Do you drink alcohol?
Alcohol is in a lot of things: vanilla extract, cold medicines, etd. And it is used in cooking (I cook with a lot of it).
The poll today is not about technicalities, but about whether you drink alcohol as a beverage.
No one on Sharper Iron (I would think) would deny that drunkenness is a sin.
So what about you?
Please choose the answer that fits closest and try to avoid other, if you can. Drinking rarely can be defined as less that 10 drinks a year.
Our poll is not about the past, but the present.
This poll is not about whether it is appropriate for Christians to drink in moderation, but is about actual practice.
Poll Results
Do you drink alcohol?
I never, ever drink alcohol as a beverage. Votes: 26
I occasionally drink alcohol only for medicinal reasons. Votes: 0
I rarely drink alcohol but might/do on rare occasions. Votes: 9
I drink occasionally. Votes: 8
I drink in moderation. Votes: 5
I have or border on having a drinking problem. Votes: 1
Other Votes: 2
- 2 views
I have a strong preference for a very stiff drink … of espresso.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
Even if you don’t care to comment, please vote. I think it is interesting to see where things are — in practice— in this area that was once taboo and off limits to even discuss.
I remember conversations where, if you suggested that Jesus drank alcohol, it was like expressing agreement with Trump on an issue among Hillary supporters.
So just an anonymous vote would be appreciated, although you are welcome to comment, if you wish.
If you have not signed up to be part of the SI forum, it is painless if you are a Bible-believing Christian. Please do so!
"The Midrash Detective"
My drink of choice is Cherry Coke Zero. Diet Dr. Pepper and artificially sweetened ice tea are winners as well. But when it comes to beverage alcohol, I believe it is both biblical and wise to not drink at all.
David R. Brumbelwo
Apparently, I’m one of those people who goes into AFib when I use alcohol. I found this out from a dose of Nyquil about 20 years ago, and I have not tested that theory since.
I can’t be objective on this issue. My husband is and ever shall be a recovering alcoholic. So I can’t help but think one should not drink alcohol, even in ‘moderation’, whatever that means.
I’m a non-drinker for a variety of reasons.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
The “do you?” “have you?” “would you?” kind of questions:
My own take is that there should be a privacy “wall” between one’s private life and church life.
My wife and I are now retired so this is a pre-retirement story
A man who was hired about the same time as us, had a unusual fascination / obsession with my wife’s career progress.
He himself has a PhD in something math-related (statistics or something). My wife has just a Bachelor’s degree (in Math from Florida State (bragging here … 4.0!)
As my wife’s career progressed, her achievements surpassed mine and his. She was the first one with an office, the first one in management, the one with the awards and recognition.
The man above was frequently asking personal questions. He’s a US citizen from Bangladesh and his boorish behavior is perhaps related to being a foreigner.
His questions were always probing her salary. Seriously more than once, he asked me “How much your wife make?”
Of course I artfully dodged answering him.
Think of all the questions that are really no one’s business.
I know this survey is secret, but my point is that if someone drinks in moderation in the privacy of his own home, I’m OK with that.
This, I think, is the meaning of Romans 14:22, “So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God”
I know this survey is secret, but my point is that if someone drinks in moderation in the privacy of his own home, I’m OK with that.
Jim, do you have problems with Christians who drink a glass of wine at a restaurant? I personally do not, even though I myself arm not among them (I don’t like wine or beer, etc., anyway).
"The Midrash Detective"
[Ed Vasicek]I know this survey is secret, but my point is that if someone drinks in moderation in the privacy of his own home, I’m OK with that.
Jim, do you have problems with Christians who drink a glass of wine at a restaurant? I personally do not, even though I myself arm not among them (I don’t like wine or beer, etc., anyway).
My expectation is that, if we are at a restaurant that serves alcoholic beverages, some will be drinking.
We actually only eat out about once a month. This week we are going out to a hamburger chain that has a special on Wednesdays. People will be at the bar and having alcoholic beverages with their meals. I’m OK with that. Honestly, while I don’t want to make it seem like I’ve “arrived”, if a Christian has an alcoholic beverage it just doesn’t concern me.
Recently we were out to dinner and we “spied” a fellow church member with a beer. The restaurant was large enough that while we could see they were obviously having a beer, I wasn’t bothered by it. Romans 14:4, ” Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall”
I’m a connoisseur of root beer (Stewart’s is the best) and if you drink it from the bottle, it looks like you are drinking beer. This used to bother a couple of my friends, who thought I should pour it into a glass. And over ice, no less. Heresy!
over ice cream, preferably over chocolate for a black cow.
