Do not listen to takes like this.

One day, something finally clicked in me where I realized that mental illness is exactly that: an illness.

The gospels have so many stories of Jesus healing illnesses or other physical ailments. And he never once attributed the illness to sin.

I will be the first to testify to the external factors that can lead to things like trauma, depression, and anxiety. But to say that these things are a) a punishment for sin and b) something that can be “healed” by coming to Jesus is straight up bullshit (and heresy)

Also worth noting that there is a difference between “being punished with [depression] for not going to church” and becoming depressed as a result of, say, extended periods without your community. I and people I’m close to have felt that. And imagine the effect of the pandemic.

This thread felt unresolved, so I’ll end with this:

Guilting/shaming someone to “come to Jesus” is un-Christlike & leads to an inauthentic faith.

Instead, choose the way of grace & compassion. For pastors, that means loving mentally ill parishioners enough to recommend therapy.