Cutting and Self-Harm

razor blade, cutting

Working with incarcerated youth some years ago, one stumbled upon those who were involved in self-harm.

Specifically, the practice referred to as “cutting.”

This involved

The act of cutting one’s own skin as a symptom of a personality disorder; self-harm.

This behavior was NOT looked upon favorably by administrators (or indeed, other youth who were housed in that particular youth facility).

To the disinterested observer (who had no experience with these behaviors), cutting–and the whole idea of self-harm–seemed to be self-defeating: what was to be gained by intentionally inflicting cuts, slashes and gashes on one’s skin with a razor, knife or other sharp object?

So, some of those involved with the practice (almost all were females) were asked WHY? they did such a thing.

The answers were almost ALL the same.

“It makes me feel better.”

When prodded for more information, several offered that “I feel bad or depressed or really down.  Cutting makes me feel so much better.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.  It just does.”

As with ALL human behaviors, cutting is addressed in the Bible–actually, in several passages.

There was a general prohibition against cutting (or tattooing) one’s flesh.

“Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.”
–-Leviticus 19:28

To get to a reason why people cut themselves, there are two clues offered, one in the Old Testament, one in the New.

The first instance involved the prophet Elijah and the prophets of the devil Baal at Mount Carmel.

“And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.”

“And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.”

“And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.”

“And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.”

“And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.”

“Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”
–-1KINGS 18:17-40

The clue offered in 1KINGS is that the servants of the devil (demon) Baal cut themselves “until the blood gushed out upon them.”

Their blood, no doubt, serving as an offering to Baal.

Another clue is offered in Mark 5, an account of a man afflicted by an unclean (evil) spirit (demon, devil) who was healed of his affliction by Jesus Christ.

“And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.”

“And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.”
-–Mark 5:1-5

When reading this Scripture about the demon-possessed man cutting himself, the words of one of the afflicted youth was brought back to remembrance.

“I feel bad or depressed or really down.  Cutting makes me feel so much better.”

So, the modern practice of cutting has something to do with

  1. being afflicted with a devil;
  2. feeling bad because of that devil’s affictions; and,
  3. obtaining relief from those afflictions once a sacrifice (of one’s blood) is offered to that devil.

Is it too risqué to suggest that these all might be somehow related to cutting?

Of course, such thoughts are routinely scoffed and mocked by the world’s authorities on such matters.

BUT such contemplation remains food for thought–particularly since so little definite about the behavior is volunteered by the world’s authorities.

Especially since those who are steeped in the world’s “knowledge” about cutting offer so little in the way of relief for those afflicted.

DOES the reader know of anyone who participates in cutting or other practices of self-harm?

It is not YET too late: there is still time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.

DOES the reader believe he is saved?

Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival

DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?

Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: October 16, 2019.]

MORE:  In a world full of lies, where to go for the truth?

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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier

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