Alcohol

Cino

Cino

Big Love! (Atheist mystic)
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Alcohol is a substance that's been with humanity for a long time now, since prehistoric times.

Some researchers theorize that grain cultivation arose driven by the desire for beer-like fermented drinks, rather than bread, initially. Grapes and other fruit ferment readily. Human ingenuity plus the byproducts of yeast got us to where we are today, with most societies world-wide allowing easy access to alcohol, and with its consumption being socially acceptable, even encouraged by culture.

Alcohol has been part of some religious ceremonies for a long time, while in some other religions, it is not allowed.

Societies have struggled to come to terms with this substance. There were attempts at prohibition, on both secular as well as religious grounds.

Individuals have had alcohol profoundly impact their lives, be it because they themselves struggle with the illness of addiction, or because family members do, or even due to exposure to alcohol while still unborn, which can lead to impaired development of the fetus, even conditions lije epilepsy in later life.

What's your relationship to alcohol? What does your religion or world-view say about it?
 
My dad was a functioning alcoholic, in the end it won, he lost my respect due to it as a teen, it eventually took his job and his life, if it weren't for the fact mom was old school, it would have taken his wife, most women today would not have tolerated it.

I was an alcoholic, after the twins were born in a moment of drunken lucidity I realized child protective services would not approve and I went cold turkey, tea totaller for a year and a half before I came to a personal revelation and learned to count to two (no more than two drinks per session) I have broken that rule a few times in the past decades, may have a couple drinks a day over vacations or holiday weekends, but probably average less than half a dozen drinks a month over the course of a year

I consider myself lucky, I have an addictive nature (absolutely scared of video n electronic games) alcohol I feel I have contained

My religious beliefs have assisted me in this regard, not pressured either way, but when my wife left, I was eternally grateful I had found my level of sobriety or the bottle and other substances would have been an issue.

For instance, the first Christmas eve without the kids, ibwent to church, and after went to the bar alone at my favorite Chinese restaraunt and ordered spicy fried eggplant and a martini. The owner came over, she knew my wife and I before kids, during pregnancy and saw the kids many times. She saw me drinking and eating alone on that night and surmised everything. She came and brought another drink and a plate of cold Sesame noodles (another favorite of mine) and told me Merry Christmas, gave me a hug and said the evenings food and libations were on her. Without that I may have had more than two, but instead I finished, left a 20 for the bartender and went home. The love that night from my church family and my favorite eatery owner and two martinis (alcohol) helped me get through that moment without drowning.

Bottom line, I feel the line on alcohol between use and abuse is fought with peril, it takes skill to walk that tightrope without falling off.
 
Native Americans did not have alcohol or did not make it. So the Europeans brought the devil's juice with them as they tried to force feed Christianity on them. It was used as a tool to weaken the nations and worked. They still struggle today, the world had millenia to adapt to alcohol and it is a problem today. Our indigenous have had less than 400 years to evolve and it is still killing them off as they have not.
 
Alcohol is a plague on humanity.

Many people suffer the abuse of its use and from the abuse caused by its use.


Events like this are now Australian wide and I suspect a global epidemic.

Nations are not addressing the root causes and are reactionary only.

Regards Tony
 
Tone Bristow-Stagg said:
Alcohol is a plague on humanity.

Many people suffer the abuse of its use and from the abuse caused by its use.
Click to expand...
The first part of your second sentence I would agree with. The second part I think would be more accurate if it read “the abuse caused by the abuse of its use”. For similar reasons I do not agree with your first sentence as it stands.

I will make a mental note that Purim is not a holiday to invite you to celebrate.
 
wil said:
My dad was a functioning alcoholic, in the end it won, he lost my respect due to it as a teen
Click to expand...
I had a similar experience .. my father often used to lose his temper when he'd been drinking.
He was in the Royal Navy, and I think he started drinking a lot through boredom.

It cost him his family eventually, and I was following in his footsteps .. until I discovered Islam.
I didn't give up drinking immediately .. I was on the Guinness, and brewed my own as well.
One day, I had a Muslim visitor, and he asked why I was drinking.
I replied that I only drank a little. He suggested that I couldn't give it up .. I said that I could.
He said "OK then, show me by pouring it all down the sink".

I did exactly that, and never went to the pub again, attending the mosque instead. :D

These days, I sometimes have a drink in company .. a small beer.
..but I have no desire to get intoxicated. I remember well the damage it can cause.

wil said:
Bottom line, I feel the line on alcohol between use and abuse is fought with peril, it takes skill to walk that tightrope without falling off.
Click to expand...
I consider myself very fortunate. It could have easily destroyed me.
I pray that I will not start drinking again, on a regular basis. Amen.
 
Cino said:
Alcohol is a substance that's been with humanity for a long time now, since prehistoric times.

Some researchers theorize that grain cultivation arose driven by the desire for beer-like fermented drinks, rather than bread, initially. Grapes and other fruit ferment readily. Human ingenuity plus the byproducts of yeast got us to where we are today, with most societies world-wide allowing easy access to alcohol, and with its consumption being socially acceptable, even encouraged by culture.

Alcohol has been part of some religious ceremonies for a long time, while in some other religions, it is not allowed.

Societies have struggled to come to terms with this substance. There were attempts at prohibition, on both secular as well as religious grounds.

