In light of this whole Anthony Weiner scandal coming up again the following becomes relevant to your spiritual sanity.

First let us understand the situation as I have seen it. Mr. Weiner was a politician who got caught in a sex scandal. He paid the price for his indiscretion and left office. Looking to get back into office, another sexual scandal about him becomes public. Now, I am hearing it said that he has a sex addiction.

It is the concept of “addiction” that I want to address. If we listen to the world, everything is an addiction for people. People are just that weak, I guess. NO! I do not agree with this. As people of Faith, we cannot agree with this analysis of the human condition being so prone to addiction, to things not being within our control.

At the heart of this is the hedonist view that is the cult of society that we should not have to control ourselves, that we should be able to do whatever feels good, so long as no one gets hurt or if it is between two consenting adults (even if it hurts, S&M). With the idea that we do not have to control ourselves, then anything we do that we should not do (convention of society) or do not want to do then must therefore be an addiction, something out of our control to modify or change.

This feel good, no restraint religion is contrary to the Christian Faith that believes in Grace and Free Will. With grace and our desire to cooperate with God’s will, we can conquer vice in our lives if we want to. This is meant to take into account true psychological problems where one is not able to correct behavior due to mental and cognitive deficiencies. So, yes, there are legitimate addictions. These are not what I am talking about here.

What if the problem is not addiction, but that of a weak character? What if the person is just of the nature to prefer the base of the moral realm rather then the pinnacle of it? Or it is their nature to take the easy way or to just simply avoid anything that requires striving, work, effort? I am not saying that they are bad persons, but just that they have a weak character. A person of a weak character cannot be trusted to do the right thing if we are called to depend on them. In other words, do not depend on them. They will inevitably let you down. Again, I am not saying that they are a bad person, but just not a person you can trust for anything. In the end, they will seek their own ease, pleasure and benefit.

A person of a strong character needs to be divided into two categories; those of a strong moral character (good character) and those of a strong immoral character (bad character).

Those of a strong immoral character differ from one who is of a weak character. This class are strong minded and very much strive for what they want. They are willing to take the difficult road to get their gain. The problem is that they are guided by the evil one and so do evil things. If we know them by their fruits as Jesus says, we can indeed say that these are evil persons and no one we want to call friend or to do business with if we can avoid it. Note the difference. The weak character does not do the wrong thing or even the right thing out of a sense of striving for. They do it out of laziness, willful ignorance, in difference and the like. The person of a strong immoral character, are very much in control and know what they are doing and will go to any length to get the outcome they desire.

This leaves us with one who is of a strong moral character. They may fail at times to do the moral thing, but they strive to do the right and moral thing. They are very much aware of what is right and moral and exhaust themselves striving for it. Obstacles may get in their way, but they strive anyway. As to the failing at times, it is not out of a direct choice, but due to obstacles or even weakness. Weakness? I thought we said they were of a strong character? Yes they are. The problem lies in that we cannot be strong in all areas. So the man who is a weight lifter, can not run a marathon, so he directs his will to get into shape to run a marathon. He runs a little, but finds he cannot run far. Not that he is not of the mind to run the marathon; he is just not there yet. A person of a weak character would simple give up. Rather this man applies his strong character to the task at hand and finally overcomes the obstacles and runs the marathon. That is a strong character.

I believe that much of what we call addiction is truly just people who are weak minded and of a weak character. The political correct crowd simply cannot bring themselves to label someone like this for what they truly are. You might hurt their feelings. So they give them a pass and let them off the hook so that they don’t have to try or apply themselves.

If we want to look at the conspiracy theory side of things, we could say that this is a concerted effort on the part of some. Who they are, we will leave to people more in the know than I, but certainly politicians like people of a weak character and so want to give them any pass they can to help them be weak so that they can control them. A person of a weak character is less likely to confront evil in politics or to take up arms if necessary to bring justice to governing.

Unfortunately for the governing body, they get caught in the same weak character as their constituents and get caught at times. People who have a weak character will be very likely to vote for someone of a weak character or one who is of a strong immoral character. Who wants to be challenged by the government to do what is right? That is the problem with the Republican Party. They want to be of a high moral character and the people are rebelling and voting for the democrats who will let them have it all the easy way. Why work for your health care, food or phone. Let us give it to you so you can just be lazy. And the people love it. They are weak minded and of a weak character. People like Obama, who is of a strong immoral character, demand only that you let him do what he wants and he will let you do what you want. He will give the world (like an Obama phone) only to placate you until he has what he is really after, ultimate power, then he will leave you with nothing and you are too weak to do anything about it. He prays on those of a weak character.

The Republicans are saying:

• Control your sexual behavior
• Control your drug use
• Work hard for your daily bread
• Follow the proper path to citizenship

See the difference? People of a strong moral character demand greatness not only from themselves, but also from others. I say it this way and this is the practice of my priest hood, that people will rise to the level of greatness that you demand of them.

People who are of a weak character can be driven by those of a strong character. Those of a strong character make great leaders if they are of the moral kind. They will demand greatness of their constituents, or like in my case they are called parishioner. A good leader will be persistent with the weak, making it easier for them to do the right thing than it is to do the wrong thing. Remember, they are lazy and will take the path of least resistance. So if doing the right thing is easier or less painful, then they will do it.

Those of a strong immoral character make it easier for the people to do the wrong thing. They would rather give a fish and control the person, than to teach them to fish and help them be self-reliant. A strong immoral character is self-serving.

With this in mind, it is no wonder why we have so many bad politicians in every party. People of a weak character put them there. They do not want a strong moral character in places of power who will make them do the right thing that is usually the more difficult thing to do.

We have become a society of lazy people who vote, at least 45% (people who pay no federal tax and yet receive all the benefits) from what I hear. It is indeed a person of a weak character who is willing to live off the labors of another. And that is what people of a weak character do when they vote for people who hate those of a strong moral character who work hard and earn their living so as to not be a burden on society. They vote to take their earnings that they may have them. They have no problem being a burden on others so long as they do not have to be burdened.

As to Mr. Weiner, he is not addicted any more than so many others. He is just a sick pervert who enjoys what he enjoys and does not care who it hurts. He is of a weak character. In the end, the sad part of it all is that people will probably vote for him.