What does the Bible say about mental illness

In the past I have had a hobby to open a Bible in random places to find out answers to some specific questions. Back in 2003 Al Haramain mailed me a Koran from Saudi Arabia and I used this to receive an answer to the question ‘What does Allah say about me marrying Saddam Hussein’s daughter Raghad?’.

Now I wanted to receive an answer to a question ‘What does the God say about mental illness?’ and I opened my new JW Bible randomly and I received the following answer:

'And Job proceeded to answer and say: ‘I have heard many things like these, all of you are troublesome comforters! Is there an end to windy words? or what galls you that you answer? I myself also could well speak as you men do. If only your souls existed where my soul is, would I be brilliant in words against you …’

So how would you interpret this?

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thou shalt go to hell

Was that a joke or something?

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everytime i read the bible thats what i see

This my new JW Bible ‘New World Translations of the Holy Scriptures’ is great, I have decided to read it aloud daily to improve my English pronunciation.

It’s funny I grew up going to church on Sundays and never heard a peep about hell or sins or any of that…

Didn’t the more religious believe mental illness was something like demonic possession during biblical times?

What is said in church is almost always twisted and heavily sugar coated. I’ve read the bible many times over, even memorized the book of Matthew, and I get the same message/impression/vibe as cactus. It’s all very sickening.

Oh I’ve read the bible…really wasn’t defending it…I’m not a Christian by any stretch. Personally I found it archaic but interesting all the same, but then I wasn’t reading it from a religious perspective at all. I found it no more sick than the rest of our written history on this planet…it was all sick…often still is.

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I vote for Proverbs 18:1-2

Through desire a man, having
separated himself, seeketh and
intermeddleth with all wisdom.

A fool hath no delight in under-
standing, but that his heart may
discover itself.

I don’t understand those quotes one bit…

I didn’t mean to give you trouble with the translation. Here’s a more modern version:

People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right.

A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is.

I don’t get along with (voices)

I am interested in myself (like to be alive)

I don’t disagree, the voices don’t listen to me. I am a fool in my head, because I can’t understand reality as a whole anymore…

that doesn’t mean I don’t care though.

It says that Jesus healed the lunaticks… In Mark 5 he confronted a dude who was in the graveyard crying and cutting himself. Jesus cast out the demon, which manifested and spoke to him, then he sent the demons into a herd of pigs…

Job was speaking to his 3 friends who were not giving him the best of counsel during his distressful times…

I think that reiki can be a help in stress recovery and restoring vitality. People make fun of me because of it, anyone else try it???

A Christian girlfriend when we discussed my sz told me the quote shortly before she dumped me “you can’t make straight what God had made crooked.” … At the time it felt like I was sol… Turns out I married a woman with sz who seems to have a lot more common sense than this evangelical girlfriend who used to speak in tongues. I would much rather be around people that recognize their own flaws than people who think they are morally superior.

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:clap: Can I get an Amen?! Thank you in the back.

That is a great statement.

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I wouldn’t. I’d stick the Bible back under the corner of the couch it was holding up so that it’s back to doing something useful and then get on with my life. Sorry, but I’m not taking life guidance from a book that tells me slavery and harassment of menstruating females is okay. :trollface:

10-96

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I used to have superstitions that opening a random Bible passage would give an answer to ME directly.

But you have to remember to read the whole thing or at least the whole chapter to put the quote in context. Lots of people spout random passages to prove they are right about one thing or another.
Some people even believe that people with disabilities are being punished for something. Bull%^*&!

I just remember that Jesus healed the sick and would remove demons from people.
Now back in the day, they didn’t understand Sz and can see where people would be afraid of them. Even like today and discriminate against people that are ill.

I know that my Mom prayed for me and I think that helped but God also put meds for scientists to discover and that can help too.

Plus it doesn’t hurt to talk to a good pdoc. Now I ran into plenty that aren’t good. So if you are not satisfied that a pdoc is helping you, it may be possible to find another better doctor with that special med that was made to help your brand of sz. Didn’t they recently say there are like 8 types or something like that? So keep trying if one med is not working for you after a trial.

My aim is not to offend faithful Christians - I was raised in a Christian household.
I feel that the writings in the bible are sexist - I also view the bible, especially the Old Testament as a collection of fictitious tales. I also question the mental stability of the authors of the bible - I mean how sane were these guys?

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