When God Becomes A Drug !
When God becomes a drug is written by Father Leo Booth . It is a book about breaking the chains of religious addiction and abuse .
Religious addiction , like alcohol addiction is a disease that can be treated .Just as in the Alcholics Ananymous program using the 12 step program , we can also use a similar 12 steps program to undo the dysfunctional behavior . With such a program people with this addiction can be helped into having a healthy relationship with God !
When we start using God in a compulsive and bulling way , we have become addicted to a certain form , ritual and rigidity that can do more harm than good .
The word and belief about God can have multiple ways of interpretation and understanding . We may belong to a certain religion or to a sub category of the larger religion . Than , as individuals we will have our own personal awareness or understanding of these concepts . They are very abstract and can often lead to confusion and misunderstanding or creating a very personal way of understanding of God which be very difficult and demanding .
Coming to ordinary day to day living in the context of religion and this God business : We have so very often punished our lovely , beautiful and innocent children over issues of not being there for some ritual or prayer . We forget to pray , we forgot some other religious practice , maybe it was fasting , maybe sitting very quietly in a church , temple or any other religious place ! Maybe the over zealous father had sat very strict and rigid rules around religion , maybe you ate something that was not supposed to be eaten and the maybe list can go on and on !
Religious abuse is a hidden disease , it is often difficult to see from the outside . When you grow up in an alcoholic home , the abuse by the drunken father is seen easily . Mum's rage and anger tantrums are easily seen . The home is labelled dysfunctional .
In contrast , people growing in homes that appear to be stable , material comforts hid the emotional neglect that has been going on . Children become very confused when they are punished on religious issues and especially about God ! They keep feeling for the rest of their lives that they are not good and that scars are really painful for a very long time .
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Many religious centres in all faiths are well known for abusing and punishing children in their care !
Basically , religion and God has been used over hundreds of years to control , distort , manipulate and abuse people .
This book is really high lighting a very serious problem that we humans are and have been practicing in the name of religion and God !
My point is to awaken you to this major human issue of abuse in the very name of God !!
I will stop here and take care .
Till we meet again .
Amar.
Coming to ordinary day to day living in the context of religion and this God business : We have so very often punished our lovely , beautiful and innocent children over issues of not being there for some ritual or prayer . We forget to pray , we forgot some other religious practice , maybe it was fasting , maybe sitting very quietly in a church , temple or any other religious place ! Maybe the over zealous father had sat very strict and rigid rules around religion , maybe you ate something that was not supposed to be eaten and the maybe list can go on and on !
Religious abuse is a hidden disease , it is often difficult to see from the outside . When you grow up in an alcoholic home , the abuse by the drunken father is seen easily . Mum's rage and anger tantrums are easily seen . The home is labelled dysfunctional .
In contrast , people growing in homes that appear to be stable , material comforts hid the emotional neglect that has been going on . Children become very confused when they are punished on religious issues and especially about God ! They keep feeling for the rest of their lives that they are not good and that scars are really painful for a very long time .
Basically , religion and God has been used over hundreds of years to control , distort , manipulate and abuse people .
This book is really high lighting a very serious problem that we humans are and have been practicing in the name of religion and God !
My point is to awaken you to this major human issue of abuse in the very name of God !!
I will stop here and take care .
Till we meet again .
Amar.
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