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    Religious Addiction
    Religious Addiction
    Religious Addiction
    Ebook84 pages1 hour

    Religious Addiction

    By Xlibris US

    ()

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    About this ebook

    The purpose of this paper is to show how
    anyone, yes anyone can quit any serious habit such as
    alcoholism, drugging, overeating, religious addiction
    and the many other dependencies that overtake people
    in our culture. When I speak of addiction I include all
    dependencies not merely alcoholism. The cure, (yes
    cure) like air and water is available to all. Primarily,
    I will apply rationality (reason) to commonly held
    beliefs regarding addiction revealing thereby that many
    of the ideas we hold about addictions are inaccurate.
    In fact it is our untested beliefs that contribute to our
    addictions. If we are not thoughtful our beliefs, as
    such, will keep us dependent.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherXlibris US
    Release dateApr 21, 2014
    ISBN9781493197194
    Religious Addiction

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      Book preview

      Religious Addiction - Xlibris US

      COPYRIGHT © 2014 BY R.MUTTON PHD.

      Library of Congress Control Number:   2014906337

      ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-4931-9717-0

                  Softcover   978-1-4931-9718-7

                  eBook       978-1-4931-9719-4

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      403 245 3550    rossmutton@telus.com

      Rev. date: 04/14/2014

      To order additional copies of this book, contact:

      Xlibris LLC

      1-888-795-4274

      www.Xlibris.com

      Orders@Xlibris.com

      605113

      T he purpose of this paper is to show how anyone, yes anyone can quit any serious habit such as alcoholism, drugging, overeating, religious addiction and the many other dependencies that overtake people in our culture. When I speak of addiction I include all dependencies not merely alcoholism. The cure, (yes cure) like air and water is available to all. Primarily, I will apply rationality (reason) to commonly held beliefs regarding addiction revealing thereby that many of the ideas we hold about addictions are inaccurate. In fact it is our untested beliefs that contribute to our addictions. If we are not thoughtful our beliefs, as such, will keep us dependent.

      Our life-style choices are made in accordance with our world view and if we don’t like the results of our current choices we will want to change our thinking. This writing is a road map for this purpose! It is painful and expensive to tolerate large numbers of addictions within our culture.

      I will explore the role of religion in treating alcoholism and the other forms of addiction. Religion itself can be an addictive influence and one would be wise to rethink his/her religious position.

      Addiction is costly in terms of dollars as well as personal suffering. Indeed, if the churches of America paid property taxes as they should, the national debt could be eliminated. The cost of addictions to alcohol and drugs would build at least three nuclear aircraft carriers having the capacity to virtually ensure world peace. Think of the costs such as: jails, courts, accidents, hospital operation, police salaries, not to mention broken families and broken hearts. But you might ask can we humans ever end our addictions?

      It is commonly but inaccurately believed that addictions are incurable and may be merely controlled as is the case with diabetes. Current lore says addictions may never be cured, only controlled. This reasoning is countered on the basis that when a condition no longer exhibits its’ symptoms (such as the consumption of alcohol) we may consider it cured. If a diabetic ceased to require insulin he would be cured. By returning to excessive drinking the drinker thereby becomes an addict again. The point of this idea is to displace the notion that one continues to be an addict even though he/she no longer uses. It is contraindicated to think of yourself as an addict even after you have quit. By retaining ones identity as an addict in consciousness practically guarantees a return to a pernicious habit.

      Alcoholism is often compared with diabetes as if they were identical conditions. After a moment’s thought we recognize that in-as-much as many addicts do quit drinking, yet I know of no report of any person who has given up diabetes. I must conclude therefore that the two conditions are different in kind not merely degree.

      Obviously alcoholism and diabetes are two distinct and therefore incomparable conditions. Diabetes is a condition of the underproduction of insulin by the islet of langerhans: while addiction is a choice as exhibited by the many that choose to abstain from their consumption. As a matter of fact, contrary to popular lore many former addicts do manage to moderate their consumption of alcohol. The common wisdom (lore) claims that one may not moderate his consumption; his only choices are to drink or quit (black or white). It is my observation that many once heavy drinkers have later become casual drinkers.

      Moderation may be rare but not unknown! Any single test that fails to confirm a theory disproves it; regardless of the number of times it might have been previously confirmed. Since existing theories do not stand rigorous examination we need a new theory to account for the incidence of addiction. Without a sound theory it will be impossible to recognize an effective treatment.

      Another problem with the disease model is that it necessarily implies a medical paradigm. When seen as medical it thereby promises the possibility of a cure for addictions. After the addicts accept the potential of a cure they are next faced with the problem of circumventing the well established but wrong—headed notion that alcoholism is incurable, but like Diabetes, only manageable. When the dependent person believes it is not my fault there is little chance of him/her doing the necessary and difficult work of quitting. He/she has absolved her/him self of responsibility.

      Believing that it is an incurable disease he/she might rationalize that there is little point in even trying to quit. One had better believe, I am in charge because there is more hope in this approach

      In addition there is some confusion around the disease model; on the plus side of the diagnosis there is assurance that treatment becomes insurable (by Medicare) as are other medical conditions in Canada. Speaking from a scientific standpoint that Doctors themselves often remain addicted, thereby reinforcing the understanding that there is no effective medical treatment for alcoholism. There is nowhere else to go for help. Yet many people do quit drinking and on a regular basis, and almost always on their own.

      Think of aliens from another planet overhearing a former addict saying: I remain addicted even though I no longer drink. The aliens’ might be confused (or amused) by our illogical conclusions. If you don’t drink, you could not be addicted!

      It is contraindicated to teach an addict that he will be addicted forever; in fact by doing so it will likely become a self fulfilling prophesy. It is psychologically better by far to teach him that if he does not drink he is no longer a victim.

      No external force or person can persuade an over-drinker to quit: it is always an inside job. It is probable that we should always think of quitting as on their own, regardless of their surroundings it is always an inside job. Many, if not most of those admitted to an institution for treatment are sentenced to the application of old time religion, as virtually all institutions use the Twelve Steps system. AA is a program legally deemed to be religious in many of the United States.

      Seven of the twelve steps are religiously dogmatic, calling for conversion to Christian fundamentalism. Traditional religion has no efficacious value in ending dependencies—even Christian Fundamentalists become addicted. Obviously a belief

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