I Just Don't Understand....

[Tammy]

A couple weeks ago, a young girl came to the Tire Shop and while she was waiting for her tires, we talked. She was 25 and had just gone thru a very rough divorce. She said she had moved back in with her parents...and I asked her how that was going, after having been moved out for 7 years. She put her head down and started crying...when she could talk...she said, "It is very hard...my mother is drunk every morning, by 7:30." I felt so bad for her. I gave her a hug and sent her home with some encouraging things to read. But I just don't understand..... WHY do intelligent people drink alcohol? How do parents of young children think that their children are not going to drink, when the children know their parents drink? Alcohol doesn't make one smarter, richer, more beautiful or anything! It makes fools out of people, it causes many health problems, marriage problems, financial problems, abuse of children, horrible crimes, accidents & deaths! WHY do intelligent people spend their hard earned money for something that causes such awful things to happen???? I just don't get it! Do people have no backbone, can't they "SAY NO" to their friends? Is the PEER PRESSURE too much for them?

This "social drinking" is for the birds! That is how ALL ALCOHOLICS started out I doubt if there is ONE WINO who ever said he woke up one morning and decided he wanted to become a WINO, or ONE ALCOHOLIC who decided when they were younger that they wanted to become an ALCOHOLIC.

It makes me cringe when I see young people on FB with a beer in their hand or a glass of wine...I guess they think it is "cool", or makes them feel "Grownup". Satan is a MASTER at enticing people to sin. I have often thought how wonderful it would be if we could make Ashtabula County a "DRY" County. How many lives would be saved! How much misery, sickness and wasted money could be prevented. How many of my friends would be in favor of trying to make Ashtabula County a "DRY" County? I don't know if it is possible and I don't know where to start...but I sure would like to! Take a look at the statistics below...they are pretty SOBERING, (no pun intended).

Alcohol Facts and Statistics
Percentage of Drinkers: In 2012, 87.6% of people aged 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime; 71% reported that they drank in the past year; 56.3% reported that they drank in the past month.1

Percentage of Binge Drinkers and Heavy Drinkers: In 2012, 24.6 % of people aged 18 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month (drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days); 7.1% reported that they engaged in heavy drinking in the past month (drinking 5 or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days).2
Alcohol Use Disorders: An estimated 17 million Americans have an alcohol use disorder (AUD)—a medical term that includes both alcoholism and harmful drinking that does not reach the level of dependence.3, 4 (Please note: 17 million is an average of the 16 – 18 million reported in multiple sources.)

Untreated AUDs: Research shows that an estimated 15% of individuals with an AUD ever seek treatment.5, 6 (Please note: this estimate is based on figures reported in multiple sources.)

Deaths: Each year in the U.S., nearly 80,000 people die from alcohol-related causes,7 making it the third leading preventable cause of death in our country.8

Economic Burden: In 2006, alcohol problems cost the U.S. $224 billion each year, primarily from lost productivity but also from health care and property damage costs.9 These issues affect all Americans, whether they drink or not.

Global burden: Globally, alcohol use is the fifth leading risk factor for premature death and disability; among people between the ages of 15 to 49, it is the first.10

Family consequences: More than 10% of U.S. children live with a parent with alcohol problems, according to a 2012 study.11

Alcohol and College Students: Researchers estimate that each year —
1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.12
696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.13
97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.14

Alcohol and Adolescents:
By age 15, more than 50 percent of teens have had at least 1 drink.15
More adolescents drink alcohol than smoke cigarettes or use marijuana.16
In 2009, 10.4 million young people ages 12 to 20 reported that they drank alcohol beyond “just a few sips” in the past month.17
Alcohol and Pregnancy:
Among more than half a million pregnant women surveyed between 1991 and 2005, about 12% reported drinking and about 2% reported binge drinking.18,19
The prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in the U.S. is between 2 to 7 cases per 1,000; the prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in populations of younger school children may be as high as 2-5% in the U.S. and some Western European countries.20

