Position Paper essay

1

Author’s Name

PositionPaper: Howcan a Christian Understanding of Grace Affect our Attitude and ourApproach to People with Mental Disorders?

1. In essence, Christians attain grace by placing their faith in God. As such, the actions of Christians should reflect on how their actions and their treatment of people in their surroundings. Ideally, people with mental disorders face a significant amount of discrimination given that society is ignorant on how to handle the various mental conditions. As such, Christians should show compassion, understanding, and love to people with mental disorders with the main aim of improving their health and condition (Kennedy &amp Kennedy, 2010).&nbsp

2. An analysis of the background of this topic highlights that, in the past, people had negative attitudes and approaches towards people with mental disorders. The paper is important because it takes the initiative to discuss objective methods derived from using a select demographic (the Christian community) in changing the way society treats mental illness and patients as a whole. For instance, Christians use their understanding of grace when dealing with various life issues. Therefore, they can play a vital role in changing the dynamic of the current situation by using strategies useful in changing their attitude on mental patients. with that said, the growth of the church has resulted in creating avenues, which educate people on various methods on how to identify grace and use it to solve difficult issues in society (Simpson, 2013).&nbsp

11. Review of Variable Positions on the Topic at Hand

1. Christians can use their understanding of grace to create awareness of the mental issues in society.

SupportingArguments

• For example, 25% of people with mental issues turn to the church for therapy and support. As such, the church should encourage members who work as counselors, therapists, and psychiatrists to offer their services at no cost.

• Churches should change their approach by incorporating systems, which reach out and offer counseling to all members.

2. Christians can use their understanding of grace to fund institutions, which offer charitable support to people living with mental disorders.

SupportingArguments

• For instance, research shows that when Christians donate towards such causes, more people are able to seek affordable treatment. In addition, church leaders should involve the community by learning on how to identify individuals with mental illnesses (Sue, et al, 2016).&nbsp

• Secondly, the church should offer financial support to members of church with mental issues and affected families.

3. Christians can use their understanding of grace to pray for people with mental disorders to support this stance.

SupportingArguments

• Christians believe that God heals all diseases and mental conditions. Hence, instead of financial support, the church should offer prayers for such people.

• The church should appoint selected pastors who can guide people with mental issues to offer spiritual guidance on prayer in order to change a patient’s cognitive response to their mental situation.

4. Christians can donate cloths, furniture, and offer jobs to people living with mental issues.

SupportingArguments

• Evidence shows that this move will ensure that individuals who do not have family derive the much-needed support from the church (Kennedy &amp Kennedy, 2010).&nbsp

• Secondly, offering employment to individual with mental illnesses will give them a long-term solution. In fact, 40 % of the cases of patients suffering from mental disorders is triggered by financial issues

111. Paper Stance (Personal Argument)

1. A Christians understanding of grace is essential in offering free therapy and treatment for people with mental issues.

To support this notion, statistics show that patients have an 80%chance of improving or progressing from receiving free treatment fromchurches, which recruit church members who are professionals in thesefields to provide round the clock services. Evidence shows that ifnot for profit, institutions create avenues to solve social-economicissues less people will suffer from sickness, poverty, andunemployment (Sue,et al, 2016). As such, the churches option ofrecruiting round the clock doctors to offer free therapy can ensurethat all the needs of mental patients such as mental, financial, andemotional are met. In addition, this will provide social support,which is one of the factors needed to solve some mental issues likeanxiety, depression, and SAD (Social Anxiety Disorder) (Kennedy&amp Kennedy, 2010).&nbsp

2. Arguments for Counterarguments

To understand why this argument is the best approach, one has tounderstand the nature of the problem. To counter the argument onshowing charity and donating shelter, this process works but it doesnot tackle the actual problem, which is to provide treatment for themetal issues. To add on, while donating food, shelter, and clothshelps, it does not solve the underlying issue.

To counter the argument on offering prayers, the paper understandsthat prayers are essential in solving many issues. However, prayerwithout works is dead. As such, the church should also take an activerole in offering permanent solutions for solving such mental relatedissues. Hence, Christians should show mercy by using the bestsolution, which will have a significant effect on a multitude ofpeople. Psychotherapy and psychiatry are the two main methods oftreating mental illnesses (Sue,et al, 2016).

In response to the last claim, while offering financial support tosuch causes is ideal, patients need to get professional help. To addon, it is essential to provide employment to metal patients. However,this claim does not provide overall support because mental patientsdo not get therapy and treatment needed for their support.

Ideally, Christians can support persons with mental illnesses in manyways. For instance, the listed arguments can be effective in one wayor another. However, the paper uses the first argument because it isthe most effective seeing as it shows the true meaning of theunderstanding of grace. On the analysis of bible scriptures, grace isthe show of love and mercy through belief and actions. As such, graceshould affect the attitudes and approaches in matters concerning theneedy in the long term (Simpson,2013).&nbsp

1V.Conclusion

1. The overall issue is that society still does not know how to handle mental illnesses. As such, many people have a negative attitude and approach when they encounter people with mental illnesses.

2. The paper reinstates its position by stating that people should have the correct understanding of grace when dealing with different issues. In the case of mental illness, Christians can show love and mercy by creating solutions, which solve the underlying issue. In turn, churches should encourage professionals in psychiatry and psychotherapy to dedicate their knowledge and services to patients. The main implication of this decision is that, more people will learn how to deal with mental health issues and less people will not face challenges associated with mental illness on their own.

References

Kennedy, P.,&amp Kennedy, C. A. (2010).&nbspUsingtheory to explore health, medicine, and society.Bristol, UK: Policy Press.

Simpson, A.(2013).&nbspTroubledminds: Mental illness and the church`s mission.Downers Grove, Illinois : InterVarsityPress.

Sue, D. Sue,D.W, &amp Sue, S. (2016).&nbspUnderstandingabnormal behavior 11^thedition.Stamford, CT : Cengage Learning.