Sat, Oct 31st - 5:59PM
RECOVERY
Brothers and sisters, I
took time to attend three recovery groups. One was secular although held within
a church. The other two were church sponsored and held within their respective
churches. The secular group made it clear that the Bible was not welcome because
they did not uphold any religion, but its up to the person to believe what ever
they wanted was their higher power.
All three groups were
similar the Bible was not present and/or there was no reliance on scripture. Instead
in all three groups they all had little books of aphorisms that they read to
one another. All of them identified and said they were addicts of various kinds
such as drugs, alcohol, co dependency etc.
Before and after all of
the meetings, brethren, I had to report observing some of the members in all
three groups sneak quick sips of something in small flasks in the rest rooms
and openly in the main areas. Those who mentioned that they had relapses were
met with comfort and sympathy with no tips offered on ways to lessen or prevent
relapses, or reminders of serious consequences of relapses. All three groups operated
on the disease model of addictions. Is it safe, holy people, for the church to
abandon scripture and declare that some sins are so special /difficult that
they fall outside of scripture cannot be dealt with by scripture in any way?
Again, holy people, we
look at the split in our government between its science/health departments and
its department of justice administering the penal codes nationally and in all
states. According to science/health disease model addictions are medical/mental
conditions, characterized by chronicity and relapses. Therefore, those affected
are determined to have been robbed by the disease of having any freedom of
choice, accountability, responsibility, self- restraint, free will. Therefore,
instead of punishment they should receive treatment. The goals of this
determination were to de-stigmatize addictions/lessen the guilt and shame
associated with addictions so as to encourage people to more readily seek
treatment.
Saints (G40hagios), It is obvious that the department of justice and state penal
codes hold those addicted accountable, responsible, and liable for their
behaviors resulting from their relapses and therefore imposes enforced treatment,
fines, and incarceration. They feel, holy people, that the protection of the
public from harm overrides allowing these individuals to escape the consequences
of the serious harm that they cause to themselves and others. This stance is
bolstered by the public inasmuch as juries are inclined to approve of stiff
penalties in those cases brought before them.
Some argue that even if
addictions are a disease no different from hypertension, diabetes, or cancer,
people who suffer these diseases are held responsible, accountable and liable for
their offense/crimes; therefore, there is no reason to exempt those addicted
from the consequences of the harm they cause.
It is true, as evidence-
based research has shown, that the justice system is unfair to minorities. Some
states have legalized recreational use of marijuana to make the system fairer,
however the penal system laws of punishments for violations are unchanged.
Dearly beloveds, let us
look at this supreme court case:
Powell was convicted of
being drunk in public, but he argued that his public appearance was not
voluntary because he was a chronic alcoholic. His defense was based on an
Eighth Amendment claim that punishing him for the condition of chronic
alcoholism would be cruel and unusual punishment.
Case Commentary:
If someone is aware of
compulsive conduct that arises from certain situations, that person has an
obligation to avoid triggering conditions if the result would be illegal. U.S.
Supreme Court Powell v. Texas, 392 U.S. 514 (1968) Powell v. Texas No. 405 Argued
March 7, 1968 Decided June 17, 1968 392 U.S. 514
Appellant was arrested
and charged with being found in a state of intoxication in a public place, in
violation of Art. 477 of the Texas Penal Code. He was tried in the Corporation
Court of Austin, and found guilty. He appealed to the County Court of Travis
County, and, after a trial de novo, he was again found guilty.
That court made the following "findings of fact": (1) chronic
alcoholism is a disease which destroys the afflicted person's willpower to
resist the constant, excessive use of alcohol, (2) a chronic alcoholic does not
appear in public by his own volition, but under a compulsion symptomatic of the
disease of chronic alcoholism, and (3) appellant is a chronic alcoholic who is
afflicted by the disease of chronic alcoholism; but ruled as a matter of law that chronic alcoholism was
not a defense to the charge.
Held: The
judgment is affirmed.
Opinion excerpts: MR. JUSTICE BLACK, joined by MR.
JUSTICE HARLAN, concluded:
1. Public drunkenness, which has been a
crime throughout our history, is an offense in every State, and this Court certainly
cannot strike down a State's criminal law because of the heavy burden of
enforcing it.
2. Criminal punishment provides some form
of treatment, protects alcoholics from causing harm or being harmed by removing
them from the streets, and serves some deterrent functions, and States should
not be barred from using the criminal process in attempting to cope with the
problem.
3. Medical decisions based on clinical
problems of diagnosis and treatment bear no necessary correspondence to the
legal decision whether the overall objectives of criminal law can be furthered
by imposing punishment, and States should not be constitutionally required to
inquire as to what part of a defendant's personality is responsible for his
actions and to excuse anyone whose action was the result of a
"compulsion."
4. Crimes which require the State to prove
that the defendant actually committed some proscribed act do not come within
the scope of Robinson v. California, supra, which is properly
limited to pure status crimes.
Page 392 U. S. 516
5. Appellant's argument that it is cruel
and unusual to punish a person who is not morally blameworthy goes beyond the
Eighth Amendment's limits on the use of criminal sanctions, and would create
confusion and uncertainty in areas of criminal law where our understanding is not
complete.
