Post 22 | The Mentally Ill and Spirituality

A truth that mentally ill people

understand that many 

"normal" people will never 

understand.

This past message we read by Dr. Fettke was not only inspirational but is very dear to my heart as well. His message concerned the “life force” and spiritual significance of the mentally disabled. As I said in class and my last blog; I have a special needs sister myself. I hold Dr. Fettke’s same position in that God “hovers” over all creation.  Knowing this truth by definition things such as intelligence and social acceptance become obsolete and unimportant when determining adequacy in the spiritual kingdom. In fact I feel that the mentally disabled are more spiritual than most of the Christians I know to be honest. Many of us “normal” Christians worry about the cares of the World everyday, while the mentally ill don’t even take into account such meaningless things such as acceptance. My special needs sister is happier and more transparent than any person I know. This isn’t because she’s been showered upon with blessings, in fact she actually more oppressed than most of us with her illness, although she is loving and grateful nevertheless. I feel this is the core of spirituality. I want to note as well that he joy isn’t simply a side affect of her illness. She is well aware of her surroundings and is venerable to hurt just as we are. It is the simple truth in her head that keeps her joyful. The simple truth that says God is enough. With this said I couldn’t agree more with Dr. Fettke in that mental illness is an abnormality to man, but not to God. God “hovers” over all things thus his spirit is in all things whether mentally ill or not. In fact I feel if we could inherit the simplicity of a mentally ill person, we may really learn what it means to inherit the kingdom of God and live in true humbleness. Living in that simple truth is true spirituality.