Kelly Johnson, who is married to House Speaker Mike Johnson, practices a form of Christian counseling that classifies people into ‘choleric’, ‘phlegmatic,’ and other ancient personality types purportedly ordained by God

by RJC111

46 comments

  1. Oh good, we’re bringing back humors into medicine now, what’s next, leaches?

  2. Kelly Johnson, the wife of the newly elected House speaker, ran a Christian counseling service that is affiliated with an organization that advocates against abortion and homosexuality and whose practices are built on the teachings of the Greek physician Hippocrates.
    It is not clear if Kelly Johnson will continue her practice. Not long after Rep. Mike Johnson became House speaker last week, Kelly Johnson’s website became inaccessible.
    Along with her counseling, Johnson is also listed as an advisor to the Louisiana Right for Life, an anti-abortion organization.
    Kelly Johnson’s website listed a specialty in Temperament counseling, a specialty that she received training for from an organization founded in the 1980s by a Christian couple. According to the materials the organization provides, the National Christian Counselor’s Association is adamant that its offerings take place outside of more traditional state-licensed settings so that counselors and clients can be fully engaged through their faith.
    “The state licensed professional counselor in certain states is forbidden to pray, read or refer to the Holy Scriptures, counsel against things such as homosexuality, abortion, etc,” a catalog of the organization’s offerings states. “Initiating such counsel could be considered unethical by the state.”
    The temperament-based approach breaks people down into five types: Melancholy, Choleric, Sanguine, Supine, and Phlegmatic.
    Tim LaHaye, a controversial and influential figure on the evangelical right, pointed to Hippocrates’ beliefs when he began his own work in the 60s and 70s. The Arnos cited LaHaye in one of their books. LaHaye was vehemently opposed to LGBTQ people, writing an entire book on why he believed gay people were depressed because homosexuality was immoral and antithetical to the Bible. According to The New York Times, LaHaye’s anti-Catholic and antisemitic writings led him to step down from an honorary position leading Congressman Jack Kemp’s 1988 GOP primary campaign. LaHaye later pushed President George W. Bush’s election in 2000 and worked with then-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the 2008 presidential primaries.
    One post for an affiliated counselor on the organization’s website describes a deliverance ministry in addition to temperament testing. Using this approach to drive demons out of a client makes sure the person is “better able to receive and act upon godly counsel, including recommendations from the APS profiles.” (APS profiles are the abbreviation for the couple’s temperament testing system.)
    Her counseling, which had a varying fee structure, was affiliated with Cypress Baptist Church in Benton, La., which according to Louisiana Baptist Message is where the couple attends services. Their church, in keeping with the denomination’s views, proclaims it is welcoming to all, but makes it clear it “recognizes only the biblical definition of marriage” and only sex through marriage.
    Counselors are also advised to hold malpractice insurance. A representative for the organization did not immediately return Insider’s request for comment.
    The future House speaker rose to fame in the 1990s when he and Kelly became de facto spokespeople for “covenant marriages,” a special agreement offered in some states that makes it more difficult for married couples to get a divorce. Johnson later cut his teeth as a litigator seeking to advance school prayer and defend bans on same-sex marriage. He also served in a leadership role with the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the US. Before his rapid political rise, Johnson wrote frequent guest columns for his local newspaper in which he questioned LGBT Americans, as CNN previously reported. At one point, he wrote in favor of criminalizing gay sex.
    He said he has nothing personally against LGBTQ people, he just questions “their lifestyle choices.”

  5. The temperament-based approach ignores 2400 years of science advancements so it can promote an equally outdated belief system of intolerance. It is about as valid today as Ptolemy’s version of the solar system that places the earth at the center of everything. It’s weird to see members of the Protestant faith regress into a Medieval mindset. What’s next, an inquisition? According to my latest phrenology reading and the indications from my astrological birth chart, Speaker Johnson AND his wife are complete whackaloons. She does not hold an appropriate degree nor is licensed to practice in Louisiana as degrees in Education although valid do not qualify one to practice psychology. No more than a degree in biology or biochemistry qualify one to practice medicine. Therefore in some circles this is considered quackery as well as practicing without a license is in violation of the state statute thus is subject to a warning, fines or even jail time.

  7. “Pastoral care” is not an umbrella that should protect quackery. This is lifted from medical quacks from the 19th century.

    How can this be legal?

  8. ” is adamant that its offerings take place outside of more traditional state-licensed settings so that counselors and clients can be fully engaged through their faith.”

    ​

    yeah, that’s not a red flag. lol. I suggest faith healing too, don’t go to those state supervised doctors!

  11. Why don’t they flee and start their own doomed country somewhere else? Ridiculous people.

  15. The four humors come from ancient pagan Greece, they are not Christian in the slightest.

  17. Wow. This should be front page news. She’s steps away from bleeding people with leeches to get the demons out

  20. So like, the Christian version of a Chinese horoscope placemat?

  22. ​

    What will happen when it gets out they do blanket training on babies.

  24. I don’t understand how god could condone the humors. Hippocrates lived well after God stopped showing up on earth.

  25. So this is fine, but astrology and tarot are demonic?

  29. How comforting it must be to “know” you’re a better person than everyone else. The ego is so well fed it’s morbid.

  31. Kelly: ” I’ve got a great idea for the biz! Base our diagnostics on the Cantubury Tales?”

  32. There’s really not end to these Christofascists… they just keep coming out of the woodwork.

  34. Ah, the Evil Humors. They’re not just backup band anymore.

  36. Can she pray for my post nasal drip and cure it?

  39. I believe in an intellectually embarrassing Bronze Age myth…

  40. You read about this kind of counseling and it feels like you are reading a horoscope.

    Then you add the wheedling in white Christian nationalism, and it’s just freaking brain washing.

    These are scary people.

  41. Holy shit. They’re using the “humors” theory of medicine? That’s the most backward thing I’ve seen yet

  42. Boy is she going to be surprised when she hears how ancient pagans came up with that one.

  45. I just learned he’s from Brossier City. LA, and in my opinion, his church is one Bible verse away from handling snakes.

    This area is renown for its snake handling Christian ways.

    This country is going to go on a wild ride. Buckle up buttercup.

  46. Since this country is based on freedom of religion, every serving member should be sworn in on the fact that the Constitution is above the Bible (and any other holy doctrine).

    I feel like if you asked that question (which comes first) .. the majority of the GOP would say the Bible is above the constitution thus why our country is on the brink of democratic collapse.

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