Some say yes, but some say no.
The problem that revolve around my everyday’s life is this: Could schizophrenia affect my Christian worship? If I say yes, it can be used as an excuse against God. But if I say no, I will keep feeling upset for failing to be reinstated as one of their member again.
As for work performance, no, Schizophrenia couldn’t affect my employment at least beginning from this year.
I am at my wit’s end again.
I really wanted to associate with fellow member of J.W. but since I was disfellowshipped none of them can talk to me.
Since my belief revolve around the teachings of J.W., I feel really lonely because outsiders cannot understand me and we don’t have conversation in common. The J.W. can talk to outsiders even they are drunkard, reviler or extortioner, but not me. I am not as capable as normal persons because I lack of motivation to attend Christian meetings twice every week and that is the requirement for reinstatement.
Schizophrenia discussion, to some extent, can fulfill my needs to talk, but cannot fulfill my emptiness which can only be satisfied by fellow believers only.
I have had enough discipline, I just don’t know where to vent.
I highly respect the good spirits and need their help and advice.
I do not believe that they made earth in the least and im fairly certain they have never been in charge here.
More of a war really.
I have had this same question and yes I do think it affects your worship. I have had delusions and hallucinations that were either holy or evil.
It happens to me too, but less serious now. Thanks for your opinion!
Maybe try and go to a diff church? One that has service once a week. Maybe twice is too much for your sz…you could also just read your holy book and pray your god will understand its hard for alot of us to be around people.
I can’t believe they banned you. that is not Christian. find some place that will accept you.
that is wrong, my local J.W people are not what you would call orthodox if that is the norm, they support mental wellness and two of the people in my Group are Witnesses.
While I support you in being Christian, I would suggest you find a Baptist or Protestant Church to go to until you find one that fits better. my Baptist pastor (even though I am agnostic) is always willing to talk to me and visits me while I am in the hospital, like I am now. (I am staying for psych testing that started at 4 pm, I wil be here until Wednesday morning) he is coming tomorrow actually, along with the protestant priest who took over for my grandfathers pastor (I forget what they call it in that group of Christians). Both are very understanding and say that mental illness is just another of God’s Tests, not just for those with it, but for those around them. In the views of these two men, your church has FAILED GOD’S TEST.
I have tried going to different church and that church members were skeptical about me given my background as former J.W. Yes, I do read the Bible and pray.
Thank you for your understanding. That happened 10 years ago. I just feel something not right within me if I go for other religion or other churches.
Yes, they do support mental wellness. But my disfellowshipping wasn’t connected to my mental disorder, I heard a voice telling me to write a letter for disassociating myself from the organization and the elders of J.W. accepted my request. I had also committed serious sins (watching pornography and visiting Buddhist temple) during that period of time.
I am regretted about this too.
my church, the one i go to when i need spiritual guidance, encourages me to learn about other religions, because the pastor feels that many other religions have important messages to deliver. Are Buddhists really that different from Christians? they both believe in peace on earth and loving your fellow man, the only real difference is that Buddhist refer to the greatest power being the universe and the Christians call that same power God. or in your case Jehovah. Of course Buddhists also believe in heaven and hell, although they say that people are reborn if they are found lacking, to give them another chance. I could never be Buddhist myself, because i love eating meat, but i also could not be a Christian, because i object to calling someone evil simply because they don’t believe in the same thing as you. And its not really the religion i dislike, its the people who use that religion as an excuse for violence.
People say that the Koran tells muslims to kill all who are not muslim, but it doesn’t, only a certain kind of Koran, the one used by the extremist, say that. The original words of Mohammad are “Pity the infidel for he knows not his crime, do not slay him, but instead bath his feet in warm water and help him to see the light of Allah”
For Muslims touching another person feet is very touchy indeed, as feet are seen as dirty. towash another persons feet is the ultimate sign of respect or mercy. It is only done for the ill and for lost travelers who have suffered greatly from the road they travel.
