Your take on mental illness and the Christian faith...

What do you mean?

Most Christians simply do not have a clear understanding about the nature of mental illness. I think when most Christians use the term they are talking about hard and complicated problems that produce significant debilitating effects. When they see these problems they find them to be so extreme and troubling that they believe they must require some type of medication to correct a perceived physical problem.

Christians are right to want to provide all the help possible for these kinds of problems. If we want to provide real help, however, it will be important to know what we’re talking about when we use the term.

MORE

I agree.

It really only takes a bit of calm, rational thought to sort it out.
A. Do you have a brain?
B. Is that a physical thing which might encounter physical maladies?
C. Do you live in a fallen world where physical maladies are common?

The answer to the existence of mental illness just logically appears.


Fallen World / Multiple Problems

In a fallen world, it is possible to have physical ailments which affect any part of us, including our physical brains.

I think the theological disconnect occurs when we try to explain the overlap between these physical ailments, demon possession, sin, and emotional problems... all of which can cause a person to be irrational.

As Christians, we needn't just PICK ONE explanation, and disregard all others.

We live in a fallen world, it is possible for their to be multiple causes for our problems.

A. Demon possession, according to scripture, is real.
B. Sin, and the entire vast array of emotional problems it creates, is real.
C. Physical illness, which can affect any part of your physical body, including your brain, is real.

As Christians, we needn't tie ourselves to only one of these explanations, in some attempt to be more theological.
They ALL SQUARE WITH SCRIPTURE.

All of these explanations square with scripture.

So, mental illness is a real thing.
But it isn't necessarily the only explanation for a person being irrational.
Also, to believe mental illness exists, is NOT to necessarily tie us to every conclusion or diagnosis the modern psychological establishment arrives at.
We don't have to commit ouselves to agreeing with every little thing they say.
(A few years back homosexuality was clinically diagnosed as a mental illness, and now it is not. Well, whatever homosexuality is, it certainly cannot be an illness one day, and then not an illness the next day. Therefore, although mental illness exists, we needn't rationally have to agree to every little thing the medical establishment comes up with. To commit ourselves to the existence of mental illness in general is not to commit ourselves to the existence of every mental illness in particular.)


Alright guys, I'm just chucking out a few ideas about WHY I think we have so much disagreement on this issue.

There is usually disagreement for some reason.

God Bless.

.

There are no certainties, no definite causes, no consistently effective treatments. If you have what appears to be a mental illness, the doctors will try a medication to see how it affects you. If there's no (or inadequate) effect, they'll try something else. Many of the standard treatments simply dull the mind, rather than actually facilitating true healing.

...All mental illness issues are caused by demons i believe .

Mental illness? Look no further than your politically active liberal. They need prayer more than anyone.

There are no certainties, no definite causes, no consistently effective treatments. If you have what appears to be a mental illness, the doctors will try a medication to see how it affects you. If there's no (or inadequate) effect, they'll try something else. Many of the standard treatments simply dull the mind, rather than actually facilitating true healing.

James 1:8 - A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. This sin is the cause of mental illness! UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS!

The desire and plan of the enemy is to cause unbelief, doubt, questioning, reasoning, wavering and confusion to rule your life. Demons, principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places will come to attack you because the devil knows that without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith, you are unable to receive from God, and you will constantly strive to fulfill these voids selfishly and through immediate gratification.

We live in a world of instability. What far too many Christians do is mix a little of God with a lot of the world. If you lack stable faith, and misplace your faith, you become double-minded—two opinions, two wars working inside you. This sin of self-ability or self-righteousness resulted from the fall and characterizes the war that constantly rages between God and man. With our faith properly placed and maintained, the Holy Spirit, who works entirely within the parameters of the finished work of Christ, will then mightily help the believer. The Cross of Christ is the key (Romans 8:1-11).

This is why in James 4:8 we learn that those who are double-minded need their hearts purified: "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. (Once again and ever so, this is done only by Faith which ever makes the Cross its Object.) Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (Without a proper knowledge of the Cross regarding the Sanctification of the Saint, it is impossible for the Believer to live a Victorious, Christian life.)

Acts 2:36 says, God has made Jesus Lord and Christ. The slave to Christ becomes the Lords freeman - 1 Corinthians 7:21-24. In other words the more you become a slave to Jesus the freer you become as a person. The less you are a slave to Jesus the more bound you become as a person.

