Think Before You Drink?

If you believe the hype, alcohol is the solution to all of life's problems. The ‘factoids’ tell you liquor, wine, and beer will improve your heart, make you more socially acceptable, better the economy, bring business to downtown, give you the good life and make everything taste better.

Here are some other facts to consider:

· The number of Americans killed in the entire thirteen-year war in Vietnam is lower than the number of Americans killed each year by drunk drivers.

· Scripture is replete with stories of men that disobeyed God, humiliated themselves, lost battle and kingdoms, degraded themselves and mocked God all while under the influence of alcohol (Genesis 9:20-25, Genesis 19:30-38, Leviticus 10:1-2;8-10, 1 Kings 16:8-10, 1 Kings 20:16-20, Daniel 5:1-6)

· Alcohol abuse was a factor in forty percent of violent crimes committed in the U.S

· The New Testament contains at least 10 specific admonishments against drinking and drunkenness and being associated with it (Gal. 5:21, Eph. 5:18, 1^st Cor. 5:11 & 6:10, Rom. 13:13, 1^st Timothy 3:3; 8, Luke 21:34, Titus 1:7 & 2:3, 1^st Peter 4:3)

· Forty percent of convicted rape and sexual assault offenders said that they were drinking at the time of their crime.

· The Book of Proverbs warns of the foolishness and danger of drink at least 15 times

· Alcohol plays a part in up to half of water-related fatalities of adolescents and adults each year.

The popular adage is 'think before you drink', in truth it should be if you think you would never drink!

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