Today was a rough day...and I NEED a drink! Twas one of those days that make me wanna 'down ah likkle rum punch' and skank down to some serious Gospel Reggae. The problem is that it seems a mighty contradiction to get a little loose on some alcohol while singing God's Praises to a Reggae beat! Not that there is something wrong with alcohol, per se, - heck Jesus' first recorded miracle was to turn water into wine, right???
But I guess my Catholic upbringing is messing up my fantasy - that said, every Catholic and all manner of Christian folk I encountered growing up drank alcohol so why is it I'm hung up? It's not like I want to get slaughtered off the stuff, like most of them did. Ah! but even though I witnessed Catholics and other Christians drinking, I was indoctrinated against indulging in such a vice while growing up in a Caribbean island - of all places! Hello! Land of rum punch!
It's another one of those wretched contradictions in one's thought processes that just doesn't seem to want to go away. Even if I were to argue with myself about the fact that 'ah likkle rum punch’ - peanut or passion fruit...hmmm or coconut, or just unadulterated lime punch (yum), is no big deal, drinking in the presence of my 'minors' (aka my children) while trying to raise them to stay away from such 'vices' doesn't bode well with the Spirit (mine, that is). Of course, being mindful of representing Christ in a non hypocritical manner, unlike the way I saw Christians growing up, also has me considering people's perception regarding a Christian drinking (and buying) alcohol. An 'unsaved' person has no problem drinking themselves into oblivion and thinking nothing of it, but let a Christian drink one drink, and OMG! Why is it a Christian can be forgiven for murder but not for drinking?
But never mind that - shucks, what would Christians say about another Christian drinking alcohol ? I tell you what they will say...the same judgemental nonsense I hear in the Church - 'she's backsliding!'. Christians have jumped on this non-alcohol wagon too quick. Yes, some of them need to stay away from it after they get saved because they sure will over-indulge and act like a mule; but some of us are hardly going to "lose our religion" over a drink (one is all that's physically needed to loosen one's nerves, unless you are a 'soulant' {heavy drinker/drunkard}, as my Kweyol peoples would say.)
...Anyway, this is a useless conversation. I am talking to myself about the fact that myself wants a drink and feels like myself can't have one without some other disturbance to myself's overloaded brain and emotions. Bugger it I say!!! (ooops, that might be a curse word, haven't used it in a looooooong time, nor on these shores before, so not sure anymore - ya see how alcohol (or the want of) can lead you to sin!!!? LOL!)...Well, how about 'dog it'? seems tame enough...Dog It! I am going to have me some Haagen Daz Rum Raisin ice-cream before bed and get fat over my acceptable form of alcohol, while I peruse the ultimate barometer of whether or not this Christian should have a REAL rum punch - Yep! Time to consult those Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (aka The BIBLE)
Good night...and stay tuned for the FACTS about the ability - or lack thereof - of this Christian to drink a rum punch...
Don't tell the Pastor !? LOL they are called the sipping saints !!!next to the puffin' saints !!! only surpassed by the no tithes saints !!!
ReplyDeleteAh, the conundrum! I'd be a one glass of rum punch having Christian when no one is around to judge me in their own hypocrisy. LOL, but seriously, and not letting my salvation go in the trash with the bottle. It's the debate that Paul talks about in 1st Corithians chapter 8. It's overshadowed by whether or not you cause someone else to stumble in the exercise of your "freedom" (to have a rum punch if done in moderation and not out of a sinful heart).
ReplyDeleteI say this because even Paul advised Timothy to "have a likkle" wine for the sake of his stomach - there was not absolute aversion to alcohol referenced here We know that alcohol for most people can lead to an addiciton because, as a person should test their own faith, most people are "weaker" then they believe themselves to be. The discples at the wedding were "no doubt" drinking wine, and Jesus turned the water into it why others drank it to oblivion (did Christ cause them to sin by performing this miracle? Can we say God loss some of the glory because people drank this miracle wine? Surely not!).
It doesn't say that he didn't drink it, but for the sake of "staying away from the appearance of evil" the bible is not going to divulge what happened and like you say also, neither should one galavant around with the "Punch" in front of those with weaker faith (kids, legalistic saints, unbelievers looking for a reason to call us phoney, etc).
There is even a study that suggests that people who drink "NO ALCOHOL WHATSOVER" may have a shorter lifespan than someone who drinks in "moderation", because they lose the benefits of what a "likkle" alcohol can do for the body (destroys certain bacteria, thins the blood, etc). Meanwhile, "Drunkards" die early because of obvious health reasons.
All I'm saying is, find you a closet and have a "RUM PUNCH" if you so desire - as long as you are not in sin! Dag, the universe ain't gonna come to a grinding halt - and you know whether you want to punch because of the taset, or the "FEELING". Hopefully, it's the former.
If we so Non-Alcoholic and it's such a taboo, let's all go legalistic and ban the sale of "NightQuil".
I can hear sermons on that already, one being interrupted (especially in colder months) by the hundreds of coughs that would've been surpressed by the "ABOMINATION KNOWN AS COUGH MEDICINE!".
LOL
Hollaback
@Keith! Ya! It's a shame to say there's just too many who fit those stereotypes...this is undoubtedly why we are all to seek and study that Word and APPLY it...but hey! Part 2 soon come on that!
ReplyDelete@vultcha - lol! man! you are hilarious! but so so right...no doubt you'll enjoy part 2 of this one...
ReplyDelete