Some Questions / Some Statements

[Verv]

(1) What is an alcoholic?

(2) What passages in the Bible really speak against alcoholism? I am curious about it.

(3) Is it ever okay to be 'drunk?'

(4) Can people genetically inclined to alcoholism ever stop?

I am just curious about your answers to these...

I have been called an alcoholic by my girlfriende. I get drunk probably 4 days out of the week, but in Korea this is rather normal -- it does not interfere with my work and no one has really said anything about it except my girlfriend.

I looked back and noticed... I do drink to the point of total drunkenness very often, literally 4 days of the week, but I really want to note...

I do not feel as if it hampers my work or my life, and I do not feel as if it is a bad act.

Am I Adam who is not yet aware that I am totally naked?

Or am I fine?

In the Korean culture my drinking habits are very normal. But I always talk with Americans, and they say that it is not normal to live like this, and it is 'alcoholic,' but I really need to say, that to us this is almost a normal thing here, and that there are many like me.

I am only worried because my girlfriend brings it up -- I am pretty sure already most of you think I am alcoholic by those numbers, but I am just very curious as to more ideas and more discussion.

I do not want to seem like I attack some definitions of alocholic, but as a Christian I want to discuss these ideas more and more.

I am very young and I know that I could easily be wrong, so I am always open to being stood as corrected -- I promise you that if I know I am worng, I admit it, and I will change for it and not be stubborn, I just want to let you know and discuss this -- I wnat it discussed, not debated, and I do not want to feel attacked for any of this.

I want to say that I know some people who ruined themselves in alcohol, so I do know being sober is so hard of a struggle for some people, and for all of those that struggle, I can relate in different areas where the struggle seems like an infinite loss and a glorification for the devil, but we keep fighting against desire, and really, carry on your fight, it is worth it - turn your life around because you can do it, and you will be happy.

 

[justanobserver]

Some of the biblical questions I will leave to others as I am not a christian but the other ones you asked, I will get answers and get back to this thread.

 

[justanobserver]

(1) What is an alcoholic?

by definition, MSN Encarta dictionary, it is one who addicted to alcohol: addicted to drinking beverages containing alcohol.

The things that helped me to accept my being an alcoholic was I could not stop when I started, I need to drink every night, I was not at ease or comfortable when I did not drink.

here is a link to a site on alcoholism that has a "quiz" of 20 questions that can help one (as per this quiz) determine if they are an alcoholic. I have never taken this oparticular one myself but different ones in the past.

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/tests/l/blquiz_alcohol.htm

 

[justanobserver]

(2) What passages in the Bible really speak against alcoholism? I am curious about it.

the bible, to my knowledge does not say anything about alcoholism itself but there are scriptures that talk about getting drunk or drinking to excess as a sin. Being an alcoholic itself is not a sin. But getting drunk is.

(3) Is it ever okay to be 'drunk?'

if your an alcoholic, no. According to scripture and a lot of church organizations, no. but I would prefer to leave the defination of consuming alcohol beverages to a different thread.

(4) Can people genetically inclined to alcoholism ever stop?

yes!!! I am one example as well as millions around the world that an alcoholic can stop drinking.

You have mentioned that you drink to the point of gtting drunk 4 times a week at least. And to a point that it is noticed by your girlfriend. The fact that your posting here expresses IMO concern on your part about your drinking.

If it has been noticed by your g/f, chances are its also noticed by others such as your command. I did 18 yrs active duty and lost everything, retirement, everything due to alcoholism. I am going to send you a PM concerning the Army Regs and alcoholism.

here are several other links that you may want to look at when you get the time:

http://www.aa-intergroup.org/

http://www.celebraterecovery-we.com/html/index.php
(this is christian based)

http://www.believershope.com/twelve%20steps/12_step_links.htm

I hope some or all of this helps.

 

[Verv]

Thanks for the response and we will talk more in PM, it is an important issue that does need to be addressed and you are right, now that I am noticing it I should cut back.

But it has become such a social thing, and I do not see it as wholely bad at all though I have been worried about showing up to work drunk sometimes... But it really is a social addiction in Korea:

When I hang out with other soldiers, of course we drink.

When I hang out with Koreans, of course we drink.

I have no seen it so much as a problem but I am a little scared on this note: I feel physically deprived of alcohol, sometimes, gettin galmost a sort of shake and feeling like 'wow, I need to drink.' I think that is a bad sign if it physically effects you.

Thanks.