Litergical/cutural Views Of Wine/alcohol

[Annie12]

I'm curious as to how people here were raised to view wine vs. what a Catholic understanding of alcohol should be. I have come across Catholics who never drink wine at home and some where it is a staple in cooking, etc. I realize that without wine there could be no mass; but beside that how should catholic view wine and alcohol? (I'm sorry if this post is not very well organized!) Thanks!

[CrossCuT]

Jesus loved wine so much he turned water into it for all his bffs.

 

[Not The Philosopher]

I grew up in a non-Catholic household, but was generally brought up to view alcohol as something that can be good if used responsibly and in moderation. I see no reason to disagree with that.

[Catherine Therese]

St. Thomas Aquinas has been known to say that sometimes we just need a bath and a glass of wine... :)

 

Alcohol when used in moderation is a good to be enjoyed. 

[ContemporaryCaflicCrusader]

I agree with the above terms.  However I have worked at a bar for over 6 and a half years now and can't tell you the destruction and pain I have seen first hand.  All substance abuse can and will, if not fought, wreak havok in a not just one persons life but the people who love them.  Seeing people too hungover to work from the previous day at 6pm, a Thanksgiving day suicide by a 20 year old, people who can't leave the toilet bowl after there told there fired cause they won't stop vomiting.  

 

I am of drinking age and spend lots of time at the bar (I work at) and when people ask why I don't drink alcohol (Once they're finally convinced I am of age) my buddies would speak for me saying it's a religious thing but I have in recent months been saying back that they're wrong.  Catholicism is certainly not anti alcohol:  They are anti alcohol abuse.  So no getting hammered...  yes ever...  and no operating "machinery" tipsy to avoid mortal sin (All my bar buddies can tell you what Mortal and Venial sin is, what the state of grace is and some of them more. They are easier then the youth ministry kids actually lol).  Why I will never be able to have alcohol is because of personal health issues: Such as Medications and a missing enzyme in my liver.  

[Guest]

Alcohol is great...If you can drink it in moderation....

[Anastasia13]

I grew up in a non-Catholic household, but was generally brought up to view alcohol as something that can be good if used responsibly and in moderation. I see no reason to disagree with that.

 

Same here, but my mom took medication that interacted, so we rarely had it in the house. We didn't have anything against it necessarily, and attended a church that had little cups of wine for communion but also had a couple of cups of grape juice for those who preferred it or maybe had been alcoholics. The less educated in my earlier neighborhood drank beer and swatted flies on a weekend afternoon, which has affected my stereotype of beer. When I got older, most of my friends were really "wholesome" Christian (often Protestant) types or were not very involved in Christian groups in college and thus not the type I tended to hang with as much, so drinking is partly a way of rebelling against that stereotype for me. Honestly, that and taste is the greatest appeal. I've come to realize that drinking is enjoyable, but it's also worth being careful who I spend time with and how much because I don't want to fall into and stay in a pattern of drinking once a week or something. I personally feel that that would be too much given that I take medication that also affects livers, and somewhere between my affection for cabernet and .

 

I'm curious as to how people here were raised to view wine vs. what a Catholic understanding of alcohol should be. I have come across Catholics who never drink wine at home and some where it is a staple in cooking, etc. I realize that without wine there could be no mass; but beside that how should catholic view wine and alcohol? (I'm sorry if this post is not very well organized!) Thanks!

 

Paul told Timothy to have a little wine for his stomach-alcohol is medically useful, thus the argument that utterly abstaining is necessary to not be drunk must be inaccurate or thus illness would invalidate the scripture references that say not to be drunk

 

Jesus made wine-alcohol is acceptable, at least at parties, this Jesus approved of not simply drinking because it was necessary.

 

Ecclesiastes 9 says that God wants us to eat and drink with gladness and joy-it we have alcohol, we should be free to enjoy it.

 

Proverbs 31 says give alcohol to those who are perishing, dying, and miserable.

 

Proverbs 2 says if you love it though, you will not become rich-don't love liquor or you won't have much in life.

 

And of course being drunk is a sin. We should be intoxicated with the Holy Spirit, not the wine spirits.

 

So Josh hit the nail on the head when he said that alcohol is good if you can use it in moderation. Alcohol is good, and a life without it is usually better than a life pickled in it.

 

Cultural views:

Jewish-Manischewitz

Easter European-Vodka
Germanic-Sorry but unless it is a good dark beer, I have to go with Negra Modelo, even if it is Mexican. Schnapps is good though.

Chinese-how much vodka can be exported to Siberia?

[God the Father]

xxx no compromise no regrets

[franciscanheart]

Wine is the bomb-digity.

 

(For the record: I was raised in the Catholic church by parents who didn't drink wine regularly but sure enjoyed margaritas. I love wine. Especially reds. Preferably a Malbec.)

[Anastasia13]

xxx no compromise no regrets

 

I regret spending money on Jameson-blech. The schnapps was much better.
 

Edited October 8, 2013 by Light and Truth

[Lilllabettt]

My reasons for not drinking have nothing to do with religion.  They are still very good reasons.

[Apteka]

I personally can't find myself trusting people who don't drink, or any other prude for that matter. Drinking without moderation during festivities is important, and in fact to not do so is considered rude in my culture. If handed a drink at a toast you must drink, otherwise you will cause great offense to the host and those around you. This is coming from a culture thoroughly Roman Catholic, and I find the puritanism common among other Europeans as very strange and distasteful.

[Catherine Therese]

I personally can't find myself trusting people who don't drink, or any other prude for that matter. Drinking without moderation during festivities is important, and in fact to not do so is considered rude in my culture. If handed a drink at a toast you must drink, otherwise you will cause great offense to the host and those around you. This is coming from a culture thoroughly Roman Catholic, and I find the puritanism common among other Europeans as very strange and distasteful.

 

I know someone with an allergy to something in alcoholic beverages such that her major joints dislocate due to some sort of connective tissue reaction. Of course, she MUST be untrustworthy, your post is a reminder to me never to lend her any money. And most especially never to let her drive my Alfa Romeo. 

[Anastasia13]

I know someone with an allergy to something in alcoholic beverages such that her major joints dislocate due to some sort of connective tissue reaction. Of course, she MUST be untrustworthy, your post is a reminder to me never to lend her any money. And most especially never to let her drive my Alfa Romeo. 

I doubt he holds that strictly to it, but it's a trait that sets one aside as an outsider in his community, one who will not participate and thus has less reason to be invested in the group. Of course in situations like that, there are those who simply will not and then those who truly cannot.

[zabbazooey]

I don't drink at all. Mainly because I hate the taste. I think most things in moderation are good. I don't think any differently if you do or do not drink. I used to work at a gas station and sold alcohol a lot. I felt bad for the guy who bought a huge bottle of Jack every single day. 

Edited October 9, 2013 by zabbazooey