Is mental health a myth? Why Big Pharma may be profiting off drugs that hurt more than help



Dr. John MacArthur is an American pastor, author of the new book "The War on Children" — and a man who doesn’t believe common mental diagnoses are real.

MacArthur had recently gone viral on X, formerly known as Twitter, for his comments on the latter.

“There’s no such thing as PTSD, there’s no such thing as OCD, there’s no such thing as ADHD. Those are noble lies to basically give the excuse to, in the end of the day, to medicate people,” MacArthur said in the viral clip, adding, “And Big Pharma is in charge of a lot of that.”

While he’s faced severe backlash on social media from Christians who claim this thinking is dangerous, he explains to Allie Beth Stuckey why he said what he said.

“The brain can be sick. The brain can be damaged. You can have a tumor. You can have encephalitis. You can have a brain problem,” MacArthur tells Stuckey. “The mind is something completely different. The mind is transcendent. You can’t fix the mind with a chemical. You can wound the brain. And that’s what’s coming out now in psychiatry.”

According to MacArthur, the idea that a medication could fix “the chemical imbalance” in your brain was “a useful lie” all along.

“Is there post-traumatic stress? Of course. Is it a brain syndrome? No. Is there ADHD? Are there kids who have trouble paying attention, trouble sitting still? Yeah, I was one of them. Is it a brain problem? No. What about obsessive compulsive problems, is that a brain disorder? No,” MacArthur explains.

“The culture’s bent is to say, ‘Hey, it’s not your fault, it’s not your fault, you’ve got a disorder,’” he continues. “PTSD is really grief. It’s horrendous grief. It’s survival guilt. It’s having watched your buddies blown to pieces. You got to deal with that grief. But putting a chemical into your body that will alter your brain, that’s what’s becoming the issue now.”

“If you want to solve your mind problems, you’ve got to find love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. Those are spiritual virtues that are available in Christ. Don’t turn to chemicals. Turn to Christ,” MacArthur says.

Stuckey isn’t one of his critics.

“We’ve had psychiatrists on the show say the same thing that you said, by the way, that actually we are causing a lot of harm, especially to children by diagnosing or medicalizing every single behavior that doesn’t fit perfectly into a classroom or doesn’t fall in line with this uniform range of normal.”

“It is actually causing side effects in these kids, in these veterans that actually make it worse than what they were dealing with before,” she comments.


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Christian Pastor John MacArthur issues scathing rebuke of California Gov. Gavin Newsom for running pro-choice billboards, urges the leader to turn to Christ



Prominent Christian pastor John MacArthur of the Grace Community Church in California has issued an open letter in which he staunchly rebukes Gov. Gavin Newsom and urges the political leader to turn to Christ.

"The diabolical effects of your worldview are evident in the statistics of California’s epidemics of crime, homelessness, sexual perversions (like homosexuality and transgenderism), and other malignant expressions of human misery that stem directly from corrupt public policy. I don’t need to itemize or elaborate on the many immoral decisions you have perpetrated against God and the people of our state, which have only exacerbated these problems," MacArthur declared in the letter.

Newsom, a Democrat who survived a recall election last year and is currently seeking reelection during the state's 2022 gubernatorial contest, announced earlier this month that he was placing pro-choice billboards in multiple states.

The governor shared billboard designs on social media. The ads note that they were paid for by Newsom's campaign.

"Need an abortion? California is ready to help," one of the signs declared, inviting people to visit abortion.ca.gov — the ad also made a reference to the Bible: "'Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.' -Mark 12:31."

\u201c@GovStitt this will be going up in your state.\u201d
— Gavin Newsom (@Gavin Newsom) 1663261293

The ads apparently caught the attention of MacArthur who issued a scathing rebuke.

"In mid-September, you revealed to the entire nation how thoroughly rebellious against God you are when you sponsored billboards across America promoting the slaughter of children, whom He creates in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16; Isaiah 45:9–12). You further compounded the wickedness of that murderous campaign with a reprehensible act of gross blasphemy, quoting the very words of Jesus from Mark 12:31 as if you could somehow twist His meaning and arrogate His name in favor of butchering unborn infants. You used the name and the words of Christ to promote the credo of Molech (Leviticus 20:1–5). It would be hard to imagine a greater sacrilege," MacArthur declared.

