religion and "mental illness"

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It seems that the word "mental illness" is out of style here, but AS is diagnosed by pyschologists and psychiatrists.

It seems to me that growing up in a conservative Christian environment with regards to my AS, schizoaffective disorder, and OCD (especailly the AS). I was taught the the tendency to lose control, or even the tendency to lose control were signs of unChristianness. I lose cool - or want to - becaue of my mental illnesses - it has nothing to do with God of the devil. And if I don't vent my "out-of-controlledness" every so often, then it's all repressed. Sometimes I think I hate Christianity because of this, though I haven't completely sworn it off.

Does anyone else feel this way?

I don't believe in devils. People can be evil and should own up to their own intrinsic badness, not blame it on some devil or mystical entity that "made them do it."
So, that's another way Christianity and I part...they want to believe in Satan and demons while I don't agree.

Hiya, I am currently waiting for a diagnosis after having burnt out trying to be normal at a Church I joined seven years ago. I do find that however laid back a Church is, it is difficult to behave in any other way but the 'Christian way'. It is not good to get angry or walk out during an argument for example. I think my case may be a little different to yours though as I have only told a couple of people at Church at the moment.

Hi Bonafan,


What do you mean that is is difficult to behave in a Christian way? That they tell you you should only behave in a Christian way? Or, you actually DO behave in a Christian way, despite your condition?

Christianity has more depth and breadth than any single denomination. Judging all Christians because of the failings of some is not fair to those that are less close minded.

That said, calling mental illness a sign of unChristianess is the same as saying you got a cold because you sinned. Sorry. I have trouble with the idea God punished you with a disease, especially since autism is from birth. How you handle your life is more important. Do you use your intrinsic neurology as a way of manipulating people or do you handle it with grace?

I was never taught that losing control was unchristian though I was raised in a christian home. I was scolded/yelled at for it, but never told it was unchristian because people are people and break downs occur in everyone atleast that has been my experience. So it's like that saying in the bible....don't judge someone else for something when you have a splinter in your eye.

Well the gullible and more Fundamentalist Christians will definitely think this way...they'll probably think that your meltdowns are caused by the devil and will form an exorcist to drive the devil outta ya or something. But I detest you and I and many on WP know better. God was just a little screwy when he made us. We still have the power of choice and ethics and we all want to control our meltdowns but that is rather difficult for us. God knows that. Our meltdowns are just part of our human nature not some evil possession.

Well, depending on which verse of the Bible you read, the causes of your mental illness and un-Christian behavior is a sure sign that you are being controlled by demons. So they aren't wrong per se, but you should ask them which verse it is, and then read it, and then figure out a way to be more Christian, if that's what you want to be.

In the New Testament there are clear distinctions being made between the mentally ill and epileptic and the demon-possessed. They are listed as separate conditions.

People who use religion as an excuse to say "mental illness is your fault because you're not trying hard enough" don't really need religion to have that opinion--without it, they will simply say that you need to be more mature or better controlled or whatever. They are just looking for reasons to put down those who have mental illnesses, and their religion happened to be conveniently to hand.

No, it's physical illnesses, injuries and disabilities that are listed as distinct from demon possession. Off the top of my head, a blind man, a man with some sort of congenital issue with his ankles, a bunch of lepers, a woman with a hemorrhage and a woman with a fever were all healed without reference to demons (and with direct reference to their issues themselves-- e.g., Jesus rebuking the fever itself-- and in one case outright stating that the guy's blindness was NOT the result of sin, his or anyone else's-- but mind you, he was congenitally blind, not sure if that matters or not). At least one epileptic did have a demon causing his epilepsy.

OTOH, possession isn't exactly some rare thing. Well, outright possession does seem to be. But a great many little annoyances and foibles are directly the result of demonic attack. But with mental illness it can be really, really hard to tell. I can usually kind of "sense" these kinds of things (nothing supernatural... kind of like what most people call a conscience, but mine doesn't work on quite the same set of situations), but I have a physical illness that can mimic some of this exactly (it affects my mood and thoughts, so...), so I definitely get that it can be really hard to tell...

Any type of imperfection or badness is a result from sin in the world according to Christianity. So, yes, it is a sign of unchristianness if you were to lose your cool over a mental illness.

IMHO, it isn't just "mental illness" in any form that is treated this way by the conservative church. It's any form of non-conformity to their overcontrolled, uber-bland form of social norms--it's having too many tattoos, drinking even socially, listening to the wrong music, belonging to the wrong political party (oh, the horror! ), or not having the nice suburban house with the perfectly manicured lawn and the 2.5 kids (I've always found it so funny that according to these surveys, apparently the average person has half a kid.)

I always deeply wish that I grew up in an atheist household.

Growing up, I didn't know about Aspergers, and my parents liked to take me to fire-and-brimstone churches, and when I was a teenager, I learned the delightful doctrine of unpardonable sin. Taking all of that stuff literally, I was convinced that A) there was evil the world and B) I was part of it.

I spent most of my life believing that I was a demon, and my mind has been, and still is to a large extent, filled with horrific images of flames of hell. An image particularly fixated in my mind (which I can't get rid of), is wading through the world as if I'm immersed in flames like water, having to push against the onslaught of fire, of which I am the source. Whenever I speak, I can't help but envision black stuff coming out of my mouth along with the words.

People's reactions to me and my own self-image only reenforce the image, even though I've tried my hardest to put all of this religious brainwashing behind me.

...Dear god I wish I were atheist.

Define perfection in a way that does not create paradox or use circular logic. When you do that, then maybe you can make such sweeping claims.

A pink diamond is very valuable. But it is pink because it is not pure.

Is it sin to allow a man to continue to rape a women if the only way you can stop him is to kill him which is of course a sin?

Equating illness and mental disorders with the displeasure of God is absurd. Maybe God allows such things so that the impurity of people capable of passing such judgment is revealed. The sin is not in the one with the disease. It is in the heart of those that judge the diseased.

In Australia it is 2.2 children, so we have less than half a child. I guess it means we have a leg or something!! !

And yes anything that is not socially correct at the said time is said to be unchristian. It is amazing how that has changed over time and even how much it can change from one church to another. I also often wonder if this is why we as a whole, in the legislation that we right for mental illness have such a horrible view of them. We act as though we need to control them, and look if they really are a threat to other people, then I may agree with it, if they really are risking their lives then I may agree with it. But we have the view that we can forceibly medicate and even give ECT to people who have been raped and are upset by it. The mental health system does not offer counselling or the like, instead they lock them in a padded cell, naked and without access to a toilet, totally alone and force drugs down their throat. I have never understood how such treatment is supposed to make someone want to live???

I don't understand. According to Christianity the world was perfect before sin entered the world. Sin causes illness, disease, and imperfection. It's not the displeasure of God at all... it's basically Adam and Eve's fault. And I don't believe what I'm stating. I'm just stating what Christianity teaches.