A friend and I had this discussion yesterday..her sponsor tells her that in the bible, God calls drunkeness a sin. So, is it? Is it a moral issue or a disease of the brain? NA and AA are based in religion of sorts so I wonder how they discern this?
Curious what everyone else thinks.
Depends on if a person believes in the teachings of the Bible.
I do not believe everything I read in the Bible, and frankly I am still on the fence as to whether or not God does exist. Not so sure.
I was raised to believe, but have since changed my ways of thinking.
If we go by the Bible then cursing, smoking, etc is a sin.
I do not believe everything I read in the Bible, and frankly I am still on the fence as to whether or not God does exist. Not so sure.
I was raised to believe, but have since changed my ways of thinking.
If we go by the Bible then cursing, smoking, etc is a sin.
Oh boy that topic is sure to spark some debate. At least it would have in the old days. I agree with Brooke if you belive, then yes.
Personally I ahve to work with my God who understands this crazy life and the choices and mistakes we make. So sin? bad choice? Illness hell yes. I just can't buy into the fact that it is anything but a illness. No one in it would ever choose it. And only some get completely sucked in and under. So it has to be a brain tweek of some kind.
Personally I ahve to work with my God who understands this crazy life and the choices and mistakes we make. So sin? bad choice? Illness hell yes. I just can't buy into the fact that it is anything but a illness. No one in it would ever choose it. And only some get completely sucked in and under. So it has to be a brain tweek of some kind.
I think it's Man's interpertation of the Bible. Do we really know? No, we did not chose this gene. A baby who is born addicted...has that child sinned?
sorry brooke but r u sayin because i am not religious and i use heroin that i am a sinner????
i beg 2 differ.
i have worked all my life and tried to do the best by everyone.
i help people where i can and even do voluntary work.
i have 1 thing that doesn't fit in with society.
i am addicted to heroin.
i've tried many times 2 come off.
u are tellin me i belong 2 the sinners group and that if i don't get clean i'll go to hell???
i beg 2 differ.
i have worked all my life and tried to do the best by everyone.
i help people where i can and even do voluntary work.
i have 1 thing that doesn't fit in with society.
i am addicted to heroin.
i've tried many times 2 come off.
u are tellin me i belong 2 the sinners group and that if i don't get clean i'll go to hell???
I have become, I guess, what you might consider more open-minded as far as religion and spirituality go. I've always had my own questions. I've never been a person of great faith but I believed in something. I've been searching desperately for answers (for obvious reasons) in the last year. I still don't know what I believe. I've got stacks of books and every one of them say something different. They are marketed as factual but, really, they are just another person's opinion and beliefs.
Is addiction a sin? Is suicide a sin? I've talked to many people whose spouse died from these things (or a combination of both). Knowing what I know now, I would have a hard time classifying either of these as a sin. I believe they are both caused by some form of mental illness. (I include myself in that group.) I didn't intend to fall in love with drugs and alcohol. I just did.
Try telling someone whose spouse died of addiction-induced suicide that their loved one is in "hell" because they sinned. It makes you rethink the whole issue.
I believe there are a lot of truths in the Bible. But I also believe that you can't take everything it says in a totally literal sense.
I hope I made sense. I know what I wanted to say. I just don't know how to put it into words. (Besides, I REALLY should be in bed right now.) I hate sleepless nights.
Is addiction a sin? Is suicide a sin? I've talked to many people whose spouse died from these things (or a combination of both). Knowing what I know now, I would have a hard time classifying either of these as a sin. I believe they are both caused by some form of mental illness. (I include myself in that group.) I didn't intend to fall in love with drugs and alcohol. I just did.
Try telling someone whose spouse died of addiction-induced suicide that their loved one is in "hell" because they sinned. It makes you rethink the whole issue.
I believe there are a lot of truths in the Bible. But I also believe that you can't take everything it says in a totally literal sense.
I hope I made sense. I know what I wanted to say. I just don't know how to put it into words. (Besides, I REALLY should be in bed right now.) I hate sleepless nights.
