TALK ING IT OVER with Dr. Clyde M. Narramore Dr. Narramore, graduate of Columbia University, New York City, is a psychologist and Consultant in Research and Guidance with one of the largest school systems in the United States.
is not minor; its major. You can nor mally expect to see such reactions in young children, but not in young adults who are contemplating mar riage. If you do, you know its serious. This young man has evidently had certain experiences through the years that now cause him to feel insecure and jealous. In other words, certain basic emotional needs have never been fulfilled in his life. As a result, he wants to hold on to your daughter and he cannot bear to share her with oth er young people — even girl friends in a vocal trio. W ill these feelings disappear with time? No, probably not. In fact, you can expect them to become more pro nounced. People seldom grow out of serious problems, they must be helped out. IS IT EVIL TO PLAY WITH SNAKES? Q. Please explain what our attitude should be toward snakes and playing with them. W e read that the snake was cursed of God and that man would hate it. I have been taught from childhood that it is to be avoided because of the curse on the snake. I’ve even heard it said that playing with snakes is playing with the devil. A. In this matter, as in all others, I think we need to be mature and take a realistic, adult attitude. It seems as though you may have had some un sound teaching in your childhood. There is generally a natural dread of snakes, even though a person has never been taught about them. To the Christian, snakes are probably a reminder of the serpent that was used to beguile Eve. Too, we know that the serpent was cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field. Of course caution should be exercised against all things that are dangerous, but neither is it desirable to have an excessive fear of them.
drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord” (I Samuel 1:12-15). When God answered her prayer, she nursed the child until he was weaned, then Hannah presented her son to the Lord, and left him with Eli to serve in the temple. However, she didn’t neglect him, but continued to minister to his needs. Hannah, and many others who have had some deep prayer burden, have been misunderstood. Would to God we had more Hannahs today! FUTURE SON-IN-LAW Q. M y problem is my concern about my daughter’s fiance. Both of these young people are fine Christians. But when my daughter spends a little time practicing with the girls’ trio, this boy withdraws into another room, gets very moody, and doesn’t even act friendly. Later he always says he is sorry and he says he doesn’t know why he acts this way. I believe it is jealousy. The girls have sensed this and try to be friendly to him, but it doesn’t seem to make any difference. I have learned that this boy had a very unhappy childhood. His mother is a very nervous, neurotic woman. She has done such things as to lock him out of the house because he came in five minutes late. H e gets good grades and is well liked. He spends all of his free time with my daughter and acts as though he loves her very much. I don’t want to hurt him, but I am concerned as I think about my daughter marrying him. I do not want her to make a mis take. / will appreciate your reactions. A . You say that you are concerned — and you should be. This attitude which you describe in the young man
MILIEU THERAPY Q. I have heard the term “ milieu therapy” used. What does it mean, and wlmt is its significance? A Milieu therapy has to. do with a person’s environment. Many people who are suffering from poor mental health actually need a different en vironment. Because of the people with whom they associate, the family with whom they live, the physical sur roundings and the attitudes which are brought to bear upon them, some dis turbed people cannot get well. By changing the environment, be ing around different people and be ing exposed to suitable attitudes, they are often able to recover. A NEUROSIS? Question: / am a student nurse in psychiatry. Today, the lecturer gave a summary of the history of psychia try and said that Hannah had a severe neurosis. His remarks surprised me, to say the least. I would greatly appreciate your interpretation of Hannah’s con dition as you see it in God’s Word. Answer: Thank you for your letter. I appreciate your writing me about God’s servant, Hannah. As you know, the story of Hannah is told, especially, in the first chap ter of I Samuel. Hannah was not a sufferer from any neurosis. She was a very devoted, godly woman. Her praying in the temple was an act of great devotion. The burden of her heart was that she wanted a child who might serve the Lord. Here is the account: “And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long will thou be
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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