BY REV. SR. KABASIZA MARGRET CSC FROM FORT PORTAL DIOCESE.
From time immemorial, Alcoholism has had a devastating impact on human life. Consequently, it is not surprising that many people, Christians and non-Christians, take strong stands against alcohol because of its over increasing effects on the society.
Unfortunately, most people in our circles and elsewhere in the world have not yet realized the negative effects of over consumption of alcohol which has led to higher poverty levels, domestic violence and related crimes, mistreatment of children and other social evils. This has affected Christian morality.
Some people have lost the concept and sense of God and go against the Decalogue, therefore, the need to find a way of helping each other.
Alcoholism has no boundaries, does not distinguish between sex, religion and nationality because everyone who consumes alcohol is a potential candidate (Salvatore, 2009).
Contrary to human life today we read the bible that God created all things and he saw that they were good (Gen:1-31). Among good things given by God to man are seeds and fruits of the earth in which he was to have dominion over them. Unfortunately, we know that man does not always do this.Often, he takes God’s gifts and uses them wrongly in a way that harms him and injures the human family.
Jesus further says that there is no evil in things and objects; the evil comes from the heart of the man. He scolded the Pharisees who feared to become unclean by eating food with hands that had not been purified. He points out that there is no evil in the food and says’’ From the heart of man comes an evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, perjury, slander. These are the things that make man unclean ‘’ (mt:15-19-20). Therefore, one ought to use alcohol drinks in their proper way, and deeper emphasis should be put on the proper use of alcohol and more so education especially by church leaders and government authorities.
This is an addiction which is prolonged and excessive intake of alcohol drinks which leads to a break down in health and an addiction to alcohol such that abrupt deprivation leads to severe withdraw’ symptoms. It can also be known as alcohol dependence, a disabling addictive disorder. It is characterized by compulsive and un controlled consumption of alcohol despite its negative effects on the drinker’s health, relationship and social standing.
We can also find these facts in the Bible. In Old Testament(proverbs.31:4-5), Kings and Priests were forbidden to partake of wine at various times and certain optional vows excluded as part of their ascetic regimen not only wine but also vinegar,grapes,and raisins because they impare their judgment. Jesus evidently did not take such a vow during the three years of ministry depicted in the gospels. St Paul further instructs Christians regarding their duty towards immature Christians. ’its better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall’’.
I therefore recommend that people (alcoholists) should be encouraged to join clubs and associations geared towards helping to solve the problem of excessive drinking of alcohol.
Whenever someone is given a soft drink at a party he/she complains forgetting that falling in love with an alcoholic bottle is the beginning of one’s deadly butchery, the real calvary of life.
For stance the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association was started by (Fr James Cullen) in Ireland in 1989, after realizing the consequences that came out of excessive drinking of alcohol in his time like accidents, body illnesses, family brake down, violence and more so loss of Christian morals which also affect the rest of the world especially Zambia in Africa but today Uganda ranked the first.
However, prayer is most important especially for sins of intemperance and conversion of excessive drinkers. Reader of this article remember if we cannot do without it, let us try moderation of your own sake and sake of others and let us not convince ourselves that we are natural pioneers because Fr. Cullen was a Christian who did not had problems with alcohol to serve as an example to take vows and pray for the sake of excessive drinkers. We too we are called to do the same.
This association has helped many alcoholists and non alcoholists in solving the problem in question in the rest of the world and has many roots in different parishes here in Uganda. Therefore, this has taken seriously in our respective parishes and institutions where we do our ministries and it will help to improve on Christian morals and having peaceful families.
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY REV . SR. KABASIZA MARGRET CSC
Regards from TUMUSIIME BRIAN TIMOTHY AMOOTI C. E. O BT ELITE UPDATES UGANDA
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