I read Jason Boyett’s post/article about alcohol over at Relevant Magazine recently. Jason writes a thoughtful and articulate article about the legalism and fear found on both sides of the [Christian] alcohol debate. I have been meaning to express my feelings on this subject for quite a while and Jason’s article has given me the motivation.

Since I am expressing my personal views on this subject, a bit of history always helps me to understand how a persons particular views have come to be formed. I find that it helps to humanize and lower our defense mechanisms so that true, transforming dialogue can take place.

I started drinking when I was 13 years old and stopped when I was 23. I’ve been alcohol free for close to eight years now. My family owned a bar business in the anthracite coal mining region of Pennsylvania for three generations, and alcohol has always been something that was accepted and even revered by those around me. Admittedly, alcoholism runs in my family. It’s safe to say that for the ten years of my life that I consumed alcohol, I thoroughly abused it. I would estimate that from the age of 16 through age 23, I drank more alcohol in one week than most “social” users drink in 3-6 months. I was also heavily involved in hard and soft drug use, sales and drug culture. Being a participant in the drug culture allowed me to witness first hand the devastation and destruction incited by illegal narcotics and alcohol. I can honestly say that, in my opinion, substance abuse/addiction is one of the most horrific, awful, de-humanizing and life-taking things that any human being could be subject to. Due to my experience, I’ve come to actually view substance addiction as a form of psychological and physical slavery.

Not surprisingly, my personal convictions about alcohol use have changed over the years. Thankfully, over time, I’ve come to realize that a militant, legalistic stance on this topic is by no means edifying and is of no use to anyone. I appreciate the observation Jason makes in his article that points out how in many ways alcohol or drug use falls into the category of moral relativism, and while I firmly believe that morality cannot (and should not) be legislated, I do not think, as Jason states, that sins are only “moral issues, not cultural ones.” I do think there is such a thing as systemic sin/injustice that permeates systems and structures created by human beings which imprison us and force us to become, in many cases, unknowing or unwilling participants.

Jason does a fine job of picking through and dismantling all the major arguments on both sides of the alcohol debate. Although I do have some reservations with some his arguments, I think the overall conclusion he comes to, i.e. that both sides of the argument are based on rule systems, is a good one. However, I also feel that he either left out or breezed over some key issues that are important considerations in this discussion, which interestingly enough, happen to be some of the main reasons why I do not indulge in recreational drug use.

Unthinking

Jason makes an interesting argument early on in his article. He talks about unthinking consumerism in the quote below, but doesn’t think to include alcohol in that category for some reason.

Lots of the “rules” of our comfortable Christian subculture are based more on tradition than the Bible. They have more to do with the notion of “being separate” from the world than being made in the image of Christ. And how significant is it that this attitude of separation places great emphasis on some issues of outward appearance (alcohol, smoking, tattoos, entertainment) and not others (unthinking consumerism, gluttony)?

I happen to think alcohol deserves the emphasis it receives. In reality, when most people choose to drink alcohol they don’t think twice about it. Alcohol is a substance that people have very strong opinions about, and many people treasure their freedom to consume it–I understand and respect this freedom. I certainly don’t believe objects or substances are inherently good or evil but they are not neutral, they do have power to control us, and this power only increases when do not recognize it.

Alcohol is widely accepted around the world and has been used for centuries–it is very ancient and well loved. One of my greatest concerns is that this realization, along with other convincing arguments, years of hypnotic advertising campaigns, and the alluring pleasurable effects, allow people to look at alcohol in an empathetic manner. This often causes people to form certain misleading ideologies and assumptions about the nature of alcohol, thus driving them to not weigh heavily their decision to use it. I believe the decision to use alcohol, or any other drug for that matter, be it use that is moderate or abusive, is a decision that should not be taken lightly. I fear it is true that too many people make this decision everyday without thinking seriously enough about the consequences and affects it will have on them and those around them.

My honest observation about reality is that everything in this world is inter-connected on some level. I also hold to the Biblical vision of relational power which essentially says that we have power to affect and change things in this world, and that those things also have the power to affect and change us. This is why it is so important to understand that the things we do and the choices we make in life not only affect us but many times, affect those around us including our friends, families and even our environment and all of creation. Any attempt to simply write off alcohol consumption as a mere “outward appearance” that is a personal conviction relative to the individual, I believe is disingenuous. This issue is far more complicated than we think and deserves serious examination and contemplation.

Complicitous

The final point I would like to make is something I hope we can all agree on. It is that alcohol can have devastating effects even if used in extreme moderation. To borrow some of Jason’s stats for dramatic effect:

It is estimated that there are more than five million alcoholics in the U.S. alone, and another four million that are considered problem drinkers. The mortality rate is 2.5 times higher among alcoholics than for the general population. Suicide rates are nearly three times higher. Accidental death rates are seven times higher. Up to 40 percent of all traffic fatalities and a third of all traffic injuries are related to the abuse of alcohol. One-third of all suicides and mental health disorders are estimated to be associated with serious alcohol abuse. And that’s just among adults —recent estimates identify more than three million problem drinkers between the ages of 14 and 17 in the United States.

These statistics are just the tip of the iceberg. Alcohol is also the number one date rape drug and has a phenomenal impact in the crime world. A study by the British Medical Association showed that Alcohol was present in 60-70% of homicides, 75% of stabbings, 70% of beatings, and 50% of fights (IAS).

I am not trying to scare or make anyone feel guilty, and I am aware that alcohol is not totally to blame for these things, but to ignore or downplay these frightening statistics is downright irresponsible. I guess if I’m completely honest with myself, and since I know first hand how devastating the effects of alcohol can be on the body, families and society, there is no way I could continue to consume alcohol and not feel that I would be in some small way complicit in or condoning date rape, drunk driving, murder and violence. I suppose you could say it’s the same logic that Mennonite pacifists use when they drop off the map or refuse to pay taxes because they are aware that $.10 of every tax dollar goes to support wars that are being fought around the world.

I’m not going to pretend that there are any easy solutions to this problem, but Jason and can I both agree that judgment and  legalism screw us up just as much as much as alcohol can. I guess in the end, maybe the question to ask should not be ‘is drinking OK?’ but ‘why am I drinking?’ or ‘why am I not drinking?’ Can we be honest and admit that we like the affects alcohol has on our brain? That we enjoy the pleasure it brings and the numbing escape from reality it provides? Are we getting life from something other than the source of life itself? In all honesty, if everyone thought about alcohol the way most people think about heroin or cocaine, I would be happy. If they just weighed the decisions to use recreational drugs with same sincerity that any serious decision demands I would be pleased. But perhaps just thinking would be a good start.

Tags:alcoholalcohol useJason Boyettrelevant magazinestraight edgesxe