The Religion Of Addiction*
 

ByLisa Roberts

First let's look at religion. Religion is a set of beliefs, practices
and, perhaps ritual based on what is known as worship. What is worship?
Worship is respect and reverence for a god or power. Worship is a form
of submission. There are places of worship where people of like beliefs
go to be together to practice their beliefs and rituals. Also there is a
form of worship ritual that says to go into your closet and be alone
with God. Many people feel that they are called by God to worship and to
go into places to share their beliefs. Belief in a religion supercedes
other systems such as the way families are structured in order to
conform to the rituals and purposes of the religion. Religions has been
known to cause wars and deep divisions between countries and also
families.
I have read in the Koran that people's
sole purpose on earth is to worship God. The Christian Catechism says
our purpose is praise God forever. Perhaps there is truth in this
although maybe misunderstood. What if the words were rearranged a little
to say people will worship and praise a god? Perhaps that makes a
little more sense.
Religion has recommended times
of day for prayer and dates on the calendar for celebration some even
get a feeling that tells them they need to pray, praise, or worship.Now
let's look at addiction. Addiction has places to go and be together
with others of like beliefs; bars for the alcoholic, drug dens and
houses for the drug addict, casinos for the gambler, and churches for
the religion addicted. Many people will also go into their closet to be
alone to drink, use drugs, view porn, play video games and gamble on the
Internet. Addicts get a signal or trigger that tells them it is time to
partake in their addiction. For some this trigger is a time of day,
date on the calendar, or feeling. Many people who are actively addicted
feel they are celebrating when they are involved in the ritual of
seeking their high. Some addicts actually call themselves atheist which
to me seems utterly preposterous given what is known about religion and
worship and how addiction compares to it.There are as many ways
to be addicted as there are people in my opinion. The list of addictive
substances goes on an on. Let me list a few of the more commonly known
addictive substances for you here:AlcoholReligionDrugs both street and prescriptionSexGamblingSports or exerciseFoodPornLoveIs
there one person on this planet who has not participated in at least
one of these activities? Well everyone eats that is for sure with the
exception of of maybe people who have no food or, are anorexic and are
addicted to feeling empty and see themselves as fat. Even these people
have eaten before at least once. I suppose that there could be someone
who hasn't ever loved but, I think it is doubtful.There is a
school of thought that says addiction is a family disease. But, like
worship addiction forsakes all others. Many people feel that if they do
something that is legal that it does not qualify as addiction. After all
who is doing anything illegal if they eat , go to church, or get a
prescription drug from their doctor? Many of these types of addicts
condemn the poor prostitute standing on the corner and they do not
compare what they are doing to the down trodden homeless alcoholic or
prostitute standing on the corner. They are just practicing their
religion and are completely submitted to their god, what's wrong with
that?In the past century there have been organizations started in
order to try and curtail addiction such as AA, NA, and GA. Drunk
drivers get court ordered to attend AA meetings and people arrested on
drug charges are mandated to attend NA meetings. The proclaimed atheist
often say that these organizations are too religious for their taste and
people who claim to have a Higher Power often relapse back into using
their drug of choice.Then there are others who make their AA, NA, GA,
and SA meetings their religion and forsake all others for the sake of
their recovery including their families. Family members are usually
relieved that their loved one has found recovery are told to mind their
own business and keep the focus on themselves while their addicted loved
one learns to live one day at a time. Often families fall
apart while the loved ones are in a recovery program. Often the loved
one finds a lover while going to recovery meetings who whispers in their
ear that they have a right to live their own private life. Addiction is obsession and one can usually find an always or never associated with the activities involved in searching for whatever is used to satisfy the obsession. The crack addict always has to call their dealer which is kind like saying a prayer. Perhaps they will never
let anyone see them performing their ritual of preparing to use. Which
is a lot like going into the closet. The religious addict will always go to church on Sunday.In
conclusion my comparison of addiction and religion is that both have
rituals, both have submission and both are about devotion to the
exclusion of all others.Thank you for reading this I hope there
is food for thought here for the ones struggling to free themselves of
addiction and for those who love them.*This is an article that I wrote up for a class I was taking in academic
writing a few years back. I published it @ezinearticles.com to for for fill
the publishing requirement.
https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Relig...ion&id=1710306

Not sure this belongs in a secular forum. IMO it should be deleted or moved.

Very interesting comparison
one frees your spirit and one cages it
addiction breaks your spirit into a million pieces
may the time of using you want to feel whole

Splendra one word first "paragraphs" please next time.


Not seeing the connection here. Atheist also relapse. God or no God, people recover all the same. A religious ritual compared to using drugs is two different planets. What does being drunk snorting coke off the toilet seat at a bar and the ritual of worshiping God have in common? IMO I don't think you know what your talking about frankly.