Reflection

[Ray12614]

18 minutes ago, AnOrangeCat said:

It can, yeah. In her case I don't think so. It didn't seem to add to the mix so much as amplify what was already there. She had a sense of goodness toward others that came off as very transactional and entitled for example. She'd be good to other people but then expected to get recognition and reciprocation in return. When she didn't get that she'd turn to manipulation and tantrums. Even before the dementia she was that way. Add to the mix a son and several grandchildren who were heavily involved in drugs and it was a recipe for a lot of hurt feelings and bitterness on her part. So the main differences in her before and after state was the degree and that she eventually became a danger to herself and others.

Well, the questions you asked about those with dementia are good ones for sure. I have known people who are sweet and loving who after dementia progresses are mean as snakes, so I have also asked these questions. What I believe about that is that when we are saved we are told by scriptures to renew our minds to the truths of God's Word. That renewing means to embrace God's thoughts, and live according to His Word. It does not however erase memories, and the old ways of thought, but we choose to act accordingly to God's Word that we have renewed our minds with.

Dementia (as I understand it from my wife who is an therapist) causes the break down of the human mind and removes social filters of how people act and what they say. Since those filters are removed, some people who have memories of bad behaviors, sins, etc. don't have those social filters that override those old man emotions, actions and behavior.  Thus many Christians in advanced stages of dementia have the old man actions and thoughts rise back up shocking their family and friends and anybody else around them. Saints cussing like sailors, being mean and vile as their brains break down over time.

Looking at myself, I have a terrible past life of sin and every now and then those old ways of acting and talking tries to rise up in me, but I put them down by remembering God's Word concerning those things, and if I have to I speak those verses out loud and simply by faith ask God for His power to overcome them. Does this mean that I am not saved???  OF COURSE NOT, it means that I must take control of my thoughts and take them captive to the authority of God's Word.

So what happens if I would ever get dementia, and am unable to mentally control my old thoughts buried in my memory as my brain deteriates and breaks down.??? I hope I never have to go though that.

 

[luigi]

7 hours ago, D. Adrien said:

 

Eccl. 9:5 states that the dead know nothing. 

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.

Yet at the mount of transfiguration Elijah and Moses are seen conversing with Jesus.

Luke 9:28-31

Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

Perhaps there exists a barrier between here and there that also includes the conscious mind.

Yes, there exists a barrier between here and there, --for most of us.

I believe Elijah and Moses (and others), by putting their faith solely on God, transcended this barrier, and so transcended the altar in which the vast majority of us, who do not put our faith solely on God, are under.

Revelation 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

[D. Adrien]

1 hour ago, luigi said:

Yes, there exists a barrier between here and there, --for most of us.

I believe Elijah and Moses (and others), by putting their faith solely on God, transcended this barrier, and so transcended the altar in which the vast majority of us, who do not put our faith solely on God, are under.

Revelation 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

Yes, I thought about the Rev. verse as well. I've always wondered about this, verses can be found to support different views.

[Logostician]

It is a very difficult thing for a Christian to love family members and friends, and deal with their lack of faith in Christ.  We know that this is an eternal life or death situation.  Paul struggled with being an apostle of Christ who reached and converted many gentiles, while most of his fellow Jews continued to deny Christ.

Romans 10:1-4

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

All we can do is the same thing that Paul did, share the gospel, and pray.  God calls his own, and the results are rightfully in his hands.

[Know Jah]

Luke 22:19 "Jesus stated to keep doing this in remembrance of him". So when should we do this? Each day? Each Month? Each year?

[Dennis1209]

On 3/26/2024 at 1:59 AM, AnOrangeCat said:

My grandmother on my father's side is an interesting case. She was my mother in practice and did a lot to expose both me and my sisters to Christianity. I think she meant well, but she also bought in to the prosperity gospel and some other dubious teachings. She seemed to use it in a way that was self serving sometimes. After her dementia kicked in someone in the mental health field described her as a psychopath. As the primary caregiver I ended up being the target of a lot of her abuse, and she behaved in some ways that weren't Christian at all.

I'm potentially wrong in this belief but I think that what's in a person's heart will shine through even during dementia. What I saw and experienced during her dementia didn't paint a great picture. It left me wondering about where she ended up. On one hand I absolutely believe God is merciful and grants people who are mentally impaired a lot of slack. On the other it was clear that she had a lot of bitterness and anger for various reasons.

Back to the question though, I still felt sympathy seeing the state she was in during life support. There's a lot to take to heart about her case, one of those things being that only God knows for sure what's in a person's heart. Even a decade after the fact it's still distressing to think that her standing with God by the end went so far off the mark as to land her in Hell.

I am undoubtedly misled, but growing up and as a young adult. I did not know anyone with dementia or hear too much about it. On the surface, without researching it, this seems to be a bigger problem than yesteryear. Perhaps they described it in different medical terms. But anyway…

There are different forms of dementia (Lou Gehrig, ALS, Alzheimer’s, etc.). My mother and best friend died from complications of dementia. Admittedly, I do not know much about them other than they are irreversible and heart-wrenching (wasting away). The expensive prescribed medications did not seem to slow the symptoms down.

Neither my mother (a Christian) nor my best friend (lost and had something against God) fits what I define as belligerent. As everyone knows who is related or close to someone with dementia, it hurts and is painful to go through it with them.

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)

No one knows their final heartbeat or when they will lose their comprehension due to an accident or disease.

It seems these diseases cause physical, bodily, and mental loss of control faculties. I do not want to think these changes define what is in their soul and who they are inside. During these testing times, I need the comfort and promises of our Lord:

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6)

[AnOrangeCat]

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

I am undoubtedly misled, but growing up and as a young adult. I did not know anyone with dementia or hear too much about it. On the surface, without researching it, this seems to be a bigger problem than yesteryear. Perhaps they described it in different medical terms. But anyway…

There are different forms of dementia (Lou Gehrig, ALS, Alzheimer’s, etc.). My mother and best friend died from complications of dementia. Admittedly, I do not know much about them other than they are irreversible and heart-wrenching (wasting away). The expensive prescribed medications did not seem to slow the symptoms down.

I agree. Both it and type 2 diabetes seem more prevalent now than they did before. Doubtless some of it is due to more information and medical advancements, but I do believe (at the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist) that modern diet, lifestyles, and the assortment of chemicals are also contributing to these and other conditions we're seeing more and more of.

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

It seems these diseases cause physical, bodily, and mental loss of control faculties. I do not want to think these changes define what is in their soul and who they are inside. During these testing times, I need the comfort and promises of our Lord:

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6)

Amen. Something that I personally came to in into was that Jesus concluded a parable with the idea that a servant who did wrong and wasn't aware of it would get off lightly compared to a servant who knew better and neglected to do what they should. We can get a sense of God's vision of justice there, and dementia seems like the very picture of someone unaware of what they're doing.