When i was homeless for a few months the catholic run homeless shelter turned me out because i was filthy and acting possessed. (i was in the midst of psychosis, because homeless jobless people cant afford meds) I was trying to sleep by the dryer vents of a laundromat, when a man in tradition hijab walked over to me, helped me to my feet and took me. I was terrified he was a terrorist because i was crazy at the time, he brought me to his mosque and asked the imam to let me stay in the temple. They helped me bath and got me clean clothes. For the next three months i was treated like i was one of them, and while i did not convert, i learned much of their culture and religion.
I have been both treated well and badly by people of all kinds of different faiths. Imam Abdiah (not sure on spelling but that’s how it sounded) was a very kind man. and i must say those robes were incredibly comfortable.
My point is, every religion has a few in it who are not worth the dirt they stand on, those who truly believe must not let the actions and words of others dictate how they worship. Be it members of their own community or people who are outside of it.
And just so you know, the J.W s who visit my home once a week know about my time at the Mosque, and tell me i was very lucky. I have also gone with the Witnesses to a camp thing a few months back, and i learned some interesting things then. There was only person i didn’t like at the whole place, he was an elder, and he was kind of jerk, he kept threatening to kick people out for asking questions about other religions. One kid asked him WHY muslims were bad, the elder told him to be quiet or he would find his whole family ‘out of the circle’. Then launched into a twenty minute rant about how muslims don’t believe in Jesus. I may have made that man my enemy when i pointed out that Muslims DO believe in Jesus, but they believe he was simply a prophet, not a messiah.
Their belief in a messiah is a little hard to put to words and is actually open to interpretation. Some say no human woman could carry God’s Son, the sheer power of it would kill her. Others say God would not defile himself by places his essence in a sinful human.
Thank you for your lengthy opinion. I read it and appreciate you gone extra miles for explaining the religion although I don’t quite understand small portion of it.
I am feeling better now and I am in control of my thinking at the moment. Just a little worried about my ongoing delusions and mood disorder.
I am not going to add anymore comments on religion or this thread might be locked down.
I don’t think so… so long as you know your hallucinations aren’t real regardless of what world-view you take to.
Sorry to hear that happened kaleb… you might find later on in recovery a way to balance your ability to worship with your sz…
You are just a person… no one is particularly important regarding humanity or God or whatever else…
The hallucinations are not real…
I think SZ is the subconscious’ way of fulfilling our expectations. Once it starts though. It scares us and we don’t know what to expect.
Be watchful of your Sz… you’ll probably wind up seeing how it works.
Take care man, find peace.
uhmmmmm, the Virgin Mary was not a sinful person.
I’m happy to say I understand this because I’ve been educating myself more. I’m also not ashamed to say that aspects of Islam are good, peaceful, and inspiring.
I have learned that all God requires of me would be to commit to the path of peace. I worship through poems, prayers, thoughts, and actions. I’m a confirmed Catholic and Christian. I don’t go to church anymore. My beliefs are too eclectic for organized religion. But I still believe in prophets, Christ the miracle worker. I also believe that God is within everyone. and that Love was the savior of Christ. I do not believe there could have ever been a perfect man, but an example of perfection to teach humanity to stop killing and destroying the world. I also follow examples from Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam.
Hey there I think your question is answered here:
Google “catholic schizophrenia” and click the link that says catholicmoraltheology(dot)com. It’s an article about st augustines opinion of this matter.
http://catholicmoraltheology(dot)com/st-augustine-catholics-and-mental-illness/
St augustine (even if you’re not catholic you can’t deny the was an amazing christian) said that the things schizophrenics do are out of their character. God judges us by our character and the actions that result from it. If you’re genuinely a good person but hallucinate something that tricks you into doing something foolish I think he would judge you by your understanding. Did you know it was wrong? We’re you persecuted into doing it or did you do it of your own free will. God looks at the situation as a whole and judges it by your intentions and inner thoughts. That being said we can’t use schizophrenia as an excuse to do evil. It’s all about our heart.