Wednesday, September 20, 2006

DOH!

Darn evangelicals! I came across this...

"The fact that drinking alcohol under any conditions is forbidden [in the Bible], has been demonstrated in this book."

This is a qote from The Biblical Approach to Alcohol by Stephen Reynolds. What about Jesus wine miracle at that wedding shindig in Matthew? I won't go off right now, I'll yet yall do that.

Your thoughts...

5 comments:

Chris said...

I hate that I had to sign a contract with the Wesleyan church in order for them to help my wife and me get to Australia as missionaries - it says we're not allowed to date or drink alcohol. They got mad at me when I suggested that perhaps I might like to date my wife still, and maybe that might involve a glass of wine.

The message was loud and clear: conform or find somebody else. I didn't know anybody else I could go with, so now I'm stuck with the contract while here in Oz, a land of excellent wine. In retrospect, I'd have gone and set up my own tax-exempt fund for this through my local church; that way 12% of the funds I raised could go towards living here instead of into church beurocracy.

Anonymous said...

I don't mind drinking wine but I think the Bible is pretty clear on drunkenness.

However we should not be a stumbling block to others, so, maybe as leaders of a church we might wanna watch what kind of example we're setting.

Still, I don't mind a good Port and I do drink it!

(was that confusing:P)

cruz-control said...

No, actually that's not confusing at all.

The bible speaks against drunkeness, not drinking. Jesus drank wine, although it was not as alcoholic as ours is today.

I like what you said about the example thing, though Sarah. And it's true, we should watch our example.

I do not drink. This is a personal decision of mine (and less of a religions one), and it doesn't bother me at all when Christians do drink. I do not, though, for two nain reasons:
1) I don't believe that I could just have one drink and not become intoxicated. This is just the way my body works. I become slightly inebriated by using Ny- Quil Cough Syrup. Therefore any drinking at all on my part would definately lead to a drunk Cruz.
2) A drunk Cruz would not be able to control his actions. This scares me. This is why I have to practically be dead before I'll take even any medicine. I have to be able to control what I do and say. I already have enough trouble doing that sober.

Also, there is a history of alcoholism in my family (several generations ago, but it's there nonetheless). So, frankly I've just never found the stuff attractive.

But the Bible says anything against consumming alcohol of any kind. And I don't have anything against anyone who does drink. It doesn't bother me. What does bother me is when the Southern Baptist Convention has passed a resolution telling ministers they cannot drink. Here we have some Christians trying to impose a morality that is not necessarily Biblicaly based on other Christians. So, anyways, there's my shpiel.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

I just think its interesting how one can use Proverbs 31:4 to say Christians should not drink an COMPLETELY the next verses in Proverbs 31:6-7. I just think it's, well, ironic what the Biblical message on drinking really is.

cruz-control said...

Chris,

What do you mean by no dating? Do you really mean they won't all you to date your wife? And how would they know? Obviously, Christians are supposed to be honest and all, but if you can't take your wife out every now and then ... wouldn't that cause you more problems than the Wesleyan Church could ever give you? :-)

Chris said...

Well, when I say "not dating," it seems that so many times they just assume that most of their missionaries are going to be single. Like I said, they gave me this sort of odd look when I said it, like they assumed that I knew what they meant. Apparently, they meant that if you're single, you're not allowed to have a dating/courting relationship with a country native. It's a sensible rule if you're going to a developing country where some girl might try to take advantage of you to get her into the States. But the language is a problem, and that was my point, and they're so clear about everything else ... apparently I'm just a pain in the ass for them; I questioned pretty much every rule that they layed down.

The alcohol thing just pisses me off because unlike you, I have a very high tolerance ... but I know of very few drinks that I actually like. For most of my adult life, I've had a self-imposed ban on drinking alcohol for various reasons. Then I realized that it's good to have a taste for it if you're going to spend any time among non-Wesleyans/non-Baptists, especially in pubs or bars. I get funny looks when I explain that yes, I would like a glass, but no, I can't have one.