I have been a therapist involved in the healing ministry for several decades. During that time I have seen thousands of men and women whose mental states were a mixture of angry, depressed, bitter and despairing and some whose behavior was often compulsive, hopeless, hurtful and self defeating. In the case of Nidal Hasan, whom I never saw in therapy but whose mindset was familiar, the mental state was a mixture of fantasy and extreme bitterness.
Hr. Hasan was following in the footsteps of other terrorists who have flown airplanes into buildings full of workers, blown themselves and others up in marketplaces and homes and mosques, led suicide attacks on hotels and churches and acted in other seemingly inexplicable ways. But is it a mystery why these men do such things? Not according to the Bible, God's book of psychology and behavior.
Read this prophetic passage in Hebrews 12: 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
In the passage above the writer encourages the sick and feeble to prepare for healing. In many instances people with problems and pain need to work at getting better. Mr. Hasan did the opposite. He diligently pursued illness of mind and soul.
14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Verses 14 and 15 tell us exactly what will cause murder: self pity, unforgiveness, hatred and bitterness. Mr. Hasan had evidently rehearsed his perceptions of US mistreatment of fellow Muslims and it drove him to madness and murder. It literally did what was predicted in Hebrews by causing a bitter root and that causes trouble and defiled many families.
What else can drive so many Muslims to murder thousands of innocent men, women and children? Anyone who ruminates over and over on being a supposed victim will develop a deep suspicion or even paranoia about the people who have, in his fantasy, victimized him. Mr. Hasan was paranoid and complained often and loudly about how the American Army, of which he was a well paid officer, was persecuting Islam and Islamic countries.
The people who suffered as a result were men and women standing unarmed and helpless in a line at an Army base in Texas. Let his mental, emotional and moral derangement be a warning to all of us that the Bible is right when it comes to the main causes of violence: a root of bitterness from a refusal to forgive past wrongs by offering others mercy and grace.
By grace we are saved, healed and delivered not by works lest anyone should boast.
1 comment:
To White African:
Islam is being associated with “terror” by the terrorists themselves. They cry out to Allah whilst they push the plunger or pull the trigger. They plead that Allah accept their martyrdom as they murder innocents. You blame the lying media. It is not the media who commits these acts. Which story do you think they are lying about: 7/7? 9/11? Madrid? Mumbai?
If you seek the source of misunderstanding of Islam, perhaps you should be as diligent seeking out these monsters as you are addressing imagined slights on a blog from America.
Do you not realise that in Afghanistan the girls you teach at your school could have acid thrown in their faces for the simple infraction of their parents wanting them to get an education and perhaps escape their crushing poverty or being sold into marriage at 12?
You are so relieved that your father’s health has improved. We all thank Allah for his mercy and wish that He may give your father a long and healthy life (Ameen). Yet these terrorists who memorize the same passages would be very pleased indeed if your father was amongst those on that bus in Tavistock Square.
So spare us all your indignation. I implore you: fight the real enemy of Islam – those who are hijacking its true meaning of peace.
Post a Comment