On August 29, 2009 Jackson's death was officially ruled a homicide. (1)

As far back as 2006, members of Michael Jackson's family were terrified that his escalating dependence on prescription drugs had become a danger to his life – and attempted an intervention in Las Vegas. (2)

When the media needs a comment it calls on Dr. Drew Pinsky, the Piped Piper of celebrity addictions specialists. 

Jackson’s death brings the subject of drug addiction front and center in the world media’s eyes. In its quest to find answers, various media representatives such as Larry King only turned to medical professionals and attorneys with their questions.

Doctors identify and treat severe drug and alcohol use as a disease. (3) 

While the media processed all the medical and legal experts' jargon the Christian community seemed to have been forced to sit quietly on the sidelines not being asked for any input at all.

Doctors and lawyers were the only people being called upon in the media for opinions. Where were all the Christian ministers, pastors, and teachers and what did they have to say about Jackson’s untimely death from a possible drug overdose? 

I was asked to offer my opinion and insights during at a recent talk I gave at a California prison chapel service. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the 250 inmates in attendance freely admitted they would not be in prison had it not been for their abuse of drugs or alcohol. 

Not knowing the actual cause yet of Jackson’s death at the time, I stated I was holding off in offering my take on the matter until the results of the autopsy was in. However, I did bring up the age-old debate on whether substance abuse (including drunkenness) is really a disease or a sin.

The Bible calls it a sin. (4) Identifying sin and receiving forgiveness is the simple solution to many if not all of life's troubles, not just substance abuse issues. It also brings everlasting peace, joy and righteousness. 

"Drunkenness" is a term that refers to activities with definite spiritual and moral implications. Galatians 5:19-21 labels drunkenness as a sin, a real moral choice that will keep the offender from inheriting the Kingdom of God. However, an individual can be an addict or alcoholic without being a drunkard. The regular "social drinker," for instance, can still be a drunkard, without being caught up in the web of compulsive alcohol or drug use that characterizes addiction. (5)

"Acknowledging all substance abuse as sin is an addict’s (sinner’s) only hope for recovery,” I informed the prison audience. “Once we acknowledge and confess our addictions as sin we can repent and receive forgiveness. By receiving God’s forgiveness will actually clear one’s conscience, (6) which in turn, proves God is real, all powerful, and loving. This is the basis of Christianity.“

This may sound foreign, too religious or maybe even too simple to understand, however the Gospel of Jesus Christ actually does change people from the inside out, transforming sinners into saints. Jesus makes repentant sinners into new creatures in Christ, not having to forever remain sinful powerless drug addicts or alcoholics.” (7) 

Barbara Brown Taylor in her book, “Speaking of Sin: The Lost Language of Salvation” states, “Sin is our only hope, because the recognition that something is wrong is the first step towards setting it right again.” Taylor continues, “There is no help for those who admit no need of help. There is no repair for those who insist nothing is broken, and there is no hope of transformation for a world whose inhabitants accept that it is sadly but irreversibly wrecked.” Taylor concludes, “Sin is our only hope, the fire alarm that wakes us up to the possibility of true repentance.” 

Substance abuse (sin) is only the tip of the iceberg in an addict's (sinner’s) life. It is what is seen and felt by the substance abuser (sinner) and unfortunately the consequences are experienced and felt all too many times by friends, families, and the innocent victims of the crimes addicts willfully commit. 

The deep down root of the problem (sin) is what only God can touch, forgive and transform. It has nothing to do with "disease" as defined by the medical profession. 

The Bible states that Jesus Christ gives believers in Him everlasting life (John 3:16). Forgiveness of sin is the direct result of receiving eternal life.

The Apostle Paul teaches in 1 Timothy 1:15 that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. It is just as true right now, today in the 21st century as it was in first-century Christianity. And in the process of saving and forgiving sinners, Jesus takes away the cravings and desires to continue to willfully sin including any kind of substance abuse (sin). 

