Addicted To Religion?

Over on BeliefNet, there’s a fascinating thread, started by a member who goes by the name of GodGirl. She’s struggling with whether or not she’s “addicted to religion.” This is her first post:

Here is a strange question. Has anyone ever heard of religious addiction? I think i might be suffering from this too. Don`t get me wrong i love God i realy do. I realy dont know. I dont read my bible or anything but i have a constant procupation with religion. And after spending all this time in the religious forums (dont get me wrong there is nothing wrong with faith or spirituality but…) when it occured to me that i belong here more than i belong there. Could it be possible that some people use there religion to cover up bigger issues in there life? They are thinking more about what life is like after they die rather than focusing on the hear and now? That they are more in touch with there religion then there feelings? That they fit everything into there religion when it realy shouldn`t fit or that they use there religion to justify behaviors or beliefs they shouldn`t have? Kind of like a cover up. Like focusing on ancient storys from the past instead of the here and now? Give me your feedback. But please do your research on the topic of religous addiction first before you respond.

That post went up a week before Christmas 2008. There are now 47 pages of responses and counting.

My take? It is absolutely possible to be addicted to religion. My concept of addiction of any sort is this: When you can’t control your behavior and it interrupts other areas of your life, it’s an addiction. Religion can certainly do this.

And it’s one of the core concepts of one chapter of “A Message From God.” Read “Which Religion? Which Holy Book?” and you’ll see what The Author gave me to say about the topic. But here’s an excerpt:

If you will, think of your relationship with Me as a house that you and I are building together. I have provided you with a toolbox, complete with a hammer, wrench, screwdriver, drill, etc.

You start by hammering the frame together. Yet, at some point, the hammer will no longer be the appropriate tool for the job—it’s time for the drill. In fact, if you don’t switch tools, not only will you be trying to drill a hole with a hammer (which won’t work), you will actually begin to damage your house.

The reasonable thing to do is to put down the hammer, and pick up the drill. You will probably need the hammer later, but for now, the right tool is a drill. And then a screwdriver. Then a wrench. Then, maybe the hammer again.

The moral is: Don’t get so attached to using a particular tool that you forget you are working on a house. And don’t get so attached to a particular religion that you forget you are using that religion to build a relationship with Me.

Feel free to join in, or post your thoughts here . . .