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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Drunkenness(SIn or Not?)	Christian	Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Question: Hi, I just wanted to know if it is true that drunkenness or being inebriated is a sin and if so how serious is it? Is it the Cardinal sin of Gluttony? Is it moral to drink in order to get drunk, or doing it for fun? I am a college student that sees a lot of this, even among my practicing Catholic friends. I feel like I am judging them if I tell them it is wrong. I know we are all weak and that we sin, but I don't believe in picking and choosing what is a sin and what isn't. My friends seem to believe there is nothing wrong with this. I feel lost on this question. St. Paul tells me in his writings that it is wrong, but the more I profess this belief, the more isolated I become from my friends. God Bless
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Christian: Yes, it is a sin to be drunk. It is plain stupid to drink for the purposes of getting drunk and those who do this should work to develop an IQ larger than their shoe size. Drunkenness can be a grave sin. St. Paul in Galatians 5:19-21 warns us: "Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God." St. Paul says that those who do these things "shall not inherit the Kingdom of God". How plain can the saint be? One can choose a life of drunkenness and go to hell, or a life filled with the Spirit and go to heaven. This is NOT a trivial choice. Also see: Rom 1:28-32; I Cor 9-10; Eph 5:3-5; Col 3:5-8; I Tim 9-10; 2 Tim 2-5 The Catechism states: 2290 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others' safety on the road, at sea, or in the air. 2291 The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices. They constitute direct co-operation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law. I know that living a good Christian life may make you an outsider to many of your friends, but are they truly friends who wish to lead you into sin, are they friends if they will no longer like you if you abstain from their debauchery? To paraphrase Jesus, it is better to lose your friends and go to heaven than to keep them and follow them into hell. It may be hard, but there will be some decent people out there somewhere to befriend without risking your soul. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Drunkenness(SIn or Not?)

Christian

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Question:

Hi, I just wanted to know if it is true that drunkenness or being inebriated is a sin and if so how serious is it?

Is it the Cardinal sin of Gluttony? Is it moral to drink in order to get drunk, or doing it for fun?

I am a college student that sees a lot of this, even among my practicing Catholic friends. I feel like I am judging them if I tell them it is wrong. I know we are all weak and that we sin, but I don't believe in picking and choosing what is a sin and what isn't.

My friends seem to believe there is nothing wrong with this. I feel lost on this question. St. Paul tells me in his writings that it is wrong, but the more I profess this belief, the more isolated I become from my friends.

God Bless

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Christian:

Yes, it is a sin to be drunk. It is plain stupid to drink for the purposes of getting drunk and those who do this should work to develop an IQ larger than their shoe size.

Drunkenness can be a grave sin. St. Paul in Galatians 5:19-21 warns us:

"Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God."

St. Paul says that those who do these things "shall not inherit the Kingdom of God".

How plain can the saint be? One can choose a life of drunkenness and go to hell, or a life filled with the Spirit and go to heaven. This is NOT a trivial choice.

Also see: Rom 1:28-32; I Cor 9-10; Eph 5:3-5; Col 3:5-8; I Tim 9-10; 2 Tim 2-5

The Catechism states:

2290 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others' safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.

2291 The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices. They constitute direct co-operation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law.

I know that living a good Christian life may make you an outsider to many of your friends, but are they truly friends who wish to lead you into sin, are they friends if they will no longer like you if you abstain from their debauchery?

To paraphrase Jesus, it is better to lose your friends and go to heaven than to keep them and follow them into hell.

It may be hard, but there will be some decent people out there somewhere to befriend without risking your soul.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum