Will Power And Addiction

"More than anything will power is necessary, isn't it? No need for treatment in hospitals. I will stop drinking on my own." A family of an alcoholic brought him to the treatment center of a hospital where he expressed his feeling that he can stop without treatment. The family heard his words with dismay for it was not the first time they were uttered and a return to drinking shortly after. 

Refusal to accept help is very common. Sadly there are not only a few who have this understanding of alcoholism as something they can control on their own. Words by the head of a hospital alcoholic center written up in the Catholic Times.

Aime Duval a French Jesuit priest (1918-1984)  who in the 1950's and 60s was a singer and song writer,  famous not only in Europe, but traveled  all over the world with his guitar giving concerts. The stress that came with his success took a toll on his mental health. He couldn't sleep and began drinking and ended up in a hospital for treatment. He needed help.

"Courage was useless. Will power, strength, hate for the situation, encouragement, knowledge, money, glory, credentials, diplomas even prayer which I tried was useless." When he acknowledged that he failed in everything he tried, change took place. He put down his self-righteousness and stubbornness and saw his alcoholism for what it was and receiving help from others was on the way to health. He joined a self-help group and went on to assist  many in France and Europe to find sobriety.

Many think that the abuse of alcohol, drugs, gambling  is simply a lack of will power.  "Why do I go in search of a doctor and medicine when the problem is my lack of will power?" With this kind of thinking the alcoholic blames himself and his lack of will power. This is a serious obstacle to treatment which drives the person even more into darkness. Alcoholism is a sickness and not a lack of will power. When a person is alcoholic the control of the will becomes difficult.

Consequently,  thoughts that follow addiction are frightening. Often we have the feeling of being victimized and blaming others, anger is not controlled and  unhesitatingly becomes violent. Those around the sick person don't realize this as a characteristic  of the disease and quarrel with the sick one, hate one another, reproach and  often give up on treatment.

Those who are involved in the treatment of addiction make known the poisonous psychological foundations surrounding addiction.Despair is the the worst point  from which a person has to drop for  hope to appear.  At this time the person will willingly grasp at any straw that is offered and all the strength is mustered for the healing.

Know-how, medicines, the treatment and the rehabilitation facilities are all available  for a return to normal life. The only thing in the way 자구책is biases, misunderstandings which blocks the path to recovery. Necessary is the urgent desire on the part of the sick one for help.

Living Without Regrets

Living without desires was a line in a poem by the Japanese poet Sansei Yamao which a religious uses in the beginning of his article in the Kyeongyang magazine to give the readers some idea of his thinking on the subject. He liked what the poet was saying and found himself praying: "If I die now it will be alright."

He makes clear that it is not that he has arrived at this stage in the spiritual life but he wants to examine his heart when he says these words to see what his feelings are. It's a help in his prayer life. When there is a agreement with what he says and what his heart feels that is a good sign.

The article quotes Boethius (480-525 AD) The Consolation of Philosophy:  "Nunc fluens facit tempus, nunc stans facit aeternitatum." (The now that passes produces time, the now that remains produces eternity.) In other words the duration proper to the eternal Being must be conceived as everlasting  while temporal being is open to a succession of states distinct from one another. We are not able to grasp the 'now' for it quickly becomes the past. Rarely, however, we have moments that are filled with great joy that  last, moments of ecstasy.

Most of us lose the present moment because we either live in the future or past.  We can see our present as a stepping stone to the future or what is worse to see us heading towards some future obstacle. The possibility is also to live in the past because of unhealed scars, sins and the like, that cast a shadow over our present now.

We need to be present to the eternal now where we are in God's presence. The past nor the future are what are important but the now and in the Scriptures we are continually invited to the present. The miracle medicine is trust: Matt. 6:25-34. Trust leads us to the ever present now. We are not given a cross that is beyond our strength to carry. We follow Jesus in the  present.

The only way we are to view the problems, sins, and negativity of the past is with mercy, and with its experience. St. Paul asked God to remove the 'thorn in his flesh' 2nd Cor. 12:1-10 but  God did not, and he  began to see it with different eyes: "My grace is all you need,for my power is greatest when  you are weak."

