how it is that medications can cure these "demons"?

[Mairead]

4. Poisons 'em of course!

Jeez, don't you know ANYthing!? :evilgrin:

[grannylib]

6. Does that apply to Raygun's Alzheimer's???

[Scurrilous]

7. LOL

Well maybe Ronnie should have attended church more often. He wouldn't be so cursed with demons and such.

[grannylib]

16. he couldn't attend church - security risk to other worshippers ya know...

never had services in the WH either...
but had no problem having all the manhole covers along the inaugural parade route welded shut so he could display himself in imperial glory to his minions and subjects....
what a putrid little man...

[liberalhistorian]

8. Well, considering I've been on anti-depressants for

several years and will likely be on them for life (trust me, you don't want to be around me if I haven't taken them for awhile, it'd be enough to make YOU want to kill yourself!), I suppose I'd better call my pastor to schedule an "exorcism" right away.

Gee, thanks Mr. Rerras, now I know what's REALLY wrong with me! I didn't know that smoking those few cigarettes in high school would have such terrible consequences!

[smallprint]

9. "She's a witch! Burn her! Burn her!"

Peasants: We have found a witch! (A witch! a witch!)
Burn her burn her!

Peasant 1: We have found a witch, may we burn her?
(cheers)
Vladimir: How do you known she is a witch?
P2: She looks like one!
V: Bring her forward
(advance)
Woman: I'm not a witch! I'm not a witch!
V: ehh... but you are dressed like one.
W: They dressed me up like this!
All: naah no we didn't... no.
W: And this isn't my nose, it's a false one.
(V lifts up carrot)
V: Well?
P1: Well we did do the nose
V: The nose?
P1: ...And the hat, but she is a witch!
(all: yeah, burn her burn her!)
V: Did you dress her up like this?
P1: No! (no no... no) Yes. (yes yeah) a bit (a bit bit a bit) But she has got a wart!
(P3 points at wart)
V: What makes you think she is a witch?
P2: Well, she turned me into a newt!
V: A newt?!
(P2 pause & look around)
P2: I got better.
(pause)
P3: Burn her anyway! (burn her burn her burn!)
(king walks in)
V: There are ways of telling whether she is a witch.
P1: Are there? Well then tell us! (tell us)
V: Tell me... what do you do with witches?
P3: Burn'em! Burn them up! (burn burn burn)
V: What do you burn apart from witches?
P1: More witches! (P2 nudge P1)
(pause)
P3: Wood!
V: So, why do witches burn?
(long pause)
P2: Cuz they're made of... wood?

(the above is from monty python, if you didn't know)

:evilgrin:

[Ripley]

10. How did the freaks get this entrenched in our government?

Rerras also said he believed that God may be punishing families by giving children mental illnesses,...

This sounds like something worse than the Taliban, more like something out of the Dark Ages. :scared:

[gratuitous]

15. Rerras apparently unfamiliar with the gospels

Particularly the ninth chapter of John, where Jesus treats this very question in regards to a man blind from birth. Rerras should probably quit his position with the legislature and check into a monastery or a seminary and learn a thing or two before spouting off publicly, as he tends to look like a complete fool with comments like these.

[Loonman]

11. So Limbaugh must be Beelzebub

:evilgrin:

[myrna minx]

12. That is such a huge projection.

I wonder if he has a "evil" twin brother living in his attic.

[Zorra]

13. The whole republican party suffers from

mass delusions.....anyone know where I can apply for an exorcisism permit? I could use a few extra bucks.

[Ilsa]

14. I wonder if the Senator's

mental retardation is caused by demons.

God, people are stupid to elect these bozos!

[lovedems]

17. Now it is clear why we need faith based funding!

Instead of getting these people the mental health they need, they need to go to church to get help. I used to work with severely mentally ill adults and am so offended by this. The families suffer enough without having to be told they are being punished. Hopefully if this kind of rhetoric continues the fundies will be kicked to the curb in 04.

[Cocoa]

18. ok, he has mental illness figured out

Maybe Sen. Rerras can shed some light on AIDS?

[Nlighten1]

19. This guy needs a good leaching.

We all know that mental illness is caused by a frog or a small dwarf living in your stomach upseting the 4 bodily humors.

This guy is SOOOOOO 14th century...

[Redleg]

20. What a loser.

This guy needs to get his head examined.

[PVnRT]

21. Figures - conservative Christian

He probably thinks that they should be cast out from the tribe as being possessed of demons. Maybe we should drill holes in their heads to let the demons out? :eyes:

[AnnabelLee]

22. After that statement

He's a shoo-in to be appointed as head of the NIMH.:evilfrown:

[Raenelle]

23. I thught it was corruption of our precious bodily fluids

You can tell, you know, because after sex, there's this drained feeling, a lack of essence.

[Guaranteed]

24. What's the cause of being Republican, then?

This guy's got a screw loose, himself.