Brothers John Eckhardt, Tony Evans, and JSM

My experience has been this...mental illness that is genuinely diagnosed as such is an illness of the mind .... so you can’t think your way out of the symptoms anymore than someone who has brain cancer can think away brain cancer....and if it was lung cancer what would be the likelihood of recovering from it by breathing more? Most of the people that I’ve met with severe mental illnesses thus far seem to have a better moral compass than many healthy people I know..and many of those with severe cases are Christians believe it or not And I’ve seen God using them through their witness and perseverance to even sway their doctors and caseworkers to accept Christ as their savior...”God uses the weak things of the world to shame the strong and the foolish things to shame the ‘wise’ that no one may boast before him” In my 17 or so years I’ve met 2 people that scared me with their symptoms and those 2 cases only rattled me because I had never seen The symptoms that they exhibited before... most Mentally ill people are not a threat to anyone I think people jump on the bandwagon when it comes to things going on in our society and culture when many of the things that are happening have nothing to do with mental illness Caine and Able are a good example... God said nothing about Caine having a mental illness ... only that Caine did what he did because of the evil in his own heart ... his own jealousy... which maybe another thread altogether 🤔

I agree.

It really only takes a bit of calm, rational thought to sort it out.
A. Do you have a brain?
B. Is that a physical thing which might encounter physical maladies?
C. Do you live in a fallen world where physical maladies are common?

The answer to the existence of mental illness just logically appears.


Fallen World / Multiple Problems

In a fallen world, it is possible to have physical ailments which affect any part of us, including our physical brains.

I think the theological disconnect occurs when we try to explain the overlap between these physical ailments, demon possession, sin, and emotional problems... all of which can cause a person to be irrational.

As Christians, we needn't just PICK ONE explanation, and disregard all others.

We live in a fallen world, it is possible for their to be multiple causes for our problems.

A. Demon possession, according to scripture, is real.
B. Sin, and the entire vast array of emotional problems it creates, is real.
C. Physical illness, which can affect any part of your physical body, including your brain, is real.

As Christians, we needn't tie ourselves to only one of these explanations, in some attempt to be more theological.
They ALL SQUARE WITH SCRIPTURE.

All of these explanations square with scripture.

So, mental illness is a real thing.
But it isn't necessarily the only explanation for a person being irrational.
Also, to believe mental illness exists, is NOT to necessarily tie us to every conclusion or diagnosis the modern psychological establishment arrives at.
We don't have to commit ouselves to agreeing with every little thing they say.
(A few years back homosexuality was clinically diagnosed as a mental illness, and now it is not. Well, whatever homosexuality is, it certainly cannot be an illness one day, and then not an illness the next day. Therefore, although mental illness exists, we needn't rationally have to agree to every little thing the medical establishment comes up with. To commit ourselves to the existence of mental illness in general is not to commit ourselves to the existence of every mental illness in particular.)


Alright guys, I'm just chucking out a few ideas about WHY I think we have so much disagreement on this issue.

There is usually disagreement for some reason.

God Bless.

.

There are many root causes and many forms of mental illness. Some are rooted in chemical imbalance, some in physical trauma or improper physical development, some in emotional trauma, some in toxic exposure, and some in demonic activity. In many cases, there are multiple causes. This field is very much still in the 'trial and error' phase of diagnosis and treatment.

How should Christians respond? With compassion and truth, as with every other form of human illness.

Amen Brother (or Sister).....

My wife suffers from schizophrenia, and it is not easy....one day at Church, just before the worship service began as we were heading in...she saw a woman and was convinced this woman was doing something to hurt her, she rushed at her and pushed her. Praise God no harm came of it, the woman saw my wife rushing at her and stepped back thus diminishing any force....on top of that I later found out this woman is a nurse and she had recognized pretty much immediately that my wife was having a psychotic episode.

I was mad at myself for going to church that day....I knew my wife was in an agitated state before heading out, but selfishly we went to church with our 5 year old because I feel the need to go....my wife does not.

The Grace that flowed out of that incident was mind blowing....one of the Elders in the church saw what happened....in the immediate aftermath I got my wife's coat and told her to go outside to the car while I got our son's coat on. After zipping Amazing Boy up an Elder in the church approached me, put his hand warmly on my shoulder and asked if I was okay....I told him of my wife's condition, he simply nodded.....said some words that I don't remember and I took my son's hand to go out to the car. Once we were outside I realized we'd gone out the wrong door, not the one near our vehicle....and as we walked around the building I saw a gentleman following at a distance...it was like he wanted to approach but didn't know how to go about it. I turned and walked over to him and he came up to me, hand extended and asked if my wife was okay....I almost started crying.....I'm choking up remembering it. He was the husband of the woman my wife had pushed....and was a police officer, he simply wanted to know that my wife was okay and that I knew how to handle the situation....l

Later in the week the Pastor contacted me and invited me to lunch, he wanted to assure me that those who saw what happened had all been concerned for my wife's welfare, and that she was always welcome at worship. That happened back in February and just 3 weeks ago my wife started coming back to church....when the incident happened she had recently changed medication and she was not yet on the full dosage for her condition...you have to ramp up slowly with many anti-psychotics.

Things happen in life, and often we rush to judement....I know I've been guilty of it. When things like this happen instead of rushing to judgment, respond with grace...that's the lesson I learned that day from my Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

I believe that illness in general is from the fall of mankind but there is a lot of stigma associated with mental illness in particular in Christian circles .... what’s your take on this topic? What do you believe?