Help! I'm Lost!
It occurred to me the other day while recording the podcast episode: The Big 3 Questions, that there may be some people out there feeling lost.
I’m walking at a brisk pace, and already a good distance down the trail yelling, “Hurry up! I’m just around the next curve - you’ve gotta see this!”
But there may be people saying, “Wait up! Why are you walking so fast? This isn’t a race!”
And they would be right.
So I thought it might be helpful to do a post with the big picture view of Controversy Theory. Like finding that scenic lookout on the hike where you are way up high, and you can see the entire trail stretched out before you.
It made a lot of sense, so here it is:
Controversy Theory is a book I wrote back around 2000-2001 (Has not been published)
It was my way of working through issues I was facing as a new clinician
Namely - reconciling my faith and the clinical tools (treatment modalities) I was using with patients/clients
We’re walking through it on the Transcend Human Podcast because it is foundational to the content we present on the show
CT is made up of concepts called The Basic Assumptions
Each episode of the podcast series walks through one of these concepts
So I thought it would be helpful for you to have a cheat sheet:
A list of the episodes (basically the index of the book)
And some basic concepts presented in each episode (chapter)
This way you’ll be able to see the forest for the trees - and understand where you’re at on the hike.
It’s been so much fun going on this journey - and I love that we get to do it together!
Controversy Theory
CT01: An Introduction to Controversy Theory
The Human Condition
Human Nature
Human Suffering
Human Disturbance
Thinking
Behaving
Feeling
BA01: A Controversy Exists
Temporal vs. Eternal
The Controversy Begins
Shift of Venue
The Earth Is a Stage
Participation Is a Privilege
BA02: Participation Is Both Voluntary and Involuntary
Absolute Truth vs. Relativism
Essential Truth
Totality
Judgment
The Eternal Election
BA03: The Big Three Questions
Where did we come from? (A question of Origin)
Why are we here? (A question of Purpose)
Where are we going? (A question of Destiny or Destination)
BA04: To Be Human Is to Worship
What is worship?
Worship then and now
Three forms of worship
The worship quiz
BA05: Rules & Regulations
Rules & Regulations are everywhere!
Nobody likes to be told what to do
Perceived Safety = Perceived Importance
God’s Rules & Regulations
Sin comes in a variety of flavors
BA06: God’s Game Plan: Rescue Mission
An introduction to the battle
Angels vs. Demons
Conscience vs. Temptation
True Love = Freedom of Choice
The Rescue Mission
Our vote has eternal consequences
BA07: Every Person Has a Conscience
Let’s get Freudian
May the force be with you
What is the conscience?
How the conscience works
BA08: Satan’s Game Plan: Revenge
A loss we can’t understand
His time is short
Revenge is the best medicine
Spiritual Warfare
BA09: Every Person Is Tempted
Temptation defined
The roles Satan plays
Our conscience the playground
BA10: Temptation Comes In Many Different Flavors
Temptation flavors
Personal Temptation Plans (PTPs)
Other temptation flavors
Fighting temptation
BA11: Choices Form Habits Which Develop Character
Cast your vote
Live your vote
Making good choices
Forming good habits
Developing your character
BA12: Our Character Impacts Everything
The Great Debate
Character impacts everything
BA13: The Controversy Will End
Two ways to live
Will it really end?
Our response
BA14: 2 Outcomes, 4 Categories, Many Lifestyles
The 2 Outcomes
The 4 categories
The Many Lifestyles
BA15: The Human Condition Is Controversy Related
The Human Condition
Why Human Disturbance is different
Labels, labels, labels
The Treatment Tripod
Who can we blame for this?
CT17: Applying Controversy Theory
Beginning to experience the world through the “Controversy Filter"
Conscience-Driven Therapy