TOPIC: ADDICTION AMONG THE YOUTH/CATHOLIC YOUTHS AND SOUND CERTIFICATES WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE- A WAY OUT. By Tobe Eze

 CATHOLI DIOCESE OF NSUKKA.

A TALK BY TOBE EZE (DAN~HILL) TO CYON DURING YOUTH WEEK.

TOPIC: ADDICTION AMONG THE YOUTH/CATHOLIC YOUTHS AND SOUND CERTIFICATES WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE- A WAY OUT

Introduction

Definition of Terms

1. Catholic Youth

2. Addiction

3. Certificate

4. Knowledge

Catholic Youths and Addiction

Catholic Youths and Certificate

Catholic Youths and Knowledge

Catholic Youths with Sound Certificate and Sound Knowledge

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

There are many things we do ordinarily and regularly that we always feel that they are normal without knowing that we are now becoming addicted to them. The tragic thing about addiction is that it does not start with difficult ways or things but simple things that can easily be done. Many are now addicted to many things that they cannot even stop again and we can see one of them in how we are addicted to certificates and hate knowledge. Addiction is like a cankerworm that eats deep into the lives of those involved. If we are addicted to anything we will always find reasons to justify ourselves. You will defend yourself to the highest point without thinking that you may be wrong categorically. We can be addicted to positive things and also we can be addicted to negative things. Continue Reading........

DEFINITION OF TERMS

A. Catholic Youth: A Catholic youth is a young man or woman who is baptized and is practicing Catholicism as his or her religion. Going futher, he or she should be unmarried. Anyone who has contracted marriage both civil, traditional, or religious is no longer a youth and should join the other arms of the church. (My problem here is that I do not know where to classify campus husbands and wives. And those who are as well taking their illegal boyfriends and girlfriends as husbands and wives. 

B. Addiction: It is an inability to stop using a substance or engaging in a behaviour even though it is causing psychological and physical harm. Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits genetics, the environment, and individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviours that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.

Bi. Causes of Addiction: Addiction is majorly caused by chronic stress, a history of trauma, mental illness and a family history of addiction. Abuse of things and opportunities. If we are free to take something and we abuse that chance and be taking it in excess and also frequently then, it forms addiction.

Bii. How do I Know that I am Addicted to Something: General signs of addiction are: lack of control, or inability to stay away from a substance or behaviour. Decreased socialization, like abandoning commitments or ignoring relationships. Ignoring risk factors like sharing needles, razor, too much alcohol, smoking, pornographic pictures and videos, sex, phone, prayer, and so on.

C. Certificate: It is simply an official document attesting a fact. It is a proof of something. Different fields have their different certificates confirming that the fact, and that everything about the field has been reached by the person holding the certificate. It can also be a document containing a certified statement especially as to the truth of something, specifically a document certifying that one has fulfilled the requirements of and may practice in a field.

D. Knowledge: It is fact, common information and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. It is also awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation. It is acquaintance with or understanding of a science, art, or technique

CATHOLIC YOUTHS AND ADDICTION

In many ways we are addicted to one thing or the other. Knowingly and unknowingly. We should bear in mind that addiction is not only to alcohol or smoke. Some of us are addicted to:

1. Prayers: If you become addicted to prayers that you find it difficult to recognise your fellow human beings, there is already a problem. Praying always and leaving your primary responsibilities and so many other things facing you and you see yourself not being able to stop that type of prayer, it is now becoming addiction. (Continuous fasting even when you are already suffering from ulcer).

2. Claimed Holiness: Some of us now claim to be Holy and are now addicted to it that they can’t even stop it again. They claim to be holy and in that, miss many wonderful opportunities that do come their ways. Some are now claiming to be holier than God and are trying to teach God how to be holy.

3. Phones: Some find it very difficult to stay without their phones. Even in their dreams, they see themselves pressing phones. This has put many persons to many problems especially girls. They go around looking for who will subscribe their phones for them and get subscribed and looking for where to charge their phones and get charged. Others looking for new phones, got new problems.

4. Football: Some are now too addicted to football that they are even ready to kill their brothers and sisters for the sake of English teams that do not know that they are existing. Likewise some are addicted to bet houses.

5. Pornographies: Some cannot sleep without watching pornographic pictures and videos. They are now deeply into it that they drive periodical joy from it. I think we are deceiving ourselves. How can you be suffering when another person is enjoying, you are being fooled.

6. Shapes/Boobs/Hips/ Heights/Six Packs/Complexion etc: Some boys and girls are now too addicted to different things in the bodies of the opposite sex that once they see those things, they would be thrown off balance and they would not control themselves again. They will try everything possible in order to get to that person they have seen. Some are addicted to the same sex which is another level of madness. Even animals do not practice that.

7. Make Up: Some girls are now addicted to make ups that they can’t even sleep without making up. And the tragic thing is that boys are now joining them to do the same makeup they are now competing with girls in carrying makeup kits. (Those who make up when they want to sleep are you going there to seduce spirits or to get spiritual husbands?)

8. Alcohol/Smoking: This is always a national anthem. We should guard against them, they are very dangerous to our health.

9. Money: Many leave vitalities in the quest to make money. Many can do anything provided they get money. If you are addicted to making money, you will do anything on earth in order to get that money whether good or bad and lastly you will be stingy with that money.

10. Gossip: The funniest thing here is that previously we were saying that girls are known for gossiping but these days men have taken up that function and many of us both boys and girls are now addicted to gossiping which is a very bad trend.

CATHOLIC YOUTHS AND CERTIFICATES

The quest for certificates among the youth these days are becoming, if not has become a thing of concern. Certificate is to show that you have undergone every process and have gotten every necessary knowledge about the field but we now cut short every process and get the certificate without knowledge, forgetting that education is not educuche.

Catholic youths are now using everything in them that should not be used to get certificates forgetting that knowledge is power and not certificate is power.

CATHOLIC YOUTHS AND KNOWLEDGE

If you see someone who has the required knowledge to do anything, you will see that that person talks and acts with authority. There is always joy in acting or talking with authority and it is born out of knowledge and not out of certificate.

If you see a mechanic with the adequate knowledge, he works with serious confidence and does not entertain fear. If you see a medical doctor with the same knowledge, you will see the same thing. Knowledge makes you whom you are. It gives you upper hand in many places insofar as it is within your field. We should work more to gain knowledge than we work for certificates. Knowledge is far more better than certificate.

CATHOLIC YOUTHS WITH SOUND CERTIFICATE AND SOUND KNOWLEDGE

There is nothing good to see a woman with beauty and wonderful character and also the other way around with men. When you see a Catholic youth who is handsome or beautiful with wonderful knowledge and character you will be rest assured of a wonderful certificate. We should remember that the perfect beauty or handsomeness comes out more in characters and not in certificates. The beauty of a certificate comes out in the knowledge that comes out from the person holding the certificate. When we talk about knowledge, it is not limited to the academic knowledge or paper knowledge but also, knowledge in the field of life you have chosen or condition chose for you. A certificate in a sound mind is just like a healthy mind in a healthy body. Have a wonderful knowledge and you will get a wonderful certificate.

CONCLUSION

It is not always easy to flow against the current. It is not easy to stop a habit already formed, but since we have touched many ways where we have problems as regards addiction and sound knowledge, we can start now to adjust. If we start today, it will help us than waiting again for tomorrow. Just take it that you have only today and no other day is left for you to change. Funniest thing is that the devil is already waiting to give us hope of time but there is no time my brothers and my sisters. The earlier we start to change the better for us, we can still change, we can still leave this addiction and we can still get wonderful knowledge with wonderful certificates. The end. Thank You and God Bless You.