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I am a child of the 80s.  I grew up on Mork & Mindy.  It was there I, like so many others, got laugh-after-laugh watching the crazy antics of Robin Williams.

Robin's suicide is old news by now, but I am not a blogger who feels driven to be the first to comment on everything happening in the news, culture, and world.  I like to ponder, consider, read and listen.  I try to do so, by God's grace, with a biblical worldview as my filter.  Like many others, I am saddened by his death, and my condolences are with his family, though they will never know me or even read this blog.  So, my remarks are not meant as anything other than a generic commentary on the situations faced by Robin Williams.

Like most Americans, I was a "fan," not of his political views or personal views, but purely of his comedy.  I was entertained by him, although not everything he did was worthy of my attention.  But when it came to comedy, Williams was the king.  He would walk onto a talk show and the host might as well have not shown up.  It instantly became The Robin Williams Show.  I got a kick out of his insanity and non-stop shennanigans.  But it was obvious from a biblical perspective that Robin wanted the attention.  He craved it.  Needed it.  He in no way wanted the spotlight on anyone other than himself if he were on a stage.  Though it made for good comedy, it speaks to an underlying darkness or struggle.

Louie Anderson on Fox News actually said exactly what I have just said, in his remarks about what made Robin special.  Louie said Robin wanted that stage, that spotlight, that attention.  And he did whatever it took to get it.

Maybe we label him a control freak?  Maybe we label him selfish or self-centered?  Or maybe, like is often the case, his antics were hiding a deep pain or hurt or struggle.  I don't know if anyone has ever studied those voted "Class Clown" by their senior class, but it would make an interesting project to see what hurts and pains might have been under the surface of their ceaseless clowning around.  We all too often put on a happy face to hide a weeping heart.

I do not know what if any religious affiliations Williams had.  His dad was a Christian raised in a mainline denomination, while his mother was a Christian Scientist (with that being an atrocious misuse of the name of Christ).  To my knowledge, at one point in his career, which was plagued by alcohol and cocaine addictions, he credited the humanistic "mind over matter" mantra of Christian Scientism for helping him sober up.

But it's clear now that he found no lasting freedom, no true healing, in looking deep within himself to tap into some supposed "divine spark" or power in humanity.  Indeed, no one who seeks salvation from within himself will ever find it there.  Jesus said what is inside a man is defiled (Mark 7:20-23).  The Prophet Jeremiah said man's heart (his mind and desires) is "deceitful above all else and desperately sick" (Jer 17:9).  Humanism, in whatever form is comes to us, make us our own saviors.  It did not work out practically in the end for Robin, and most tragically it did not work out spiritually either.

I read recently that anti-depressants are now the most prescribed medicines in America.  I also read that over 30,000 people commit suicide in America every year.  Our citizens have been saturated in public schools and universities and by countless media outlets in the religion of humanism / secularlism / materialism and it leads ultimately to nihilism.  This is the view that everything amounts to nothing.  Nothing really matters.  Live.  Die.  Decay.  Fertilize plants.  Repeat process.  

Maybe in a billion more years, we human animals will evolve the ability to see through these satanic lies?  I'm being sarcastic, of course!  These satanic lies are precisely why we are the most wealthy, depressed people on the planet today.  We are looking anywhere and everywhere for glory, satisfaction, and happiness.  Soul deep peace.  And no wonder, we were created for just such things!

But these high ideals cannot ultimately be found in medicines, drugs, drinks, human friendships, marriages, children, self-help books, essential oils, witchdoctors, mantras, yoga, P90X, sports, 4-H or even in the church, per se.  All these may very well be fine in and of themselves.  But needing any of them to cope with life or treating any of them as ultimate sources of power and satisfaction is idolatry.

These things we most crave are found only in the Christ of the Gospel that the Church has proclaimed for two thousand years plus.  I am not saying true Christians never suffer from depression.  The Bible is chocked full of examples of God's redeemed people battling depression.  Read the Psalms.  Lamentations.  Habakkuk.  2 Corinthians 4.  Time and time again you will see God's people lifting their eyes to their Savior God when they are depressed.  To their God and His Gospel and Promises they fly!  And in Jesus the Savior, they find their rest, again, and again, and again, and again.  Until He calls them home to finally and fully experience perfect, eternal peace, joy, happiness, glory and satisfaction.

It's all in Him.  It's all about Him.  It's all for Him (Rom 11:33-36).  Turn your eyes on Jesus, and away from yourselves.  This is the meaning of life:

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and for Your pleasure they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:11).

All the money, best doctors, best health foods, best psychiatrists, best secular counselors, best rehab centers and best religions of the world could not save Robin Williams' soul and set him free from sin's heavy chains.  They will fail you too.

God help us give up all fakes and substitutes.  Jesus is the Real Thing.  He is enough.