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| Article - Abstract. To view full article click on the article title. | |
CBHD: Addiction: Faith Without Works - Jeffery Boyd In today' s society, we have sex-aholics, choc-aholics, work-aholics, shop-aholics, and golf-aholics. We have self-help programs called overeaters-anonymous, gamblers-anonymous, internet-sex-anonymous, and smokers-anonymous. We have info-maniacs, credit card addicts, rock-and-roll addicts, computer geeks, television junkies, and kids who have never been seen since they disappeared into the video arcade. Why is it so popular to be an addict today, to the point that non-addicts become jealous and try to figure out whether there might be something they could be addicted to? There are two answers. First, American culture encourages everyone to think of herself or himself as a victim. The psychological advantage is that victims get to avoid taking responsibility for their own behavior and can instead simply blame it on the addiction. No one is a sinner today. People are simply victims of their addiction. Addictions are often excuses for unacceptable behavior. For example, a mother-in-law may be civil to her daughter-in-law until the mother-in-law has a tiny sip of wine. A few molecules of alcohol in her blood are a signal to her that she no longer needs to be polite, and she can denounce her daughter-in-law with slurred speech. The slurred speech acts like a public declaration that, "I can no longer be held accountable for my behavior, because I am drunk, or at least tipsy!" The second answer is deeper. Addiction is idolatry. Everyone who chooses something other than the Lord as the top priority in life is addicted to that idol. Full Article: http://www.cbhd.org/resources/healthcare/boyd_1999-10-15.htm |
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