For those who do not drink Alcohol.

[Sojourner]

Greetings all, 

 

I wanted to raise a query with those people in here that choose not to consume alcohol. 

 

Do you not drink alcohol because the SDA asks you not to as a member, or do you have other reasons or motivations not to drink alcohol? Did you formerly drink alcohol before becoming involved in the SDA? 

[Bravus]

Good and interesting question... which I'm unqualified to answer on a couple of grounds.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Greetings all, 

 

I wanted to raise a query with those people in here that choose not to consume alcohol. 

 

Do you not drink alcohol because the SDA asks you not to as a member, or do you have other reasons or motivations not to drink alcohol? Did you formerly drink alcohol before becoming involved in the SDA? 

 

other reasons..

 

1) my grandfather and two uncles were alcoholics, and I saw how really nice people could be turned into mean people.

 

2) the smell of beer nauseates me - I'd be a stick-in-the-mud at Oktoberfests!!.

 

3) I do like the taste of wines and brandy in cooking, and even though traces of alcohol still remain, it's not enough to get a person drunk.

[Kevin H]

The smell of alcoholic drinks nauseates me.  Worked in hospitals where I've seen how people have spent so much money and time trying to stop drinking or other drugs that I would not want to even risk that ever being me.

 

I'm addicted enough to melted Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses, and Peanut butter/Banana milk shakes and eggnog (which I have a dairy allergy and  there are a lot of dairy products that make me too sick to eat, even the above makes causes some problems and discomfort) I'd hate to have the same type of reaction with alcohol. 

[joeb]

Greetings all, 

 

I wanted to raise a query with those people in here that choose not to consume alcohol. 

 

Do you not drink alcohol because the SDA asks you not to as a member, or do you have other reasons or motivations not to drink alcohol? Did you formerly drink alcohol before becoming involved in the SDA? 

No, I don't drink.  There's two reasons as to why. (1) I am an addict.   (2) Alcohol consumption does not lead one closer to Jesus.  It loosens inhibitions which has the effect of making one more likely to engage in behavior that leads away from God.  

[Woody]

I don't care to be around those who drink while they are drinking.

So ---

I am sure people would not like to be around me while I was drinking.

So ---

WHY drink?

[Liz]

There was no drinking in my parents' house. However, at family reunions and things the alcohol flowed freely, I always thought it stunk and made the "adults" act stupid. After I was out of the house I tried wine coolers, but they made me dizzy and I did not like that feeling.

 

Oh and I was raised SDA, and we are about the only branch in my family that are.

[Tom Wetmore]

Basically, I just have more reasons not to drink than to drink.

[LifeHiscost]

Greetings all, 

 

I wanted to raise a query with those people in here that choose not to consume alcohol. 

 

Do you not drink alcohol because the SDA asks you not to as a member, or do you have other reasons or motivations not to drink alcohol? Did you formerly drink alcohol before becoming involved in the SDA? 

I drank foolishly (is there any other way) when in the service overseas but on learning what God thought of it, not being past getting sick every time I drank it was easy to succumb to God's reasoning as to its' detrimental affects and I dropped all use of alcoholic beverage use.

 

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.   Prov 20:1

 

God is Love! Jesus saves!

[Aliensanctuary]

Although legally and socially acceptable, the stuff is toxic, and many seem to enjoy the feeling of temporarily being poisoned. Like the toxicity of tobacco, if alcohol were classified as a drug, it would be banned for its dangerous side-effects, including impaired judgment, alcohol-related diseases, and birth-defects. 

 

BTW, I did drink a lot of vodka one summer until I started once again to believe there was a God, but it wasn't the God of religion. 

[Bravus]

I think it's interesting that most perspectives seem not to have identified religious reasons as important - the reasons relate more to past experiences or attitudes to alcohol itself.

There seems to be a lot of assumption that to drink at all means to drink to excess... opposition to abuse of alcohol becomes opposition to use of it.

