I should note that though I don’t believe smoking to be a sin, I personally choose not to because of the scientifically proven health consequences. As in most things, though, moderation is usually the key. Moderate drinking seems much safer, especially since some beverages have specific health benefits. I don’t believe you can say that about smoking. Regardless, I would never argue smoking with someone on the grounds of Christian testimony or sin. I would argue it on its own merits - that it is potentially harmful (right up there with McDonalds).

One thing I’m impressed with, Katy, is that you’re beyond many leaders in fundamentalism in that you haven’t even tried to argue against drinking from the verses in Scripture that address drunkenness. Good for you.

Before you say, “yes, but…”, think of all the holy men in Scripture who were not Nazarites. Actually, most of them. Plus, God never intended their lifestyle to be a condemnation of the rest of the people. Again, and I can’t say this enough, if you’d like to point to a group of people who chose a “higher standard” to make themselves appear closer to God, the word is Pharisees.

As in Germany, In America, alcohol is not considered wrong. And even if it was, bowing to the unsaved culture for our definition of right and wrong is neither healthy nor biblical; but Nathan dealt with that plenty.

In every case I’ve run into (and there aren’t many), when unbelievers say “oh, you’re a Christian, so you don’t drink or smoke” it is because they have been told by Christians that Christians don’t do that. In reality, all of the unsaved people I know don’t say things like this, and they aren’t the least bit surprised that Christians drink. They’ve never been conditioned to think that they don’t.

Oh, and it wasn’t even fundamentalists who started prohibition. It was secular women’s rights advocates who wanted their husbands not to be drunk all the time (a noble goal). But what can accomplish that? Christ. Instead of standing up for the gospel, the church (again, not necessarily fundamentalists) bowed to the secular pressure.

And as Nathan pointed out, it is sad that so many Christians refuse to associate with unbelievers outside the workplace. This goes completely against the example of Christ. He didn’t just associate with them outside the workplace, but he wined and dined with the worst of them (remember Nicodemus?).

In Germany, wine is not considered wrong or bad. Most pastors drink it. But in America that not the case. Except for a few people here and there like you, drinking is considered wrong.

Again, a few thousand fundamentalists’ collective opinion doesn’t dictate our culture. I have to give credit, though, to fundamentalists through the years. Starting with prohibition, they’ve been effective in influencing the government to over-legislate alcohol (I’m not referring to drunk driving laws). In some states, like Colorado, you can’t even buy liquor on Sunday. That’s interesting, since drinking wine is one of the key components of one of our two sacraments. I guess you have to make sure you get it on Saturday.

If you really don’t care about what people think, I’d like to hear stories about how you raised your hand in class and asked your teacher a really pointed and difficult question about what’s being taught. I’d like to think that you realize that swallowing it all hook, line, and sinker doesn’t make you a Berean and opens you up to dangerous heresy. A good question for that lesson would’ve been “So you’re saying that the culture is to dictate our beliefs, not the Bible? Doesn’t that mean we should partake of alcohol since society in general sees nothing wrong with moderate drinking?”

In regard to your story about your office, wouldn’t the example of Jesus have been to go to the party with them? As I’ve said before, taking an “I don’t DO that” stand is the very thing that Jesus continually chastised the Pharisees for. Funny that one example specifically is when they frowned upon Him eating and drinking wine at sinners’ parties.

The reason people say “Oh, you’re a Christian, you don’t do that” is because, sadly, they view the church as a bunch of Pharisaical hypocrites. There is an element that takes things to the opposite extreme, refusing to call immorality sin for instance, but if we ever expect to really see people reached with the gospel, we have to stop pretending we’re better than them and that Christianity is all about the things we don’t do. Reach them with the gospel, not a live show.

I do the same thing you do when it comes to parties and lunches, I have to admit. I have yet to go to any functions that take place outside the office, except the company picnic. Everyone knows I’m a Christian and everyone knows why I’m not going. It’s because I go home for lunch, and I’m always busy doing something else on Friday nights when the gang goes out to a restaurant or bar. That’s just coincidence. One of these days I’m going to join them.

That reminded me of one other point. When you’re part of a movement (like fundamentalism) that writes off the majority of true Christianity (Evangelicalism) as bad, it’s easy to think you’re the only Christians out there. Believe it or not, depending on things like what area you live in, where you work, etc., there’s a lot of good Christians out there. Never assume that just because your coworkers drink or smoke or drop a “damn” once in a while that they’re heathens. Get in there with them and enjoy that camaraderie.

And do you really think a true friend would drop me if I went out and had a drink? If so, they wouldn’t be a true friend, would they, and I could live without them.

I will tell you something we’ve been discussing in our Christian Life class. We were talking about stuff not necessarily being wrong in and of itself, but because of the culture it is considered wrong. I mean, like in some other cultures, it would be wrong to do some of the things we do in America; but things we consider wrong here aren’t in other places. Our teacher read us part of a sermon from like the 1920s. The preacher was preaching against women wearing red and chewing bubble gum, and we’re all like, Huh? But then Mr. Trainer explained it to us. Back then, at least in New York City, if you were wearing red, you were identifying with the prostitutes, and if you chewed gum, you were basically saying, “here I am! I’m available.” So, to wear red or chew gum back then would have been wrong for a Christian, not because red is wrong or because gum is of the devil, but because of what they were associated with. In Germany, wine is not considered wrong or bad. Most pastors drink it. But in America that not the case. Except for a few people here and there like you, drinking is considered wrong.

Now, does the Bible say drinking is right or wrong? There are passages to point both ways, just like on everything that people debate on from the Bible. But here’s something I just thought of: the Nazarenes were considered wholly dedicated to the Lord, and they would not touch “strong drink.” I can think of worse people to model my life after than those who are completely dedicated to God.

Food for thought. Have fun with it.