Is it sinful?

[DrewC]

When you are drinking wine or beer or whatever and you start to get a little buzz, is it sinful at that point when you have the slight buzz if you stop there?

 

[Charitychick]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=187792&highlight=is+getting+drunk+a+sin

My understanding is that drunkeness is a sin because you can lose control of your reasoning and thus cause evil. If you were in control of your faculties, and stopped drinking at that point, I would think it was not a sin.

 

[DrewC]

I have been drunk in my “former life” and I never lost control of my actions or felt I wasnt in control. But im not speaking of getting drunk, Im just saying is it sinful to get a buzz?

 

[AspiringDeacon]

I have been drunk in my “former life” and I never lost control of my actions or felt I wasnt in control. But im not speaking of getting drunk, Im just saying is it sinful to get a buzz?

IMHO your intent and what is in your heart will dictate whether it is a sin or not.

I have had times where I enjoyed the wine, I had an empty stomach, maybe it was even a hot/humid day, and the wine went to my head and started to give me a headache. I stopped and started to drink water to avoid the headache. I would not call that a sin.

In another example, drinking to get the buzz, because at that point judgment would be a little impaired, would probably be something I would confess - and likely there was a reason causing me to want to get the buzz that is worth confessing (stress at work caused me to want to kick up my heels a little bit, etc.)

So I would say pray, examine oyur conscience, and you will know whether your actions were sinful or not - there is no black and white answer.