| I Take Drugs |
| Monday, 14 April 2008 | |
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Normally Advil. Occasionally alcohol. We live in an age where just about everyone takes drugs. We've divided them up into two neat categories, "legal" and "illegal":
These are drugs, but I suspect we rarely think of them this way. They fill our homes. Some of them are incredibly powerful. The ones we take most often are simply to cope with physical pain. Yet some of them modify our thinking, emotions, and behavior. Sometimes they're given out far too easily. Sometimes they're given to children from a young age. Sometimes they save people's lives. An increasing amount of people are using "legal" drugs illegally. In most people's minds, these are in a whole different category than the above. They are "bad". Yet I think its worth asking why we make this distinction. The best I can tell is because the above are sanctioned "good" by a government agency. Yet they also are used to cope with physical pain. And they also modify our thinking, emotions, and behavior. People have always been using these illegally. But there's no other way to take them. Anyhow, enough of my thoughts. I'd appreciate some of yours:
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Comments (6)
 
I think we generally are more quick to rely on drugs for comfort than we are the Holy Spirit, our Comforter. I think we've settled for that as normal and appropriate. That doesn't mean that there aren't times when drugs aren't appropriate, but it would be rare for a person to pray and ask God for His solution to an illness, a pain, a discomfort. Some would even say that to do so is kooky.
I don't really have thoughts on the distinction between legal and illegal - I think it is a wise thing for government to do - to administer in some way substances, manufactured or natural, that alter chemical reactions in our body. I think, emphasize think, that the increase in usage of drugs goes back to what i said in the first paragraph. We are much more likely to walk by sight (walk by what we can sense and reason) than by faith. 1 report abuse
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April 14, 2008
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Paul discouraged being drunk with wine, but he also prescribed wine for an upset stomach. So it appears he felt there was nothing wrong with the moderate, applicable use of medicine. Drunkenness, or other escapes from reality, are wrong; and we have to police those who do so regularly. They destroy both their own lives and the lives of those around them.
The reason legal drugs are increasing is 'cause a doctor's approval is considered valid approval -- if a doctor says it's okay, it must be. Without any other standards, the doctor is all you have. I've found that doctors can pretty much prescribe anything. They won't prescribe crack or meth; there's no therapeutic use for them that other drugs can't do more safely and effectively. The only reason some drugs are illegal is because of their abuse, and if it were up to me I'd put more oversight on certain easily-abused prescription drugs to make sure doctors aren't secretly functioning as dealers. I know way too many people who have unneeded prescriptions for marijuana. (Obviously I live in California.) Seems you can get a prescription from your vet for your mildly-depressed cat, and since Fluffy doesn't smoke, the owners "have" to smoke it for him and blow it in his face. I kid you not. But the real issue among Christians is caffeine abuse. Too many people are sucking down coffee instead of getting proper sleep or an adequate diet. 2 report abuse
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April 14, 2008
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She goes running for the shelter
of her mother's little helper and it helps you on your way though your busy dying day Doctor please, some more of these outside the door she took four more. (The Rolling Stones) 3 report abuse
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April 14, 2008
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ah, a topic near and dear to my heart. i am an example of "better living through pharmaceuticals" since i must take medications to control my depression; this is not optional for me. pills are not the total answer for my situation but i do believe they have saved me from suicide.
am i too quick to turn to modern medicine before i turn to God? yes, i am guilty of that. However, i do believe that God blessed us with doctors and medications and that He also blessed us with wisdom to know when to turn to those very human solutions. in the legal vs. illegal debate, i will simply say that legal drugs can also be dangerous and addictive; legal does not always mean risk-free. 4 report abuse
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April 17, 2008
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This question is near and dear to me, as I lived in the Caribbean for a few years while studying Theology. Marijuana use was rampany, to put it mildly, and I often debated with both marijuana users and my fellow theology majors about its being legal/illegal.
My conclusion? While the human body is definitely not designed to inhale anything but the cleanest air possible (this rules out smoking anything), the illegality of marijuana in particular is largely economic and political, not moral as we might like to believe. The powers-that-be did not sit down one day and evaluate tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana on their relative strengths, weaknesses and dangers and conclude that marijuana failed while A & T passed... Having said that, I'm definitely for obeying the law when it doesn't blatantly conflict with God's Word, especially keeping in mind Paul's extensive counsel on the effect our behavior can have on a fellow Christian. 5 report abuse
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April 18, 2008
Votes: +0   really good questions John, my son Chris is only here because of the 15 different drugs he swallows everyday, and yet my daughter Jo was self medicating to cope with life ( not anymore I add!) ... Jon and Paul my sons rely upon insulin...used wrongly it could kill them... ...as for me..my dad was an alchoholic.. I could easily go that way!!! But by the grace of God I haven't...and so I rely upon his grace 6 report abuse
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April 21, 2008
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