Sunday, July 06, 2014
Sunday Reflection: Drugs and Spirits
I've been thinking about drugs a lot this week. The Detroit News printed a piece I did on narcotics policy, and some people found it intriguing.
Beyond just narcotics policy, though, I've been thinking about narcotics-- the drugs themselves, and the continuing popularity of recreational narcotics. The demand is strong in America. It makes me wonder-- why do so many people want to alter their minds for a bit (or longer)?
In some cases, it's self-medication for a psychological or psychiatric issue (which everyone has at one time or another). But, a lot of times, it isn't. What is the reason then?
People often will describe the urge to use drugs as escapism-- that people want to escape their lives. That may be true, to a point. But I think for some people, heavy drug use is a way to give their lives meaning. The person they are and see when they are using is more important, more interesting, more fun, more popular that the person they are otherwise.
It's easy to see how that would be attractive.
At the core of Christ's message is something that goes to that. Over and over, he preaches humility. Not that being a follower will make you more important, but that it will humble you before something greater. Interesting, isn't it? Instead of arguing that faith does the same thing as drinking or drugs, the Christian message is that faith will do something different: Offer a perspective that makes being important, interesting, fun, and popular not so important.
That's not a bad thing.
Beyond just narcotics policy, though, I've been thinking about narcotics-- the drugs themselves, and the continuing popularity of recreational narcotics. The demand is strong in America. It makes me wonder-- why do so many people want to alter their minds for a bit (or longer)?
In some cases, it's self-medication for a psychological or psychiatric issue (which everyone has at one time or another). But, a lot of times, it isn't. What is the reason then?
People often will describe the urge to use drugs as escapism-- that people want to escape their lives. That may be true, to a point. But I think for some people, heavy drug use is a way to give their lives meaning. The person they are and see when they are using is more important, more interesting, more fun, more popular that the person they are otherwise.
It's easy to see how that would be attractive.
At the core of Christ's message is something that goes to that. Over and over, he preaches humility. Not that being a follower will make you more important, but that it will humble you before something greater. Interesting, isn't it? Instead of arguing that faith does the same thing as drinking or drugs, the Christian message is that faith will do something different: Offer a perspective that makes being important, interesting, fun, and popular not so important.
That's not a bad thing.
