Drink Your Way To Old Age!

Yahoo News announces the results of Danish research that a drink or two a day - along with moderate exercise - is likely to increase your lifespan.

Seriously, though, is this a surprise? Both wine and beer are likely things that man discovered, rather than invented. Psalm 104 gives thanks to God for creating "wine that gladdens the heart of man". Jesus' first miracle was the creation of wine at the Wedding at Cana. Teetotalism as a Christian moral imperative (as opposed to an ascetic discipline) is a modern aberration, and if I may say so, a blight on American society.

I reprint here what bill912 kindly left on another thread;

"George Burns was interviewed on his 93rd birthday.

Reporter: "Mr. Burns, is it true that you still date young women?"

Burns: "It's true."

Reporter: "Is it true that you still drink 5 or 6 martinis every day?"

Burns: "It's true."

Reporter: "And is it true that you still smoke 15-20 cigars every day?"

Reporter: "Well, Mr. Burns, what does your doctor think about that?"

Burns: "He's dead."

Comments

[bill912]

I'm honored, Tim. I'm also reminded of St. Paul's advice in his first letter to your patron saint: "You should stop drinking water only and have a little wine for the sake of your digestion and your ailments."--1 Tim. 5:23.

[bill912]

St. Pio of Pietrelcina used to drink a glass of beer everyday. My father, who turned 79 2 days after Christmas, walks for an hour and a half several days a week, smokes cigars, and drinks beer and whiskey. When I grow up, I wanna be just like him!

[A.Williams]

Now that's a truly inspiring photo of our beloved Pope! It must be a Bavarian thing.

..when they go out to have a beer....the REALLY have A BEER!

[Mary]

I will be the kill-joy.

There have been other studies that found this. Further analysis, however, showed that the studies only looked at how you drank _now_.

Which is to say, they lumped together alcoholics on the wagon and those who never drank.

When that group is split up the health benefits go from highest to lowest: never drank; moderate drinking; heavy drinking who gave up drinking; heavy drinking.

[Del]

Ah... another ode to fine art of Catholic drinking!

Moderate, social drinking is the Biblical and natural norm for human behavior.

Heavy drinking is sinful, by all the standards of health, sin, and common sense.

Teetotalism is where misunderstandings lie.... Abstenance can be good or bad, depending on the motive:

As a free-will prayerful discipline... Abstinence is a worthy sacrifice for Lent!

For those who suffer from alcoholism... total abstinence is a personal cross to bear. The rest of us have a duty to encourage and pray for the suffering.

As a general moral imperative... teetotalism is pharisetical pride, or a heresy.

In fanatical devotion to "perfect health"... abstinence is an idolatrous sacrifice to that false god of Immortality!
Del

"abstinence is an idolatrous sacrifice to that false god of Immortality"

Well said.

[Del]

Thank you, Anon... I got the basic idea is from GK Chesterton. He was puzzled by people who give up perfectly sane things (e.g., meat) and take on strange habits (e.g., soy milk) in the pursuit of perfect health. He noticed that they are all going to die, anyway.

Certainly, we should all take reasonable care of our health. But it should not become such an obsession that rules the rest of our lives!

[Mary]

You left one reason for teetotalism out: 'cause you don't like drinking. A fine reason but not exactly a reason to pat yourself on the back.

0:)

[Del]

Good point, Mary!

I meant to critique the philosophical reasons that people PREACH teetotalism.

But I also give thanks for a certain saintly woman, who orders lemonade every time we go out and then kindly drives us home!