Soberween

Carol D said something on another thread about alcohol being forbidden due to religion and it got me thinking. I always wonder about the religion thing and alcohol. For example, I worked with a lot of Christian extremists when I lived in the south and not one of them drank and the majority had never even had a sip of alcohol. I remember having a conversation with one lady about a person who we worked with who was a recovering alcoholic and she was acting a little uppity about that person and I said "well you very well could be an alcoholic and just don't know it because the problem has never presented itself in that you've never even have had a sip of alcohol." I just remember the lady acted like I was insane and her weird work buddies kind of ostracized me after I made that comment to her. I probably shouldn't have said that to her, but I think she took it as me making a moral judgment about her. I was trying to make a logical comment based on the clinical side of alcoholism to defend the person we worked with who was a recovering alcoholic in that she was not just a moral failure and that there were genetic influences that lead some people down that path. Has anyone else where had any similar situations?

MsCooterBrown

I always wonder about priesthood..they have a HIGH rate of alcoholism. They have wine at every mass...how do they change that?

LaFemme

I find your experience interesting because in my experience church iscone of the most supportive place someone in recovery can go.

We were discussing whether you can be an alcoholic before you drink in another thread. I raised an example of a young man I know...he's in his late 20's....he comes from a family just ripped apart by rampant alcoholism so he has a high probability of being genetically predisposed to it. When his cousin died at 20 because of alcohol....hew promised his grandmother's he would never start. He is now a missionary in the church and I think he would probably acknowledge that were he to drink he would have the potential to become an alcoholic.

So I'm guessing you just had a bad experience and Leave it at that.

Mscb...my Mom likes to talk about how my Dads parents would have the local Catholic priest over and he would get smashed on a regular basis....my mom uses this as an example of the church's hypocrisy.

MsCooterBrown

I agree..I have known several alcoholic priests over the years..Your mom knows how to spot them! I am no longer a practicing Catholic. But there are many reasons...

CarolD

Please try to remember others when you share about their choice of religion and how or if they practice it.
Careless remarks can hurt.

The comment I made was in response to another thread ....something along the lines of ....."Do you come from a family of drinkers"
No I did not....and am very grateful they did not.


Soberween...if you are interested in what church I belong to...it's in D.C. Foundry Methodist..on 16th St. NW
I've moved away....so can't meet you there ...but....Everyone is welcome to come join in the fellowship.....

WritingFromLife

I heard somewhere, don't judge AA on the people, instead, consider the AA principles--IMHO, the same applies to churches. There are humans everywhere, by gosh! (I'm not a regular AA nor am I a regular church goer--so take it for what it's worth!)

runner2

I definately know people who admit "they could be alcoholic" after hearing my story. Some people who are religious may be addicted to their religion for example, but its not our job to point that out . The truth is that everyone has their crosses to bear every one has hardships to endure its not our job to judge, I see my alcoholism as a gift today and I would not have searched for God the same way or at this depth if not for my alcoholism so truly I am grateful. Some normal folks maybe have their hard journey too you dont have to be alcoholic to have a difficult path

CarolD

runner2....
Welcome to our recovery community ..thanks for joining with us...

Soberween

Too funny I worked on 18th Street, NW in the mid to late 80s....we probably crossed paths. I know exactly where Foundry is located.

Oh and hopefully I didn't offend any with my original post. Thank you for all your responses. Everyone here is always so helpful.

MsCooterBrown

Please try to remember others when you share about their choice of religion and how or if they practice it.
Careless remarks can hurt.

I would never mean to hurt others..didn't even think about that part! But I do wonder about how a priest in recovery would handle the mass...I will have to google it. It would be a horrible spot to be in. If I hurt anyone..please accept my apology...it was the furthest thing on my mind..

Soberween

No worries, you just asked an interesting question. I'm Catholic and I wonder too.

WritingFromLife

shoot I hope no one thought I was offended from MY post! I love you guys! I was just throwing my two cents in about church leaders and members not doing what's right doesn't mean the whole batch is spoiled! Didn't mean to get way off topic. Keep on postin!

defyinggravity

Not Catholic, but Episcopalian here (we, too, use real wine at communion every Sunday) and my former priest was a recovering alcoholic. He simply didn't drink the wine. He would put the cup up to his lips but keep them closed only allowing the smallest bit to even touch his mouth. (I know this because I asked him once how he handled it!)

Ethos23

I live in Utah. We are filled with those types. The Mormons here have never tried alcohol, but know everything about it. It is a moral lapse in their eyes. Arrrrggghh, don't even get me started.

Dee74

I suspect some used the closed mouth method, but some of the recovered Catholic priests I knew used grape juice - they had dispensation to do so...

others genuinely believed it was not an issue due to the doctrine of transubstantiation.

D

LaFemme

I meant no offense to Catholics...my mother is anti-religion so I don't listen to much she says about church in general....it was meant to be anecdotal

I have mostly gone to churches that serve grape juice...because I am not Catholic I would not take communion in a Catholic church....were I ate a church that served alcoholic wine at communion I would take it as I don't consider it alcohol.

MsCooterBrown

because I am not Catholic I would not take communion in a Catholic church....were I ate a church that served alcoholic wine at communion I would take it as I don't consider it alcohol.

But you could say i don't consider it alcohol..but your body will welcome it with open arms as the alcohol that it is..and you really shouldn't be eating a church..that can't be good!

Mark75

Thanx for the link Dee... I take the blood on Christmas and Easter... No problem... Just a drop... Funny thing, the last Easter and Christmas the blood (wine) was not offered. LOL... And that's ok, it is still considered full communion.

topspin

Oh my, <smiling>
....that lady who wondered about your comment may have thought you could've just as well said:

" well you very well could be an "_ _ _ _ _" (adulteress, murderer,liar, lesbian, and on and on ...actually any behaivior not socially accepted in her Church) ..... [I]and just don't know it because the problem has never presented itself in that .....[/I]

Soberween, I admire you for supporting your friend and get where you were coming from.

But there are millions of folks right here in the States that never drink (outside of a few sips of whatever a handful of times in their lives ) because of religious conviction. For different reasons , they, like us in recovery; ...don't drink, no matter what

I think that kind of diversity is really, really healthy,

..and who knows, some may turn out to be as fun as I'd ever dream of; ..not really extreme at all. Just different.

.....God help us if the population followed my example !?! lo

Soberween

Funny topspin...can you imagine?...."well you very well could be a SERIAL KILLER and just don't know it because the problem has never presented itself in that you have never even CUT OFF SOMEONE's HEAD." Then I merrily walk off to the copy room to make some copies. It was funny because she was that uppity in the way she referred to the recovering alcoholic as though she was some horror of a human being eventhough she was a perfectly nice person.