Yes I understand Jesus is the answer and I have for a while thanks.
But we all walk a different path to Jesus. When someone is in the depths of depression sometimes its really hard to do anything and I can understand that very well. There is no motivation for almost anything. You need to help them personally and then you can tell them about Jesus. There is a time and a place with things like this. If you do it at the wrong time it can drive people off and even hurt them in some cases.
For example:
Someone is having a panic attack and you start telling them about Jesus.
Its not going to work very well because that person is already dealing with so much and some of the people trying to help them also.
Starting to talk of religion then may not help at the moment but when they calm down then you might be able to get through to them better.
Hello all,
So I'll like to add to the discussion. I thank God for allowing me to be in the field academically where a lot of this is happening so I can speak as a Christian and from the psychological perspective.
So I have my MSW, Masters in Social Work. I'm a licensed certified clinical social worker, and a board certified social worker with the Maryland Board of Social Work
Examiners. I have worked as a school based and community therapist serving children, families, and adults, in the school, home, office, using cognitive behavior therapist, play therapy,
art therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and group therapy. Such individuals have been diagnosed with all forms of mental illnesses. I've worked with victims of abuse as well as sex offenders,
to ADHD, to anxiety disorders, to Bi-polar, to boderline personality disorders. I've also worked with the Psychiatirist that prescribe the medications for our clients. That was for 8 years. Currently
I now work for the largest department of Social Services in the State of Maryland, as a supervisor in an intensive case management unit with youth in foster care, trying to reunify them
with their parents(last 4 years).
I am a clinical social worker, not a psychologist, or psychiatrist, but I work the them all the time. I prefer social work because psychology focuses mostly on the person and their mind (id, ego, superego),
psychiatry focuses on the medication aspect (pharmacology), but social workers have an holistic perspective, looking at not just the physical body and the chemical processes that happen(psychiatry), or just the
minds and the thoughts and how they impact behaviors(psychology), but looking at the full person. In addition to the previous two field social workers add onto that a perspective that not only looks that the person and their body and mind, but also the family, the environment, and the spiritual aspect as well. They look at
issues of social justice, as well as culture, as well as your spiritual awareness.
Anywho I just share that so say from a academic perspective feel comfortable putting my two cents in. As many as you know, all those credentials means nothing as the truth of God ultimately
comes from the Holy Spirit and the most important credential is that I'm a child of God and and working to study His WORD.
John 16:13 tells us, "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."
For the first thing I want to say this that in our fields of worldy knowledge we should never get so prideful in thinking that the answers will always be found in some textbook or journal publication discussing
human sexuality. I'm in the field and I'll be the first to say, the field does not have all the answers. Sadly mental health has become too politicalized. For example, when you hear about all the various diagnosis out
there, they come from a book called the DSM, which stands for Diagnostic Statisitcal Manual. The current version is the DSM-V. I've noticed throughout the years as different diagnosis change to fit the politic climate.
For example, the DSM use to have homosexuality as a disorder, meaning it was unnatural behavior. Now the newer versions because of the political pressure no longer refer to homosexuality as
being a disorder. There are acutally lobbying groups that are working to advocate on what should or should not be a disorder. Another example is breavement. It is normal when someone dies
for someone to have grief and breavement, but people getting therapy for breavement can't bill the insurance companies to get paid if their is not a DSM code to label the person under. So the question gets
brought up, do we give it a code so the insurance companies can get paid or do we not give it a code because it is a normal part of life. That is just a small example of some of the issues that I bring up to
remind you that mental health is very political and related to money.
In terms of homosexuality, Julie you mentioned " When someone is in the depths of depression sometimes its really hard to do anything and I can understand that very well." I think that is not really the point.
I agree, I don't think it is about sharing religion, but you can still share the love of God to that person. Sometimes love might look like being quiet and not saying anything. I think the issue is what do we
as believers think about the condition of homosexuality and the lifestyle. Because as Christians we will only teach what we believe to be true and have the courage to do so. In Matthew 28:19, in the Great commission
Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” He didn't says teach everything except for sexual purity.
Don't get me wrong I'm not talking about the method or sharing. The method may change depending on the situation or person, but I'm talking about a clear understanding of what we as Christians believe is God's WILL for us to live and walk in.
Some say that individuals are born gay. I don't believe that individual are born gay because my experience with working with homosexual clients shows that most if not all of them
have had some early childhood trauma usually sexually. For example a male made have been molested as a child, or never grew up with his father, or something happens
early in his life to make him(or her) question their sexuality or identity. But for me that is not really a point to argue if someone is or is not born gay doesn't make a difference based on
my line of thinking. My line of thinking is that, the Bible tells us that we are all born into sin. So just like some pedophiles feel that they were born with genetic predisposition to be attracted
to children, it still dosen't make it right. Some children have lead poisoning and be be genetically predisposed to have ADHD, it doesn't mean with don't work with that kid to help them learn
ways to focus. A baby may be born exposed to crack cocaine and genetically have issues of outburst and anger, that doesn't mean that there will not be consequence for assualt or murder
when he or she becomes an adult.
The fact is we live in a fallen world. Adam and Eve were made in God's image but after sin entered into the world everyone else has been made in the image or their father, not God.
This is why we are told to be "born again". Cain and Abel were not made in God's image perfectly they inherited the sin from their parents. This is why Jesus had to be of a virgin
birth, because if He wasn't we would have been born into sin. So the point is we are all born with many sinful tendencies. Ask any straight guy, the desires of sexual temptation is always
there. But just because a guy is born with the desire to have sex with a women, that doesn't mean that rape is ok. It is still wrong no matter how much one can prove they were born that way.
We should not target homosexuals because just like we need to be born again, they too need to be born again. And just as when we are born again, we still struggle with the flesh after,
they too will still struggle until God grants them victory.
If someone told me "I am born this way" my response would be, "are you satisfied with your life, or do you which you could be born again.?"
