Teen Ink
teenink
TeenInk How would you rearrange this old cliche? "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" http://t.co/xTNZxcKYxK
Fri May 24, 2013 10:17am Reply Retweet Favorite
TeenInk "Thinking is the best way to travel." - The Moody Blues http://t.co/5jzE5kVJyB
Thu May 23, 2013 10:55am Reply Retweet Favorite
TeenInk If this is the ending of the story, what is the beginning? http://t.co/gRzPosYXRi
What the title said. ^ This is mainly a question for the Christians on here... based on your interpretation of the Bible, does God permit us to use alcohol, caffeine, drugs, or cigars? In excess? In moderation? In your dreams? (Haha.)
Also, what are Muslim and Mormon standards for the use of the aforementioned items?
I just thought this would be an interesting topic... I'm a Calvinist, and here's what I think:
Alcohol- is a gift from God. He gave it to us for enjoyment, but just like any other gift, we shouldn't take advantage of it. Wine= not a sin. Drunkenness= a sin. Jesus drank wine, and gave it to others, so why can't I?
Caffeine- well... I don't see any problem with coffee. True, it's not very good for you. True, you're better off without it. But I don't think it's a sin to have caffeine.
Drugs- When you're sick, and a doctor prescribes them, then they're fine. But don't abuse your body, which is the temple of God.
Cigars- Same as caffeine. I don't think it's a sin, but it might not be wise to overindulge. Tobacco smells really good though... *takes a big sniff of her dad's field coat, which smells like pipe smoke*
So, discuss!
Islamic:
Alcohol -- not acceptable above a certain (low) percentage, and it is recommended to avoid that. e.g. in perfumes
Caffeine -- acceptable, but not as a drug :P Like, you can drink coffee...
Drugs -- technically alcohol is a drug. Anyways, not acceptable.
Cigars -- scholars generally agree that these are not permissible, but since they don't put you into an inebriated state, scholars sometimes differ. Anyways, generally not considered halal. Definitely 'looked down upon', but not as taboo in Islamic societies as alcohol or drugs.
Cheers.
Mormon:
Based on our interpretation of the Bible (and our other scriptures), the rule is simple: No.
:) None of those are allowed. Mormons do not drink coffee or alcohol, smoke, or use drugs. Our bodies are gifts from God and must be treated accordingly. Using those substances may be enjoyable, but not everything that is enjoyable comes from God.
Yes, I know it's very strict, but at least we can eat pork. :) And I don't think a cup of coffee will make you lose your soul- it's just not good for you.
(Oh, and when I say 'drugs', I mean illegal stuff with no purpose other than making you high- herion, meth, cocaine, etc. Perscription medication is fine- life-saving, even- unless you abuse it.)
Destinee: Caffeine is a drug. So it's always being used as a drug. Do you mean, it's not something that should be taken excessively, like in tablet form? Or it's okay as long as you don't consume it purely for the drug effects? So, if you like coffee for the taste that's okay, but if you use it to wake yourself up that's not?
What is not permitted in Islam are not what are called drugs in scientific terms, but drugs that cause one to be inebriated and lose one's intellect (temporarily) or self-control. Caffeine is considered a mild stimulant. Levels that inebriate a person are not allowed. That's why cigarettes' permissibility is disputed on. :)
And when I say "lose" your intellect I mean "cloud" it. So euphoric drugs for instance. In case that wasn't clear. :)
Oh, okay. Thanks for the info! I wasn't aware of the specifics of Islamic beliefs on this topic, so thought I'd ask someone who does know :)
