- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
I find the rule to be 100% abstinent to be extreme. If the prophet needed a little whiskey to get through a night in jail…no harm…no addiction…just some temperance in these things and no worries. I know lots of people at work that are not addicts, but drink responsibly.
Having said that…I completely agree that the blessings of not being an alcoholic is great. Having worked at a hospital and my wife being a nurse…it is sad to see the effects of it for those who fall victim to the vice.
I can see the benefits…just think we go to an extreme of equating abstinence to worthiness in the sight of God.
Heber13 wrote:
…I completely agree that the blessings of not being an alcoholic is great. Having worked at a hospital and my wife being a nurse…it is sad to see the effects of it for those who fall victim to the vice.As strange as it may sound, there are blessings in being an alcoholic in recovery too. I wouldn’t want to go through it again, but I have met many
wonderful people in my family & in meetings who have gotten sober, continue to go to meetings & discovered things about themselves that
they couldn’t have done otherwise. There are stories I’ve heard in meetings & “one on one” that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Some
people relapse, some have committed suicide and some go back again to meeting. Some of my closest friends are recovering alcoholics & addicts.
No one keeps a confidence like another recovering person.
There are many wonderful, faith promoting stories I could tell. Maybe I will wait for a F&T meeting. (Just kidding.)
I agree completely that abstinence should not be equated with worthiness before God – and I would have no problem whatsoever if the Word of Wisdom was removed from the requirements for temple attendance. However, I would like the first step to be removing it from the requirements for baptism. Even with that, I still am grateful, deeply, that preaching abstinence kept me and so many of my extended family from developing an addiction – and alcohol is a gateway drug for SO many people.
I think part of what makes the word of wisdom (and most other commandments) become toxic is not just the strictness of the rules but the membership judging and becoming un-Christlike to others based on their obedience or perception of faithfulness in regards to obedience. If family, friends, or leadership learns that someone drinks tea, or has a coffee once in a while, they could act in love to understand their situation and figure out if they can help, or they can be completely judgemental. Oh, that member DRINKS? They should KNOW that is against the word of wisdom, so they must be SINNING really bad. Often enough the membership trying to police one another against a set of commandments is more toxic than the commandment itself.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.