[Susan R]I’m a connoisseur of root beer (Stewart’s is the best) and if you drink it from the bottle, it looks like you are drinking beer. This used to bother a couple of my friends, who thought I should pour it into a glass. And over ice, no less. Heresy!
Hoping to shed more light than heat..
I drink 2 beers a week
- 1 when my wife makes hamburgers (Friday night)
- Another night if we have Mexican food or pizza
[Susan R]I’m a connoisseur of root beer (Stewart’s is the best) and if you drink it from the bottle, it looks like you are drinking beer. This used to bother a couple of my friends, who thought I should pour it into a glass. And over ice, no less. Heresy!
No, freeze a glass mug, pour it in there, and drink it that way. I had it that way once (at at Stewart’s, I think), and it was fantastic. Best root beer I’ve ever had.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
This is an old man story (sorry): When I was a kid (under the age of 10), 5¢ bought a frosty mug of A&W (but earning a nickel wasn’t easy)
For the discerning Root Beer connoisseur, consider the not-widely-available 1919
Produced by the August Schell’s Brewery in New Ulm
https://www.sprecherbrewery.com/soda.php
There is a local drive-in that serves a homemade root beer here in town. That’s a destination treat, imho.
http://www.anniesburgertown.com/about
Summarizing the votes/voting percentages, here’s where we’re at so far:
21 voters completely abstain.
21 voters drink to at least some degree (including 1 voter who admits that he or she may have a drinking problem. Pray for that person!).
2 voters selected “other,” whatever that indicates.
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Are these results surprising, for a poll taken on S/I?
Left: Teetotalers view of Christians who drink
Right: Non-teetotalers view of teetotalers
Thanks everyone. Keeps those votes coming, The more votes, the more accurate the picture.
Larry Nelson wrote:
Are these results surprising, for a poll taken on S/I?
I expected perhaps a 60% total abstainer view, so a little surprised There is a big difference, I think, between North and South, rural and urban, young and old. I am not sure of the ratio of who comes from where on SI. I know we have some participants in Europe, but mostly North America. If we had more Europeans, I would have expected more drinkers (they don’t have the same WCTU —Women’s Christian Temperance Union heritage as American fundamentalists and evangelicals).
Consider this: although perhaps half of SI participants drink alcohol on at least some occasions, a good number of those who don’t drink probably have no trouble with those who do (in moderation). Looking at some of the comments makes this evident. If you combine those who do drink (at least on occasion) with those who don’t (but have not objections to drinking in moderation), I think it is fair to say a super majority of SI participants are pro-freedom to drink in moderation. This is a marked change from past generations, when it was common to hear Jesus turned the water into grape juice and all alcohol was from the devil.
Being a son of an alcoholic with both grandfathers being alcoholics, I don’t want to propagate that. But not everyone has that genetic heritage or increased danger. In hte past, the “weaker brother” argument was misused and overblown to enforce all sorts of manmade rules, while real issues of causing another to stumble were not always taken seriously.
SI began over a decade ago, originally attempting to poll young fundamentalists as to their views. They were a different breed, by and large, from the previous generation. They have gotten older and the older generation has lost many to death or to declining health. I know my views on “worldliness” “amusements” and “questionable things” have moderated over the years on issues like this, and so have the views of a few friends, And, it seems to me, those younger (I turned 60) seem more at ease with moderate drinking. Frankly, there are so many clearly wrong things advocated in our society (and sometimes churches) that questionable or traditionally taboo (but Scripturally unfounded or unclear) issues are brushed off, perhaps sometimes rightly so.
I think the SI crowd is amazing, and I am glad to be part of this forum. But all of us live in a day when we must choose our fights and constantly seek to better pay attention to what the Scriptures actually say and what they do not say, direct statement vs. a possible inference. We all find ourselves on one side or another on these sorts of things.
"The Midrash Detective"
If you want 1919, most liquor stores carry it. The trick is that most breweries that survived Prohibition survived by doing things like root beer, extract of malt, and the like. In fact, most of the best root beers out there are, in my opinion, made by beer brewers.
Yes, you can get in trouble in certain circles by drinking premium root beers, as those “in the know” know exactly where you had to go to get them. So being borderline diabetic, I abstain from root beer for the most part, as I’ve not made my peace with sugar free beverages.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
Discussion