If you’re in the SBC, you don’t have the luxury of deciding.

This is old news by about two weeks, but the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution on “Alcohol Use in America”, effectively opposing anything related to alcohol “use”–manufacture, advertising, distribution or consumption. The topic has made great blog fodder, but 1) I haven’t read anything about it from the Blogging Chicks I’ve visited and 2) as a (very happy) member of a SBC church, I haven’t heard a word about it from members or leaders in our church. Nothing…notta.

The legalism of the resolution is what bothers me, I guess. It sooo reminds me of Derek Webb’s “A New Law” from his Mockingbird cd:

Don’t teach me about politics and government, just tell me who to vote for
Don’t teach me about truth and beauty, just label my music
Don’t teach me how to live like a free man, just give me a new law
(pre-chorus) I don’t wanna know if the answers aren’t easy
so just bring it down from the mountain to me
(chorus) I want a new law/I want a new law/gimme that new law
Don’t teach me about moderation and liberty, I prefer a shot of grape juice
Don’t teach me about loving my enemies
Don’t teach me how to listen to the Spirit
Just give me a new law

To transfer the essence of the resolution to other sins, for gluttony this would not mean dieting or restraint in eating, it would mean a permanent fast; for the sexually immoral, this would not mean restricting activity to your spouse, it would mean abstinence; for those prone to gossip, it would mean a vow of silence, not thinking before you speak and not repeating, well, gossip.

I think a few word changes would have made the resolution in keeping with scripture; as it stands, it seems contradictory. This is a comprehensive listing of references to alcohol found in the Bible. This is a pretty thorough analysis of them. I picked up the links from reader comments found SOMEWHERE…I read so many, I lost track.

Great conversation about the subject, and if you take time to click the links, don’t stop at the blogs–read the comments. As for me, I think I’d like to hang with Jesus at the dinner table. Locusts and honey don’t hold a candle to a fine pinot noir ;).

Tony (click his associated links, too), Justin, Steve, Greg, and one a bit different, Mike.

Cheers! (she says with a room temperature bottle of Aquafina in hand 😉

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