Body, Mind and Spirit

You and I are not an accident or a chance biological occurrence (Psalm 139:13). We were created for the sole purpose of glorifying God (Isaiah 43:7), and He has laid out a divine plan for each of our lives (Proverbs 16:9; Jeremiah 10:23; 29:11). The scriptures teach us that we are a complex being having both physical (material) and non-physical (immaterial) natures (1 Thessalonians 5:23). We are the union of a physical body with an immaterial mind and spirit. To be able to fully understand the role that biology plays in sinful behavior, it is necessary that we have a better understanding of the three-part being of man: body, mind and spirit.

We exist in a physical body so that we can interact with the material world around us. Our bodies have been specifically designed to take in information from the environment and relay it to our brains. We see, hear, taste, smell and touch the world around us. The processing of sensory information by our brains produces thoughts, feelings and emotions which then result in some outward behavioral display. Paul refers to the body as an “earthly tent” (2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 4) and makes it clear that we are more than physical (2 Corinthians 5:8). Indeed, we are more than simply a brain riding around in a body. There is an immaterial, nonphysical aspect to our being, what some would call our soul or mind.

Are our thoughts, feelings and emotions merely the product of neurochemical changes and electrical discharges in our brain or is our mind something more, something immaterial, more than the sum of our parts? The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. While the functioning of our brain is integral to the existence of our mind, that alone is not sufficient to explain it. Similarly, to imagine our mind as completely separate and unrelated to the physical does not seem correct either. Mind and body are intimately connected and each affects the other.

It is in our mind that we interact with God through prayer (1 Corinthians 14:15), receive divine revelation (Luke 24:45) and are transformed by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 12:2). It is also in our mind that we choose to sin (Romans 8:6-7; 2 Corinthians 10:5). A physical body formed by the hands of the Maker in union with an immaterial mind which controls and plans our behavior is a truly miraculous and perhaps a difficult idea to grasp. But the scriptures teach us that we also have a third and even more amazing level of being, a spirit.

God created us as a three part being, much like himself. In our inmost being we are spirit, the very breath of God placed into a shell of dust (Genesis 2:7; Ecclesiastes 12:1). As a spirit being, it is possible for us to be in an intimate spiritual union (Proverbs 20:27; Romans 8:16) with our Creator who is also spirit (John 4:24). No other living creature, not even the angels, has been given such an opportunity.

Let’s look at a simple visual representation to better understand the interaction between body, mind and spirit. Figure 1 shows the body, mind and spirit in relation to one another, each separate but interacting with the one above and/or below. The brain, via the body’s sensory systems, is in contact with the earthly environment (outside) and the mind within. The middle ellipse is the mind which is connected to the body through the functions of the brain and nervous system but also in contact with our immaterial spirit (the inner most rectangle). The body senses and reacts to the external environment and the mind uses that information to perceive, understand and interpret our surroundings. The mind also forms our thoughts and plans out our actions. The spirit, when connected to God, works to transform the mind into the very image of Christ which results in an ever increasing display of godly behaviors through the body. We are the masterpiece of creation (Ephesians 2:10)! The physical interacting with the immaterial; the Creator of the universe in communion with His beloved creation.

Eating Disorders

Eating is a biologically driven behavior that involves a number of brain areas and systems. While scientists understand a great deal about how our brains tell us that we are hungry or when to stop eating, they actually know very little about the biological basis of eating disorders. While a number of brain areas and neurochemicals have been found to be abnormal in persons with eating disorders (particularly anorexia nervosa), most of these return to normal once a healthy weight and diet have been obtained through treatment. This suggests that these differences were most likely the result of malnourishment related to the disorder rather than an underlying cause of the problem. In addition, the causes of the eating disorders are not as simple as a single brain area or a given neurotransmitter system but reflect a complex interaction between biology predispositions and environment factors.

One system however that does appear to be involved in eating disorders is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). The HPA is part of the endocrine system and is made up of the hypothalamus (a structure on the lower aspect of the brain), pituitary gland (a small pea shaped gland below the hypothalamus in the middle of the head) and the adrenal glands (which are located on top of the kidneys). The HPA is involved in the control of our reaction to stress and the regulation of appetite, weight, digestion, mood and immune system response. It has been suggested that a dysfunction in the HPA, most likely brought about by a combination of early life experiences (e.g., sexual abuse) and genetic factors, leaves the adolescent female vulnerable to chronic stress. This vulnerability is further exacerbated by the hormonal changes that occur at puberty (this event occurs just prior to the most common age of onset for the eating disorders). It is suggested that exposure to a significant stressor during this period results in a dysregulated HPA response leading to a chronic reduction in appetite and weight.