"My plea to you, Sir, is ... that you would not go to that day of judgment apart from receiving forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Christ alone," he noted.

"Our church, and countless Christians nationwide, are praying for your full repentance. Please respond to the gospel, forsake the path of wickedness you have pursued all your life, turn to Christ, ask for forgiveness, and use your office to advance the cause of righteousness (as is your duty) instead of undermining it (as has been your pattern)," MacArthur wrote.

My Disagreements with IF Gathering, John MacArthur & Beth Moore | Ep 383

My Disagreements with IF Gathering, John MacArthur & Beth Moore | Ep 383

Los Angeles County Continues Its War On California Megachurch Over The Wuhan Virus

LA County is threatening to keep sending health investigators to Grace Community Church during Sunday services following just two positive COVID-19 cases.

Media claim megachurch is source of COVID-19 'outbreak.' Turns out, it was just three cases.



Grace Community Church, the Los Angeles-area megachurch that re-opened in defiance of coronavirus-related lockdowns, is pushing back against what media are claiming is an "outbreak" originating at the church.

What are media claiming?

Multiple Los Angeles-area news outlets claimed last week that a COVID-19 "outbreak" is happening at the church, framing the story around the church's defiance to lockdown orders.

The Los Angeles Times reported, "Coronavirus outbreak strikes L.A. megachurch that defied public health orders."

Local news station KTLA-TV reported, "Coronavirus outbreak strikes defiant Sun Valley megachurch that held indoor services despite public health orders."

What's the truth?

According to attorneys for the church, the "outbreak" is actually just three confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Jenna Ellis, an attorney for Grace Community Church, called the stories "grossly misleading" meant to incite "fear-mongering" against the church.

"Three very mild positive tests among more than 7,000 people is hardly news. 0.04% is not an 'outbreak.' The LA Times and others' grossly misleading and fear-mongering headlines aim to mischaracterize Grace Community Church as irresponsible and a superspreader," Ellis said, the Daily Wire reported.

She added, "It has never been the Church's position that it is only safe to hold services if no one ever tests positive, or for example, if no one ever gets the flu during flu season. Our position has been that LA County shutting down churches indefinitely amid a virus with a 99.98% survival rate, especially when state-preferred businesses are open and protests are held without restriction, is unconstitutional and harmful to the free exercise of religion."

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed to both the Los Angeles Times and KTLA that the "outbreak" was just three COVID-19 cases.

More from the LA Times:

Under the county health officer's order, places of worship must report to the county Public Health Department when at least three coronavirus cases are identified among staff or worshipers within a span of 14 days so the agency can determine whether there is an outbreak.

Anything else?

Grace Community Church is locked in a heated legal battle with Los Angeles authorities.

The church continues to hold indoor worship services in defiance of a ruling by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, which ordered the church to stop holding indoor services.

The city has asked a judge to hold the church in contempt of court, according to the LA Times.

LA Times Targets John MacArthur’s Church By Labeling Three COVID-19 Cases An ‘Outbreak’

The Los Angeles Times targeted California pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church on Thursday by publishing an article that framed the congregation’s three reported COVID-19 Read More

Grace Community Church Pastor John MacArthur issues blistering rebuke of 'leftists and secular government,' implores houses of worship: 'OPEN YOUR CHURCH'



Los Angeles Pastor John MacArthur's message in a new viral video is crystal clear: Open your churches.

What are the details?

MacArthur, pastor of Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, released a video Wednesday detailing why he believes church is essential and should be opened.

Grace Community Church reopened for in-person services in July, defying California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's COVID-19 restrictions. In response, Los Angeles County sought a court order to prohibit the church from meeting indoors. By August, however, a California Superior Court judge said the church could continue to hold indoor services as long as worshippers wear face coverings and practice social distancing.

In Wednesday's widely viewed video, MacArthur argued that churches and parishioners across the country should band together in an effort to take back church amid the COVID-19 pandemic because it should be as God commanded.

In the video, MacArthur — who was recently in the news after local authorities threatened to jail him for holding in-person church services — said that the Bible calls Christians to gather.

"Today's current crop of politicians are trampling on the Constitution and on the resolve of citizens to demand their rights under the pressure of a manufactured fear," MacArthur said. "The reality is that the COVID data just doesn't match the government's COVID narrative."

