Beat The Stigma Campaign (of Sin)

[Wrangler]

On the radio just before I came to work I flipped to a non-Christian station (something I do less and less these days). A commercial played like a game show, 'Beat The Stigma'. A question about addiction had answers of A, B, C, and D. Like the woman who was answering, my mind went to "E." She said E was some version of sinning, some version of making bad choices.

The ad game show host mocked her, re-iterating options A, B, C, and D.

Now, I'm not denying some people get addicted to prescription medications, who take the meds as prescribed. But it is absurd to suppose such an exception makes the rule. Troubled, I quickly realized I was listening to a non-Christian radio station.

It's a fallen world, my friends! Keep the full armor of God on at all times.

 

[Wynona]

I'm not following, I think. Were they trying to imply that prescription drug addiction shouldn't be called a sin or a bad decision? What was the "right" answer?

 

[Wrangler]

On a similar but different note Following the science? Not when it means ‘creating a stigma’.

 

[Wrangler]

I'm not following, I think. Were they trying to imply that prescription drug addiction shouldn't be called a sin or a bad decision?

No, I brought up the point about prescriptions. Their points was far worse. No addictions are caused by bad decisions and sinning. That is the stigma they are trying to break.

Implied is if something is a stigma, it is automatically not true. FALSE. The exact opposite is the case most of the time.

What was the "right" answer?

Can't recall exactly but something like:

A. Is a medical condition.
B. Victims had trauma in their past.
C. Their body chemistry makes them susceptible to being addicted.
D. Can get better with treatment.​

 

[Wynona]

No, I brought up the point about prescriptions. Their points was far worse. No addictions are caused by bad decisions and sinning. That is the stigma they are trying to break.

Implied is if something is a stigma, it is automatically not true. FALSE. The exact opposite is the case most of the time.


Can't recall exactly but something like:

A. Is a medical condition.
B. Victims had trauma in their past.
C. Their body chemistry makes them susceptible to being addicted.
D. Can get better with treatment.​

I agree, Wrangler. The reason I never tried highly addictive drugs was because I believed they were a bad decision.