Why Alcohol, Heroine, Cocaine?

[Thana]

What could have been god's purpose in creating addictive drugs such as nicotine, alcohol, heroine, cocaine, etc?
And if they serve some reasonable purpose why make humans vulnerable to them?

I don't know, I'm not God, I can only speculate. I imagine it has something to do with variety and free will, Not to mention that these drugs/alcohol can have medicinal benefits and have contributed to world-changing events and world-changing people. For example, Wasn't Frued himself a coke fiend and didn't he say that it helped him come up with the things he did? And that's not to mention all the artists out there.

Also I think you're forgetting that alcohol and drugs are very much choices that people make. We're masters of our own destruction, not God.

 

[Skwim]

I don't know, I'm not God, I can only speculate. I imagine it has something to do with variety and free will, Not to mention that these drugs/alcohol can have medicinal benefits and have contributed to world-changing events and world-changing people. For example, Wasn't Frued himself a coke fiend and didn't he say that it helped him come up with the things he did? And that's not to mention all the artists out there.

Also I think you're forgetting that alcohol and drugs are very much choices that people make. We're masters of our own destruction, not God.

So, why was it necessary to make man in such a way that these drugs would have an addicting effect? From my understanding of god, he could make man however he wanted.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Talking about the physical aspect of addiction. And god, being the omniscient guy that he is, knew in advance that man would fined and abuse these chemicals, but he went ahead and put them in plants anyway. Of course he could have configured man and/or these chemicals so they didn't produce addiction, but he didn't bother because . . . . . . . . . .

Then should god have not made sex, since some people become addicted to it, abuse it, and do horrible things with it? What about food? Some people over eat, become addicted, and use it as a political tool. Attention can also be addictive and abused, so should we have been made to be isolated creatures rather than social?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Come to think of I can't recall a single indigenous tribe globally that wasn't wasted or drunk in some capacity.

 

[Skwim]

Then should god have not made sex, since some people become addicted to it, abuse it, and do horrible things with it? What about food? Some people over eat, become addicted, and use it as a political tool. Attention can also be addictive and abused, so should we have been made to be isolated creatures rather than social?

Okay, then why didn't he? Why didn't he construct humans so they would never become addicted to sex, or all the other addictive "items" one might think of? As it's been claimed, god can do anything, so why not make man immune to such things? Thing is, he could, but chose not to. So, we have thousands (millions?) of people suffering from addictions.

 

[Quintessence]

I fail to see why it should be limited to Abrahamic religions.

It fails because the way you're framing this and the background assumptions you are making (e.g., see post #23, and post #26) are very Abrahamic and apply poorly to other types of theism .

 

[Thana]

So, why was it necessary to make man in such a way that these drugs would have an addicting effect? From my understanding of god, he could make man however he wanted.

Because that's how He wanted it. And if you don't like it, well God also made it so you can choose not to do drugs and become addicted.
Although it's crazy, to me, that you want to lay drug addiction at the feet of God whilst ignoring the fact that it was the people who chose that, and everytime they shoot up they keep choosing it. But I guess that's how a Godless world must look.

 

[Robert.Evans]

What could have been god's purpose in creating addictive drugs such as nicotine, alcohol, heroine, cocaine, etc?
And if they serve some reasonable purpose why make humans vulnerable to them?

They follow the same original divine print in my opinion. If used wisely, they can take away pain. It is Man who messes things up. We are quite good at that if you hadn't noticed.

 

[Father Heathen]

You might make the argument for the cocoa plant and the poppy plant, but cocaine and heroin are processed by humans rather than naturally occurring. Fermentation of course happens in nature, such as in rotting fruit.

 

[Robert.Evans]

Let me rephrase the question.
Why does God keep creating humans that are so prone to addiction?
You're telling me it's because of Eve? I'm not buying that.
Tom

We have two problems, the human condition which is imperfect, and the spiritual deficiency.

 

[Skwim]

Because that's how He wanted it.

I hate to say it, but DUH!

And if you don't like it, well God also made it so you can choose not to do drugs and become addicted.

Thing is, that's not how it works. People don't set out to become addicted. Addiction arises from habit. Habit that unintentionally gets out of control.

Although it's crazy, to me, that you want to lay drug addiction at the feet of God whilst ignoring the fact that it was the people who chose that, and everytime they shoot up they keep choosing it. But I guess that's how a Godless world must look.

And while I understand your reasoning, it's always surprising how people in defense of god can deliberately ignore the role he plays. Even when it's laid out in black and white. Simply confirm or deny the following

A) God could have made man any way he wanted. YES or NO

B) God could have made man immune to the addictive qualities of various substances, and behaviors. YES or NO

C) In as much as man IS addicted to various substances and behaviors, god must have chosen not to make man immune to them. YES or NO​

 

[Thana]

Thing is, that's not how it works. People don't set out to become addicted. Addiction arises from habit. Habit that unintentionally gets out of control.

But everyone knows that if you smoke, or drink, or shoot up, you're highly likely to become addicted. They know the risks, and do it anyway. That's on them.