Alcohol and the Human Body:
In 2009, liver cirrhosis was the 12th leading cause of death in the United States, with a total of 31,522 deaths—664 more than in 2008.21
Among all cirrhosis deaths in 2009, 48.2 percent were alcohol related. The proportion of alcohol-related cirrhosis was highest (70.6 percent) among decedents aged 35 to 44.22
In 2009, alcohol related liver disease was the primary cause of almost 1 in 3 liver transplants in the U.S. 23
Please note: Any statistics related to the prevalence of alcohol use disorders are based on definitions in the DSM-IV. We will replace these figures with new statistics based on DSM-V criteria as soon as they become available.

References:
1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): 2012 Tables: Tobacco Product and Alcohol Use - 2.43 to 2.84 (PE), SAMHSA, CBHSQ. [Back]
2. SAMHSA. NSDUH: 2012 Tables: Tobacco Product and Alcohol Use - 2.43 to 2.84 (PE), SAMHSA, CBHSQ. Please note: NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dL. This usually occurs after 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men—in about 2 hours. [Back]
3. SAMHSA. NSDUH: 2012 Tables: Dependence, Abuse, and Treatment - 5.1 to 5.56 (PE), SAMHSA, CBHSQ. [Back]
4. Grant et al. Prevalence and co-occurrence of substance use disorders and independent mood and anxiety disorders: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 61: 807-816, 2004. [Back]
5. Huebner, RB, and Kantor, LW. Advances in Alcoholism Treatment. Alcohol Res Health, 33(4):295-299, 2011. [Back]
6. Dawson et al. Estimating the effect of help-seeking on achieving recovery from alcohol dependence. Addiction, 101 (6): 824-834, 2006. [Back]
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alcohol-attributable deaths and years of potential life lost—United States, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2004; 53(37);866-870. [Back]
8. Mokdad et al. Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. JAMA, 291:1238–1245, 2004. [Back]
9. Bouchery et al. Economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in the U.S., 2006. Am J Prev Med, 41: 516-524, 2011. [Back]
10. Lim et al. A comparative risk assessment of burden of disease and injury attributable to 67 risk factors and risk factor clusters in 21 regions, 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet, 380(9859):2224-60, 2012. Erratum in Lancet. 2013 Apr 13;381(9874):1276. [Back]
11. SAMHSA. Data Spotlight: Over 7 Million Children Live with a Parent with Alcohol Problems. 2012. [Back]
12. Hingson et al. Magnitude of and trends in alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18-24, 1998-2005. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, July (Suppl 16): 12-20, 2009. [Back]
13. Ibid. [Back]
14. Ibid. [Back]
15. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: A Guide to Action for Educators. 2007. [Back]
16. Johnston et al. Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975–2005: Volume I, Secondary school students (NIH Publication No. 06–5883.). Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2006. [Back]
17. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Volume I. Summary of National Findings (Office of Applied Studies, NSDUH Series H-38A, HHS Publication No. SMA 10-4586Findings). 2010. [Back]
18. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alcohol use among pregnant and nonpregnant women of childbearing age—United States, 1991-2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2009 May 22;58(19):529-32. [Back]
19. Tsai et al. Tracking binge drinking among U.S. childbearing-aged women. Prev Med. 2007;44:298-302. [Back]
20. May et al. Prevalence and epidemiologic characteristics of FASD from various research methods with an emphasis on recent in-school studies. Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2009;15(3):176-92. [Back]
21. Surveillance Report #93. Liver cirrhosis mortality in the United States, 1970–2009. Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 2012. [Back]
22. Ibid. [Back]
23. Singal et al. Evolving frequency and outcomes of liver transplantation based on etiology of liver disease. Transplantation. 2013 Mar 15;95(5):755-60. Please note: the “almost 1 in 3” figure aggregates the total number of transplants necessitated by alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease plus hepatitis C virus infection, and 40% of transplants necessitated by hepatocellular carcinoma. [Back]

Last updated February 2014

Alcohol Facts and Statistics | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

 

[ForJesusChrist]

There is nothing wrong with alcohol, just wrong in abusing it. It just satan luring people into his hideous grasp.

