Where does the religious stance on drugs and alcohol originate?

Question

Genesis 1:12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.

I'm also aware of the scriptures stating to not drink in excess (although "excess" is open to interpretation) and that the body is a temple and god should be honored with it.

So where does the stance come from that drugs and/or alcohol are evil? If created in nature, created by god, wouldn't that make them good according to scripture? and if man's manipulation of those natural ingredients, then why would pharmaceuticals be considered ok?

Answer 1

At first I wouldn't touch this one, but I'm just going to dip my toe in it.. hehe
The harsh religious stance came about from some people who abused them and were not religious.. some religions as you know allow for drinking alcohol in moderation and I have seen some Catholic priests red in the face at church functions. When it comes to the drugs I think it is the same way.. if society as a whole doesn't accept it then the modern church surely won't embrace it.
I find it interesting how almost all illicit drugs were made illegal due to a racial issue.. like Opium use by Chinese immigrants that led to Americans going to opium dens and mingling with the Chinese.. shortly thereafter it was illegal.
Then Cocaine use was made illegal because racist Americans thought that it made African Americans wild and uncontrollable. Then it was made illegal..
I dunno.. that is just my take from what I have learned.. kind of summed up in a sloppy way.. =)

Answer 2

It originates most likely from the commandments of God in the Levitical Laws that a witch should not be allowed to live. Witches, Witch Doctors, Medicine Men, and Shamen have long been associated with natural plants and herbs used to make potions and cast spells. The spells call upon the Satanic powers of darkness, and the potions were often ingested to alter the mood of the ingestor.

The whole process is ultimately an act of worship to demonic powers, as evidenced by a close study of Galatians 5, where the word from which "witchcraft" is translated is the Greek word "pharmakia (drugs and other mood altering chemicals.).

Answer 3

Just because it's natural,doesn't automatically mean it's good. Poisons are natural,too.Strychinine, nightshade, arsenic, venom, but taking them in excess isn't healthy, neither is drinking alcohol in such quanities that you turn off the breathing center of your brain, fall off a cliff, etc. There's no reason to condemn pharmacueticals, poisons in small quanities can be medicinal-arsenic has been used in some diseases, and alcohol in moderation (probably referring to wine) is helpful to digestion and heart disease. Some people take the Bible too lterally instead of using it as a guide and for moral lessons.

Answer 4

Though shalt not kill. That just doesn't mean somebody else with a gun or a knife; it means you, yourself, by not taking care of yourself.

I didn't realize that, either, until my first years of teaching in a Catholic school. It was an extremely cold day and I went down to get my class from the schoolyard without a coat on. The sister who was the principal saw me and told me it was against that commandment.

Answer 5

Christianity doesn't teach that any substance is "evil" in itself (some sects do, but it's not in the Bible). Abuse of alcohol is spoken against in scripture.

Many Christians drink, including myself on occasion.

Answer 6

It comes, in part, from the fact that intoxicants were often ritually employed in the rites of the gods of other nations. It was another way for the Hebrews to distinguish themselves.

Answer 7

Drugs and alcohol are not evil...but our misuse of them is. Misuse of alcohol and drugs leads to sin.

Answer 8

we are supposed to treat our bodies well but when sick ppl get more desperate and will try things...i feel prevention is great but insurance doesnt care about that