Questions About Southernmost

by Silas House (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (2)

Why can a non Christian write a book from a Christian's point of view? Can a straight person write a book from a gay person's point of view and expect it to be accepted?

Sylvia Wilson Here is an article I found that will give you a better insight to the author: https://imagejournal.org/2019/06/04/r... He specifically reviews his rel…moreHere is an article I found that will give you a better insight to the author: https://imagejournal.org/2019/06/04/r... He specifically reviews his religion in the past and presense and does identify as a Christian. This article gives him a lot of credibility for this work. I think you will find it to be eye opening. (less)

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So far, I am really enjoying this book; however, I'm not sure how effective the theme of "thou shalt not judge" is going to be if the "you're not going to give my son pills" stereotype isn't going to be addressed as well. It's just as harmful to judge psychiatrists and people who need medication as it is to judge homosexuals. Is this issue ever addressed?

Minnesinger I think it’s not an indictment of the field of psychiatry so much as it is of Lydia, who can’t accept her son as he is. She wants to “fix” him, make h…moreI think it’s not an indictment of the field of psychiatry so much as it is of Lydia, who can’t accept her son as he is. She wants to “fix” him, make him tougher, “be a man”. Another one of the stereotypes she believes in. Her world is so narrow, she so narrow-minded, because she fears everything, as Asher notes several times. Perhaps she fears that Justin’s sensitivity means he might turn out to be gay—that’s certainly something she would abhor and fear most of all. But to drug her own son to turn him into someone else? I think that’s abhorrent. I say this with a caveat, however; this situation is not at all like situations where children are depressed or suicidal or have some other form of mental illness, and DO need professional help—which could be counseling alone or with medication.
My son was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, for example (I paid OOP to have him tested by two professionals outside my HMO because they paid only for testing by an LCSW with a Master’s degree, if you can believe it) and his father and I did worry about starting a 2nd grade child on Ritalin, the only med available at the time. We were willing to have him try it to see how he felt during school and after. When our son came home beaming after the first day of school on R., and was so proud of himself, we knew it was okay. It helped calm him down enough to stay on task and finish a project—“the first time, Mom!” How could we go back after that? We need to trust professionals, but we also need to research those professionals we are entrusting with the care of our children, or ourselves. Credentialing and licensing for mental health professionals can vary widely from state to state—which appalls me, but that’s the way it is. But enough about that.
The only other thing I want to comment on about the book is Lydia telling Justin not to his dad that she takes him to a psychiatrist (or psychologist?). I find that deeply disturbing. First of all, bc it is a red flag for the state of their marriage, either she doesn’t trust Asher, or wants to drive a wedge between him and Justin. It says that lying is okay, that manipulating and controlling others is okay. It says to her child that something is wrong with him—which will surely damage his self-esteem. Why isn’t it okay for a child to be different? Why isn’t it okay for adults to be different, for that matter? What she is teaching her son is fear and doubt, which may turn into self-loathing at some point. Why can’t she just embrace him as the special little boy that he is, and tell him how special he is? Just LOVE him, as his dog does. People joke that Justin is like a little old man because he’s an old soul; he can see into people’s hearts and knows if they’re authentic or not. He’s wise beyond his years bc he already knows at age 9 that his God is different—much bigger and all-loving—than his mother’s God. He sees how poisoned others’ hearts are, warped and withered by fear and prejudice. His God lives in all of nature, in trees, rivers, the ocean and sky, in dogs and other creatures. Fathomless—the “Everything” as he calls it. Justin knows why the bully at school picks on him, because he has been brainwashed by judgmental, hate-filled adults, who have taught the other children as well to hate. He feels sad that the kids don’t know any better, that their hearts are crabbed and withered by hate. He gets impatient sometimes with his father when he sees him being inauthentic or succumbing to fear. Justin is fortunate that he has his granny Zelda to love him as he is, and his father Asher for the same reason. The thing that sets these two apart from Justin’s mother—and most of the other adult congregants—is that they have the humility, courage & integrity to admit when they are wrong, and the honesty to tell Justin, not pretend that just because they are adults, they can make no mistakes. In Asher’s case, he also refuses to treat him as his mother treated him and his brother Luke, with abuse. But Asher has a way to go in becoming a more authentic person; he has only started on his journey. He learns a lot about being authentic from his son, and from his brother Luke.(less)

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