God Bless

 

[Omena]

There is nothing wrong with alcohol, just wrong in abusing it. It just satan luring people into his hideous grasp.

I agree, Jesus himself turned water into wine, and in fact he also drank, which is why the Pharisees accused him of a being a winebibber. So alcohol in itself is not evil, but the abuse of it is very bad, which is why think Paul warned us not to get drunk. The same can be said of any substance when we start to rely on it to make us feel better, more confident, etc, etc. I, too, feel sorry for this girl however, since her mother is obviously drinking to the point that they can't have a normal relationship.

 

[tremble]

But I just don't understand..... WHY do intelligent people drink alcohol?

I suspect it's more likely some kind of depression rather than an issue of intelligence. You are right that it's not hard to understand excessive drinking can be harmful, but even intelligent people get depressed and depressed people rarely think carefully about their choices.

Being drunk alters the normal state-of-mind and can help people to "escape" from their cares and worries. Most people start out drinking, and continue, because alcohol really can produce a nice feeling. That nice feeling can be much nicer than the worries in our lives and a dependency forms if the person relies too much on the good feeling to get them through their various problems.

 

[Tammy]

There is nothing wrong with alcohol, just wrong in abusing it. It just satan luring people into his hideous grasp.

God Bless

I believe that Christians shouldn't drink alcohol. Alcohol kills brain cells, even when you are not an alcoholic...and our body is the temple of God...Christians should not be destroying their bodies. There are some things that Christians should NEVER use...and alcohol is one of them.

 

[Tammy]

I agree, Jesus himself turned water into wine, and in fact he also drank, which is why the Pharisees accused him of a being a winebibber. So alcohol in itself is not evil, but the abuse of it is very bad, which is why think Paul warned us not to get drunk. The same can be said of any substance when we start to rely on it to make us feel better, more confident, etc, etc. I, too, feel sorry for this girl however, since her mother is obviously drinking to the point that they can't have a normal relationship.

No, Jesus turned the water into grape juice, not alcohol. Back in them days, a wedding ceremony went on for DAYS...if it had been alcohol, then Jesus would have been the cause of a drunken party...and I'm sure He would never have done that....

If you look in the Bible, NEW WINE = Grape Juice and OLD WINE = Alcohol.

 

[Boidae]

I believe that Christians shouldn't drink alcohol. Alcohol kills brain cells, even when you are not an alcoholic...and our body is the temple of God...Christians should not be destroying their bodies. There are some things that Christians should NEVER use...and alcohol is one of them.

The Bible never condemns drinking alcohol, just drunkenness.

 

[Boidae]

No, Jesus turned the water into grape juice, not alcohol. Back in them days, a wedding ceremony went on for DAYS...if it had been alcohol, then Jesus would have been the cause of a drunken party...and I'm sure He would never have done that....

If you look in the Bible, NEW WINE = Grape Juice and OLD WINE = Alcohol.

Have you read in the Bible where Paul recommends that Timothy Dr i no some w i ne for his ongoing stomach issues? Do think that grape juice would help stomach issues?

Wine, especially red wine has been shown to be good for the heart. I remember a couple weeks ago seeing that small amounts of beer is good for men in combating something. So I'm not sure that saying that all alcohol consumption is ruining the temple of God.

I drink maybe a wine cooler roughly twice a year. Am I ruining the temple of God by doing so? I do not think so, though you may and this may be your conviction alone.

Yes, this girl's mother is an example of extreme usage and the wrong way to drink alcoholic drinks. However, there are many more who drink responsibly.

 

[Gunny]

In my humble opinion alcohol is the most dangerous drug because it is legal (and the government makes considerable money on individuals purchasing it).

