Alcoholism + Disease or Sin?

[jmjconder]

**I have been up for a while praying for a very close friend who I know is drinking too much.

If anyone tries to research this question online one will find a variety of answers.

A while ago I was very hopeful because my friend had found a web-site called Sober for Christ. I try to stay in contact with him every few days and he said he could longer find this site online. Anyone know anything about this?

He also said he has read some blogs from site attached to this search that said alcoholism is not a disease rather it is a sin. Now he is extremely troubled and really feels like he is in a pit that he cannot escape from.

Over the past months it seemed like Sober for Christ was the way out - from I know of him and what he told me about Sober for Christ. I could pray with him on a daily basis…please help me help him.**

 

[johnnyjones]

I am 15 years sober. I went through the AA world of thought for 8 years, rehabs and some Christian recovery groups. Father Martin taught that alcoholism was a disease. He was a catholic priest that did several films on the subject presented in rehabs and institutions.

I also went through as period of questioning AAs model of whether the disease concept was valid. I can understand some aspects of why it is called a disease and some areas where I feel it is not beneficial to embrace it that way. First, the “disease” presents the chronic and progressive view. Chronic meaning you will always have it and progressive meaning it will get worse. With all the stuff I’ve seen in people and myself over the years it would be hard to disagree with this.

Rarely have I seen people go back to drinking and not get themselves jammed up again (they seem to always have it). Also , most people I have known have gotten worse when continuing to drink(progressive). Not everybody is the same, although most must not return to drinking if they want real peace. I don’t like “disease” used because many times people say, “Oh well, I can’t help it I’m stuck with a disease.” That can weaken you. I think it is better to say I’m a person that used to drink alcoholically , I’ve stopped.

AA has helped millions and there are good elements to it but not everyone takes to it. I was somewhat resistent to it because of the" back slapping get more involved component" to it that didn’t fit me. It’s saves others though. It (AA) can be a tool to lead you back to the true God and give you an awareness. Drunkard-ness is a sin. I see no reason why alcoholism can not have elements of a “disease” and be a sin. The argument is if I have a disease then it’s not a sin. I don’t say you have a disease, I say you have traits that could be ascribed to a disease but to repeatedly get drunk is a sin.

The AMA calls it a disease. Your up against a medical community when you say it isn’t a disease. But your friend is his own person and if he (or you) can recognize that it is definetely a sin that it must be stopped no matter what. Use some of the tools that AA provides because you need some weaponry and common sense to approach what can sneak up on you and easily brink you down. Keep praying of course. It is essential that you and he find some type of network (if you don’t like AA) to give a feeling of understanding. There is nothing worse than feeling alone and that can trigger drinking .

We all have crosses to bear, this might be his. He may fall but get up again. Through the process of ups and downs is sometimes when you discover the truth about yourself. God doesn’t always just" take it away". It might be a path to find what God wants for him (and you). God bless.

 

[JRKH]

To your friend, in answer to the title question, I would say that “drunkenness” is a sin that leads to a disease, “Alcoholism”.
It appears that your friend has now repented of the sin of drunkeness, but must still deal with the disease of alcoholism.

I hope this helps a bit.

Peace
James

 

[nicolej80]

I, too, am looking for the Sober for Christ website! It now redirects to Saint Joesph Communications. The used to have a website with a program in CA. Anyone know where to find their information?
Thank you and God Bless!
Nicole

 

[Lady_Love]

Sin is a disease. It really does not matter, the cure is the same. Although, I tend to lean more toward sin because sin imply’s that it is a choice and a person has to take responsibility for a choice. A disease is something that you did not choose. A person can be born or grow up in an environment that predisposes a person to alcoholism but that just means MORE reason to take responsibility and make better choices.

But having been predisposed to certain sins through exposure at a young age I know the grip that it can have on you. It makes holiness a little harder but all things are possible with God. No progress can be made without taking responsibility no matter how hard it is going to be. I was sexually abused as a child and I struggled with promiscuity. The only way I overcame it was to take responsibility for what my life is; what I experienced, my pain, inflicted on me by others and what I inflicted on myself, my bad habits, my patterns of thinking, everything. I had to stop feeling sorry for myself and blaming others. I had to look at myself and say, “This is what I am and what I have to work with.” and go from there. I had to make different choices. It was hard. I fumbled through making different choices. I fell on my face a thousand times. The only commitment I made was to NEVER GIVE UP, to go down trying.

No matter what the sin/disease, everyone has to get to that point of acceptance and engage the will to change.

 

[mary_bobo]

I believe it a disease that can only be put into remission by the patient him/herself. One has to realize that they are alcoholics and seek help to overcome it. I am not a theologian, but I don’t think alcoholism in and of itself is a sin. Some behaviors and consequences of alcoholism may very well be sins. JMO.

 

[fred_conty]

It looks to me like an alergy, that some people cannot take an affiliation with alcohol. Like poison ivy or wheat germ, or … However that does not excuse one from sin tho it does make it more understandable.

Just a thought.