Was Jesus Mentally Ill?

[Graybeard]

Well, at least one vicar in the Church of England thinks so:

JESUS CHRIST 'MAY HAVE SUFFERED FROM MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS', CLAIMS CHURCH OF ENGLAND http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/341926/Jesus-Christ-may-have-suffered-from-mental-health-problems-claims-Church-of-England

A SUGGESTED sermon produced by the Church of England for clerics attempting to tackle the stigma of mental health pulls no punches.
Written by the Rev Eva McIntyre on behalf of the Church’s Archbishops’ Council and the Time to Change mental health campaign, it suggests John the Baptist, St Paul, St Francis and other figures from the Bible may all have been mentally ill.

It even asks followers to consider accusations made in the New Testament that Jesus "had lost his mind".

It reads: "Many of the people we read about in Bible stories might today be considered as having mental health issues.

"For example, ‘Would Jesus’ family maybe on occasion have said, ‘Cousin John is a bit odd, bless him!’ when John the Baptist took to his eccentric style of life?

"It has long been thought that King Saul, in the books of Samuel, was displaying mood swings that suggest he had bi-polar disorder and some think that St Paul’s Damascus Road experience was the result of some sort of breakdown or psychotic episode.

"Even Jesus was not immune to accusations about his mental health: there is a story in the gospel that tells of his mother and siblings attempting to take him home because they are afraid that he has lost his mind[1].

"Many of the stories of the Saints, too, have led people to discuss their mental health. "For example was St Francis suffering from a mental health title?"

Acknowledging how shocking these ideas might be, Ms McIntyre, a member of the General Synod, adds: "Some may find these suggestions disturbing or offensive even.

"Perhaps we need to ask why it would be so terrible to think that some of our most inspirational forebears might have experienced mental health illness."

1.

M't:12:46: While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. M't:12:47: Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. M't:12:48: But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? M't:12:49: And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

Unsurprisingly, the vicar thinks that Jesus was an historical figure, but that aside, that final suggestion speaks volumes; if someone is hearing voices or thinks he is the son of God, how should his advice be taken?

There is at least one book (I can't vouch for its quality) from the Islamic perspective:

Dear valued readers

I have written a book “Unmasking Muhammad; The Malignant Narcissist and his Grand Delusion Allah”, which is available for free download.

In this research work, I have shown with enough evidence that Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam was suffering from a mental disorder. The name of this mental disorder is “Malignant Narcissism” and because of his mental illness he thought himself to be a messenger of God. It was his Grand Delusion.
http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=855

[Nam]

Can you really blame Jesus for being mentally ill? I mean, he had Biblegod in his brain. That'd make anyone mentally ill.



-Nam

[Graybeard]

Ha! It is a question of cause and effect: The mental illness was the cause of the voices in the head, not the result.

[Nick]

Good thing Jesus did not have access to guns.

[Energized]

Good thing Jesus did not have access to guns.

He didn't need one. He withered a tree with a curse!

E.

[pianodwarf]

Good thing Jesus did not have access to guns.

He didn't need one. He withered a tree with a curse!

Jesus was omnipotent.  If he had needed any guns, he could have done an Iron Man thing or something and turned his arms into arms.

[Nam]

Each Breadth is a Loaf of Bread

There's an illusion in front of me;
Tiring my eyes in the breadth of red--
Delusions become the whore
Spreading her legs inside one's head!

It's an illusion of multiple lights
Flickering like the Lighthouse on the edge:
Delusions become the orgasm
Spread by the whore, groped on the ledge--

Where have all the silhouettes dreamt away to?
God in its infinite delusions of grandeur
Makes each ellipsis that much smaller,
When upon leaves of trees start to falter--
And time ceases to be!

David Garrett Arnold
August 29 2012[1]

-Nam

1.	1st poem written in over a month, and I know it sucks but, still...better than nothing.

[bertatberts]

There once was a man called Jesus,
who said he had come to save us,
he was quite mad,
and the people were glad,
cause what he had brought was a brain virus.

A couple of minutes of the cuff, 12.09  30/8/12.
Yes it's crap but it is a limerick.

[Shandi]

Was there really a man called Jesus? I doubt it.

[lomolo]

the Great Prophet

Excellent