Opiod Theology- by Kevin Staton

Opioid Theology

During this Lenten season, I cannot help but to reflect to over a decade ago, when  I was in a car accident in which I suffered severe whiplash. Anyone that has ever experienced such an injury understands that the trauma to your neck/shoulder area can produce excruciating pain, and my circumstance was no different. As a result, my doctor prescribed various painkillers to alleviate my symptoms….temporarily. The key term here is temporarily, because my physician understood that painkillers aren’t designed to eliminate pain, just deter it. And from my perspective, far too many churches have devolved into just that...a opioid painkiller. People are hurting mentally/emotionally/spiritually, and “painkiller churches” provide them with a temporary “fix” to get them through the situation. Screaming, shouting, crying, singing, or any other form of catharsis to numb the pain of gender inequity, de jure segregation in education/housing, racial profiling, limited economic opportunities, or a myriad of issues that people in many of the communities these churches serve face.  And just like opioid painkillers, you have addicts that show up every Sunday looking to get “high.” Pastors dole out painkiller biblical interpretations to foster dependency instead of liberation. You won’t see painkiller churches  using the Bible to take an introspective look at various methods for confronting a crisis, such as Job or Ecclesiastes. You won’t see painkiller churches developing a biblical strategy for better financial stewardship, as taught in Matthew 25 or Luke 19. Amos, Hosea, and Esther provide extensive strategies for social justice, but painkiller churches place no emphasis on taking biblical steps to address systemic issues of oppression. These strategies are inconspicuously absent in a painkiller church, with a painkiller preacher interpreting the Bible in a way that promotes addiction instead of recovery. 

Fortunately for my situation, I had a doctor who took me off the painkillers because he knew the dangers of addiction. When he sat down with me, he explained to me that the only way that I could begin the healing process was to start physical therapy. The purpose of physical therapy was to strengthen the muscles around the injury, which would also allow the injured muscles to begin healing. It also made me personally responsible for visiting a physical therapist, and following her/his directions. Most importantly, the initial stages of  physical therapy were painful, difficult, and frustrating…..they forced me to be introspective and develop the mental/spiritual strength necessary to fight through the pain. When you know that certain movements are going to cause suffering, the natural inclination is to avoid them. It is this inclination of avoidance that permeates those religious institutions that were once bastions of civil disobedience and advocacy for human rights. 

This notion of avoidance manifests itself into a theology that refuses to address the source of problems that the Bible confronts regularly ( Proverbs 17:5-He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.) Avoidance feeds painkiller theology by having individuals focus on “relief” that can come through intense episodes of emotionalism, whether it be grief, guilt, elation, rage, or fear. In terms of grief, painkiller theology  promises a false reprieve from the grief that comes from personal loss, issues with self-esteem, or a myriad of issues that cause feelings of despondency. Religious experiences act as antidepressants, side-effects and all. Some of these “sermons” should come with a warning label---may cause excessive weight gain, spiritual fatigue, and blurred moral vision.  Painkiller parishioners become addicts, looking for a weekly injection of fear mongering in congregations that project sentiments of intolerance and malice towards groups that they view as “outsiders.”  Weekly sermons reinforce the need for “relief” from the pain these outsiders cause, galvanizing support behind political leaders and corporations, with little to no emphasis on teachings such as Deuteronomy 10:18-19 “ ….show love to foreigners, as you were once foreigners…” 

I distinctly remember physical therapy having that one exercise that I absolutely dreaded, but I knew it was the most effective. I wonder which exercise that is for you? Or do you attend a church that  only has an Exercise in Futility Fitness Center, complete with the following workout machines:

Prosperity Treadmill- always chasing wealth, but actually going nowhere (1 Timothy 6:6-12)

Bootstraps Pull-up Bar- Don’t weigh yourself down with empathy and compassion, just worry about yourself (Proverbs 21:3)

Thoughts and Prayers Bench Press- whenever major issues arise, don’t go through the pain of emotional/spiritual rehabilitation, just push that weight up and off your chest, everything will be fine…..and if it’s not, just come back next week!! (Romans 12:2)

Interdenominational Kickboxing Heavy Bag- speeds up your judgemental metabolism with weekly attacks on every other denomination, because your denomination is the only true way to the Divine(1 Corinthians 12:12-27)

Unfortunately, the list of workout machines can go on and on, and those that are truly concerned with their spiritual fitness abandon religion altogether, as evidenced in the Pew Study on “America’s Changing Religious Landscape,” or the Gallup Poll that shows a growing decline in those that identify with a religious identity. So where does that leave those of us that are looking for a faith that fosters deliverance over dependency, and nurturing leadership instead of narcotic dogma pushers? True people of faith need to promote a theology that shows people the true concrete nature of what we profess, the love, peace, kindness, patience, joy, humility, self-control that our doctrine clearly states we are to exhibit (Galatians 5:22). Concrete problems in our society demand concrete solutions, and it is easier to push an abstract ideology of emotional release instead of addressing real solutions. We always talk about “exercising” our faith, but instead far too many churches pump their parishioners up on painkillers, because to exercise your faith takes work, commitment, and perseverance…..the qualities  needed to complete physical therapy. How ironic. 

Sources:

Wormald, Benjamin. “America's Changing Religious Landscape.” Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project, Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project, 7 Sept. 2017, www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/.

Newport, Frank. “Five Key Findings on Religion in the U.S.” Gallup.com, 23 Dec. 2016, news.gallup.com/poll/200186/five-key-findings-religion.aspx.