“I’m a teen Christian but I struggled to gain from the podcast on spiritual warfare. I understand the intent was to make me uncomfortable, but instead I felt that I was somehow guilty for my anxiety and depression (diagnosed illnesses) from letting the devil in through haunted houses and scary movies, both of which I don’t even do. I felt that their handling of suicidal thoughts was very much victim blaming. I love that people feel the need to spread their views on God and the word. However, I don’t want to listen and feel like illnesses I fight daily to survive are the fault of the devil or even the fault of me for allowing the devil to create. There’s a line between giving in to temptation (a choice) and being burdened with a sometimes genetic mental illness (not a choice). By saying that suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and depression are somehow a person’s weakness to the devil or reluctance to wear the armor of the Lord, the host and her guest perpetrate stigma, shame, and victim blaming. I’m a very faithful person, and I don’t commit any of the sins they spoke about, yet I have the result they presented as the outcome of shunning the Lord and partaking in haunted houses and scary movies. So uncomfortable is lovely. But what you’ve presented has caused me and likely other mentally ill Christians a lot of doubt and guilt. Please consider the weight of your words. And to anyone considering a listen, especially impressionable teens with intrusive (or not) suicidal thoughts or mental illness in general, I think there are other creators that might have less of a negative effect on your mental well-being, but that will still provide their insight on the Bible and on God. Suicidal thoughts and a crippling mental illness are not a spiritual failure.”
sabbicat via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
12/24/21