Why is getting drunk a mortal sin?

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Imagine getting drunk and dying in a crash or choking to death on your vomit? (OK well don’t really) What a gross way to go!!! The next thing you do is you meet God. :eek: Scary! Not the way I want to go, that’s for sure.

You wouldn’t be in any condition to say an act of contrition so you had better have said tons of Hail Marys “Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.”
 
Eileen T:
Imagine getting drunk and dying in a crash or choking to death on your vomit? (OK well don’t really) What a gross way to go!!! The next thing you do is you meet God. :eek: Scary!
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Would you still be drunk? :rolleyes:
 
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MooCowSteph:
Since it doesn’t seem that you were aware that it is a mortal sin, you didn’t commit one.

I would like to hear more about this gluttony thing, though. OK, so I’ve never had a whole cake, but I do sometimes eat to the point of being stuffed. Oh, shoot… :o :rolleyes:
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Yup…I never actually ate a whole cake either…but I’ve certainly eaten more than I needed to! Not sure where the line is drawn with food…
 
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Didi:
The Catechism says:

2290
The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others’ safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.
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So drunkeness is not a grave sin unless coupled with another danger, like driving of flying. This paragraph puts it in the same category of **reckless **speeding.
 
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LatinCat:
It really depends on how “drunk” you get. If you get relaxed and goofy, then no problem. But if your free will gets seriously impared,then it is a mortal sin. I think that the idea of getting a bit buzzed as being a sin was hoited upon us by puritanical Protestants and is not really part of Catholic teaching. History can attest to this.
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Right on bro, I concur.
 
Sorry for the necromancy, but a friend just asked me this question (it was for my own knowledge earlier), the basic reasons are because it gets rid of our God-given gift of free will, and because of the harm it can cause if one is drunk?
 
St. Thomas Aquinas addresses this: newadvent.org/summa/3150.htm

He says that willingly becoming intoxicated is a mortal sin because
then a man willingly and knowingly deprives himself of the use of reason, whereby he performs virtuous deeds and avoids sin, and thus he sins mortally by running the risk of falling into sin. For Ambrose says (De Patriarch. [De Abraham i.]): “We learn that we should shun drunkenness, which prevents us from avoiding grievous sins. For the things we avoid when sober, we unknowingly commit through drunkenness.” Therefore drunkenness, properly speaking, is a mortal sin.
 
UKcatholicGuy said:
I’m surprised no one has pointed out the most obvious answer as to why drunkeness is indeed a mortal sin: St. Paul says so! Look in 1 Cor 6:
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
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UKcatholicGuy said:
I’m surprised no one has pointed out the most obvious answer as to why drunkeness is indeed a mortal sin: St. Paul says so! Look in 1 Cor 6:
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
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or how about what St. Paul says here: “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery” Ephesians 5:18

Look up the definition of debauchery in a good dictionary and I think you’ll start to see why drunkenness is a problem for the Christian.
 
In my opinion getting drunk is a sin but not necessarily a grave sin. it becomes a grave sin if you turn it into a habit. Over-drinking boils and destroys many vital organs in your body such as your liver. Your body is a temple of God and destroying a temple of God is a very serious offense.
 
As a university student (and ex-heavy drinker) I know full well why it’s a sin. Apart from the obvious mentioned things, it really can bring one close to death.

I saved my best friends life when I was less drunk then he was. He was in bed lying on his back, choking on his own vomit. I heard him and called him with no response, so I quickly rushed over and threw his torso up at which point he projectiled and immediately went unconscious.

The exact same thing happened to my ex-girlfriend (I was away from the Church during that time, so forgive the co-habiting like situation) just as I was returning to the Church. It was almost like a wake up call. It is the most undignified thing to see a beautiful girl choking on her own vomit, passing out and vomiting everywhere, only to wake up drunk the next morning and do the same (plus she started swearing at me :rolleyes: drunk people 🤷)

Little did both know that night could have been their last.
 
Sir_Knight said:
Would you still be drunk? :rolleyes:
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Nope, because it’s only your soul that gets judged at this point. Your body is still laying there decaying (except in rare circumstances). That physical alcohol is still there.
 
Sir_Knight said:
When I got drunk, I would get very sleepy and go to sleep. …
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what’s the old saying?

“When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let’s all get drunk and go to heaven!” – George Bernard Shaw

not sure if the attribution (or the logic) is correct
 
Didi said:
The Catechism says:

2291
The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices. They constitute direct cooperation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law.
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Then that passage from the Catechism essentially forbids drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a drug, and drinking it as a beverage is not a therapeutic use.
 
conorsdad said:
Then that passage from the Catechism essentially forbids drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a drug, and drinking it as a beverage is not a therapeutic use.
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No, that passage from the Catechism is talking about drugs as distinct from alcohol. That’s why it specifies the exception for therapeutic use. There’s no known therapeutic use for alcohol. It’s not used to treat any disease. Also, note that the paragraph immediately preceding, 2290, speaks of avoiding “the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine” (emphasis mine). The Church doesn’t forbid the use of alcohol in moderation. Jesus drank wine, you know (as did the Apostles, disciples, and numerous saints throughout the centuries).
 
conorsdad said:
Then that passage from the Catechism essentially forbids drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a drug, and drinking it as a beverage is not a therapeutic use.
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Well, this is not necessarily true in all cases. When taken in moderation, some studies have shown some benefits.
 
CourtneyB said:
No, that passage from the Catechism is talking about drugs as distinct from alcohol. That’s why it specifies the exception for therapeutic use. There’s no known therapeutic use for alcohol. It’s not used to treat any disease. Also, note that the paragraph immediately preceding, 2290, speaks of avoiding “the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine” (emphasis mine). The Church doesn’t forbid the use of alcohol in moderation. Jesus drank wine, you know (as did the Apostles, disciples, and numerous saints throughout the centuries).
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👍

(though there can be perhaps “therapeutic use” too…anyhow no it is not forbidden…
 
conorsdad said:
Then that passage from the Catechism essentially forbids drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a drug, and drinking it as a beverage is not a therapeutic use.
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Jesus drank it and even turned water into wine so as to enhance a wedding celebration.

So no, the Catechism could not possibly be prohibiting alcohol. Otherwise, that would go against the example of Jesus.
 
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