Why can't people see the difference between Christianity and Mental Illness?

Question

I am sick to death of fighting with my born again Mother. She has been lost in her little crazy world for as long as I have known her. Many of her friends from church are normal Christian people, but there are plenty of others there that are just as sick as she is. And by sick, I mean actually suffering from a mental disease. She is obsessed with buying every tape, book, christian gadget...but of course her house is ready for foreclosure and she would rather shovel money at televangelists than pay her bills. I have seen this not only in my Mother, but in other members of churches she has belonged to. And no one ever does anything about it. How can you call yourself Christians and allow this to go on in front of you? In no way am I directing this to every single human being- I'm being serious, if you had multiple members of your congregation so obsessed with Christianity that it actually broke apart their family, caused them to lose every job they ever had, took all their money, alienated them from any friendships or positive places in their life's....how could a church crack this all up to being "a truly devoted Christian woman". Jesus never wanted these things from people! Did he not want you to spend your time helping others, not feeding into an addiction?

Answer 1

the vast majority of people around the world believe in a "god" of some kind. (or godS) ...so, this must be the "norm" ...not a mental illness.

but this doesnt mean the majority is RIGHT...it just may mean people are still very primitive

Answer 2

What is twisted by satan can be straightened out by HOLY SPIRIT.  So let us offer a pray for your parents or mother as follows: JESUS TEACH ME TO LOVE YOU TENDERLY AND GIVE THIS GRACE TO THOSE WHO DO NOT LOVE YOU AND DO NOT KNOW THE CONSUMING FIRE OF YOUR SACRED HEART AMEN. And also a theme prayer as follows: JESUS MY ONLY LOVE, JESUS MY INSPIRATION, MY SOUL'S COMPANION. JESUS YOU ALONE ARE MY CUP, MY DRINK AND MY BLESSINGS; HIDE ME IN THE CORE OF YOUR HEART AND UNTIL DEATH WILL DELIVER ME IN HEAVEN. GUARDIAN OF MY SOUL, BE WITH ME WHEREVER I GO, AMEN....THANK GOD; FEAR GOD; PRAISE GOD; GLORIFY GOD; HONOR GOD; LOVE GOD AND WORSHIP GOD      

Answer 3

It sounds like indeed your mother might be mentally ill.

If she wasn't a Christian, she might be spending her money on drugs and or booze.

You are right she should be paying her bills first.  If she's not doing that, then she is violating the Bible which says to owe no man anything except love.

Romans 13:8

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Feel free to show her this and tell her that she is sinning if she isn't paying her bills.

God does not want or need her money until her bills are paid.

She should tithe first to her local church and then pay her bills and then if there is money left over, that is after her family is taken care of as well, then its ok for to give more.

And by the way I am a non denominational Pastor.

Answer 4

And the difference between Christianity and mental illness would be ... ?

Answer 5

This is truly upsetting to me, if it is true.  I have not witnessed this behavior in my church, or I would address it.

The thing I suggest is that you go speak with her pastor.  My pastor addresses mental illness as being very different from spiritual warfare, and maybe her pastor hasn't brought it up (actually, let me restate that--my pastor views mental illness as an illness,  just like diabetes is an illness).

You do not tell us what kind of church she belongs to, and I would like to know.  Thanks.

Well, non-denominational can mean a slew of different beliefs, depending on the particular church.  This is what I might say, without knowing her personally:  "Mom, if you're going to give money away, should it not go to the ones who will have to house you when you lose your home?"  See what she says.

But also, church people can do "interventions."  If you are not a believer, she may not trust you on this.  She may trust other church people, depending on how sick she is.  I am deeply sorry you must bear this.

If her church is "anti psychology," which many are and I blame the atheists' foothold in the discipline, personally, but if the church is, the cure can still be found.  The Bible is full of things a depressed or anxious person can benefit from:  Psalms and Proverbs are excellent.  What I do know is that atheists calling Christians "mentally ill" does not help Christians who are mentally ill get help.  On that basis alone, Humanists should stop.

Answer 6

"If she wasn't a Christian, she might be spending her money on drugs and or booze."- Pastor A

This is so ignorant for you to say. So you assume that if people are not religious that they are out drinking and doing drugs! This is why people hate religious people. They are always taking c**p that isn't true. I am not religious and I do not do drugs or drink. I think of christians in my town to be more wild than I. Hopefully you do not really believe that, and hopefully you are not a real pastor.

So now to answer the real question of the Asker. I do think that she may be a little addicted to being a christian. However, she seems similar to my mother in law. Religion may be her only source of confidence, stability, and self worth. She is now even more judging of other people even though she is more to judge than others. So basically people in church are nice to her on Sunday and she likes the attention (whether fake or sincere). She does need to get her finances on hold and to see that the televangalists are scam artists. No amount of money should make a god love you more. Its sick to see people taken advantage of. So I would just let her be, because you can't control a grown woman.

Answer 7

I always thought that Christianity and mental illness were the same thing

Answer 8

Insane persons consider everyone else crazy for not thinking what they think. They think they're perfectly sane and rational!

Sound familiar?

Answer 9

Then do the responsible thing and seek legal guardianship for your mother.