6. Appellant's proposed constitutional
rule is not only revolutionary, but it departs from the premise that experience
in making local laws by local people is the safest guide for our Nation to
follow.
The recovery movements gloss over the
serious consequences of relapses. Drugs and alcohol addiction have entered
among the church. The embrace of recovery methods in the church have been done without
proper scrutiny and monitoring. See: Man who urinated on Delta passenger ID'd as North Carolina
pastor
nypost.com/2020/10/28/man-who-urinated-on-delta...
Police have exposed the man who allegedly
urinated on a fellow Delta Airlines passenger as a pastor from North
Carolina, according to a report. The victim, a woman named Alicia Beverly, told
police…
Love
serola
Comment (0)
|
Thu, Oct 29th - 6:09PM
RECOVERY
Brothers and sisters, thanks for hanging
in with me in this study. While it might not constitute suppression of
information, much information that opposes the disease model of addictions is not
widely disseminated by the disease model proponents. Some posit that the
disease model of addictions is applied too broadly which causes people to view
it with cynicism. Others believe it motivates people to blame other people for
their own faults for instance: Fat Teens Sue McDonald's | Fox News
www.foxnews.com/story/fat-teens-sue-mcdonalds
The charts show, for
instance, that a quarter pounder with cheese has 530 calories and 30 grams
of fat. Nevertheless, the lawsuit claims kids and their parents
didn't know how fattening the food was.
Compulsive Gambler Just Can’t Win - American Casino
Guide
www.americancasinoguide.com/gambling-and-the-law/...
A federal judge in New
Jersey has issued the most complete and comprehensive judgment ever about
whether a compulsive gambler can sue a casino. The short version of her
10-page-long legal analysis: “No.” Arelia Margarita Taveras, a disbarred
lawyer, sued most of the casinos in Atlantic City, as well as many of their
owners and employees.
Supreme Court rulings uphold casino rights | News ...
www.washtimesherald.com/news/supreme-court...
Kephart said
the casino enticed her to gamble with free meals and rooms, and money
on credit. It even sent a car to drive her from Tennessee to Indiana,
she said. But the court ruled 4-1 that problem gamblers have the
responsibility to look after themselves and casinos can't be expected to
protect them if they don't.
Dearly beloveds, although
the addicted person is counseled that he or she has a medical/mental disease and
is subject to relapses because the disease takes away their free will; it is
unclear if the addicted are also counseled that the courts have, and apparently
will continue to jail, fine, mandate treatment, and test them for continued
drug use which if they fail will result in punishment. The goal of punishment
in the penal system is meant to lead to correction, which it does at least in
these cases.
It’s good, saints (G40hagios)
that our government wants to help its citizens, but the issue of addictions
being a disease is felt by some to be harmful to those seeking treatment,
because they believe it stifles other methods that might be more helpful. In
the mix are powerful groups that want to legalize all drugs, and those who
claim addicts can recover and still use drugs moderately, or heavily if they so
choose.
Holy people, some might
think if only the addicted would turn their lives over to Jesus Christ all
their problems would be over. That is a dangerous message for we know that it
is not the gospel message. Many false converts have been made on the false
doctrine of turning one’s life over to God as a fix limited to a particular
problem in one’s life.
Judges Can Require Drug Users On Probation To Remain
Drug ...
www.wbur.org/news/2018/07/16/eldred-decision...
In a
unanimous ruling, Supreme Judicial Court justices
rejected the argument that it is unconstitutional to incarcerate someone who
violates probation by relapsing because relapse is a symptom of...
What America Got Wrong About the Opioid Crisis - The Atlantic
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/08/what...
Sally Satel is
a psychiatrist, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and
the co-author of Brainwashed: The Seductive Appeal of Mindless Neuroscience.
She is a member of Health ...
While most of us have sympathy
and compassion for the plight of the addicted, addiction expert Sally Satel
acknowledges drug addiction and withdrawal is "certainly a very intense
biological process." But she is one of many experts who say the addiction-as-brain-disease
theory is harmful to addicts — and wrong.
She also thinks it's
unhelpful to take away the stigma associated with drug abuse. "Why would
you want to take the stigma away?" she asks. "I can't think of
anything more worthwhile to stigmatize."
Satel believes teaching the
addicted that they have a disease that is incurable, chronic, leaves them with
no free will, and subject to relapses robs them of hope, motivation, and
becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The Surprising Truth About Addiction | Psychology Today
www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200405/the...
More people quit
addictions than maintain them, and they do so on their own. That's not to
say it happens overnight. People succeed when they recognize that
the addiction interferes with something...
The Truth About Addiction and Recovery - Why It
Doesn’t Make ...
peele.net/lib/truth_1.html
And as we show below,
those who seriously try to stop drinking on
their own are more likely to maintain their abstinence than
those who attend A.A. In addition, since many more people try
to quit on their own than through therapy or joining a
group, the number of self-curers is triple or more the number of successful
treatment or A.A cases.
