This is in response to a post by ElShaddai Edwards and somewhat in response to Peter Kirk (whose comments I appreciate).
My reason for point out Heibert’s theory of the flaw of the excluded middle was to point out why many westerns tend to have a problem with ideas such as spiritual warfare. For westerners things can be explained either in terms of science or the supernatural (ultimate life issues) – but not necessarily because of devils and demons, etc. We’re too sophisticated for all that. Devils and demons are things one hears about in third world countries, not in the western world – we’ve move beyond all that – catch my drift?
So I am not trying to categorize things per se (or put them in boxes) but just point out why we westerners don’t understand certain things like devils and demons. Yet our world is plagued with them or signs of their influence: alcoholism, drug abuse, pornography, sexual promiscuity, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, Clergy moral failures (and general moral failures leading to broken relationships, divorce and more), millions of abortions, murder, high prison rates, corporate or government corruption, political corruption, etc the list goes on and on and on.
Yet we won’t attribute it to demonic influences but rather there is some sociological or scientific explanation – alcoholism is no longer a result of sinful behavior but now it is a “disease.” Homosexuality is no longer an abnormality as it used to be listed in the DSM-III or earlier but now it is just an alternative life style. Drug abuse has some sociological explanation instead of it being a result of sin and brokenness in the human heart and a possible type of demonic oppression.
As to physical sicknesses I see it can be the result of living in a fallen world (if I eat a poorly cooked piece of meat or fish or chicken I’ll probably get food poisoning or some other sickness – babies are sometimes born with disabilities. I don’t know why this happens. We live in a fallen world and some things are hard to understand). But physical sickness could also be a spiritual issue (as you noted in your post, either God allowing it to slow us down or its a spiritual attack in opposition to kingdom living to keep us from accomplishing God’s Kingdom purposes).
How do we know the difference? As I’ve been trying to say – I think it depends on the timing and circumstance of the event and that we need to pray about it and ask the Lord. Often spiritual attacks come as opposition to the Gospel and Christian living – so it might not be uncommon to have some spiritual attack come after some spiritually enriching event (gospel preaching, witnessing, spiritual retreat, significant prayer time, or some other spiritually significant event). But if one just goes out on a date and has bad pizza and is up all night with heartburn is that a spiritual attack? Hard to say, maybe, maybe not.
I am going to end this post before things get too subjective or questionable.
Technically, homosexuality can still be seen as “abnormal” b/c it’s found in less than the majority of the population, it’s simply not seen as a mental illness anymore.
Also, just because alcoholism is viewed as a disease by many, I don’t think that it means that “acting” on it is in any way less sinful. The truth is, I believe that certain people are more “predisposed” to being alcoholics, but I don’t think that that negates the personal responsibility that they have in whether or not they will drink. I would say that that’s the case for most mental illnesses that are found in the DSM IV-TR…simply b/c someone has a mental illness does not negate his or her personal responsibility for his actions, but it might help to explain why he acted the way that he did. From a spiritual perspective, could it not be that someone with ________ mental illness simply has a demonic influence regarding _______ on his life?
One more thing, the point of the DSM IV-TR is NOT to simply state what is considered “abnormal” behaviour…it’s a list of disorders, and for something to be listed, it must be much more than simply “abnormal” behaviour.
I know that this might be a slight tangent, but I think that it’s important to understand. The APA isn’t trying to regulate our morality or ethics with the DSM, and if we think that they are, we’re missing the boat entirely.
Thanks, Brian. Sorry to be slow reading and commenting.
I thought at first that we were in fact on the same page here, that we agree that evil has spiritual reasons as well as worldly explanations. But then you show that you are not by asking the question “How do we know the difference?” That, to me, is the wrong question, because there is always some kind of evil behind the heartburn caused by a bad pizza. Maybe we need to discern more carefully what kind of evil, and how we should react to it. But, as you should realise by now, I don’t believe there is such a thing as morally neutral sickness. Whenever we are sick, that is the devil and his forces trying to get us down, even to destroy us if possible. He tries extra hard “after some spiritually enriching event”, as I know from my own experience. But that doesn’t mean that he isn’t trying all the time.
Peter, I understand your point of view. I guess I just don’t see my problems with heartburn as some attack by evil, necessarily. Our bodies are fallen and ridden with sickness – yet when I eat healthy and exercise regularly I don’t have heartburn nearly as much if at all. Its when stop eating healthy and don’t exercise and I get in to eating too much high fat foods like Pizza that the burn comes on. How would I know if it is a spiritual attack? I think it depends on the circumstance and the timing. I do appreciate the conversation.
Rhea, you are right I did misconstrue the DSM and I should not have brought it up in the manner I did.