i'm sure you heard it on the news, or read it on the net. it was the top story on google's news page yesterday. i'm talking about the magic little discovery dubbed "the excercise pill". if you happen to live in a cave in the desert.... well, then you're probably not reading this blog either, but if you've got access to technology and still mysteriously managed to miss the story, you can check out the new york times article here.
basically the idea is that the pill "tricks" your muscles into believing they've excercised and they then produce a certain type of protein to "remodel the muscles". they've already done a number of experiments and created super-lab-mice. in the words of one of the leading doctors in the research on possible human application, "you are using a drug to move your own genetics to a more activated metabolic state."
hmm, using a drug to mess with your genetics to turn yourself instantly from couch potato to superman. sure, that sounds harmless. i recently watched a movie called i am legend starring will smith. the basic plot line is: smart doctor comes up with dna-altering drug to cure cancer, the whole world takes it, 3 years later 90% of the world population is dead and most of those who survived have turned into psychotic zombies. the movie is all about dr. neville (smith) trying to find a cure for the zombies and being the only human left alive in nyc. i won't tell you the end, just watch it (i really liked it, btw).
the point being, it seemed like the miracle drug everyone had been waiting for. it wasn't. now, i'm not saying that people who take the excercise pill will turn into zombies (well... probably not :), but the point is that when something seems like its too good to be true, unless its the grace of Christ, it probably is. especially when it involves messing with you own genetics.
besides what seems to me to be the inherent stupidity in this concept, i find that it also demonstrates a fascinating trend in modern society. "we don't want to excercise, so let's create a magic pill that we can swallow after our big mac and wash down with our diet soda that will trick our bodies into thinking we already have excercised!" if that's not the epitome of self-deception, i don't know what is. the pill is being toted as the potential wonder-drug to cure obesity and diabetes. now, please don't misunderstand me. i do feel very bad for those with such conditions (i was nearly obese as a pre-teen) and realize that there are truly cases where these conditions are not the fault of those who have them. i realize there are hereditary and hormonal factors, etc. that can cause these conditions, (so please don't comment telling me about this :). however, when over 25% of america is now classified as obese compared to less than half that 20 yrs. ago, (think, that means its mostly the SAME PEOPLE who are now obese that weren't in the 80's) probably the problem has less to do with genes and more to do with our life-style. you can watch an amazing graphic representation of the chage on wikipedia here.
the answer to this problem? mess with our genes! again, there may be a few legitimate uses for this drug out there, but sedentary excercise for the lazy and apathetic is not one of them. some of the more perceptive doctors are agreeing that no pill will ever be able to "replace excercise", (though it would seem anyone with some common sense would be able to realize that even without a medical degree). the interesting thing is i bet there are a LOT of people that would like for this little pill to fully replace excercise. maybe one day science will come up with a pill to trick our bodies into thinking we've gone to the bathroom, slept, ate and had sex.... now that would be real progress. just think, we'd never have to get off the couch again! and isn't the goal of life to do nothing?
in high school i had to read aldous huxley's brave new world. it was a commentary on where society was heading (fascinatingly, written in the 1930's). its about how this "utopia" was created where everyone is constantly over-entertained, drugged into states of passive contentment and finding purpose in promiscuous sex and consumerism. people are genetically manufactured and have traded reality for "progress". its horrifyingly predictive of where the world has gone and is continuing to go: everything is sterilized, mechanized, artificialized and revolves around instant gratification.
the sad thing is that this mentality can creep into the life of the church as well. would we pop a Jesus-pill if it would make us be good Christians? no hassle, no work, instant result. sadly many Christians are out there looking for the "pill" in the form of some experience, some conference, some book, etc. would we take something that would allow us to instantly escape the temptations, trials, and doubts we wrestle with?
the fact of the matter is that, as Paul told Timothy, spiritual excercise is a lot like physical excercise (only vastly more important). and just as no pill will ever be able to short-cut the road to true health, so there is not a short-cut to truly, intimately knowing Jesus. "difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it", Jesus said. the way is hard. fortunately, that way is one that has already been walked by Jesus. it is one that He does not leave us to walk alone, but walks with us hand in hand. however, we will fall, we will fail, we will get broken. but i would rather sin and brake and fall on Jesus than be perfect without Him.
well, i suppose i'll end with that. just some late-night musings. what do you think, would you take the pill?
