I know this post might spark a lot of debate (or maybe none at all), but please read the question before you begin tossing your opinion around. I am not asking “Is it wrong for Christians to drink alcohol?” nor am I asking “Is drinking alcohol a sin?” Rather I am asking a question out of complete ignorance. My question is “Why do Christians drink alcohol?” I’m looking for honest or even supposed responses.
Why do Christians drink alcohol?
Tags: Alcohol, Christians, Sinful, Why
June 8th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I would suppose Christians drink alcohol because there is not a clear restriction against it.
The church (or denomination) they belong to doesn’t have a dogmatic approach about it.
Or perhaps they would rather be able to do what they want, how they want it and it doesn’t matter what other people have to say about. It’s all about ‘Me’ being satisfied.
Just some thoughts
June 8th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
There’s one of two reasons for it, depending on what type of Christian you are. Immature Christians will probably do it because it gives them some sense of rebellion and helps them to break out of the stereotypical mold of Christianity (which they don’t want to be associated with). On the other hand, a mature Christian may do it because he enjoys it, does not feel convicted about it, and does so moderately. I mean, as long as we’re asking “Why do Christian’s drink?”, why don’t we ask: why do Christians smoke cigars? why do Christians listen to overly secular music? why do Christians watch R rated movies? why do Christians waste away entire days watching sporting events/reality tv/game shows, etc? why are the habits of most Christians EXACTLY the same as everyone else’s?
Modern Christianity (i.e. the Church of the last fifty years) has done this weird thing where it has compartmentalized every sin. As long as you don’t drink, smoke, or have sex, then you’re a “good little Christian.” It’s basically legalism. We don’t worry about teaching our youth about principles like moderation, modesty, honesty, etc.; rather what we do is give them a list of sins to avoid.
June 8th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I’m torn between two answers. 1. Tastes great 2. Less filling.
June 8th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Kent’s answer is humorous, but not far from the truth. I’ll tell you why I used to drink. It tasted good and didn’t make me feel as bloated as drinking soda. I didn’t drink until after I was 21. It was slow and moderate. I bought into the idea that it was a good way to relax after a long day. No drunkenness, no violence. No guilty feeling.
I’ll tell you why I stopped drinking. My son came home from the first grade one day and said, dad, alcohol is a drug, and it’s bad for you. I told him he was right, got rid of what was in the fridge, and never drank again. It was that easy.
June 10th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I know for a fact that Christians drink. In different areas of the country it is more common (for instance in New England most Christians drink). I think if we step out of our Free Will Baptist experience we will find that most Christians drink at some point throughout the year.
June 10th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
I think the most common answer would be because they can. Secondly, it would be because it tastes good. I think one of the funniest reasons I’ve heard is that it’s for preparation.
Isaiah 25:6 – “In Jerusalem, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.”
It’s clear that Jesus knew how to make some really good wine (that was no grape juice in Capernaum). How much more awesome will it be with a fine cut of meat?!
June 11th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Why do non-Christians drink alcohol? There is no true answer to either question.
I can begin to explain it as a cultural phenomenon. It’s a part of everyone’s lives both indirectly (for those of us who were raised without it in the home and instead heard stories of friends’ drinking or even as simple as seeing a commercial for Smirnoff on tv) and directly (seeing first-hand, growing up, what alcohol does to people). When it’s something that is so prevalent in our society, and not just our’s in America, it’s about as easy to escape as the consumption of corn.
Also, there’s a tradition in some churches to drink wine for their communion services, just as Jesus did during the last supper. When you’re raised in a church such as that, alcohol is not so much a demon, but a representation of the blood of Christ. And for those of us raised in churches that condone the consumption of alcohol completely, there’s still the miracle that Jesus performed during the wedding, turning the river water to wine, and as we all know, you can’t rewrite the Bible.
Lastly, alcohol, for a large period of time in history, was the safer beverage to drink, due to it’s sterile properties. People found this out long before the discovery of germs. So for them, trying to stay away from alcohol meant an extremely dangerous risk to them and their families. Not only that, but it was affordable and easier to come by than clean water or even milk and juice. It also had the added benefit of staying drinkable and not going bad. As well, in ancient times, a lot of pagan ceremonies included the consumption of alcohol to bind a promise made to one god or another.
All this is to say that when something is a part of our societies, histories, and cultures, it can be proven a thousand times over that it’s unsafe or dangerous or “bad”, but it will never go away. Why do we eat hotdogs on the 4th of July? Who chose which side of the road we drive on and why did we listen to them? Why do Christians spend time on facebook, instead of out in the world ministering? No one knows the answer to the question “Why do Christians drink alcohol?”, and for me, there really isn’t one. Is it ok? In moderation, as is anything. Is it wise? The ignorance of non-believers on the behavior of Christians causes me to say no. Being labeled hypocritical and self-righteous are things I try to avoid, and I knew that becoming a Christian meant having to hold myself to a higher standard. At the end of the day it’s a personal choice, and one you have to understand the consequences of making, one way or another.
Hope this post wasn’t too long for you David!! I’m a bit long winded. ;)
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:46 am
In the privacy of your home you have a glass of wine or a beer with your meal I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. You should not do anything to cause a brother to stumble. You should never get drunk, that shouldn’t be an option. If you have trouble stopping before you get drunk, then you shouldn’t be drinking at all. The same goes with food, If you have a problem with Pizza, You eat the whole large pizza instead of a couple slices, maybe you shouldn’t be eating pizza. It’s all about moderation and common sense. When did the modern day church go to absitinence instead of moderation ? Wasnt is like the mid 1700′s ? So were all those christians committing sin who had a glass of wine with their meals ? I don’t think so. Alcohol is dangerous and has made a really bad name for itself. If you can’t handle it, you should stay away from it. But I don’t think it a sin to have a drink with your meal because some people abuse it.