Hi spirit7 - nice to meet you!

This is a BIG "hot button" for me. I am also a Christian and was first diagnosed with a depressive illness when I was attending a large, charismatic-type church. My therapist at the time was a Christian and he was the one who suspected I had an illness rather than just issues that talk-therapy could help and he was the one who referred me to my pdoc, who I have been seeing ever since.

I got comments from people at church ranging from "Confess your healing" to "You must have sin in your life." These kind of comments are very damaging.

Two suggestions: I found a book during that time that literally seemed to "leap" off the bookstore shelf at me - I HIGHLY recommend it. I believe it is out of print now, but I just got a new copy on amazon.com in the used section: Holding God Hostage by Tom Watson, Jr. & Stan Schmidt. Stan (who was bipolar) was saved during a Full-Gospel Men's Fellowship and these men told him to throw out his meds and trust in God. The book recounts what happened when he did that...then Stan documents similar situations when many in the church are just not educated on mental illness being just that...a physical illness!

Another good book is Depression: Finding Hope and Meaning in Life's Darkest Shadow by Don Baker and Emery Nester. This one is the true story of a pastor who was diagnosed with depression and hospitalized - and his journey.

I happened to turn the T.V. on the other day to catch the last part of a show that talked about how churches view mental illness. I called and ordered the DVD - their website is: Shadow Voices The program was sponsored by the National Council of Churches.

So, NO, I know mental illness is not due to sin. Remember the man who was born blind and the pharisees asked Jesus who sinned, him or his parents, to cause him to be blind. Jesus answered (paraphrased) it was not sin, but to show the glory of God.

Yes, please come back and talk to us...many of us have been there, if not in a church setting, with friends/relatives who say "Just get over it!"

(Can you tell I'm passionate about this subject? )

Just re-read your post...I've been on anti-depressants going on 15 years now...and I don't believe them to be a sin either. I do believe God *can* heal miraculously if He chooses, but that he also gave people the wisdom to make drugs for all kinds of illnesses as well as becoming doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, etc. Remember Luke of the Gospels was a physician.

Ok, rant off now - this one just gets me going! *grins*