Tried to argue with a crazy person...

[Rev. Rye]

My most recent discussion on the internet with a theist was with someone that was more crazy than anyone i ever met.

A little background: his father apparently left him very early, and at 12 years old his mother suffered from an incurable condition. He had to stay home and look after her and in the end he had almost no human contact for the next 12 years, until his mother finally died of this illness. He got very depressed, attempted suicide at least once, was on at least 2 different prescription drugs, and spent all his time alone.

Then one day Jesus appeared to him in a vision. He cried tears of joy and his tears turned into bread that he ate. He then received numerous visions from God and now preaches about his message. He goes into the desert to pray and God answers all of his every prayers and speaks to him at least once a week. He also, of course, believes every single word of the Bible literally.

I have to say, some people are too far gone to be saved...

Well, I just talked to by Ab Psych professor, who is also a private practice psychologist, and she told me that, yes, you'd have to be both diagnosed as mentally ill and certified as a danger to oneself and others to be committed, in America. Of course, the diagnosis shouldn't be too hard. It seems that he has, at least, schizophrenia, depression (albeit one that is in remission) and a tendency to drug addiction. However, the danger to oneself and others might be pretty hard: after all, you did say that he seems to have little contact with other people, and for all we know, you might be the only other person he seems to be in semi-regular contact with (I admit that I might be misinterpreting your relationship here), so it's likely that there are no real others, and for all we know, going into the desert is the extent of his present self-destructive behaviors. I think that the best thing you can do is to find a psychiatrist who can actually give him help. Talking about commitment was definitely premature on my part.