I happen to believe in God and consider myself Christian, but it really bothers and saddens me that people think that praying alone is more than enough to help us when we are suffering. Just like I really, really believe that I cannot "pray away my gay," I also do not believe that faith and prayer alone can cure depression. This article just speaks to me so much I cannot stop thinking about it:
"I don't think it is diminishing Christ's power for anyone
to use whatever other possibilities exist to improve themselves
physically or mentally. I don't think that it means a lack of faith or a
lack of understanding in the bounty of the Atonement to try to lift
yourself up to receive it. I think that perhaps instead of pointing the
finger at those who are suffering depression, we might as a Christian
people do a better job of asking what we can do, listening to those who
need help, and praying for them and for ourselves to be more kind, more
sensitive and understanding, and to do whatever lifting needs to be
done. Instead of coming to Jesus, perhaps people who are depressed need
us to come to them, and to bring Jesus with us."
You can read the rest here. It is just amazing to me, in the best way possible:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mette-ivie-harrison/just-come-to-jesus_b_7927634.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592
Another part that just got to me to so very much is here:
"Another problem is confusing cause and effect. It can be very easy to
assume that when other people suffer problems, it is because they aren't
making the right choices. If only they were more like us, we think,
then they wouldn't have those problems. I don't have those problems, and
it must be because of the differences between their lifestyle and mine.
This is something akin to the assumption that if I've never had a car
accident, it's because I'm a superb driver, rather than related to pure
luck or only driving on streets that are have very little traffic."
I think the above really affects me because I think of some of the extremely heartless and even moronic things people say after someone commits suicide. Just because you have not personally experienced something does not mean that it is not real to someone else nor that it is not something genuinely, horrifically painful for them, to the point that the thought of non-existence becomes much more beautiful and welcoming than the thought of existence and waking up every day to new possibilities would be to those who are not suffering so intensely.
The world really does need more empathy and the more we can truly try and deeply understand someone with whom we have no common experiences at all, the more we can become better about not judging them and understanding that as wonderful as faith and belief and prayer can be, it really is okay and even life-saving to look for professional help.
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2 comments:
I'm glad that there's someone out there writing articles like these. It boggles my mind when people say that praying alone should help solve a problem. That has almost never been the case. I'm religious myself, brought up in a Catholic household. Whenever you pray, you're meant to act in a way that will be conducive to what you pray for, right? So why shouldn't that also be the case in terms of mental illnesses? Doesn't Jesus "seek and you shall find"? So why can't people seek help if they should need it?
This reminds me of a little anecdote I read ages ago: a suburb was flooded, and people were trying to escape. Soon there was only one resident left, and he'd climbed to the top of his roof, and he sat there praying. A neighbor floated by on a makeshift boat, and called to the man to join him. The man responded, "Don't worry, I'm praying, God will help me." After a few repetitions of this, a helicopter finally arrived, and the man was called to climb in. But again, he replied "It's ok. I've been praying, God will save me." Of course he drowns at the end. It's fictional, but it's a favourite of mine because it perfectly embodies the kind of pig-headedness that is evident in some religious people.
After all, the Bible says God does his work through his people, so surely the ones you go to ask for help could be one of those instruments of his work right? I don't know, religion can just be so /frustrating/ cos it can be argued both ways, but all I know is that in the new testament Jesus preaches about empathy. He says "Love God, and love your neighbor". Those are the two most important messages he leaves us with, and what does it mean to love your neighbour, if not to empathise with their problems, to give them comfort and aid when they need it?
Anyways, sorry my comment is so long. I hope you don't let those narrow-minded view points get you down too much.
Hi! Your comment is not too long and I could not agree more with what you wrote, especially when you say: "After all, the Bible says God does his work through his people, so surely the ones you go to ask for help could be one of those instruments of his work right?" What Jesus preaches about empathy and loving God and our neighbors is very important. And to love our neighbors really _is_ to empathize with their problems and give them comfort and aid when they need it.
I am glad there is someone out there writing articles like these, too! :)
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