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James said:
Dear John,

Would it be helpful to suggest a mediating position to your pastor, such as agreeing not to drink in situations when other PCJ members are around or likely to be around? This is an offer not to offend the weaker brother on this issue rather than legalistically binding you unnecessarily to a course of conduct in all situations and at all times.

On a less serious note, I wonder why churches have restrictions like this but don't require members to promise not to watch 18 (R) films, watch TV after 10pm or misfile tax returns, or a whole host of other things. By all means, require Christians not to get drunk, but to prevent any drink seems to strain at a gnat whilst a herd of camels wanders past.

Bucolically yours,

James.

Hi James,

I got some answers from my pastor which I'll put in another post. Some of the answers to your questions are in there. I've never had a problem not drinking around other PCJ members and in fact have never done it and probably will never do it seeing as it's such a big issue there. The main exception to this being if I were to get married and my family were to be PCJ members. Even in that case, I can see myself freely refraining from using alcohol if I felt it caused my wife concern. Although I've never had a drink with other PCJ members, I've never hid the fact that I occaisionaly drink to people who have asked me and tried to honestly lay out my views on the use of alcohol. I have always been extremely careful about drinking around fellow Christians as I do not want to be the cause for them sinning. On the other hand, for the few Christian friends I have whose views are similar to my on and who I know are not going against their conscience to drink and who I know will not abuse the priviledge, I have no qualms with having a beer with.

I guess we could make membership vows very easy if we just include the promise "not to sin" in them. I agree that singling out certain areas for the potential of sin over others is a bit overboard.

John