Individuals have had alcohol profoundly impact their lives, be it because they themselves struggle with the illness of addiction, or because family members do, or even due to exposure to alcohol while still unborn, which can lead to impaired development of the fetus, even conditions lije epilepsy in later life.

What's your relationship to alcohol? What does your religion or world-view say about it?
Click to expand...
This topic hits home for me. After my dad passed away when I was 12 my mom started drinking. I spent my teen years as basically an orphan and found myself caring for my mother. It has basically damaged our relationship to this day. Alcoholism runs in my family so I made the choice to never drink as I saw what it did to my mom. I know the bible says everything in moderation and a fruit of the Spirit is self control but when you have a genetic disposition to something like addiction I could not take that chance. When my own husband passed away I was wiser and coped by acknowledging the stages of grief and crying when I needed to cry and was angry when I need to be angry while allowing the Holy Spirit to comfort me. I'm actually grateful that my mom went through something similar and I could see what mistake not to make as I had a 14 year old son myself. He is much better off emotionally at 20 than I was that's for sure.

I believe I read somewhere that alcohol like mead and ale were an answer to polluted water. The fermentation killed the bacteria that caused cholera and dysentery mostly in the middle ages as they didn't understand bacteria and how just boiling water could kill these same bacteria.
 
RabbiO said:
I will make a mental note that Purim is not a holiday to invite you to celebrate.
Click to expand...

I've been wondering, how tipsy does one have to get to fulfill the Purim obligations, Rabbi?
 
How about Christian denominations? I seem to remember that some use unfermented grape juice in the celebration or remembrance of the Eucharist? Are there denominations which prescribe wine?
 
Cino said:
How about Christian denominations? I seem to remember that some use unfermented grape juice in the celebration or remembrance of the Eucharist? Are there denominations which prescribe wine?
Click to expand...
A thimble full of wine ain't much, although I do know churches that use grape juice.

I know of no Christian celebrations that involve actual drinking. Wasn't the date of Christmas allocated tonspecifically make people steer away from the bacchanalian fests? Not that alcohol isn't rampant at most holiday functions
 
RabbiO said:
The first part of your second sentence I would agree with. The second part I think would be more accurate if it read “the abuse caused by the abuse of its use”. For similar reasons I do not agree with your first sentence as it stands.

I will make a mental note that Purim is not a holiday to invite you to celebrate.
Click to expand...

I will stick with case by it use. I see Science supports this.

One such article

www.frontiersin.org

Alcohol, Aggression, and Violence: From Public Health to Neuroscience

Alcohol has been associated with violent crimes and domestic violence across many nations. Various etiological factors were linked to chronic alcohol use and violence including psychiatric comorbidities of perpetrators such as personality disorders, mood disorders, and intermittent explosive...
www.frontiersin.org www.frontiersin.org

Australia and many Nations are now finding out first hand what the results are of the abuses of alcohol.

You are correct. I stay away from the alcohol. I do attend church and decline their bread wine. The intoxication of the Love of God needs no stimulating mind altering substances, I see Love gives all that is required. Knowledge is the bread that feeds that Love.

All the best, Regards Tony
 
wil said:
Native Americans did not have alcohol or did not make it. So the Europeans brought the devil's juice with them as they tried to force feed Christianity on them. It was used as a tool to weaken the nations and worked. They still struggle today, the world had millenia to adapt to alcohol and it is a problem today. Our indigenous have had less than 400 years to evolve and it is still killing them off as they have not.
Click to expand...
....actually many if not most Native Americans consumed alcohol. I have an obsession with Native American history, especially when it comes to Latin America. They fermented a lot of different items to make alcohol. Tiswin was and still is a popular alcoholic beverage amongst multiple tribes. The Cree and Ojibwa tribes were also making beer before Europeans ever arrived. Native Americans often don't get much credit for the many things they invented before the Europeans showed up. In the case of Southern and Central America, they probably had more types of alcoholic beverages than the Europeans did.
 
You can grow and buy kava, which has an intoxicating and yet a sedative effect, in every state in Australia except for the northern Territory, although recent changes to national law have opened avenues for kava to be reintroduced commercially in the NT. But it is still illegal to sell or import kava in the NT, while the stimulant alcohol is still legal.
 
Times have changed. No prohibition in my family, but we need to maintain limits. Just don't get drunk and don't make it a habit.
 
Cino said:
Alcohol is a substance that's been with humanity for a long time now, since prehistoric times.

Some researchers theorize that grain cultivation arose driven by the desire for beer-like fermented drinks, rather than bread, initially. Grapes and other fruit ferment readily. Human ingenuity plus the byproducts of yeast got us to where we are today, with most societies world-wide allowing easy access to alcohol, and with its consumption being socially acceptable, even encouraged by culture.

Alcohol has been part of some religious ceremonies for a long time, while in some other religions, it is not allowed.

Societies have struggled to come to terms with this substance. There were attempts at prohibition, on both secular as well as religious grounds.

Individuals have had alcohol profoundly impact their lives, be it because they themselves struggle with the illness of addiction, or because family members do, or even due to exposure to alcohol while still unborn, which can lead to impaired development of the fetus, even conditions lije epilepsy in later life.

What's your relationship to alcohol? What does your religion or world-view say about it?
Click to expand...
Reply removed at user's own request
 
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