Does Mental Illness always excuse us from sin, or only certain ones?

[benjammin]

For example, if a person is mentally ill, are they not guilty of murder in the eyes of God, or is the person guilty no matter what? What about different kinds of mental illness. Is someone who is say, retarded( sorry if the term offends anyone, btw), less able to know what a sin is compared to someone with depression or aspergers or bipolar disorder?

 

[underacloud]

God will judge each sin on its merits, looking at the occasion and person, including any mental/psychological conditions that may diminish culpability.

It is not the case that a mental illness always excuses sin, although I assume some people are mentally ill/impaired such that they could not really meet requirements for say mortal sin.

Certainly some conditions have greater impariment of moral choices than do other conditions. God will judge each person uniquely.

 

[robwar]

For example, if a person is mentally ill, are they not guilty of murder in the eyes of God, or is the person guilty no matter what? What about different kinds of mental illness. Is someone who is say, retarded( sorry if the term offends anyone, btw), less able to know what a sin is compared to someone with depression or aspergers or bipolar disorder?

That type of question should be left in the hands of God and that person’s confessor.
On the legal side of things, insanity is now extremely very difficult to prove and win in court (not guilty by reason of insanity) and it should be. That is the same for suicide which is self murder and often can be caused by mental illness. We need to leave these types of questions in the hands of God and only concern ourselves with making sure we are not sinning and we understand what sin is and is not.

 

[Julia_Mae]

For example, if a person is mentally ill, are they not guilty of murder in the eyes of God, or is the person guilty no matter what? What about different kinds of mental illness. Is someone who is say, retarded( sorry if the term offends anyone, btw), less able to know what a sin is compared to someone with depression or aspergers or bipolar disorder?

The problem as a mentally ill person isn’t that you are unaware the behavior is sinful, it’s that you don’t have the same capacity for choice others have. Aster a while, you don’t know what’s your fault and what’s your disease. By God’s grace, things can change, at least in terms of your more major sins.

People who are psychotic, or who have a tendency to drift in and out of reality along a sort of continuum of functioning reasonably to being totally whacko, can have times of not realizing at all the consequences of actions or that anyone would object. But then they come back to the more sane side of the spectrum and get eaten by guilt and fear. Which makes 'em suffer a lot and be crazier-ish. Even when they are actually doing well.

It’s very tiring. I like to hope God will be so much kinder to the mentally ill than they are to themselves.

Pray for the menally ill everyone. Just a little daily thought-prayer from everyone would be a big help.

 

[Nimzovik]

Mental Ilness in many cases if often a choice in and of itself.

That aside, Methinks God will have mercy on the desperate.

 

[Helen31]

It really depends on the person and their mental state at the time of the sin. Bi-polar folks and people with psychitzophrenia don’t always have episodes. If they’re not having an episode and knowingly go out and kill someone for instance, then they will(or should be) held to the same standard as someone without diminished capacity. Make sense? Now if they’re having an episode and think someone’s coming after them and honestly believe that it’s killed or be killed, I couldn’t believe God would hold them to the same accountability.

 

[Mar044]

my mom has metal illness, she doesn’t know what she is doing is wrong, she thinks its normal because the side of the brain that is effected is the logic centre.

if your crazy and kill yourself and don’t know what your doing then god isn’t stupid. god knows before you know what your state was.

thats the funny thing about god, you can’t cheat him, unlike the devil he knows what your going to do, knows what you are thinking, and no matter what you say already passes judgment on your actions, we might have free will to commit those actions but time has no meaning to god, he can already see what the outcome of your free choice is.

thus why I strongly believe that god has the ability to save us threw prayer, I strongly believe I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I get mad many times at him but i hope deep down he knows i love my father and wouldn’t disown him no matter what I say.

 

[SuperLuigi]

That type of question should be left in the hands of God and that person’s confessor.
On the legal side of things, insanity is now extremely very difficult to prove and win in court (not guilty by reason of insanity) and it should be. That is the same for suicide which is self murder and often can be caused by mental illness. We need to leave these types of questions in the hands of God and only concern ourselves with making sure we are not sinning and we understand what sin is and is not.

That’s true, but claims to serious mental illness are used a lot for fraudulent purposes.

 

[benjammin]

What about really, and i mean REALLY Serious crimes. Like a serial killer, or those who commit genocide (I’m thinking of Hitler and Stalin. I’ve heard some people guess they were mentally ill) On the one had they might not know what they are doing, but they execute their evil so well. I mean its one thing for someone mentally ll to commit smaller sins,but some just seem unforgivable

 

[Mar044]

What about really, and i mean REALLY Serious crimes. Like a serial killer, or those who commit genocide (I’m thinking of Hitler and Stalin. I’ve heard some people guess they were mentally ill) On the one had they might not know what they are doing, but they execute their evil so well. I mean its one thing for someone mentally ll to commit smaller sins,but some just seem unforgivable

huge issue on that.

my signature says it all. how many people did they personally kill? they had the gun and killed. many many men followed those orders and carried out those orders, out of fear or whatever, they are just as guilty as the rest.

