Brain vs Motives
I've been sober for a while. If I get a bad cold and need to take some cough syrup I'll try to get the non-alcohol type but in a pinch I've been know to use regular cough syrup. I go on a spiritual 12 step retreat twice a year where there is mass held. During the communion, grape juice used to be used but that has changed. Because of the Bishop in the area, the retreat now uses real wine. About a half dozen times I've taken communion in a number of years.
I'm not going to argue the medical view of alcoholism because I don't care about the medical details. I've always been taught that to analyze, paralyzes! I know what my motives are when I take communion. I don't get a thrill from knowing I'm tasting wine or anything like that. I'm working my 11th step. My mind is where it should be at that time.
To go out and party with friends, or just to sit around and have something cold to drink and choose to comsume something with alcohol in it is to me, not smart. I may be able to do it for some time but sooner or later I believe it's going to bite back. JMO