Being a good Scots minister's kid, this sort of stuff drive me nuts - especially when it is not only against the obvious bits written down in the text but it also makes no sense as mathematics:
ChristiaNet.com (http://www.christianet.com), the world's largest Christian portal with twelve million monthly page loads, asked reader's to participate in a new survey that asks, "Should Christians drink beer? The majority of 197 out of 339 respondents felt that it isn't appropriate behavior for several reasons. One person said, "Alcohol takes control of a person's body and does not honor God's temple." Respondents seemed to agree overall that drinking beer, wine, liquor, or an alcoholic beverage of any kind is wrong.Excellent. Jesus makes wine in his pre-season, God makes humans uniquely able to digest alcohol...but now we are told He must have been wrong - by 197 clicky-clicky web poll respondents out of the hundreds of thousands apparently visiting that site. Well, I am with the Lord on this one. So those 197 will have to burn in Hell of their own volition. I can't be seen to be keeping company with the wrong sort. Jesus is alright with me.
Comments
Bostonbeerman (Jim Olson) - February 10, 2007 12:39 am
I have feeling there are some monks in Orval, Rochefort, Westvleteren, Chimay, Westmalle, Achel, and Konigshoeven (La Trappe or Schaapskooi) that might take issue with the results of that survey.
Douglas - February 10, 2007 11:37 am
I think Jesus would qualify as a bootlegger. And I think the billions who take weekly communion might take a different view than the 197.
Justin - February 10, 2007 2:46 pm
As someone who is about to receive a BA in theology, and who will probably start studies for the priesthood in August, I have to say I also disagree with the 197.
Alan - February 10, 2007 5:09 pm
According to the mathematical standards of the 197, we four constitute an overwhelming majority and, again according to their logic, am empowered to establish the actual nature of Christian theology though leveraging this four person majority on this point. Our work here is done.
Keith - February 12, 2007 4:24 pm
"Idolatry is committed, not merely by setting up false gods, but also by setting up false devils; by making men afraid of war or alcohol, or economic law, when they should be afraid of spiritual corruption and cowardice."
-G. K. Chesterton, Illustrated London News (Sept. 11, 1909)
Keith - February 12, 2007 6:51 pm
The pope likes beer.
gr - February 13, 2007 8:41 am
I don't think they served lemonade at the last supper...
Evghenis - February 15, 2007 12:20 pm
I'm a seminary student, and thus a future preacher, and I am abhorred by that survey, and think people need to actually read the bible before they try to preach it. The bible does state that drunkeness is wrong, but that wine and other alcoholic beveridges are not only acceptable, but also reccomended (Gen. 14:18, 27:25-28, Deut. 14:26, John 2:1-10, 1 Tim 5:23).
Jason - November 22, 2007 6:13 pm
I am a evangelical Christian and it really saddens me that most of my Protestant brother believe this way. Not that they choose to be teetotalers but they believe that they are somehow more righteous and those who drink alcohol are sinning is unbiblical. In the Wikipedia encyclopedia Christianity and alcohol under the heading 19th century I read "These changes in practice (moderationism to prohibitionism) thus were not common to the church around the world but rather were primarily a phenomenon in American Protestism, particularly those without a strong international history or connections. These changes have persisted with some waning of support to the present".