"We know that he had demons." I didn't say that. An E! Entertainment TV channel host said that last night, using a figurative metaphor. I was watching. I'd just heard the news that actor and comedian Robin Williams had been found dead. Suicide. He apparently asphyxiated himself. I quickly turned on the TV, and that's the first thing I saw and heard. Sadly, it probably wasn't far off the mark. He had been to drug rehab at least two times to battle a cocaine addiction. The photo above, publically posted years ago, seems somewhat ironic now. To me he was one of the few (along with Steve Martin) genuinely funny people capable of playing any role and making laughter out of any situation. Everyone says he was truly a nice man, and no one can doubt his acting and comic genius. I loved his movies Dead Poets Society (critics did) and Patch Adams (critics didn't).

Are there any spiritual clues regarding this tragedy? His mother was a Christian Scientist, though it's not clear if Williams believed in anything particular. He was officially an Episcopalian and founded his own philanthropic organization. His personal life was a little messy. During his first marriage he cheated on his wife and the mistress later claimed that he infected her with herpes. He then married his son's nanny who was seven months pregnant with his child. He first checked into rehab in 2006 for alcohol problems.

What to make of this? It's hard to read between the lines beyond his entertainment career. He was clearly troubled, addicted, and depressed. My experience in such cases tells me that this kind of individual is seeking to escape some deep, inner pain. It also seems reasonably clear that he suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder. I think that's why he was able to instantly shift character so quickly, completely, and with such improvisational ability -- better than anyone has ever done it. Because of my experience, insights, and spiritual gifts from the Lord, I'm confident that if I could have spent 15 minutes with him I would have pinpointed exactly the point of his pain. A well-trained therapist should have done the same. From there on, inner healing and deliverance might have changed the outcome of this terrible loss. Yes, he likely did have demons, as the TV host said; not figuratively but quite literally.