drinking

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latinmasslover

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I’m asking on behalf of another member who wishes his/her age to remain anonymous.

Is it morally wrong for a person, under 21, to drink an alcoholic beverage with his/her spouse, if this spouse is 21+? Thanks in advance from him/her.
 
Tough question, and I bet most people will say that it is the duty of that person who is under 21 to obey the law since a society in which laws are ignored is a society that is doomed to fail.

I however, can’t see anything wrong morally with it so long as it is done in moderation. (meaning, you can’t drink to get drunk).

Augustine says an unjust law seems to be no law at all. Therefore, we are not bound by it. And Aquinas says it is not the role of Human Law to repress all natural vice unless it goes so far to harm others. (like with murder, theft, or drinking and driving, etc) A law which illegitimately forces virtue is unjust.

So to me, it seems that enjoying one or two drinks is not something that the government has any buisness doing at all. Therefore, the temperance law seems unjust.

Plenty of people on here will disagree with me.
 
In Ohio, married persons under 21 who are married to persons over 21 are exempt from this age requirement.
 
That seems to make sense.

If I am a teenager, and my dad gives me a little glass of wine on Thanksgiving and Christmas, I would see no harm in that. But a husband could not give a little champagne to his 20 year old wife?

In Australia the age is 18. That makes more sense to me but I know that a lot of Americans could not handle that.
 
No, it’s not wrong. I think we need to pick our battles. It’s a stupid law anyway. Is it wrong to go 5 mph over the speed limit? When say, it’s a 4 lane highway surrounded by retaining walls, and you know the city council just put it down to 25 mph to collect speeding tickets when it needed a bit of extra cash?
 
latinmasslover said:
I’m asking on behalf of another member who wishes his/her age to remain anonymous.

Is it morally wrong for a person, under 21, to drink an alcoholic beverage with his/her spouse, if this spouse is 21+? Thanks in advance from him/her.
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what governs is the civil law in your area. obey it. to disobey the civil law is indeed immoral in this case. in most jurisdictions there is an exception for minors drinking at home with parents and family.
 
In my state, the under 21 could not consume in public; however, what you do in the privacy of your home is your own business. It is legal for minors to consume at home with family. The example generally used is wine at holiday dinners or religious celebrations. I would think this would also apply to married couples, since the ‘family member’ is over 21.

I grew up sharing a beer with my parents occasionally from about age 14 or so. I never abused it, and actually found the “beer parties” all my high school peers were having rather silly, as to me beer was not a big deal. Now in my 40s, I will still have the occasional beer. I am lucky if I actually finish it! My boys have all tasted various drinks in our home and find them “gross”. They can’t believe we actually drink cocktails, beer or wine sometimes because we like the taste!
 
Whoa. Let’s be careful about saying the law is “unjust”. That’s going a little far!

Unwise? Not smart? Whatever? Maybe. Unjust, no.

And how old is the younger person? 15? 17?

Where are they drinking?

What they do is up to them. Is it a serious infraction. Maybe or maybe not. Too many variables.

Regardless, I’m never going to advise someone to feel free to ignore a law.
 
So long as the spouse is of age, and the law allows it (as it does in my state), I can see no moral barricade here.
 
all manner of behaviors are learned. what is the purpose in drinking? it dulls the senses.

but it is only one drink, what harm is in that?

prisons are filled with such statements. and it all started with that one drink.

extreme? perhaps. but i rather throw a cold shower on all this understanding that seems to permeate when the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

truth is, you can find other alternatives. when God closes one door, he opens another. try that door.
 
latinmasslover said:
I’m asking on behalf of another member who wishes his/her age to remain anonymous.

Is it morally wrong for a person, under 21, to drink an alcoholic beverage with his/her spouse, if this spouse is 21+? Thanks in advance from him/her.
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the morality of it varies depending on:
  1. drinking should be done in moderation regardless of age. Getting drunk would be immoral.
  2. we are bound to follow laws set by our governments. Where I live this would be legal so long as it’s in a private location. So there would be no immoral component from breaking a law. If your friends location is a place that is it not legal, then your friend should follow the law. Drinking ages are not unjust laws.
 
joseph_virgen said:
all manner of behaviors are learned. what is the purpose in drinking? it dulls the senses.

but it is only one drink, what harm is in that?

prisons are filled with such statements. and it all started with that one drink.

extreme? perhaps. but i rather throw a cold shower on all this understanding that seems to permeate when the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

truth is, you can find other alternatives. when God closes one door, he opens another. try that door.
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I agree with your last sentence.

Drinking in moderation, though, is not a sin.
 
Syele said:
. If your friends location is a place that is it not legal, then your friend should follow the law. Drinking ages are not unjust laws.
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Personally, I don’t agree with 21 being the law for drinking in America. But that doesn’t make the law itself unjust. It might be unfair but it isn’t unjust. All of us have the right to attempt to change the laws if we want.

Follow the law until you are 21. If you desire to change the law then there are legal ways that you could do so.
 
AHapka said:
This should help everyone out…

alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/stateprofiles/

If it’s a sin (which i’m not sure), it’s venial at that. Not that we should committ sins just because they are venial though…

Andy
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Thanks for the source. In Virginia, it is
Consumption is prohibited WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTION(S):
• private residence AND EITHER
• - parent/guardian presence or consent OR
• - legal-age spouse
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This may sound naive but I’m not American and nor do I live in the US but it it against the law to drink alcohol under the age of 21 or just against the law to buy it under that age?
 
joseph_virgen said:
all manner of behaviors are learned. what is the purpose in drinking? it dulls the senses.

but it is only one drink, what harm is in that?

prisons are filled with such statements. and it all started with that one drink.

extreme? perhaps. but i rather throw a cold shower on all this understanding that seems to permeate when the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

truth is, you can find other alternatives. when God closes one door, he opens another. try that door.
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Having a glass of wine has different effects on different people, and I would hardly say that all of them do it to dull their senses. You might be surprised to find that some of us get quite jolly and festive with one or two drinks, and that it helps quite a bit in relaxing people in tense situations or livening up a family gathering. There is nothing wrong with this, and you will find that the Psalms even encourage it.

We must be careful not to leap to outlandish conclusions. Prisons are full of criminals who have serious self-control problems. But healthy, normal, temperate adults can enjoy the benefits of a nice drink without worrying about turning into alcoholics or inmates! :rotfl:
 
Augustine22 said:
Whoa. Let’s be careful about saying the law is “unjust”. That’s going a little far!

Unwise? Not smart? Whatever? Maybe. Unjust, no.

And how old is the younger person? 15? 17?

Where are they drinking?

What they do is up to them. Is it a serious infraction. Maybe or maybe not. Too many variables.

Regardless, I’m never going to advise someone to feel free to ignore a law.
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The older one is 24, the younger is 19 (will be 20 years old 23 days after they’re married).
 
deb1 said:
Personally, I don’t agree with 21 being the law for drinking in America.
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Sort of sick isn’t it? That one is old enough to be drafted and sent to war to kill or be killed, but not old enough for a glass of wine.🤷
 
latinmasslover said:
Sort of sick isn’t it? That one is old enough to be drafted and sent to war to kill or be killed, but not old enough for a glass of wine.🤷
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And that they are allowed to get married…but can’t toast the marriage for a couple of years.
 
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