I can definitely respect those who reject it strongly based on past bad experiences, either of drinking to excess themselves or of living with the consequences of others' alcoholism.

Not sure whether you're interested to compare and contrast with the experiences and attitudes of someone who does choose to moderately use alcohol? If not, I think the thread has been a very interesting and valuable one, and am happy to leave it where it is.

[JoeMo]

I am a social user of alcohol (one or two drinks at a party); but I have refrained from posting anything here over concern of offending some people.  I personally don't think God prohibits the use of alcohol.  After all, Jesus made a bunch of wine for people who were already intoxicated at Cana.  I agree that he condemns chronic overindulgence.

I hesitate to post more in this thread any more, cuz I don't want to offend others with my non-doctrinal practices.

[fccool]

I think I'd be in line with experiences here:

 

-  I don't drink because I don't like the taste

-  I don't like the taste, because I associate it with bad breath and obnoxious idiocy of people who tend to get drunk

-  In my business circles, it's a way to loosen someone's tongue and get them to talk about something they wouldn't normally talk

 

For those reasons, I abstain all together, but I understand as to why one would drink relationally, without going too far, so I don't pass judgement on people who do choose to drink and control.

[Sojourner]

In my own case I choose to abstain also, yet my decision was not based on any religious reasoning. Its evident that Jesus drank alcoholic wine from time to time, my personal theological belief there is that alcohol was likely used as a preservative to make the grape juice last for the full year. I suspect the alcholic content to be less than modern wines today however and I suspect that is why gluttony is often paralleled with drunkenness for sheer volume. 

I grew up in the Salvation Army and took various pledges not to drink alcohol, I left the SA as a young adult and became a moderate drinker, yet I never really enjoyed it. I went along on one occasion to a friends wedding where a drinking competition took place as it was all being supplied free of charge and I did not like how it ended and the following morning made my decision that I no longer wished to continue so I stopped, that was a number of years ago, joining the SDA this one was a non issue, but again not for religious reasons. 

A friend of mine is a psychologist who deals a lot with young adults and she tells me that its becoming common for her clients not to drink at all after having made similar decisions to myself that they did not wish to continue with it. 

 

Personally  I have no problem with anyone that wants to drink moderately, sometimes its a case where common sense simply applies IMO. 

[Gail]

Because of my background I had no problem giving it up when I became a Christian.

[LifeHiscost]

Greetings all, 

 

I wanted to raise a query with those people in here that choose not to consume alcohol. 

 

Do you not drink alcohol because the SDA asks you not to as a member, or do you have other reasons or motivations not to drink alcohol? Did you formerly drink alcohol before becoming involved in the SDA? 

 

 

 

 

 Its evident that Jesus drank alcoholic wine from time to time. 

 

"For we do not have a High Priest Who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin."  Hebrews 4:15

 

This below, with the biblical evidence about Jesus' character would strongly suggest otherwise.

 

 

 

https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/effects-on-the-body/alcohol-and-the-body-infographic

Alcohol and the body infographic

Ever wondered what alcohol is doing to your brain or to your liver?

This infographic gives you a brief overview of what alcohol can do to various parts of your body if  you regularly drink over the lower risk guidelines.

 

What happens to our frontal lobe of the brain when it is anesthetized?

 

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-are-the-effects-of-a/

 

What we have learned is that alcohol is a sedative-hypnotic in the acute intoxication phase for most patients. But it diminishes the quality of sleep. Individuals with sleep apnea often experience longer and more severe apneic episodes and hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, after drinking alcohol.

 

God is Love! Jesus saves!

[Bravus]

...which all applies to abuse, rather than use.

Moderate use is either neutral or slightly positive for health, based on the evidence. 

As ever, I completely respect people's choices for themselves, but strongly encourage them to avoid misleading posts in advocating for their positions.

[LifeHiscost]

...which all applies to abuse, rather than use.

Moderate use is either neutral or slightly positive for health, based on the evidence. 

As ever, I completely respect people's choices for themselves, but strongly encourage them to avoid misleading posts in advocating for their positions.