I guess it would come down to what one personal believes, but no way in hell is addiction a sin in my eyes...and I would really question anyone who thought that because last I heard god made us human and he was a loving god.
Even though I am a bit skeptical as well and yet I know without a doubt there is so much more always going on.
I hate when I read addiction is the devils work.
I have something you might find interesting so check your email, and you can share it with your friend. Oh and tell them it is ok to think for themselves.
Edit Jodi wrote...
Is addiction a sin? Is suicide a sin? I've talked to many people whose spouse died from these things (or a combination of both). Knowing what I know now, I would have a hard time classifying either of these as a sin. I believe they are both caused by some form of mental illness.
And yet it could have been just their time...
You made sense.
Even though I am a bit skeptical as well and yet I know without a doubt there is so much more always going on.
I hate when I read addiction is the devils work.
I have something you might find interesting so check your email, and you can share it with your friend. Oh and tell them it is ok to think for themselves.
Edit Jodi wrote...
Is addiction a sin? Is suicide a sin? I've talked to many people whose spouse died from these things (or a combination of both). Knowing what I know now, I would have a hard time classifying either of these as a sin. I believe they are both caused by some form of mental illness.
And yet it could have been just their time...
You made sense.
i would agree if you said the people that profit by selling the drugs(chances r they dont use) are evil.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL...I love my sponsor but now I think I love her just a little bit more.....
Hey Sugar Britches, I hope you're doing well my friend. Even though I don't come here much any more I do think of you often. You know how I feel about you.
Addiction, Sin, ???
I don't think any of us woke up one day and said you know, I think I'm gonna become an addict so I can hurt people. I do think addiction can lead you to sin. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one here that at some point lied, hurt people I cared for and took things that were not mine,,,,stealing?? Well I never knocked off a liquor store or took money from people but I did help myself to a few pills out of medicine cabinets. And I did take money out of my checking account and then lied to my wife about why I did.
My thinking,,,Hey its a big bottle of pills and they won't miss a few. Its partly my money anyhow so whats the big deal. So I told a little white lie about what I did with it.
I use to justify in my mind why it was OK to do these things. The fact was that my addiction took over my mind. I hang on to that feeling cause it scares the crap outta me that I was so out of control.
Good question Lisa. Didn't vote cause I don't know. What I do know, for me, addiction lead to sin.
Take care SugarCowgirlLisaBritches
LY
Frank
Sin is a religious term so no, and although the program may have roots based in religion ;since in the 30's there was probably little distinction between spirituality and religion,it is not a religious program.
Times have changed.They used to treat alcoholism with shock therapy and lock them up.Saying it is a sin suggest that it's a moral issue and not a disease.Unfortunately,many people still think we are morally deficient and deserve to be treated that way.My parents were like that.They simply believed if I just turned my life over to Jesus,I wouldn't want to drink,have sex,grow my hair long,or stay out late at night.All my hedonistic character defects would just evaporate.Well after about the 10th time of getting saved,it just wasn't taking root.
There certainly is nothing wrong with choosing a particular religion as your spiritual avenue, but you don't even have to believe in God to be a member of the program.There are plenty of atheist and agnostics who get clean and sober.They found either the group itself as their Higher Power or something else.
In fact the word "moral" has some very negative baggage for me but that's my problem.I will say today I try and be a responsible member of society and that honesty,good will,helping others out and living my life with some integrity have been the changes I needed to make.I see little differences in that than what Christianity professes.I didn't need to go to a church to figure that out.
Times have changed.They used to treat alcoholism with shock therapy and lock them up.Saying it is a sin suggest that it's a moral issue and not a disease.Unfortunately,many people still think we are morally deficient and deserve to be treated that way.My parents were like that.They simply believed if I just turned my life over to Jesus,I wouldn't want to drink,have sex,grow my hair long,or stay out late at night.All my hedonistic character defects would just evaporate.Well after about the 10th time of getting saved,it just wasn't taking root.
There certainly is nothing wrong with choosing a particular religion as your spiritual avenue, but you don't even have to believe in God to be a member of the program.There are plenty of atheist and agnostics who get clean and sober.They found either the group itself as their Higher Power or something else.
