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A Religious Problem vs. YOUR Problem

GYE Corp. Sunday, 15 January 2012

I do not equate having a desire for lust and sex with 'addiction'. I believe that probably most of the men and women out there who struggle with occasional desires of this nature are not addicts, but just normal. Even in the context of yiddishkeit, where there is no room whatsoever for expression of inappropriate sexuality, I see no reason whatever to throw the label 'addiction' at it. Many others feel otherwise, I know, and I believe that (in their case) 'addiction' may be a big red herring for them. Finally, I feel that participation of non-addicts waters down the program for everyone because a non-addict is not personally desperate. It is all philosophical rather than practical. I believe he doesn't really personally need a G-d for his problem.

He may see it as a religious problem - in other words, G-d's problem with him - but not a personal problem of his own. And that is where I believe addiction, 12 steps recovery, and Derech Eretz depart tracks from 'frustration with youthful desire', the Yetzer Hara, and Torah.

(This was all just my little opinion - not 'the Truth'.)