Drinking alcohol in moderation isn't good for you after all. It turns out that a 21-year study has shown that alcohol consumption has no positive effect on health, contradicting previous studies that said moderate drinking could possibly lower the risk of heart disease. There are multiple studies in recent years that have come to the same conclusion: light to moderate drinking doesn't make you any healthier, while heavy drinking will kill you–one way or another.
So don't drink!
Of course I'm biased as a teetotaler (technically I'm an abstentionist). But even if I wasn't a teetotaler, I'd become one for practical reasons if not theological ones. As a minister/counselor in a city of drinkers, I'm exposed to too much alcohol-induced-grief to take a drink. There so much to lose and so little to gain in our drinking culture. So why bother?
But toughest to convince are the moderate drinkers. Alcoholics know the harm that can come from "just one drink," while teetotalers are already convinced. But moderate, social drinkers sometimes zealously resist any imposed limitations on their drinking. They can be defensive or combative about the subject, desperate to justify their behavior (i.e. "it's for my heart"). And I've experienced moderate drinkers who try to hide their their drinking from me. They'll avoid me, change the subject, and outright fib to the preacher and say they were "sick" when they were actually hungover on a Sunday morning. Is it really "okay" when you have to lie to friends?
I'd like to say that run-ins like this are rare. But in my last ten years of ministry, my experience has proven that every few months I'll be dealing with someone, somewhere with some sort of alcohol problem, with a number of potential alcohol problems lingering on the sidelines.
14 comments:
Question. Greasy, fast foods and soda are not good for you either. Have you ever partaken in that? The bible cautions about other things we put in our bodies, not just alcohol. These things have no benefit for you in moderation, either. And many more people die from heart disease than they do alcoholism. Where did America's obsession with weight loss stem from? If we were to obstain from unhealthy food choices in the first place, we wouldn't have an epidemic of obesity. Even recovered alcholics have claimed that eating healthily after previously eating unhealthily was harder than trying to recover from the alcoholism.
Anonymous,
Are you denying all the broken families and abuses that take place due to alcohol consumption? I have lost 80 lbs and maintained it for 4 years and during my unhealthier times never did I consider beating a child or a spouse, nor did I ever drive unsafely and take a life while under the influence of a donut.
Alcoholism has a ripple effect that can only be compared to other drugs. Over eating primarly affects the eater while over drinking affects not only the consumer but everyone they come in contact with.
Let's compare apples to apples.
First of all, how you say that overeating does not affect anyone but the overeater? Would having a massive heart attack and dying not have an effect on your kids? Alcohol alone does not cause a person to abuse. There are underlying issues. Not everyone who consumes alcohol abuses their family just as not everyone who abuses their family consumes alcohol. What about the people with spending issues? Violence due to the stress has resulted in families with that issue. Are we supposed to withhold everyone's paycheck? I'm not denying that alcohol consumtion can result in DUIs and other issues, but let's get back to my point in the first place. My response was to the comment about why drink something with no health benefits. Some studies do suggest health benefits to an occasional glass of wine. Of course, you're going to side with the study in your favor. I actually tend to destress after a glass of wine with dinner, not beat my family. So before you judge and assume that everyone who has a drink now and then is an alcoholic, stop and contemplate before you have your next Big Mac. P.S. Didn't Jesus turn water into wine?
Sorry, that first sentence is supposed to read, "how can you say". I must have been drunk when I was writing it. :)
I said I'm an abstentionist, not an abolitionist, so no I don't have a theological problem with moderate drinking. I have a pragmatic problem with it. Please re-read my original post.
Your defensiveness seems to validate what I said about defensive and combative moderate drinkers.
What are you trying to prove by saying that over-eating is as bad or worse somehow? Does that lessen the evil of alcoholism? And how do you think your argument sounds to the child of an alcoholic parent?
Please reconsider what you think I might have meant originally and what you're trying to argue now.
For the record, I always post my name when I post.
This topic hits close to home as of late.
I'm not really sure what moderate drinking is...once in awhile when you're having a nice meal? Once a week on Saturday while you're watching the game?
If Saturday is ok, let's add Friday night as well...twice a week...2 beers max.
Hmmm...2 beers max...hmmm...if I buy 24 ounce cans...I can cram 4 beers into my 2 beers.
You know, it's the middle of the week...I haven't drank since Saturday...Wednesday while I'm mowing the lawn after work is no big deal. Wow, I'm sweating and thirsty...the wife and kids are still riding their bikes...I'll grab another one. I just won't kiss my wife tonight. She won't know.
Well, she never detected it last night...tomorrow's Friday anyway...
This is an example of how "moderate drinking" can start to takeover. pretty soon, everything is an excuse to have a beer.
I have more vices than Home Depot. :/
Drinking isn't a sin, but it's like a little candle...if you're not careful before you know it your whole house can be on fire.
Well said, jeff e...
And overeating/obesity IS a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Gluttony is wrong just like alcoholism, but the impact of alcoholism is much farther reaching. The people who have replied to this post know from whence they speak.
Why the need to post my name? So you can put a face to whom you are judging?
Who is being defensive here? I feel no need to defend myself. Why would I? I am just stating facts. If I can have a drink responsibly, why not?
Why buy a nice piece of furniture for your house? You'll just want more?
The next time you need pain killers, you'd better not take any. I hear they can be addictive, too.
