Stigma, Stigmata, and God
There is a stigma that goes along with being “otherly-gifted”
(in other words: disabled). The stigma is thick. The stigma is even thicker
when it comes to mental health and mental illness. In our culture there is a negative
view of people “otherly-gifted” and especially those who suffer with mental
illness. The point to be made is simply this: the stigma is part of normality
in a world that is broken.
In Christianity, we follow a Christ who is quite the opposite
of what many wanted and expected. St. Paul employs a major chunk of words in
his attempt to explain a Messiah who was not victorious in the way that the
world thinks. But, was crucified as a common criminal. The charge against him
was that of being a terrorist. Yet, the only violence he ever was part of was
the cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem, upsetting tables, freeing animals
that were intended for sacrifice, and chasing away the money changers who
profited by the Temple-oriented Judaism of that day. All he did was take a
stance against the status quo, challenging the "religious" of that time.
Prophetic as he was, teaching a life of love, his words and
actions rubbed the skin of the religious authorities the wrong way. So, what
does a religious institution do when its system of beliefs and rituals are
placed in question? What does any established community of people do when their
way of everyday life is challenged? Often, the response is more of a reaction
than a rational retort. In this case, as in many, a scapegoat is needed.
Someone has to be blamed as being the troublemaker. And, when the populous is
less than willing to place blame as such, one sure way of achieving that end is
the means of civil politics.
