Persecution in America: involuntary hospitalization
What involuntary hospitalization is & How it felt like persecution:
Simply put, it is when the law is concerned that you are disturbing the peace and so they hospitalize the person against their will.
Not that I went kicking and screaming, the police just provided an escort and try to keep neighborhoods and office buildings free of roaming strangers. If I don't shave for a few days and get dirty and kind of hunker over, I can make a good imitation of a homeless person, but I didn't do that. I was just trying my best to share the gospel. Some would say it was without the Spirit, some would say it was with the
Spirit. All I know, is that my intent was not to scare anyone or disturb anyone's peace or ruin any concentration, I was just seeking to testify to the grace of God ... then people got a little disturbed.
There have been times I intentionally acted out of ordinary and disturbed people in sharing the simple Gospel and they fled from me, but it seemed to have more to do with
them avoiding the responsibility to face Christ. Also, I have escorted Jehovah Witnesses out of the apartment complex. But even the JW's remarked that I was "tranquil" ... despite being on low medicine dosages.
Lessons I learned, despite the "suffering" of the insults and questionings and mockery:
1. Be wise in dealing with children ... keep parents informed if you teach them the Bible and let kids play with kids. It is culturally inappropriate to talk to them without the consent of their parents. (I am thankful that
I don't have to go to elementary school to become as a child repeatedly to enjoy the Kingdom of God.)
2. Be wise at church ... keep your amens and convictions to yourself and endure poor teaching and repetitive worship if you must. It is culturally inappropriate to communicate agreement or disagreement with the man behind the pulpit. (I am thankful that Jesus is still the Head of the Church.)
3. Be wise at office buildings ... scheduled appointments are much less intimidating to physicians than an impromptu witness. It is culturally inappropriate to visit a physician without first making an appointment. (I'm glad that the Great Physician does house calls still!)
Until the patient who is "involuntarily hospitalized" has a hearing in court or consents to "treatment" (basically, expresses a willingness to take medicine & work with the program), they are held involuntarily. Because I ended up in the hospital more than once in a short period of time & they didn't believe that I was taking my medication (which I was)
and they didn't want me to stay awake at home.
Ironically, my sleep is as disturbed now as it was before, though I sleep in after the morning medicines now as I am adjusting & feeling a little less motivated. But Sheila
likes the "new" mert (sedated with medication & very lazy, okay, she doesn't like the lazy part, but then again who does?). I personally believe that it was God's will that I
be hospitalized and be harrassed by some fellow residents and deal with the hospital system. My faith grew and I was encouraged that even with the inconvenience of not being
able to doing the Lord's work on the outsie, the Lord opened up numerous opportunities to share the message of Christ, even though the official policy is "no attempts to convert
anyone allowed."
Hope that helps.
By the way, the hospital entertainment: going on walks outside the building, making silly crafts, watching TV, going to 'groups,' pacing the halls is sort of like the jail that I was in when I visited those in jail, only more staff and carpet and better decor.
BTW: I received this week notice of court order declaring that I am legally incapacitated from obtaining a license. At first I thought it was talking about a license to drive since the state police issued it, I felt odd about that. As I read the odd print later, it was about a license to obtain a firearm or a license to carry a concealed firearm. HA-HA-HA! I didn't want to get a gun anyways! I will only be able to shoot pictures from now on, no guns in the house! Dad never was for guns anyways, I guess I have no choice but being the same way in that regard.
Another funny thing, the second time I went to the hospital, I received paperwork indicating "no possessions." I think I might frame that. It is like saying, Mert, you are poor, dirt poor, you have NOTHING! Ha-ha, Ho-ho! But the Lord is our inheritance, kinda like the Levites and the third order Franciscans. :-)
Peace in Christ,
Mert Hershberger
Simply put, it is when the law is concerned that you are disturbing the peace and so they hospitalize the person against their will.
Not that I went kicking and screaming, the police just provided an escort and try to keep neighborhoods and office buildings free of roaming strangers. If I don't shave for a few days and get dirty and kind of hunker over, I can make a good imitation of a homeless person, but I didn't do that. I was just trying my best to share the gospel. Some would say it was without the Spirit, some would say it was with the
Spirit. All I know, is that my intent was not to scare anyone or disturb anyone's peace or ruin any concentration, I was just seeking to testify to the grace of God ... then people got a little disturbed.
There have been times I intentionally acted out of ordinary and disturbed people in sharing the simple Gospel and they fled from me, but it seemed to have more to do with
them avoiding the responsibility to face Christ. Also, I have escorted Jehovah Witnesses out of the apartment complex. But even the JW's remarked that I was "tranquil" ... despite being on low medicine dosages.
Lessons I learned, despite the "suffering" of the insults and questionings and mockery:
1. Be wise in dealing with children ... keep parents informed if you teach them the Bible and let kids play with kids. It is culturally inappropriate to talk to them without the consent of their parents. (I am thankful that
I don't have to go to elementary school to become as a child repeatedly to enjoy the Kingdom of God.)
2. Be wise at church ... keep your amens and convictions to yourself and endure poor teaching and repetitive worship if you must. It is culturally inappropriate to communicate agreement or disagreement with the man behind the pulpit. (I am thankful that Jesus is still the Head of the Church.)
3. Be wise at office buildings ... scheduled appointments are much less intimidating to physicians than an impromptu witness. It is culturally inappropriate to visit a physician without first making an appointment. (I'm glad that the Great Physician does house calls still!)
Until the patient who is "involuntarily hospitalized" has a hearing in court or consents to "treatment" (basically, expresses a willingness to take medicine & work with the program), they are held involuntarily. Because I ended up in the hospital more than once in a short period of time & they didn't believe that I was taking my medication (which I was)
and they didn't want me to stay awake at home.
Ironically, my sleep is as disturbed now as it was before, though I sleep in after the morning medicines now as I am adjusting & feeling a little less motivated. But Sheila
likes the "new" mert (sedated with medication & very lazy, okay, she doesn't like the lazy part, but then again who does?). I personally believe that it was God's will that I
be hospitalized and be harrassed by some fellow residents and deal with the hospital system. My faith grew and I was encouraged that even with the inconvenience of not being
able to doing the Lord's work on the outsie, the Lord opened up numerous opportunities to share the message of Christ, even though the official policy is "no attempts to convert
anyone allowed."
Hope that helps.
By the way, the hospital entertainment: going on walks outside the building, making silly crafts, watching TV, going to 'groups,' pacing the halls is sort of like the jail that I was in when I visited those in jail, only more staff and carpet and better decor.
BTW: I received this week notice of court order declaring that I am legally incapacitated from obtaining a license. At first I thought it was talking about a license to drive since the state police issued it, I felt odd about that. As I read the odd print later, it was about a license to obtain a firearm or a license to carry a concealed firearm. HA-HA-HA! I didn't want to get a gun anyways! I will only be able to shoot pictures from now on, no guns in the house! Dad never was for guns anyways, I guess I have no choice but being the same way in that regard.
Another funny thing, the second time I went to the hospital, I received paperwork indicating "no possessions." I think I might frame that. It is like saying, Mert, you are poor, dirt poor, you have NOTHING! Ha-ha, Ho-ho! But the Lord is our inheritance, kinda like the Levites and the third order Franciscans. :-)
Peace in Christ,
Mert Hershberger
sympathetic
