Getting Drunk

[XIX]

Drunkenness is a huge waste of perfectly good alcohol.

And vital organs, for that matter.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='XIX' post='1483330' date='Mar 24 2008, 10:02 PM']Drunkenness is a huge waste of perfectly good alcohol.

And vital organs, for that matter. [/quote]
and brain cells...

[jeffpugh]

[quote name='Delivery Boy' post='1483176' date='Mar 24 2008, 04:48 PM']... I was just reading in the "lame board " a thread about tequila. Also alot of talk about other drinks and no one had a problem with them being consumed nor do I think they should have. But again, my question is, what is being drunk by the church's standard and is it a mortal sin evertyime one crosses this line? Thanks for any imput, have a good day.[/quote]
lawl, I was just reading that thread too when i saw this one... uhh I have nothing to add. They've said it all. Do your best, man. That's all I gotta say.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Aloysius' post='1483325' date='Mar 24 2008, 09:53 PM']I think it is okay to drink with the point in mind of getting to the point of hilarity, as I have described it above.

since drunkenness is a sin then obviously it's not okay to drink with the purpose of getting drunk, but drinking with the purpose of feeling its effects is not outright wrong.[/quote]
Exactly right.

Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There's laughter, cheer, and good red wine;
At least I have always found it so--
Benedicamos Domino!
--Hillaire Belloc

[kujo]

My .02....

I believe that there is a difference being [i]drunk [/i]and being [b]A drunk[/b]. A lot of this depends on your intent, as Aloysius and others have pointed out so eloquently. I also believe it involves a lot on the frequency of your consumption of alcohol and whether or not it adversely-affects your life. That is, are you neglecting your responsibilities? As a college student, does your drinking cause you to miss class or perform poorly on tests and assignments? As an adult, do you find that your drinking habit infringes on your ability to perform the tasks required of you at work or at home? Do you engage in truly mortal sins as a result of your intoxication?

These are all things that the individual must discern. I believe that there is no black or white in this area until you've discerned the intention, the frequency and the affects (intented or not) on your life.

Peace bro!

...and cheers!!!

[Dismas]

[quote name='kujo' post='1483728' date='Mar 25 2008, 12:30 PM']My .02....

I believe that there is a difference being [i]drunk [/i]and being [b]A drunk[/b]. A lot of this depends on your intent, as Aloysius and others have pointed out so eloquently. I also believe it involves a lot on the frequency of your consumption of alcohol and whether or not it adversely-affects your life. That is, are you neglecting your responsibilities? As a college student, does your drinking cause you to miss class or perform poorly on tests and assignments? As an adult, do you find that your drinking habit infringes on your ability to perform the tasks required of you at work or at home? Do you engage in truly mortal sins as a result of your intoxication?

These are all things that the individual must discern. I believe that there is no black or white in this area until you've discerned the intention, the frequency and the affects (intented or not) on your life.

Peace bro!

...and cheers!!![/quote]
Be careful, there is such a thing as a functional alcoholic.

[kujo]

[quote name='Dismas' post='1483982' date='Mar 25 2008, 06:44 PM']Be careful, there is such a thing as a functional alcoholic.[/quote]

Yeah, about that...

I don't quite understand what a "functioning" alcoholic is. Why is it that a taste for alcohol which does not harm your life and commitments is deemed bad?

[29908]

I didn't think it was a sin... My friend even asked her priest during confession and he was like it's okay as long as youre not doing stupid stuff like having sex or whatever...

[kujo]

I say that it's like everything else in life. Moderation is paramount. If anything in your life adversely affects your professional, family or spiritual life, it is most likely something you need to stay away from; however, if drinking alcohol is something you like doing, and it doesn't cause a dip in you attending to your responsibilities, I say you're okay.

[Socrates]

The Church defines drunkeness as a sin. Drunkenness for this purpose is defined as drinking to the point where one no longer possesses the use of right reason.

