Alcohol: Yes or No?

[Sntrose]

This is something I've always wondered...some Christians say they do not drink alcohol because it is against their religion, and some Christians can drink my atheist friends under the table! For my reference, is there an official stance on alcohol in Christianity?

This is of particular interest to me as I live in the USA and turn 21 next month!!!

I need to know who I may be potentially offending.

Thanks!

[McCulloch]

Why it is legal to drink alcohol is beyond me. Oh, because the companies get rich off it. Hmmm...

It is legal in the USA to drink alcohol because the consequences of Prohibition were worse than the consequences of allowing the consumption of alcohol.

[Danmark]

Why it is legal to drink alcohol is beyond me. Oh, because the companies get rich off it. Hmmm...

It is legal in the USA to drink alcohol because the consequences of Prohibition were worse than the consequences of allowing the consumption of alcohol.

That's correct, and we see the same problem today with prohibition of certain plants. There is a tremendous amount of crime fueled by the desire to obtain prohibited substances, plus we are putting billions of dollars into the hands of criminal enterprises.

Another unintended consequence of prohibition, is that addicts find alternative drugs that are even worse for them; e.g. the switch from cocaine to methamphetamines, not to mention 'huffing' various poisons and the creation of new designer drugs, and ever more potent strains of marijuana.

At least with alcohol, moderate use can actually benefit our health.

[Joab]

Why it is legal to drink alcohol is beyond me. Oh, because the companies get rich off it. Hmmm...

It is legal in the USA to drink alcohol because the consequences of Prohibition were worse than the consequences of allowing the consumption of alcohol.

That's correct, and we see the same problem today with prohibition of certain plants. There is a tremendous amount of crime fueled by the desire to obtain prohibited substances, plus we are putting billions of dollars into the hands of criminal enterprises.

Another unintended consequence of prohibition, is that addicts find alternative drugs that are even worse for them; e.g. the switch from cocaine to methamphetamines, not to mention 'huffing' various poisons and the creation of new designer drugs, and ever more potent strains of marijuana.

At least with alcohol, moderate use can actually benefit our health.

I'm just poopping into the next room to get another scotch and then I will partisapite in this sonvecation.

[Yahu]

[Replying to post 1 by Sntrose]

Actually Christianity doesn't allow the misuse of many things, alcohol included.

Basically don't be a drunkard but many modern day Pharisees take the actual law and expand it to their own religious traditions of man. So many see that alcohol can be a problem so forbid it entirely. There is NOTHING wrong with abstaining from alcohol but trying to force others to that position is evil in itself. There is also nothing wrong with partaking of alcohol in moderation. Just don't drink to loose control that gets you into doing something worse.

[McCulloch]

Actually Christianity doesn't allow the misuse of many things, alcohol included.

Basically don't be a drunkard but many modern day Pharisees take the actual law and expand it to their own religious traditions of man. So many see that alcohol can be a problem so forbid it entirely. There is NOTHING wrong with abstaining from alcohol but trying to force others to that position is evil in itself. There is also nothing wrong with partaking of alcohol in moderation. Just don't drink to loose control that gets you into doing something worse.

Alcohol affects your judgement long before you are aware of it. Empirical testing of reaction times have confirmed this finding many times over. Many people who abuse alcohol do not themselves admit that they are abusing it. Given that, how does a Christian determine when the line from use to abuse has been crossed.

Some people cannot tolerate alcohol at all. Some Christians apply the weaker brethren principle to those people and feel that the use of alcohol is a sin due to it being a temptation for a brother who may be a recovering alcoholic.

[Danmark]

Actually Christianity doesn't allow the misuse of many things, alcohol included.

Basically don't be a drunkard but many modern day Pharisees take the actual law and expand it to their own religious traditions of man. So many see that alcohol can be a problem so forbid it entirely. There is NOTHING wrong with abstaining from alcohol but trying to force others to that position is evil in itself. There is also nothing wrong with partaking of alcohol in moderation. Just don't drink to loose control that gets you into doing something worse.

Alcohol affects your judgement long before you are aware of it. Empirical testing of reaction times have confirmed this finding many times over. Many people who abuse alcohol do not themselves admit that they are abusing it. Given that, how does a Christian determine when the line from use to abuse has been crossed.

Some people cannot tolerate alcohol at all. Some Christians apply the weaker brethren principle to those people and feel that the use of alcohol is a sin due to it being a temptation for a brother who may be a recovering alcoholic.

My father was a wise man. He was an evangelical, even proud to call himself a 'fundamentalist.' But he was well aware that some of the fundy culture was bunk. He didn't call it that, he just had the same sensible outlook on 'sin' that Jesus evinced when he replied that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Nonetheless, he urged us not to be 'stumbling blocks' for others. He didn't think we were sinning to play football on Sundays, but suggested there were some church goers who would be challenged by such a thing. He never smoked in public and rarely at home, but would say something off hand, like "it's traditional to enjoy a cigar to celebrate the birth of a child.

One night I came into his office. I suppose I was about 10 years old. He and the local basketball coach were smoking cigars.
I asked, "Who had a baby?"
The coach and he looked at each other, before he answered,
"Look in the paper. There're a lot of 'em."

________________________________
Drinking Rum before noon makes you a Pirate not an alcoholic.

[The Me's]

[Replying to post 1 by Sntrose]

There is no consensus among Christians probably because there is no consensus in the Bible.

Proverbs will probably lead you to believe it's a bad thing. Paul told Timothy it was okay to take a little wine from time to time for his stomach.

Both Christians and the Bible warn against drinking in excess and losing control of yourself. We probably all agree that you approach life with sobriety in all respects (not just referring to alcohol or drugs).