Psychiatrist in exorcism case: Plaintiff capable of overt deception

Exorcism case: Plaintiff capable of ‘overt deception’

A psychiatrist on Monday portrayed the woman in the centre of the Novena Church ‘exorcism’ case as being capable of ‘overt deception’ to perpetuate her ‘symptoms’ for financial gain.

Dr Lim Yun Chin’s assessment of Madam Amutha Valli Krishnan therefore flew in the face of the diagnosis given by her two doctors, who said she had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Dr Lim, from Raffles Hospital, was testifying for Father Simon Tan, one of the defendants sued by Madam Valli, 52. She claims two priests and six churchgoers forced an exorcism on her at the church in August 2004, an experience which left her traumatised.

Her two doctors, Dr Ong Thiew Chai from Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Dr Angelina Chan from Changi General Hospital, both told the court that she developed PTSD with depression as a result of the incident.

But Dr Lim, a past president of the Singapore Psychiatric Association, said he did not support their diagnosis. He said that Madam Amutha may have suffered trauma, but it did not justify a diagnosis of PTSD, a serious psychiatric disorder.
[...]

He told the court that while PTSD sufferers often show a marked unwillingness to re-live their trauma, Madam Valli kept steering their conversations back to her experience in the church.

He said it was ‘unfortunate’ that her family did not disclose her voluminous psychiatric history to Dr Ong and Dr Chan, because a person’s psychiatric history is relevant – and more so for PTSD – to rule out malingering.

Read Another Article

Dissident group claims three women ordained as priests
Live interview today: Escaping Scientology, an insider’s true story

Related News Articles Topic(s): Exorcism Related Tags / Keywords: Amutha Valli Krishnan • Exorcism • Novena Church • Singapore Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Exorcism Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Exorcism trial: sister claims woman can fake trances Could trauma have altered memory of woman who claims forced exorcism? Singapore: Court dismisses Novena Church exorcism case Priests, helpers at Novena Church sued over alleged exorcism Dead children of faith healing pastor and his wife had been beaten, starved Bolivian police say brother and sister killed sibling in attempted exorcism Priest and four church members charged with girl’s murder Russians on trial over ‘exorcism’ killing of daughter ‘Exorcism’ kills Japanese girl by drowning 17 Years for mom convicted of burning daughter in voodoo ritual

Search Religion News Blog