With all the churchs doctrine about vices and such, its but natural to wonder: is drinking a sin? Whats the wisest and most loving thing for me to do. 14:21). We should also consider how it effects those around us. What about underage drinking? But in moderation, it is encouraged. Neither the Bible nor the Catholic Church prohibit the partaking of alcohol. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affliliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links. And there were many monks that brewed their own beer. I would recommend using the legal limit as a benchmark for drunkenness. In fact, the Bible says. So by all means, alcoholic drinks are not evil. Part of developing into a mature Christian is recognizing that we are given both freedom and responsibility. 17K views, 519 likes, 455 loves, 3.7K comments, 232 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from EWTN: Starting at 8 a.m. However we know from the Bible that the wine still had plenty of kick in it to get wasted on. In personal life he is a proud father of a boy and twin girls. The login page will open in a new tab. Because young people under 21 tend to to have a higher propensity than older people to drink, get drunk, and drive recklessly. Of course, the Bible strongly warns against the overconsumption of beer. Alcohol is bad when abused. Frankly, a serious Catholic should never need a designated driver. by Dr. Andrew Swafford | Sep 12, 2018 | Formation | 4 comments. The reason is that in the act of drunkenness we are forfeiting two of God's greatest giftsour intellect and will. Feeling the effects of alcohol is normal. Le Ann is a writer, editor, speaker, wife, and mom who enjoys the Southern California lifestyle, including flip-flops, the beach, riding electric bicycles along the 101,and an occasional salted caramel Americano from Lofty Coffee in Solana Beach. Heres a few of the most commonly used Bible verses about alcohol: Ephesians 5:18, Numbers 28:7-10, Proverbs 20:1, Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Corinthians 6:10, 1 Timothy 5:23, Proverbs 23:20-21, Romans 14:21, Isaiah 5:22, Leviticus 10:9, Ecclesiastes 9:7, 1 Timothy 3:8, Proverbs 31:6-7, Deuteronomy 7:13, 11:14, The above list is far from exhaustive, but it gives us a solid picture of alcohol in the Bible. This is because excessive drinking robs us of our reason and leads us to act in destructive ways that simply are not in harmony with our own human dignity and the dignity of those around us. As I said, underage drinking cultivates a culture of lukewarmness, a sapping of spiritual zealits a sort of gateway to the party culture described above. No, I think that youre correct. The only thing thats clear is the abuse of alcohol through drunkenness or addiction is a sin. Theres no standard marker that signifies when youve crossed over into the sin of drunkenness. I would say also the same with sports. That's adding to the Bible, it doesn't say that. That tends to drag down your circle of acquaintances over time, or puts you in the wrong circles to begin with. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, Academy of Catholic Theology, and a senior fellow at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. First things first: Catholics have long considered drunkenness a mortal sin; St. Paul refers to it as a sin that excludes one from the kingdom of God (see Galatians 5:21 ). One aspect of the sinfulness of drunkenness is also how it impacts your health and body. If you find your reasoning and thinking beginning to get corrupted, youve gone too far. The sinfulness of those effects might depend on circumstances. There are some that say drinking is a sin because theres no health benefits. For more on this topic, see The Bible Does Not Forbid Alcohol.. The Church does teach that drunkenness is a form of gluttony, and a grave sin (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2290). Often times the word that is translated as drunkenness also carries with it the connotation of a perpetual state of being drunk. All rights reserved. Ive drank too much in my life, but Ive only been drunk once in my life, and that was when I had heard that you had to try Sangria, its really good. It can be a good and enjoyable thing. Here, he instructs us to radically avoid the near occasion of sin. Alcoholic drinks, specifically wine, is mentioned many times in the Old and New Testaments. The alcohol in the Bible did not have a lower alcohol content. Catholics & Bible is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others safety on the road, at sea, or in the air. Well deal with those in the next point. Getting drunk can be caused by different situations and some of them may or may not be a sin. The same is true if one travels overseas, where the drinking age in Europe is generally eighteen. The Catechism of the Catholic Church condemns drunken excess and illegal drugs in #2290-2291: The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess:. Absolutely not. Sometimes evangelization is the reputed reason why some students want to engage in and permit (and even encourage) underage drinking. But abusing alcoholic beverages can lead one to sin. Sola Media Group is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Federal ID # 27-0565982. Frankly, a serious Catholic should never need a designated driver. There are lots of bible verses about drinking and drunkenness. Leave a comment below! We even have patron saints of beer, wine, hangovers, and alcoholics (St. Augustine, St. Urban, St. Bibiana, and St. Monica respectively). aspect of ones life over which Christ is not king and Lord. To make things very concrete, drunkenness has set in when you cannot (or should not) drive a car. Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do.. 4). Thus, it is possible to freely give away the gift of our freedom by abusing alcohol. Scripture warns kings not to crave alcohol because a ruler needs a clear mind to uphold justice and protect the oppressed (Prov. The Real Catholic Teaching on Underage Drinking
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