This can be a touchy subject. Alcohol is very popular in our culture. It is seen as a privilege, a hobby, an entertainment, and a form of expression. Some people take a great deal of pride in what they drink, when and how they drink it, and with whom. Schools offer classes on proper alcohol consumption. Support groups offer sessions on how to avoid improper alcohol consumption.

Before anyone gets all riled up, I have no intention of judging another’s philosophy on drinking. I have many friends and family who drink, and the question comes up occasionally. Why don’t I drink any alcohol?

Given my professed relationship with Christ, some might assume that I avoid alcoholic beverages because of some conviction that drinking is a sinful activity. That’s actually not quite true. I’ve heard the topic argued backwards and forwards by Christians and non-Christians alike. “Jesus turned water into wine…The disciples drank wine at the last supper…That wasn’t really wine, it was grape juice…The Bible says wine is good for your health…Blah, blah, blah.”

I have come to the conclusion that the Bible is pretty vague on the topic of alcoholic consumption. It very definitely instructs to avoid over-indulging, but otherwise I believe that this is more an issue of personal conviction than of Biblical doctrine.

So why then have I decided to completely eradicate alcohol from my diet? Let me lay it out in a logical progression:

1. Alcoholism causes all manner of societal problems. Every year, thousands of people are injured or killed in DWI car accidents. Families are physically and emotionally abused. Brawling, rape, and even murder are often initiated or exacerbated by alcohol abuse.
2. Many people have problems with alcoholism. I have never personally had any symptoms of the disease, and I have no concerns that I am particularly susceptible. However, it is a very common problem. There is even evidence that some people are genetically predisposed to alcohol abuse.
3. There are many people who look up to me as an example. This may sound conceited, but it’s a fact. The most obvious example is my children, but it goes beyond that. People at my church, people in the workplace, in the community… I am aware of some of my spheres of influence, but I’m sure that there are others that I don’t even know about.
4. So if I drink alcohol, even just one drink, and someone sees me doing it and decides “well, if it’s okay for Dan…” You can see where this is going.

Oh the hubris! To think that I can have that effect on someone else! “What’s the likelihood that will happen,” you may ask. Good point. It may very well not be all that likely. On the other hand, I don’t want to tolerate even the smallest possibility that I could be, however indirectly, responsible for someone heading down the path of alcoholism and all the evil that can potentially bring.

In these type of debates, I frequently like to look at an extreme example to illustrate my point. Let’s say that everyone currently living in the whole world stopped drinking alcohol overnight. How many new cases of alcoholism do you think would occur after that point? What effect would that have on the overall global quality of life? To put it another way, I propose the theory that pretty close to 100% of alcoholics were introduced to drinking because of peer pressure in one form or another.

So then, what is the surest way to abolish alcoholism? In my opinion the best solution is to prevent the spread of alcohol consumption, and hence I have resolved to do my part towards this goal and completely abstain.

– danBhentschel