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Capitol Church Battle
JEFFERSON CITY - A controversial church has come to Jefferson City to say that psychiatry is never the answer to human problems.
Scientologists and psychiatrists are at odds over a traveling exhibit that arrived Thursday. Jeff Griffin is a Scientologist who, along with the church's Citizens Commission on Human Rights, want people to know psychiatry is what they call "an industry of death."
"We want people to understand the truth about this industry," explained Griffin. "To see the truth because this is a documentary that's being presented. And to join together with everyone and let's reform the mental health industry."
The documentary accuses psychiatric medicine of endangering its patients by prescribing medication with dangerous side effects and using painful and inhumane treatments such as electroshock therapy. But members of the medical community find these accusations outrageous, and believe the exhibit is misleading.
"It's a hit-and-run, I mean they're flying into town, making claims that are not substantiated, having a good time being outrageous, thinking they're doing the right thing and not answering any questions about what they're saying," said psychiatrist Dr. Bernard Beitman.
Beitman says that psychiatric medicine is, put simply, the study of the brain. He hopes that psychiatric patients will not be frightened by the exhibit, and will not rule out psychiatric treatment as an option.
The capitol building has no restrictions on who may use the building, including the Church of Scientology.
Edited by: Jonathan Coffman
Reported by: Katherine Glass
Published: Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 6:09 PM
Related Links
Scientology Online
Wikipedia Entry on Scientology
Scientology- Kansas City
Capitol Church Battle
JEFFERSON CITY - A controversial church has come to Jefferson City to say that psychiatry is never the answer to human problems.
Scientologists and psychiatrists are at odds over a traveling exhibit that arrived Thursday. Jeff Griffin is a Scientologist who, along with the church's Citizens Commission on Human Rights, want people to know psychiatry is what they call "an industry of death."
"We want people to understand the truth about this industry," explained Griffin. "To see the truth because this is a documentary that's being presented. And to join together with everyone and let's reform the mental health industry."
The documentary accuses psychiatric medicine of endangering its patients by prescribing medication with dangerous side effects and using painful and inhumane treatments such as electroshock therapy. But members of the medical community find these accusations outrageous, and believe the exhibit is misleading.
"It's a hit-and-run, I mean they're flying into town, making claims that are not substantiated, having a good time being outrageous, thinking they're doing the right thing and not answering any questions about what they're saying," said psychiatrist Dr. Bernard Beitman.
Beitman says that psychiatric medicine is, put simply, the study of the brain. He hopes that psychiatric patients will not be frightened by the exhibit, and will not rule out psychiatric treatment as an option.
The capitol building has no restrictions on who may use the building, including the Church of Scientology.
Edited by: Jonathan Coffman
Reported by: Katherine Glass
Published: Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 6:09 PM
Related Links
Scientology Online
Wikipedia Entry on Scientology
Scientology- Kansas City
