Andrea Minichiello Williams conflates the rise in mental health problems with the London riots
In her blog post entitled: London Riots Symptom of a Deeper Malaise, Andrea Minichiello Williams – of Christian Concern – makes the following comment:
The riots which are taking place in London are a symptom of a deeper malaise. A heavier police presence tonight may bring them under control, but it will only be dealing with an expression of a far deeper problem.
Britain is a power-keg of frustrations. Despite the incredible increase in living standards in the last 50 years, UK citizens are increasingly unhappy. Mental health problems are on the rise and people are feeling lost and isolated without family, community and faith.
I hereby dispute Andrea’s baseless insinuation of a link between mental health issues and the outbreaks of rioting and looting currently blighting our nation.
Tags: Science & Medical
August 9th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Is it revenge for all those atheists and liberals who with rather more justification have linked Andrea Minichellio Williams obsessions with sex and persecution to some kind of mental health problem?
August 10th, 2011 at 10:04 am
I suppose it depends on how you define a mental health issue. Some might say that the lack of empathy shown by those who loot and destroy family owned shops is a mental health issue, possibly caused in part by environment.
But I would dispute that there is anything new in what is happening. There have been grossly antisocial and criminal activities such as this throughout history. Take for example the frequent rape and pillage carried on by soldiers of much the same age, and maybe background, as some of these people, a couple of hundred years ago. They make these events look like a vicar’s tea party!
What is new perhaps, is our instant and intimate knowledge of the incidents, and the exponential growth of armchair commentators, thanks to advances in communication.
I do think we need to put some perspective into our appraisal of the events of the past few days. When we look back at them in a few years they will seem so much less important than many other events taking place across the World right now.
August 10th, 2011 at 10:16 am
Hi Simian, I hope you don’t mind me being a little pedantic, but a lack of empathy is usually associated with a personality disorder such as, ‘Anti-Social Personality Disorder’. These personality disorders are not currently classed as mental illness.
Mental illness is a different beast and that’s why I take issue with the conflation of this with the London riots.
August 10th, 2011 at 11:59 am
No, Doug, it isn’t. And said atheists have no justification for saying that (if indeed they have said it – examples please). Moreover, it is they, not she, who have the sex obsession, which is at the root of the ‘sexual revolution’, ‘gay rights movement’ etc.
August 10th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Dear Stuart et al,
Methinks, respectfully, that each of you have completely missed the point!
Why not consider the eminent sense of Andrea’s COMPLETE argument? Sadly, your selected segment demonstrates how the power of the pen may surreptiously skew even a small slice and all too easily inveigle readers against an author.
Perhaps personal interest in mental matters pressed a button? Trained in Christian prayer ministry, and secular counselling, I certainly cannot infer Andrea’s reference to the fact of increasing mental health problems as being the cause of recent riots. She quotes it as an example of Britain as a ‘powder-keg of frustrations’, then goes on to consider other aspects of the riots.
Thus, she correctly targets the root cause – ‘The deepest problem of all is that Britain has, largely, rejected the Christian faith’. Don’t you agree she’s hit the nail on the head?
Permit me to quote my personal blog of that same day to church friends (re. Jesus’ instruction to Nicodemus – John 3):
…Leaders and populace, believers and non-believers alike are deeply disturbed about these events. Are they consequences of taking ourselves from underneath God’s hand of blessing, thereby opening ourselves to all sorts of woes/curses?
…Today, world leaders, ‘experts’ and media are blindly thrashing around simply because they’ve chosen to ignore the One our Almighty Father sent. Pretending to lead nations and opinion, they’ve turned atheistic, humanist ideologies into idolatrous doctrine.
…Let’s pray that all leaders emulate Nicodemus, in not only recognising who Jesus truly is but also by becoming teachable disciples.
Finally, I’m of the firm opinion that personal and national rejection of and rebellion against the Living God are bound to result in mental/emotional health issues. Why? Simply because we’ve hacked through our link with the source of life and light Himself (John 1).
Blindingly obvious – unless one’s blind.
August 10th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
@Richard,
There was absolutely no need for Andrea to cite rising mental health problems in the context of a blog post looking for the ‘symptoms’ underlying the current riots.
In my mind, this conflates the two issues, if you cannot see that, then there’s not much I can say.
August 10th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Isn’t psychopathy classed as a mental illness, and one of the characteristics is a surely lack of empathy? But I see what you’re getting at Stuart.
Dan, I would tend to agree from what I read that Andrea M-W is not specifically obsessed with sex, but I would say that she does appear to be obsessed with finding cases of Christian persecution in the UK. The problem as I see it is that she will cry “Persecution” at the drop of a hat, and this undermines her position. Surely she should be a little more selective in the cases she takes on, if she is to be taken seriously.
