What About Alcohol?

Indictment of the misuse of alcohol

In our Sunday morning study of Isaiah we have noted more than once the prophet’s indictment of the misuse of alcohol (Isaiah 5:11, 22; 28:1, 7, 8; 56:12). As one reads the prophetic material it seems as though he was describing modern society.

What is the evidence?

In defense of alcohol consumption it is often argued that scientific studies have proven that people who take a couple of drinks a day live longer than either teetotalers or those whose intake exceeds two drinks (two shots, two beers, two glasses of wine). Naturally, this made the liquor industry very happy, and it was perceived as good news by those who sought to justify social drinking. But, were the scientists correct in their assumption? The evidence would indicate that they were not!

According to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, May 1989, by the middle of the last decade the earlier findings were beginning to be questioned. It was determined that the methods used to examine the connection between drinking habits and mortality were not sound enough to yield air-tight conclusions. In this new finding it was determined that the apparent benefits from moderate drinking were a by-product of the research methods rather than a real finding. No one argued that heavy drinking was good for health. But an important question was left unanswered. Is tee totaling unhealthy, and could teetotalers prolong their lives by swigging a couple of beers every evening? According to a study from England, the answer is no!

From 1978-80 British investigators recruited nearly 8,000 men between the ages of 40 and 59. These men were followed for an average of 7.5 years, during which their deaths and causes of death were monitored. The study showed that moderate drinkers did not benefit from the use of alcohol!

There is no real justification for the consumption of alcoholic beverages

When will we wake up to this fact? In recent years our society has seen the detrimental effects of smoking, and we have mounted a campaign to encourage people to stop smoking. When will we take similar steps in regard to alcohol? I’m tired of the commercials which encourage people not to drink and drive, the message ought to be, DON’T DRINK! It is impossible to measure the grief, misery, death and suffering caused by alcohol. It is a blight on society. When will we face up to this fact?

Alcohol is the most abused drug

It’s may be too late to reach many of the older generation, but we can reach the young. They need to know that the most abused drug in America today is alcohol! Young people, drinking is not cool, it’s stupid! “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1).