[fwdude]

There are two kinds of ‘wine’ in the Bible. Fermented and unfermented. Unfermented “wine” or grape juice is “Holy” or “clean” while fermented wine is “unholy” and “unclean.” All alcoholic beverages are unholy and unclean!

I agree, Wasichu. The alcohol apologist Christians I debate are always telling me that drinking to excess - to the point of intoxication - is the sin.

It's funny, though. I can never find any pro-alcohol Christians who DON'T drink the point of intoxication.

[kabumpo]

I don’t.

[kabumpo]

I don’t.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Unless it was specifically designated as new wine, it had been fermented, i.e. it was wine. Otherwise, what Jesus said about new wine in old wineskins makes no sense: it's the new wine fermenting, producing CO₂, and swelling, that causes an old wineskin to burst.

All grape starts fermenting immediately, from the sugars in the juice and the yeast on the skins. This is an aspect of its God-given nature, invariable and incontestable. The only way to stop that is either freezing or pasteurization, neither of which existed in Biblical times.

Moderate wine drinking is also healthful, as we have known for thousands of years (as Paul said to Timothy!) and as we can now document. In 1992 Harvard researchers confirmed moderate alcohol consumption as one of the "eight proven ways to reduce coronary heart disease risk." Scientists believe the artery-relaxing benefit of the alcohol itself is partly responsible for this protective effect. Plus antioxidants, called flavonoids, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

However in a 1998 study, Japanese researchers found that while non-alcoholic grape juice still had antioxidative benefits, it did not significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels compared to alcohol-containing red wine.

"He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate-
bringing forth food from the earth:
wine that gladdens the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread that sustains his heart."
Psalm 104

Thanks be to God.

[Cronos]

It's funny, though. I can never find any pro-alcohol Christians who DON'T drink the point of intoxication.

pro-alcohol?

No one is pro-alcohol. All we're saying is that the Bible condemns drunkenness, not drinking of wine itself.

It doesn't say ban drinking wine.