Conflating mental illness with evil
I'm filing this in our Theology category. If the Tucson shootings were evil, who is the sinner?
Melinda Henneberger, editor-in-chief of PoliticsDaily.com, calls out those who conflate mental illness with evil.
The Christian Argument Against Obama's and Palin's View of Jared Loughner as 'Evil'
Excerpt:
I find it depressing that so many smart people choose to see mental illness as a moral failing.The false equation of mental illness to a personal failing is a collective sin of society. Is this church doing what it should to correct our understanding of mental illness, theologically and otherwise?
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[I]t's the Christian underpinnings of my view of evil, in a world in which we do have free will, and sin, which in all cases involves a choice, that makes it impossible for me to ever see those who suffer from schizophrenia as an embodiment of moral evil. We don't know for sure that Loughner has schizophrenia, though his paranoia and references to "mind control" are classic markers. But those who are so afflicted haven't chosen their delusions and hallucinations; a stand-out even in the pantheon of dreadful diseases, theirs is an illness no one would choose.
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Roger Simon writes that we "medicalize" evil so we can pretend it doesn't exist, but I see us doing just the opposite -- writing illness off as "evil" to justify our inaction. "Madness can be treated,'' he says. "All we need is early intervention and clinics and more resources devoted to the problem. And we would much rather believe that all sick people can be cured by medical intervention.'' Only they can't be, unfortunately. Schizophrenia can be treated -- and with great difficulty, managed -- but not cured, or not yet, anyway. And as long as we confuse mental illness with wickedness, I'm not sure how that's going to change. Decades after deinstitutionalization, we have barely started the conversation.
14 years ago I began 4 years of living with extreme mental illness of a depressive nature, ending up in hospital on 4 occasions. However, 10 years ago I found the regime that led to my recovery and I have had no time off work since.
But for 9 years my bishop tried to get me to retire simply because I had been ill. He refused to help me find a proper parish priest position. He kept me on short term contracts. He insisted that I saw councillors who reported everything back to him. Last August he finally managed to get rid of me by saying the diocese couldn't afford to fund the menial post he had insisted I was restricted. Because of his attitude I have been unable to find work since.
I would point out three things before some bigot feels compelled to question the veracity of my statement. I have never been the subject of any disciplinary action. My blog didn't start until 5 years after the bishop's first prejudicial action towards me. I have a top psychiatrists report, arranged and paid for by the diocese, stating that I am perfectly capable of being an excellent parish priest.
In England, in secular jobs, disabled people have protection under the law. When I initiated legal proceedings against the bishop under our equality legislation he defended my action by stating that I wasn't employed. For the Church to opt out of secular law whilst unable to control the prejudices of its senior staff is an obscenity.
Posted by MadPriest![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 20, 2011 12:47 PM
Mental health "first aid" courses are recommended to help intervene and support people according to the Washington Post
Posted by Ann Fontaine![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 20, 2011 1:20 PM