Scientologist on the radio this morning was explaining the precept that according to L. Ron's doctrine things that are said to you during any period of trauma enter your psyche and influence you almost as an unconscious or hypnotic suggestion. The notion, I guess, being that in moments of vulnerability you take in the content of what people say and it affects you later in negative ways.

So that's the basis of the silent birthing approach. The mom is allowed to holler if she wants - though they phrase that as "that choice is up to her" - sort of indicating that it's a mistake that she'll have to work through later.

I think she said something about how noises are fine, but not to be negative, and the people supporting you (doctors, spouses, etc) should be quiet and not barking orders to push and stuff for the reasons you gave.

Well, if anyone had dared barked an order at me, I'd have ripped their heads off so that's a given. They should name it something else besides "silent" birth. They're giving themselves bad press that other Scientologists are having to refute (Thank you, Kelly Preston. But I didn't want to see you on Today this morning, either.)

I just "ow" a lot during my contractions and "Have the epidural guy meet me in L&D." when I checked in. That's not negative, right?

A t-rex that had a hard on for 2 mocha frappacinos and a banana nut muffin loaf thingy.

T-Rexi have gone too soft. All the press has gone to their walnut-sized minds.

Never mind. I'm just going to go wash my eyeballs for a while--and use a little brain bleach.

Walnut-sized brains perform better when caffeinated.

My wife had Li'l Sphere drug-free. She says that it was not painful.

Your Labor May Vary.

My friend who was totally planning on drug-free wound up with a full epidural when she hit 3cm (after being in labor for almost a day) because the pain was too much for her to handle.

For myself, I suspect I could have handled things despite the pain (I was induced) had the pain not settled in my hips, making all those lovely positions I'd practiced really not help a bit. As it was, I managed with just the walking epidural, but man, I think I now know what being drawn and quartered must feel like.

A woman tried to tell me that being kicked in the groin wouldn't be that bad, because she'd had her pelvis opened when she gave birth.

I've never given birth, and even though it varies as reported above, I'm assuming that it doesn't render you impervious to lesser pain.

Because, really, if it did, I'd have considered it more seriously.

Wait, no, I wouldn't. Because that would be wrong. Having kids so they can be part of my army for the revolution is okay, but having them to make me better at revolution would be wrong, right?

It's a better reason to have a baby than some I've seen.

but having them to make me better at revolution would be wrong, right?

According to Kantian ethics it's wrong to use a person as the means to an end.

Nietzschean ethics, however...

Plus -- and I've noticed this most from the Red side, but I won't argue whether my vision is accurate or skewed -- an unwillingness to see the other side as anything resembling human.

I see a bunch of it from the Blue side. But maybe because Blue is the bigger color here.

now to go read what is makeing people say ewww