Teetotalers?

[scardella]

I was just curious, since I've never met anyone of this vintage...

Why do y'all think drinking even a little is bad?

[Sojourner]

My parents are teetotallers.


Both of them have parents who had problems with alcohol. Plus, lots of (Protestant) churches have anti-alcohol cultures, and my parents have been fairly deeply steeped in those church cultures.

Typically, it's the fear of the problems that come with over-indulgence, so rather than walk the more difficult line of moderation, they chose to abstain altogether.

[prose]

Definately I am not in this category.

If alcohol was a sin Jesus would never have turned water into wine.

[Colleen]

There's nothing wrong with alcohol in moderation. But when I'm with individuals who really have no sense of moderation and can't handle it, I refuse to drink around them. I just don't want to encourage them. (It's really one individual in particular.) So I can understand Terra Firma's example, how some may feel who choose to abstain completely. But I think a little alcohol in moderation is great.

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Terra Firma' post='1147414' date='Dec 22 2006, 01:02 PM']
My parents are teetotallers.
Both of them have parents who had problems with alcohol. Plus, lots of (Protestant) churches have anti-alcohol cultures, and my parents have been fairly deeply steeped in those church cultures.

Typically, it's the fear of the problems that come with over-indulgence, so rather than walk the more difficult line of moderation, they chose to abstain altogether.
[/quote]
Ditto all that with my in-laws.

[God the Father]

It's a dumb thing to do. You should know better.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='God the Father' post='1147424' date='Dec 22 2006, 01:04 PM']
It's a dumb thing to do. You should know better.
[/quote]
teetotalling?


Or overindulging?

[SanctitasDeo]

Personally, I think alcohol is unnecessary. I don't see any reason to waste time and money on it.

And I see people who use it doing stupid things. Not necessarily like driving drunk and killing people, but just saying stupid things and acting stupid when light-headed from alcohol's effects. I see no reason to incapacitate myself that way.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='SanctitasDeo' post='1147519' date='Dec 22 2006, 04:30 PM']
Personally, I think alcohol is unnecessary. I don't see any reason to waste time and money on it.

And I see people who use it doing stupid things. Not necessarily like driving drunk and killing people, but just saying stupid things and acting stupid when light-headed from alcohol's effects. I see no reason to incapacitate myself that way.
[/quote]
well really, anything other than basic food and water is unnecessary. Some things we partake of not because they are necessary, but because of some other benefit they confer. Chocolate would fall into this same category of things that are enjoyable but not necessary.

I too have seen people using alcohol who do stupid things, and I myself have done stupid things under the influence of alcohol. The key, as with many other things in life, is moderation.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Terra Firma' post='1147522' date='Dec 22 2006, 06:35 PM']
well really, anything other than basic food and water is unnecessary. Some things we partake of not because they are necessary, but because of some other benefit they confer. Chocolate would fall into this same category of things that are enjoyable but not necessary.

I too have seen people using alcohol who do stupid things, and I myself have done stupid things under the influence of alcohol. The key, as with many other things in life, is moderation.
[/quote]

You took the words right out of my mouth... er... keyboard.

[philosophette]

I really like wine - preferably a nice Pinot, but I can live without it. I think it is annoying how people act after they have had too much to drink .

I think that alcohol has been overblown by the mass media and glamorized, so that young people think that once they turn 21 all of these wonderful "experiences" await them once they can get legally drunk. heh. I guess hugging a toilet is wonderful to some?! :

I do not understand wanting to get drunk. I think it is a sad form of escapism hidden under the guise of being "social".

[SanctitasDeo]

[quote name='Terra Firma' post='1147522' date='Dec 22 2006, 05:35 PM']
well really, anything other than basic food and water is unnecessary. Some things we partake of not because they are necessary, but because of some other benefit they confer. Chocolate would fall into this same category of things that are enjoyable but not necessary.

I too have seen people using alcohol who do stupid things, and I myself have done stupid things under the influence of alcohol. The key, as with many other things in life, is moderation.
[/quote]

I understand where you are coming from here, but I suppose I see too much of what philosobrat spoke of: media glamorization of alcohol. I go to school with lots of people who practically glorify alcohol (as well as other drugs). They regard it as necessary to their lives. Alcohol is portrayed as something that everyone must do because, well, why wouldn't you. Everyone else drinks. The people I spoke to at school (all underage) had no real reason to drink and smoke except that everyone else was. Or at least, they had no other answer for me.