It is felt that not
everyone wants to or can do it on their own and should seek help. The nearly
concealed truth is that there is plenty of hope for addicted persons as it
relates to drugs and alcohol.
Evidently relapse is
never benign. Liability: Governmental Liability for Negligent Failure to
Detain Drunk ...
scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=...
GOVERNMENTAL LIABILITY
FOR NEGLIGENT FAILURE TO DETAIN DRUNK DRIVERS Alcohol impaired
driving seriously threatens public health and safety in the United States.
Dearly beloveds, not only
bartenders but hosts can be liable if their customer, visitor, or friend leaves
their place and later is involved in an accident or injured himself or others: Social Host Liability - FindLaw
injury.findlaw.com/accident-injury-law/social...
Social
host liability laws are similar to so-called dram
shop laws, which hold bars and alcohol retailers liable for injuries or
deaths related to the actions of severely intoxicated patrons. In fact, some
states' dram shop laws (which apply to businesses that provide
alcohol) also cover social hosts.
$1.18 Million Jury Verdict - Parents Liable For Drunk Driving
...
www.vanbloislaw.com/case-results/1-18-million...
$1.18 million jury
verdict – parents liable for drunk driving adult son Our law
firm has been instrumental in expanding liability to include persons who
supplied alcohol or drugs to a drunk driver. In 1983 we obtained the first
reported jury verdict in the United States that held the parents responsible
for the actions of their adult child by providing alcohol to their adult son
who then caused an accident.
Car Accidents and Negligence: When You Are Liable for Another
...
www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/car-accidents...
The family purpose
doctrine. Some states adopt the "family purpose" doctrine. In
those states, when someone purchases and maintains a car for
general family use, the owner of that vehicle (generally, dad or mom)
is liable for negligent driving by
any family member using the car. Signing a minor's driver's license
application.
Can You Be Held Criminally Liable for Letting Someone
Drive ...
restaurantescala.com/2016/05/13/...criminally-liable...drunk
Since driving drunk is
illegal, anyone who helps a person commit this crime by giving the individual
keys to a vehicle knowing the person is intoxicated can be held
criminally liable under these laws. A third way a prosecutor
could come after you for letting someone drive drunk is through
reckless endangerment laws.
Drunk Driving: Basic Questions and Answers You Need to
Know ...
corporate.findlaw.com/litigation-disputes/drunk...
love
serola
Comment (0)
|
Mon, Oct 26th - 6:49AM
RECOVERY
Brothers and sisters, the
main issue with the recovery movements is that there is no evidence- based data
to see if they actually work and to what degree. Voluntary testimonials of
their effectiveness are questionable due to the very secretive nature of
addictions and the many reasons addicts are prone to keep slips secret. As
mentioned earlier, the drop out rate for voluntary treatment is high, while
court ordered treatment is about 80% effective. This is because is said because
failure to comply or continued drug use leads to further penalties such as loss
of probation. NIDA/NIH endorses court ordered drug treatment because it is
deemed more effective than voluntary treatment, they would just like to see
more follow up after release, and also the use of pharmaceuticals in the
treatment process.
Interestingly, holy
people, , the National Institute of Health
(NIH) under the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, (DHHS) is the largest biomedical research agency in
the world. Its focal point is for the support of biomedical research. The NIH's
mission is to uncover new knowledge that will lead to better health for
everyone. Simply described, the goal of NIH research is to acquire new
knowledge to help prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat disease
and disability. They have a current initiative: The Helping to End Addiction
Long-term Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative, is an aggressive, trans-agency
effort to speed scientific solutions to stem the national opioid public health
crisis.
They also like NIDA posit that addiction
is not a moral failure or a choice; but get ready to be confused as they define
addiction as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug
seeking, continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting changes
in the brain. It is considered both a complex brain disorder and a mental
illness. Addiction is the most severe form of a full spectrum of substance use
disorders, and is a
medical illness caused by repeated misuse of a substance or substances. Remember,
that NIDA cites addictions as no different from any other medical illness such
as hypertension, or diabetes. Therefore, the addict should not be blamed for
having a medical illness anymore than those suffering diabetes, hypertension or
cancer, they deny it is caused and sustained by substance abuse.
Nevertheless, dearly beloveds, there is a
rise in penalties for dui, regardless of it being declared by certain
institutions that it is a medical mental/disorder:In California the most
liberal state in America, a dui can lead to a charge of murder: California DUI Murder a.k.a. The Watson Murder Rule! - Legal
...
www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/California-dui...
In California, a DUI resulting in the
death of another human being is known as a “Watson Murder." The “Watson
Murder" or "Watson Murder Rule" originated with the case of
People v. Watson, in which a multiple DUI offender’s prior convictions were
used to prosecute him for second-degree murder under the legal theory of
“implied malice".
46 states have felony dui laws for
convictions. Even states that do not have these laws, may have them within
their municipalities.
Not only state but Federal drug penalties apply
for even the possession of drugs: Drug Possession Laws, Charges & Statute of Limitations ...
www.federalcharges.com/drug-possession-laws-charges
Drug possession is one of the most
diverse and common types of criminal drug charges that Americans face today. It
can also be one of the most serious, depending upon the specifics of the
possession charge. Essentially, possession is the act of possessing illegal
drugs, either on one's person or on their property.
