I have an addictive personaliity - Had my run of pot and cocaine back in the days of my stupid youth. Oddly alcohol is seldom a problem. I do drink but I seem to handle it pretty well. I just don't need to rush home after work and start slamming. Sure, I've had my share of benders but the only time alcohol really demands attention from me is at a seafood restaurant where I enjoy a couple of beers with my shrimp! My family has an unfortunate history of alcoholism, lets see - killed my mom and about 4 of my aunts and uncles (combined with cigarettes).
It's funny how some independent, low-budget movie single-handedly shifted the market on merlots and pinot noirs in America for possibly decades.
I think we have to understand ourselves first to know why we do the things we do. Deep down human beings are worshipers. We were created to be worshipers of God. However, we don't all worship God, but we all worship something. The things we worship we worship because we believe that they bring us peace. We may not think of the things we worship as deities necessarily, but we all give our devotion, time, and money to things that we believe will bring us peace and happiness. For one person it could be alcohol. For another it could be drugs. For another it could be their career. For another it could be pornography. For another it could be a relationship. For another it could be sex. For another it could be shopping or materialism. For another it could be politics and government. For another it could be fame or popularity. For another it could be video games. For another it could be food. For another it could be devotion to a religious faith, a religious sect, or an ideology. For another it could be gambling. What is ironic about human nature is we will choose to worship things other than God, and then the things we worship can enslave us, fail us, and destroy us. Alcohol is a perfect picture of that. There is nothing wrong with it, but alcohol is a terrible god. As a god it promises life and peace, but in the end, it enslaves and brings death. This is the case with many false gods. At some point everyone has served a false god and been enslaved by some form of sin. A mistake many people make is they escape one snare only to fall into another snare. However, the solution is always to turn away from the false promises of false gods and to turn to Christ for forgiveness, freedom, and peace.
So if I understand correctly, God is like shopping, screwing or getting drunk for the religious. I mean really what you are saying here is that God is a vice, hobby or pastime.
God is nothing like those things, but people who are alienated from God find a way to fill the spiritual vacuum in their lives by worshiping something. People who miss out on God because they chose fleeting pleasures over Him are going to have deep eternal regrets.
That isnt at all what he is saying. Not even remotely. My wife and I enjoyed a great local brewery last night, but we know our limits and stop far short, because that is a "god" that can enslave those who allow it to. Well said @gatorplank
Sorry, but I don't think I worship anything. I know I have a potential addictive personality, but never had an issue with addiction. Even worked for 3 years at a place where gambling, likely my biggest potential vice, is how the business operated (horse race track). I just did what I would tell anyone else. Set your limits, and never go over them. Once I lost X per week, I was done. Easier said than done, I know, but I believe we all have the power to set those limits. And for some, X must equal zero for specific vices. And for others, a deity/higher power must be employed if they are ever to ensure X = 0. I'm not saying I'm better or worse, just different, in I've never personally seen or felt the need to ever include a deity or higher power in how I live my daily life. And death comes for us all regardless of who we "worship." The Christian God might promise everlasting life in heaven if you believe, but as someone who was born into a Jewish household, this has never been anything I'm interested in. My entire family, both past and present, has never accepted Christ, meaning if there is an afterlife based on the Christian faith, they are all either in hell now, or will be once they pass. And the thought of me enjoying heaven where my entire family, and many of my friends are all suffering in hell because of their beliefs, or lack thereof, isn't my idea of heaven at all. It's more like a personal hell. Again, your mileage may vary, and if a belief in a deity makes you a better person, and helps you control your addictions, more power to you. But not all humans are built the same way. And personally, I have no interest in your, or anyone else's religion.
He absolutely said some people 'worship' shopping, food or porn while others 'worship' God. He's treating religion as just another thing you can really get into which he seems to equate to "worshiping" something. A surprising argument from religious people. From my view that would seem to devalue the religious experience, would it not?
You just said some people worship God, some people worship other things, you are placing them all on the same level! All you are saying is God is the best hobby to get into.
Well according to him if you get really into recruiting or football, you are worshipping at the church of Billy Napier
Consider this proposition: Some people cheer for UF, and some people cheer for UCF. Is this an appropriate response to that statement? You just said some people cheer for UF, some people cheer for UCF, you are placing them all on the same level! The obvious answer is no. That is not what I am saying. I could believe that some fans cheer for UCF, while also believing the people who cheer for UCF should find a better team to cheer for.
I was about to provide Plank a response similar to Wg's (FYI I hold Wg in high regard / no pun intended). But I reconsidered. I disagree with Plank on many things but not his sincerity on this issue. Tilly as well. I don't want to jump too far off the cliff on this one so I will try to keep it succient. I respect those enamoured with "God" as the being or place that offers succor, peace, salvation and relief in a tragic world. I respect that. I don't believe in the Judeo / Christian interpretation of it, but I respect it. Plank brings up some hard yet valid points. What Christians refer to as "The World" does have its temptations. Drinking, Drugs, Sex, and many many other things humans indulge in can destroy them. Look at ole Harvey Weinstein - so many examples. The bible has some great parables about the foibles of humans. Me - I freely admit I find my "peace" in my pets, nature, and good works. By good works I mean friendship to my fellow man. I also like to shake off the man made constructs society attempts to annihilate us with by enjoying the WONDER of life itself, to think - (Rene' Descartes), to feel, to breath, to be alive. As I get older I seem to be leaning more on these things. Sure I enjoy a commission check or a ride in a Vette but gee life is pretty amazing, even without money, fast cars and fast women if you think about it.
You are putting them on the same level, you are just saying one is preferable than the other to you personally. You arent doing a service to religion by comparing it other stuff people really get into, IMO. I dont think many people if any at all find booze or shopping transcendent on a spiritual level. Most of the things you mentioned are things people do that might make them feel good temporarily, an escape from the mundane, stress or angst. If you are saying religion is that too, I wont disagree, but all you are saying is it lasts longer than doing an edible or the dopamine hit from buying something you want. Which is debatable since lots of people that are religious also do drugs, watch porn or go shopping to experience the same pleasure. So its not like religion alleviates those desires. If you are saying religion wants you to transfer those desires onto Jesus, again I wont disagree, but that makes religion an AA program lol.
Anything a person places above God can be an idol. Like I said earlier, there is nothing wrong with alcohol, but it is a terrible god. Same thing with Gator football. There is nothing wrong with Gator football, but it also is a terrible god.
So if I limit my alcohol intake at the Gator game Saturday, and make it into church on Sunday morning, I'm all good. The SEC lifestyle in a nutshell.
I still don't think you get it. Acknowledging that people make choices is not the same thing as endorsing or agreeing with those choices. People choose to worship other things than God, and that is always a terribly wrong choice because they are settling for a false God that will eventually fail to deliver what they were hoping for. God does not fail in any way for those who worship Him rightly. It is not a preference. It is sin, which leads to death, or it is faith, repentance, and obedience which lead to life.
Grew up in Florida with several Gator alum as relatives, and still follow UF sports. But moved to Arizona when I was in high school, and ended up at Tucson instead of Gainesville. So now I follow Fisch for football (who is a UF grad) and Tommy Lloyd for basketball. I like Napier and think he was a solid hire. Just needs another year or two to adjust and get the roster to where he wants. But I can also give up my idolization sports. I used to love baseball. It was my first love. But after the strike last year, I said enough is enough of the BS between millionaire players an billionaire owners. Didn't watch a single game, follow a team, or care at all. Didn't even watch the World Series for the first time in my life. Maybe I'll come back, but for now, professional baseball is dead to me.
