This woman is definitely defending Lloyd and doesn't seem very well educated. She reasons that because ancestors of Jesus visited and we're prostitutes (Judah & Rahab) that we shouldn't be judgmental. Wow! This is pretty lame reasoning.
She is on the wrong tract for recovery and I hope no one takes this woman's reasoning seriously.
The fact is that Lloyd is a sex addict and like all addicts they form maladaptive relationships with experiences, & substances instead of with people. These impossible relationships with objects are guaranteed to produce a mood altering experience.... everytime; unlike real relationships that do not produce at a 100% rate . The one thing the addiction cannot do is give you love back - which is a legitimate and healthy mood altering experience.
Only real love can make you feel whole. Addictions only produce a temporary mood change that must repeatedly and more frequently be engaged in to produce desired results. This inevitably involves the insanity of doing the same thing over, and over, and over again expecting a different result that never comes. This is why addictions are called a "vise". Once enmeshed in the maladaptive relationship, the addict is powerless.
Admitting powerlessness in NOT the same thing as abdicating responsibility. Like many things in life, there may be multiple causations for things that are ultimately our responsibility to figure out and deal with. Children use excuses, adults get educated and do the heavy lifting that will give their life meaning, value and texture, which is sometimes rough. But, it is authentic and not fake.
12 step programs like Celebrate Recovery (there are hundreds of meetings in the USA every week) help people to get their mind off of themselves through a number of different ways. People are helped to understand that gratification is a by-product of relationship and should be sought indirectly (not directly) through devices such as empathy, service , community & relationship.
MANY JW born-ins experienced very robotic, mechanical upbringings and are literally starving for genuine relationships and healing from being raised by emotionally shut-down, emergency minded parents. JW born-ins must learn the mechanics of addiction in my opinion so that they can head off in the right direction after Watchtower.
I fear that atheist XJW's who are in need of this kind of help might not want to attend a 12 step program because of references and reliance upon a "higher power". I would just say, that ANYTHING that helps us get our mind off ourselves and practice the habits of living a life of gratitude and thankfulness for the loving relationships we have (or might have) is definitely time well spent and will get positive results.
