M
Montie_Claunch
Guest
Why does the church say that getting drunk is a sin? Thanks.
- Status
L
Lazerlike42
Guest
Simple answer: The Bible says so.
Complicated answer: Drinking itself is fine. It can relax a person, and some folks just enjoy the different drinks. Drinking to excess (getting drunk) is a sin because it removes us from the control of our wills and makes us a servant to our passions and to sin. When a person becomes drunk, he ceases to be under the control of his own self. We musn’t make ourselves servants to anything other than God. Put simply, when a person is drunk, his emotions and his sinful desires can get the best of him. In other words, getting drunk is a sin because it leads a person to commit all sorts of other sins.
But more than that is the fact that we are giving up control of ourselves and allowing ourselves to be ruled over by something other than our will. It’s almost as though we seperate our mind from our body and let our body take control. We let our body do whatever it wants, and relinquish all say over it.
Complicated answer: Drinking itself is fine. It can relax a person, and some folks just enjoy the different drinks. Drinking to excess (getting drunk) is a sin because it removes us from the control of our wills and makes us a servant to our passions and to sin. When a person becomes drunk, he ceases to be under the control of his own self. We musn’t make ourselves servants to anything other than God. Put simply, when a person is drunk, his emotions and his sinful desires can get the best of him. In other words, getting drunk is a sin because it leads a person to commit all sorts of other sins.
But more than that is the fact that we are giving up control of ourselves and allowing ourselves to be ruled over by something other than our will. It’s almost as though we seperate our mind from our body and let our body take control. We let our body do whatever it wants, and relinquish all say over it.
S
Sanctus
Guest
Drinking is not a sin
Drunkeness is a sin
Alcoholism is not a sin
Acting on it is.
Alcohol…as the famous old quote goes, “is proof that God loves us.” but just as everything else God gives us over-indulgeing is a sin (gluttony)…I guess the Church’s stance would be something like “all good things in moderation.”
Drunkeness is a sin
Alcoholism is not a sin
Acting on it is.
Alcohol…as the famous old quote goes, “is proof that God loves us.” but just as everything else God gives us over-indulgeing is a sin (gluttony)…I guess the Church’s stance would be something like “all good things in moderation.”
O
On_my_way
Guest
Remember that drinking is not a sin, it is a vice, which can lead us to sin. There is a big difference between a sin and a vice. Doing something bad in your drunken state is the sin. The drinking of alcohol is a vice.
L
Lazerlike42
Guest
On my way:
You’re right that drinking itself is not a sin. Drinking itself is also not a vice however. Immoderate drinking is a vice. Finally, the state of being drunk is a sin, even if you never do anything sinful while in that state.
D
drforjc
Guest
It can even be grave matter if you are so intoxicated that you lose the use of the faculty of reason.
O
On_my_way
Guest
Moderate drinking is a realative statement. Why? Because it is different for everyone. What might be moderate for me is immoderate for someone else and vice versa. I maybe able to drink 1 or 2 beers and be fine but for someone else that is way to much. Drinking itself is the vice, no matter if in moderation.
T
Tantum_ergo
Guest
How can the mere act of drinking alcohol be a vice? God created the grapes and the process of fermentation. Jesus’s first miracle was turning water into WINE for a wedding, and we can, at Mass, receive both the Body and Blood of Christ (through the consecrated bread and WINE).
I concur with the poster who spoke of overindulgence as opposed to moderation.
Eating is good, and necessary. Overeating is not. And while some people with high metabolisms can eat a LOT more than those with low, are you going to say that the act of eating is the vice of gluttony because some overeat?
Then you cannot say that the act of drinking alcohol is the vice because some choose to drink too much. Q.E.D.
I concur with the poster who spoke of overindulgence as opposed to moderation.
Eating is good, and necessary. Overeating is not. And while some people with high metabolisms can eat a LOT more than those with low, are you going to say that the act of eating is the vice of gluttony because some overeat?
Then you cannot say that the act of drinking alcohol is the vice because some choose to drink too much. Q.E.D.
O
On_my_way
Guest
I have a book at home that explains the 7 deadly sins (capital) and how they are refered to vices. I’ll go over it and explain more deeply about the differences.
L
Lazerlike42
Guest
Drinking is not a vice. Jesus drank. Did Jesus practice any vices?
L
LSK
Guest
Only someone who does not understand the disease of alcoholism would think that drinking is “acting on it”.
Alcoholism is a disease by which the way a person feels when they are stone, cold sober becomes so incredibly painful they will do anything to relieve the pain and pressure. If they choose to use alcohol, their physical reaction to it will cause a type of inner switch to flip, and it will be very VERY difficult to stop drinking.
It is refered as a “craving”. Some people can resist it for awhile, but without treatment eventually they will give in and drink more alcohol.
Drinking to excess means getting drunk. Any fool who drinks too much for their size, weight, body type, etc will eventually get drunk. If my mother drinks too much she will get drunk but she will NEVER be an alcoholic.
Alcoholism is a disease by which the way a person feels when they are stone, cold sober becomes so incredibly painful they will do anything to relieve the pain and pressure. If they choose to use alcohol, their physical reaction to it will cause a type of inner switch to flip, and it will be very VERY difficult to stop drinking.
It is refered as a “craving”. Some people can resist it for awhile, but without treatment eventually they will give in and drink more alcohol.
Drinking to excess means getting drunk. Any fool who drinks too much for their size, weight, body type, etc will eventually get drunk. If my mother drinks too much she will get drunk but she will NEVER be an alcoholic.
O
On_my_way
Guest
Here is a qoute out of the New Catholic Answers Bible.
“Though people often speak of the “seven deadly sins,” the more accurate description is “seven capital vices.” A vice is not the same thing as a sin; rather, it is a HABIT that INCLINES us to sin.” Drinking is a habit (vice) that inclines us to sin.
“Though people often speak of the “seven deadly sins,” the more accurate description is “seven capital vices.” A vice is not the same thing as a sin; rather, it is a HABIT that INCLINES us to sin.” Drinking is a habit (vice) that inclines us to sin.
O
On_my_way
Guest
I would have to say yes, He did practice vices. Remember what a vice is, it is a habit. He (Jesus) had a habit of mercy, generousity(sp), commpassion, love (unconditional) and many more. The difference would be that His habits (vices) were good.
R
rwoehmke
Guest
On my way:
There is a vast difference between habitual drinking and having an occasional drink or two from time to time. Someone who has a drink or two every day could be said to have a habit. I suppose that could amount to a grave sin if one as a result over indulged from time to time; putting ones self in the near occasion of sin. In my opinion something becomes a vice when one becomes so attached to some behavior or thing that it takes on more importance than the most every thing else in one’s life, e.g. my day is ruined if I miss those two beers before supper.
L
LSK
Guest
On my way:
Now, did I understand you to say that ALL HABITS are VICES - even if the habit is a GOOD habit (i.e. the habit of going to Daily Mass for instance)?
So, if drinking were a HABIT then it could become a sin…am I asking this right?:whacky:
That is a great explanation! I don’t have the Catholic Answers Bible…do they base this on a matter of translation (the word used for sin in the original Greek actually translates better into English as vice)?
Now, did I understand you to say that ALL HABITS are VICES - even if the habit is a GOOD habit (i.e. the habit of going to Daily Mass for instance)?
So, if drinking were a HABIT then it could become a sin…am I asking this right?:whacky:
- Status