The future is taken care of by trust,  the remorse of the past is taken care of by mercy, and  both of these can be assumed under gratitude. It is with this gratitude that we enter the present moment and from which we have peace and joy. According to the tradition of our  elders in which they were right on: when one is content all goes well. Rather than you give thanks because you are happy you are thankful and consequently happy. Isn't this the way to have nothing to wish for or to live without regrets?

From a Teaching Church to a Learning Church

A seminary professor, working in pastoral work for the bishops writes in View from the Ark of the Catholic Times of his thoughts regarding  two popular books by Yuval Harari, translated into Korean:  Homo Sapiens and Homo Deus. From the books' point of view we go from the 4th industrial revolution, artificial intelligence and into the age beyond God-belief into the superman age that Nietzsche ardently desired.

During the middle ages in the west God was the focal point in society. Christianity was its history with the discovery of the new continents in the fifteenth century we had the Renaissance, the humanist movement, the religious reformation, the enlightenment, and the modern challenge from atheism etc. which couldn't ignore the place of religion: God's existence and transcendence and the teaching of the Church. Briefly, the Church's belief in Christ took their mission seriously: "Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples... and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matt. 28:19).

The tradition and order of the  'teaching church' and its authority was challenged. Believers must listen and learn from the bishops and priests of the Church to preserve God's revelation if not, sanctions and punishment. After the French Revolution of the 18th century and rationalism and liberalism of the twentieth century the Catholic Church defended the Church's secular authority wanting it to be the ark for the people in a turbulent world. 

At the First Vatican Council (1869-70) the primacy and infallibility of the pope was emphasized in a way to offset the loss of secular power and attempted to expand the influence and authority of the papacy and the teaching authority of the church.

The world has changed. Pope Francis reminds us that in order to become a 'teaching church" with authority it must first become a "learning church". The first principle of conversation, to maintain human relationships alive, is to listen but the church has always been more interested in speaking and teaching rather than listening. 

As in the time of St. Francis when he went up against the secularism of the times, Christians began to regain the joy of the Gospel as they lived the life of poverty. In our times  we have the currents of secularization that come from capitalism and selfish individualism. Pope Francis attempts to return the power of the papal authority to the Gospel of Christ by going out to those who are hurting. He wants  to listen to them, extend his hand, hurt with them and give a voice to their situation. The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) which tried to adapt the gospel to modern society is the background for the efforts of Pope Francis in renewal and reform.

Looking over the Korean situation even if we don't examine the statistics we know that not all is going well by listening to the  priests working in pastoral situations. In the past the church was able to teach believers who listened and longed to learn but today there are many things the church needs to learn from those in the world.

The era of dividing the clergy into a 'teaching church' and laymen into 'a passive church' is over. Still more believers are leaving the church because of the attitude of the clergy who are soaked in the  nostalgia of the past but there is hope, in the young and enthusiastic priests and religious who listen and sympathize.

We do not know how the future world will change. But no matter what world comes, the truth of the gospel does not change. Only the way the church  understands the world and adapts to the world will change. The  real task of the church is to "read the signs of the times  and interpret them in the light of the gospel."

Importance of Dialogue

Satirically addressing our political situation four  syllables are combined which mean: when I do it it's romance when others do it it's immoral. 

After nine years we have a change of government. The progressive government when it does something the old government did we often hear this sly dig at the ruling government. A journalist writing in the Kyeongyang magazine begins his article on dialogue with these words.

In the appointment of the new cabinet members, the opposition lists all the mistakes and faults committed  and asks for their names to be withdrawn. Since the government is now in power they do their best to defend each one and usually get their way.

'When I do it it's OK, when you do it is wrong' has now entered the world of big business, organizations and the individual. The phrase has entered daily parlance.  Each one uses their own yard stick to judge.  Our egoistical human nature shows itself clearly. We have a tendency, he says, to use our own measurements to judge and act to benefit ourselves. If this was not true competition would find no place in society.

