| 36,000,000 | Americans harmed directly or indirectly because of alcoholism or problem drinking |
| 9,000,000 | Alcoholics or problem drinkers |
| 200,000 | New cases of alcoholism each year |
| 28,400 | Of the 50,000 killed in traffic accidents each year had alcohol in their blood at the time of the accident |
| 500,000 | Disabling injuries are suffered in crashes involving problem drinkers |
| 34,800 | Or more than half of the 60,000 non-highway accidental deaths are alcohol involved |
| 11,000 | Death certificates annually list alcoholism or alcoholic psychoses as cause. |
| 2,000,000 | Approximate arrests each year for public drunkenness equals 40% of all non-traffic arrests |
| $21,700,000,000 | Latest annual expenditure by Americans for alcoholic beverages according to the Distilled Spirits Institute |
| $15,000,000,000 | Annual economic drain because of alcoholism in lost work time, health and welfare costs, property damages etc. |
| 15 PERCENT | Approximate of the 400,000 patients in state mental hospitals are under treatment for the problem of alcoholism |
| OVER HALF | The states report alcoholism the most frequent diagnosis for first admissions to state hospitals |
| ONE THIRD | Of all suicides are alcohol-related |
| ONE HALF | Of all homicides are alcohol-related |
| STEADY INCREASE | In the number of alcoholics admitted to state hospitals |
| 10-12 YEAR DECREASE | In life expectancy of every alcoholic |
| IMPOSSIBLE | To estimate human suffering related to alcoholism, from broken homes, deserted families and problems of children of alcoholic parents |
These statistics are based on material in a statement by Vernon E. Wilson, M.D., before the Senate Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Narcotics, March 18, 1971. Dr. Wilson is the Administrator of Health Services and Mental Health Administration, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. (The American Issue)
THE BIBLE TEACHES TOTAL ABSTINENCE
The Bible teaches total abstinence from all intoxicating drinks. If everyone would be obedient to the teaching of God's Word, there would be no alcohol problem in America.
Drunkenness brought sorrow to Noah and a curse upon the offspring of Ham, his son. This is the first recorded instance of the use of strong drink and it should give us a clear warning to leave it alone (See Genesis 9:20-25).
The Nazarites were forbidden to drink wine. "He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine:" Numbers 6:3. Samson, the strongest man that ever lived, did not drink wine.
Kings are told not to drink wine. "It is not for kings, 0 Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink" Proverbs 31:4.
The Rechabites were total abstainers. "...Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever" Jeremiah 35:6.
Daniel refused to drink. "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank..." Daniel 1:8.
John the Baptist was a total abstainer. "For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink..." Luke 1:15.
Wine is a deceiver. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise" Proverbs 20:1.
Wine brings WOE (distress). "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder" Proverbs 23:29-32.
"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink: that continue until night, till wine inflame them! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink" Isaiah 5:11, 22.
The Bible forbids us to give drink to others. "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!" Habbakuk 2:15.
The Bible forbids drunkenness. "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit" Ephesians 5:18.
Drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10). Only by being "born again," can a drunkard be cleansed of his sin and be made ready for heaven.
Jesus Christ was not a winebibber. The Pharisees did accuse Him of being gluttonous, a winebibber and having a devil, but all three charges were false.
Jesus did not make intoxicating wine. He did turn the water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. "The word for wine is a generic word, and as such, includes all kinds of wine and all stages of the juice of the grape, and sometimes the clusters and even the vine, it is begging the whole question to assert that it was intoxicating" (Patton). If this wine that Jesus made was intoxicating, then He was guilty of putting the bottle to His neighbors lips. We cannot believe that Jesus was less separated than the Nazarites or Daniel.
Jesus did not institute the Lord's Supper with intoxicating wine. The record of that event is recorded in Matthew 26, Mark 14 and Luke 22. Paul also refers to this event in 1 Corinthians 10 and 11. None of the above writers even use the word wine in their account. Each one says "fruit of the vine" or "cup" when referring to that which represents the blood of Christ.
Liquor is a curse to the human race and the Bible teaches against it in both the Old Testament and New Testament.
E. L. Bynum, Pastor
January 1979 - The Flaming Torch - Page 21