I worked as a chemical dependency counselor(secular field)for many years and God entrusted me to serve in addiction ministry within the body of Christ. Alcohol addiction(alcoholism) is devastating to the individual in bondage to the substance and all that are in the lives of those with this affliction. The child abuse, spousal abuse, and other crimes fueled by this substance is remarkable.

Intellectually, I understand that alcohol is not inherently good or evil. Having said that, the evil that runs rampant from individuals that abuse and/or enslaved to alcohol is tragic, indeed.


Personally, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ delivered me from the bondage of alcohol on August, 13, 1983.

Alcoholism had reeked havoc on both blood lines in my family. Very, very few have survived the dire consequences that come with alcoholism.

 

[BryanW92]

No, Jesus turned the water into grape juice, not alcohol. Back in them days, a wedding ceremony went on for DAYS...if it had been alcohol, then Jesus would have been the cause of a drunken party...and I'm sure He would never have done that....

If you look in the Bible, NEW WINE = Grape Juice and OLD WINE = Alcohol.

In John 2:10, we read:

and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

If that was grape juice, then why serve the inferior juice last? If you let them drink the stronger "juice" and then start serving the watered-down stuff, people will notice immediately.

But, if you serve the better tasting wine first and get some alcohol into them, they won't care when you start watering it down later.

True, "new wine" is grape juice, but it is grape juice that you have put into a skin to ferment. The wine at a wedding is truly wine.

 

[miamited]

Hi Tammy,

Well, for what it's worth, you've got my vote. God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[pescador]

I agree with those who say that there is nothing wrong with Christians drinking wine (or other alcohol). Nothing that we eat or drink is "unclean" in itself. There are many things that are harmful when indulged in to excess, but it's the excess that is the problem and what the bible warns us against.

 

[Omena]

I think it's fair enough, Tammy, if you feel it's wrong to drink alcohol personally, however I haven't seen enough evidence in the Bible to suggest that God prohibits alcohol consumption, just drunkenness. I thought your interpretation of what Jesus did at the party was fair enough, but it doesn't specifically say he turned the water into new wine, just that he turned it into wine. So it's really just your interpretation, and not fact.

I think a common misconception amongst many people is that it's not possible to drink without getting drunk. In the case of alcoholics, that's pretty true, but obviously not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic. I personally set limits to what I drink. I don't drink any more than a certain number of milliliters in a week, and no more than a certain amount in any one night. It's enough that I enjoy it, but not enough for me to be unable to deal with other people or with God.

 

[1watchman]

Good post , Tammy. Yes, alcohol is a tool of Satan as many other things. Young people need to "Just say NO!" to various unhealthy and ungodly things. Some people try to defend alcohol use by referring to wine in the Bible. Wine is not the principle cause of alcoholism.

 

[TaylorSexton]

I'm glad you feel strongly about alcohol abuse. It is indeed a serious problem. However, let's avoid making our feelings laws and imposing them on other Christians, especially when they are not Biblical. This is not good. There are many godly Christians that have a glass of wine with dinner. That by no means makes them sinful alcoholics. Of course, there will be differences in opinion concerning things like this. It is all based on life experience.

"Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."

- Romans 14:5b

 

[`Raine]

In John 2:10, we read:

and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

If that was grape juice, then why serve the inferior juice last? If you let them drink the stronger "juice" and then start serving the watered-down stuff, people will notice immediately.

But, if you serve the better tasting wine first and get some alcohol into them, they won't care when you start watering it down later.

True, "new wine" is grape juice, but it is grape juice that you have put into a skin to ferment. The wine at a wedding is truly wine.

This is the truth.

Also, the grape juice in Old Testament times was not pasteurized like modern grape juice. This is where the saying about not putting new wine into old wineskins comes from - the new wine (fresh grape juice) stretches the wineskin as it ferments into more alcoholic wine.

Welch made so much money with his pasteurized grape juice because normal grape juice would turn into quickly into wine to quickly too be stored and served as a beverage without being fermented into wine.