Drug Possession Overview - FindLaw
criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/drug...
Federal and state drug possession laws
make it a crime to willfully possess illegal controlled substances such
as: marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, LSD, "club drugs,"
and heroin. These laws also criminalize the possession of
"precursor" chemicals used in drug cultivation and manufacturing, as
well as certain accessories related to drug use. However, what constitutes drug
possession can vary according to the type of drug, the amount, and the
geographic area where the offense took place.
Saints (G40 hagios) it is clear that the
government is at odds with itself, and without apology, over the treatment of
addictions. Most certainly it appears that the federal/state penal codes are
not buying drugs/alcohol substance abuse as a medical/mental disease, but as a
disorder of habituation. Next it will be important for us to look at other
voices within the health community on this issue of drugs/addiction as a
medical/mental disease vs a disorder of habituation. At some point later in
this study we will have to look at the issue of the recovery movement within
the church.
Love, serola
Comment (0)
|
Thu, Oct 22nd - 8:32PM
RECOVERY
Brothers and sisters, the
question of if alcohol/drug addiction is a medical/mental condition why are
people sentenced to jail for it? The plain truth is that criminalization/jailing
or forced treatment/isolation for certain medical conditions is not new, nor
uncommon in the world nor in these United States: who can forget typhoid Mary? Typhoid Mary's tragic tale exposed the health impacts of ...
www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/03/...
In the case of hiv among
other medical conditions we find in the united states: HIV-Specific Criminal Laws | Law | Policy and Law | HIV/AIDS
... www.cdc.gov/hiv/policies/law/states/exposure.html
HIV and STD
Criminal Laws HIV-specific laws that criminalize or control
behaviors that can potentially expose another person to HIV. Sexually
transmitted disease (STD), communicable, contagious, infectious disease
(STD/communicable/infectious... Sentence enhancement laws specific
to HIV that do not ...
Involuntary civil commitment | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal ...
www.law.cornell.edu/wex/involuntary_civil_commitment
Involuntary civil commitment is the
admission of individuals against their will into a mental health unit. Generally
speaking, there are three reasons why an individual would be subject to
involuntary civil commitment under modern statutes: mental illness,
developmental disability, and substance addiction. In the case of mental
illness, dangerousness to self or others defines the typical commitment
standard...
States with Involuntary Commitment Laws
for Addiction Treatment. There are currently 37 U.S. states (and the
District of Columbia) that allow some form
of involuntary commitment for addiction treatment. The process,
requirements, and how long a person can be committed will vary by each state.
Under the Department of Health and Human
services its departments dealing with addiction terms it as a medical and mental
or psychiatric condition. They advocate for lessening of criminalization of it and
advocate treatment/therapy over punishment. They see relapse as not a failure
nor an indication that the treatment does not work, but is an indication that
the addicted has left treatment early, or an indication of the addict needing
more treatment or reassessment of the treatment plan. Treatment according to
DHHS works and is effective.
Unfortunately, brothers
and sisters, most addicts will not seek treatment. Court ordered treatment is 80%
effective. This is garnered from the evidence of court records, proof of attendance
by witnesses and signatures of those being treated, and laboratory records of the
mandated testing of those in the program. To date there is no such evidence
that voluntary treatment of addictions is effective or to what degree.
Holy people, NIDA in
number 11 of its principles of effective treatment states:Treatment does not
need to be voluntary to be effective. Sanctions or enticements from family, employment settings,
and/or the criminal
justice system can significantly increase treatment entry, retention
rates, and the ultimate success of drug treatment interventions.
The same government,
brothers and sisters, through separate different governing agencies are out of
sinc. In the DOJ punishment is a given not excluded by court ordered treatment.
U.S. Department of Justice www.justice.gov: (DOJ) is a government entity
that enforces the laws and defends the interest of the United States in
accordance with state and federal laws. The mission of the DOJ is to ensure
public safety and to defend the United States from both foreign and domestic threats.
The DOJ also provides
leadership to many law enforcement agencies to help them prevent and control
crime. The department defends the rights of people within the United States and
punishes individuals that are guilty of
unlawful offenses. Additionally, the DOJ's mission is to make sure that
everyone receives fair and impartial treatment and that justice is served.
Agencies and
Responsibilities
There are 59 agencies
that make up the DOJ. Each department has their own responsibility, but the
overall mission of the DOJ is to fairly enforce laws and to keep the
individuals in the United Sates safe. Currently, dearly beloveds, again, many states
or municipalities within states have criminal penalties for certain deeds
caused by addicts. What this means is that even if addiction is seen as a
medical/mental condition, this does not absolve those addicted from responsibility
and accountability for their actions resulting from their “lapses”.
Addicts can lose
employment if drug usage is revealed by employer drug screening. Some families as
a last resort might eject the addict from the home to escape liability for the
harm they cause to others as well as in the home.
