The saints had "visions".....?

Question

Is there a probability that they were mentally handicapped?

What about Joan of Ark? She was tormented by her visions, I would say schizophrenic even.

I am fully aware that saints were Christians. Not what I am trying to find out. Thanks for the useless answer though.

Answer 1

I think you could make a case for calling "visions" hallucinations. There is a good chance something was wrong with their minds.

Answer 2

Truly spiritual Christian individuals are able to separate themselves from the world in such a way as to be able to communicate more closely with God.

It's a skill that one can develop, much like an airline pilot is able to understand what the air traffic controllers are saying, even though five other airplanes are talking on the radio at the same time, and there's heavy static.

These types of people are usually considered to be "mystics".

We don't know exactly how they do what they do, but the results they achieve are often certainly of God, so we give them the benefit of the doubt.

Many (most) ordinary people personally experience one or more mystical experiences in their lifetimes, sometimes when near death, sometimes when under great stress.

What better time for God to make his presence known?

The possibility of a mental disorder is always possible, but if all other behavior is normal, then mental illness is unlikely.

Answer 3

This is a two part question, if you realize it or not. There is the part on saints and the part on visions. They do not neccesarily go hand in hand.
Visions are made possible by the powers that we do not see. Those things which we know exist, because we can see the manifestations all around us, the fight between good and evil. So what Im saying is that visions will be given by the two greatest authourities in the universe and those are, God (first), and (satan) second, thats just the way it is whether you agree or not. So if your still paying attention a vision can be given by the Devil too !
Now , the Devil is greater than any man and God is greater than us all and man has athourity over all the animals. Maybe this will place the world into its proper perspective, if you are listening. And this also lightens the attempted sarcasm that you threw out to everyone.
Now for part two, a saint is a person who is empowered by the holy spirit of God , because of Christ, and what he did. Jesus is the one who choose's his saints, the ones to carry his message. And yes he can reveal whatever he wants too, to them, in visions if he chooses. !

Answer 4

Ironically, if someone had a vision today they probably would be labeled "mentally ill" but just because psychiatry says it's so doesn't make it true.

Here's what professor of psychiatry emeritus, Dr. Thomas Szasz had to say about how nonsensical psychiatric diagnoses on such topics can be:

If you talk to God, you are praying;
If God talks to you, you have schizophrenia.

If the dead talk to you, you are a spiritualist;
If God talks to you, you are a schizophrenic.

--Thomas S. Szasz, The Second Sin,
Anchor/Doubleday, Garden City, NY. 1973, Page 113.

Answer 5

saints? maybe, maybe not. ive known those who have had visions. were they a saint? probably not but there visions came tru and they were life altering. who says who is a saint anyway? maybe way back when, they found these mushrooms

Answer 6

Just to let you know, saints are Christians, defined in the Bible.

Answer 7

it's not likely. . but I think you mean the 1st century saints, since all true Christians are saints.

In fact, they were (and are) the sanest people in the world, by and large.

Answer 8

yea but its more likely they were on drugs

Answer 9

maybe