a pondering from my wife

[McBell]

My wife works as a CNA in a Nursing home.
More specifically, she works in the Alzheimer's unit.
She was telling me about how Fred and Betty were all the time trying to engage in sexual relations and the problems that the staff have been having preventing them from doing so.
Fred is married to Wilma, yet Betty looks much like Wilma that Fred honestly believes that Betty is Wilma.

My wifes question is what happens to Fred?
He is willfully engaging in adultery, which is a sin, though he does not realize that it is adultery because he honestly believes that the "mistress" is his wife.

 

[ChristineES]

Since his memory is compromised, then he is not guilty of any sin. In the same manner God doesn't send mentally handicapped people to what people call "hell" (I personally don't believe in some fiery pit that burn in forever), it would be the same for an Alzheimer's patient.

 

[Ciscokid]

Give Betty undies that say "You're tappin the wrong bizatch".

 

[PureX]

Give Betty undies that say "You're tappin the wrong bizatch".

But then Fred'll just forget how to read. *smile*

 

[nutshell]

Sin is doing what we know is wrong or not doing what we know we should.

Since he doesn't know due to his mental impairment, he is not sinning.

 

[Booko]

My wifes question is what happens to Fred?
He is willfully engaging in adultery, which is a sin, though he does not realize that it is adultery because he honestly believes that the "mistress" is his wife.

This is self-contradictory, Mestemia.

If Fred honestly believes Wilma is his wife, then he isn't willfully engaging in adultery.

 

[McBell]

This is self-contradictory, Mestemia.

If Fred honestly believes Wilma is his wife, then he isn't willfully engaging in adultery.

Interesting and extremely important point.
Frubals for pointing it out!


Edit: Stupid thing says I have to "spread my frubals out"
Remind me that I owe you some.

 

[Kungfuzed]

My wife works as a CNA in a Nursing home.
More specifically, she works in the Alzheimer's unit.
She was telling me about how Fred and Betty were all the time trying to engage in sexual relations and the problems that the staff have been having preventing them from doing so.
Fred is married to Wilma, yet Betty looks much like Wilma that Fred honestly believes that Betty is Wilma.

My wifes question is what happens to Fred?
He is willfully engaging in adultery, which is a sin, though he does not realize that it is adultery because he honestly believes that the "mistress" is his wife.

This raises an interesting question. How do we know if our own ability to resist temptation, or even to believe in something, is not the result of some mental impairment. Perhaps I don't receive messages from God because I was born with no spiritual antenna in my brain. Perhaps my craving for ice cream is due to some chemical imbalance and not just sheer gluttony. Maybe even a lack of willpower is due to something happening in the brain and not just being a the spawn of Satan. Why is it that we can excuse those with obvious mental impairments and assume those who seem sane to be free from any causal events in their brain?

 

[Kungfuzed]

I wonder if one day we'll be dealing with Blame of the Gaps. A person is blamed for their choices or actions unless they have some sort of syndrome or disorder of the mind. Then science comes along and slowly but surely comes up with a syndrome or disorder for every quirk in human behavior. For instance, you can't blame your partner for kicking you in bed anymore because now we have restless leg syndrome.

 

[Buttercup]

So where's Betty anyway?

 

[Pariah]

Why is it that we can excuse those with obvious mental impairments and assume those who seem sane to be free from any causal events in their brain?

The "sane" are able to exert more control of causal events in the brain than the impaired.

 

[worshiper]

give them a room, they are not themselves.

 

[AlefBet]

So where's Betty anyway?

I wondered about the same.
Just curious.

 

[McBell]

Betty is another resident at the Nursing home.
She believes that Fred is her boyfriend.
When she was told that Wilma is Fred's wife, she replied with "That SOB never told me he was married. I don't care. i am never giving him up."