Quote:
Originally Posted by alwayslearning
I have to give Witness Lee credit in handling one of the several instances of mental illness I was aware of. A young brother was traveling across the country to a training and started to have a nervous breakdown. Witness Lee was contacted and asked for advice. He said the brother's conscience was oversensitive and to stop discussing any spiritual things with him. No praying. Nothing. Instead play games like chess, etc and do other activities like sightseeing along the way. This helped a lot. When he got to the training the brother was not expected to attend any meetings. He was free to come and go as he pleased with no pressure. These stop-gap measures helped until he was able to get professional help. He went on to become a husband, dad and built a successful career without further incidents.
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Thanks for relaying this incident alwayslearning. I know more than a few whose mental health illnesses were not effectively diagnosed until well into the late 80's/early 90's.
I know from personal experience being raised in the local churches, baseball, football, hiking, etc played a role in temporary distraction from over-spiritualizing every facet of human living.
Meeting with a current non-LC assembly many of the saints I have gotten to know are just as sensitive to their human spirit, but also recoginizing a need to be balanced in day to day living. I think saints in the LC are no different, but are squenched by the bondage of peer pressure to be "spiritual". Just be who you are until conformed inwardly.
Back to Nigel's writing. His article was surely informative. One thinking critically of Nigel's work might think our brother is "nitpicking". I'm thinking changing a verse's translation changes the context how a verse is comprehended.