Hilarious...thanks for posting this. 

I work with college students, and sometimes have been tempted to respond in a nearly identical way to Newhart. 

In all seriousness, I think sometimes people need a knock on the head, and sometimes they need gentle compassion; sometimes a bit of both is called for.  The Spirit has to lead in each situation.

I do try to ask what will be most beneficial in this person’s spiritual growth, to demonstrate understanding and extend grace, or to speak some harsh but needed words of truth.  Sometimes the two are combined in one meeting.

Funny Video.  I do not give people a second meeting with me if they did not do what I asked in the first meeting.  I think of pastoral counseling as more stop the bleeding than heal the wound.  Wounds are best healed in relationships so I point people to relationships in small groups and in support groups too.  Often people just need ideas on how to move and some encouragement on moving forward.

Todd:

This is too weird. I described this sketch in some detail in the intro to my message this week on spiritual formation from Ephesians 4:17-5:20. Rather than an angry “stop it!,” God has two different words for us, “Learn Christ.” Then he shows us how to learn Christ. It will be posted at http://www.fiveoakspodcast.com later today in a message entitled “Sanctification and Holiness” (series on Ephesians called “Theology for Dummies").

Henry

I think he’s a grad from the Andy School of Pastoral Counseling.  Sometimes, there really isn’t much more to say to someone.

Stop It

One would have to be an idiot not to realize that Biblical prophecy is being fulfilled.I don’t place my faith in Robertson;I place it in God.I believe when sins are going unpunished & good deeds go unnoticed,etc.;not everything happening is direct judgment from God.That’s why in Luke Jesus talks about when things go awry the Love of Christ is there is help you through the difficult times in life.By the way,a life that we have created by our own free will.If not for the love of Jesus Christ and His saving grace with the protection of His Angels we would not have made it this far.Thank God that I am not going to be judged in the final analysis by people but by God Himself.If it were otherwise,I wouldn’t stand a chance.What about you?Do you have Jesus in your heart today.Would you be ready to meet Him face to face today if He were to come for you.None of us know that day or hour but we do know that it will happen to all of us.Matthew 6:30-36 If God takes care of the birds He will take care of you.Thats not easy for starving people to grasp that He is taking care of them.To those who much is given,much is expected.Guess that is what the Bible means when it says it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

What’s the problem… this is how I do all my counseling ;>) This is one of the best skits I have ever seen.  I guess Dr. Bob has learned a lot since his days in practice on Newhart.  Maybe he could be Sec of State under President Paris - lol.

Something that everybody seems to forget is that you just need to look back at history and you will so that it has all been done before.  Look at EverQuest, it is still going strong with the same game play from the past. Does anybody think that it really matters.
===============
John Assam