Sorry, my last post was a little blunt. I really shouldn’t dismiss others’ religious convictions, well, dismissively i guess. Still, I am curious. What’s the doctrinal foundation?
I have pretty much come around to the point of your previous post. no need to apologize for forthright communication. I think Baptists et al simply made it up, IMHO. (Scripture is unambiguously clear about the acceptability of consuming alcohol in moderation, but many protestants have deluded themselves into thinking it means something different in the Bible. My mother-in-law is strictly Biblical in all things, but believes the wine in the Bible is simply unfermented grape juice) I found out shortly before my dad died that when he went into full time pastoral ministry (Baptist), he gave up wine so his behavior would “never be a stumbling block to someone else.” Sad.
Personally I simply have not ever found any wine that tasted any better than gasoline. I have not tried that many beers or ales, but the heavy dark ones sure smell good. Jack Daniels is little better than paint remover IMHO, but a good cognac is another matter all together. I’m just not much of an imbiber.
My younger brother who is as devout and politically libertarian/conservative as I, declared long ago that when his kids left home he was gonna take up whiskey and cigars, and darned if he hasn’t. Of course it helps that my nephew is dating a girl from the Bahamas so my brother has a steady supply of primo Cuban cigars.