Why Christians shouldn't drink alcohol (even if it's in moderation, it's a sin!)

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If drinking in moderation is not a sin can I resort to drugs(in very small quantities)?

PS:I dont drink or take drugs
 
I have tasted alcohol once and had wine 2-3 times. thats all
I grew up in a culture where drinking is generally considered as a social evil
 
abinjoy said:
If drinking in moderation is not a sin can I resort to drugs(in very small quantities)?

PS:I dont drink or take drugs
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Well it might not be good for you, and it might be illegal, but as far as sin is concerned the same standards apply. Alcohol and tobacco are drugs, and the mere consumption of them is not in itself sinful. As others have said, its the behaviour that these might induce that is sinful.

Don’t confuse legality and sinfulness.
 
abinjoy said:
I have tasted alcohol once and had wine 2-3 times. thats all
I grew up in a culture where drinking is generally considered as a social evil
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I take it you’ve never been to an Irish wedding then?
 
Brendan_64 said:
I take it you’ve never been to an Irish wedding then?
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This is an online forum and you can expect people from all parts of world:)

Nope…I am from India/Lived only in India until an year back.Generally drinking is not encouraged in the part of India where I come from.

I can understand if people drink in moderation during social function etc…
But why its alcohol and nothing else?Why cant it be just something else.I personally feel that if it is for that “high” that one is looking for by drinking it is a sin.
If it is not I think taking drugs is also fine as it also gives u that “high”(very limited quantities
 
This is definitely a slippery slope. By your same logic sleep deprivation or hunger are sins, as these things and others like them can substantially change a person’s thought processes and alter behavioral norms; far more in certain circumstances than a glass or so of wine or beer. Also reference Deuteronomy 14:26.
 
lets assume that a person drinks “x” ml of alcohol and gets a “high” of 3 in a scale of 10.
Another person takes “y” grams of drugs and gets the same “high”

I assume y will be much less than x

Both get the same “high” taking different substances.

To be honest I dont understand if some one say that drinking is not a sin and taking drugs is

Doesn’t both(alcohol and drugs) harm our body though the quantity required for the same amount of harm is different?
Our body is the temple of God So I seriously wonder if alcohol is something which God wants to have in our bodies?And if its ok to drink what is the amount of alcohol that I can intake daily so that God is not offended?I think if God is ok with alcohol he is fine with tobacco and drug as well

PS:The whole post might sound a bit funny/silly.But it is a genuine question for me
 
Pilgrim_333 said:
This is definitely a slippery slope. By your same logic sleep deprivation or hunger are sins, as these things and others like them can substantially change a person’s thought processes and alter behavioral norms; far more in certain circumstances than a glass or so of wine or beer. Also reference Deuteronomy 14:26.
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I agree if a person “intentionally” deprive himself of sleep (eg:a highly workaholic working overtime without any valid reason)
 
You should be a little more cautious in your faith. Perhaps you are accepting views from Protestant acquaintances with too little caution. What you are saying not only puts Catholicism in a bad light, since after all, people are given consecrated wine at mass and many Catholics use wine or alcohol, but it also would put Saint Paul in a bad light, who recommended drinking a small amount of wine for good health, and it would put Jesus in a bad light, since he miraculously created wine at Cana for the people there to drink.
I am happy that you are willing to raise this matter with Catholics. Good for you.
Sky_River said:
Here’s why. Alcohol is a mind altering drug. Even just somebody having one drink to “relax, but not to get drunk”, is still having their inhibitions lowered, as well as their thought processes slowing down, which violates the Bible’s commands to stay sober. Sometimes, even when they’re not drunk, alcohol may influence some people to say things that they wouldn’t normally say. Yes, they can still think clearly and they still can keep their basic judgement if they drink in moderation, it’s nowhere near as bad as a drunk person who’s judgement and soberness is totally impaired, but it’s still not right! Their soberness is still being impaired to some extent.

Christians that defend drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation are condoning the usage of mind altering drugs.

Even if drinking in and of itself isn’t a sin, in a culture that’s so harmed by the abuse of alcohol, why not decide to not drink, in an effort to influence everybody else not to drink, which might stop some people from using alcohol irresponsibly and dangerously.

Sure, having a glass of beer or wine is not on the same level as sin or wickedness as getting drunk is, but it’s still not right at all, in my opinion.

It’s definitely immoral for somebody to smoke pot, don’t you agree with me? Yes it is, because “drugs are bad” and us Christians shouldn’t be drug users. Yet you think nothing is morally wrong with using a mind-altering drug in the form of alcohol? A casual booze drinker is no better than a casual pot smoker, except they aren’t breaking the law. They are after the same psychoactive effect, that “buzz” one gets from a mind-altering drug. And that’s not good.

A marijuana smoker has their inhibitions lowered, which contradicts the Bible’s commands at soberness, however, a person that has a glass of wine is doing that same exact thing. What’s the difference? There is none. Both are using mind altering drugs for a “buzz”, which lowers their inhibitions, which the Bible condemns. By defending the moderate consumption of alcohol, Christians are acting no better than a pot smoker defending the moderate usage of marijuana, by stating “yes, getting drunk is immoral, but I don’t drink to get drunk, i drink to relax”, which is the same exact thing as a pot smoker saying, “i just get buzzed, i don’t get stoned”.