To live in society we have to realize that others like myself have this self love. Socrates tells us to know ourselves. We need to objectively examine ourselves. We have to go beyond  this self-love, we are not the center of the world and need to accept our place in society.

In June there was a forum that considered the position of religion in the work of justice and reconciliation. Two of the speakers concluded with the same emphasis on dialogue which surprised many.

A Buddhist monk mentioned that the meaning of the word justice is not the same for all. The word used in North Korea does not have the same meaning as in the South. In the 21st century with  peace and conflict attempts are made to have a win/win approach to dialogue. Buddha did not refuse to dialogue even with the devil. It is the way to perform miracles. He mentioned 9 conditions and the first is to see the other as a companion.

A priest who was the head of diocesan peace and justice committee expressed himself somewhat differently. The dignity of the person and the common good is central to justice, and dialogue is important and went on to explain. He gives the example of  man who lost everything and prays to God for help in winning the lottery: no luck this week and the following week. He goes into the church and with anger in his voice asks God to give him the winning ticket in the lottery.

As he was leaving the church he hears a voice from behind.  "Hey, before you pray to win the lottery for heaven's sake buy a ticket." Prayer is not a monologue. He feels the relationship is very much like the above person asking God for help without doing what is necessary.

Pope Francis in Laudatio Si reminds us we are all living in a common house. The president of the United States to protect the industry and workers of his country decided to leave the Paris Climate Agreement.

Our life is a series of choices. My choice will  influence my neighbor. The harder it is to find the correct answer the more we need to listen to the opinions of others, discuss and look for a reasonable solution. We invite God with our prayer, make the right judgement an act accordingly.

Working for a United Society

How do we bring different segments in society together? In the Kyeongyang magazine a priest writes about the desire for unity within the country. With the new government in place this desire grows and is fostered with the easy going style and concern for the common person shown by the present government.

What is  necessary for this uniting of the citizens? All the previous governments desired and worked for this unity among the citizens. Progressives, conservatives, and  regionalism would not allow the change to take place. At times the government even helped to ferment the conflict.

"The Church values the democratic system inasmuch as it ensures the participation of citizens in making political choices, guarantees to the governed the possibility both of electing and holding accountable those who govern them, and of replacing them through peaceful means when appropriate. Thus she cannot encourage the formation of narrow ruling groups which usurp the power of the State for individual interests or for ideological ends. Authentic democracy is possible only in a State ruled by law, and on the basis of a correct conception of the human person. It requires that the necessary conditions be present for the advancement both of the individual through education and formation in true ideals, and of the "subjectivity' of society through the creation of structures of participation and shared responsibility” (Compendium of Catholic Social Teaching # 406).

One of the natural tasks of religion is to work for the unity of society. Every society has a mix of unity and conflict. Without the removal of force, control, discrimination and the like from society we will not rid ourselves of conflict but the need continues. We  work towards the goal of unity within a conflicted society.

What should be the first thing to do? The need to understand the reason for the conflict and upheaval. It may be economics, poverty, the inequality in society. These  are all good examples. One daily newspaper in a recent survey of a thousand men and women 35.9 percent thought it was the rich, poor divide.

Secondly the political forces can be a probable cause for unrest. When the government subjugates by force a large segment of society you will get resistance which was what we saw in Korea recently with the candle light revolt of many of the citizens.

Thirdly we have the cultural and ideologically  resistance. The young people revolting against the conservative authority of the older generation. They are in search of freedom, and look upon the stress from the  consumer society negatively.

The president quickly after inauguration made clear  he wanted a just nation, a  united country, regulations and common sense that is understood by all the people... a president of all the people even those who did not vote for him.

There is a need to rid the country of all corrupt practices and work for a fair distribution of the material goods. A need to work for open communication, dialogue and negotiation. The problem of slow development, income and polarization within society, the lack of unemployment of the young are all government concerns. A desire for fair competition, guarantees for opportunities and the improvement of the living conditions of the citizens are all dreams of a more united society.

Taking Time Out To Examine Ourselves

A religious sister who works in a suicide prevention center, writes in the Catholic Times asking the readers  to take time out and look inside. She begins with a program she watched on TV where an entertainer was treated for a panic attack. A rather large number of entertainers she tells us suffer from these panic attacks.

