I’m another BIID sufferer, and I am not a Catholic. I belong to another religion that your church would not consider Christian, although Jesus Christ is in the name, but I digress. I stumbled upon this page in my research. First off, how can a church not allow a marriage between a man and a woman just because one of them is incapable of performing the beautiful act of procreation? Does this mean that if I were catholic and suffered from ED, I also could not get married? I suggest the Church reevaluate their stance on this particular.

FATHER JOE: The Catholic Church does not prohibit infertile couples from getting married. There must be an openness to life in that act which is designed for propagation (the marital act) but there is no mandate that the couple must be capable of conception and the generation of children. Older couples, past the child-bearing years, often get married in the Church.

“Mutilation is defined in Catholic morality as the unnecessary deforming of the human body… Obviously the removal of a cancerous organ, a gangrenous limb, etc would be permissible.”

As one who suffers from BIID, let me tell you, that deforming of human body is in fact necessary. This becomes such a pre-occupation that I am often times unable to function normally, and further stresses other mental illness.

FATHER JOE: Corporeal deformation is not a necessity; but, you hit the matter on the head, we are talking about mental illness. The body may eb healthy, the sickness needing treatment is in the mind.

We have all agreed that the problem is most likely neurological, and that removal of an otherwise healthy limb, or paralyzing of ones body, etc. does not cure the disease, but is merely a treatment.

FATHER JOE: It would be regarded as the wrong treatment by the Church. Not all suffering can be remedied. People have to come to an acceptance of themselves without seeking the destruction of bodily members.

By this logic, treatment of depression via medication is also a sin as this distorts the function of the mind, and has other potentially debilitating side effects, including ED which would just lead me to not be able to be married should I convert to Catholicism.

FATHER JOE: No, the analogy does not hold because such drugs are directly targeted to the damaged faculty, the mind or brain itself. A person with BIID may have perefectly healthy arms, legs, eyes, and genitalia. Chopping parts off so that we might physically reflect the mutilated image in our minds is merely to trade a mental illness for a physical handicap. While there might be drugs to help the mind; tehre is a terrible finality to chopping off limbs. I also do not believe that society should be forced to care for people who have deliberately removed healthy arms and legs.

The difficulty with marriage in the Church and drugs which would pose a risk to the embryo or fetus is a serious one. We often see this with paranoid schitzophrenics and not so much with depressed people on medication. However, once beyond child bearing years, this becomes a mute point for a woman desiring marriage.

Should not a treatment be available to those to allow them to function be available until a cure is found? True many, if they were to be treated, would be unable to be cured once a cure is found, but then again, we don’t know if a cure will be found next week, next year, or next century.

FATHER JOE: Mutiliation of a healthy limb is not treatment. indeed, it fuels the delusion.

I’m aware that we’re all debating semantics at this point, with the exception of “J.” above, who feels like ARGUING semantics.

FATHER JOE: Semantics? Chopping off body parts is far more than semantics.

I do agree with you that there can only be a certain extent to which “treatment” of BIID can be taken. For example the person who wishes to have all 4 limbs removed, and would undoubtedly become an extreme burden on their families, insurance, and likely the taxpayer. Most people with BIID recognize this, and agree that there should be extensive psychological screening before said treatment is to be conducted. Virtually all people with BIID would like no help from the government or any special treatment/money from anyone. I for one would feel some measure of disgrace if I had to do such a thing. I would function normally, and any kind of cost that would be accrued would be out of pocket.

FATHER JOE: The deliberate mutilation of any part of the body is a sin. One limb or four, it is still wrong. The only time amputation can be accepted is when the limb itself is directly diseased and endangers the life of the person (like cancer in the leg, uncontrolled infection, or mangled in an accident).

I do appreciate the candor, and care with which you handled what is to the few of us out there a very delicate subject. One in which the feelings of many could be hurt, and followers of your faith could be offended and turned away. While as stated before, I am not Catholic, I do plan on viewing much of the rest of this site to learn more about your viewpoints as well as those of your faith. I will take what wisdom I can where I can get it. A wise man once said, “Don’t learn things entirely from your own experience. It takes too damn long. Learn what you can from the experiences of others.” I applaud your faith and the things you do to better the lives of those you come in contact with. God Bless.

Bryan

FATHER JOE: God bless!

So, you are of the opinion that people with mental illness are indulging in sin? I agree that illness in all its forms is a result of Satan’s work in the world, but the actual victim of the illness is now sinful, perverted, and an abomination? I think you need to take a closer look at your “truth”, because you’re missing something. Compassion, perhaps?

I have taken part in a ground-breaking study at the University of California San Diego’s Center for Brain and Cognition. They’re of the strong opinion that BIID is neurological in origin and originates with an irregularity of the temporal lobe of the brain where the body processes body image. This would make it a neuropsychological condition. I am at a loss to see what is “perverted” about that.

From your point of view, everyone who suffers from depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease…they’re all abominations to society. And I do not thing that this point of view falls anywhere near Catholic teaching.

Claire

Amen. Amen. And AMEN!!!!

I applaud you for your firm stance against this terrible abomination in our society. What a refreshing, peaceful experience to hear your words, upholding God’s plan for us all.

I am a therapist and there seems to be no end as to what people will entertain in their minds and ultimately in their actions. It is a sorry state our world is in, and I see very clearly that this is Satan’s work without question. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” Genesis 1:26. Satan is trying to destroy that likeness in every way he can: diseases, obesity, anorexia, sinful sexual practices, transgenderism, and now this! Satan HATES that we were created for God and is doing his utmost to destroy what God loves so much. That is the true root of all of this mess.

The “intellectuals” of this society, the media and so on, have glamourized the odd, the riskque, the sinful, so now these things seem normal. But they are not normal. There are absolutes in life. There is a clear line dividing what is right and what is wrong. And if anyone disputes this, ask them to allow you to push them off the roof of a twenty story building. People cannot make up the rules to satisfy their own perversions. God made the rules and He expects us to follow them – for our own good.

This is the first time visiting your website, but I will now add it to “My Favourites”. Thank you, Pastor Joe, for standing up for the truth. God bless you and your marvelous work!

J.

May God bless you and give you healing and strength!

Father Joe

Well I’ve run out of anything to say and am just trying to digest it all. I always knew I was just grasping at straws anyway, but I did have to try, or I would have been consumed by doubts forever.

I want to thank you sincerely for taking the time to respond at such length to me and Sean, and most especially for thinking enough of our exchange to actually post it as a regular blog post on your home page. I appreciate that, and appreciate your prayers.

God bless,
Claire