Because of the leaked power point bubble listing porn addiction as a threat to the church. I really think religion can be an addiction in and of itself.
I look at my own relationships in my family. There are ensign magazines displayed in our front room. Pictures of Christ. Scriptures. Every day religion is practiced, prayer, scripture reading. Church meetings during the week. 3 + hours or more of church on Sunday. They go to the temple at least once per week, My kids go to seminary. The topic is a daily routine of something that involves the church.
If someone spent that same amount of time looking at porn as they do in religious activities, I would definitely say they had a porn problem. But religion gets a pass. How can that be an addiction? It's so good. Religion is good for you.
http://theinfluence.org/the-god-drug-wh ... addiction/
Can religion be an addiction.
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FiveFingerMnemonic
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Re: Can religion be an addiction.
That news story that came out awhile back where they did brain scans of recent RM's looking at religious imagery and videos and having the pleasure/reward centers of the brain light up seem to prove your theory. Same areas of the brain tied to drug or sex addiction.
Re: Can religion be an addiction.
One of the requirements for emotional addictions (those that are based on behavior rather than Ingesting a substance) is that the behavior must have a serious negative impact on the person's life. Putting them into debt, causing job loss, breaking up relationships, any way that behavior can damage your life. If it is not destroying their life, and they recognize it as destroying their life, but can't seem to quit, then it just isn't an addiction.
Under this definition, most religion does not fit, and most porn viewing does not fit. It has to be powerful enough that the person continues with the behavior in spite of detrimental results in their life.
Most of us are not ready to divorce because our spouse is ruining our life and theirs by being a believing and practicing member. No, our spouses think seriously about divorcing us because we just can't leave the anti Mormon stuff alone. So, maybe we are the addicts
But, yes religion can be an addiction. Those who get into a cult and refuse to leave at the first hint of mass suicide, or when they see child sexual abuse, or give all their money to the cult, to the point they are going hungry, yup, you could call that an addiction.
Many psychologists/psychiatrists do not even accept that behaviors can be addictive, just overdone to the point of stupidity. They say there is a difference between addiction and stupidity. For something to be an addiction, the person has to go through physical withdrawal. For example, the common drinker has no withdrawal from alcohol except maybe a hangover. The alcoholic goes into DTs. That makes him an addict, where the heavy drinker who can stop without withdrawal is not. None of the behavioral addictions meet this criteria, so, by this more narrow definition, no.
Under this definition, most religion does not fit, and most porn viewing does not fit. It has to be powerful enough that the person continues with the behavior in spite of detrimental results in their life.
Most of us are not ready to divorce because our spouse is ruining our life and theirs by being a believing and practicing member. No, our spouses think seriously about divorcing us because we just can't leave the anti Mormon stuff alone. So, maybe we are the addicts
But, yes religion can be an addiction. Those who get into a cult and refuse to leave at the first hint of mass suicide, or when they see child sexual abuse, or give all their money to the cult, to the point they are going hungry, yup, you could call that an addiction.
Many psychologists/psychiatrists do not even accept that behaviors can be addictive, just overdone to the point of stupidity. They say there is a difference between addiction and stupidity. For something to be an addiction, the person has to go through physical withdrawal. For example, the common drinker has no withdrawal from alcohol except maybe a hangover. The alcoholic goes into DTs. That makes him an addict, where the heavy drinker who can stop without withdrawal is not. None of the behavioral addictions meet this criteria, so, by this more narrow definition, no.
Re: Can religion be an addiction.
Great points alas! Thanks for the info. Do you work in a field or have studied this topic?alas wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2017 7:17 pm One of the requirements for emotional addictions (those that are based on behavior rather than Ingesting a substance) is that the behavior must have a serious negative impact on the person's life. Putting them into debt, causing job loss, breaking up relationships, any way that behavior can damage your life. If it is not destroying their life, and they recognize it as destroying their life, but can't seem to quit, then it just isn't an addiction.
Under this definition, most religion does not fit, and most porn viewing does not fit. It has to be powerful enough that the person continues with the behavior in spite of detrimental results in their life.
Most of us are not ready to divorce because our spouse is ruining our life and theirs by being a believing and practicing member. No, our spouses think seriously about divorcing us because we just can't leave the anti Mormon stuff alone. So, maybe we are the addicts
But, yes religion can be an addiction. Those who get into a cult and refuse to leave at the first hint of mass suicide, or when they see child sexual abuse, or give all their money to the cult, to the point they are going hungry, yup, you could call that an addiction.
Many psychologists/psychiatrists do not even accept that behaviors can be addictive, just overdone to the point of stupidity. They say there is a difference between addiction and stupidity. For something to be an addiction, the person has to go through physical withdrawal. For example, the common drinker has no withdrawal from alcohol except maybe a hangover. The alcoholic goes into DTs. That makes him an addict, where the heavy drinker who can stop without withdrawal is not. None of the behavioral addictions meet this criteria, so, by this more narrow definition, no.
Re: Can religion be an addiction.
I have an undergrad degree in both psychology and social work and a master's in social work. Addiction is one subject covered by both from their different perspectives. My work in the field was with domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and rape. So, my understanding of addiction is 95% book learning. My professional experience with the clients I had that were addicted to something was that they needed to get the addiction under control before counseling about dealing with their other issue did any good. Addictions are often used to escape a reality that they cannot deal with. So, the batterer had to be clean and sober before he could handle anger management. The battered spouse had to be clean and sober before she could deal with the emotional issues of abuse and the child sexual abuse victim or rape victim had to be clean and sober before they could deal with the sexual assault. And AA will tell you that a person will not stay sober until they deal with issues such as I was dealing with. They become what AA terms a dry drunk.
I do know enough about addiction to know that
1. What the church calls addiction is not even to the level of problem drinking. They label the first look at porn as addiction and it doesn't reach the level of addiction until it is ruining their life.
2. You don't cure addiction with shame. Shame makes addiction worse. To cure behavioral addiction you have to break the toxic shame cycle that leads to the addictive behavior.
3. The church does not promote emotional health, but just encourages substituting religious addiction for their behavioral addiction. Of course, I think that is partly true for AA too. They replace addiction to substance with an addiction to their meetings, thus you have people who have to go to meetings six days a week for the rest of their life
I do know enough about addiction to know that
1. What the church calls addiction is not even to the level of problem drinking. They label the first look at porn as addiction and it doesn't reach the level of addiction until it is ruining their life.
2. You don't cure addiction with shame. Shame makes addiction worse. To cure behavioral addiction you have to break the toxic shame cycle that leads to the addictive behavior.
3. The church does not promote emotional health, but just encourages substituting religious addiction for their behavioral addiction. Of course, I think that is partly true for AA too. They replace addiction to substance with an addiction to their meetings, thus you have people who have to go to meetings six days a week for the rest of their life
Re: Can religion be an addiction.
I've met people who were messed up on drugs. I've also met people who are messed up on religion.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha
-- Moksha
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FiveFingerMnemonic
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Re: Can religion be an addiction.
I recently read an interesting article on the dopamine produced when we are "outraged" about things, especially politics. People get a high when they are able to share the outrage with like minded peers or argue their positions on social media. Maybe this explains some of the rhetoric I hear in Sunday meetings or in FB posts lamenting the evil worldly influences. People are literally experiencing a "high" when they defend belief. Hell maybe I get my fix on NOM. 
http://blog.dilbert.com/post/1579048408 ... ne-puppets
http://blog.dilbert.com/post/1579048408 ... ne-puppets