Disease or sin?

[David from New Bern]

"All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down"....."All MY Rowdy Friends are in Therapy" or 12-steppers...If you want to upset one challenge him/her that alcoholism or drug addiction is not a disease, it is sin. The other half are on mood altering medication because they have a diagnosed behavior disorder that it addresses. Both groups are told they have an incurable disease and will need constant professional or group therapy to survive and cope. Yet, my understanding is that Jesus is the bondage breaker and sin is not a medical disease or a genetic disorder. Let the posting begin...Disease or sin...and how will the philosophy affect the solutions we seek?

[tah]

OK, opinion here,

I believe it is a sin..

and can lead to disease...

If I sin and take a drug or drink obsessively then I can well develop a disease..

If I do not then the disease does not occur...

makes perfect sense to me...

just a little PS here..

I had an uncle die from sclerosis of the liver...sin led to disease..

I had an aunt did drugs....was in mental institution....sin led to disease..

[jamie]

Repetitive practiced sin = stronghold of addiction. (not a disease!)

Mood altering drugs are for those who don't know the joy of the Lord and are open season for satan to oppress.

[Electric Angel]

I agree. It's important to begin with the premise that we are all sinners and thus, are prone to sinful behavior.

I wasted a lot of time in a psychologist's office trying to deal with the fact that "kids in school didn't like me." I finally realized that it was my own sinful behavior - mocking and making disparaging comments - that alienated me from them.

[Rober H]

good posts! I like the way you guys think...

[sisterinchrist]

good posts! I like the way you guys think...

As we grow in the word, and believe what the word says, we all can be delivered from these addictions. And I believe sin can develop into a disease.

good posting...

[Guest diedforme7]

Definitely sin..... I have a BA in Psych from a secular university and am now feeling led to study for a MA in Biblical Counseling from a Baptist Seminary. My thinking has been considerably altered. Few and almost none of the diagnosises received from a "Psychologist or Psychiatrist" can be medically proven. They are all just a name for symptoms observed. The true source of the problem is either organic (thyroid, tumor, or other findable cause) or the old nature ruling the body. For a non-believer, the obvious problem is the bondage to sin. But for the believer, those bonds have been broken yet the old self keeps trying to reconnect the lines.

It is both amazing and sickening at how far man has truly come from the perfect life God planned in the Garden. That old snake is a wise sneaky perverter and if we don't start recognizing that man does not have the answers we are going to lose more souls to the pervert.

The Bible is all sufficient and has equipped us with the things we need. To seek sources elsewhere can only end in disillusionment.

[Guest jckduboise]

Both.

At age 15 I began drinking and smoking pot...by age 25 I was a died in the wool cocaine addict and by age 31 I was smoking crack cocaine.

Doctors, Counselors and Anonymous groups say that addiction is a disease, I agree to the point that it is an inherited genetic make up that leaves us prone to being addicted through these genes..Doctor's say incurable? I say phooey on that...reasoning will follow..

Sin most definitely..Proverbs 23:20,21..Do not join those who drink to much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

And to top it off people who use drugs and alcohol disregard all morals that are learned through the bible and parents..the inhibitions fall away and they can become game for anything..

There is also the factor of what this stuff does to our minds. I do not believe in halucinations, I do believe in Satanic attacks and that is what I dealt with for years..demons would haunt me badly when I was high. Even after I quit using I was chased by those same that chased me when using. It took years to recognize what I was dealing with and it took a long time for them to be cast away from me.

When I finally got to the point that I was tired of listening to the pro's on whether or not this "disease" is incurable, I listened to God...Jesus is the ultimate physician. If I have laid my life down for Jesus and believe in Him whole heartedly then I must also believe He can cure ALL ailments not just a select few. Therefore I quit saying I am a recovering addict and began saying I am a recovered addict.

There is also the healing and washing away of the ugly things that I did while I lived in the addictions. If I am unwilling to accept that I have been forgiven for ALL sins then I have not accepted God's gift of forgiveness..therefore I am saying that God is incapable of really taking my sins and guilt away..that in itself should be a sin if it isn't considered one already..

We are not to be drunkards..it can keep us from complete salvation according to Paul in 1Co 6:10 and 1P 4:3..Drunkards are also mentioned in the book of Revelations unfortunately I cannot remember the verse..can someone help me out on that one?

[Giaour]

Disease is the "result" of sinful behavior.

[Guest jckduboise]

Disease is the "result" of sinful behavior.

Where do the genetics come into play with this idea?