Last night, I threw myself and my sister a party. When freezing rain began to patter down, I didn’t know who would show up, but to my happy surprise, a good amount came over, and thus followed an evening typical of our wild-and-crazy parties: tons of yummy food (potluck style), animated conversation, word games, loud singing, and copious amounts of pictures with people looking drunk. All this occurs without the aid of alcohol or any sort of drug— the hardest drink anyone took was A&W Root Beer. Most of the guests went home, but almost half a dozen people simply crashed on the living room floor after I gave them a pile of pillows and blankets. There were no hangovers this morning.
From time to time, I hear people talking about drinking, and it makes me sad that it’s the only way most people can loosen up and have a good time. I don’t need any booze to help me enjoy myself; in fact, when I was volunteering at the hostel in Florida, my friends kept on checking to make sure I wasn’t sneaking the happy-water. I don’t have any moral objections to drinking, but when someone has to rely on a crutch in order to have a good time, something is out of perspective.
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Dear Lisa, I'm not sure if I should respectfully disagree with you since we don't really know each other. But I'm going to anyway! Haha!
ReplyDeleteLet me say first that I don't drink at all and probably never will (for the cops who are reading this). But I don't think there's anything wrong with alcohol in moderation. Getting smashed isn't right, and I know there are many many people who aren't capable of partying without getting blind drunk, but there are just as many people who are able to enjoy one of God's gifts without going overboard. I guess you could make a comparison with food. Many parties are centered around meals because enjoying good things makes people happy, and being happy is what parties are about. It just changes the atmosphere. You should be able to have fun without it, and you shouldn't go overboard and be a pig, but why not enjoy yourself if it's legal and doesn't harm you in any way (like getting drunk does)?
Remember that Jesus' first miracle was making booze for a party? And not just any alcohol -- the BEST wine there! I know that's overused, but I think it's still a good point. Jesus wanted people to have fun! How about Isaiah 55:1-2? (Yes, I know, metaphorical, but the principle holds -- God wants us to "delight ourselves in rich food".) I really think there will be alcohol in heaven. It's a place of richness, sumptuousness, and what would be utter indulgence if it was on earth. Only the best and most beautiful of everything. The fanciest wines and the most wonderful delicacies will be available for everyone.
So I suppose what I'm saying is, don't discount an entire category of God's gifts to us just because people use it the wrong way. And of course take everything I just said with a gigantic grain of salt because I don't pretend to be any kind of theologian and I also might have totally misunderstood what you were saying. Praise Jesus' name!!
Dear Ivy, I encourage anyone to respectfully disagree with me! If I post it on my blog, it's up for grabs. :)
ReplyDeleteAs I said, I don't have a moral objection to drinking. I don't do it for several reasons (the biggest one being that the taste of alcohol makes me want to throw up), and only one of those reasons is a decision based on the abuses I've seen. The main thing I've criticizing in this blog is the dependence on alcohol that far too many people have, even if they never get drunk.
I don't think that food is a comparable example because alcohol is just one kind of drink. Meat might be a better comparison. Say I was a vegetarian. I would become concerned if people weren't capable of enjoying themselves if they weren't eating meat. At that point, it becomes a crutch rather than something to enjoy. And too many people I know can't imagine having a party without booze. They CAN'T party without a little extra something to help them loosen up. That's a sad place to be, a place where you can't have fun without some sort of physical aid.
My upbringing makes it difficult for me to agree that there will be booze in heaven, but I think you're right. God does want us to enjoy ourselves, and most references to wine in the Bible are positive. But if the wine (meat, sweet food, soda) is unnecessary for a good time, why should we include it?
My friends drinking makes me uncomfortable, but that's an issue with me, not with them. I don't condemn drinking for what it is, but there has to be acceptance all around: for those who drink, and for those who don't.