Without citing any specific research, MacArthur added, "You have a 99.99 percent chance to survive COVID. It's just not what they're saying it is."

MacArthur insisted that what he chalks up to as hype and paranoia is keeping much of the country shut down.

"That absolutely does not warrant shutting down anything," he continued. "But especially, absurdly, and arbitrarily, churches that have a special protection from the Constitution. Oh, and at the same time, leaving open abortion clinics, strip clubs, and marijuana dispensaries."

MacArthur added that Black Lives Matter demonstrations and subsequent riots also don't seem to be considered as "dangerous" as attending church services when it comes to the opinions of health officials.

"This is obviously targeted discrimination," he added. "Leftists and secular government officials have no tolerance for biblical Christianity, so they're using COVID as an excuse to shut us down."

He impressed the importance of remaining united as Christians, reminding viewers that "the church is essential," and pointed out that parishioners began showing up to his church in person, on their own accord, after a 20-week lockdown because "they didn't believe the narrative the local government and media were giving them."

In the video, MacArthur argued that the need to meet as a church is more important than ever.

"This is a watershed moment in America," he concluded. "We have been granted by God the freedom to meet as a church, and that is protected by the Constitution. We need to be the church, not only because we're free to be the church, but because we're commanded to be the church by the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church. This is a time of all times to meet as the church. Open your church. The church is essential."

At the time of this reporting, the video, which MacArthur shared on his Twitter page, has been viewed more than 475,000 times.

OPEN YOUR CHURCH. Hebrews 10:25; Matthew 16:18#ChurchIsEssential https://t.co/CH28pwcWpL
— John MacArthur (@John MacArthur)1602088304.0

(H/T: The Daily Wire)

Judge Grants California Church Trial To Defend Constitutional Right To Worship

Despite the obstacles the church faced over the last six months, MacArthur said the church will continue to be faithful in meeting and worshiping together.

California pastor says 'bring it on' after being threatened with jail time for holding in-person services



Evangelical Pastor John MacArthur says some time behind bars does not scare him, after officials threatened him with incarceration for continuing to hold in-person services at his church in violation of COVID-19 restrictions.

What are the details?

MacArthur, who leads Grace Community Church in Los Angeles County, told Fox News on Tuesday, "We received a letter with a threat that we could be fined or I could go to jail for a maximum of six months. Of course, my Biblical hero apart from the Lord Jesus Christ is the apostle Paul, and when he went into a town, he didn't ask what the hotel was like, he asked what the jail was like because he knew that's where he was gonna spend his time."

"So I don't mind being a little apostolic if they want to tuck me in jail," he continued. "I'm open for a jail ministry. I've done a lot of other ministries and haven't had the opportunity to do that one, so bring it on."

John MacArthur not worried about threats of jail for holding church services: "I'm open for a jail ministry ... bri… https://t.co/VByNJpqUdQ
— Disrn (@Disrn)1600278693.0

According to The Daily Wire, MacArthur added:

"We believe that the governor, the county, the city, and the health department are going against the Constitution. And just to remove one obvious question, the rate of Covid in California is 1/100 of 1%. So 1/100 of 1% of 40 million people have COVID and that eliminates freedom to worship from the entire state."

An earlier report from TheBlaze noted that Grace Community Church re-opened for in-person services in late July in defiance of Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D) COVID-19 restrictions. Since then, Los Angeles County has sought to shut the church down with a restraining order and even terminated the church's lease on a parking lot it had rented for the past 30 years.

Pastor MacCarthur recently told his congregation in a sermon:

"We've all been suspicious of the fact that we've been meeting together now for weeks and weeks and weeks, and we don't know anyone who's ill. Nobody in our congregation has ever been to the hospital with this. We know there are reasons for this that have nothing to do with the virus. There's another virus loose in the world and it's the virus of deception, and the one who is behind the virus of deception is the arch-deceiver, Satan himself. And it's not a surprise to me that, in the midst of all this deception, the great effort that is going on is to shut down churches that preach the Gospel."

Judge Grants Injunction Barring Grace Community Church From Constitutional Right To Worship

Despite the court's ruling, Pastor John MacArthur told Fox News's Shannon Bream that the church would still be meeting.