For many years I have babbled on, and at great length, about the terrible way we train our young people in the management of what is clearly one of our country’s greatest problems, that of youthful alcohol consumption.
Jesus was no opponent of alcohol consumption at weddings and other celebrations. But we can also conclude that some religionists are more than willing to warp their religious books in their own image.
This actually started at the end of Prohibition. Before then, there were few laws concerning youthful alcohol consumption. Prohibition itself was the result, mostly, of religious groups, especially some Protestant Christian groups, trying to change their religion’s historic tolerance of modest alcohol consumption.
It is with great humor that one reads the King James English version of what the Bible has to say about Jesus’ first miracle. John 2:2-10, tells it all: Jesus and some disciples were attending a wedding in Cana. When they wanted wine, his mother tells him: “They have no wine.” This is a classic discourse between mother and son, and his answer: “Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.” His mother doesn’t take this from her son and she “saith unto the servants…do it.”
The narrator continues: “There were six waterpots of stone.” These were pretty large vessels, because we are told that they contained “two or three firkins apiece” of water. As we know, a firkin is a British beer container of some eight gallons, or just under 10 gallons U.S. That is certainly a good measure of the final product! We can assume the amount to be somewhere near 110 gallons… of wine. Some party, even for a really big Jewish wedding, or maybe even a Kansas chivaree, for that matter.
We can certainly conclude that Jesus was no opponent of alcohol consumption at weddings and other celebrations. But we can also conclude that some religionists are more than willing to warp their religious books in their own image. These people will tell you that it wasn’t really wine, but grape juice! That’s what my Norwegian Lutheran teachers told me when I was 12 or so, and questioned the so-called “wine” at church ceremonies. They had an excuse. Aside from being Lutheran, they were also from Norway and grape juice might just stay unfermented for long time in that austere climate. Baptists, of course have their own rules. But Catholics have no such nonsense in their version of reality. We know that Pope Benedict enjoys good beer, as well he should!
A few Christian groups aren’t the only ones warping their religions to match what they want everyone to believe. Witness Islam and their renegade imams encouraging young people to commit suicide in the name of Allah. The Koran I read in 1948 opposes suicide and didn’t seem to me to be as anti-alcohol as they preach today: The Koran worried that someone would drink before praying. The devout pray five times a day, so that may be why there’s no time left over for partying.
Buddhists (of which I am one with) think of themselves as following the “Middle Way” between opposites, so one has some leeway to indulge in this and that without totally abusing the precepts (precepts, not commandments). Some Zen priests were notorious for their sake consumption. For Buddhists, the “Middle Way” is just that; but there are those who would take another path, and demand that we all follow their example.
Illegal and Unworkable
Nevertheless, I ask you—dear reader—if it’s illegal, and you’re 20 years old and you’ve been voting since you were 18, what could be more inviting than a beer after work? But, of course, you’ll have to bribe another citizen, one at least 21 years of age, to buy it for you, and then where are you going to drink that pathetic six-pack of Budweiser? That popular brew has decent alcohol levels, but the flavor gives little warning as to the effects that alcohol might have on you or your friend.
Where else will most young people go? In a car, with your friend-of-the-evening, of course, because you don’t have a real home, except with your parents and they’re not too keen about your alcohol experiments, especially with friends of the opposite sex, are they? So, after a couple of those brews, you get it on with your friend-of-the-evening when they are in the proper mood, and nine months later there is a pregnancy. How nice.
