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lf you decide that getting drunk or smashed is fun,
you will pay the consequences. lt's as simple as
that. But if you determine only to drink in strict
moderation, you will save yourself a lot of trouble.
therefore, the question of drinking is
not
a "wet versus dry" controversy
or an "either-or" conflict. Wine,
in
the Bible, is considered one of the
blessings God bestows on His
people, but drunkenness is con–
demned as being unworthy of a
Christian. No drunkard, said the
apostle Paul, will enter the King–
dorn of God (1Corinthians 6:9-10).
Thus, you should get the facts and
cornrnunicate those facts to your
children. Show them the benefits of
moderate drinking and also the
dangers of drinking to excess.
But teaching
is
not enough. The
most important thing parents can do
for their children is to set a right,
balanced example. Show thern the
proper way to use alcoholic bever–
ages in moderation. Never abuse
strong drink yourselves.
Records illustrate that a very low
percentage of the Jewish and ltalian
people become alcoholics, as coro–
pared with other ethnic groups.
Why? Researchers have concluded
that the major factor is that in those
two cultures, alcoholic beverages are
used as normal , proper, everyday
things in a family setting, in the
home, along with meals. Immoder–
ate drinking and drunkenness are
severely frowned upon.
Advice to Young People
And what about the young people
reading this a rticle? You , too,
should get the facts. Learn the truth
about alcoholic beverages. Study
the dangers of drinking to excess.
Then determine to govern your own
personal conduct accordingly. You
are free moral agents. If you decide
32
to use alcohol in a wrong way, toes–
cape problems, you will cou rt per–
sonal disaster.
If you decide that getting drunk
or smashed is fun, you will pay the
consequences. It's as simple as that.
But if you determine to drink only
in strict moderation, you will reap
the benefits.
The truth is, and you probably al–
ready know it , that a little wine or
beer, at the right time or proper so–
cial occasion, can be an enjoyable
thing. But
if
you overdo a good
thing, it can becorne a curse.
But what if you are under the le–
gal age for drinking? Obviously,
young people living at borne are un–
der the authority of their own par–
ents and should abide by the
restrictions their parents lay down.
If drinking is approved in moder–
ation in your borne, follow your par–
ents' example.
If
it is totally
forbidden, obey your parents. The
"Kingdom of God is not rneat and
drink" - doing without alcoholic
beverages won't hurt you.
What Alcoholics Can Do
But what if you are one of those
who has abused alcohol and have
become enslaved to it? Or what if a
member of your family is an alco–
holic? What can be done to help
such a one?
If
you are an alcoholic, first be
willing to face up to your problem.
Admit it to yourself. Find out what
alcoholism is and how it works.
Then obtain qualified help.
If you have a relative who
is
af–
fiicted, don't condemn him or her.
Realize that but for the grace of
God, that could be
you.
Love him.
Don't coddle him, but bankrupt his
alibi system. In other words, don't
"baby him," but face the problem
squarely and talk
it
out.
Remember, you can't scare anal–
coholic into sobriety. You can't
bribe him into it.
It
is extremely dif–
ficult to make ao alcoholic face up
to his problem and chaoge. But
what you can do is help
him
to help
himself - give him the facts, !ove
him, but refuse to listen to any ex–
cuses for failure. The best way to
help the alcoholic is to offer realistic
!ove.
Jean Vandervoort of the Pasa–
dena Council of Alcoholism says:
" Alcoholics are not weak-willed
people. They are strong-willed. But
they are lonely, depressed, aod be–
Lieve nobody cares. They have a
sickness of the soul." She adds that
the only effective way to deal with
alcoholics is to offer what she calls
" tough love."
"Tough !ove" is a pat on the back
and verbal reassurance to an alco–
holic that he can make it - but it
doesn' t condone his problem. It
doesn't coddle his weakness or clean
up after him, thus making it easier
for him to "cope." Tough love faces
the facts directly, makes no excuses,
and says, "This is the way it is, Joe.
You've got to overcome this prob–
lem. 1'11 give you
all
the help 1 can,
but the final result is up to you."
The Solution to Alcoholism
The solution to alcoholism is a
two-edged sword.
lt
involves both
law and !ove - compassion and
firmness. The alcoholic must be
PLAIN TRUTH April 1973