Dear NNS,

Unless my memory is faulty your previous missionary activity did not mention drug addiction but your necessity to try to 'save' others by your religion. As far as drug addiction goes I feel it should be treated as a medical problem as alcoholism is. My cousin was a psychologist working with the Los Angeles government in treating drug addicts. He said he had about a 5% success rate - not very good.

As always have read every post here and see we have differing view around fight,just saying no can be fighting for the good, just as saying nothing is the opposite,guns are not needed always, if you see wrong and silently walk away you are part of the problem

Dear NNS,

Probably, that drug addiction is bad is one thing we agree on. I think decriminalising addiction and drugs would help. What would you recommend?

To David F.

Regarding drugs, I wish I knew. I don't think making it legal is the answer either. Where I'm at, there's been a big issue with opiate drugs. Prescribed and FDA approved drugs for pain that is the center of prescription drug addiction that leads to being more and more expensive and higher tolerances and higher doses of the drug. One of my brother's friends had a back injury when he was younger and has been on medication ever since. Last I heard he was on heroine because no doctor would prescribe a higher dose and cut him off. That and apparently the illegal variety was getting cheaper anyways.

Sad to say I don't trust the legal system to fix the issue if harsh drugs were decriminalized. Nor am I confidant that being legal doesn't mean the suppliers would be just as dirty, pushing a product that is highly addictive and harmful. Recently heard of ICE as a higher quality of meth. And I don't want that legal with a approved rubber stamp selling it to people.

Regarding the conversation from before. If I though you were going to hell and did nothing, wouldn't that make me a monster? Live and let live fits when there's no danger and no harm. Or even when there's minimal harm that people learn from and mature from. But for people who think those who are unsaved (regardless if they are right or not) will go to hell, saying something instead of doing nothing is on a similar level as taking a depressed friend to be on a suicide watch, or an addicted friend to a rehab center. Doing nothing shows you don't care. This is an issue because like those instances no one (or rarely) wants to receive your help, and if teaching the gospel no one want to hear it.

To Belly.

There's a few verses in Proverbs about not fighting (not quarreling). Proverbs 17:14 says it well though.

"Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out."

I know you and others don't believe in the bible, but I am reconsidering these discussions and debates with some of these verses in mind. I'd suggest considering the same if you're willing.

Dear NNS,

When I hear some of the things that I've been called on
this forum by some posters - I feel that I'm going to
die. It's not just a question of mudslinging, but a
little bit of who I am as well. Whether it is in my
relationships or in the workforce, it seems I am always
negotiating for my own voice, and as a female, and the way I
was brought up, (always be a lady)
I'm often hesitant of speaking what I feel. But now, after
all this time, I throw down the gauntlet. I feel that the
only path to happiness is to really be all that you can be.
To be secure and unafraid of speaking your own mind.
If your intentions are not just to win the game, then you can
feel good that you have spoken your mind without malice or
anger but just from the depths of your truth.

The more we can feel emotionally liberated, the more whole
we can feel as people. Sure, we might say to ourselves
afterward,, Gee, I shouldn't have said that, or maybe I should
have said it differently. Well, okay, maybe I need at times
to work on my presentation - because it is important to be
as I explained earlier - conscious and compassionate and act
with great civility - but I do not believe in forsaking
my own wisdom because I fear that I will lose something.
I would rather lose face, then my integrity.