The Southern Baptist's stance on alcohol...

according to a paper titled "On Alcohol Use." This paper was written by two professors at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. You can read it at http://www.baptisttheology.org/. Just click on the paper under "New White Papers". This was sent out to all SWBTS students, and thus I replied to the one who sent it (a Prof at SWBTS). Here's my reply:

Dr. ____________,

This paper that was sent saddens me greatly. That Southern Baptists view alcohol as the problem reveals a much deeper theological issue. The issue I mean here is that man is sinful in nature, not alcohol. Yet the Southern Baptists'theological view seems to show that not only are all men wretched, so isalcohol. Alcohol would not have the effects it has had if the heart of man wasmade right before God. If we are going to contiue to apply this perspective onalcohol, then we must not be hypocritical and apply it across the board.

Thus, food is evil because it can lead to obesity which leads to heart diseaseone of the #1 killers in America. It is also leading to diabetes, anotherkiller. Guns are evil because of the number of deaths they can and have caused.The internet is evil because it can cause one to become addicted to browsing andwasting time, plus there is porn which could lead to more aweful offensesagainst women off the internet. I think you see my point here. None of theaforementioned things are evil in and of themselves. However, sinful man turnsthem evil when he takes a drink of alcohol too far, or when he turns gluttoneousover food and becomes obese (which many southern baptist are!), or when he uses a gun to kill another man, or when he uses the internet to engage in sexuallewdness and apply those actions to actual persons offline.

I am not speaking of this as though I've had no experience with alcohol. Alcoholism runs deep in my family, and for years I was turned off to it becauseI had only seen it abused. Since meeting my wife's family and other believerswho do drink, I have since seen alcohol used properly (and by that I mean with self-control), and I have been completely changed in my perspective. Noteveryone who drinks alcohol gets drunk, nor does everyone who drinks intend toget drunk. My hope is that we as Southern Baptist have not become so convinced that alcohol is the problem with America. It's not the problem. We're the problem! We spend more time fighting for the periphereal issues in this country that we have completely missed the heart of the problem, literally. The heart of man is the problem. Would we feel justified if every American quit drinking, never committed anymore acts of sexual immorality, quit smoking, quit doing drugs, was heterosexual and had all their babies yet never believed in Jesus Christ? I do not believe that Jesus is interested in a more moral America. I believeHe's interested in a holy and righteous America. Deal with the heart of man, andthe symptoms of his disease will be taken care of.

Oh, that we as Southern Baptist would get off our high horse and stoop down topick up the desperate and needy and dead and lifeless people in our countrywhose only current hope is the bottle or abortion or those of the same sex ordrugs or suicide because they don't know the hope of Jesus Christ! Oh, that weas Southern Baptist would no longer be known for what and who we are against,but who we represent in this world! Oh, that we as Southern Baptist would remove the yeast of the Pharisees from among us, and follow the way of Jesus being known as friends of sinners and drunkards(!!) and tax collectors!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, gentleness, SELF-CONTROL; against such things there is no law."Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV, emphasis mine)

For His glory and fame among all peoples,

Bryan Padgett