Drinking in Moderation

[apstudent]

I know a lot of people that believe it is wrong spiritually to drink alcohol at all. I am a strong believer myself, but I do not believe that the consumption of alcohol is wrong, as long as it is in moderation, aka not getting drunk. What do you all believe on this topic?

[Admin]

Didn't Jesus drink Wine? Many churches serve wine with the eucharist.

[apstudent]

That they do. I was sort of wanting to hear a legalist Christian's side on this. I know a lot of churches that will not allow the consumption of alcohol at church events like picnics and barbeques. I just wanted to see someone's reasoning behind that. How they can try to emulate Jesus, but forbid a bevarage that he drank himself.

[Ickmeister]

Manhattan Christian College does not allow any of their students to consume any alcohol, while they are students at the college. If you are seen drinking alcohol or entering a bar, you can be dissmissed from college. I have no idea why...

[Shea]

We drink grape juice at my congregation when we take communuion because it's the "fruit of the vine". The Bible doesn't forbid drinking in moderation (not to get drunk), but it does say not to be a stumbling block. Suppose another christian happened to see you drinking? They don't know the situation your in at the time your just moderately drinking. But many people would take it as a green light especially if they are new or weak christians. Probably the worst person to see a scene like that would be a recovering alcoholic.

[DumbLikeAPoet]

I am removing this comment 3 years later simply because I no longer believe it.

[apstudent]

Originally posted by DumbLikeAPoet

I wouldn't want alcohol at a church event I go to just because I think it might send the wrong message to people who don't understand the concept of moderation. For example if I took a friend to a church event and he saw people drinking he might assume it is ok to get drunk.

Jonus

I completely agree with that. Thanks. So, tell me if this is what you are trying to say. It is all about the role models. If someone, especially a devout Christian, that could possibly be a role model to newer Christians, is seen drinking, even in moderation, then the newer Christian might get the wrong impression on Christianity's view on alcohol.

[DumbLikeAPoet]

I can't speak for Shea, but essentially yes that is what I'm saying.

Jonus

[Shea]

That's what I'm saying too. I also remember one of my teachers at the Bible college I attended saying that the alchohol level was much lower than it is now. I think the reason for having it at all was to prevent bacteria growth and such.

[=Monkey_King=]

The reason Jesus drank wine was because in such regions water was very hard to comeas by, wine was a common drink. Even in some parts of europe it was so, as groundwater in many areas are mixed with phosophorus, making it toxic.

That leads to
1 cup of coffee = same price 1 cup of spring water in france


Im my opinion a lot of the religion is decided upon culture.
I love this quote in the book Illusions by Richard Bach
"If you gave the messiah a guitar, will he say, "I cant play this thing?"
I couldnt find the quote so I wrote from my memory

[Shea]

Originally posted by =Monkey_King=
[B]The reason Jesus drank wine was because in such regions water was very hard to comeas by, wine was a common drink. Even in some parts of europe it was so, as groundwater in many areas are mixed with phosophorus, making it toxic.

Sorry, what is your source for this? I have a hard time swallowing that. Where ever there is water, there are people. I don't mean to doubt, but a man once tried to justify to my Dad that he didn't need to be baptized because the regions in the Bible were mostly desert and there wasn't enough water to Baptize. That of course makes no rational sense in the first place.

[=Monkey_King=]

Im not sure where i got that from it was so long ago...
And by the way a person can be baptized in water but it might not be safe to drink. Im pretty sure that people in biblical times went to a large body of water in mass groups.

It could be that although water was present in the regions that i mentioned sometimes the groundwater supplies went very low and wine could be substituted...

Im not sure really

[Jay]

I haven't heard of phosphor polluted water anywhere around... can't tell for sure, but I don't think it WAS sometime in the past.

[Shea]

Ok Monkey King. You'll have to excuse me. I don't like to take anyone's word without sources. Please let me know if your not real sure, It creates less confusion for me.

[=Monkey_King=]

Its all right bah im too lazy to find the source
But is is correct that in western Europe (Primarily France and Gertmany) they had wine because the water was heavily poluted. Each farming household had some fruits etc that could be made into wine.

I wouldnt be surprised if palestine had less water than some parts of europe