Chocolate is good. Perhaps alcohol is good too. But chocolate doesn't make me stupid or endanger my life.

Moderation is important. But moderation seems to be rather scarce in the alcohol-using subcultures I see.

Either way, it's a luxury I can do without.

[scardella]

[quote name='Terra Firma' post='1147414' date='Dec 22 2006, 01:02 PM']
My parents are teetotallers.
Both of them have parents who had problems with alcohol. Plus, lots of (Protestant) churches have anti-alcohol cultures, and my parents have been fairly deeply steeped in those church cultures.

Typically, it's the fear of the problems that come with over-indulgence, so rather than walk the more difficult line of moderation, they chose to abstain altogether.
[/quote]

I completely understand specific cases where someone is an alcoholic or they have a strong family history of it. I'm just surprised about some people who claim that consuming alcohol in any amount by anyone is sinful.

Where does the anti-alcohol culture come from? Does this have anything to do with protestant rejection of the Eucharist?

[MissScripture]

How do protestants who view alcohol as sinful reconcile the fact that Christ's first miracle was turning water into wine with thier view of alcohol?

[suuran]

Well, Puritanism has been defined as the fear that someone, somewhere, is having a good time....

[Sojourner]

[quote name='scardella' post='1147627' date='Dec 22 2006, 08:50 PM']
I completely understand specific cases where someone is an alcoholic or they have a strong family history of it. I'm just surprised about some people who claim that consuming alcohol in any amount by anyone is sinful.

Where does the anti-alcohol culture come from? Does this have anything to do with protestant rejection of the Eucharist?
[/quote]
[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperance_movements"]Check out the wikipedia link here on temperance movements[/url]

Here's from the opening graphs:
[quote]The Temperance movement attempts to greatly reduce the amount of alcohol consumed or even prohibit its production and consumption entirely. In predominantly Muslim countries, temperance is part of Islam. In predominantly Christian countries, forms of Christianity influenced by Wesleyan views on sanctification have strongly supported it at times. More specifically, religious or moralistic beliefs have often been the catalyst for temperance, though secular advocates do exist. The Women's Christian Temperance Union is a prominent example of a religion-based temperance movement.

Most of the biggest supporters in all countries have been women, often as part of what some describe as feminism. The strong temperance movements of the early 20th century found most of their support in women who were opposed to the domestic violence associated with alcohol, and the large share of household income it would swallow, which was especially burdensome to the low-income working class.[/quote]

As far as I can remember from my history classes this is correct.

[SRMiller]

[quote name='MissScripture' post='1147840' date='Dec 23 2006, 05:27 AM']
How do protestants who view alcohol as sinful reconcile the fact that Christ's first miracle was turning water into wine with thier view of alcohol?
[/quote]


Speaking as a former Southern Baptist, I can tell you how my church explained it. Bear in mind that this does not apply to all Protestants, or even all Baptists. My pastor was insistent that the Bible didn't really mean wine. When I continued to press it, he told me that wine was different then. I then got myself in trouble by pointing out the first vintage dates on alcohol from Egypt and other places (I'm an archaeologist).

[MrsFrozen]

::Sips her chianti:: Ohhhh, ummm... I don't know..

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='SRMiller' post='1147975' date='Dec 23 2006, 05:18 AM']
Speaking as a former Southern Baptist, I can tell you how my church explained it. Bear in mind that this does not apply to all Protestants, or even all Baptists. My pastor was insistent that the Bible didn't really mean wine. When I continued to press it, he told me that wine was different then. I then got myself in trouble by pointing out the first vintage dates on alcohol from Egypt and other places (I'm an archaeologist).
[/quote]
welcome to phatmass.

[ReinnieR]

[img]http://reinnier.com/images/beer.JPG[/img]

The front says, "Catholics, we drink beer."
The back says, "Catholics, picking up the slack of our protestant brethren since 1517."

Edited December 23, 2006 by ReinnieR