Depression and the LCs

Trapped · 07-11-2018, 12:41 AM

One time I found myself with a group of adult church kids, both brothers and sisters, all of whom were disillusioned and bitter about their years growing up the local churches. During the time one of the sisters expressed that she was struggling with depression and feelings of low self-worth, and that one reason (of many) she stopped going to the meetings was that hearing things like “You are nothing and Christ is everything, all we are is worthless and sinful, you deserved the cross and God can only even stand to look at you because you are covered in Christ and thus when He looks at you He sees Christ, otherwise He would be repulsed by you and cannot exist where you are” made her feel even worse about herself than she already did.

I could sympathize with her feeling because I had heard that thought myself plenty of times growing up in the LC, but was also frustrated that I really had nothing of substance to offer her besides just lending an ear. I really didn’t know how to respond.

A few days after that I relayed the story to an elder and his response was, “I agree, someone in her state of mind should not go to the meetings.”

While that was not the response I expected, it also didn’t quite land right with me but I couldn’t figure out why. I told the story and elder’s response to another saint and they agreed with the elder, likening the speaking in the meetings to rich food, and that when someone is sick they cannot handle rich food.

Does anyone have any input/advice/response to this? While I understand the concept of a sick person not handling rich food, I realized what hit me wrong was that we are all “sick people”. The Lord came exactly for the sick, depressed, downtrodden, crushed, lowly. These ones needing help shouldn’t come to the church? Only mentally and emotionally fully healthy people are suited to hear what is spoken? I had the thought that maybe what is being spoken in the meetings, or the way it is being conveyed, could be the problem. On the other hand, maybe there is some truth to it and if we are not in the right condition to hear certain things, it is better we don’t hear them? I don’t know. I just hated not being able to have any answer for her and would appreciate any thoughts anyone has.

I also realize that it would be possible for someone in a non-LC church also struggling with depression to pick up this same thought and be turned off by it, so I'm not 100% sure it's an LC-specific thing, although others can probably speak more to that than I can.

07-11-2018, 12:41 AM	#1
Trapped Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 1,523	Depression and the LCs One time I found myself with a group of adult church kids, both brothers and sisters, all of whom were disillusioned and bitter about their years growing up the local churches. During the time one of the sisters expressed that she was struggling with depression and feelings of low self-worth, and that one reason (of many) she stopped going to the meetings was that hearing things like “You are nothing and Christ is everything, all we are is worthless and sinful, you deserved the cross and God can only even stand to look at you because you are covered in Christ and thus when He looks at you He sees Christ, otherwise He would be repulsed by you and cannot exist where you are” made her feel even worse about herself than she already did. I could sympathize with her feeling because I had heard that thought myself plenty of times growing up in the LC, but was also frustrated that I really had nothing of substance to offer her besides just lending an ear. I really didn’t know how to respond. A few days after that I relayed the story to an elder and his response was, “I agree, someone in her state of mind should not go to the meetings.” While that was not the response I expected, it also didn’t quite land right with me but I couldn’t figure out why. I told the story and elder’s response to another saint and they agreed with the elder, likening the speaking in the meetings to rich food, and that when someone is sick they cannot handle rich food. Does anyone have any input/advice/response to this? While I understand the concept of a sick person not handling rich food, I realized what hit me wrong was that we are all “sick people”. The Lord came exactly for the sick, depressed, downtrodden, crushed, lowly. These ones needing help shouldn’t come to the church? Only mentally and emotionally fully healthy people are suited to hear what is spoken? I had the thought that maybe what is being spoken in the meetings, or the way it is being conveyed, could be the problem. On the other hand, maybe there is some truth to it and if we are not in the right condition to hear certain things, it is better we don’t hear them? I don’t know. I just hated not being able to have any answer for her and would appreciate any thoughts anyone has. I also realize that it would be possible for someone in a non-LC church also struggling with depression to pick up this same thought and be turned off by it, so I'm not 100% sure it's an LC-specific thing, although others can probably speak more to that than I can.