On Drinking

ON DRINKING

I’ve never been drunk and don’t ever want to be. I have seen enough senseless and depraved activity conducted because of alcohol that I no longer want to be associated even with drinking wine at a meal.

I have counselled women who have been raped after a night of alcohol at a nightclub. It happens all too often. I don’t understand how drinking to the point of inebriation or binge drinking is fun. I don’t want alcohol to addle my senses to the point of brain damage and go down that dangerous path that shows no concern for my health or for others who I may abuse or put in hospital or embarrass or hurt deeply.

There is no humour about slurred speech, impaired balance, poor coordination, a red flushed face, reddened eyes, reduced inhibition, and erratic behavior. I don’t see anything funny about taking to the road and endangering the lives of those around me by my indulgence and intoxication and selfishness.

Many Christians don’t think twice about drinking and seem to regard it as a sacred right. "Don’t spill my beer! Are you going for a drink tonight, mate? Yeah mate, I’ll be there. Wouldn’t miss it for quids!"

Alcohol is spoken of in love affair terms and anyone dares speak against it is a woose. None may dare take challenge my right to have a love affair with beer. It’s as if a beautiful woman has seduced them by her charms. They make jokes and flirt with her, but they are flirting with a killer. It’s still the highest cause of road deaths in Australia.

Overdramatic? Yes it is! It is a drama that is played out like a soap opera and with serious consequences that will largely be ignored because "I can handle it. Be a man!" Alcohol has that kind of seductive influence. And perhaps you are saying that you’re not hooked! How mad at me are you at hearing this? Maybe that’s some kind of gauge to the seducing influence alcohol has on you. Anyway, I started off talking about Noah in Genesis 9:21.

So here is Noah who provides a precedent for streaking and binge drinking. The Precedent is there but you are the one who chooses to get drunk or not.