Addiction is an area I am wrestling to understand as a Christian. It is an area I am continuing to encounter as I minster in the hospital. These are some thoughts I am working through as I continue to research and study this horrible truth touching the life of so many in our society. I understand that there are those who struggle with various addictions. But I am confused about how some understand this problem. Among the Christians I know there are some who believe and teach addictions to be a disease.
My concern and fear is that the disease model has created a victimized view of recovery. Let me try to unpack my concern. It begins with the notion that Alcoholism for example, is a disease. This leads me to ask several questions. First, what type of disease? Certainly not a disease like cancer, otherwise it would mean that before the alcoholic takes his first drink he is an alcoholic. Cancer is not necessarily caused by something we do, it can just come upon us.
Second, how does one become an alcoholic? I would naturally think this happens by drinking too much alcohol and developing a sinful habit. The option that has been presented here is that it’s a disease. But does alcoholism just come upon us, or is it the result of poor choice? If it is the result of poor choice I would argue that it’s not a disease, it’s a sin.
Again, I am not arguing if addiction exists, I am wondering if we have not just replaced the word sin with the word addiction. The bible is clear that addiction exists, John 8:34 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” There is something in our nature that enslaves us to bad habits. Sin becomes sticky and in our fallen nature we tend to cling to it. Sounds like an addiction. Pornography sticks in our head, feels good to look at, gives a sense of control, so we view it again, leading to a habit of sin. Sounds like addiction.
You may argue that I am talking semantics. But I think much more is at stake than just definitions. This is a struggle for authority, and adequacy. Those who tend to believe that alcoholism is a disease live with a victim mentality. What is wrong with that? If you are a victim then you are not responsible. A husband drinks heavy every Saturday night, comes home and beats his wife, is verbally abusive to his children. The next day he sobers up and says to the family, “I am not responsible for my drinking, I have to drink. I can not stop because it is a disease, I am a victim.” In this situation if alcoholism was like cancer I guess he would be a victim, but it’s not like cancer. Why? Because the poison does not enter the body until he chooses to drink. If we say someone is predisposed to drink does it mean they have no control over their hand picking up a beer and pouring it into their mouth. THAT MAKES NO SENSE! I believe we call alcoholism a disease, and call alcoholics victims because we are trying to make sense of sin in a culture that has shed the word of God as authority. If addiction is a sin then the word God is adequate to speak to the problem, it has authority. Instead of believing God’s word, we replace it with teaching that our itching ears long to hear, and replace God with psychologist.
I would purpose that the problem with the word disease is that it sounds like something you catch, like a virus, rather than something you choose to do. I would also purpose that every “addiction” is 100% curable if the addict is willing to take responsibility for his or her actions. But recovery will never take place unless “the addict” takes responsibility for his or her choices. By calling addictions diseases, we risk conveying that the addict is not responsible for the addiction" and the consequences of the addiction. “Addiction” is a choice.
My questions in this area are as follows, maybe you can help me by sharing you opinion as I continue my research.
1. When does an alcoholic become an alcoholic?
2. If Addiction is a disease why can recovery be achieved through talk therapy?
3. Why does every sin in the Bible have a corresponding addiction label in the world?
4. As Christians why do we believe Christ can save us from the fires of hell, but that he cannot deliverer us from “addiction”?
5. Is this thinking not revealing a lack of faith in God?
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