Weddings did indeed go on for many days, which is why the wine ran out, but even fresh "new wine" would have turned alcoholic quickly (even with modern refrigeration, freshly-made grape juice will start to bubble and ferment within days).

There is nothing wrong with abstaining from alcohol or encouraging others to do so because alcoholism does call many problems, but we shouldn't make fallacious claims about scripture or call things sin that the Bible does not just to bolster a position.

 

[TaylorSexton]

Tammy thank you for the true Christian posting, don't be discouraged to tell the truth. Our works are not to please man, but God in heaven.

upright among us, arise your time is coming..and now is.

True Christians [His Sheep] that are among us; Jesus said "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32. Know that all your strive to abide in Jesus is not vain.

The wicked among us will continue mock Jesus and Word of God, even though they are multitude compare to the few true Christian among us. wicked among us, they are people whom know enough about Bible and forsake to enjoy the sin. They are like the comet in the sky, don't try to stop them. Just like the disobeyed multitude perished in the time of Noah, without skip none but Noah and family because of obedience they are spared. Likewise His sheep among us will listen and obey. For a sheep Jesus first place in our life, but for the wicked Jesus is last place in there life and not worthy for His kingdom.

The difference between Wine and Alcoholic wine.

Do you think everything that is fermented is alcoholic? No.

Don't you know vinegar is fermented but is non-alcoholic.

Will you use heroin because it is not written in the Holy Bible? Don't.

Will you use cocaine because it is not written in the Holy Bible? Don't.

Will you use tobacco because it is not written in the Holy Bible? Don't.

HIS Sheep know what is from God, and what is not from God.

I know the benefits of some people if they prove that Jesus sinned by making or drinking "alcoholic wine" (continue in sin without guilt). They will continue to strive to prove Jesus made "alcoholic Wine" not "Wine"; even though it is written in the Holy Bible "Wine". No where is it written that JESUS drank alcoholic wine.


Bible say "Jesus is sinless",. HE does not sin. Even in His physical weakest moment on this earth while suffering on the cross, it is written that Jesus refused alcoholic wine when they tried to force Him to drink.

Is alcoholic wine available in the market still? Yes.

Is non-Alcoholic wine available in the market still? Yes.

Don't you know the difference between Alcoholic Wine & Non-Alcoholic wine?
Drunkards say it is so hard to understand.
Drinking wine without alcohol is not a sin. Drinking alcoholic wine is a deadly sin.

People whom continue in deadly sin still, never mind either way there is no place for the Word of God in their heart. Let them do whatever in their ways.

For a true Christian {His sheep]....One time instruction is enough, thats all it take to straighten him up. But for a goat even if he hears 100+10000 times, He will still rebel. He will always ask what if I don't do it?
Jesus came to this world to find His lost sheep not goats.

Kindergarten Lessons...

Question: What are Deadly sins?
Answer: Whatever the Bible say you will not see the kingdom of God if you do these....
example...1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders.
[1 Corinthians 6:10] nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Let us run our race like we want to win!

Brother/Pastor
In Christ

I say this in all love. Let's be very careful what we popishly call "deadly sin". Comparing alcohol to cocaine and heroine is by no means a just comparison. Cocaine and heroine are toxic in any and every volume. Alcohol is harmful in excess volume (just like virtually every ingestible substance on the planet including: OTC drugs, fat, sugar, cholesterol, and salt).

Notice the verse you quoted. It says drunkards, not people who drink. We must read everything in Scripture for what it really says. Paul does indeed instruct Timothy to drink a little wine every day for the stomach. There is no way around it. We can analyze what alcohol may have been like back then, or whatever. The fact is, Paul authorizes it. God (and Paul, most likely) knew that those words would be read through the centuries and would not have ordained their writing if it would confuse people into sinning.

On the other hand, being a drunk is very much a deadly sin. It is an addiction—a replacement for God. It is idolatry. It is harmful to self and others. It kills. However, lumping all who have a glass of wine every now and then into the same category is not only not Biblical, it itself is also sinful.

