Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday March 3, 2009

I attempt to be a "nice" person who, as was the norm in my early days as a Christian hold to biblical principles as absolute truth, surpassing the best efforts of mere men. I hold to this truth across the board and thus, while smiling, find that I am constantly at odds with whatever the prevailing winds demand.

Are you ready for a shocker?

I do NOT believe addiction is a disease!!

I know, you want to call the men, women and even supposed clergypersons in white coats who water down or outright do NOT accept God's pronouncements on the human condition. As I stated at the outset, I admit to being at odds with the prevailing winds.

In his book, "Romancing Opiates" Theodore Dalrymple wrote:

"But medical consequences, however terrible, do not make a disease. Many mountaineers break their legs or get frostbite, but mountaineering is not a disease . . . to conceive of opiate addiction as a disease seems, after my experience with thousands of drug addicts, to me to miss the fundamental point about it: that it is a moral or spiritual condition that will never yield to medical treatment, so called"

Along with Mr. Dalrymple, I admit that each human has at least one natural propensity to some sort of debilitating behavior; but isn't that what successful humanity is about, the learning how to overcome destructive desires in whatever form they present themselves? I fail to see how a human being, God's highest creation, lying in his or her own vomit in a gutter is a victim of disease. I see it from the biblical perspective a result of making poor choices. Can't handle your liquor? How are you to deal with this personal lack? Don't drink liquor. Simplistic? Certainly, but it works.

Would you like to suffer and die with Aids? Every sane person would give a resounding NO! Do NOT engage in activity that increases your chances of dying with Aids. Simplistic? Certainly, but it works. The list goes on down the long catalog of human weakness, and the answer is always the same, the biblical lifestyle shows the path, but for some reason we humans seem bound and determined by our actions to make excuses and prove the Bible wrong on matters of successful living and we lose.

Every time.

This article is not written to ridicule any person whose life is out of control in any area, but rather to offer the elixir of victory in Christ, who said:

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." John 7:37

"Thirst" is strong desire. Christ gives true satisfaction without destructive consequences.

Larry Lilly Copyright (C) 2009 Use with credit

My new book, Lasting Friendships in 30 Days is ready at:
http://larrylilly.com/30Days.aspx

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