Of course it is just a ''stab in the dark''...

...and I qualified it at the end. It is one (of hundreds?) of possible models. If he finds it useful as a basis for understanding himself better, good. I don't see anything that could damage him in what I said. He can take it, or leave it. He sounds phobic about sex. Phobias can be overcome (I'm not saying easily, just that they can be overcome. I know this as a fact). I'm not so sure about fetishes. I actually picked up a small fetish from experiences with just one person. Weird, that... RE: early Hebrews. Really don't know that much. But I've known a number of people with Jewish mothers. Oh, boy, is THAT a burden to bear... RE: early Church - how about the early letters of, who was it - Paul? I don't remember. And then that other guy, again don't remember his name. Seventh century? RE: Victorian "prudishness". Some say that was a fetish of the upper classes, and that the cockneys had no such inhibitions. I'd have to check again on that. I'm not really an expert on any one thing. I'm more like a "renaissance man", with a general understanding over a very wide range. I've forgotten about 99.9% (probably much more) of everything I've ever read. I'm just left with many impressions. Sure, I can look things up to refresh the details. I'm constantly amazed, when I do, of the important details that did not "stick". Oh, well... Sure, counseling someone is a very delicate thing. The Socratic method I think is best. Uh, have you ever tried the Socratic method on a forum? Do you have any idea how many posts/responses/posts/responses etc. it takes to get anywhere? Really, it's not practical. So, I went - BAM! - here's food for thought. So, he can think about it or not, as he chooses. It may mean nothing to him. Then again, little lights might go on in his head, and he may find a direction out of the morass he is in. If so, good. Whatever. Hey, whaddayawant for nothing, huh? Rubber biscuits? Cheers! martir