Among the Addictions

We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him (Step 3).[i]

On any given day, if it be a warm afternoon, and I have a lull in activity, I may check in the refrigerator or basement cool-room for a beer. If there is one available I'll pop the can and enjoy the cool one – or I may open the fridge, find some ice cubes and then enjoy a glass of ice water with even greater relish. I am blessed with freedom of choice on all occasions like this.

I have lived my whole lifetime alongside persons for whom this is not a choice, those for whom the inclination leans toward having adequate groceries (brewskis) on hand. My dad’s younger brother was an alcoholic. He would tell fascinating stories to my brothers and I, and we could tell that our dad knew the source of those stories - mere fabrication, self-indulgent dreams or whatever uncle would impose on his wife and children, his parents (my grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc). They had seen it all.

Perhaps as per tradition in large families, also several alcoholics among my siblings, stories not quite as colorful as my uncle but addictive personalities for sure. Given this background, it was not unexpected to me when alcoholics showed up in my years of pastoral ministry. Some were active church members, others looking in from the fringe, some in company of others in denial of a problem. Alcoholism has been forever, obviously exacerbated in this western hemisphere by historic events like us colonialists ‘pioneering’ new lands occupied by indigenous resident owners, firewater often utilized as a currency of trade.

Recent social media posts are getting my thinker going on this topic. Says one young man on FB, not on topic of addiction, but on latest societal trends, artificial intelligence and its influence on information. In today’s yen for packaged quick answers to everything, he says, we are forgetting how to think. We interrupt conversations with quick Google searches of whatever topic is at hand. Addictions not only of alcohol are a lifestyle crisis. He is accurately critiquing not only his generation (chatGPT), but us baby boomers, the good lifers, perhaps his mother and all of us retirees. Seems like we, young, old, or in between, are losing the joy of looking each other in the eye.

The point here, based on some research,[ii] is that as we begin to think differently relying more on AI, it results in a massive decline in brain function. He is right about a different way of thinking; not sure about his assertion that our brains are getting smaller. 😅 At any rate, I would add my perspective, that among the changing brain signals there is an even greater need to pay attention to the Higher Power of the Alcoholics Anonymous. I’ve never thought of it that way, but my thinker apparently needs the exercise, so I'm on it now! Just a few thoughts on this.

Ever since Donald Trump got elected as U.S. President and the inauguration January 20 last, I have been deluged with opinions – much of it by friends and cronies. I get irritated by those who sit in coffee circles, even occasional spats with relatives who think Trump is God’s choice. [This is a confession, not a poke] That is the local scene. round and round every table! 

Then there is that other scene, online chat groups, in my case ranging from top notch theologians to truckers groups. Theologians have a natural mystique for me going way back to my college years. And truckers? They have been my lifesavers at several points of my journey. Thoughts and relationships have a way of deferring to the sky - or the cloud?.😏 Among the theologians I encountered a disappointment recently. A certain Professor eulogizes a well-known world renowned Professor Walter Brueggemann who died this month, June 5 at the age of 92. In reference to the deceased’s genuine faith even within a world of doctorates, scholars and students, an incident is mentioned, “Walter often told me that he regretted his habitat has been among liberals, because they don’t believe the Bible nor that Someone is truly on the end of the line when they pray.” Well, I had an inner objection here, how important is liberal or conservative terminology on this occasion? ...and so did others! In short order we had the liberals and conservative professors and atheists and other learned ones debating one another, allegations of empty piety versus realism, defensiveness and probably some quick breathing at the laptops everywhere. Quite disappointing this is to me. Brueggemann’s living faith was evident in all his writing. Nice to know he actually believed it! Why must professionals belittle one another in a chatbox? It reminds me of politicians

And it's important to this addiction topic … along with the observation about AI facilitated small brains. This actually touches on us humans in our human-divine sitz im leben (life situation). The Apostle Paul rails on a list of misbehaviors, nothing omitted seemingly - sexual immorality to debauchery to drunkenness to greediness to empty words, “It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.  But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light” (Ephesians 5:12-13). And then I think a little more about this packaged info and small brain-ness, how it communicates and how we communicate with one another. Recently on stage at a weekend festival I heard the song "Preacher Man", immediately brought to mind my CB handle when I was a trucker for a few too many years. The image and the music has almost nothing to do with preaching, but I remember clear as yesterday, when I was thus dubbed by fellow truckers it became my story without even talking about it - fit right in there somewhere. “Preacher Man” became my small package identity available for I know not what. It led to things, e.g. once asked to send in a eulogy for funeral of a trucker friend who had died on-the-job in the sleeper of his truck, or several times grieving with friends who had 'woman troubles', and now among us oldies on-line trucker exchanges, preacher references expected - a packaged unofficial identity. 

Something about the 12 step program shines a continuing light onto the conversations of all. Whether intellectuals or truckers, adolescents or middle aged, addiction is no respecter of persons. The one conditional is honesty, and must be placed in presence of the Higher Power, no matter the societal status or image. That is why talking circles at meetings are for everyone - including possibly the theologians, the professionals, the church members, villains, truck drivers, young adults, parents, grandparents - needing to be freed of the devil of addiction. 

There is no 12-step systematic theology to provide the good all-purpose solutions for all things. There is also no wise and all-purpose sensitive AI edited document to accomplish that task. This is after all God’s world. God is. God appears (read John 1). God cares often in surprising ways - small brain, large brain - not only at the other end of the line, and not only in holy communion or from the pulpit, but also sitting in the circle.

[i] Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, 3^rd Edition (New York: A.A. World Services, 1976).

[ii] Brad Stulberg, @BradStulberg. https://www.instagram.com/.