Marty Angelo speaking to California prison inmates

What is missing in most doctor's attempt to correctly identify, diagnose, and eventually treat addiction as a disease is an accurate medical test or exam. Doctors can test an addict's blood or urine. However, the results will only show how much alcohol or the type, quantity or quality of drugs one has in his or her system. 

Medical testing does not and cannot actually identify substance abuse as a disease. There has never been a test developed that can do that. The lack of such a test clearly proves then that substance abuse is not a disease. (8)

"If, alcoholism and drug addiction cannot be properly identified as a disease with medical testing then what are they?" I asked the inmates in attendance. Many sat with questioned looks on their faces. I calmly and assuredly stated, “They are called, sin!”

A doctor can test a so-called addict's brain. It is very easy to do that nowadays with modern technology. However, the medical profession must come up with an actual test that can first identify the person is an addict. The addict’s brain test may surely find some damage. However, the test results will only show the effect of the substance abuse but not find the actual cause why the addict used in the first place! 

Medical testing does not and cannot identify an actual substance abuse disease.

For example, the medical fields can expertly and precisely locate a patient's cancer or many other diseases through various reliable tests. However, there are not many people who are sent to prison or sit in a county jail cell because they have broken the law because they have cancer, diabetes or other easily identifiable diseases. 

No one tries to use those diseases as excuses for wrongful behavior. In fact, it can and should be very insulting to someone who has an incurable disease to have alcoholism or drug addiction clumped in with his or hers.

“Then why do drug addicts and alcoholics try to use their so-called diseases as excuses when they get in front of a judge or jury in a court of law?” I queried the group of inmates and then went on to answer my own question. “Because it starts with the medical field wrongly trying to identify sinful behaviors as diseases. This then allows a criminal to shun personal reasonability for breaking the law and instead use the disease excuse. They try to convince the court they are not responsible for their actions because they were either too drunk or too drugged when they committed the crime." 

Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan sentenced to jail, rehab and extended probation

Criminals think they can get away with breaking the law because if they get caught they can blame their actions on their diseases. If you want to really prove if substance abuse or drunkardness is a disease try attending a criminal’s sentencing hearing. One will quickly learn first-hand that a prosecutor, judge and/or the jury do not believe for one minute that line of defense. The overflowing prison population proves it as well.

NO ... substance abuse is not a disease and the sooner a person comes to grips with that fact he or she and the rest of the world will be much better off. A person does not have to remain an addict (sinner) the rest of one's life, especially if he or she follows the true teachings of Jesus Christ.

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Footnotes

(1) - Jackson’s death officially ruled a homicide - Autopsy report lists cause as acute propofol intoxication - http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32598793
(2) - Jackson Family Attempted Vegas Intervention http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20287787_20287851,00.html
(3) - Treating Addiction as a Disease: The Promise of Medication-Assisted Recovery 
http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/2010/06/t20100623a.html
(4) Drug abuse is equal to sorcery. A sorcerer was a person that prepared or used magic potions. In the New Testament the word "sorcerer" is translated from the Greek word "Pharmakeus", which comes from the Greek word for drug "pharmakon". English words such as pharmacy and pharmacology (study of drugs) come from this same root. The Bible calls sorcery a "work of the flesh" (Galatians 5:20-21), and clearly condemns sorcerers, saying they share the same destiny as fornicators, murderers, idolaters, and whoever love lies and live a life of lies (Revelation 22:15).
(5) - Christian Recovery - http://www.alcoholicsvictorious.org/faq.html#disease
(6) - Hebrews 9:14 (King James Version) 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
(7) - 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
(8) - "Seeking the Connections: Alcoholism and our Genes." - Nurnberger, Jr., John I., and Bierut, Laura Jean. Scientific American, Apr 2007, Vol. 296, Issue 4.  Psychiatric geneticists John I. Nurnberger, Jr., and Laura Jean Bierut suggest that alcoholism does not have a single cause—including genetic—but that genes do play an important role "by affecting processes in the body and brain that interact with one another and with an individual's life experiences to produce protection or susceptibility". They also report that fewer than a dozen alcoholism-related genes have been identified, but that more likely await discovery.

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