So, let's be careful. We are all very fallen people.

 

[Tammy]

I say this in all love. Let's be very careful what we popishly call "deadly sin". Comparing alcohol to cocaine and heroine is by no means a just comparison. Cocaine and heroine are toxic in any and every volume. Alcohol is harmful in excess volume (just like virtually every ingestible substance on the planet including: OTC drugs, fat, sugar, cholesterol, and salt).

Notice the verse you quoted. It says drunkards, not people who drink. We must read everything in Scripture for what it really says. Paul does indeed instruct Timothy to drink a little wine every day for the stomach. There is no way around it. We can analyze what alcohol may have been like back then, or whatever. The fact is, Paul authorizes it. God (and Paul, most likely) knew that those words would be read through the centuries and would not have ordained their writing if it would confuse people into sinning.

On the other hand, being a drunk is very much a deadly sin. It is an addiction—a replacement for God. It is idolatry. It is harmful to self and others. It kills. However, lumping all who have a glass of wine every now and then into the same category is not only not Biblical, it itself is also sinful.

So, let's be careful. We are all very fallen people.

Hi Taylor,
Alcohol is NOT a food...it is a DRUG...just like opium, cocaine, etc...People don't drink alcohol for nutrition...they drink it for its effect. Yes, it doesn't have the immediate and deadly effect that opium & cocaine have...but it is a stepping stone to those more dangerous drugs. I think you will be hard pressed to find very many people who are drug addicts, who don't drink alcohol. They go hand in hand. Yes, there are some who stopped at alcohol, and never went on to using drugs...but does that make alcohol OK? I don't think so...there isn't anything good about it...

I have a really hard time understanding why CHRISTIANS of all people want to justify drinking alcohol?

The Bible teaches that as Christians we should be temperate in ALL things that are healthy...and abstain from ALL things that are unhealthy. So, when you find out something is not healthy for you, you should not eat/drink it anymore. You shouldn't see how much of it you can eat/drink without it hurting you too much...

Why do Christians always want to see how close to the cliff they can get without falling off?????

 

[Ascendo]

Hi Taylor,
Alcohol is NOT a food...it is a DRUG...just like opium, cocaine, etc...People don't drink alcohol for nutrition...they drink it for its effect. Yes, it doesn't have the immediate and deadly effect that opium & cocaine have...but it is a stepping stone to those more dangerous drugs. I think you will be hard pressed to find very many people who are drug addicts, who don't drink alcohol. They go hand in hand. Yes, there are some who stopped at alcohol, and never went on to using drugs...but does that make alcohol OK? I don't think so...there isn't anything good about it...

I have a really hard time understanding why CHRISTIANS of all people want to justify drinking alcohol?

The Bible teaches that as Christians we should be temperate in ALL things that are healthy...and abstain from ALL things that are unhealthy. So, when you find out something is not healthy for you, you should not eat/drink it anymore. You shouldn't see how much of it you can eat/drink without it hurting you too much...

Why do Christians always want to see how close to the cliff they can get without falling off?????

You realize what you're promoting is contrary to the teachings of the Bible, right?

It is obviously a sin for you to be drinking, but it's not necessarily a sin for others, so you should consider keeping this to yourself.

 

[Neogaia777]

This issue was settled in another thread, (sorry can't seem to find it right now) but it was not possible to make "grape juice" in those days, back then because the technology required to prevent the grapes from fermenting into an alcoholic beverage was not available yet...

Fermented alcoholic wine was safer to drink than the water that was available in those days, so they all drank alcoholic beverages, but drinking it to excess, for the PURPOSE of becoming DRUNK, was considered sin, small bits of consumption of alcoholic beverages, has been proven to actually have some health benefits to the human body, but drinking to excess and being a drunkard, was and still is, a sin...

All things in moderation in other words, nothing to or in excess...

If you don't feel capable of moderating the habit and it is too much of a temptation for you to do it in excess, then you have (are developing) a problem with it, and should stick to not doing it all...

God Bless!