Love
serola
Comment (0)
|
Thu, Oct 15th - 2:14PM
RECOVERY
Brothers and sisters, all recovery
movements contain some form of “spirituality”. In the drug/alcohol recovery
movement it is thought that the “disease” of addictions is due to people having
lost connection with a higher power to give meaning to their lives and is
represented in their powerlessness to control their insatiable thirst for drugs/alcohol
which is seen as a vain attempt to fill up the void withing themselves due to
being disconnected from a so called higher power.
A belief in God is not a requirement for
spirituality, as it is falsely claimed that there are many ways to define a
higher power. In plain English, holy people, this higher power is anything that
the person wants to believe it is or to make it a higher power. As long as it
is special or means something To them.
The
higher power the addict creates is something they believe is greater than
themselves, ultimately controlling the universe on some level. This so called spirituality, supposedly gives
meaning to the addicts life, is entirely personal, is not dictated by someone
else, but by the addict; therefore they can make it whatever they want.
This higher power of recovery doesn’t need
a face, a name, or a particular place. This higher power is found by looking
inward at what is important to the addict, after that everything will supposedly
fall into place. That is when the higher power is found and realized in
practice the addict will have a spiritual awakening/recovery from their
addiction-although periodic relapse may continue for a life time.
Brothers and sisters, the federal agency,
the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines addictions as: a chronic
medical disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or
difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. The initial decision to
take drugs is voluntary for most people, but repeated drug use can lead to
brain changes that challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere
with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs. These brain changes
can be persistent, which is why drug addiction is considered a
"relapsing" disease—people in recovery from drug use disorders are at
increased risk for returning to drug use even after years of not taking the
drug.
Federal Law describes the addict:: 21 U.S. Code § 802The
term “addict”
means any individual who habitually uses any narcotic
drug so as to endanger the public morals,
health, safety, or welfare, or who is so far addicted to the use of narcotic
drugs as to have lost the power of self-control with
reference to his addiction.
Research has shown that
there is a significant relationship between violent crime and substance use.8
Both drugs and alcohol are linked to violence and crime, but the risk is
greatest when substances and alcohol are used at the same time.
While alcohol and
substance use is linked to criminal offenders, it is also important to
recognize that drug and alcohol use can also increase people's risk of being victims
of crime.
Dearly beloveds, due to
the carnage caused by the dangerous behaviors of the addicted to others we see
that neither the public nor the law views this harm to the public through warm
and fuzzy lenses: Jury Gives Life in Prison for DUI Third Conviction | Barone ...
www.baronedefensefirm.com/blog/jury-gives-life...
Jury Gives Life in Prison
for DUI Third Conviction. Apr 23rd, 2020 OWI. A Texas jury gave a woman
a sentence of life in prison, and this sentence was recently upheld by the
Texas appeals court. Finding that a life sentence for a third DUI is not “cruel
and unusual punishment,” the court found that the sentence was constitutional.
The substantial prison
population of the America is connected to drug related offenses. Some might think wow if drugs/alcoholism is a medical problem how come people are put in jail for it? love serola
Comment (1)
|
Sat, Oct 10th - 6:37PM
RECOVERY
Brothers and sisters, we know from
scriptures the characteristics and manifestations of the Adamic sin nature: not
rational nor reasonable, no conscience, defective judgment/decision making,
lacking behavioral controls, not improved by learning from consequences, life
lived by strong emotional and physical needs and excess- an insatiable love for
pleasure and comfort, regardless of how harmful it is to themselves or others. It
appears world wide in mankind on various levels of severity. However, the secular world that is the
natural man, again and again only looks to fix the symptoms of a person’s
failures/difficulties and poor life choices, rather than the true underlying
source and very foundation of these issues which is that the person is a sinner
trapped in sin. The Bible puts it this way, holy people: 1 Cor 2:14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned. 15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is
judged of no man. 16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
As mentioned earlier, brothers and
sisters, the recovery movement has from its very beginning appropriated
“spirituality, and spiritual language” from the Bible. However, its meanings
are completely divorced from the truth of scripture, and its focus is always on
the persons’ attainment of psychological betterment in certain areas of life
that have become problematic, and is not in any wise focused on pleasing God.
As of Sep. 18, 2020, Addiction is more
common than many realize. About 300 million people throughout the world have an
alcohol use disorder. The world health organization reports a global epidemic
drug addiction, with almost 11 million who inject drugs, of which 1.3 million
are living with HIV, 5.5 million with hepatitis C, and 1 million with both HIV
and hepatitis C.
42 Addiction Statistics and Facts to Know in 2020
disturbmenot.co/addiction-statistics
In the US, the substance abuse facts show
us that more than 23 million individuals from age 12 and up
suffer from a type of substance abuse disorder. These statistics cover several
substances, including cocaine, alcohol, and prescription medications, to give a
better idea of the challenges those with an addiction face.
It is common, dearly beloveds, for an
addict to have multiple addictions of alcohol, multi drugs, gambling, excessive
shopping, pornography, over eating, sexual addiction/fetishes, co-dependency etc. New psychoactive drugs are regularly being
invented and have not yet been declared illegal, but have many users eager to
try them all as soon as they can get their hands on them.
