He was a respected psychologist and researcher at Harvard
who got caught up in his own game.

{If you don’t know who Timothy Leary is, the short version is that he was a loud proponent of psychedelic drugs and a fascinating character. Look him up.}

So I just finished an interesting book about Leary and Allen Ginsberg*. There’s something that fascinates me about the Beats and what went on just before the flower-power generation took root and I’ve probably read more about cats in that generation than most.

In the book, Leary was quoted as writing that Western psychological disorders occur partly because the Judaic-Christian tradition is “breeding helplessness.”

First, let me state plainly that I believe in a Supreme Being. There’s just no other credible explanation for stuff. I also believe that s/he has given us free will — and expects us to use it.

The idea of organized religion breeding helplessness caught my eye. I thought immediately of the 12-Step program jargon that “God will provide.” I know several people in the program who, after more than a decade, are still waiting for God to provide. It’s clear that they need to take some big, unfamiliar steps– a major paradigm shift– but they sit more comfortably when they’re waiting.
(Don’t we all. Most of us, anyway.)

But it’s not just 12-steppers who do this. I know several very devout people who are waiting for God to bring something new into their lives. Changes they badly need. But won’t make unless God punches them in the nose with a reason to do it. I mean, God really, really
has to do something dramatic to get these folks off the stick.
Even though they want to make these life changes.

And I know folks who don’t do what they’re supposed to do,
even if they need to do it for really good reasons, and then count on God to bail them out.

I like better “God helps those who help themselves.”
Which is to say that we need to do something. Take a step. Or two. Or more.

I believe in sitting with things awhile. But not for years–or decades.
If we’re going to foster change in our lives we absolutely have to take action.

Waiting for some unseen hand to push us?
A long wait, for most of us.

What do you think?

*The book is White Hand Society: The Psychedelic Partnership of Timothy Leary & Allen Ginsberg by Peter Conners. The Bible verse on God providing is found at Phil. 4: 10-19. “God helps those who help themselves” is not in the Bible, it was said by Benjamin Franklin, who was a Deist.