Talking to God / Jesus while drunk

[Lilsheep88]

Is this a sin?? I like to treat Jesus as my best friend (rather than someone I have to pay reverence too, although I pay reverence to him) and I feel that when I am intoxicated I am able to let loose my inner feelings… I know he knows my every thought and feeling but I amable to pour my heart out this way from my end…and everything that I bottle up inside of me. IMO this is just a way that I can have a more personal union with Jesus… I like let out all the things that depress me to him or anything that troubles me, or the stuff that makes my life hard, especially in times when he wants to put me through suffering. I think it actually makes my prayers more effective because I pray with my heart and Ive been doing this regularly, especially during rough / hard times but I was wondering if this were a sin or not? And no I am not an alchoholic.

 

[styrgwillidar]

Well, there’s a difference between being drunk and getting a little loose. Alcohol removes inhibitions so you tend to talk more freely under it’s influence. And feel those things you’ve inhibited yourself from feeling. My friends and I used to go on long walks after a couple having fairly animated philosophical discussions. So, I wouldn’t consider it to be a sin, it would make a kind of sense that if He is central to your life you would think of Him when drinking. (Actually, controling one’s drinking out of recognition of the sin of drunkeness is showing that He is foremost). His first miracle was changing water into wine after all.

Now, if you only think about or pray to Him when drinking, I would say you had a spiritual problem.

 

[Baelor]

Going from what you said in your post, it sounds like you are using alcohol as a crutch. You should not need alcohol to “let loose [your] inner feelings;” that is part of developing a healthy spiritual life – being able to communicate with God and open your innermost concerns, feelings, emotions to Him. I am still not very far along this path, but I am working on it.

Intoxication to the point of diminished/eliminated capacity is problematic, but nothing in your post suggests that is relevant here.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

It is a crutch, but I don’t necessarily see “crutch” as a bad thing in and of itself. A crutch is a perfectly wonderful tool to use until and if a person is able to be freed from it. That is, unless you use it to the exclusion of exercises to become free of it.

But one thing I’m interested in. Talking to God while drunk doesn’t bother me. In fact, that’s probably a time you could most use some connection with Him. But do you get drunk for the specific purpose of getting conditioned for your prayer? If that’s the case I don’t know that it’s a sin, but I’d like to talk about a little more.

LOL I write this like it matter what I think. Anyway, that is what I think so, fwiw.

Alan

 

[Anthony_V]

It is a crutch, but I don’t necessarily see “crutch” as a bad thing in and of itself. A crutch is a perfectly wonderful tool to use until and if a person is able to be freed from it. That is, unless you use it to the exclusion of exercises to become free of it.

But one thing I’m interested in. Talking to God while drunk doesn’t bother me. In fact, that’s probably a time you could most use some connection with Him. But do you get drunk for the specific purpose of getting conditioned for your prayer? If that’s the case I don’t know that it’s a sin, but I’d like to talk about a little more.

LOL I write this like it matter what I think. Anyway, that is what I think so, fwiw.

Alan

I thought becoming intoxicated is a sin?

 

[AlanFromWichita]

I thought becoming intoxicated is a sin?

Could be. I think I’ll stay out of that part of it, though. I figured it was a given he was drunk, so the question I took from it is, is it OK to pray, too? To that I say “yes.”

If getting intoxicated is a sin, though, and this is his reason for getting that way, then the prayer itself becomes an excuse.

Maybe as he becomes closer to God, he will be close enough to be with Him and talk with Him without conditions attached.

Alan

 

[IrishRush]

Remember the old story about the 2 seminarians going to their priest for advice…

Seminarian: “Father, is it ok to smoke while I pray?”
Priest: “Absolutely not!”
2nd Seminarian to priest: “Father, is it ok to pray while I smoke?”
Priest: “Of course, my son! Pray always, without ceasing!”

It’s all about perspective…

 

[Lonely_guy]

Happy new year to you to. Being drunk means that you have been drinking to much,and that is a sin. Talking to Jesus when you are drunk? I think it depend on what you say. Are you praying or just talking? Christ do hear you,but He do not like the fact that you have been drinking so stay off the booze and understand that Christ always listen to what we say. Praying/talking to Christ whilst you are intoxicated may lead to promises and words you can’t keep. So,stay sober and pray hard.

 

[Matrix_Refugee]

I’ve prayed when I’ve been mad at God. They’re not the kinds of prayers I’d want to repeat, much less quote here (remember the scene in Forrest Gump with the Gary Sinise character “having it out with God”? Yeah, that’s what I mean…). And trust me, anger can be like a kind of intoxication, so I can see where you’re coming from.

 

[the_phoenix]

“[1] Christ therefore having suffered in the flesh, be you also armed with the same thought: for he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sins: [2] That now he may live the rest of his time in the flesh, not after the desires of men, but according to the will of God. [3] For the time past is sufficient to have fulfilled the will of the Gentiles, for them who have walked in riotousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and unlawful worshipping of idols. [4] Wherein they think it strange, that you run not with them into the same confusion of riotousness, speaking evil of you. [5] Who shall render account to him, who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”

~~ 1 Peter 4:1-5

“Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour.”

~~ 1 Peter 5:8

 

[rayne89]

From our parish examination of conscience before confession.

Did I get drunk or use prohibited drugs?

I don’t think talking to God is the problem, the getting drunk is the problem.