.
It is thought that alcohol/drug addictions
damages genetic material in both male and female users. Therefore, both parents
are contributors to early fetal death and to alcohol/drug syndrome in babies
born live and addicted. Of course, there is not enough paper to list all the
many other sins among those who are unsaved in the world.
Holy people, when we return to this study,
Lord willing, let us look at this so- called spirituality that is the bed rock under
pinning many types of recovery movements, in particular drug and alcoholism,
and which has been allowed to infiltrate some churches lacking discernment, and
who do not adhere to the total authority of scripture. Most insidious is that some alleging to be
Christians, in error claim that they have combined or married psychology or
whatever their humanistic ology is with scripture to supposedly offer optimum
treatment to those seeking help, despite the warning from God forbidding all
not to ever add nor to take away from the gospel message, and His absolute
cursing those who do so unrepentantly.
Love
serola
Comment (0)
|
Thu, Oct 8th - 6:14PM
RECOVERY
1 Thes 2: 13For this cause also
thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which
ye heard of us, ye received it not as the
word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh
also in you that believe.
Brothers and sisters the spiritual mind
that true believers have through the free gift of salvation is open to believe
and receive the things of God and willing to drop anything that contradicts His
word. They willingly submit to the authority of the scriptures in love and
trust the truth of the Lord. Not so the carnal mind, which scoffs at the word
of God as having no more validity as that spoken by mere men:
Rom 8:7 Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But
ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any
man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Carnally minded: the flesh, denotes
mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and
therefore prone to sin and opposed to God, whose inclination, focus, intent and
purposes is pleasing and serving their fleshly needs.
1 Thess2:14For ye, brethren,
became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus:
for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as
they have of the Jews: 15Who both killed the
Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not
God, and are contrary to all men: 16Forbidding us to
speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them
to the uttermost.
No one should ever mess with God. Here
Paul is speaking of those unbelieving Jews who were enemies of the gospel, not ignorantly as he
had once been, but knowingly and with the same hatred as of those Jews who killed
their prophets sent by God in the past. Brethren, this is more proof among many others in
the scripture that God is no respecter of persons, anyone who comes against Him
whether Jew or gentile is His enemy and will pay the price of facing His wrath
against their wickedness.
However, thanks be to God that all who
believe in Jesus whether Jew or gentile is welcomed into His beloved family and
saved forever from the wrath of God to come which is among many other blessings
from God.
Rom 8:13 For
if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Our life and our practice, holy people, we
know directly from the scriptures, is to live faithfully in love, truth, trust
and obedience to God, according to the standard of Christ as He commands within
the everlasting boundary of His new covenant, correctly interpreted.
We must keep in mind that God always gives
His people a way of escape out of our temptations for this reason the
scriptures absolutely declares: 1Co 10:13.
This is why God absolutely declares: 1Jo 5:18. The
Lord is there to help all of His people the old, children: 1Jo 2:13;
young people: 1Jo
2:14. Victim theology is a false theology not taught in scripture. No true
Christian is a victim of their old Adamic sin nature which is forever done away
in Christ. A Christian might not overcome overnight, brethren, but a Christian
will overcome through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In 2019, holy people, the government spent
36.8 billion dollars on drug abuse, but only about 2% went on drug treatment.
More money was spent on law enforcement to deal with criminal related drug
issues and also to treat health related issues illnesses and diseases caused by
the abuse. There continues to be a stigma on drug/alcohol addiction.
We look into the secular world to explore
their findings, such as
who are the types of people likely to
become addicted? According to medical
daily: Addiction
is a complicated affliction, affecting people of all ages, intelligence levels,
and backgrounds. It's hard to tell what causes some people to be more prone to
addiction than others; it's usually a mix of many factors, from family
background, genetics, environment, stress, and personality traits.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse lists
some basic addiction risk factors, such as trouble at home, mental health
issues, friends or family members who abuse drugs, or your biology and
genetics. But you might be surprised at the types of people who might have a
higher risk of becoming addicted to drugs — such as white people, people with
higher IQs, and those suffering from ADHD or bipolar disorder.
Raging addictions are also to be found
among those in the arts and among musicians.
Young people in general (aged 18-24) are
more likely to abuse drugs — particularly young men compared to women. In
addition, despite the fact that young black people are arrested for drug crimes
at a much higher rate than whites, research has shown that white people are
actually more likely than blacks to abuse drugs. In a 2012 study, researchers found that 15 percent of Native American
youths had the highest chance of getting a substance abuse disorder, compared
to nine percent of whites, five percent of African-Americans, and 3.5 percent
of Asian Americans.
According to the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), the risk of addiction in general goes up
for children of alcoholics or drug addicts. Children of parents who abused
drugs are 45 to 79 percent more likely to abuse drugs themselves than the
general population. This could mean that addiction is rooted in genetics and
might be inherited, but it could also mean that drug abuse could be impacted by
environmental factors, such as the family background in which the child was
raised and influenced.
The high school dropout working at a gas
station will be more likely than the class nerd to become a drug addict, right?