She wasn't familiar with this problem but now is quite in the know. There are many people that are not able to control their anger and indignation which cause the death or injury of another. Is our own psyche and those of others healthy?

In a survey made in 2011 one of four persons have at least one period with mental problems in their life time. However, because  of societies prejudice and lack of understanding instead of receiving help many try to escape with drink, drugs, games, gambling, and the like. These methods don't only give birth to other problems but makes the initial problem more pronounced.

The government last year working to better mental health is strengthening the capabilities of these combine forces in society. Little has changed, she says,  in the way we look on mental disabilities. Which requires that we look at ourselves and start making some changes in our thinking.

Wanting to be healthy we work at exercising, and take helpful medicines but we don't realize in actual fact what is necessary. We  are so occupied, excuse ourselves with a lack of time, or absorbed with material things. We don't take time to examine our emotions, pass  ourselves off as happy persons, in  control of anger and irritability until it's let loose in strange places and with persons with no connection to the out of control emotions. Have we not all experienced such events and failed to uncover the reasons for the outbursts?

When by force we repress our emotions they become more overwhelming and will affect us when we are least prepared and will prepare us for mental difficulties in the future. We should not only be conscious of our joys and happiness but also indignation, sadness, anger and the like.  There is no bad emotion, its what we do with the emotions that is important.

When we realized that we are often angry, distressed and acknowledge the situation we are beginning to sublimate the situation and we are in control and the owner of the emotion. This is not easily done but we have to spend time making the effort to examine our inner life which will make our life with others and ourselves less hectic. She hopes the article will help  readers do that.

Learning From Bhutan

This year is the 30th year of diplomatic relations with the country of Bhutan, Koreans visiting Bhutan in recent years has increased greatly. This year starting in June for 3 months, Koreans are receiving a 50 percent discount on events in Bhutan. What would ordinarily cost 250 dollars daily has been reduced to 125 dollars. A university professor writing in the Catholic Peace Weekly tells the readers that on the plane from Bangkok to Bhutan most of travelers were Korean.

He was visiting the country on invitation to attend a one day workshop on Sustainable Development Goals that were presented by the United Nations and the the ways to achieve them in society.

Bhutan is about one fifth the size of Korea with a population of a little over 750,000 and a GDP that is 166 in the list of nations. It's a Buddhist nation and in many ways just opposite to Korea. In 1970 at the start of restoration under a dictatorship, Korea and Bhutan were similar in the GDP with about 200-300 dollars. Bhutan from that time began its Gross National Happiness goal. Today Bhutan has not quite 3000 dollar GNP while Korea comes close to 30,000 dollar GNP.

However, Korea has one of the highest suicide rates and one of the lowest birthrates in the world and is not able to rid itself of one of the lowest happiness i and quality of life indexes. In Bhutan 9 our of 10 citizens consider themselves happy, one of the highest in the world, Why do we have this  great discrepancy?

Bhutan's philosophy of government is determined by how happy the citizens are. In 2008 the country began their periodical 5 year plan in achieving happiness with a committee devoted to that cause. A happiness policy, which is based on:  * achieving a fair development of the economy * protecting the environment for the citizens, and animals * progress in developing traditional values and systems* to include the citizens in the running of the government and listen to their requests, be efficient and transparent in the running of government and to be conscious of the above four pillars of our society.

The aim is  for the well being of the citizens, health, leisure, education, cultural diversity, good government, community building, ecology and renewal, which will be viewed with other indexes to measure the progress of the efforts.

Recently many countries are going to Bhutan to learn about their policies. Thailand has stared a center with an index for happiness. He wonders looking at Bhutan what have we lost in searching for material prosperity. We can use Bhutan as a mirror to look at ourselves.

He concludes the article with the hope of our new president who is an admirer of the Bhutan experiment. Korea with an excessive search for prosperity at the expense of happiness is able to work together with Bhutan to help the developing  countries to acknowledge the  good and bad qualities of each and to help others achieve sensible progress.