Because young people under 21 tend to to have a higher propensity than older people to drink, get drunk, and drive recklessly. But the reality is the Bible teaches that alcohol can be a good and enjoyable thing. That includes sharing in His sufferings. As we mentioned above, drinking alcohol isnt a sin, but overindulging in it can be. Does giving a meaningless gift give you more or less joy than giving a meaningful gift? Widespread and more or less universal custom takes on the authority of law. Its more or less recognized that going five miles per hour over the speed limit is still within the bounds of the law. If your drinking hinders someone coming to know Jesus than we should abstain. Theres nothing wrong with sports, but if someone is addicted to sports and thats all they care about, and they know that if they go to a ballgame that theyre gonna forget about God, theyre gonna go crazy, and thats all theyre gonna think about for the next week, then I think that even sports could become a near occasion for sin. She is exceedingly grateful for both the loving kindness of many people and the sound Christian doctrine that helped her to keep on living after her son died in a skiing accident in 2006. We are commanded to heed civil laws (e.g. The Bible lives in this tension with the issue of drinking. or altar wine thats specifically intended for Eucharistic celebrations. However, that doesn't mean that Catholics can't drink at all. If Jesus is really Lord of my entire life, then the question is simply this: am I willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of the Gospel? Its sort like of this: if you want to be a Jediif you want to go all in with Christthis is what it takes: for at that point, there is no aspect of ones life over which Christ is not king and Lord. Is It a Sin to Drink Alcohol? | Core Christianity Where a culture of underage drinking prevails as the norm (and especially among otherwise serious Catholics), at a point having one or two social drinks turns into three or four (or five and six and beyond); and all of a sudden, those who were steadfast against drunkennessbut who insisted that underage drinking is OKfind themselves occasionally on the brink of drunkenness (and sometimes well past that point). Under that logic, we should all get rid of our money to fend off materialism. 5:1521). (1 Tim. In fact, Paul tells Timothy, Drink a little wine for your stomachs sake. I think Timothy was nervous and shy, and hed get, like, his stomach would get sick, and so Paul said Have a few glasses of wine and relax.. We try to help our readers better understand their lives; however, the content on this blog is not a substitute for any professional medical guidance. Dont let it leave you empty inside. What Does The Catholic Church Say About Drinking Alcohol? Dont forget to share your thoughts! So there are some things that maybe are a sin for me but not for you, say, for example. Those claiming that all drinking is a sin dont have support from the Bible. Not only is it not, but among Greek-speakers, the Lenten discipline of abstinence from wine is relaxed on Sundays. Drinking in moderation is not a sin. Simply put, you arent your true self when drunk. This can have disastrous consequences. And there were many monks that brewed their own beer. Listen to Jesus words when it comes to leading others into sin, whether intentional or not: Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to him by whom they come! If Jesus is really Lord of my entire life, then the question is simply this: am I willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of the Gospel? There are certain lines that aregoing out and committing adultery, theres no question about that. Leave a comment below! The same teaching shows up in 1 Corinthians 8, where the issue is whether or not Christians can eat meat sacrificed to idols. However, as per the virtue of temperance in CCC 2290, excessive use of tobacco is sinful. 14:21). (Gal. It is simply warning against addiction and drunkenness. I once had a Methodist pastor tell me of a friend who was caught drinking at a party by one of his parishioners. (Eph. Here, he instructs us to, . Does that mean that even an occasional cigar is a sin? We, the Lay Cistercians of South Florida, are a community of lay people who seeks to have a deeper connection with God by living a life inspired by the monks and nuns through Lay Monasticism. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Alcohol use impairs a person's judgment, reaction time, and coordination. Is drinking alcohol a sin? - The Irish Catholic I want to deal with two common misconceptions I see spread all the time about alcohol in the Bible. Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do.. It had no part to play in it, I drank wine before I was Catholic. If you are in a country where you have to be above a certain age in order to legally consume alcohol, then it is sinful to break the law. they were sinning (or even came close to it). Paul told Timothy, Stop drinking only water and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illness (1 Timothy 5:23). There are some topics that the Bible never gives a straight answer. Accordingly, custom has the force of a law, abolishes law, and is the interpreter of law (ST I-IIae, q. Theres always something left for us to turn over to the Lord; and as I said, for many college students, underage drinking is the last thing to go. Have you ever found yourself giving gifts to others while neglecting to give gifts to yourself? We regard drunkenness as a sin. That it is always a sin to break a law of the State is believed by the majority of Catholics because, as the late Cardinal George once said, American Catholics are Puritans who go to Mass on Sunday. In the moral realm Americans tend to adopt toward State law a puritanical thinking sometimes mixed with small amounts Jansenism. But, if other people see you drinking or purchasing alcohol, and by that are led to go against . Theres always something left for us to turn over to the Lord; and as I said, for many college students, underage drinking is the last thing to go. The Church does teach that drunkenness is a form of gluttony, and a grave sin (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2290). The Litany of Humility: What Is It and Where Did It. So why in the world can they not enjoy a beer? And ten minutes later, ka-BOOM, it hit me and I was on the floor. Is it a sin to drink alcohol? - GotQuestions.blog Getting drunk can be caused by different situations and some of them may or may not be a sin. Cheers! What Happens If A Catholic Eats Meat On Friday? The biggest reason intoxication/drunkenness is considered sinful is because it makes it easier to commit other sins. 4). Caller: Yes, and I guess the one last thing is: if you are an addict and have a history of problems with that, to even just have one or two, does that matter? But for Catholics, drinking alcohol may also have moral and religious implications. For one thing, it gives the student an overly legalistic approach to the moral law, it reinforces his latent Calvinism, it gives far too much moral authority to the State, it is simply not true. What is the relationship between Catholics and alcohol? Yet, even if you dont drink and drive, excessive alcohol consumption greatly impairs your ability to reason. Many Christians completely abstain from consuming any alcohol, since they believe Scripture declares it to be sinful. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If we make it seem like this is ok, its very easy for people to start being lax in other laws, natural or civil, that work for them or that people dont enforce. Sins of priest and bishops that were crimes were at times treated with great seriousness. Exactly where our actions become sin. 11:1819). 1 Timothy 5: 23. Even in light of the many biblical warnings regarding the abuse of alcohol, Christians have the liberty to enjoy this gift from God within the boundaries of Gods moral law. To use the argument that the State says it is illegal and thus a sin may be easier and more effective, but it does in fact stunt a students moral growth. This shows how alcoholic drinks are not evil, God allowed alcoholic drinks to be made and be part of our lives, as it is something that belongs to a celebration. And thats why we generally arent nervous when driving five miles per hour over the speed limit with a policeman immediately behind us. Similar to drinking alcohol, the Catholic Church does not prohibit smoking. I think it comes from a good place. Drinking alcohol becomes a sin when you abuse it to the point that you are no longer yourself, and is incapable of making conscious decisions. For example, waiting a few more years to drink in America (21 years old) compared to Spain (16 years old) is not unjust. Alcoholic drinks, specifically wine, is mentioned many times in the Old and New Testaments. This has lead many to the conclusion that all drinking is a sin. 5:8). St. Paul speaks out against drunkenness multiple times3. Jesus drank wine and was falsely accused of being a drunkard (Matthew 11:19). 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. A hard lesson for us to learn is that while we may have the freedom to do something, it still has a consequence. For neglect of bodily health due to drinking there has to be a grave physical danger to which the drinker is knowingly exposing himself. That's adding to the Bible, it doesn't say that. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. There are people in our life that we have the opportunity to positively influence. But drinking was such a part of peoples everyday life back then. They then proceed to draw a moral equivalence between this and underage drinking. St. Paul is very serious here: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities (Romans 13:1; see 13:1-7). ( 1 Tim. Catholics & Bible do not intend to provide any health related advice. age restrictions for alcohol consumption, intoxication level limits while driving a vehicle, etc.) And this, according to St. Peter, isnt the true mark of a Christian: For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to doliving in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry. 1 Peter 4:3. 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. I doubt my unbelieving friends will ever be turned away from God because they see me sipping a beer. 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. Why? I would say also the same with sports. Thus, it is possible to freely give away the gift of our freedom by abusing alcohol. In some states like Texas its perfectly legal to drink with parental supervision. If on a lonely country road in the flat land of Illinois I drive on the wrong side of the road in order see over the left side of a bridge am I breaking the law?