I've read somewhere that any of the following are signs that one drank to the point of mortal sin:
1) You drink to the point of sickness or passing out
2) You do things that are out of character or that you would otherwise never think of doing (not just being a bit sillier or louder than normal)
3) You can't remember afterwards what you did while drunk

While habitual drunkenness is of course a more serious problem, deliberately getting seriously drunk anytime constitutes a sin.
There's nothing wrong with drinking in moderation, or even to get a light "buzz," but drinking to get smashed is a sin.

[Aloysius]

those are good signs, soc.

[quote]2) You do things that are out of character or that you would otherwise never think of doing (not just being a bit sillier or louder than normal)[/quote]

though as I explained, there is a difference between doing what you would otherwise never think of doing, and doing what you ought not to do. there are a lot of people who would never think of saying "i love you" to their best friend but might do so when they're drunk, and that's actually a good effect of alcohol because it's breaking down barriers that needn't be there.

which is why I say it's important to an extent who you're drinking with as to what level of hilarity you can get to. the same level of drinking might result in an "i love you man" to a good friend or a fist fight with someone you really hate... the barrier against fist fights absolutely ought to remain intact whereas the barrier against i love yous to good friends is fine to get rid of from time to time.

but yes, definitely if you 1) get sick or 2) have memory loss or 3) lose control of yourself, you're drunk in the sense of sin.

[kujo]

[quote name='Aloysius' post='1484691' date='Mar 26 2008, 12:44 PM']though as I explained, there is a difference between doing what you would otherwise never think of doing, and doing what you ought not to do. there are a lot of people who would never think of saying "i love you" to their best friend but might do so when they're drunk, and that's actually a good effect of alcohol because it's breaking down barriers that needn't be there.[/quote]

True dude.

[rachael]

does this apply to medicines too?

because i have a medication that makes me and act a little

i hope not. lol.

Edited March 27, 2008 by rachael

[Jaime]

[quote name='rachael' post='1485577' date='Mar 27 2008, 05:53 AM']does this apply to medicines too?

because i have a medication that makes me and act a little

i hope not. lol.[/quote]

Is THAT why you said you loved me?

[Laudate_Dominum]

Getting drunk is sweeeeeeeeeeet!!!

j/k, it is totally overrated and it is a serious sin.

[Galloglasses]

This thread does not reflect well on me D:

Just kidding, getting drunk is not a sin, alcoholism is. Think about it.

[ardillacid]

Can either side post official Church stance?

[rachael]

[quote name='hot stuff' post='1486911' date='Mar 28 2008, 03:57 PM']Is THAT why you said you loved me?

[/quote]

[Socrates]

[quote name='Galloglasses' post='1488969' date='Mar 30 2008, 05:28 PM']This thread does not reflect well on me D:

Just kidding, getting drunk is not a sin, alcoholism is. Think about it.[/quote]
Getting drunk is a sin. Alcoholism is a disease.

[quote name='notardillacid' post='1489008' date='Mar 30 2008, 06:41 PM']Can either side post official Church stance?[/quote]
From the Baltimore Catechism:

"Q. 305. What kind of a sin is drunkenness?

A. Drunkenness is a sin of gluttony by which a person deprives himself of the use of his reason by the excessive taking of intoxicating drink.

Q. 306. Is drunkenness always a mortal sin?

A. Deliberate drunkenness is always a mortal sin if the person be completely deprived of the use of reason by it, but drunkenness that is not intended or desired may be excused from mortal sin."

From The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

"2290 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others' safety on the road, at sea, or in the air. "

[ardillacid]

[quote name='Socrates' post='1489038' date='Mar 30 2008, 08:50 PM']Getting drunk is a sin. Alcoholism is a disease.
From the Baltimore Catechism:

"Q. 305. What kind of a sin is drunkenness?

A. Drunkenness is a sin of gluttony by which a person deprives himself of the use of his reason by the excessive taking of intoxicating drink.

Q. 306. Is drunkenness always a mortal sin?

A. Deliberate drunkenness is always a mortal sin if the person be completely deprived of the use of reason by it, but drunkenness that is not intended or desired may be excused from mortal sin."

From The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

"2290 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others' safety on the road, at sea, or in the air. "[/quote]
...and with that the debate ends for all serious catholics