Drinking..

[clareos86]

This is a big issue for me right now!!

I have always been a biiig social drinker (legal drinking age here is 18) I've been going to pubs/clubs/parties since I was about 16 and getting very drunk a lot of the time. I became a Christian in August 04 and continued drinking just the same. In January I realised that it was getting me into a lot of situations I didn't want to be in, so I gave it up for 3 months (that was a lot for me!!) I thought that if I gave up completely for a while I'd be more OK with it and might learn when to stop.

Didn't happen.

Recently I've been feeling very bad about my drinking and I finally faced up to the fact that God doesn't want me being wasted! He guided me to Proverbs 31 through prayer and on New Years Eve I gave up again. So far so good!

But I know it will get a lot harder once all my mates finish their exams at Uni and the nights out start up again..

 

[winglovesall]

I'm still very young and have not drunken a sip of beer before - but I don't even want to go to Pubs - people say everything will change - but a lot of my mates are Christians...

 

[FlatpickingJD]

Wing, it's up to you whether you drink or not. Just because your friends drink doesn't mean you will or have to. You might catch some flack over it at first, but for me in the same situation it was a badge of honor. Stand strong in your beliefs and you'll do well and don't worry about what others say.

 

[winglovesall]

Thanks for your encouragement...

 

[mwb]

For those of you in your 20's: be careful. When I was in my 20's since I didn't really drink, I didn't have any connection with my high school friends. Four of them were in an auto accident in which two of them were killed. Last year, a 23 year old neighbor was killed because he was drinking & driving (although there may have been other circumstances involved).

So be true to yourself & be careful.

 

[~HopeFloats~]

So be true to yourself & be careful.

Words to live by..

 

[esseJ]

I was a huge partyer in earlier life and recently I thought it would be ok to have a few beers while watching a football game with some buds...ya know what? it wasn't. So FOR ME drinking just doesn't work. I'll tell you why it doesn't work for ME...
1. IT wrecks my witness, my friends knew me back when I partied a lot and they still notice if I'm not living what I say...
2. Apparently I don't know when to stop. Yup, last time I drank, I dint stop and you know how that ends up.

So for me the answer is a resounding NO to drinking.

clareos86, I know what you mean...and I get what you are going through...PM me if ya wanna talk about it...

 

[discipleship8]

I dont drink, and i haven't since i been saved by grace, but for those who drink, what position are u putting yourself in to sin, even if you "casually drink"? and what does the bible say about drunkeness? too many things i tell ya

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

I dont drink, and i haven't since i been saved by grace, but for those who drink, what position are u putting yourself in to sin, even if you "casually drink"? and what does the bible say about drunkeness? too many things i tell ya

drinking/drunkeness are not the same thing.

I can have a few a not affect my witness, I stop before I get drunk.

I don't see how responsible drinking instead of drunken partying negatively affects others. Should women stop wearing makeup because some girls dress like harlots and that makes some guys stumble?

If someone wants to equate me drinking a couple beers with them getting smashed thats not on my conscience.

 

[Willtor]

drinking/drunkeness are not the same thing.

I can have a few a not affect my witness, I stop before I get drunk.

I don't see how responsible drinking instead of drunken partying negatively affects others. Should women stop wearing makeup because some girls dress like harlots and that makes some guys stumble?

If someone wants to equate me drinking a couple beers with them getting smashed thats not on my conscience.

Yeah, but we shouldn't drink around such people. If it will make discipleship8 (and people like him) stumble, it becomes a sin for us to do it. Of course, you and I both know that there's nothing sinful in casual drinking, but it becomes wrong if someone is present who thinks it's a sin and is likely to stumble when we do it.

 

[~HopeFloats~]

One of my reasons is the fact Pepsi tastes way better--

I think there is a huge difference between drinking one drink to spending 100 bucks at a bar and dropping your pants in the lobby

 

[chanis]

yep I drink...I know my limits and don't cross them...I think there's nothing wrong with drinking...as a matter fact I had a cosmo martini on sat night and it was mmm mmm goood...

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

Yeah, but we shouldn't drink around such people. If it will make discipleship8 (and people like him) stumble, it becomes a sin for us to do it. Of course, you and I both know that there's nothing sinful in casual drinking, but it becomes wrong if someone is present who thinks it's a sin and is likely to stumble when we do it.

I don't buy that. That we can't do something permitted to us because someone else may have a problem with it. It's nice and thoughtful, but the problem for the stumbler is too much drinking, and I'm not doing that or promoting that. My beer may remind them of binge drinking, but that's just as much my fault or responsibility as a guy who decides to touch to pornography because some girl's skirt was too short at church today. Her fault? No.

There's too many little triggers that I personally don't feel held responsible for when it comes to other people's problems, and I personally don't hold them responsible for doing something that triggers my shortcomings.

 

[immersedingrace]

I don't buy that. That we can't do something permitted to us because someone else may have a problem with it. It's nice and thoughtful, but the problem for the stumbler is too much drinking, and I'm not doing that or promoting that. My beer may remind them of binge drinking, but that's just as much my fault or responsibility as a guy who decides to touch to pornography because some girl's skirt was too short at church today. Her fault? No.

