[Crusher138]

What is a more basic element of any religion, than honor thy mother and father? That most basic of human callings was beyond her ability to fulfill.

From what I have read, the meaning of that commandment in the original teachings is to honor them because they have given you life and supported you. There is no basis to "homor you mother and father" if they abandon you or physically or mentally abuse you. That would be honoring evil.

From things I have read about the situation, Dr. Laura's mother was at least mentally and emotionally abusive and some indications are that she may have been physically abusinve. Dr. Laura did the bibically compelled thing - she made certain that her mother's physical needs were taken care of and distanced herself and her family from the abuse.

Coming from a similar situation in our family between my wife and her mother, I can see why Dr. Laura did not want the poison in her life.

[veronica]

Interesting, that if Dr. Laura's mother was abusive, IF that is so, that Dr. Laura in some sense became her mother. If in fact - There is no basis to "honor you mother and father" if they abandon you or physically or mentally abuse you. -- didn't Laura repeat her mother's sin by abandoning her? Shouldn't such a skilled therapist be able to make some sort of peace with her mother?

And to be honest, while Dr. Laura was telling the rest of the world how to live, should she not have been honest about her own life, and her own failings?

[veronica]

From things I have read about the situation, Dr. Laura's mother was at least mentally and emotionally abusive and some indications are that she may have been physically abusinve. Dr. Laura did the bibically compelled thing - she made certain that her mother's physical needs were taken care of and distanced herself and her family from the abuse.

In light your defense of Laura's abandonment of her "abusive" mother, which for the sake of this argument I will accept, it's interesting to note that this supposedly terrible mother was the Catholic parent, and that Laura's father was the Jewish parent.