At this point, we all know pretty well by now that the stereotype isn’t true.
In fact, some of the highest-paid and most successful professions — from
investment bankers to doctors and lawyers — are riddled with hard drug use and
cocaine dependency. Whether it’s the stress, isolation, or failed relationships
and marriages that are associated with these professions, it’s hard to tell
what drives these people to substance abuse.
love
serola
Comment (0)
|
Mon, Oct 5th - 1:58PM
RECOVERY
Holy people, lets keep in mind that all
believers, whether gentiles or Jews are all made one in Jesus Christ as the Bible
absolutely declares: God’s word trans, Eph 2: 11Remember that once you
were not Jewish physically. Those who called themselves "the circumcised"
because of what they had done to their bodies called you "the
uncircumcised." 12Also,
at that time you were without Christ. You were excluded from citizenship in
Israel, and the pledges [God made in his] promise were foreign to you. You had
no hope and were in the world without God. 13But now through Christ
Jesus you, who were once far away, have been brought near by the blood of
Christ. 14So he is
our peace. In his body he has made Jewish and non-Jewish people one by breaking
down the wall of hostility that kept them apart. 15He
brought an end to the commandments and demands found in Moses' Teachings so
that he could take Jewish and non-Jewish people and create one new humanity in
himself. So he made peace. 16He also brought them back
to God in one body by his cross, on which he killed the hostility. 17He came with the Good News
of peace for you who were far away and for those who were near. 18So Jewish and non-Jewish
people can go to the Father in one Spirit.
19That is why you are no
longer foreigners and outsiders but citizens together with God's people and
members of God's family.
Even if we are gentiles, God chose us too
and made us a part of His chosen people for all eternity: 1Pe 2:9 But
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an
holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Therefore, brethren, as priests under our
great eternal High Priest Jesus Christ, God the Son, Lord and Saviour, let our service
be done as He commands us : Col 3: 23And whatsoever ye do,
do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24Knowing that of the Lord
ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord
Christ. 25But he
that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Brothers and sisters this last verse,
meaning that although we are saved, any of us who does wrong will face the disciplinary
hand of God without exception, regardless of our position in the body. No one
is exempted from God’s discipline.
Brothers and sisters, it is a terrible
fact that one doesn’t have to be an addict to get in trouble through taking
drugs or doing alcohol to excess, sometimes one time is all it takes to cause ruin
in a person’s life to them and/or others too. God left us a record of the first
instance of a man who got drunk just one time: see: Gen. 9:20-25.
Then how can we forget the rape of Lot by
his own two daughters who plied him with alcohol, knowing that he would never
give consent to them to have sex with
him if he was sober: Gen. 19:31-36. Feel free to
study further on your own the good, bad and ugly results of all this.
Early on, dearly beloveds, God leaves us an
explicit record that drunkenness, aka alcohol intoxication or excess of alcohol
impairs judgement, impairs memory (alcoholic blackout), loosens inhibitions, and
can leave people open to predation, or being maltreated, or doing harm to
others as well..
The Bible records a pattern in the earth
of people plying alcohol to someone to
get them drunk in order to take sexual advantage of them: Hab 2:15 Woe
unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him,
and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on
their nakedness!
In some ways this is the start of an ongoing
history of the use of alcohol as a date rape drug, although now there are many
other types of drugs in play as well for this purpose. Let us keep in
remembrance, dearly beloveds, that the Bible speaks of alcohol as
a good gift from God to be enjoyed, but He absolutely and
explicitly forbids any of us to get drunk, or to allow any impairment in our
sobriety, especially if you are a leader.
Firstly, wine is
a good gift from God to be enjoyed: Psalm 104:15
(God has given us) wine that gladdens the heart of man.
Wine was also used as medicine. It
was said to revive the faint ( 2 Sam. 16:2) and was suitable as a
sedative for people in distress ( Prov. 31:6 ). Mixed with a drug, it
was used to ease suffering ( Matt. 27:34; Mark 15:23 ). The Samaritan poured
oil and wine on the wounds of the injured traveler ( Luke 10:34 ). 1
Timothy 5:23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because
of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
Jesus very first public miracle
was turning water into WINE (John 2), not water into grape
juice, at a wedding feast in Cana. Lord Jesus established His communion
with bread and wine in remembrance of His death on the cross: 1Co 11:25, 25 After the same manner also he
took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new
testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in
remembrance of me. 26For
as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death
till he come.
However, brothers and sisters, excess or drunkenness
is absolutely forbidden by God. Even if we have no problems with alcohol, there
are brothers and sisters who have a weakness where they cannot control drinking
once they start, so in order to do what is right for God’s sake, they just stay
away from alcohol period, which is wise. We have to respect and be mindful of
people with these conditions, and not drink around them or expose them to
celebrations where alcohol might be served:
Rom 14:21 It
is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any
thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
God, again, holy people, absolutely
forbids anyone claiming to be a Christian to be a drunk. I know drunk doesn’t sound
nice but that is what God absolutely declares all such persons to be. Eph 5:18 And
be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Peter hollas back at us today that we dare
not, better not allow anything to impair
our sobriety: 1Pe 5:8 Be
sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist
stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in
your brethren that are in the world.
