Religion and Spirituality in Psychiatry

292 William P. Wilsonsentiments, and attitudes. This allows the patientto express his thoughts and feelings and increasinglybe able to listen to his own communications.As he progressively accepts the therapist’sfeelings toward him, he can be more open andgrow toward self-actualization. Although thisapproach to treatment has been accepted andpracticed widely, it is only partly biblical. Jesusdid relate this way with all the hurting people hecame in contact with, but he assumed many otherroles while he unconditionally accepted them.Carlson (28) has described the many rolesJesus took while relating. He was critic, preacher,teacher, interpreter, mediator, confronter, admonisher,advocate, sustainer, supporter, lecturer,adviser, burden-bearer, listener, reprover, warner,helper, consoler, and pardoner. If we comparethis list with the roles listed by Karasu, we findthat the roles adopted by therapists using secularsystems are quite limited. The roles adopted byJesus included those used by secular therapists,but went far beyond. Because we are to treat personsusing biblical insights, we should model ourtherapeutic role after the greatest healer of all.The stance of the Christian therapist shouldbe as variable as his role. There are times whenhe will have to be loving, comforting, accepting,permissive, confronting, gratifying, direct, problem-solving,and practical. At other times he willneed to be indirect, dispassionate, or frustrating.4. SPIRITUAL DISEASETo a physician, the concept of spiritual disease isnot difficult to accept if he or she believes thatman has a spirit. However, theologians may havea problem with such a concept. Even so, it wasrecognized in Jeremiah 8:22 when it was said thatthe people of Israel needed healing for their idolatryand rebellion. The concept is also found inChristian hymnody in the use of the term “sinsick souls” to describe people who need Christ.If we analyze the scriptures, we are able toidentify four spiritual diseases. The first of theseis a congenital one that all are born with, andthat is to be unregenerate (i.e., not regeneratedand therefore requiring to be born again into thespiritual life). This came about because Adamand Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden when theywanted to “be like God.” We are rebellious fromthe beginning. All one has to do to confirm thisis to watch a child in the first two years of life.One of the first words he learns is “no.” His rebellionwill continue throughout his life. Before thefall, man lived in union with God; afterwards, hewas alienated. This alienation is only relieved bya conversion experience.A second spiritual disease is sin. Jay Adamsmade sin the center of his pastoral counselingapproach. He was, however, a spiritual reductionistand did not consider man’s other spiritual diseases.We have already defined sin as consciousrebellion against God. It occurs in both unregenerateand regenerate persons. W. M. McKay sawsin as a disease as did Moshe Spero. McKay saidthe thing that most characterized sin as a symptomwas that it gave rise to moral paralysis. It alsogave rise to deceit because the sinner did not wantothers to know of his moral dereliction. It alsogives rise to negative emotions. Most commonlythese are shame, fear (anxiety), and sorrow. Thelatter is due to the existential despair of moralitythat develops secondary to the moral paralysis.Sin pollutes the environment. McKay recognizedthis and said that moral pollution makesthe environment infectious. I need only refer tothe drug-ridden environments of our schoolstoday, which are as infectious as they can be forchildren who spend their time there. This is whywe have an epidemic of drug use by teenagers.A third spiritual disease is demonization.Satan’s existence has been controversial for manyyears. (29) The Bible makes the existence of Satanexplicit as it describes his person and works. Jesuswas said to have come to destroy the works of thedevil (1 John 3:8).Satan’s intimate interaction with mankindis called demonization. Satan uses his minions(demonic spirits) to accomplish this. Demonizationhas three forms. There is possession, oppression,and obsession. In possession there are diagnosticfeatures. These have been summarized byNevius. (30) The primary manifestation of this stateis the regular appearance of another personality,