Addictions….

I saw a question posed recently: How addictive is LoTRO (Lord of the Rings Online) a Massive Multi-Player Role Playing Game?

Nither LoTRO nor any other online game is in and of itself physically addictive. The key phrases here are “in and of itself” and “physically”.

For some thing to be physically addictive it must have a molecular structure and that structure must be similar to some chemical naturally produced by the human body. For example, morphine… it is addictive because it has a molecular structure nearly identical to a chemical naturally produced by you and I. When the body gets what it needs from an outside source it stops producing it and becomes dependent upon the external source of the chemical. Once addicted, when one tries to stop getting it from the external source the body goes through a transition known as withdrawal until it starts producing it again on its own. Some chemicals are more addictive than others, this is always dependent upon the length of time from which first ingested from the external source to when the body stops making the required chemical.

Crack is incredibly addictive because the body immediately stops making the similar chemical. Nicotine is much less addictive since one does not become physically addicted after only 1 cigarette. That is, the body keeps making the requisite chemical until its received the chemical externally over some period of time.

Based on the above description of addiction, it is completely impossible for an online game to be addictive as it does not have a molecular structure.
There are some who would say it is psychologically addicting. However, placing the term “addiction” on this is incorrect and is simply an easy way to escape responsibility, to actually place it (responsibility) on the game as opposed to the gamer. “Addiction” to LoTRO, WoW or any other game is ALWAYS the direct result of a choice. If I choose to play LoTRO with all my free time… some will say it’s an addiction, when in fact, it’s merely my choice.
Someone recently wrote that our (men’s) hearts easily/naturally make idols of things. I think that’s true and that it is an exhibition of our sin nature. When we choose to sit and play LoTRO (and I’ve done this too, so I’m guilty – probably more than most – of this specific sin choice) with all of our hearts, minds, and souls, we are making an idol to replace God… simply stated… choosing to sin – consciously… on purpose… there is no accident here.

Note: If I choose to eat too much or get drunk these too are sins and are examples of making idols of something besides our Father and of making sin choices.

If we do that which the Lord approves with appropriate moderation, keeping it and our Lord in the respective, proper and correct positions in our hearts, it’s fine.

I also believe God is where the people are… if we are online … then He is online too… I think mission fields begin at the end of our noses… wherever that may be… cyberspace included. I think God laid it on the hearts of those who start various online fellowship groups (i.e., guilds) (as the One who works in us to will and to do) so that fellow believers may have online fellowship as well as maintain a witness of Him… to be the fragrance of Christ to the saved and the perishing… online as well as off.

In fact, I actually have experienced more Christian fellowship through involvement in an online Christian guild than I do in real life. This is true because (1) I’m an extreme introvert – happier at the computer than at a gathering, and (2) after 9, 10, or 11 hours of work in a day, I want to come home not go out, even to Church.

It’s time people (AND MYSELF INCLUDED) stop blaming other “things” to avoid responsibility for our free-will choices. We all make our own choices, no one and no “thing” make us do that.