Zoloft as ad-hominem attack
If the last acceptable form of bigotry is anti-Catholicism, the second-last is anti-anti-depressants. I’ve observed faithful pastors tossing off one-liners about mega-church pastors being on Zoloft, and it needs to be said: Guys, it’s not funny.
Depression is a serious illness that affects both the mind and the body, and those who are afflicted with it often need medication. Sometimes it’s for a few months, but it may be for the rest of their lives. There is a serious stigma attached to the medications, though, that often worsens the problem and prevents people from seeking help. Is medication sometimes misused or unnecessary? Probably. But that doesn’t detract from the very real problems that people have, and the necessity of medication in some cases for people to get to the point that they can address the spiritual and psycho-social causes of their depression.
So pastors, please beware of mocking anti-depressant medications and those on them. You probably have people in your parish who are taking them, and people who should be. They need your help – private confession, spiritual counsel, friendly support – and they’re not going to think about talking to you if you appear to be the enemy.
Check out “I Trust When Dark My Road” for a confessional Lutheran pastor’s chronicle of his battle with depression. The fact that he felt he needed to write it anonymously says something very disturbing about the church today.
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