Richard. You express an opinion as if it were a fact. Surely it is not possible to prove in any meaningful sense that our current problems are specifically due to turning away from God? How would one go about getting definitive evidence for this? It may indeed be that we are in a ‘worse’ position than we were, say, 100 or 1000 years ago, but how does one logically relate that to belief? Isn’t it a subjective analysis?
Personally I am constantly thankful that I live in the 21st century and not 100 years ago. I think we tend to take for granted the many blessings we have as a result of the greater maturity of our State, and advances in technology and philosphy.
August 10th, 2011 at 5:30 pm
@Simian, no, officially psychopathy forms part of a personality deficiency and thus not a mental illness.
It is a grey area though Simian, so as with all things there’s normally some overlap, or comorbidity.
August 10th, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Finally, I’m of the firm opinion that personal and national rejection of and rebellion against the Living God are bound to result in mental/emotional health issues.
Richard, your belief is flawed, as your logic would then follow that all atheists, agnostics, non believers will eventually become mentally/emotionally ill.
Gosh, that’s is dodgy theology.
How do you answer the fact that many Christians have mental illness?
August 10th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Thinking on, the problem with citing all current societal problems on a rejection of God, is to infer that there was at some stage in history a kind of utopia, free from sin, deprivation and wickedness and exemplifying a harmonous society.
I don’t believe that epoch ever existed.
August 10th, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Thanks for your food for thought folks – regret it’s time to go for today. Want to get back soon as poss.
August 10th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
@webmaster,
I agree, interesting this search for the utopian society be it of the left or right, the danger now is the complete and final breakdown of the political consensus in the U.K. The most likely fall out being the ‘thatcherite conservatives’ using the riots to label the (sub) working class as “sick” thus allowing Comrade Cameron to literally set about sweeping the (“sick”) scum off the streets. The first broom offensive will be an all out assault on subsistence welfare.
For the (sub) working class the new utopia of the right will become the ghettos of utter poverty.
August 12th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
This is unfair – the rise of mental health problems was mentioned to demonstrate that, although we are a materially rich society, people are increasingly unhappy and anxious.
There was no suggestion the the rioters were rioting because they had mental health problems.
August 12th, 2011 at 5:30 pm
I’ve written an updated blog post here:
Andrea Minichiello Williams: A Quick Thank You
August 17th, 2011 at 1:14 pm
@ Webmaster, Simian & Phoebs:
This responds to the ‘food for thought’ challenges to my previous comment in this thread. Using your ingredients may I serve up a three-course meal that may tempt you to taste and see that God is good? Trust you don’t end up with indigestion…
STARTER
A clarification: the mental health professionals to whom Andrea Williams provided a link (Guardian’s Joe Public blog 21.7.11) had identified two major factors in the rise in problems. They are, ‘the stress caused by increasing the age of retirement and the dynamics of the modern family.’ They continue, ‘Our society’s fixation on material wealth and status is exacting its price as we work harder and longer, to the detriment of our own well-being.’ (Mental Health Remains the Poor Relation – http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/joepublic/2011/jul/21/mental-health-problems-increase?INTCMP=SRCH)
Now, how many times have we heard about faulty family responsibilities and material greed in connection with the recent riots and looting? Granted there’s no evidence of any direct link between such outright criminality and mental illness, but when considered with those professionals’ opinion it wouldn’t be entirely unreasonable to speculate upon a common root.
Could this be the cause of the ‘deeper malaise’ Andrea identified? Logically, the correction of those two factors could change matters, but unless the actual root is removed the outcomes won’t be eliminated. What is this root? Could it not be faulty foundational values – or even good ones that have been uprooted? Aren’t these formed out of what we choose to believe and consequently think and act? I certainly think so.
MAIN
@ Simian: Good points and almost agree with your closing outlook.
“You express an opinion as if it were a fact. Surely, it is not possible to prove in any meaningful sense that our current problems are specifically due to turning away from God?”
Opinion – not at all, it’s grounded in facts and years of experience (also see response to Pheobs). Evidently, you’ve yet to get into the ‘zone’ of a Spirit-led life and be blessed with using the ‘toolbox’ of gifts of the Holy Spirit. The facts are not only in scripture but also in what God has shown and is urgently saying to His servants today. Eg. I know one lady who foretold the riots well over a year ago. Also, one man well-known to me heard in 1992 about the current and coming changes in Muslim nations. One who also received that has now brought a vitally important word given just as the riots were breaking out!!
My references to John 3 were to suggest the solution to current issues lies in scales falling from the eyes of national leaders. Jesus taught one such man privately but he struggled to understand the need to be ‘born again’ in order to see the kingdom of God. It’s a highly revealing, instructive conversation that indicates why Jesus railed against religious leaders; “Leave them : they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man both will fall into a pit.” (Matt 15:14)
It’s well worth chewing upon John 3 – if you don’t know Jesus see His dear friend’s close-up description in his letter 1John, which enabled him to put authority into the opening of his Gospel account.
“How could one go about getting definitive evidence for this?…how does one logically relate that to a belief? Isn’t it a subjective analysis?”
