Your views on Alcohol: ALL Christians, trinitarian, unitarian or anyone claiming to b (Jesus Christ, Latter-Day Saints)

[angellous_evangellous]

What DO you believe?

It's a gift from God that is moderated.

Is it scripturally based?

Sure. Jesus' first miracle in John was giving wine to drunk people... not exactly the example of moderation, but this gift is consistent with the OT, where God is the giver of all good things, and alcohol is one of them.

Is it based on social pressures?

Nope.

Are you comfortable with how your congregation views alcohol???

No. Most of my life was spent with wacko fundies who cringe at the thought.

[Terrywoodenpic]

Moderation in all things.


My son in law (an MD) keeps telling me I don't drink enough
It seems at my age I should drink a unit of alcohol a day for Cardio-vascular health.
I never seem to get round to it.

When I go round his house he feeds me a pint of strong beer....It's a tough life.

[sojourner]

Originally Posted by Scuba Pete

OK, there are SOOOO MANY reactions to alcohol within Christendom...

1. What DO you believe?
2. Is it scripturally based?
3. Is it based on social pressures?
4. Are you comfortable with how your congregation views alcohol???

"Wherever three or four are gathered, there's always a fifth."

It's consistent with scripture.

Absolutely not.

No. They use grape juice.

[doppelgänger]

Originally Posted by Scuba Pete

What DO you believe?

For myself, moderation in anything is alright, including alcohol. So a drink or two is fine. Getting intoxicated is not.

Originally Posted by Scuba Pete

Is it scripturally based?

I don't know about scripturally "based" but self-control and moderation are among the "fruits of the spirit." Intoxication wouldn't be. At least not for me anyway. I have no opinion about whether it is for others. Excessive alcohol use is about much more than the alcohol usually.

Originally Posted by Scuba Pete

Are you comfortable with how your congregation views alcohol???

The closest I am to a congregation is a Texas Episcopal church I semi-regularly attend. There are people at the congregation who engage in what I would consider spiritually and physically unhealthy alcohol use. The vast majority appear to drink responsibly and in moderation though.

[Scuba Pete]

Originally Posted by sojourner

"Wherever three or four are gathered, there's always a fifth."

Bwahahahahaha! Too funny my friend.

[CaptainXeroid]

1. My personal belief and one that many Disciples share is that the problem is not alcohol per se, but rather the abuse of it. When people spend grocery or rent/mortgage money on alcohol or start withdrawing from family and friends because they'd rather get drunk, then they have a real serious problem.
2. I believe so. Jesus turned water into wine AND admonished those who were who drunkards.
3. Our church uses grape juice instead of wine and forbids alcohol in any church property. I've shared a beer with our pastor. We were at a Super Bowl party with friends from our church and from other sources. We had plenty of food, and nobody got drunk. Some people did not drink, and we respected their choice. I guess you could say it is partly based on social pressures in that if there is no alcohol in the church, no one will feel pressured to drink it.
4. Yes. We have several recovering alcoholics in our congregation, and our church hosts AA meetings. The purpose of the Lord's Supper is to recognize Jesus' sacrifice that unites us as Christians. What matters is that we come to the table. The liquid we use to symbolize the blood is secondary. If some people are uncomfortable with wine, there is no harm in using a non-alcoholic drink. We also fill some communion cups with water at the request of some diabetic members. I'm very comfortable with that action as well.

[ChristineES]

1. What DO you believe? I don't think drinking is moderation is wrong, it only bad if you overindulge, but that goes for anything
2. Is it scripturally based? Sure, Jesus drank wine.
3. Is it based on social pressures? It may. I don't drink personally, since there is a lot of alcoholism in my family. My mother and stepfather, My grandmother, aunts and uncle, my brother are all either alcoholics or recovered alcoholics. A few have died or been sick with cirrhosis of the liver (only 2, one died and one is walking a narrow line)
4. Are you comfortable with how your congregation views alcohol??? No, since I don't drink anyway, it does not effect me that my congregation does not like drinking at all.

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