In fact the word "moral" has some very negative baggage for me but that's my problem.I will say today I try and be a responsible member of society and that honesty,good will,helping others out and living my life with some integrity have been the changes I needed to make.I see little differences in that than what Christianity professes.I didn't need to go to a church to figure that out.
um Herman perhaps you should read my post again, I would never say what you accused me of.
If you read it again and comprehend, then you will see where I myself am not sure GOD exist. How did you get what I wrote that I was judging people who use myself included, (recovering addict) as a sin?
I said I do not believe every thing in the Bible. I never said it was a sin one way or the other. Isn't for me to decide.
I said if you believe in the bible, which I don't, then according to the word, those that smoke, curse, etc are sinners.
If you read it again and comprehend, then you will see where I myself am not sure GOD exist. How did you get what I wrote that I was judging people who use myself included, (recovering addict) as a sin?
I said I do not believe every thing in the Bible. I never said it was a sin one way or the other. Isn't for me to decide.
I said if you believe in the bible, which I don't, then according to the word, those that smoke, curse, etc are sinners.
Yeah,I don't get that either.Nobody's called anyone anything.One also can be agnostic;you're not sure if God exist or not.
I use the word God a lot but it's certainly not in a Biblical sense.I don't see the difference between a Western's view or Easterns view.IMO God is universal.It's your interpertation.I think organized religion has done more damage than anything by making their particular reference as somehow more valid than another one's.
I use the word God a lot but it's certainly not in a Biblical sense.I don't see the difference between a Western's view or Easterns view.IMO God is universal.It's your interpertation.I think organized religion has done more damage than anything by making their particular reference as somehow more valid than another one's.
god helps all,,,,no matter what,,,,he just wants all people to find peace of mind,,,poopie
When I was growing up the nuns told me that everyone that was not Catholic was a sinner and was going to hell. Come on. That's one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever heard. When I was in my 20s I decided to try another form of Christianity and was told that everyone that was not "born-again" was going to hell. Nope, didn't buy into that either. I'm not even sure I buy into the whole "hell" concept, but I definitely don't believe addicts are "sinners".
I'm not even sure I buy into the whole "hell" concept
I'm pretty sure I've been to hell which makes me more grateful to be clean & sober and out of that place.....
I'm pretty sure I've been to hell which makes me more grateful to be clean & sober and out of that place.....
True that
I knew this would be a good topic. I agree with whoever it was (sorry) that said, our God is a loving God. Does he forgive us for what we've done because of addiction? Yes. There is nothing to forgive as far as the addiction itself goes. It's not our fault. But, it is our responsibility to do something about it. Maybe that's where the sin comes in?
If "sin" means "increasing of suffering"...yup, addiction is a "sin". It increases suffering all 'round...
Though I consider it more of a mental disorder...which, depending upon the person...may or may not have biological causes or susceptibilities...
Oh..and no..... a person who is selling drugs is not sinning...unless you consider a bartender or a liquor store owner selling alcohol is also sinning...
The only person who is inflicting suffering with drugs is the person who is using the drugs, not the seller. It's the user that makes the choices about how/when/to what extent they will get/use drugs...not the seller.
Time for some personal responsibility here. This is the major area where I see "sin"...as in actions that increase suffering. The suffering addicts inflict upon themselves..upon others...
Though I consider it more of a mental disorder...which, depending upon the person...may or may not have biological causes or susceptibilities...
Oh..and no..... a person who is selling drugs is not sinning...unless you consider a bartender or a liquor store owner selling alcohol is also sinning...
The only person who is inflicting suffering with drugs is the person who is using the drugs, not the seller. It's the user that makes the choices about how/when/to what extent they will get/use drugs...not the seller.
Time for some personal responsibility here. This is the major area where I see "sin"...as in actions that increase suffering. The suffering addicts inflict upon themselves..upon others...
Person responsibility yes, but is it our fault that we are born this way? I truly believe that we are pre-disposed to this disease. Born with it. How can that be a sin?