And while I understand your reasoning, it's always surprising how people in defense of god can deliberately ignore the role he plays. Even when it's laid out in black and white. Simply confirm or deny the following

A) God could have made man any way he wanted. YES or NO

B) God could have made man immune to the addictive qualities of various substances, and behaviors. YES or NO

C) In as much as man IS addicted to various substances and behaviors, god must have chose not to make man immune to them. YES or NO​

He could have also made us invincible vampire mutant bunnies. Or angels, Or demons. He could have made the entire world a fiery pit or a beautiful paradise of perfection.
I'm not denying that, no one denies that. We believe He is after all omnipotent.

So yes, therefore, God made certain substances addictive. He also made certain things restorative, things that can heal us or relax us without an addictive side-effect. He made billions upon billions of things so we could have variety, choice, freedom.

You talk about the role He plays, but what about the role we play? This world is as we humans have made it, to deny that is either naive or ignorant.

 

[George-ananda]

What could have been god's purpose in creating addictive drugs such as nicotine, alcohol, heroine, cocaine, etc?
And if they serve some reasonable purpose why make humans vulnerable to them?

They are all formed through the natural world. The natural world doesn't restrict itself to what is best for humans! All the world's life and mineral forms follow their own paths. And I'm a theist.

 

[Iti oj]

I don't know, I'm not God, I can only speculate. I imagine it has something to do with variety and free will, Not to mention that these drugs/alcohol can have medicinal benefits and have contributed to world-changing events and world-changing people. For example, Wasn't Frued himself a coke fiend and didn't he say that it helped him come up with the things he did? And that's not to mention all the artists out there.

Also I think you're forgetting that alcohol and drugs are very much choices that people make. We're masters of our own destruction, not God.

interesting outlook

 

[Father Heathen]

So the question at it's core is "why did the universe allow for a specific species on a specific planet to potentially harm itself?"

 

[Skwim]

But everyone knows that if you smoke, or drink, or shoot up, you're highly likely to become addicted. They know the risks, and do it anyway. That's on them.

Then god, being aware of this destructive propensity in man, should not have allowed these substances to exist. How can an omniscient, all loving god allow his creation to harm itself? In my opinion, an all-loving god would not. Would you allow your child to play with matches just because he could and liked to?

You talk about the role He plays, but what about the role we play? This world is as we humans have made it, to deny that is either naive or ignorant.

You're confusing who did what here. Humans did not make certain substances addictive, nor did we choose to have bodies so constituted so as to be addicted to them. God is the one, and only one, responsible for these. I suggest you stop making excuses for god and look at him in light of what he has chosen to do and not do with his world. The buck stops with him, and no one else.

 

[Thana]

Then god, being aware of this destructive propensity in man, should not have allowed these substances to exist. How can an omniscient, all loving god allow his creation to harm itself? In my opinion, an all-loving god would not. Would you allow your child to play with matches just because he could and liked to?

You're confusing who did what here. Humans did not make certain substances addictive, nor did we choose to have bodies so constituted so as to be addicted to them. God is the one, and only one, responsible for these. I suggest you stop making excuses for god and look at him in light of what he has chosen to do and not do with his world. The buck stops with him, and no one else.

And then the world wouldn't be what it is, we wouldn't have any freedom and you wouldn't be on these forums blaming God for your mistakes.

There comes a point where the world you think God should have given us becomes meaningless. There is no point to perfection, And I am glad God gave me freedom and choice and variety.

 

[Skwim]

And then the world wouldn't be what it is, we wouldn't have any freedom and you wouldn't be on these forums blaming God for your mistakes.

Ah, I was waiting for you to bring up the issue of free will or freedom. Of course the world wouldn't be what it is. It would be better. Unless, that is, you think suffering is good. And believe me, the world without addictions would still be working just the way it is today.

There comes a point where the world you think God should have given us becomes meaningless.

Not should have, COULD have. I leave it to the faithful to decide all the "shoulds" of god.

There is no point to perfection,

Might want to tell this to god. It was his original plan, you know; to rule over a world without sin, shame, death, etc. in it[/quote]

 

[Glaurung]

What could have been god's purpose in creating addictive drugs such as nicotine, alcohol, heroine, cocaine, etc?
And if they serve some reasonable purpose why make humans vulnerable to them?

The fact that we can exploit nature to create drugs more powerful than anything naturally occurring is just a testament to human ingenuity, an ingenuity we can use to do a lot of good or harm ourselves badly. There's nothing in Christian teaching that posits God to have created a natural world harmless to, and for the sole benefit of human beings. In fact such harmony was taken away Genesis 3:17-18. We are at odds with the natural world to an extent. We lost Eden so to speak.

Further, drugs aren't inherently bad things. Opiates for example are dangerous, but they do have legitimate medical uses.

 

[Skwim]

The fact that we can exploit nature to create drugs more powerful than anything naturally occurring is just a testament to human ingenuity, an ingenuity we can use to do a lot of good or harm ourselves badly. There's nothing in Christian teaching that posits God to have created a natural world harmless and for the sole benefit of human beings. In fcat such harmony was taken away. Genesis 3:17 We are at odds with the natural world to an extent. We lost Eden so to speak.

Further, the drugs aren't inherently bad things. Opiates for example are dangerous, but they do have legitimate medical uses.

Don't understand the following:

" There's nothing in Christian teaching that posits God to have such harmony was taken away. Genesis 3:17"​