tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743286130964155757.post-44350248304556704982008-05-02T13:57:00.000-07:002008-05-02T13:57:00.000-07:001. You said, “Moderation truly is the key.” <BR/><BR/>And I agree… And yes, it does sound like your Mom goes a bit too far… Unless she has a problem with addiction, then her actions would be sensible (for herself). <BR/><BR/>2. You said, “I'm not sure if getting drunk, is a sin. Getting drunk and staying drunk routinely definitely would/could be. But going to a wedding and having one too many surely isn't. Like in the above #1, the problem is not drunkenness, the problem is idolatry. If alcohol has replaced god in your life, then that is the problem.” <BR/><BR/>It really depends on what you consider “getting drunk”. I would imagine different people have different opinions on that. What’s the difference between drinking that “gladdens the heart of man” versus the drinking that makes a man drunk? Perhaps there’s a fine line. I would certainly agree that making drunkenness a regular part of your life would in fact be sinful lifestyle, and if you’re not a person of this faith it’s still unhealthy. But to put it in perspective, having one too many is a far cry from a binge session. So, I think there is some gray area here; which is why I think quantifying how many is too many can often be a matter of personal conscious, not to mention everyone’s metabolism is different <BR/><BR/>That being said, we all can tell when someone has had far too many, but one too many can be difficult to determine. This is also where things like drinking and driving accidents often happen. So, the gray area can be dangerous too. Everyone should know their limits, and be safe. Having one too many, would be like over eating at the buffet, not healthy and not the right thing to do, but also not the end of the world. Now if you keep going past that one beer, or if you plow through a whole tray of lasagna, you probably have a real problem. It’s even worse if you do so purposely as a regular part of your life. It’s varying degrees of ‘wrongness’. <BR/><BR/>Like the saying goes, “Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” At any rate, I don’t think our views differ too much here, although I think you may be a bit more cavalier than I am with the “one too many” concept. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to be judgmental on this. If I was, I’d be a hypocrite as I have on occasion had one to many, and have had a wee bit too much food to eat. I’m not perfect, but I try to keep a healthy and responsible lifestyle. Remember, the slope can be slippery… <BR/><BR/>3. You said, “Striving to be christ-like isn't that hard to do. Modern christianity tries to make it out to be hard, but it isn't. If you know something is wrong, don't do it.” <BR/><BR/>I would say it’s not hard to try, and most of us can do a pretty good job of being a decent person, but I believe we all would fall short if we were stacked up against Jesus. Bottom line, Jesus was without sin, and none of us are. But that’s OK, none of us are perfect, we just need to do our best. And as you’ve stated, this should be done joyfully, not with misery out of obligation. He wants us to do our best to follow the laws/rules, not out of obligation but out of our own will. We are going to mess up, make mistakes, occasionally fail to do what’s right, but that’s OK. That’s the way of the world. This is something many people of faith forget when they judge others, and fail to see this same imperfection in their own lives. <BR/><BR/>You asked, “So the thing is, are you not getting drunk because you believe it to be a sin and want to follow the law? Or are not doing it because you love the lord and want to do his will?” Great question! For me it the latter… Plus, I think making a habit of NOT getting drunk is healthier, regardless of faith. It also allows you to enjoy what you drink more. If you just want to get toasted, then buy a 30 pack of Busch and go to town…Bryonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09477503566985637974noreply@blogger.com