Notis: Det följande är en reproduktion av artiklen "Alcoholism Is Not A Disease" i Mars-upplagan 2002 av Submitters Perspective, den månatliga bulletinen av United Submitters International.

Alcohol in the United States kills more people than all the illegal drugs combined. The apathy to this social malaise is compounded by the fact that our established medical community has the audacity to call alcoholism a disease! This even goes so far as to be indoctrinated to nursing and medical students. But, if alcoholism is to be defined as a disease, then it is the only disease that:

1) Is sold in bottles and cans.
2) Produces revenue for our government.
3) Has no germ or viral cause.
4) Is advertised all over newspapers, magazines, radio and television.
5) Causes violent death on the highways.

Indeed alcohol (the instrument of oppression) is that which destroys a nation. Alcohol propels one’s health to self-destruction, destroys family life and increases crime.

Alcoholism is for sale in this country. Youth are conditioned to believe that in order to be young, beautiful, and happy (like the commercials we constantly see associated with every kind of social activity and sporting event) we can and should drink! This is reflected in the high rate of teenage alcoholics in this country. Alcoholism rips at the very foundation of our country, touching virtually every family in the United States.

There is no gene that predetermines a person to be an alcoholic! There is no particular predisposition to alcoholism other than the intense social pressure in this country to drink. When we as a society call “alcoholism” a disease (besides setting ourselves up to fail), we encourage apathy and a sense of helplessness within the mind of the individual. Be it sub-conscious or subliminal, there is that association with the word “disease” which tells us that no matter what we do, alcoholism is something we cannot help because, after all, it is a disease.

Why is it that we do not call cocaine or heroin addiction a disease? Because, to do that would be absolutely ridiculous in that we know it not to be the truth! Why is this same standard not applied to the most dangerous drug manifest in this country, “alcohol”?

Alcoholism is not a disease; but an addiction. It is contracted by the will of man. (It is Satan’s handiwork). In fact, we freely choose to bow to pressure and drink to the point of staggering. Therefore, exercise reason and think; choose not to drink (as you choose to say no to drugs). Don’t drink!

Robert Tilford

[Quran 2:219] They ask you about intoxicants and gambling: say, “In them there is a gross sin, and some benefits for the people. But their sinfulness far outweighs their benefit….”