Sunday, May 05, 2013
Sunday Reflection: Christians and the Drug Addict
A lot of my work involves the way we approach narcotics through law enforcement. Within that realm, there are two beliefs I have which are in tension. First, I think that there is a tremendous social cost to narcotics trafficking and use, and that there is a very real responsibility to address that. Second, I don't think incarcerating low-level couriers and street dealers does any good, yet we seem dedicated to that fruitless task. (I won't belabor it here, but I have often argued for an economic solution other than decriminalization).
Part of our failed approach has been driven by a deep moral judgment against drug users. It's understandable; they do too often wreak destruction on their own lives and those around them. So, how should we address them?
As Christians, our best model should always be Christ, and I think that the right analogy is to the way that Christ treated lepers. Like drug addicts, the society at that time often blamed them for their plight, and they were stigmatized and pushed to the fringes of society.
Intriguingly, what Christ did was this: He healed them rather than judge them. They were among the unlovable that he loved.
Like most people who have worked in law enforcement, I'm well aware of the high failure rate of drug treatment. It's discouraging. Still, following the instructions and example of Christ very often calls us to the improbable: Respecting the Sabbath in a consumerist society, for example, or forgiving 70 times 7 times. Healing drug addicts is just as hard, but still, the lesson is clear.
How challenging is that? Jesus keeps doing that to me...
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In life, are all of us not monopoly ‘board pieces’ repetitiously selected to coincide as perception of self unfolds? Seldom jumping over, though at various times and as perceived necessary, relegating all of our relationships – from the most casual to the most personal – to the ‘fringes’ of our chosen life paths.
And as a ‘proclaimed’ Christian nation, where “Thy Kingdom Come’ speaks to a universal communion here on earth, preparing all for a ‘New Life,’ – it is amazing how we profess a ‘death to self’ and continually cling tightly to ‘self’ and all we possess and/or desire. . .
All of us, at multiple times in our lives, have been and occasionally will continue to be “stigmatized and pushed to the fringes of society.” – seeking and finding strength and courage to endure often through those we draw to self as moment urges, reinforces and sustains.
As healing requires diagnosis, need one not first be noticed? Home and employment are rooted to place and often define self through commitment and responsibility – more often defining opportunity to notice those relegated to the ‘fringes’ of one’s current existence – our community, our communities where we are called to ‘notice, affirm, support and empower’ those relegated to the ‘fringes’ of our ‘social’ circle. . .
Physically, emotionally and financially healthy families build-up neighborhood, which in turn build-up community and county and . . .
As a parent raises their children – no matter our age, we can all be better listeners, notice and mentor another – sibling, friend, or student – we have all ‘noticed’ someone within our social circle whose voice is not strong, possibly not being heard – someone on the ‘fringe’ looking in, quietly reaching out, often silently being smothered – occasionally emotionally drowning . . .
Contributing financially to causes close to our heart, is often giving from our excess and ‘should be’ celebrated and continued. To give of self, is a much greater sacrifice that should be embraced more frequently.
In love, Christ sacrificed ‘All’ for us – In His name, can we not increase our individual sacrifices of self for others? – In love, we can soften, strengthen and empower one heart, and another and . . .
And as a ‘proclaimed’ Christian nation, where “Thy Kingdom Come’ speaks to a universal communion here on earth, preparing all for a ‘New Life,’ – it is amazing how we profess a ‘death to self’ and continually cling tightly to ‘self’ and all we possess and/or desire. . .
All of us, at multiple times in our lives, have been and occasionally will continue to be “stigmatized and pushed to the fringes of society.” – seeking and finding strength and courage to endure often through those we draw to self as moment urges, reinforces and sustains.
As healing requires diagnosis, need one not first be noticed? Home and employment are rooted to place and often define self through commitment and responsibility – more often defining opportunity to notice those relegated to the ‘fringes’ of one’s current existence – our community, our communities where we are called to ‘notice, affirm, support and empower’ those relegated to the ‘fringes’ of our ‘social’ circle. . .
Physically, emotionally and financially healthy families build-up neighborhood, which in turn build-up community and county and . . .
As a parent raises their children – no matter our age, we can all be better listeners, notice and mentor another – sibling, friend, or student – we have all ‘noticed’ someone within our social circle whose voice is not strong, possibly not being heard – someone on the ‘fringe’ looking in, quietly reaching out, often silently being smothered – occasionally emotionally drowning . . .
Contributing financially to causes close to our heart, is often giving from our excess and ‘should be’ celebrated and continued. To give of self, is a much greater sacrifice that should be embraced more frequently.
In love, Christ sacrificed ‘All’ for us – In His name, can we not increase our individual sacrifices of self for others? – In love, we can soften, strengthen and empower one heart, and another and . . .
I think narco-traffic is best being dealt with exactly the way you suggest; hit it where it hurts most and the reason for which it operates in the first place: money.
I think drug addiction is a far more complicated issue (almost like mental illness) for it doesn't pick and choose poor or rich, smart or slow, educated or illiterate, urban, suburban or farmer. Leprosy on the other hand is a pretty bad bacterial infection and true enough it took a while for antibiotics to come along to annihilate it, but I'm sure Jesus had inside information on that.
Loving the unlovable is the lesson.
In the case of those afflicted by drug addiction I'm pretty confident it was tried, at least for some of them. So far though,not many reports that love worked as a drug addiction cure.
Now I'll go celebrate the rising of my Christ. Today is Greek Orthodox Easter.
I think drug addiction is a far more complicated issue (almost like mental illness) for it doesn't pick and choose poor or rich, smart or slow, educated or illiterate, urban, suburban or farmer. Leprosy on the other hand is a pretty bad bacterial infection and true enough it took a while for antibiotics to come along to annihilate it, but I'm sure Jesus had inside information on that.
Loving the unlovable is the lesson.
In the case of those afflicted by drug addiction I'm pretty confident it was tried, at least for some of them. So far though,not many reports that love worked as a drug addiction cure.
Now I'll go celebrate the rising of my Christ. Today is Greek Orthodox Easter.
Thank you for your questions and compassionate exhortations. I have no answers. I cannot prove it, but I have the haunting sense that drug use may be the great angel of death nearly invisible but sweeping through our society nevertheless (perhaps if pressed, if we had to pick a cinematic device, we might depict it as a malevolent fog choking out the life blood of our civilization).
I teach history to young people. Something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong. Too many of my students are dysfunctional in a way that both frustrates me and hovers out there just beyond my power to explain. To appropriate a phrase from long ago, it is "the problem that has no name." We face a sickness at the core of our American soul--and I cannot help but wonder if drug use is a not major element of this sickness.
I teach history to young people. Something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong. Too many of my students are dysfunctional in a way that both frustrates me and hovers out there just beyond my power to explain. To appropriate a phrase from long ago, it is "the problem that has no name." We face a sickness at the core of our American soul--and I cannot help but wonder if drug use is a not major element of this sickness.
Our community is reeling from the death and near death of two teens from an accidental overdose of a version of "bath salts" they bought off the internet from overseas. The DEA is investigating.
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