There's too many little triggers that I personally don't feel held responsible for when it comes to other people's problems, and I personally don't hold them responsible for doing something that triggers my shortcomings.

What about the passage that tells us it IS our responsibility? Where it says we're not to cause a brother to stumble? If you know your friend Jack is a binge drinker or alcoholic then you should not drink around him or invite him to your bible study with alcohol! However, if you do not know Jack is a binge drinker or alcoholic, then you have no way of knowing he might stumble. If you're in a restaurant with friends and know that one of them is an alcoholic or is offended by alcohol, you should not drink around them (forget that if they're truly offended they shouldn't be in a restaurant that serves alcohol). If, however, you're unaware, then you're in the clear. Therefore, if you're in a restaurant and the guy two tables over is an alcoholic, you're unaware and you would be in the clear, IMO, though I don't believe Christians should drink. That, however, is my conviction.

 

[GQ Chris]

Yes I drink.

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

What about the passage that tells us it IS our responsibility? Where it says we're not to cause a brother to stumble? If you know your friend Jack is a binge drinker or alcoholic then you should not drink around him or invite him to your bible study with alcohol! However, if you do not know Jack is a binge drinker or alcoholic, then you have no way of knowing he might stumble. If you're in a restaurant with friends and know that one of them is an alcoholic or is offended by alcohol, you should not drink around them (forget that if they're truly offended they shouldn't be in a restaurant that serves alcohol). If, however, you're unaware, then you're in the clear. Therefore, if you're in a restaurant and the guy two tables over is an alcoholic, you're unaware and you would be in the clear, IMO, though I don't believe Christians should drink. That, however, is my conviction.

There's validity in those situations, but the mindset that a Christian shouldn't drink because it might cause someone to stumble is a stretch for me. Not drinking with people where you know they have a problem is far different from not drinking at all because of all the unknowns out there. If I knew drinking was a problem for someone I wouldn't do it in front of them, but I'm not going to throw that blanket over the whole conversation just to cover all the bases that may or may not need covering.

If that's the case we should all become monks and nuns so we don't live in the fear that any of our choices might trigger any number of sins in others. Or take it a step further and just ecome slaves to everyone elses possible problems.

My life and choices aren't governed by the "maybes" that are usually thrown around as reason for people's choices. There's a right way and a wrong way to drink alcohol. Having a beer or two while I'm playing pool or something isn't the wrong way. If some stumbler I've never met sees that and instead of seeing "that guy stopped after two beers, his craving for alcohol is on par with his craving for potato chips. " and instead sees "A Christian drank one beer, that's reason enough for me to get blasted tonight!" I don't think that's my fault. If I knew he was an alcoholic the situation would never have occurred in the first place (because I wouldn't be drinking in front of him)

Do you guys ever eat unhealthy foods in front of your overweight friends? Or spend money in front of the less fortunate? Public displays of affection in front of lustful friends?

 

[Willtor]

There's validity in those situations, but the mindset that a Christian shouldn't drink because it might cause someone to stumble is a stretch for me. Not drinking with people where you know they have a problem is far different from not drinking at all because of all the unknowns out there. If I knew drinking was a problem for someone I wouldn't do it in front of them, but I'm not going to throw that blanket over the whole conversation just to cover all the bases that may or may not need covering.

If that's the case we should all become monks and nuns so we don't live in the fear that any of our choices might trigger any number of sins in others. Or take it a step further and just ecome slaves to everyone elses possible problems.

My life and choices aren't governed by the "maybes" that are usually thrown around as reason for people's choices. There's a right way and a wrong way to drink alcohol. Having a beer or two while I'm playing pool or something isn't the wrong way. If some stumbler I've never met sees that and instead of seeing "that guy stopped after two beers, his craving for alcohol is on par with his craving for potato chips. " and instead sees "A Christian drank one beer, that's reason enough for me to get blasted tonight!" I don't think that's my fault. If I knew he was an alcoholic the situation would never have occurred in the first place (because I wouldn't be drinking in front of him)

Do you guys ever eat unhealthy foods in front of your overweight friends? Or spend money in front of the less fortunate? Public displays of affection in front of lustful friends?

Yeah, but I wasn't suggesting you abstain from alchohol altogether. Just, as you say, in front of your friends, who you know will stumble.

 

[Mnse87]

I have never tasted beer or any other type of alcoholic beverage in my short life...

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

Yeah, but I wasn't suggesting you abstain from alchohol altogether. Just, as you say, in front of your friends, who you know will stumble.

I get you.

I just keep thinking, an alcoholic walks into a bar where I'm having a beer and now I'M at fault?

not drinking in front of an alcoholic is just common sense, you don't even need the Bible to tell you that.

Not drinking because of all the infinite possibilities you can't control or even be aware of is the mindset I don't agree with.

 

[Grunt]

I occaisionally drink a glass of wine or sip on a beer in those social situations where it's much simpler just to grin and bear it than try explaining that I *gasp* don't actually like it.

Personally, I think it tastes like urine.