Was my drinking a sin?

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dje101

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Hi all,

So here’s the deal.

Last Saturday my family was out of town, so I had the house to myself. When I got home from work, which was about 1130pm, I dropped my stuff, made some dinner, threw on a movie, and had some beers. I was up till about 2 or 3 am, and I had about 5 or 6 beers. I did get tipsy, but I knew what I was doing. I didn’t do anything bad like watch things I should have avoided (got through 5 episodes of “The Office”), and then went to bed.

I was just wondering if this is something I should take to confession. I started drinking that night with the intention of drinking more than my usual half to one whole beer, and just wanted to kick back and enjoy having the house to myself.

What do you think?

Thanks
 
I think your okay. Drinking is only a problem when it gets in the way of other things. You didn’t hurt anyone and you didn’t mess up your life by drinking one night. IMO
 
Since everyone has differences in alcohol tolerance and in definitions of “tipsy” vs. “drunk”, it’s hard to really answer.

Here’s some questions to ask yourself: Was this drinking excessive? Was it irresponsible? Was it an avoidable occasion of sin? Did you lose control of how much you were drinking? Would you be embarrassed if someone you know in real life found out about what happened?
 
From what I have been told about drinking, no, you did not sin. My parish priest, who is extremely conservative, and very faithful to the Magisterium of the Church, told me that drinking does not become a sin unless you drink so much that it impairs your judgement to the point where you would make decisions that are morally wrong, and against your conscience and not a decision you would normally make.
 
JadeHand said:
From what I have been told about drinking, no, you did not sin. My parish priest, who is extremely conservative, and very faithful to the Magisterium of the Church, told me that drinking does not become a sin unless you drink so much that it impairs your judgement to the point where you would make decisions that are morally wrong, and against your conscience and not a decision you would normally make.
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See above links from the Catholic Dictionary of Fr. John Hardon for more detail.
 
1ke said:
do you tend to be scrupulous?
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I was when I first was baptized and the following weeks after the vigil. I read this website to help people with scrupulosity and they had a “10 commandments” type of thing. I read through it and have kept those in mind. I think I kind of nipped that in the butt pretty quickly, but every so often, something comes up that gets me thinking.
 
Aelred_Minor said:
Since everyone has differences in alcohol tolerance and in definitions of “tipsy” vs. “drunk”, it’s hard to really answer.

Here’s some questions to ask yourself: Was this drinking excessive? Was it irresponsible? Was it an avoidable occasion of sin? Did you lose control of how much you were drinking? Would you be embarrassed if someone you know in real life found out about what happened?
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5 beers on a full stomach usually gets me to that “super social/ relaxed” phase, but I didn’t do anything embarrassing. I know for a fact that all I did was eat, drink, and watch a few episodes of a clean comedy show.

I was able to answer “no” on all your questions, so I guess I’m good.

😃
 
dje101 said:
5 beers on a full stomach usually gets me to that “super social/ relaxed” phase, but I didn’t do anything embarrassing. I know for a fact that all I did was eat, drink, and watch a few episodes of a clean comedy show.

I was able to answer “no” on all your questions, so I guess I’m good.

😃
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Praise the Lord!
 
dje101 said:
Hi all,

So here’s the deal.

Last Saturday my family was out of town, so I had the house to myself. When I got home from work, which was about 1130pm, I dropped my stuff, made some dinner, threw on a movie, and had some beers. I was up till about 2 or 3 am, and I had about 5 or 6 beers. I did get tipsy, but I knew what I was doing. I didn’t do anything bad like watch things I should have avoided (got through 5 episodes of “The Office”), and then went to bed.

I was just wondering if this is something I should take to confession. I started drinking that night with the intention of drinking more than my usual half to one whole beer, and just wanted to kick back and enjoy having the house to myself.

What do you think?

Thanks
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Wine is never a sin, as long as it is good wine. The Irish invented distilling, and they are catholic, so whiskey is not a sin. I would be concerned about beer though, if you are catholic. Germans tend to Protestantism.
 
So drunkenness is not a sin?

And being “tipsy” or “buzzed” is not being drunk?

And it’s OK to drive “tipsy” or “buzzed” because you’re not really drunk?
 
epan said:
Wine is never a sin, as long as it is good wine. The Irish invented distilling, and they are catholic, so whiskey is not a sin. I would be concerned about beer though, if you are catholic. Germans tend to Protestantism.
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But the Irish also invented stout, so maybe as long as you’re drinking dark beer? 😉
 
Cat said:
So drunkenness is not a sin?
And it’s OK to drive “tipsy” or “buzzed” because you’re not really drunk?
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The OP was at home, sitting on his own couch, watching TV. No one said anything about driving, this is a red herring.
 
dje101 said:
I was when I first was baptized and the following weeks after the vigil. I read this website to help people with scrupulosity and they had a “10 commandments” type of thing. I read through it and have kept those in mind. I think I kind of nipped that in the butt pretty quickly, but every so often, something comes up that gets me thinking.
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Looking at the event in question is not a sign of scruples --but of ones conscience.

One can have* “transient”* scruples at the time of ones conversion (and even other times).

Such does not then mean that one will have an on going struggle with scruples.

They can cease and one can have simply a normal conscience (continuing to be formed via the CCC and other good sources of formation) --and thus no longer have “scruples” and thus would judge as others with normal conscience would.

One may even develop a very good delicate conscience.
 
1ke said:
The OP was at home, sitting on his own couch, watching TV. No one said anything about driving, this is a red herring.
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So it’s only a sin to be drunk if you are driving?

If you’re at home by yourself, it’s not a sin to get “tipsy” or drunk?
 
Bookcat said:
Looking at the event in question is not a sign of scruples --but of ones conscience.

One can have* “transient”* scruples at the time of ones conversion (and even other times).

Such does not then mean that one will have an on going struggle with scruples.

They can cease and one can have simply a normal conscience (continuing to be formed via the CCC and other good sources of formation) --and thus no longer have “scruples” and thus would judge as others with normal conscience would.

One may even develop a very good delicate conscience.
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Great point! 👍

I mean if we apply “scruples” to everything, then we can say all the Saints were scrupulous.
 
Cat said:
So it’s only a sin to be drunk if you are driving?
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Not the issue being discussed. I suggest that you start your own thread if you wish to discuss this rather than derailing this one.
If you’re at home by yourself, it’s not a sin to get “tipsy” or drunk?
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Depends on how one defines “tipsy” or drunk. But the drinking of alcohol in moderation is not a sinful act. It is morally neutral. One must examine their own circumstances to determine if this morally neutral act affects their life in such a manner as to lead them into sin. They also must examine they life and the amount of alcohol they consume and determine if it is more than drinking it in moderation.

That is this is something that a person must determine for them self. What might be okay for one individual might not be okay for another.
 
This has nothing to do with whether or not one puts oneself in harm’s way after excessive drinking. It has to do with drinking, itself.

The time to evaluate the degree of sinfulness is before you begin drinking. If you foresee that the amount of alcohol you are consuming will deprive you of your senses (your ability to reason right from wrong) and you drink it up anyway, you are committing a mortal sin because you are depriving yourself of your wits. You could be sitting on your couch at home and still sin mortally. If you go driving while drunk, you commit an additional sin.

If you know your limits and stay within those limits, then you are fine. If you feel that you are getting too tipsy, stop drinking. Remember, Christ’s first miracle was to change water to wine. Drinking, in and of itself, is not a sin. But when excess causes you to lose your moral compass, it is. Why even push that line?
 
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