In my head!

Although it is tech week for "a 1940s Radio Christmas Carol", which you should all come see by the way, I still found time to glance over the reading material and I actually had a wonderful conversation with my mother about it. Crime and Punishment just happens to be one of her favorite books of all time, and as we were talking about it we came to the topic of psychosomatic illness.

For those who don't know, psychosomatic illness is defined as a disorder that involves both mind and body. In other words, the illness may be emotional or mental in origin, but it has physical symptoms. In part II, Raskolnikov begins to suffer from such an illness caused by the grief of his own actions.

Anyway, as I was talking to my mother, she mentioned that she had read a book recently about psychosomatic 'stuff' and christianity, and she told me that it is mentioned several times in scripture. Being my mother, though, she didn't tell me where, so I had to go digging for myself. Here's what I found.

"3There is no soundness in my flesh
   because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
   because of my sin.
4For my iniquities have gone over my head;
   like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me."Psalm 38: 3-4

"7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; 
   fear the LORD and shun evil. 
8 This will bring health to your body 
   and nourishment to your bones." - Proverbs 3:7-8

I found a few other verses that I will post at the bottom, but those two are the most relevant. Both of those verses seem to describe Raskolnikov perfectly, well the part about being weighted down and ill because of guilt/sin, not the fearing the lord and shunning evil part.

So, what did we learn today? Nothing? That thoughts can have physical repercussions? That Ben's mom is pretty cool? All good answers. Tune in next week when I'll have time to legitimately read ALL of the text.

PS. I commented on Samuel Oliver's Blog "I don't think it has a title."

PPS. Here are the other scriptures.
John 3:20
Romans 7:23-25
Matthew 23:28
Proverbs 28:13