 

[Deus_est_intus]

Save for the Eucharist, which obviously doesn’t count, I only drink to get tipsy. I prefer weed but alcohol is obviously more available and more accepted. I think a lot of people who say “Well I only have enough that it doesn’t affect me” are just fibbing to themselves. Even a single glass of wine can affect you, even if it is so little you don’t notice.
And remember, the Irish are known for really liking their stout and the French are famous for wine.

 

[Anthony_V]

Could be. I think I’ll stay out of that part of it, though. I figured it was a given he was drunk, so the question I took from it is, is it OK to pray, too? To that I say “yes.”

If getting intoxicated is a sin, though, and this is his reason for getting that way, then the prayer itself becomes an excuse.

Maybe as he becomes closer to God, he will be close enough to be with Him and talk with Him without conditions attached.

Alan

What are you, a Jesuit?

In all seriousness, I do understand your reasoning though.

 

[Anthony_V]

Remember the old story about the 2 seminarians going to their priest for advice…

Seminarian: “Father, is it ok to smoke while I pray?”
Priest: “Absolutely not!”
2nd Seminarian to priest: “Father, is it ok to pray while I smoke?”
Priest: “Of course, my son! Pray always, without ceasing!”

It’s all about perspective…

I was about to type that until you mentioned it

Perk #582,735,984 about being Catholic: We love our Jesuits!

 

[Lonely_guy]

Save for the Eucharist, which obviously doesn’t count, I only drink to get tipsy. I prefer weed but alcohol is obviously more available and more accepted. I think a lot of people who say “Well I only have enough that it doesn’t affect me” are just fibbing to themselves. Even a single glass of wine can affect you, even if it is so little you don’t notice.
And remember, the Irish are known for really liking their stout and the French are famous for wine.

Using weed,eh? That is not good. Not at all. I don’t know where you live so it might be OK there but in almost every country it a crime. And to drink only to get drunk? Not good either. God gave you brains to use,not to mess them up. Turn around when you still are able to do so.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Using weed,eh? That is not good. Not at all. I don’t know where you live so it might be OK there but in almost every country it a crime. And to drink only to get drunk? Not good either. God gave you brains to use,not to mess them up. Turn around when you still are able to do so.

I know several Christians that don’t smoke weed now, but they did prior to becoming a Christian, and they necessarily studied the Bible while they were stoned, because they were stoned pretty much whenever they were awake.

Alan

 

[LilyM]

Save for the Eucharist, which obviously doesn’t count, I only drink to get tipsy. I prefer weed but alcohol is obviously more available and more accepted. I think a lot of people who say “Well I only have enough that it doesn’t affect me” are just fibbing to themselves. Even a single glass of wine can affect you, even if it is so little you don’t notice.
And remember, the Irish are known for really liking their stout and the French are famous for wine.

Any alcohol affects you, yes. It causes chemical changes in your body. But then so does any food or drink, not to mention many natural bodily processes.

I find that one or two drinks of alcohol affects me about as much as a strong coffee or half an hour of exercise. In other words I feel different but not ‘tipsy’ and still more than capable of thinking, speaking and acting coherently. Even driving safely.

And I am more than capable of stopping at one or two drinks and enjoying it without getting ‘tipsy’. And if something ‘affects’ people but so little that neither they nor you nor anyone else notice, can you really meaningfully say that it does ‘affect’ them?

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Any alcohol affects you, yes. It causes chemical changes in your body. But then so does any food or drink, not to mention many natural bodily processes.

I find that one or two drinks of alcohol affects me about as much as a strong coffee or half an hour of exercise. In other words I feel different but not ‘tipsy’ and still more than capable of thinking, speaking and acting coherently. Even driving safely.

That makes sense to me. Hold those thoughts.

And if something ‘affects’ people but so little that neither they nor you nor anyone else notice, can you really meaningfully say that it does ‘affect’ them?

I say, “yes.” If that were not the case, then I would not understand how the thoughts held above would reconcile with that.

But I’m a nerd and have had to sign off on very detailed items and it was my tail and other people’s lives on the line if every single detail didn’t work perfectly under the specified conditions.

Maybe I can offer a more nerd-friendly way to frame the question? Actually I’ll offer a related question, worded in a way that I can probably debate on either side, depending on which side needed me:

How about, “if an employee (nice guy, punctual, hard working, family man) is performing well above expectations at a M-F day job, never comes in stoned, and his only vice is to smoke weed on an occasional Friday evening at home, and there is no way for his boss to detect it without a urine or blood sample, should the employee be fired for failing a drug test on a Wednesday after smoking on a Friday 12 days prior?”

Alan

 

[Lonely_guy]

OK “LilyM”. Drinking and driving is a thing I say no to. You may think you can drive safely,but even one drink,or a bottle of beer,slow down your reaction time. Not much,but enough if that little child comes running out on the road in front of you! Drink as much as you like,I don’t care,but never ever drive if you had as much as a sip of alcohol in your body! That is irresponsible and against what the RCC teach! (CCC 2290) And drugs like “weed”,well,read CCC 2291. Let us say that I drive my lorry down the road and someone who have only taken “a few” crash with my vehicle and die. I have to live with that memory the rest of my life,guilty or not. I would always ask my self “what if I would have…”. And when it comes to drugs. I don’t know if you have children but what if they would use? Would it be OK? What are you thinking about? Driving under the influence…no,no,no and once more no.

 

[A_G]

Speaking to God while intoxicated isn’t bad, as long as you speak to God with love and fear (respect). We should always look for God to be with us, no matter where we are or what our situatuon may be.