Question about standards for degree programs.

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spam!

 

Oh Dear Thomas, ststststst... If you need to have the title of Dr. to make you feel better about yourself or to "impress" the average person, and you are a minister, - something is very wrong with your religious values. The Dr. in front of your name or the letters behind your name don't make the man or woman or the minister and it will not impress the average person.

Case in point, there are several "preachers" on our cable channels who say they are "Dr. such and such" and they can't put a three word gramatically correct sentence together. It just makes them look foolish to the average person. You hear others talking in public about such folks and making jokes about them.

GOD knows who you are and you shouldn't have to feel that you need a title or some letters behind your name to make you a better person. If you truly want to be called a Dr. or have the letters behind your name, wouldn't you feel better inside knowing that you actually "worked" to earn it? What if everyone in your church wanted a doctorate and didn't have to do much to get it other than reading a few passages in the Bible and discussing it, would you all be addressing each other as Dr. such and such or Dr. Sister Sallie, Dr. Brother Thomas, it would be no more prestigious than addressing each other as Sister such and such or Brother such and such.

Having the doctorate will not validate any self-perceptions of lack of adequacy internally. It may help you feel better superficially for a while but it will not address the underlying cry to be "prestigious".

Be strong, follow your faith. You are wanting validation of selfworth in an unhealthy way. Your peritioners should respect you and hold you in high regards if you are truly a leader in the church. You state you don't need the degree for your career or monetary gain, that is a cry for validation. Love and respect yourself and others will too.