In the News : 2.5 Million Alcohol-Related Deaths Worldwide- Annually

2.5 Million Alcohol-Related Deaths Worldwide- Annually

As you can see below, of 19 health concerns, alcohol is ranked #3, and is greater than unsafe water, high blood pressure, tobacco, obesity and illicit drugs (ranked #18).

 

https://ncadd.org/in-the-news/155-25-million-alcohol-related-deaths-worldwide-annually

 

Hardly the common sense habit any reasonable person would defend, let alone someone such as Jesus Who gives this advice.

 

 

31Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God;… 1 Cor 10

 

Again, agreed each must follow their own common sense of gainful choices.

 

God is Love! Jesus saves!

[CoAspen]

The most 'common sense' habit one would/should avoid is driving....just saying!!

[lazarus]

My Dad was alcohol dependent for most of his adult life. When I was in my early teens he nearly lost his life one night whilst drunk. We had alcohol in the house as I grew up and had a few at Christmas but never really liked it. I have one brother who was probably an alcoholic be never received treatment or acknowledged it. Clearly, the Bible does not prohibit the use of alcohol but abstinence has worked well for me considering my background. The Biblical warnings are good counsel.

[LifeHiscost]

Clearly, the Bible does not prohibit the use of alcohol but abstinence has worked well for me considering my background. The Biblical warnings are good counsel.

It is definite that when one plays with fire, there is always greater risk of getting burned.

 

God is love! Jesus saves!

[joeb]

...which all applies to abuse, rather than use.

Moderate use is either neutral or slightly positive for health, based on the evidence. 

As ever, I completely respect people's choices for themselves, but strongly encourage them to avoid misleading posts in advocating for their positions.

I have yet to see a misleading post here on this subject.  As to "moderate" drinking, it's impossible to for someone who has never used alcohol to know if they are going to become an alky before they take their first drink.   Thus, it is a huge risk, not because the odds of becoming an alky are so extreme, but because the downside is so extreme.  This makes telling anyone it's OK to drink a highly problematic position on the moral scale.   

 

As an example of someone who became an alky the first time they drank, I'm exhibit #1.   The first time I drank, I drank to the point of getting sick, and yet I loved it.  I was hooked that first time, and the downside was very extreme for me.  Of course it isn't that way for everyone, but if we love our fellow man how can we justify telling someone who has never used alcohol it's OK if they do for they may very well have their life destroyed by our "innocent" recommendation.  To me that is anything but caring for, i.e. loving, my fellow man.  I owe my neighbor far more than that kind of carelessness.  And who is my neighbor?  Even those who hate me.....

[CoAspen]

Actually, it is not impossible to tell if someone will become dependent on alcohol or an abuser. There are many studies that list the risk indicators for people.

 

Telling someone it may be okay is not anti loving, kind, etc. To use the reasons that have been indicated means we should never encourage anyone to drive, cross the street, etc. The risk of death, maiming, etc is much higher, very high! Tis far better to give the information of potential risks to people than the unkind, unloving attitude. Honey goes much farther than vinegar.

[JoeMo]

Hi joeb,

Discouraging people from taking that first drink or strongly encouraging (admonishing?) a current alcoholic to quit is much different than telling someone who has just a few drinks per week that he must stop drinking to become a Christian.  The first actions are for physical (as well as spiritual) health. The last one is purely legalism, IMO.

 

That being said, I believe most people decide on their own whether or not to take that first drink - especially when they become "legal".  I know a lot of people who never drink now; but I hardly know anyone who didn't ever try it.  Not trying to justify anything; just stating a fact.

[Woody]

Why tempt one's self where abuse has easily got it's grip on many.

Obviously abstinence is the best route if possible.

That being said -

It has saddened me to see many in our church .... not avoid it.

I went out to eat with a group of students from Andrews .... along with faculty  and was rather shocked.

 

@ JoeMo.

I've never tasted a sip of alcohol. So - now you know someone.