discuss: Jesus as a drug
I’ve come across two songs in my music library lately that talk about a correlation between Jesus and drugs.
You’re better than drugs
your love is like wine
Feel you comin’ on so fast
Feel you comin’ to get me high
You’re better than drugs
Addicted for life
Feel you comin’ on so fast
Feel you comin’ on to get me high
- Better than Drugs by Skillet
I, I want it!
I, I need it!
I, I breathe it!
You are the new drug.
I, I want you!
I, I, need you!
I believe you!
You are the new drug.
- New Drug by Thousand Foot Krutch
I’m sure there are more songs out there, but you get the point. I guess I never really thought much of these until I read a review of the album that the Skillet song was on, where the reviewer states:
See, I think that life as a Christian can certainly have its share of spiritual experiences and epiphanies that are like a total high, but when you start to celebrate that high as something to pursue in and of itself, you kind of miss the point. It becomes superficial. Following God becomes all about feeling good, and honestly, it’s often challenging and doesn’t feel good at all…The Bible does describe God’s love as being “better than wine” at one point…but to reduce something that’s better than an unhealthy addiction to a thing that you pursue for the sake of the high… it’s just plain bad theology.
I found this quote to be quite provocative and an interesting topic for discussion.
Questions to get you started:
Should the Christian experience be likened to drugs? Does this give an inaccurate portrayal to those who don’t know God? Or, is the reviewer quoted here perhaps overanalyzing the issue? If you are a Christian, do the lyrics in these songs match the experiences in your relationship with the Lord?
July 18th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
It’s more than just a “drug.” While, of course you can feel a euphoria at times, there has to be a trial. If I am not facing trials, then my faith is not increasing a lot. Basically, while the comparison of our relationship to God as a drug can sometimes be applied, it is missing the hardships people face in this world for believing in Christ.
July 21st, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit is not the main pursuit of Christianity, but I don’t think it’s a bad pursuit to engage in. For the two song writers that you quoted from, I am confident that they are referring to the fact that Jesus Christ is more satisfying than anything that they have ever experienced in the world. And I don’t think they’re just talking about the happiness or joy they feel of knowing God, I believe they’re referring to the kind of experiences that King David spoke about and that occurred on the day of Pentecost - being “drunk” in the spirit on the wine of God’s presence!
I agree that there will be struggles and challenges to faith in order to grow, but I don’t think that you must either have powerful experiences OR struggles, I feel that they both occur at the same time. At least for David they did, as he would encounter horrible situations that were coupled with tremendous spiritual blessings.
If a person’s main pursuit is the feeling that they will feel when they seek God, then they are way off-base and have become too caught up in feelings. BUT, if a person seeks God to find God and then as a result gets the blessings of the presence of the Lord, then that is an awesome thing!
July 24th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Very good topic Brendan!
I agree with a bunch that Earley said, and I’m pretty pumped this topic came up. It reminds me of the discussions we used to have at the lunch table back in the day.
I think the reviewer was taking the use of the word ‘drug’ as a literal high, and a substance to which people become addicted. I think there is a big difference between being addicted to the ‘high’ of worship/spiritual effects and loving the Lord truly and wholeheartedly. PCE made a point about the trials faced by Christians. If someone is pursuing only the ‘high’ of worship and trouble comes their way, they are definitely not going to survive it. It’s the seeking after Jesus, living like Him, and believing His message of love, hope, and forgiveness that strengthens us to fight off trials and tribulations. At least, that’s what gives me strength.
Sure, I feel good when I’m in the presence of God, and can actually ‘feel’ Him, but is that the only thing I seek? No, and do I seek God only for my own personal gain? No. I seek Him so I can do what He wants me to do. I seek God because He has blessed me and He deserves praise and thanksgiving.
Jesus isn’t my drug….He’s my anti-drug.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:18 pm
That’s good, Buzz. The Lord has had to deal with me many times because I seek the high rather than God. It’s not like I’m all wrong in my motives…when I feel the presence of God it means that I’m doing something right. So if I’m seeking a place where I’m doing something right, it’s not like I’m just trying to get high, but I think I’ve set my sights in the wrong place, and God doesn’t like that.