My aunt was free from alcoholism after 10 yrs, after getting saved...But what's the deal with Jerry?

Question

Jerry was also an alcoholic for ten years. He is an atheist and lived his whole life in a completely atheist environment.

He had no Christian acquaintances at all.

He also completely quit drinking and has been "dry" for seven years now.

If my aunt's deliverance was a miracle, what happened to Jerry?

If people can just quit on their own, is it right to call quitting drinking a "miracle?"

My Aunt got saved and quit drinking - she claims that it was the power of Christ that enabled her to quit.

Jerry quit drinking and said that one day, he grabbed a bottle and looked at it and said, "Screw this!" and never touched it again.

Both of them were bad alcoholics.

Was my Aunt's miracle deliverance really just some psychological will-power that she used her religion to tap into?

I mean, Jerry quit. He just quit. On his own. He didn't get saved - he didn't pray... Jerry is an atheist.

What's going on?

Answer 1

you have to realize that there are 'different' kinds of alcoholism....

they can both be correct....

I have seen people completely delivered from alcoholism once they are born again..... they have no desire to drink, they have had that desire just removed from them

I have also seen people who have just decided one day that they didnt want to live that way.... some people actually do decide they WANT to be drunks....

other people struggle with the desire all the time, and each day is a battle to stay sober

there are different ways to become sober. one way isnt 'the only way'... but do not dismiss that your 'aunt' has been set free from an addiction that was controlling her life by God....

Answer 2

I know plenty of people with 5, 10, 20, 30 years sober and are not religious.

the term "miracle" is usually used by all of these folks, their non-religious affectation notwithstanding, because what was literally an impossibility for all of them (to quit drinking) became a reality and continues to be so.

If a person has more than a small time sober and goes back to drinking, it is always because they choose to do so. God does not make that decision for them.

If you are an alcoholic with seven years sober, and you want to start drinking again -- christian or not --- God will not stop you from acting. This is the Christian (and non-christian) concept of free will. God allows all to choose what they will, but lends strength to those who are willing to ask for it.

I personally have no religious affiliation, but refer to my own eight years sobriety as a "miracle" at all times, as it was not my own doing.

Different people have different claims as to what stopped them from drinking (for your aunt, you say, she claimed the power of Christ and her religion)... from my point of view, whatever works is the right power for each person. If it is rationality, religion, contemplation, dogmatism, etc etc, whatever you want to call it -- whatever it is that "saves you" is acceptable, out of necessity...

Also, alcoholism on the whole does not make sense -- it's not a rational thing. So if you want to figure it out, you'll need a lot more Yahoo questions!

Answer 3

I know people that quit smoking cold turkey and I know people that had to use a patch. So what? I don't think God giving your aunt strength to beat an addiction would be considered a "miracle" as much as grace. On the other hand, I have never seen any athiests raise anyone from the dead or even so much as turn water into wine.

Nothings going on. God gave Jerry more willpower in his personality than your Aunt.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Your aunt felt God in her life and God helped her when she needed it.

Jerry saw the wreck that his life was and was able to quit.

Two different people in need of two different things. Thankfully they both got what each INDIVIDUAL person needed to get their lives back.

The fact that Jerry needed to see the bottle and what it meant to his life to change, and that your aunt needed to feel God moving in her life to change means only that they are different. And because they are different they needed different things.

Not every belief or philosophy is meant for every single person.

Answer 6

any self-destructive habit can reach its end.
anything can trigger the person to say 'enough' I don't need this anymore.
religion can be one of those triggers, but not necessarily so. There are clergy in AA trying to get over alcoholism, so it's not religion by itself that will 'deliver' you.
It's a combination of factors that depends on the psychological makeup of the person. There are some triggers more powerful than others--TO EACH PERSON.

So, it really depends on the person to see what will motivate them enough to change.

Answer 7

Some people need to have something to help them. In this instance, God played that role. In the end, it was her own strength that got her away from the alcohol.

I know plenty of christians who are total drunks. If God helped your Aunt, why not help those other christians free themselves from their sin?

Answer 8

Jerry is what we alcoholics call a "dry drunk". Only through the power of AA can an alcoholic be "truly" delivered from the bottle.

A former reformed alcoholic and present "dry drunk"

Answer 9

well i know your aunt is healed for ever! jerry might go back to his ways just wait and see. JESUS cleans it all out of your blood and mind and soul. Jerry had a mental strugle with it, your aunt gave it to God and never worried about it again.

Answer 10

Um my friend is an atheist and doesn't drink or do drugs at all.