• Login
No Result
View All Result
The Urban Twist
NEWSLETTERS
  • News
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Culture
    • Lifestyle
  • Features
  • Opinion
The Urban Twist
No Result
View All Result

Home » Lifestyle » Hand Me the Holy Water: Mental Illness and the Black Christian

Hand Me the Holy Water: Mental Illness and the Black Christian

What do Christians do about mental illness? Should we look to scripture, science, or both?
  • By Zanubea Flowers
  • /
  • September 8, 2015
Facebook
Reddit
Email

Christianity has always been the center point in the African-American community.

During the era of slavery, slaves used Christianity as a beckon of hope, hoping that one day they will be released from their Caucasian oppressors, and finally experience the luxury of freedom they dreamed of.

From generation to generation, African-Americans use religion as a way to escape life’s situations.

Christians believed that prayer could solve any political, social, economical, and personal aspects of one’s life.

The term mental illness is taboo amongst the black church, so taboo that those who are a part of the extremist lane of the religion would brush the illness off and insist that the individual who’s suffering from the illness should just go to the altar.

Christians feel that mental illness is a spirit instead of an illness and that you can just pray the spirit away.

Or they feel like the cure for such illness is bible verses and suggested prayer twice a day, morning and night.

There are several ways to treat the plethora of mental illnesses, but brushing off the disease as if it is just a minor cough or sneeze cannot save the victim from their own mental prison.

Personally having family members who suffers with an array of mental illnesses (depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, etc.) and being raised in a Christian family household, I saw first hand how distant these two facets are and how unhelpful the family strategies were.

The downward spiral my family members who suffered from the disease went through was tremendously dark and lonely. Only when the victim goes to the extreme (attempting suicide or have a terrible delusional episode) is when the family would take the victim to the hospital for help.

Never should it take a person trying to take his or her own life; should family or a friend take an illness seriously. When the signs start to transcend to the surface that’s when action should be taken.

Religion, in my opinion, is only a part of human existence simply to give people something to believe in, keeping a person on a steady positive road, and help guide them through life. Life has a way of throwing rocks on a person’s already rocky road.

The one thing Christianity teaches is “prayer without work is dead”, so this statement should be taken into consideration when a family is suffering from any illness; you can pray all you want but what work are you putting in to save this person’s life? Mental health is prevalent to living holistically.

Donation

Buy author a coffee

Donate
Tags: Blackblack churcheschurchillnessmental illnesstrending
Zanubea Flowers

Zanubea Flowers

Zanubea Flowers is a jack of many trades, she’s a creative writer, author, poet and an aspiring director. A recent graduate of Florida A and M University, Zanubea has a sentimental appeal for the arts, seeing it as a realm for healing and self-expression; she uses her creativity and work ethic to spread the importance of self-awareness, self-love, and consciousness to the forefront. Some of her contribution to the craft of writing are: Blog writer for The Urban Twist, author of the book "The Journal: Drama, Love, Sex: a collection of poetry", and director, writer, and video editor for the "promo-series" called "Marvin State: The Nitty Gritty" on Youtube. If you are interested in her work and would love to contact her visit her website: http://zanubea.wixsite.com/zanubea/

From The Web

Related Stories

Related Posts

Free-Spirited Songbird: Makhyli
Entertainment

Free-Spirited Songbird: Makhyli

May 6, 2025
Kendrick Lamar gives rousing performance during Super Bowl LIX’s Halftime Show
Entertainment

Kendrick Lamar gives rousing performance during Super Bowl LIX’s Halftime Show

February 9, 2025
Doechii delivers captivating Grammy performance and scores first Grammy win for Best Rap Album
Entertainment

Doechii delivers captivating Grammy performance and scores first Grammy win for Best Rap Album

February 3, 2025
Eternal Holiday Hit: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”
Entertainment

Eternal Holiday Hit: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”

December 5, 2024
Megan Thee Stallion and Yuki Chiba sizzle in new “Mamushi” video
Entertainment

Megan Thee Stallion and Yuki Chiba sizzle in new “Mamushi” video

August 10, 2024
Eric Benét and Tamar Braxton heat up the summer with new single, “Something We Can Make Love To”
Entertainment

Eric Benét and Tamar Braxton heat up the summer with new single, “Something We Can Make Love To”

June 29, 2024

TRENDING HEADLINES

LATEST NEWS

Superman Soars Past Snyder’s Shadow, Bringing Heart, Humor, and Hope Back to the Big Screen

Superman Soars Past Snyder’s Shadow, Bringing Heart, Humor, and Hope Back to the Big Screen

Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ Delivers a Haunting Blend of History and Horror

Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ Delivers a Haunting Blend of History and Horror

Free-Spirited Songbird: Makhyli

Free-Spirited Songbird: Makhyli

2 months ago
Issa Rae’s Black Mirror Debut Sparks Mixed Reactions: Fans Question ‘Hotel Reverie’ Performance

Issa Rae’s Black Mirror Debut Sparks Mixed Reactions: Fans Question ‘Hotel Reverie’ Performance

3 months ago
NAACP Sues Department of Education Over Anti-DEI Orders Targeting Black Students

NAACP Sues Department of Education Over Anti-DEI Orders Targeting Black Students

3 months ago
Serena Williams Shuts Down Drake Shade Rumors After Super Bowl Cameo

Serena Williams Shuts Down Drake Shade Rumors After Super Bowl Cameo

3 months ago
  • Write For Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Copyright & DMCA
  • About Us
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Ethics Policy
  • Ownership Policy
  • MarketersMEDIA Newswire​

Copyright © 2021 Phoenix Stokes Media Group, LLC. All rights reserved.
Website designed and developed by P.S. Web Pros.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Culture
    • Lifestyle
  • Features
  • Opinion

Copyright © 2021 Phoenix Stokes Media Group, LLC. All rights reserved.
Website designed and developed by P.S. Web Pros.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.