From a spiritual perspective an eating disorder is rightly recognized as a disorder rooted in deception. Women (and to a lesser frequency men) with eating disorders believe they are overweight, unattractive, inadequate, unaccepted and unloved. They believe the lie that only women (and men) of a specific body type are beautiful and accepted. While all mental illness has physical, mental and spiritual aspects, I believe that in the eating disorders we can more clearly see the spiritual effects than in any other disorder. This is not to say that biological and psychological factors do not play a role in the eating disorders, but this disorder has a deceptive quality to it that is different from all the others. It is somewhat ironic that the original sin described in the scriptures involved the deception a woman about food which brought about shame related to her body (Genesis 3:1-7). Of course, I’m not trying to imply that Eve had an eating disorder or that having an eating disorder is sinful, but believing a lie can be destructive. Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44). The lie that he promotes in those that struggle with an eating disorder is that their bodies are not good enough. Paul tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives within us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We have been purchased with a price and set free by the one who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6), and it is only that Truth that can bring about full healing in those who have believed the lie.

It is in the eating disorders that we clearly see how a spiritual deception (e.g., your worth is based on your physical appearance) can take advantage of a physical vulnerability (e.g., HPA dysregulation, over active serotonin system) and result in the symptoms of a mental illness (e.g., negative self-image, purging, self-starvation). Eating disorders aren’t really about food, but instead about how a person views herself. The Bible has a great deal to say about who we are as children of God. The scriptures teach us that we have been fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) in the very image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). He formed us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13), planned out our days (Psalm 139:16) and brought us into this world (Psalm 22:9). By faith we have received spiritual birth (John 3:3-6). His Spirit has taken up residence in our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19), and we are without fault in His eyes (Ephesians 1:4). Indeed we are the very children of the living God (1 John 3:1). These are the truths that we must continually pray and speak over those who are struggling with an eating disorder. The lie that is at the core of this disorder must be replaced by the foundational truth of who we are in Christ. It is only then that true healing can begin.

Pornography and the Brain

It is impossible to pick up a newspaper or magazine, watch television or log onto the internet without being exposed to highly sexual entertainment and/or advertisements. Images used in marketing today would have been considered pornographic by the average person just a generation ago. The pornography industry which includes internet sites, videos, strip clubs, cable TV and magazines generates approximately $13 billion dollars in annual revenue in the United States. World-wide pornography revenue estimates exceed $90 billion dollars per year. Every second 28,258 internet users are viewing pornography. This is not just a problem for men either; one out of every three visitors to internet pornography sites is a woman. Seventy percent of female internet users report that they keep their online activities a secret, while 17% report struggling with a sexual addiction. Perhaps the most troubling part of this is how vulnerable home internet access has made our children. The average age of first internet pornography exposure is 11, and 80% of 15-17 year olds report having had multiple exposures to hardcore pornography. This societal preoccupation with sex has also had a detrimental effect on our marriages and families.

I want to direct you to an exciting new book on the subject, Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain by Wheaton neuroscientist Dr. William Struthers. From the product description – “In this book neuroscientist and researcher William Struthers explains how pornography affects the male brain and what we can do about it. Because we are embodied beings, viewing pornography changes how the brain works, how we form memories and make attachments. By better understanding the biological realities of our sexual development, we can cultivate healthier sexual perspectives and interpersonal relationships. Struthers exposes false assumptions and casts a vision for a redeemed masculinity, showing how our sexual longings can actually propel us toward sanctification and holiness in our bodies. With insights for both married and single men alike, this book offers hope for freedom from pornography.”

AD/HD Interview

For all those interested I will be on Midday Connect (www.middayconnection.org) with Melinda Schmidt discussing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Monday, Dec. 28th at noon CST.

Stories

Personal stories are powerful. When we really get to know someone and begin to understand the events that have preceded their present circumstances it becomes harder to judge them and easier to show compassion. From time to time I will be posting the stories of the hurting people that I work with so that we all might begin to see suffering with the eyes of Christ.

Joanna was born in Germany where her father was stationed in the military. While appearing happy on the outside the family hid a dark secret and was in constant conflict. Joanna’s father was an alcoholic who physically abused both her and her mother. After the birth of her brother when she was five, Joanna adopted the role of mother/protector and worked hard to make the home environment safe and happy for him. To dull the pain from years of abuse she began drinking and smoking marijuana at 15. “I wanted freedom” she told me, “I was unhappy with my parents trying to control me”. While she would experiment with different drugs (marijuana, crack cocaine, prescription pain killers) through the years, much like her father alcohol was always her main addiction. Despite her heavy drinking she was able to graduate from high school and completed three years of college.

After 25 years of heavy drinking the longest period of sobriety she can remember is 30 months. She has attended seven different alcohol treatment programs but relapsed soon after completing each. Never married she has been involved in a number of unhealthy and abusive relationships with men. She has also been unable to hold a job for more than a few months at a time due to her addiction. “If I’m unhappy, I want to drink and because I drink I’m always unhappy”. When I met Joanna she had just completed her third week in a local inpatient, faith-based drug treatment program that I work with.

At 35 Joanna has no relationship with her father and hasn’t for some time. As I listened to her story I was struck by the amazing parallels between the life of a daughter left empty by the lack of a father’s love and the life of a father who never appreciated the blessing he had been given. She likely began drinking both because of a genetic predisposition passed down to her from her father and the severe abuse that he inflicted on her. As an adult she continued to try and heal her pain with alcohol as she moved from one abuser to another recreating the father-daughter relationship that had so damaged her as a child. In 1997 Joanna’s father was convicted of intoxication manslaughter and sentenced to prison for deaths he caused while driving drunk. Joanna herself has two convictions for driving while intoxicated. The legacy of this family, passed from generation to generation, is alcoholism and abuse. Joanna received it from her father much like he, as Joanna reported, had received it from his alcoholic father (Joanna’s grandfather).

