talking it over with Dr. Clyde M. Narramore
Dr. Narramore, graduate of Columbia University, New York City, is a psychologist and Consultant in Research and Guidance with one of the largest school systems in the United States. QUESTIONS YOUNG CHILDREN ASK
one whom you love. Happy marriages are based upon godliness, truthful ness, consideration and love. If two consecrated Christians are in love they can overlook unfortunate experiences of the past, but one might question whether they would be expected to overlook outright in tentional sin. CAN A SAVED PERSON BECOME INSANE? Question: / stumbled on your radio broadcast by accident and recognized the conversation as coming from one who is born-again. Then I saw your page in THE KING’S BUSINESS. Here is a question that has been both ering me. Perhaps you can help me with it. Do you think a truly saved person can go insane? I’ve pondered this question many times and never re ceived an answer. What does Scrip ture say about this? Answer: Anyone, including a Chris tian, can become mentally ill. Since Adam, we are all living under the curse, and we are not exempt from illness. Mental illness has several basic causes. It may develop as the result of a disease affecting the brain or the nervous system. It may also be caused by injuries. One may become mentally ill because of severe and prolonged glandular imbalances, as well as undue stresses and strains. Some types of mental illnesses are inherited—that is, one is bom with a predisposition toward mental ill ness. These, and other factors may cause a person to become mentally ill. And, as you notice, any of them might affect a person who is bom again. If you care to read more on this subject, you may wish to see the chap ter on Mental Illness in my latest book, “ T H E PSYCHOLOGY OF COUNSELING.”
We should not make them otherwise. The Scriptures state “ But the wick ed are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace saith my God to the wicked” (Isa. 57:20, 21). In contrast, the condition of the true believer is described: “ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE Question: A few years ago, before I was saved, I had a personal experience with a boy friend—an experience I look back on as being unfortunate. Now that I am living for the Lord and I am dating a fine Christian young man, l am uncertain just what my attitude should be toward telling him about the past. Answer: All of us have had unfortun ate experiences in the past. They may not have been the same kind of ex periences you had; nevertheless, no one can boast of a sinless history. We learn from the Bible that sin ful experiences are harmful. (See James 1:15.) The young person whose past is marked by many sinful ex periences, begins adulthood at a dis tinct disadvantage. However, God forgives and He for gets. On the authority of God’s Word, when you were saved, you were for given, and God has forgotten! Isn’t that wonderful? I suggest that you realize God’s forgiveness by reading such passages as Acts 13:38, Ephe sians 1:7, and 1 John 1:9. Public announcement concerning our private lives is usually not the part of wisdom. Such knowledge is usually detrimental. If God forgets, then why don’t you? An additional facet to this problem concerns marriage. If you are look ing toward marriage soon, you have a sacred obligation of confidence to the
Question: My wife and I have a hoy five years old. Lately he has been ask ing us “where babies come from.” Although we have told him some things, we don’t know just what or how much to say. Can you suggest a good Christian book along this line? Neither my wife nor l received much help when we were kids, and we’d like to avoid making the same mistake with our own child. Answer: This is a common problem. A natural phase of child-growth and development is that of becoming curious about one’s body and about the origin of human beings. At the age of two or three, children make many observations. Nearly all chil dren are certain to begin to ask ques tions as early as three-and-one-half years and not later than five or six. Parents should be ready to answer their questions intelligently rather than evade them. This helps children gain confidence in parents, and to develop wholesome attitudes. It also helps them spiritually. Children should know and feel that Christ who forgives and saves is interested in their personal lives . . . that to the believer there is no dichotomy be tween the secular and the sacred, that everything is sacred. I do not know of many good books along this line with a Christian point of view. It is suggested that when children raise questions they should be an swered frankly and briefly. Small children do not desire a detailed scientific explanation. More impor tant to the child is the happy positive and encouraging way in which a question is answered. In discussing matters pertaining to personal growth and development it is better to use correct terms which can grow with the child. Discussions of this nature are natural and normal for children.
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