Overview
The main opiates derived from opium are morphine (10%), codeine (0.5%), and thebaine (0.2%). Papaverine, noscapine and approximately 25 other alkaloids are also present, but have essentially no effect on the central nervous system, and are not usually considered to be opiates.
Terminology
Opiate has traditionally referred to not only the alkaloids in opium, but also natural and semi-synthetic derivatives of morphine (itself an opiate). The term is often incorrectly used to refer to all drugs with opium- or morphine-like pharmacological action, which are more properly classified under the broader term opioid.
So I guess I’m not part of “the masses”. I rather like the effect of codeine, the only opiate I’ve yet experienced. I rather did not like the effect of religion. Then again, maybe eventually one starts to get the same nasty experience with codiene or other opiates–eventually realizing one has to quit them because they are destroying one?
Hurray for Benjamin - I love definitions and fun facts!
Hm, I had morphine and then codeine after a surgery a few years ago and hated every moment of it. I was completely unable to focus, so felt like I had no control. Yup, somewhat like religion. (Religion, not faith or relationship w/Jesus.) I’ve talked to others who like that feeling. Some grow tired of it and others never do. Self critically, I guess I enjoy my own thoughts too much to give them up!
Completely agree with the quote. yes, far too often the church subdues the masses into silence. We don’t question injustice, we don’t question materialism and greed, we don’t question civil religion - why, because we are told not to at church. what better system does a government need than a church that tells people is a sin to think, question, or doubt?
But then there are those of us who are allergic to opiates. Give me codine and within minutes I feel like my body is on fire. I want to rip my skin off and fix the burning that that is consuming me. I generally have the same reaction to the church. half the time I want to run away - physically remove myself from the stuff that is going on there. (yes, even at our church plant where I help pastor). I can’t settle for the status quo that affects no positive change.
I take codeine for migraine headaches, so I really like the stuff! But I can’t stand being in a church environment where I’m being given “opiates.”
Tony Campolo has always been good at jolting church people out of their dulled condition. For many years, when he speaks to Christian audiences, he has begun his talks the same way:
“In the last 24 hours, 30,000 children died of starvation and preventable disease and you don’t give a shit! And the worst part is that you all are more upset that I just said shit than you are that 30,000 children died.”
Comment by: benjamin ady
1 04/17/07 1:01 PM | Comment Link |from wiki:
So I guess I’m not part of “the masses”. I rather like the effect of codeine, the only opiate I’ve yet experienced. I rather did not like the effect of religion. Then again, maybe eventually one starts to get the same nasty experience with codiene or other opiates–eventually realizing one has to quit them because they are destroying one?
Comment by: Staci
2 04/17/07 1:59 PM | Comment Link |Hurray for Benjamin - I love definitions and fun facts!
Hm, I had morphine and then codeine after a surgery a few years ago and hated every moment of it. I was completely unable to focus, so felt like I had no control. Yup, somewhat like religion. (Religion, not faith or relationship w/Jesus.) I’ve talked to others who like that feeling. Some grow tired of it and others never do. Self critically, I guess I enjoy my own thoughts too much to give them up!
Comment by: Julie Clawson
3 04/17/07 2:42 PM | Comment Link |Completely agree with the quote. yes, far too often the church subdues the masses into silence. We don’t question injustice, we don’t question materialism and greed, we don’t question civil religion - why, because we are told not to at church. what better system does a government need than a church that tells people is a sin to think, question, or doubt?
But then there are those of us who are allergic to opiates. Give me codine and within minutes I feel like my body is on fire. I want to rip my skin off and fix the burning that that is consuming me. I generally have the same reaction to the church. half the time I want to run away - physically remove myself from the stuff that is going on there. (yes, even at our church plant where I help pastor). I can’t settle for the status quo that affects no positive change.
Comment by: Rachel
4 04/18/07 7:08 PM | Comment Link |I take codeine for migraine headaches, so I really like the stuff! But I can’t stand being in a church environment where I’m being given “opiates.”
Tony Campolo has always been good at jolting church people out of their dulled condition. For many years, when he speaks to Christian audiences, he has begun his talks the same way:
“In the last 24 hours, 30,000 children died of starvation and preventable disease and you don’t give a shit! And the worst part is that you all are more upset that I just said shit than you are that 30,000 children died.”