Sin vs. Psychology

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

A

Not sure where you’re going with this?..we should not have discussions with teens on CAF? Or we should tell them to go to confession? Currently, I perceive that we ARE telling them to go to confession, to talk with their parents, to talk with a priest. And we certainly aren’t encouraging going to “less tame” sites…in fact we warn against it. So…I think we’re doing pretty good

Fair enough.
I’m not even sure I’m going “anywhere” with this.
It just makes me anxious, is all.
I’m afraid I don’t have a super duper one size fits all answer, either.

 

[Lee1]

Having said that I seem to recall that suicide in those days wasn’t exclusively committed by depressed people in mental turmoil who had lost their ability to reason logically. A person might do it in those days out of an erroneous sense of honour. If his opinion referred to that type of suicide then I would agree with the saint.

I think he must have been referring to the habit of noble suicides in his times. I’m sure he would’ve been just as empathetic as we are today about the other kinds of suicides.

 

[blackforest]

However, there is recent research (not all mainstream) involving the study of consciousness that reveals what psychologists have known for a very long time: namely, that there is a difference between the biological brain and the psychological mind, and that the brain does not control all our behavior.

True. However, as someone who loves a person with autism, the constant stress of misinterpreting information through a brain that works differently makes good choices very difficult and the eventual “I can’t help it” overwhelmingly tempting. It’s very difficult for those of us with neuro-typical brains to understand/judge the behavior of those with atypical neuro-functioning…hence the tons of threads on CAF

I’ve acknowledged that there’s more to it than physiology. But physiology, coupled with cognitive distortion and atypical neurobiology, can challenge the free will component. Fortunately, there are effective interventions in a lot of these cases.

 

[therese1998]

I’m afraid I don’t have a super duper one size fits all answer, either.

That’s because there most likely isn’t one. Take a deep breath and say a prayer for each teen you encounter on CAF. It’s all you can do and, fortunately, it’s the best thing you can do.

’m sure he would’ve been just as empathetic as we are today

Maybe Saints aren’t perfect people; they are people who struggle all their lives to follow God within their mortal shell…plenty of them may have had ideas or attitudes that we consider sinful today because we have a different kind of knowledge. We also do many things that they would consider sinful because we have “explained away” the sin. If St Augustine, with full knowledge and consent, was overly harsh regarding the disposition of those who committed suicide and then repented, I’m sure God forgave him. As I hope He does for me.

Fortunately, there are effective interventions in a lot of these cases.

Some interventions are effective for some people with autism; there is no one effective intervention for all people with autism to make them into what everyone else wants them to be. At best, they are managed with strategies and/or meds until the person can get to a place where it is safe to decompress. At worst, they are in and out of psych hospitals and half way houses while the world focuses on those who are “cured”. There is no getting away from the fact that life challenges them, every minute, in ways others are not. So full consent and full knowledge (for some) is in serious question. But I digress…sorry about that. Sorta a soapbox of mine

I’ve acknowledged that there’s more to it than physiology.

Absolutely. I didn’t mean to imply you hadn’t…simply ruminating on the complexity of it all.

 

[therese1998]

As the mom of a most precious and wonderful boy just starting adolescence with HFA, I have to say I agree. And how wonderful that we DO have that Perfect Place to lay our worries and fears for our children. He will give them more than we can ourselves and so we lean on Him, find relief for our anxieties and know that we are doing the best thing for us and for our children. It’s a win-win God bless.

 

[blackforest]

Some interventions are effective for some people with autism; there is no one effective intervention for all people with autism to make them into what everyone else wants them to be. At best, they are managed with strategies and/or meds until the person can get to a place where it is safe to decompress. At worst, they are in and out of psych hospitals and half way houses while the world focuses on those who are “cured”. There is no getting away from the fact that life challenges them, every minute, in ways others are not. So full consent and full knowledge (for some) is in serious question. But I digress…sorry about that. Sorta a soapbox of mine

I was referring to more than just autism but agree wholeheartedly with your rant. For many ASD people, the goal should be, (as much as possible), to live a happy, productive life rather than to seek nebulous
“cures.”

 

[therese1998]

I was referring to more than just autism but agree wholeheartedly with your rant. For many ASD people, the goal should be, (as much as possible), to live a happy, productive life rather than to seek nebulous
“cures.”

Yes! And yes, there is much more than just autism out there that causes deep distress and difficulty with behaviors…I tend to get tunnel-vision sometimes, I know