Faith Challenges: It Ain't All Comfort

We’ve known for decades that alcoholism is a disease. We treat it as a moral failure. Sure, some people can drink and not become alcoholics. Others cannot, despite how hard they might try. We’ve known for decades that nicotine is addictive. We still allow it to be sold openly, despite it’s delivery systems being known to cause cancer. Then we want to treat people who have become addicted as morally failed, as too weak to stop. We've known gambling is often an addiction. We allow gambling venues to advertise publicly, even as they announce treatments are available for gambling addiction. It’s like telling people, “Yes, you can gamble. If you become addicted, however, you have a problem. Shame on you! Here’s a number you could call if you weren’t so morally corrupt as to need help.” We wield shame to condemn and ostracize people for addictions we know are a disease. They fall into the same real as Substance Use Disorder. [Not Substance Abuse Disorder: people are...

What limits do you place on loving me? How far does it go? If I mess up, would you still love me? If I forgot your birthday, would you shun me? If I embarrassed you, would you kick me out of the family? If I were caught speeding, would you turn your back on me? If I bought the wrong item at the grocery store, would you forgive me? If we disagreed on a point of policy, would you expel me for it? If we could not agree on interpreting a Biblical passage, would you still be my friend? If you did not like the clothes I wore, could I still come home? If I failed my math test, would you still be seen with me? If I did not do my chores, would you still feed me? If I made a mess in the living room, would you banish me from home? If you disapproved of my marriage partner, would that end our relationship? If I did not like your favorite book, would you still talk to me? If I chose not to attend your church, wo...