Mainstream Media Finally Exposes a CIA Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in Explosive History Channel Series -

Mainstream Media Finally Exposes a CIA Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in Explosive History Channel Series - thedailysheeple.com

Excerpt from this article:

"Richard Nixon, in his effort to silence black people and antiwar activists, brought the War on Drugs into full force in 1973. He then signed Reorganization Plan No. 2, which established the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Over the course of five decades, this senseless war has waged on. At a cost of over $1 trillion — ruining and ending countless lives in the process — America’s drug war has created a drug problem that is worse now than ever before. This is no coincidence.
For years, those of us who’ve been paying attention have seen who profits from this inhumane war — the police state and cartels."
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Years ago I used to work in a public hospital, and from time to time I would be asked to work to work on the 'psych ward'.  One of the residents had posted a copy of the poem Miss Heroin on the wall of the psychiatric ward I was working on. I liked it so much (the poem, not heroin!) that I memorized it.

If you struggle with addictions you can substitute heroin with your own particular issues. But it is still a great poem:

Miss Heroin

So now, little man, you've grown tired of grass
LSD, goofballs, cocaine and hash,
and someone, pretending to be a true friend,
said, "I'll introduce you to Miss Heroin."
Well honey, before you start fooling with me,
just let me inform you of how it will be.
For I will seduce you and make you my slave,
I've sent men much stronger than you to their graves.
You think you could never become a disgrace,
and end up addicted to Poppy seed waste.
So you'll start inhaling me one afternoon,
you'll take me into your arms very soon.
And once I've entered deep down in your veins,
The craving will nearly drive you insane.
You'll swindle your mother and just for a buck.
You'll turn into something vile and corrupt.
You'll mug and you'll steal for my narcotic charm,
and feel contentment when I'm in your arms.
The day, when you realize the monster you've grown,
you'll solemnly swear to leave me alone.
If you think you've got that mystical knack,
then sweetie, just try getting me off your back.
The vomit, the cramps, your gut tied in knots.
The jangling nerves screaming for one more shot.
The hot chills and cold sweats, withdrawal pains,
can only be saved by my little white grains.
There's no other way, and there's no need to look,
for deep down inside you know you are hooked.
You'll desperately run to the pushers and then,
you'll welcome me back to your arms once again.
And you will return just as I foretold!
I know that you'll give me your body and soul.
You'll give up your morals, your conscience, your heart.
And you will be mine until, "Death Do Us Part" 

Author Anonymous

 Recommended reading:

Why Christians Make Miserable Addicts
As Heroin And Cocaine Deaths Soar, Obama Wants To Let Non-Violent Drug Offenders Out Of Prison - cnsnews.com
Widow of Heroin Addicts Makes Her Point Quite Effectively With Final Family Photo - canadafreepress.com

Alchoholics Anonymous (AA) in the Crosshairs!

Headlines: After 75 Years of AA, It's Time to Admit We Have a Problem - newser.com

"For much of the past 50 years or so, voicing any serious skepticism toward Alcoholics Anonymous or any other 12-step program was sacrilege—the equivalent, in polite company, of questioning the virtue of American mothers or the patriotism of our troops. If your problem was drink, AA was the answer; if drugs, Narcotics Anonymous. And if those programs didn’t work, it was your fault: You weren’t “working the steps.” The only alternative, as the 12-step slogan has it, was “jails, institutions, or death.” By 2000, 90 percent of American addiction treatment programs employed the 12-step approach."
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I understand addiction. And I understand - at least to some extent - addicts. Because I am one! Addicts and addictions provide comedians with an endless supply of material for their trade. Robin Williams once joked that "reality is a crutch for those who can't handle drugs!" And what would musicians do if they did not have addicts to write songs about? (see: It's a Sin!). 

But for the addict - and their friends and family - addictions are no laughing matter. Here is one of the best descriptions I've ever found of addiction: "Imagine holding your breath for 2 minutes. Now imagine something much worse!"

That doesn't mean I sign off on everything AA or any other 12 step group teaches. As a Christian, I have to reject the idea that you can have any higher power, other than our Lord Jesus Christ. And while I am all in favor of medical treatments and medications to help with addictions, I don't accept the idea that "It is a disease." In fact, if I ever get around to reading Martin and Deidre Bobgan's book, 12 Steps to Destruction, I'm sure I will discover several other faults about AA and 12 Step Recovery groups.

But 12 Step groups - at least good ones - have one thing that even many churches can't offer an addict and that is this: fellow addicts who care about each other and are willing to go out of their way to help one another stay sober.

I remember a meeting I had with an elder from a church I wanted to join. He criticized  me for refusing to say no to my employer when they imposed 'mandatory overtime' on Sunday.  Then he said that he had "strictly kept the Sabbath [Sunday] for the past 37 years." But I'll never forget one of his last words to me [I did not join that church!]: "I'm not someone you can call at two o'clock in the morning!"

A good 12 Step or recovery group is made up of people who are not only willing to pick up the phone at two o'clock in the morning, but are willing to get out of bed, come and pick you up, take you out for coffee, listen, and then help you get home safely. In my opinion, it is this than makes AA and recovery groups work.

