Saturday, January 30, 2016

Is there a connection between Religion and Addiction?

I was astounded with the response I received this week when trying to introduce my New Generation Habit Replacement Program to a senior school counselor.

Not looking in particular interested, he looked at me as if I was one of his pupils.
The first question he asked was, if this program was in line with the Bible. I was stunned at the lack of intelligence. What does my Habit Replacement Program got to do with the Bible? He did not say Religion, but specifically the Bible. That means only one specific religion, namely Christianity.

The following day I met with another school counselor. To my horror his first words in introduction was,"You must be a man of God" and he rattled on how his Church, himself and the pastor help kids with addiction problems, by getting them to accept God as their Savior. From Genesis to the Book of Paul and beyond, and he carried on and on about what was written in the Bible. I could not get a word in about why I wanted to see him, namely helping parents and kids through my Habit Replacement Program.

The more I listen to this educated people each day : -  people who tries to teach our children from within the cave they still occupy, the more I understand why the youth are so confused, and does not get the education (around drug use and abuse) they so desperately need. The children needs guidance from their elders. They don't need old misused and misguided doctrines from previous centuries been forced onto them. 

Contrary to popular believe teenagers do have brains, maybe not fully developed, but brains nonetheless, hungry and eager, ready to be guided in the right direction. If you do not have the capability to guide or talk sense to this people they will most definitely reject your stupidity. This will then make them disobedient, disrespectful and a host of different labels parents, teachers and society so dearly like to pin on them, and therefor they need to be punished in the harshest possible way. To teach them respect.

Unfortunately, a number of this counselors, school and in private practice, I spoke to, do not have the necessary knowledge especially around addiction. When I tell them that my aim is not to fight drugs or drug dealers, there is total confusion and disbelief in their eyes.
My mission is helping parents and children to set themselves free from the burden of addiction. That is a different mission from fighting drugs and drug lords.  
"Kill the drug dealers," they shout marching with placards, reading "We Hate Drugs" It looks like a Middle Ages Christian Crusade, with crosses and all.

Nowhere I have seen the same vigorous Crusades against the abuse of small children, boys and girls, abused and neglected by the same parents, the same society that shouts to kill another human being. Nowhere I have seen this Crusades against alcohol, cigarettes and legal drugs.
Please do not get me wrong. I am not against any religion, for if it was not for religion, this world as we know it would have been in chaos. Religion was a brilliant device created to keep people under control for centuries. I firmly believe that there is a certain place for spirituality and religion in rehabilitation, creating a balance in the clients life, but most certainly not another drug to depend on.





Now I would like to ask the question that really concerns me.
Could somebody please explain to me the connection between, religion and alcohol and/or illegal drug abuse?

For every time I start a discussion about alcohol and drug rehabilitation, I get hour long sermons by "addiction counselors" from all different religions. Some of this even with an aggressive undertone.
When, however I talk about gambling, sex, cigarettes, work, relationships or any other of the 230 different addictions known to man, including legal over the counter drugs, not one of this "addiction counselors" say a word and religion does not get mentioned. Why would that be? Why is there a connection between only two addictions and religion and not the rest ?
I really do not know. Could it be that Churches (mainstream rehabilitation centers) and Government are making lots and lots of money through various means, while they keep the youth and a great deal of society drunk, drugged, dysfunctional and in jail? Mainly men that gets put in jail for possession of drugs. There are not enough jobs, Governments do not deliver. So could this be the alternative?
I really don't know, and would like to get an answer from an intelligent source? 

I found that most people in positions to help children, are looking for valid excuses to stay within a system that was created by the Americans 150 years ago. They are quite happy staying with the warn out 12 step programs, swearing by its efficiency, for they are so brainwashed, that they are not prepared and have stopped, to think for themselves. 

There are much better alternatives.

Society and especially parents are made to believe by Government and Churches alike, that they need to fear drugs with all their hearts by only showing the consequences of drug abuse .  I cannot see any change in the foreseeable future regarding drug addiction in this country or anywhere else in the world while this attitude or viewpoints are still kept.
The few countries that did change their attitudes and laws are having major success in curbing drug abuse.

Thank you for reading this blog. You are invited to please leave your comments.










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