Ellen White Investigation

Ellen White's Contradictory Behavior on Depression

By , July

Depression is one of the most painful experiences a human being can walk through. Many sincere Christians have wrestled with it. Yet Ellen White repeatedly insisted that no true Christian should ever be depressed, and that discouragement actually misrepresents Christ and pleases Satan. According to her, a believer overcome with sadness is not only spiritually weak—they are spiritually wrong.

But what happens when the one making those claims spent most of her own life living in deep, chronic depression?

Ellen White and the Depressed

Ellen White expressed in no uncertain terms that Christians should not be depressed:

Christians will not be mournful, depressed, and despairing.1

The Christian pilgrim cannot be sour, gloomy, depressed. It is a misrepresentation of the Christian faith to be surly, unreasonable, or sour in spirit.2

We are not to allow ourselves to be depressed...3

How can you as Christians go mourning and depressed if you are taking hold upon Jesus?4

In view of the encouragements that are found all through the word of God, we have no right to be gloomy or despondent.5

We are not to be depressed by any trials that may come.6

We are not to be depressed or discouraged...7

You must not be depressed. It is the depressing discouragements that are sapping your life forces.8

Let not depression and discouragement mar your representation of Christ.9

...by going [about] depressed, covering ourselves with garments of heaviness and mourning, we make a very bad representation of Christ. We virtually say [that] our Lord is a hard, tyrannical Master. This is lying against the precious Saviour...10

Mrs. White is clear that Christians have no right to be depressed, and if one is depressed, their behavior misrepresents Christ. She assures her followers that Satan is pleased by their depression:

Do not utter one despondent word: for such words please Satan.11

The enemy is well pleased to have souls complaining and stumbling. He is pleased to see them depressed, downcast, and mourning; but God designs that the mind shall take no low level.12

Not only does she teach that is Satan pleased when people are depressed, she also claims his plans are more successful against depressed individuals:

Satan's craft is most successfully used against those who are depressed.13

Satan's craft is most successful against those who are depressed by difficulties...14

It is apparent from these quotes that Ellen White believed depression to be a state of mind that no Christian should ever engage in. According to her, it misrepresents Christ, saps the life forces, is pleasing to Satan, and makes Satan's work more effective.

Uninspired Counsel

The quotes above are sufficient evidence to demonstrate that God did not inspire Ellen White's writings. The most horrifying message to convey to a depressed Christian is that their condition misrepresents Christ and pleases Satan. Depressed individuals are already suffering enough without having to bear the added guilt and shame of somehow not being good enough for God!

Most people have little or no control over their depression. Depression often has a physical cause in the biology of the brain. Christians are not told they are being unChristlike when they get the flu. Neither should they be told such words when they have depression. A depressed person can no more will themselves free of depression than a person with Diabetes can will themselves free of that illness. Illness, whether mental or physical, affects all humans. In fact, many Biblical heroes were challenged with depressive episodes. For example:

The Bible does not condemn any of these people for being unChristlike.

A number of Christians have been candid enough to admit their battles with depression. Mother Teresa and Charles Spurgeon both faced episodes of depression, and yet their lives testify to their Christ-likeness. There are many in the church who suffer from depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health: "Major depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States," with over 17 million adults in the United States having "at least one major depressive episode" in 2017.15 This number represents one out of every twelve Americans, and it does not even consider minor episodes of depression.

Rather than condemning all these people and making them feel like they are a failure and a disappointment to God, true believers will show concern for those with a mental disorder.

Mrs. White's Depressed Behavior Contradicts Her Testimonies

Mrs. White should never be criticized, condemned, or judged for struggling with lifelong depression. She is deserving of empathy and understanding. However, for the sake of truth, it must be pointed out that while she chided and shamed other depressed church members for being unChristlike, she was acting in the same manner. The following evidence reveals that she was in a state of depression for most of her life.

Conclusion

One would think Ellen White would have some empathy for depressed individuals since she was depressed most of her life. Instead, she ridiculed them as a "very bad representation of Christ." This no doubt caused them great shame and humiliation over a condition they had little or no control over. Like the Pharisees who "tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders," she saddled depressed people with the burden of condemnation (Matt. 23:4 ESV). The worst part is that people believed her words were inspired, thus implying to them that God also condemned them for their depression. What a cruel burden to bear through life!

Since Ellen White was depressed most of her life, was she a "very bad representation of Christ?" Or, were her writings on depression falsehoods? You decide.

Category: Hypocrisy