This is what happens to abstainers
For me, this means inquiring about religion and alcohol. The beadle informed me that Presbyterians have communion wine. When I told him that many American Protestant sects are dry (e.g., Mormons; Southern Baptists almost totally so), he was disdainful -- "If God didn't want people to drink alcohol, why did he create fermentation as a natural process?"
Which led me to ask him, "Do you know what the CDC (the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is? They recently announced the four behaviors you can engage in to prolong your life. Do you know what they are?" The beadle quickly got not smoking, taking exercise, and then -- quite correctly -- moderate drinking. All he missed was a healthy diet -- instead, he guessed sex!
(Read here the CDC's "Four Specific Health Behaviors [that] Contribute to a Longer Life.")
I said, "Well, I guess that proves your point about God and alcohol -- if drinking it can make you live longer, then surely it is the 'Good Creature of God'." This was the appellation the leading Puritan Minister, Cotton Mather, gave to alcohol. (The Puritans didn't abstain -- from sex or from drinking.) It seems God bestowed a sure sign of the blessedness of alcohol by having it contribute to longevity.
And of course, in Judaism (which is far older than Christianity), a prayer for wine is said over the newborn as wine is placed on its lips at the beginning of a bris:
At this point the mohel takes a cup of wine and makes the blessing on the wine:
"Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine." Wine is always partaken at all festive meals to recall the goodness of our Creator.
Thank God for Judaism -- and for alcohol!
P.S. Sept. 19:
On the ferry across Loch Lomond today, I met an Episcopalian priest ("don't call us ministers"), Eric. Episcopalians ("don't call us Protestants!") have communion wine. Erie derided the Methodists for caving into Prohibition and abandoning wine in favor of grape juice. As to the oft-used Protestant argument that Jesus drank grape juice at the Last Supper, Eric was even more dismissive (Episcopalians can be haughty): "Grape juice immediately ferments in the Middle Eastern climate, and they had no refrigeration -- grape juice is a Methodist invention."
Of course, I should note that Catholics have always had communion wine. Protestant nations form the leading temperance sponsors (in Nordic and English-speaking countries) and have the most drinking problems and alcoholics, the strictest alcohol control policies, and the largest AA membership.
P.S.S. Sept. 20: For those who enjoy Scripture quotes.
How Could You Forget Cana?
Submitted by astorian on September 19, 2011 - 12:46pm.
You left out the best Scriptual evidence that God approves of drinking- when Jesus found out that there was no more wine at the wedding feast in Cana, he used magic to create some more!
I thought of that -
Submitted by Stanton Peele on September 19, 2011 - 12:57pm.
(actually, Eric mentioned it), but for the grape juice guys, wouldn't they just say he changed water to grape juice?
Eric also noted this, in Psalm 104:15, "wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart."
Finally, Eric said, in Luke 7:34 we are told that the Pharisees called Jesus a winebibber (from the Greek word Oinopotes -- overdrinker) because he had it so regularly!
So ...
Submitted by X on September 19, 2011 - 2:16pm.
Jesus was an alcoholic?
The Pharisees accused him of
Submitted by Stanton Peele on September 20, 2011 - 4:36am.
it. (Were Pharisees AAers?)
Be sure to read the following responses to this post by our Bloggers:
Stanton Peele, Ph.D., J.D., has been researching and treating addiction since he wrote Love and Addiction (1975). He also wrote 7 Tools to Beat Addiction.
more...
How to handle difficult people.
