Comments on: Sin, forgiveness, and mental illness: the Edgebrook Lutheran Church fire

By: Jack Harper

Jack Harper — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:45:42 +0000

Thank God for believer’s who understand about mental illness, like a physical sickness it is not the person who has the illnesses fault they have it. My wife has a bipolar condition and God has taught us that although she may have to take some medication to help her not be so depressed, we look to the Lord for his peace and grace. This church is setting a great example of Christ love. We need to use wisdom as well, if the mentally ill man would continue to do such things it may be necessary to admit him into a mental health facility until his medication kicks in. Not all mental illness are demonic, even though the enemy uses their weakness against them, stand firm with those who suffer in this way and God will bring healing in his time. Bless you all.

By: Amata

Amata — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:31:29 +0000

Mentally ill people are no different than us. God wants them as much as us, and we should also be just as accepting.

By: Pahmahzmoqua

Pahmahzmoqua — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:20:39 +0000

I live near Hiawatha, KS. In our community in NE Kansas, daily interaction with the mentally ill community is common. We are all God’s people. God doesn’t make mistakes. He is perfect. Whether “mentally ill” or “healthy,” I think this type of tragedy is possible in any community. It is up to us to be individually generous with our faith, kindness and love to everyone we meet in our community. I commend this congregation for showing their unconditional forgiveness. What an awesome example!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:01:09 +0000

One comment about the article

“Mental illness upsets our ordinary understanding of guilt, responsibility, sin, and forgiveness.”

There is really no need for generalizations. There are over 300 forms of mental illness, all of which have their own set of problems, but not all of them have such a distorted sense of reality that they no longer have a conscience.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:56:52 +0000

What’s interesting to me is more the reactions and comments to the story than the actual story itself. I’m bipolar and yes that makes me mentally ill. I am also a high school teacher, I attend church, I love God, I am NOT on medication, and every day is a struggle for a multitude of reasons. In my opinion, everyone is mentally ill in their own way and this illness is amplified when Satan decides to have a field day with your thoughts. It is his goal to tear us away from God. But we can’t forget that everyone is capable of committing every sin. No one is immune so there really should be no distinction between people. There are no bad people or good people. There are just sinners, all of us, who have been forgiven by God. There should be no exceptions about whom we forgive because God forgives all of us no matter what we’ve done. He doesn’t just forgive the normal people who’ve committed lesser sins. Who are we to determine who is forgivable or not? If the church has faith that God will work in the “mentally ill” person’s life as well as the lives of any of it’s members, then they will be fine. Moments of insanity and bad decision making is not reserved for the clinically insane. If that were the case then the prisons would only have insane people in them and not the kid whose parents work 2 full-time jobs and he’s lonely and bored so he becomes a tagger because he has no other way to express his artistic spirit. God can work with any heart and can protect anyone from Satan and nothing is impossible with God… not even forgiveness…

By: Dutch Hofstetter

Dutch Hofstetter — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:16:15 +0000

This is a miracle from the Lord. A church forgives a man who burned down their church. It would not be easy for me. They should get a great psychiatrist for the man. They forgave the man, the Lord will provide for the church.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:54:08 +0000

We are to emulate Christ’s behavior. Jesus reached out to the sick, the sinner, the needy. How many of us judge them instead. Jesus did not judge anyone.

By: Child Of GOD

Child Of GOD — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:32:52 +0000

Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Everyone have a blessed day! GOD is not the author of confusion! HE IS A GOD OF PEACE EVERYONE BE BLESSED IN JESUS CHRIST’ POWERFUL NAME AMEN! MAY THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELL AMONG YOU IN JESUS CHRIST’ NAME AMEN!

By: Roberta Olivares

Roberta Olivares — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:22:46 +0000

I say “Bravo” also, to the Lutheran Church who welcomed him back to Church. I admire their tolerance, patience, and humility. JEsus said He came for the sick, not for the righteous. He also gave the Church tools and or gifts of the Holy Spirit to deal with spirits not of God. But one important gift even more than the aforementioned is the gift of discernment. God Bless All.

By: Rose

Rose — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 09:34:24 +0000

God is not the author of confusion. I believe that satan drove the mentally ill man to burn down the church to try to scatter the congregation. Mentally ill people need healing too. Jesus gave us a strong example when he healed the mentally ill man at Gadara. Also note the example of the disciples trying to cast out the mental illness from a boy and Jesus saying “this kind can only come out by prayer and fasting”. We must not turn away from our responsibility to give aid to the sick whether they are mentally or physically ill.