BY JOHN YOSSARIAN
LOMA LINDA, CA—The Adventist Center for Moderation recently opened in Loma Linda in an effort to fight the growing problem of extremist substance abuse. Although there is no way of determining exact amounts of church members who struggle with these extremist addictions, interviews with scores of pastors, conference officials, independent ministries directors and laypeople indicate an alarming amount of substance abuse.
“Our center is devoted to rehabilitating addicts who rely on a set of substances and routines to define their relationship with God. The high that comes from consuming these substances fuels their religious life at a high cost to themselves and their community. Like most ‘highs’, it clouds their judgment and impairs their ability to reason,” described Dr. Rajiv Manhutra, the head of the center.
“Most addicts don’t realize their problem. Those who consume these drugs aren’t aware that it leads to erratic behavior. Extremist substances also have the tendency to leave the consumer wanting more since the body adapts to certain levels and once it adapts, then you need more extremism to fuel your high. In effect, we’re left with a hardened extremist.”
The drugs also come in all forms and types. Different demographics have their pet favorites depending on the nature of their preferred high. Certain drugs such as conservacaine are powerful nervous system stimulants with long lasting effects such as increased alertness of others’ faults, judgementalism and legalism.
The home-brewed and lesser quality version—crack-conservacaine—intensifies conservacaine’s effects and leads to a constant desire to police the church. Crack-conservacaine affects the user’s brain chemistry by causing supreme conviction, increased aggression levels and end-time paranoia. These fits last for 5-10 minutes before leaving the user depressed and low, desperately seeking their next high. Users have a habit of returning to certain dealers who are more than happy to provide a steady stream of these poisonous drugs.
Another alternative, liberwana simply deadens the user over time, although it’s potent enough to create sensations of anger and apathy. Common side-effects include voicing open dissent against the church while harping about revising fundamental beliefs. The Southern California variety causes stoned users with the “munchies” to troll forums and websites before returning to their drug induced stupor.
Although each drug appeals to a particular group, all three shared the same effect of creating delusions of self-righteousness among users. The center encourages moderation and teaches patients to live a slow, steady life instead of needing spiritual highs to function. Recovering patients report that they couldn’t live without these drugs and needed regular doses of extremism in order to feel faithful.
Dr. Manhutra continued, “Extremist addicts think they’re becoming satisfied when it simply leaves them more depraved and empty inside. Although the high might create feelings of faithfulness and self-righteousness, at the end of it, our patients admit to being angry and disillusioned. So, we give them ways to avoid their old dealers, teach them to tune out the voices that dominated their thoughts during their drug-induced euphoria and engage them in therapy that encourages listening to conversation partners.”
Those worried about the church’s future can be hopeful, however, as the center appears to have a positive effect on addicts. Patients acknowledge that although it was difficult at the start to admit their problem and to kick their habit, the center’s message of moderation was beginning to take hold.
“I’m appreciative of the Center for Moderation for weaning me off my dependence on extremist drugs. I used to get off on conservacaine since it helped me feel better and more spiritual than everyone else,” said Greg Frocker, a recovering patient. “But soon, I realized that it strained my relationships since people started avoiding me. My friends told me that I’d become unpleasant and didn’t want to be around me anymore. After kicking my habit, my thinking skills aren’t blurred and I can assess ideas on the basis of their strengths and weaknesses rather than clinging on to my ideological drugs. Now, I feel so blessed to be able to dialogue intelligently with others and have stimulating conversations.”