Hitler is proven historical to have Sifilis, he would not have lived a long time even if the war had gone in his favor, he would have went blind and mad as a bat. that being said it is god to judge these men not us.

I find it funny that a system can say that guy who shot that woman in the head in america could be found sain yet he is insane and has to take medication for being insane. so hes sain to stand trial and be tried…and i heard cnn report…oh we want him to take his meds so he feels every day what he did, so they somehow want revenge…he didn’t know what he was doing, and so you put him in jail for life forced to live out his days feeling what he did even though he didn’t know what he was doing…a nation with compassion…

 

[Skye_Ariel]

For example, if a person is mentally ill, are they not guilty of murder in the eyes of God, or is the person guilty no matter what? What about different kinds of mental illness. Is someone who is say, retarded( sorry if the term offends anyone, btw), less able to know what a sin is compared to someone with depression or aspergers or bipolar disorder?

God judges by what’s in a person’s heart. There are plenty of mentally ill people who are harmless to themselves and others and then there are mentally ill who are dangerous. I think mental illness can only make someone kill or hurt people if that person has that in their heart to begin with.

With mentally slow people and people with autism and things like that, God judges them on the mental level they are able to comprehend things with and He judges by their heart. People who are severely handicapped to where they can’t even talk etc I think God judges them like He would a baby who can’t comprehend or understand things.

Those are just my opinions I don’t know if it’s true or not.

 

[robwar]

What about really, and i mean REALLY Serious crimes. Like a serial killer, or those who commit genocide (I’m thinking of Hitler and Stalin. I’ve heard some people guess they were mentally ill) On the one had they might not know what they are doing, but they execute their evil so well. I mean its one thing for someone mentally ll to commit smaller sins,but some just seem unforgivable

I think you know the answer to this. To dismiss the murders done by or encouraged by Hitler or Stalin to mental illness is really beyond belief. Just because some people want to excuse them to mental illness does not excuse what these two and other despots did. People who think such stupidity insult even those who do struggle with mental illness and can’t point to any diagnosis from DSM V and beyond. Giving in to total evil does twist you into a sick human being but does not in anyway excuse them and their responsibility to do right.

 

[robwar]

God judges by what’s in a person’s heart. There are plenty of mentally ill people who are harmless to themselves and others and then there are mentally ill who are dangerous. I think mental illness can only make someone kill or hurt people if that person has that in their heart to begin with.

With mentally slow people and people with autism and things like that, God judges them on the mental level they are able to comprehend things with and He judges by their heart. People who are severely handicapped to where they can’t even talk etc I think God judges them like He would a baby who can’t comprehend or understand things.

Those are just my opinions I don’t know if it’s true or not.

very well put! We need to leave the final judgement to God since He is the only one who knows the heart. Mental illness ranges from a great variety of things from depression and anxiety to the more serious psychosis and break with reality and everything else in-between. Serious crime such as murder is actually done by a very few and the most serious threat would be suicide if anything at all and that we leave in God’s hands for a final judgement.

 

[Skye_Ariel]

very well put! We need to leave the final judgement to God since He is the only one who knows the heart. Mental illness ranges from a great variety of things from depression and anxiety to the more serious psychosis and break with reality and everything else in-between. Serious crime such as murder is actually done by a very few and the most serious threat would be suicide if anything at all and that we leave in God’s hands for a final judgement.

Thanks! Exactly!

 

[edwest2]

This is a very important question that needs to be discussed with a priest. There are different types of mental illnesses and differing degrees of severity. You could also contact the National Catholic Bioethics Center:

ncbcenter.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=1182

Peace,
Ed

 

[tiflemetry]

Mental Ilness in many cases if often a choice in and of itself.

That aside, Methinks God will have mercy on the desperate.

I would argue and strongly disagree with this quoted statement. I would have NEVER chosen to have postpartum depression and psychosis, followed now by three years of being bipolar, and miss out on remembering the joyful memories I experienced in the first year with my baby. I see pictures of us together and can’t remember any of it. VERY inconsiderate.

As far as the question, I think only God can decide. The thought process of advanced mental illness is not that of an ordinary citizen, when it is uncontrolled, or exacerbated. Only He can read the souls and intentions of that individual, and know exactly what was going on. Just as a child is having to learn right from wrong, in an altered mental stated, right and wrong, whether small or large, become distorted.

Just my personal opinion, some from experience. I have looked back, in a cognizant state of mind, on a period of an altered state, and been guilty and appalled. Some people do not have that luxury of finding a clear mind. But, if they do, is that not what confession and prayer are for?