Mental illness and the Baptist Chuch

[Arbo]

Seeking- Sometimes there's no reasoning with someone who's riding a high horse with a burr under its saddle.

 

[annsni]

Seeking- Sometimes there's no reasoning with someone who's riding a high horse with a burr under its saddle.

As an experienced equestrienne, I agree.

 

[Baptist Believer]

But yet, I hear so many "good" Baptists making snide remarks about mentally ill people.

Since my remark about "mentally ill" people in the thread on boycotting Disney was apparently the impetus for this discussion, I just want to point out that my comment was not snide.

I was speaking very seriously about a real problem. There are people who have mental illnesses who obsess about things (in the context of the post - going frame by frame through Disney movies to allegedly find secret messages that will corrupt children) that aren't really there.

Seekingthetruth seems to be a bit oversensitive (probably because of past abuses) and has assumed I was making a snide remark. I have responded to his concerns here.

 

[jaigner]

Are you being serious?

John

Seriously?

No. I'm mocking some of those in this thread who have an unbiblical and erroneous view of what leads to illness.

 

[seekingthetruth]

Seriously?

No. I'm mocking some of those in this thread who have an unbiblical and erroneous view of what leads to illness.

I thought so, but was just checking....whew!!!:godisgood:

John

 

[seekingthetruth]

Since my remark about "mentally ill" people in the thread on boycotting Disney was apparently the impetus for this discussion, I just want to point out that my comment was not snide.

I was speaking very seriously about a real problem. There are people who have mental illnesses who obsess about things (in the context of the post - going frame by frame through Disney movies to allegedly find secret messages that will corrupt children) that aren't really there.

Seekingthetruth seems to be a bit oversensitive (probably because of past abuses) and has assumed I was making a snide remark. I have responded to his concerns here.

My apologies BB. If you constantly heard the stuff like Fred and FAL are saying on here then i reckon you might get a little sensitive too.

I wish I had a movie of my life. The first 50 years of undiagnosed mental illness, and the last 3 of constant improvement.

As long as my life is improving it does't really matter what people like Fred and FAL think.

John:thumbsup:

 

[freeatlast]

And how would I do that?

Exactly! It is just more unsubstantiated statements, And the same goes for this liberal clouded claim of mental illness instead of it being an excuse to not deal with sin.

 

[annsni]

Exactly! It is just more unsubstantiated statements,

So you say I lie. No worries. I know what I have seen and thus know the truth. You just decide to cover your ears and eyes and say "LALALALALA". Have fun in Disneyland!

 

[Baptist Believer]

My apologies BB. If you constantly heard the stuff like Fred and FAL are saying on here then i reckon you might get a little sensitive too.

I understand. There's no harm done. I just don't want to be misunderstood.

I had a nephew who was bi-polar and a Christian. He struggled with his condition for years until the bottom dropped out for him emotionally and he put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.

We live in a fallen world and are all touched with some level of weakness and disability all the way down to the genetic level.

I am aware of the demonic realm and have cast out real demons (with physical manifestations occurring throughout the room, so you can be sure it was not just a person putting on an act), and I looked for signs of demonic oppression in my nephew. There was none.

Certainly demonic oppression and demonization creates mental illness, most are mentally ill in a "natural" way.

As long as my life is improving it does't really matter what people like Fred and FAL think.

Yes. This earthly life is too short to worry about the opinions of people who aren't helping you follow Jesus effectively.

If they say something that's helpful or has clear basis in the scripture, then by all means pay attention and see what you can learn. But those who assume you must have hidden sin are simply projecting their own prejudices and character on you.

A wise pastor, who has been my most influential mentor, told me many years ago: "Pay attention to what preachers tend to preach most about: they are telling you what they personally struggle with." My current pastor preaches all the time about loving others. One day when we were having lunch together, I said to him, "I suspect that you greatest area of difficulty in your private life is loving those who don't love you." He was stunned because I hit the nail on the head. I told him how I came to that opinion and he realized it was true. No matter what he was preaching about, he usually mentioned the importance of loving one another as Christ has loved us because that is something he constantly reminds himself to do. Preachers who constantly preach about sexual immorality or against counseling and drug therapy for mental illness are almost certainly dealing very heavily with these issues with members of their congregations and/or personal lives.

 

[Scarlett O.]

Exactly! It is just more unsubstantiated statements, And the same goes for this liberal clouded claim of mental illness instead of it being an excuse to not deal with sin.

