Texas Baby Killer. Follower of the Apostle/Prophet Davidson
WOAI: SAN ANTONIO//NEWS — The religious aspect of the crazy Texas woman who killed her baby by chopping off her arms on Nov. 22 are starting to be revealed.
Dena’s stepfather Mick Macaulay told The Associated Press that although he blames mental illness for Schlosser’s actions, he and his wife believe the teachings of Doyle Davidson were part of a confluence of factors that drove their daughter to kill.
He said Davidson used violent imagery and told women they possessed a rebellious “Jezebel” spirit, and that they should submit to their husbands, Macaulay said.
“I’m not saying that anybody suggested ‘go cut your baby’s arms off,”‘ said Macaulay, a mental health counselor who lives with Schlosser’s mother in Canada. “This diminishing of women, this diminishing of women’s powers, women’s importance, referring to women as jezebels, I think, further undermines an already fragile ego state that Dena’s experiencing. I think it presses her to subordinate herself and forego her own judgment.
“I look at Doyle as being one of the major influences in this whole thing,” Macaulay said.
That’s absurd, the 72-year-old minister said.
“I’m an apostle and I’m a prophet,” Davidson said. “I only teach what’s in the Bible and that’s what makes them mad.”
The former veterinarian said God told him to start Water of Life Ministries in the early 1980s. His sermons, based on literal interpretations of the Bible, are broadcast on his Web site and TV and radio in several states, including California, Indiana, Missouri and Oklahoma, he said.
Davidson said he does not use violent imagery, but he does teach that women are weaker and should submit to their husbands.
He said that since the Schlossers began attending his roughly 200-member church in 2002, he’s had little interaction with Dena and that when she asked questions, he only answered with scripture.
The Muslim fundamentalists have nothing on this guy.
“a confluence of factors” — I like that.
From this report, it seems religion did play a role and _certainly_ some people are going to heap on the blame on this fringy form of Christianity or maybe the whole religion.
But, haven’t we, by now, seen so many similar cases but with a different “confluence of factors”? We know by now that it is never any one thing?
Often, in cases like this, you can detect people’s bigotry. If there is an African American involved, the racial bigots will blame the race. If homosexuality is involved, the homophobes will blame that. If Religion is involved…
You can’t blame the preacher. He may indeed be a nutjob, but he certainly isn’t telling people to kill their own children. There are people gullible enough to believe this kind of thing, and there will always be people who make a living off of gullible people. Who knows, this preacher may indeed believe his own wacko interpretation of the Bible, but that doesn’t mean he’s turning people into psychos.
“Davidson said he does not use violent imagery, but he does teach that women are weaker and should submit to their husbands.”
This is interesting. At the moment people have a hate on for the Muslim religion (to the point of violence in some cases) which has striking similarities above, yet this guy lives in the US and flies under their radar.
But he’s white isn’t he? That must make him better.
(Sarcasm doesn’t come across well online so let me just state, that was sarcasm folks based on the hypocrasy and predjudiuces that some people exhibit.)
….Christian fundamentalists are the same thing as Islam fundamentalists, right? So, why aren’t the moderates (i.e. NORMAL) Christians/Islamists putting a lid on the whacko’s. Guilt by association, right?
If Christians can’t moderate their own nutjobs…then it’s guilt by association. Just like what happens to the Islamacists….when a handfull of fundamental nutjobs got out of hand.
As far as I’m concerned, everyone defending “their” religion should be rounded up and poked with sporks until they learn to keep their beliefs to themselves! (Oh wait, didn’t JC say that?)
>> “As far as I’m concerned, everyone defending “their” religion should be rounded up and poked with sporks until they learn to keep their beliefs to themselves! (Oh wait, didn’t JC say that?) ”
I’m formally trained in New Testament studies and I don’t remember Jesus teaching anything about rounding up people and poking them with sporks. 😉
I, personally, do very little evangelism but I defend the practice. Evangelists are to religion like salesmen are to capitalism. Hardly anybody likes them. But we need them. ( but, we all benefit by having a little sales resistance.)
Where I live it is ILLEGAL for anyone but Muslims to proselytize which has made me better understand what it might be like to be a other-than-Christian in, let’s say, the bible belt.
Sometimes, it makes me more sympathetic, other times not.
When people try to “sell” Islam to me, it doesn’t really bother me. I don’t care if someone wants me to convert and, furthermore, I’m glad they find meaning in their religion. As long as there is no force of law or violence I really don’t care.
The step father isn’t saying that only Davidson was responsible for Dena’s illness nor that he told her directly to kill the baby; however, he is< -i> saying that his manipulative imagery and teachings helped form her actions.
Religion is dangerous for psychotic people, especially when that religion becomes forcefully manipulative in its language.
Davidson is clearly a sensational manipulator based on what I’ve seen of his tactics, telling people that they aren’t saved unless they pass his litmus test of the gospel, a perfect recitation of 1 Cor 15 (usually everyone in the denominational churches) and don’t love the Lord or obey him unless they listen to his media (through which he brainwashes them.)
He also justifies leaving open the option for splitting marriages he doesn’t approve of saying God obviously hasn’t joined together all unions (as made apparent by the discord in the relationship.) Although I’m not in a position to see any examples of him splitting marriages that don’t serve his interests, I do know that such teachings are created for just that opportinitunity for control. Very often, preachers like this contend with spouses for the control of the other spouse’s mind.
Davidson also casts out demons from people who disagree with him according to a recent article stating he was arrested for public intoxication. That is one sorry individual pressed to invalidate everyone who invalidates him. His need to control people in this way suggests his powerful image is a mask hiding a very weak ego, a Wizard of Oz if you will. Look at how emotionally traumatizing the Wizard was to Dorothy and her friends, then place a depressed woman in that position. The stress could easily worsen her emotional condition and press her to take desperate measures, especially if psychosis is distorting her ability to make sound judgments.
I am very familiar with the Yates preacher Michael Woroniecki and spent two years researching his media and follower, also having been a disciple of his for 4 years 20 years ago. I am immediately struck with the awareness that these two were vehicles may be a little different, but the psychology remains the same. In fact, Davidson is probably more dangerous because of his pretense of civil normalcy, whereas Woroniecki is has spiritually justified expressing his emotionally immaturity. I’d stay clear of Davidson as sure as I would distance myself from a rumbling volcano. It’s not worth taking the risk.
In a submitted comment by Tom A comparing the Yates and Schlosser preachers, one of the last lines was garbled by the html editor. It should read:
I am immediately struck with the awareness that these two were cut from the same dark cloth. Their religious< -b> vehicles may be a little different, but the psychology remains the same.
how can anyone hurt their baby all because someone said that their baby was the devil she was stupid and crazy and she should died they same way that baby died