Drinking Society
Posted on: January 31, 2008
I’ve blogged on this before and no doubt it’ll happen again, but I’m continuously bothered by the attitude we seem to promote towards alcohol in this country.
A news article a few months ago reported that it is cheaper in supermarkets to buy lager than to buy water.
University’s up and down the country continuously offer drinks for around 80p a pint or alcopops on buy one get one free.
People I know on facebook seem to often have screenames about hangovers, never drinking again or generally about being drunk.
All of this continues to make me think that by lowering the prices of drink, by encouraging things like ‘pub golf’ (a concept where you get more points the more you drink) and by generally sending the message out that to have a good night out you need to be drunk we are giving out completely the wrong impression.
I blog this not to boast but to make a point, I have never been out and got drunk, I’ll go out and drink but I get to a point and stop because I don’t need to get drunk to have a good time, I like being in control and I like being able to choose what I do rather than letting alcohol choose that.
To bring this onto a Christian basis I think that getting drunk is biblically a bad idea, in a couple of his letters Paul condemns it, Proverbs, Isaiah and Hosea also suggest in various places it’s a bad idea.
To me Christians seem to always have a struggle to show the world that 1- we’re not boring and irrelevant and 2- we are in the world but not of the world’ and the way I see it being a Christian, going out, having a good time and not getting drunk is a really simple way we can show the world that Christianity is just as much fun and that you don’t need to drink fun.
It only takes a few to change the world (as the disciples prooved) and I wonder if every Christian who read this made the decision not to get drunk and then challenged their other Christian friends not to whether we could turn this stupid attitude to alcohol around. I’m not saying don’t drink, I’m saying enjoy it, and glorify God at all times and in my opinion that means not getting drunk.
Just some thoughts for you….I needed a rant!
On a final unrelated thought I think it’s about time the press left poor Britney Spears alone, maybe she wouldn’t be breaking down if they didn’t put so much pressure and stress on her!