Christian Science and Alcohol/Tobacco

[waterbaby]

I grew up in the CS church and it was just understood that we didn't drink/smoke (my parents and all members of our church didn't). Coming back to CS after many empty years of trying to do it my way instead of God's way, I find the stand on alcohol a bit blurry. Can anyone shed any light on that subject for me....is it still frowned upon to drink socially? Does church memebrship require no drinking/smoking? Is it individual?
Thanks.

[Laurie]

This is such a good question.

The Bible has so many references to wine. And when people try to suggest that the term "wine" really meant "grape juice" is silly since there was no refrigeration 2000 years ago. Obviously the juice would ferment.

[livinglightly]

there are alot of references to wine. And there are several places in the Bible where those followers, who have been given specific work to do, are told to abstain from any drink. In Numbers I think, the followers are told that they cannot even eat grapes.

[Laurie]

and jesus turned the water into wine. Who was he expecting to drink it.

[sparrowflies]

Yes- in prose works Mrs. Eddy has written : misc 289:2
Strong drink is unquestionably an evil, and evil cannot
3 be used temperately: its slightest use is abuse; hence
the only temperance is total abstinence. Drunkenness
is sensuality let loose, in whatever form it is made
6 manifest.

We don't use chemicals to comfort, soothe or strengthen because that implies that we need something material and not spiritual to meet the human need.

[sparrowflies]

Also, I have sometimes thought that in Bible times, perhaps wine was thought to be the purest and sfest thing to drink . But now we know that alcohol is a depressent. There were many things done in biblical days that we no longer find benefits the human.

[livinglightly]

That's a very good question!


I'm wondering if it falls into the same category as Mrs. Eddy preparing coffee for workers who came to her house.

So do you think those who lived in Jesus' time ever drank juice freshly pressed? I lived in Europe for awhile. The people there drank wine with every meal because the water was so bad. They added soda water to the wine to dilute it because they didn't want the alcohol content.

They wanted to drink, because they were thirsty. Their first preference was juice. But juice was very expensive. I don't think things have changed all that much.

[Merry1]

Yes, as sparrowflies points out, Mrs. Eddy expressed in a number of places that drinking and smoking are not compatible with the living of Christian Science, and I think abstaining from such activities is still generally considered necessary to become a church member. Nevertheless, I think it’s important to think of it not so much as a rule that has to be followed but, instead, as a choice people naturally make when they learn to understand their own lives as individual reflections of the one Mind. People drink socially for any number of reasons, but I think they are usually related to feeling insecure and inhibited around or else disconnected from others. Social drinking is supposed to loosen our inhibitions and help us more easily bond with others, but this artificially-induced personality change is at best temporary and does nothing to help us understand why we don’t need to feel insecure, inhibited, or disconnected in the first place. Christian Science, on the other hand, replaces the material model of humanity as a massive group of separate individuals with a spiritual model of one God and one creation. If all of us are reflecting and responding to the same Mind, then we are always closely connected and harmoniously working together to carry out the goals and purposes of that Mind. As we study Christian Science we find ourselves listening to, understanding, and responding to this one Mind more and more. This wipes out the feelings of insecurity and inhibition that produce a need or desire to drink, and so I think it makes sense that Christian Scientists come to find they don’t have that need or desire to drink.

[sparrowflies]

The points made by Merry1 are well taken. I guess if one is struggling with this issue, they might ask, what is this chemical going to do for me that God can't do ? When working towards better eating habits, sometimes when I feel attracted to food, I'll ask God, does this machine need more fuel or am I needing to feel comforted ? Because for me, the one Comforter of any value is God. So when I need to feel better, I can ask God to help me to feel His love in a bigger way. And when I ask, expecting to have that prayer answered, it always is.

[livinglightly]

Mary Baker Eddy defines wine as "Inspiration; understanding" She also defines it as "Error, fornication; temptation; passion."

I'm guessing what Jesus shared in the last supper, with his disciples, was inspiration and understanding.