Subject: making wine.Did Jesus make a mistake. |
Bible Note: My prized friend, Charis: While I readily and fervently agree with you in your statement that we (Christians) are called to self-control, I would at the same time observe that in my 67 years I have learned along the way that one of the prime effects of alcohol on the brain cells is the loss, to a greater or lesser degree depending upon the amount of alcohol present in the bloodstream, of inhibition, self-control and sound judgment. Motor control of the central nervous system is measurably diminished by relatively small quantities of alcohol, especially when the alcohol is injested on an empty stomach. I concede that one is hard pressed to find a "Thou shalt not" for the use of alcohol, but the abuse of it (drunkenness) is clearly proscribed by Scripture. But then, there is, to my knowledge, no Holy Writ that forbids one to ride his Harley-Davidson at 100 miles an hour on a mountain pass in a blizzard, either. In view of my experiences -- e.g., losing a son to a drunk driver, ministering to Christian alcoholics, and on one mad occasion in my youth, almost killing a passenger and myself while I was driving as drunk as a fiddler -- I feel it incumbent upon me, in order to avoid the risk of diminishing my Christian witness to others or perchance of being a stumbling block to them instead of a positive ambassador for Christ, to refrain from any use of alcohol. I am unable to see how I could justify using it. I can see no real benefits to be derived by using it, but I can see potential dangers aplenty. The negatives of using alcohol, in my experience, outweigh the positives -- if in fact there are any real positives. Having said that, I'll assure you I'm not in cahoots with the Carrie Nation crowd and thus pledge not to sail to Japan, hatchet in hand, and proceed to chop your wine cellar to shreds! As I said to John Reformed, so say I to you: To drink or not to drink, that is the question for you, and your choice is your business. I do, however, suggest that we all of us, having had our say, close shop on this thread and thereby end it. I trust we can all agree that this is a wise course to take before this thing becomes any more explosive than it already has. --Hank |