Let’s examine this contrariwise: the better evidence is in what happens when we discover who Jesus is and what He did for us, and then align our character and lives with His Father’s will for us. This brings an unquestionable personal transformation. When this happens to an increasing percentage of the population then the nation will change. Isn’t a good chunk of the Old Testament about a blessed people who were unwilling to follow through with divine direction, thereby often getting themselves onto a mess?
Briefly, here’s some past evidence:
In the Welsh Revival of 1904 about 100,000 came into the kingdom of God. Consequently, police forces were idle and pubs shut through lack of custom. In the last 15 years God has been moving miraculously through many poor, outcast orphans of Mozambique. Also, I’ve watched dozens of notable healing miracles over the last 12 months, many of which are medically not only inexplicable but also verified and attested.
But more apposite, there’s evidence the opposite way – the deepening downturn over 50 years proves my point. Our national conscience has changed from what I knew as a child: knowing right from wrong, that parents would chastise a child in trouble with police, and almost everyone knew and followed Christian principles. Only last weekend in a supermarket I saw a parent allow a child to drink milk that had yet to be paid for – he didn’t know that’s theft, little different to looting!
“Personally, I am constantly thankful for…”
Yet why settle for less? I’d go well beyond that, and be factual:
These times are ones about which the Holy Bible says far more than of any other period, lots more than it foretold the days of Jesus. Eg. did Ezekiel hear about far-future alliances between Iran, Syria, Turkey, Libya and Russia? Did Zechariah gain insights into the Holy One’s action plan for the current Jerusalem-Israel-Palestinian situation? Fascinating to follow events from this perspective, but ominous because we now have the proven technology to implement the ‘Mark of the Beast’ (Rev 13)!
But more importantly for UK, what about the revelations and deep admonitions that recognised prophetical voices have received in recent times and are now proving true?
Also, don’t forget the ‘greater maturity’ of our nation is undergirded by social reforms inspired by Kingdom principals during 19th Century (eg. abolition of slavery by devout Wilberforce).
DESSERT
@ Pheobs:
“…your belief is flawed, as your logic would then follow that all atheists, agnostics, non believers will eventually become mentally/emotionally ill. Gosh that’s dodgy theology. How do you answer the fact that many Christians have mental illness?”
Appreciate your objections Phoebs. Having ‘been there, done it, got all the T-shirts’ – and then shredded them – I’ve sound grounds for my conclusions. Christians aren’t perfect, as I well know through personally close instances and years of ministry – we’re affected too! Deep damage and brokenness often hinders and delays one coming into a place of allowing God’s love to work as deeply and fully as it can for physical healing. (This is not to deny great value of professional expertise.) Jesus proclaimed Isaiah 61 applies to Him, “The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me…He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for captives and release from darkness for prisoners…” etc (See Luke 4).
To clarify, I referred to ‘issues’, not ‘illness’; ie. covering the full spectrum of one’s well-being. We all have these personal ‘mind-sets’ empowered by the values and beliefs we adopt. These can, however, be changed by accepting what God has done for us through Jesus Christ AND personally desiring and coming into the fullness He bought for us. Even then, in His powerful presence and witnessing Him at work our mind-sets get changed further (from one degree of glory to another) as we come to understand Him.
So, ‘dodgy theology’? I think not. It’s all in the Good News of the Kingdom, as found in the New Testament writings. Or, to quote this very site’s overview, Echoes of God:
‘God’s plan to rescue the world from evil would be put into effect by evil doing its worst to the Servant King, to Jesus himself, and thereby exhausting its power…
…the Orthodox Churches have always emphasised, when Jesus rose again God’s whole new creation emerged from a tomb, introducing a world full of potential and possibilities. Indeed, precisely because part of the possibility is for human beings themselves to be revived and renewed, the resurrection of Jesus does not leave us passive helpless spectators.’ I think that means being ‘born again’, as in John 3!
Ok, let’s get personal: as an agnostic, non-believer I rejected Christianity not only because Catholics and Protestants were at odds with each other and did not do what Jesus taught, but also because I saw it as an outmoded belief system. So I went in search of the truth and found a far superior path of spiritual enlightenment, getting into meditational methods before the Beatles did! Thus, my mind-set got set into the concrete conviction of being ‘demonstrably correct’. Ugh!
But decades later, when Jesus burst unbidden into my life, I was shocked to be personally convicted that I’d been utterly mistaken! I was undone. It was deeply unnerving to be lovingly confronted by One whose grace and mercy saved me – all because He loves me so much He died for me. Thus, I could be right with and know God – the goal of my long quest. It was an awesome personal discovery that Jesus really is who the Bible says He is. (There are reports of similar encounters happening to many Muslims too.) Boy, did I need to repent, and willingly did so – invisible chains fell off and I was set free! But I also had to get sorted!
Hence, the factual certainty of my statements.