“The lack of dopamine made me do it!”

“USA Today” featured an article with the headline “Violence linked to gene defect.” One would hardly need to read the article to know its content. The beginning paragraph of the article states: “A gene linked to pleasure-seeking behavior and addictions also may play a role in murder and violence, new research suggests.”

The article asserts that the pleasure gene is “involved in the flow of dopamine,” which is “a powerful brain chemical that provides people with their sense of well-being.” The article explains how the gene, when defective, diminishes dopamine and how this drives a person to drink, take drugs, etc. Now, if this bears out in further research, the article reports, “children could be screened for the gene and given drugs, special diets and other treatments known to boost dopamine.”

There has been an expression around that says, “The devil made me do it.” The idea is that the person was not responsible and that the devil was. Sound like the Garden of Eden?

It is true that we live in “A Nation of Victims” (a book by Charles Sykes). The book documents the spread of victimism and states that “The plaint of the victim- ‘It’s not my fault’ - has become the loudest and most influential in America.” Individuals with the so-called defective pleaseure gene can now claim “The dopamine made me do it.” Or, to be more exact, “The lack of dopamine made me do it.”

Mankind has surely DEVOLVED since the Garden of Eden. We certainly have become, since that time, a genetically defective race in many ways. However, even though we may be the result of genetic devolution, we are nonetheless responsible for our behavior. Genetics do not DETERMINE behavior. One of our complaints against psychological counseling theories and therapies is that they have too often victimized the therapized. This victimization mentality is part of the psychoheresizing of the church.

We are encouraged as we stand with those of you who are opposed to the psychoheresizing of the faith.

Martin and Deidre Bobgan June 15, 2004