It’s only been around for thousands of years. It affects more people now because their are more people on the planet, and more drugs available.
Whether it’s a sin is for God to decide, case by case.
It’s not a disease...sex, drugs, alcohol, video games, porn...these are choices on giving in to temptation...God makes it clear that He always gives us a way out...He says to flee, He says He wont allow more than we can bear. It is hard to fight off these, but we can if we choose.
Why can’t it be both?
I don’t buy into this ‘it’s a disease’ stuff.
The answer is yes.
Mental illness is a big part of it.
A sinful disease. Doesn’t really matter about symantics. Many folks are addicted and cannot stop on their own. Treatment centers have been full for ages. The drug of choice just seems to change.
I need to find the chapter in Mere Christianity on this subject.
I was just told recently after my hip replacement that current research shows that people taking morphine derivatives for real pain (surgery,cancer,etc,etc) *can* become addicted.Previous assumptions were that such people wouldn't become addicted.
OTOH some addicts are just weak,immoral punks.
“””Is there a remedy to this destructive force that has been unleashed upon our planet?”””
Absolutely! But it only works if the individual wants to quit, you can not force sobriety on an individual. I’ve been helping drug and alcohol addicted Vet’s for several years now. I use the basic 12 Steps of Alcoholic’s Anonymous with a twist or two. About a 60% success rate for those that complete the Steps. One needs to also remember that there’s a big difference between physical and mental addiction. Personally I think mental addiction is the hardest to stop.
(Excerpt) Read more at amazon.com ...
Is spam a disease or sin?
Some guy who gets clean and sober in the rooms but now wants to make money off of what wa freely given to him. That is the real sin
If it’s not contagious, it’s not a disease.
Some physical diseases are genetic, but in general, addictive personalities have TONS of baggage and the addiction is a person’s coping mechanism to deal with pain.
Many people have been delivered from addictions, without even trying, when they accept Christ. It just happens. When they find Christ, they find they don’t need their props any more.
That puts it in the sin category.
Addiction is a disease caused by a long series of very poor decisions.
I think that is the wrong question. Instead:
“Does the addiction make a person weak, or do they become an addict because they are already weak?”
While this sounds callous, almost the same answer can be used.
In either case, disease or weakness can make a person vulnerable to addictive things, but personal strength can make it harder to both become an addictive and to stay addicted.
So instead look to that which strengthens a person, either a burst of strength, or a long steady improvement in strength.
If you never take that first drink, you will never know if you are an alcoholic or not.
It’s like Russian Roulet. If you never pull the trigger, you will never know if that spin was empty or not.
I have yet to meet a person, smart or stupid, who did not know that was the choice before taking the first drink. Most took the drink and took the chances anyway. Some of us have never pulled the trigger and will never know.
it is both
it is both
I think what the author is getting at is whether theism or naturalism/materialism is the right world view and whether God or something else is the cure.