Can we promote responsible drinking? Fr. Abraham Orapankal

“Responsible drinking” may be a disturbing concept for many in the context of two realities: 1) Our Kerala Church leaders advocate total alcohol prohibition (madya varjanam); and 2) Most of our famous retreat preachers have been promoting prohibition with slogans like “alcohol is Satan’s poison” or “you are drinking Satan’s urine.” But as I observe the real life experience and the teachings of the Bible, I feel compelled to propose responsible drinking as very beneficial to all.

First, let me state that I can fully understand why our Church in Kerala and the Retreat Preachers are so vehemently opposed to drinking. Excessive drinking has literally destroyed so many families in Kerala. Addiction to drinking has resulted in poverty, heavy burden of loans, domestic abuse, broken relationships, loss of property, violence and even murders. Such unfortunate consequences have prompted our well-meaning Church hierarchy and preachers to insist on total prohibition.

Can we apply the same strategy here in America and in the Western world in general? No! The reason is obvious: the use of alcohol is a culturally accepted practice both in the society and in the Church. Before coming to the USA, I myself believed in prohibition of alcohol as the best solution to save families. But my experiences here made me rethink my own convictions:

My first exposure to an American parish was in New York. I was shocked to find a cabinet in the rectory dining room with alcohol… not only beer and wine, but also a variety of hot drinks! On weekends the priests would sit together and have a drink to relax and socialize. I did not find anyone getting drunk.
I attended the spiritual retreat for priests of the Archdiocese the next year. After the different retreat talks, spiritual exercises, Mass, meals/dinner, we had the Holy Hour. Then we had the social hour with wine, beer, cheese and crackers. That was truly a scandal for me. Why not refrain from alcohol at least during retreat? When I asked my pastor, he answered me: “We use a glass of wine or beer for fellowship. Hence the focus is not on drinking, but in experiencing good friendship and fraternity. It is an accepted way in the American culture and church.” I did not find anyone getting drunk.
A couple of months after I began serving in that parish, two nuns took me out for dinner to a restaurant. When the waitress came for taking orders for drinks, the nuns told me to order whatever I wanted. In my simplicity, I asked for a glass of water. I heard the nuns ordering a Manhattan and an apricot sour. I asked them what those meant. I was in total shock when they explained to me that Manhattan was whiskey mixed with vermouth, and ‘apricot sour’ was a cocktail of apricot brandy and lemon juice! I learned my lesson!
During his weekly general audience at the Vatican on June 8, 2016, Pope Francis was explaining John’s gospel account of the wedding feast of Cana in these words: “Water is needed to live, but wine expresses the abundance of the banquet and the joy of the celebration. It is a wedding feast lacking wine; the newlyweds are embarrassed by this. Imagine finishing a wedding feast drinking tea; it would be an embarrassment. Wine is necessary for the celebration.”
Pictures of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI celebrating his 90th birthday holding a large glass of beer splashed in the media this year on April 18. Beer and pretzel are special cuisines in Bavarian region of Germany where the Pope comes from.

From these experiences of moderate drinking, I am convinced that alcohol is something for our use but not for abuse. It is the abuse that brings destruction of health, finance and family relationships.

What does the Bible teach about drinking?
Bible clearly condemns drunkenness. But Bible is not against moderate drinking! Here are some verses that show biblical condemnation of excessive drinking:
“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1)
“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long over wine, those who go to taste mixed wine.…” (Proverbs 23:29-30)
“Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks” (Isaiah 5:22)
“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.” (Romans 13:13)
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18)
“For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.” (1 Peter 4:3)
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like.” (Luke 21:34)

But Bible does not condemn moderate use of wine! See these Bible verses:
“Now may God give you of the dew of heaven, And of the fatness of the earth, And an abundance of grain and new” (Genesis 27:28)
“You may spend the money to buy, food or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.” (Deuteronomy 14:26)
God’s promise to Israelites: “They will plant vineyards and drink their wine..” (Amos 9:14)
God’s promise through Joel: “I’m sending a gift: Grain and wine and olive oil…… And plenty of food for your body—silos full of grain, casks of wine and barrels of olive oil.” (Joel 2:19, 24).

St. Paul’s advice to Timothy: “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. (1 Timothy 5:23)
“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7)
“And wine makes man's heart glad, So that he may make his face glisten with oil, And food which sustains man's heart.…” (Psalm 104:15)

It is interesting to note how Jesus himself enjoyed some wine but he was accused of being a drunkard: “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved right by her deeds." (Matthew 11:19)

If Bible sees wine as a blessing, why have some people turned it into a curse? The answer is in overindulgence or excessive drinking which is condemned by the Bible. Some people claim that wine in the Bible refers to grape juice. But the Hebrew word for wine in Genesis 14:18 is yayin and it is used over 130 times in the Old Testament to mean fermented wine, not grape juice. (for more details, see: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14941-wine ). When this fermented wine is used over limits, it causes drunkenness as it happened to Noah in Genesis 9:21.

Is total prohibition the solution?
Even though Church authorities and preachers have been rooting for total prohibition, it is obvious that it has not been effective. In fact, no country or state that tried to ban alcohol ever succeeded fully. Look at the case of the USA that imposed a national prohibition of alcohol in 1920s as a “noble experiment” which lasted for thirteen years. The reasons for this legislation were very good: reduce crime and corruption, bring peace and prosperity to family life, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene in America. But it was an utter failure! From the many well-documented sources, let me quote just one from Prof. Mark Thornton of Auburn University who wrote the ‘Cato Institute Policy Analysis No. 155: Alcohol Prohibition Was a Failure’: “Although consumption of alcohol fell at the beginning of Prohibition, it subsequently increased. Alcohol became more dangerous to consume; crime increased and became "organized"; the court and prison systems were stretched to the breaking point; and corruption of public officials was rampant. No measurable gains were made in productivity or reduced absenteeism. Prohibition removed a significant source of tax revenue and greatly increased government spending. It led many drinkers to switch to opium, marijuana, patent medicines, cocaine, and other dangerous substances …” (for full analysis, see: https://object.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa157.pdf)

What are some conclusions from the above?
- There is a right use and a wrong use of wine. Moderate drinking is healthy. Excessive drinking is destructive.
- Even though Bible approves the use of wine to "gladden the heart" (Psalm 104), many abuse it for various reasons, leading to enormous tragic consequences. Hence the ideal is to abstain from alcohol even if the Bible does not require us to do so.
- Since prohibition has not resulted in any perceptible decrease in alcohol consumption, (any decrease was offset by the rise of crime, illicit liquor and drug use) it is time for the Church leaders to change course and speak the biblical truth about drinking.
- Preaching about responsible drinking makes more sense as it will be better welcomed by the general population than the call for total prohibition. (Even reputed medical experts, like Mayo Clinic, advice patients: if you drink, drink in moderation.)
- Teach people that the true meaning of hospitality is not in forcing the guests to drink to excess but to leave them free to drink with limit and control. If the guest says, “I’ll have just one drink,” the host should respect him and not insist on drinking more.

I do admire those extremely rare priests who do not touch alcohol in public or private. But most priests I know enjoy drinking in private. What is unfortunate is to see the way many priests have to put on a show of abstinence from drinks during parties by having alcohol mixed with cranberry or orange juice. If the Church takes a lead in teaching and preaching about responsible drinking, we priests can also give good example in public by drinking responsibly! Yes, G.K Chesterton is right: “We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not drinking too much of them!”