God’s bottom line for His people is
absolutely clear: Gal 5:21 Envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you
before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which
do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. The good news is that no believer is a victim
of their old dead Adamic sin nature.
Love
serola
Comment (0)
|
Fri, Oct 2nd - 2:25PM
RECOVERY
Brothers and sisters, let us give all
praises, glory, honor and thanks to Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour and faithful
Shepherd over the flock of God who through His free gift of salvation to all
who believe, have caused us to stand holy in His sight and that of God the
Father, forever accepted, unblameable, and unreprovable. (Col
1:22).
UNBLAMEABLE: without blemish, as
a sacrifice without spot or blemish; morally: without blemish, faultless, unblameable.
UNREPROVEABLE: that cannot be called into
to account, unreproveable, unaccused, blameless.
Jesus Christ is the true merciful, eternal
faithful High Priest continually working the perfect will of God the Father in
His people who were once His enemies: Rom 5:8 But
God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:10 For
if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his
Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Dearly beloveds, many false teachers, as
always, seek to deceive people by preaching a false gospel that Christians have
to be rooted in Jewish customs and rites according to the Mosaic law, the same
as such did back in the time of the apostles:
The doctrine of
the Judaizers was a mixture of grace (through Christ) and works
(through the keeping of the Law). This false doctrine was dealt with in Acts 15
and strongly condemned in the book of Galatians. In Acts 15, a group
of Judaizers opposed Paul and Barnabas.
Let everyone of us as commanded by God,
holy brethren, be rooted in Jesus Christ: Col 2:7 Rooted and
built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with
thanksgiving.
Look, holy people, we know absolutely that
God commands ALL of us to avoid, reject, refuse all of these kinds of false
doctrines. All of these false teachers are coming to try and deceive us and
turn us away from Lord Jesus Christ.
Col 2:8Beware lest any man spoil
you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9For in him dwelleth all the
fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10And ye are complete in
him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11In whom also ye are
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body
of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12Buried with him in
baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith
of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13And you, being dead in
your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with
him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the
handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and
took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing
over them in it.
Dearly beloveds, because of Jesus Christ, through
Him His priesthood does not come behind
in any way as compared to that old Levitical priesthood who were by the command
of God ordained with carnal things that had no permanence, which are now done
away in Christ.
Were the Levites called of God? So were we,
both male and female, of every nation and tongue through the free gift of salvation.
Were they circumcised? So were we by the operation of the faith of God when Jesus
Christ washed our sins away, buried us in His death and raised us up as new
creations in Him. Were they washed with water? So were we permanently washed
with the word of the everlasting gospel. Were they anointed with oil? So were
we with the everlasting permanent anointing of the Holy Spirit: Jo 2:27
But the anointing which ye have
received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as
the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is
no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Were they sprinkled with blood? So much
more were we washed permanently cleansed for all eternity by the sinless blood
of Jesus Christ. Did they obtain forgiveness through temporal offerings of
animal blood that corrupted and had no lasting efficacy? So much more are we
forgiven of all our sins forever through the sinless
blood of Lord Jesus Christ who nailed them on His cross: Col 2:14 Blotting out the
handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and
took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Did those Levitical priests do service in
the temple? So much more do we as the temple of God in which He dwells do
service unto Him, one another and all the good works that we can in the earth,
continually offering our God sacrifices of praise and thanks giving, love
offerings, and spreading the gospel.
Furthermore, our Lord and Saviour
delivered us from the power of darkeness, the devil, and his satanic hosts defeating
them and making a mockery of them forever. Jesus in victory declared: Mat 28:18
And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Rev 1:18 I am he
that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have
the keys of hell and of death.
As
we head on back into this study, dearly beloveds, we do it not in impatient
condemnation of those in bondage and suffering from addictions, but with the
understanding in a comprehensive way of the nature and roots of such problems,
really the roots of all sins, and that there is only one true cure for what
ails mankind in the world.
Brothers and sisters, people in
desperation for help in these matters gave rise to various kinds of recovery
movements. Almost all of them have appropriated bits and pieces of the gospel
message in hopes of helping people overcome in the area of addictions. It is understandable that the biggest
supporter of various recovery addictions treatment programs is the united
states government for good reason: America is in crisis due to the combined economic
Costs of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Estimated at $246 Billion in the
United States.
The sin nature, brothers and sisters, we
know and are not surprised that it comes fully loaded with a wide variety of
all and every kind of sins. The broad spectrum of addictions encompasses and is
just another aspect of sin, there is nothing special or unique about them they
are common to mankind. Where the recovery movements went wrong is failure to
understand the roots of why Mankind is so terribly, insatiably thirsty. What is
this, why is it that mankind always has some kind of addiction going on, what
are we looking for? God our Creator knows we are thirsty, He made us that way,
but it is not and can never be met outside of Himself.
Love
serola
Comment (0)
|
Back to Blog Main Page
|
Name: Dolores serola Rutherford