My hope is that you never had to deal with a child or loved one who suffers from mental disorders. It's apparent that you have none of these people in your life.

A small handful of these conditions can be caused or compounded by sin, but most are not. Good counseling, competent/compassionate physicians, friends, and family members, quality meds, prayer, and more can be of great help.

I'm sorry that you see ill people as bringing this on themselves.

Somedays, FAL, your assertions and opinions of people who suffer are so hardline and hard-hearted that I go back and forth from wondering if you are a troll or if you have need of counseling yourself.

 

[mandym]

Somedays, FAL, your assertions and opinions of people who suffer are so hardline and hard-hearted that I go back and forth from wondering if you are a troll or if you have need of counseling yourself.

I agree! :thumbs:

 

[Arbo]

Somedays, FAL, your assertions and opinions of people who suffer are so hardline and hard-hearted that I go back and forth from wondering if you are a troll or if you have need of counseling yourself.

:thumbsup:

The thing about know-it-allism is that pride blinds the one who has it to what everyone else can see.

 

[agedman]

Sadly, the prejudices that I spoke of in the OP haved reared their ugly head in this thread.

Most of you would be suprised how common this is, even inside the church family.

Fred, I can assure you that demons are not haunting me and causing me to be sick. My mental illness has a physical reason behind it. If your body doesnt produce enough insulin, you have diabetes. My brain doesnt retain enough of the minerals it needs to function properly, so i take a mineral supplement (lithium) and it makes all the difference in the world.

Do you really think that babies are born everyday with bad kidneys, bad lungs, bad liver, ect.....but everybodies brain is perfect?

And FAL, I hope you read the whole thread. You accused me of seeking "special treatment" in the OP. You are completely wrong. What I am seeking in this thread is to be treated just like everybody else, and not like i have leprosy.

Sadly, Fred and FAL proved the point I made in the OP, being that many Christians are uneducated and insensitive to people with mental illnesses. All i can do is pray that they never fall ill mentally.

John

I agree!!!

Of course there are those who are myopic on this topic.

There always will be.

Kind of like the preacher who states, "The Bible has the answer for every question" but takes his care to the dealer to repair it.

 

[freeatlast]

My hope is that you never had to deal with a child or loved one who suffers from mental disorders. It's apparent that you have none of these people in your life.

A small handful of these conditions can be caused or compounded by sin, but most are not. Good counseling, competent/compassionate physicians, friends, and family members, quality meds, prayer, and more can be of great help.

I'm sorry that you see ill people as bringing this on themselves.

Somedays, FAL, your assertions and opinions of people who suffer are so hardline and hard-hearted that I go back and forth from wondering if you are a troll or if you have need of counseling yourself.

I have been around many who have been diagnosed with mental illness. However I simply do not accept the claim when the claim is because of behavior.
The scripture is clear;
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].

All sin is a result of willful choice, and using pills to cover it does not fix the problem.
Today I have no doubt that most if not all the characters in the bible whether they knew the Lord or not would be diagnosed today as having a mental illness and put on meds as they excuse their sin.

 

[Steadfast Fred]

Fred I have argued this for years but usually get the same results you are getting. I think you are wasting your time as this takes those who have ears to hear. No amount of evidence can convince those who have made up their minds to the contrary.

Sadly , you are correct.

It is sad when voices in the head that tell one to cut himself or herself are not recognized for what they truly are, but are quieted with mind-altering drugs.

I believe I will get up from this table and walk away. Nothing edifying at it at all. Nothing but worldly food to satisfy man's desires.

 

[annsni]

I still have yet to see proof that drugs stop demons.

 

[Steadfast Fred]

Sounds to me like proof was in you home and you still didn't see it.

Here is a good site of much info on the problem of sin being covered by drugs...

http://www.psychoheresy-aware.org/

 

[annsni]

Sounds to me like proof was in you home and you still didn't see it.

Yet she had no demons. We tried to cast demons out of her twice and there were none. Our pastors have cast out demons numerous times and this was a time that there was no evidence of demon influence at all.

 

[Steadfast Fred]

Yet she had no demons. We tried to cast demons out of her twice and there were none. Our pastors have cast out demons numerous times and this was a time that there was no evidence of demon influence at all.

Jesus' disciples also tried to cast demons out of someone once and were not able. Some are just not qualified to cast out demons..

 

[annsni]

Jesus' disciples also tried to cast demons out of someone once and were not able. Some are just not qualified to cast out demons..

I agree but our pastor has done it before and did it again shortly after working with this girl. So I'd say he's qualified.