makes me think about the correlation between mental illness and spiritual warfare. there are several parties that camp along the spectrum of views on this issue.
some say that it's all physiological - purely disease and chemical imbalances in the brain. these are the parties that push for medication to correct and "fix" things. i studied psychology a bit in school, so i know this side. to my concrete and logical head, it makes sense. it's science, right?
there was a scene in the soloist where Nathaniel was hearing a mixture of voices singing in his head. the final and loudest voice won out in the end ...
"You are of no consequence."
You.
are.
of.
no.
consequence.
There in my comfy movie chair, I sat with the chills.
I was simply reminded that mental illness has the possibility of going WAY beyond simple chemical imbalances. I don't want to go all "tom cruise" on this one or anything, but hearing those words that are so clearly from the enemy, i was reminded that the mentally ill fight way more than just a disease. they fight the lies and the literal demons that torment them.
it simply just reminded me of how much more complicated and complex it all really is. we try to understand things and use science to explain them away. i think science can do part of that. i believe it has a part to play. but - i don't know if we're doing ourselves a disservice by not addressing the spiritual component.
just thoughts.
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6 comments:
Good thought. I don't have anything else to add, just saying good thoughts. And yay for new blogs.
...as spano said....I agree...ps. Can't wait to see you next week!
that's interesting... i've been wanting to see that movie and now, i really will have to!
I am glad to hear your thoughts!
The Lord has really been reminding me of how all of creation and mankind groan for redemption to its fullest. Our bodies are imperfect and broken @ the fall. So all of these chemical problems in the brain just point back to the fall, ultimately to Christ. I can see where it is both...broken body, devils foothold.
Miss you, love you
I think it's a mix of both like what you were getting at...sometimes purely chemical imbalances...sometimes purely demonic.
Had a run in with this this past week actually. I was at our church's orchestra rehearsal while a friend of mine was playing. This guy that had no reason to be there suddenly fell prostrate on the floor, grabbed ahold of a man's ankles, and starting saying weird things over and over again. Earlier he had been talking to one of our ministers and had asked him if he had ever felt like he was on fire and then tickeled to death. The next day he checked himself into a mental hospital. A couple of people have said he's been on the verge of a breakdown, but the whole on fire and tickled to death doesn't sound totally mental illness to me. It didn't feel like mental illness, either, as I stood there and watched the poor man.
Just some thoughts...
And now it's time for a new post.
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