I have decided to post here for the first time. I was actively involved in this discussion on another thread and have stayed out of this one, not even reading it until last night. Let me make a few comments that I hope will be taken seriously.
1. Those who believe that depression can be a spiritual state are not "throwing John 3:16 at the depressed." That is a gross mischaracterization. Depression can be a spiritual state and when it is, should be addressed by spiritual means. Dr. Bob listed a host of biblical characters with depression, yet for some strange reason, he does not tell us that all of these men (without exception) dealt with it apart from medicine and psychology. That should tell us something, should it not? (I like Bob, don't get me wrong; but I think it's unfortunate he omitted this information from his comments.)
2. Those who believe that some depression is a matter of faith and trust do not deny that there can be medical/chemical causes such as thyroid, etc. We have many times affirmed that and have said when such is the case, get medical help for medical problems. Those things can be tested and treated.
3. Those who believe that some depression is a spiritual issue are not spewing out ignorant hate. We are not laboring under "erroneous assumptions." Your assumptions differ with us; that doesn't make ours wrong. We are offering hope that lasts for a lifetime, instead of hope that last till the next pill cycle. Psalm 42-43, among other passages, is a great textbook on dealing with depression. No matter how bad your depression, you are probably not yet in the situation David was in. If he could deal with it by his thoughts, then so can you. It is a simply willingness to be biblical.
4. The charge that we are denying medical treatment and implying that people should not go to doctors is absurd. It should never be brought up again.
5. It has been admitted by those on "your side" that controlling the thoughts is a possibility. In the previous thread, someone mentioned that when people like me said what I said, they just had to make themselves not think about it and tell themselves that they had done it right. That was a clear admission that our approach to dealing with this problem works. Here is a guy who, in his attempt to refute me, admits that he can control his thoughts, that he can control what he sets his mind on. That is a biblical principle that should be used in dealing with depression that is not attached to a definable, testable, medical cause.
In the bottom line, as I have often said, Christians are too quick to let psychologists remove our trust in Scripture by telling us it is too simplistic. What we are calling for is a radical return to Scripture. For some here, I don't expect that "return" because I am not sure they were ever there. But for those committed to Scripture, we need to be committed to scriptural methods of dealing with problems. When God said that Scripture is profitable for everything necessary for life and godliness, I assume he included the mental states that affect our life and godliness and I assume that he meant what he said. It is, after all, profitable to equip us for every good work. So let's be biblical.
[ March 01, 2003, 10:57 AM: Message edited by: Pastor Larry ]