Most people that condone alcohol in moderation would never smoke marijuana (and rightfully so, using drugs is very immoral!). That’s because “drugs are bad” and they aren’t drug users. Yet they thought nothing of using some other mind-altering drug in the form of alcohol! Such hypocrites!

Yes I know that drinking small amounts of alcohol don’t lead to drunkenness and intoxication (which the Bible clearly condemns). But it still doesn’t make it right!

Just like a casual pot smoker, someone taking a few tokes isn’t going to be stoned and intoxicated (which is intoxication-the equivalent to being drunk). But it still doesn’t make it right to smoke pot, which is a drug! Also, alcohol is a DRUG! Remember that!

Yes I know that someone who has a glass of beer or wine isn’t really drunk or intoxicated! Technically, yes. But that still doesn’t make it right!

Just like someone having one puff of a joint isn’t stoned or intoxicated. But that still doesn’t make that right either. Is that moral and OK to do? No, of course not! So why should doing that very same thing with another mind altering drug (aka alcohol), be condoned? That’s very hypocritical and inconsistent if you ask me, to condone the moderate consumption of alcohol. We shouldn’t have double standards as Christians. Sin is sin.

Shouldn’t us as Christians realize that we should simply just stop defending and justifying this mind altering drug called alcohol, simply because of our cultural bias and because of it’s popularity and social acceptance? We wouldn’t do that very same thing with other mind altering drugs, so what makes alcohol any different?

Also, yayin and oinos can also mean regular grape juice also. Those words don’t really prove that drinking alcohol is condoned in the Bible. In fact, proverbs 31 4 even states that kings and princes are not supposed to drink wine, as well as strong drinks.

My conclusion to all of this is basically this. It’s sinful and unwise for Christians to drink alcohol.
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mdgspencer said:
people are given consecrated wine at mass and many Catholics use wine or alcohol,
.
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The quantity of wine that every communion receiver gets is too little to change behavior of any person.More that that it is the Blood of Christ rather than Wine as you will be knowing for sure.I belong to an eastern rite where the bread is just dipped in wine and given to the communion receiver than giving the entire cup to the receiver for drinking wine
 
I think it is a sin.I strongly feel there is no such thing like drinking in moderation not being a sin.The degree of sin may from person to person.

By the same logic can I watch an adult movie in moderation(For eg: watch just 5 mins of an hour long movie) : lol Or can I watch till the point where I start feeling temptation?

Why would one want to drink alcohol when there are good substitutes?Alcohol certainly has some power which other fluids may not be having.So if one is searching for that special “power” of alcohol it is sin I think
 
blaskoman said:
Wrong. This is what fundamentalists believe. The Catholic religion does not require a complete puritanical mindset. God created food and drink. Done in moderation, one is not committing the sin of gluttony.
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Very good. I am impressed, my new friend.

No, drinking, or smoking is not a sin. Using the word gluttony may seem a bit to much here, but The CCC teach that we can smoke or drink what is consider a moderate amount. What that is I can’t figure out. To drink to much is easy, but what is a moderate amount of cigarettes? The whole question is more a medical question then a religius one, and I will spare you a medical “sermon” about this thing.

PS: I don’t give medical advices on a web-site or forum.
 
abinjoy said:
The quantity of wine that every communion receiver gets is too little to change behavior of any person.More that that it is the symbol of Blood of Christ rather than Wine as you will be knowing for sure.I belong to an eastern rite where the bread is just dipped in wine and given to the communion receiver than giving the entire cup to the receiver for drinking wine
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Dear Abinjoy, it is more than just a symbol, it is the actual blood of Christ.

Pax et Bonum+
 
abinjoy said:
To be honest I dont understand if some one say that drinking is not a sin and taking drugs is
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Well, for one thing, the use of recreational drugs is (generally always) illegal, while the consumption of alcoholic beverages can be legal.

On the other hand, people take drugs legally every day – the use of prescription drugs isn’t a sin! So, the comparison you’re making is between the use of a legal substance and the illegal abuse of other substances. Not a fair comparison, wouldn’t you say?
Our body is the temple of God So I seriously wonder if alcohol is something which God wants to have in our bodies?
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“Then [Jesus] took a cup, gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you [that] from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’” (Luke 22:17-18)

I would say that God directly commanded it, given the Scriptural evidence… 😉
And if its ok to drink what is the amount of alcohol that I can intake daily so that God is not offended?I think if God is ok with alcohol he is fine with tobacco and drug as well
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Tobacco use isn’t sacramental, though. It also doesn’t provide any nutrients. At least wines and beers have some nutritional value, albeit small…
 
Those who feel they shouldn’t drink, have every right to their opinion, and to abstain from alcohol.

But I really think that Jesus having changed the water into wine puts a block on anyone saying NO Christian should drink, and that any consumption of alcohol is a sin. If you want to say that, you have to address the Bible verses and stories that say otherwise, and why you know better than Jesus.
 
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