As with anything in life, you have to be responsible.
"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. " (I Timothy 5:23)
Anon., I think you are grasping at straws here. Are you saying that eating too much, and buying furniture is in any way compared to listening to your own mother relive the pain that she witnessed as a child, seeing her drunk father pull a gun on her mother, and then beat her into a concussion with a chair? And then, her having major problems with every future relationship she has ever had, all because her dad had a drinking problem? Nowhere near the same, and should not be compared. And, by not stating your name, says that you are not willing to stand up for yourself. And, no one is judging you, you are allowed to state your opinion. I just think you are using not stating your name as a way to be insulting, and to not have to be accountable.
Accountable?! For what? And whom am I insulting? I think some of you who have responded have been unfortunate to experience abuse where alcoholism may have been involved. And I'm very sorry for that, but who's grasping at straws? Abuse may be prevalent in alcoholic families, but that does not mean that alcohol caused the abuse. If you are beating someone into a bloody pulp, there are deeper issues. If someone has a tendency to be abusive, they are probably going to drink themselves into oblivion anyway. You all have blown this way out of porportion. I never stated that alcoholism doesn't exist. I was simply responding to the comment of "why put anything in your body that has no health benefits," You all imply that any form of drink leads to alcoholism. I honestly believe that all of you who have responded to this have some serious issues from the past and have blown my comment way out of porportion and are using this as a form of therapy. If this has helped you, great! As for me, I'm done posting. If you need more therapy, I suggest you seek some help.
Anon,
You hit a sore spot not because of your point itself but because of the condescending and insensitive way in which you made it. You didn't listen carefully or consider other points of view but belittled honest and sincere people for talking about a serious problem.
You've been the stereotypically combative and overly-defensive moderate drinker. Thanks for the demonstration and please drink responsibly.
Good day.
"why put anything in your body that has no health benefits,"
Anon,
I guess I don't see where Jared or anyone else wrote this. I figured since you put it in quotations you were referencing something. Guess Not!
I guess I will put my two cents in on this subject. I was raised by an alcoholic and probably witnessed more abusive and vulgar situations than most people would like to admit to. However; I am not against drinking. I drink yet, I realize that alcoholism is a disease and I might be more succeptable than most since it was prevelent in my family. The great thing about this life is we get to choose what we want to do with it. Some can be totally against drinking and some drink everyday. Only one person gets the job of judging you, so live your life the way you choose and good luck with that. Experiences in life lead us in many decisions that we make and if someone has had a bad decision related to alcohol than we shouldn't blame them for speaking up about it. Finally, don't hide your name in fear of being judged, that isn't anyones intention nor should it be.
~Chad
I know I said that I was done blogging, but you have all been so adament about my identity. The reason I’m not leaving my name is because I feel that I would not have received honest responses had I left my name. Now I know how you truly feel and can appreciate the honesty. Not only that, we are human and do have a tendency to judge and gossip even though we say we won’t.
I want to apologize about the statement in quotes, "why put anything in your body that has no health benefits,". I was quoting what I had written previously, which was paraphrasing Jared’s comment.
I suggest that everyone go back and read my original response. It was in response to health benefits, not alcoholism. I totally agree that alcoholism is a problem and has destroyed many families, but many people have an occasional drink that never leads to alcoholism. I may have a glass of wine maybe once a month. I have done that for more than 5 years and have never drank myself into a stupor or desired to have more. I know that this is a personal choice and it works for me. Yes, I may appear defensive, but the comment, “… moderate, social drinkers sometimes zealously resist any imposed limitations on their drinking. They can be defensive or combative about the subject, desperate to justify their behavior,” really rubs me the wrong way. The word “justify” implies that moderate drinking is a sin. That’s where I have the problem. If something is not a sin and I choose to do it, what do I have to justify? Drunkenness is the sin. You all have gone off on a tangent about alcoholism making me out to look like I could care less about it. That is not the case. You imply that I am not an honest and sincere person and that I am condescending. You don’t think the comment about moderate drinkers feeling the need to “justify” condescending when you stated that you have no theological problem with it. Maybe people feel the need to hide their “moderate” drinking because they feel like they will be judged and need to “justify” their behavior when comments like these are made.
I would also like to strongly caution those leaving comments supporting not drinking when they are on the verge of hypocrisy.
If my comments about getting help have offended someone, I apologize. I have done no more “belittling” than anyone else here. After all, isn’t the point of a blog to speak freely? But, when the subject gets way out of hand and I am being attacked, basically being told that my one glass of wine a month is going to lead to me beating my kids, I take offense to that. I wasn’t trying to belittle anyone. I really have listened and I understand that some have experienced grief due to alcoholism, but I do feel that it makes you closed to anyone else’s point of view. I understand why you would choose to never have a drink, but don’t tell me I need to justify what I do. Please remember that only our Maker can judge us.
And don’t worry, I’ll continue to drink responsibly.
anon - your combative tone doesn't make for a discussion...it's more of an argument where one person is yelling and the other person is just sitting there. There's no discussion when that happens.
The point of the post was that alcohol doesn't have the health benefits like originally thought.
If you drink - drink because you choose to and for that reason only...no more raising of the glass and saying 'here's to the heart'.
That was the point. The post comments took a strange twist and we need to remember:
We're all friends here.
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