The Bible and Madness

What we call mental illness was not always treated as a medical problem. In the not too distant past the abnormal thoughts, feelings and behaviors often associated with these disorders were suggested to be signs of personal weakness and something to be ashamed of. Unfortunately, this is still a far too common perception in the Church today and has resulted in the alienation of thousands who desperately need the spiritual support that only the body of Christ can provide.

Some have said that mental illness did not exist in biblical times and is just a modern invention to legitimize sinful behavior. I once read an author that based his argument on the fact that you cannot find the terms mental illness or mental disorder in the Scriptures. He is correct of course, you cannot find those terms in the Bible but you do see the related terms madness and insanity used often. These terms are used to describe a set of thoughts and behaviors recognized to be extreme, debilitating and abnormal in nature. The existence of madness and insanity in biblical times is clear:

Some References to Madness and Insanity in the Bible

Old Testament
A punishment for violating the covenant (Deuteronomy 28:28)

Feigned by David to escape capture (1 Samuel 21:13-15)
Prophet’s servant is thought mad (2 Kings 9:11)
Madness compared to foolish behavior (Proverbs 26:18)
Madness is the opposite of wisdom (Ecclesiastes 1:17; 7:7)
Nebuchadnezzar’s punishment (Daniel 4:32-34)

New Testament
Jesus is thought to be insane by His family (Mark 3:21; John 10:20)
Jesus heals a lunatic (Matthew 17:15)
Festus suggests that Paul is mad (Acts 26:24-25)
Believers could be thought to be mad (1 Corinthians 14:23)
Paul’s ideas so extreme as to be thought insane (2 Corinthians 11:23)

So individuals displaying abnormal thoughts and behaviors, the mentally ill, were clearly known throughout biblical history. Today those same abnormal thoughts and behaviors have been categorized into a set of specific mental disorders for which many effective interventions and treatments have been developed. Mental health research and practice have made significant strides in relieving the mental and physical suffering of those afflicted with mental illness. Yet there continues to be a high level of suspicion, distrust and even fear in the Church when it comes to psychology and psychiatry. The simple fact is that Christians develop mental illness at the same rates seen in the general population and suggestions such as “you need to pray more” or “this is just the result of weak faith” are ineffective in dealing with these serious medical conditions.

B.A.B.S.

Several years ago my wife and I attended a fund raising dinner for an international ministry with which we are involved. I was excited to go to the dinner for two reasons. First, I am very supportive of this ministry’s work in advancing the gospel message around the world and second, I wanted to hear the invited presenter. The guest speaker, a retired professor of psychiatry, was to talk about his involvement with the ministry’s efforts in several foreign countries. But that isn’t why I was so interested, what peaked my curiosity was the qualifying label that had been printed under his name on the flier for the dinner, “Born Again Brain Scientist”. When I first read that I kind of laughed. I thought isn’t it obvious that anyone invited to speak by the ministry would themselves be a Christian. Or is there something inherent in the title “scientist” that would lead people, especially people of faith, to think that such an individual is not a believer. Unfortunately, I think the latter may be true.

The fact that many in the Christian community equate the title “scientist” with atheist is troubling to me, because much like the invited speaker I am also a “brain scientist” more specifically a neuroscientist and a follower of Jesus Christ. To this day my friend Dave (who was also at the dinner that night) begins his emails to me, “Hey B.A.B.S.”. A second misinformed association comes from within the scientific community itself and is just as troubling, faith is little more than a set of superstitions and myths held by unenlightened individuals.

It seems that you can’t pick up a magazine or turn on the television these days without seeing a story on the conflict between science and religious belief. The disagreement tends to focus around three main issues: the sanctity of life, the origin of life and sinful behavior. Sanctity of life includes topics such as the use of embryonic stem cells, abortion, euthanasia (e.g., physician assisted suicide) and cloning. The second point of contention, the origin of life, is seen in the on-going dispute between the proponents of naturalistic evolution and those that believe the universe shows signs of intelligent design. The third point of conflict has to do with biblically defined sinful behavior for which science has shown some biological predisposition or basis. Some of the most emotionally debated behaviors include homosexuality, addiction and criminality.

As a Christian and a neuroscientist, I stand at the boundary point of what appears, at least on the surface, to be two very different worlds, or perhaps it is more precise to say worldviews. From my unique vantage point, I have unfortunately seen scientific knowledge distorted to justify sinful behavior and perhaps more disturbingly, I have seen Christians misuse the scriptures to demonize and alienate the very ones that they should be reaching out to. The underlying cause of this problem in the church is a lack of knowledge, both of basic science and scriptural teaching. The relevance of the Gospel in our present scientific age goes without question but if we, as followers of Christ, are going to successfully engage the culture we must stop reacting out of fear of science and start leading the discussion.