Strongly recommended reading:

Why Christians Make Miserable Addicts
But I Don't Want to Be an Alcoholic
Ladies, Who Needs a Drink? 
Miss Heroin

The World Says Drinking Together Can Save Your Marraige

One Key to a Happy Marriage: Drink Together! - newser.com

Excerpt from this article:

 "Newlyweds hoping for a long and happy marriage might pay attention to their drinking habits: Couples who drink roughly the same amount are less likely to divorce than those in which one of the two is a heavier drinker, according to a new study spotted by NBC News. It's not so much about the booze itself as the compatibility, which is why couples in which both people are heavy drinkers tend to divorce no more often than those in which both people are teetotalers."
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Recommended reading:

Why Christians Make Miserable Addicts - huffingtonpost.com
Ladies, Who Needs a Drink? (my post)
Police: No Beer Led to Ceramic Squirrel Stabbing - myfoxdc.com

Ladies, Who Needs A Drink?

Ladies, Who Needs A Drink? - christianity.com

Excerpt from this article:

"Today's women aren't afraid of kicking back with a glass of wine, or a craft cocktail, or a cold beer for that matter. Across every female demographic—especially single women and young mothers—drinking is on the rise. I never imagined that I'd count myself among them ...At my age, my mother's church groups spent time chatting over coffee and baked goods; mine goes out for beers and burgers. Men's groups in my dad's generation probably bonded over basketball and prayer time; now guys can get together and talk theology over a Guinness."
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The Bible says:

"Wine is a mocker and strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." - Proverbs 20:13

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Holy Spirit." - Ephesians 5:18

"Know ye not that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators nor idolaters, nor adulterers nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you ..." - 1 Corinthians 6:9,10

Recommended reading:

Why Christians Make Miserable Addicts

Why Christians Make Miserable Addicts

I have a confession to make: I don't always read every book or article that I recommend on this site. (This is especially true of my "Today in the News" feature). But I read every word of Heather Kopp's article Why Christians Make Miserable Addicts, published July 2, 2013 in the Huffington Post. In fact, I liked it so much I read it four times! I heartily recommend this article.

Like so many others in our society - Christians and non-Christians alike - I have my own struggles with addictions. Someone described addiction this way: "Imagine trying to live without air. Now imagine something worse!" (Source). I can relate to that. I can also relate to Heather Kopp's story. She says:

"As new creations in Christ we're supposed to have been set free from the power of sin, right? So to even admit that we have become addicted feels like a betrayal of Christ's work on the cross. Or worse, living proof that it didn't work."

She goes on to tell of being in treatment for alcoholism and hearing an addiction counselor say: "We're not bad people getting good, we're sick people getting well."

Ms. Kopp raised her hand and said: "But we can't become alcoholic unless we drink so isn't calling it a sickness or a disease just an excuse?" The counselor responded  by giving the analogy of a person who has lung cancer (after years of smoking cigarettes) or diabetes (after years of overeating). Yes the smoking and the overeating are sinful acts. But the lung cancer and the diabetes are medical conditions - diseases if you will - that need to be treated by a doctor.

But here is where the analogy breaks down. Addictions cause pain - tremendous pain. For the non-Christian addict (very generally speaking), their first concern is stopping the pain. They may feel a lot of guilt, but it is because of the harm they have done to others (family and friends, co-workers, themselves, etc).

The Christian addict knows (or should know!) that their biggest problem is not the pain they feel because of their addictive behavior. Their biggest problem is the fact that they have sinned against a Holy God. King David talked about this after committing adultery with Bathsheba, having her husband murdered to cover up his sin, and hiding his sin for a year: "Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight." (Psalms 51:4).

And far from comforting themselves with the idea that they have a disease, the Christian addict sees their addiction as a big red flag telling them that their soul is in imminent danger. The Bible says:

"His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the chords of his sins." - (Proverbs 5:22)

I agree with Heather Kopp when she says:

"I'm not saying that prayer and repentance are never sufficient, or that God can't miraculously deliver an alcoholic to permanent sobriety. But taken alone, the label -- sin -- can keep people from reaching out for the kind of help they need."

I used to work in a hospital. One day while working on the psych ward, I saw a poem posted on the wall which I think every true addict can relate to. The title of the poem is Miss Heroin (although you can substitute heroin with your own addiction!):

Miss Heroin

"So now little man you've grown tired of grass

LSD, acid, cocaine and hash.

Then someone pretending to be a true friend,

Said, 'I'll introduced you to Miss Heroin.'

"Well, honey, before you start fooling with me,

Just let me inform you of how it will be.

"For I will seduce you and make you my slave,

I've sent men much stronger than you to their grave.

You think you could never become a disgrace,

And wind up addicted to poppy seed waste?

"You'll start inhaling me one afternoon,

You'll take me into your arms very soon.

And once I've entered deep down in your veins,

The craving will nearly drive you insane.

"You'll swindle your mother and just for a buck,

You'll turn into something vile and corrupt.

You'll mug and you'll steal for my narcotic charm,

And feel contentment when I'm in your arms.

"The day when you realize the monster you've grown,

You'll solomnly promise to leave me alone.

If you think you've got the mystical knack,

Then sweetie, just try getting me off your back!

"The vomit, the cramps, your gut tied in knots,

The jangling nerves screaming for just one more shot.

The hot chills, the cold sweats, the withdrawal pains,

Can only be cured with my little white grains.

"There's no other way, there's no need to look,

For deep down inside you will know you are hooked.

You'll desperately run to your pusher, and then

You'll welcome me back to your arm once again.

"And when you return, just as I foretold,

I know that you'll give me your body and soul.

You'll give up your morals, your conscience, your heart,

And you will be mine until death do us part."

Source (here) and (here)

Recommended sermon:

When Government Tries to Be God, by Dr. David P. Murray

Recommended gospel hymns:

Please Search the Book Again, Mckenzie George & Bruce Willey
How Deep the Father's Love For Us, Sung by Joy Williams