"…Let us watch and BE SOBER. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day BE SOBER…" (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8) Sober – Nepho: "to be free from the influence of intoxicants." (Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words)
WA Premier Colin Barnett says he would support permanent restrictions on buying alcohol in Port Hedland after takeaway sales were banned on Friday.
“I think that’s got a lot of merit, where alcohol bans have been put in place … it certainly reduces crime, it reduces domestic violence, kids go to school and communities are far better off,” Mr Barnett told reporters. Continue reading “WA premier says alcohol bans certainly reduce crime”
Lev 10:8 Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying:
Lev 10:9 “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations,
Lev 10:10 that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean,
Lev 10:11 and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.”
(NKJV) Continue reading “Bible says be sober again and again”
“No longer drink only water, but use a little [oinos] wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.” (1 Timothy 5:23) Like the Greek term oinos, the meaning of Hebrew yayin is not limited to alcoholic wine. Below I explain why I understand that Timothy had initially foregone even non-alcoholic [oinos] wine too. Interestingly, the Alcohol Answers site states: “Alcohol, even in relatively small amounts, can interfere with many stomach functions.” Continue reading “1 Timothy 5:23 why non-alcoholic wine for Timothy’s stomach”
The social responsibility code requires ID checks if a person looks under 25 and asks to buy alcohol. So the Western Australian police sent cadets to test compliance. The results? WA police chief says “…the conduct of the outlets can only be described as an absolute disgrace.” The supposed commitment of outlets to this code “turns out to be a joke.”
“Not one cadet was challenged on entry and none was stopped from browsing the store. In 72 cases (72%) the cadets were able to make a purchase without having to produce ID. This is in direct contravention of the industry’s social responsibility code and provides strong evidence that they are incapable of self regulation.”
Henry Grattan Guinness stated: “It is, I trust, temperance, in the Bible sense — that is, the government of the passions — which is leading to the careful abstinence from intoxicating drinks; they avoid them as temptations by which the inhabitants of this province have been led into terrible evils; and this revival has cured many drunkards, who have stood out against all temperance societies.”
(Henry G. Guinness, 1860, The Revival In Ireland)
“The Indian state of Bihar has banned the production and sale of alcohol from April, a move that has been welcomed by church officials and women groups.
‘It is a courageous step and a big blessing for the families indeed,’ said Archbishop William D’Souza of Patna, based in the Bihar state capital.
‘It will not only reduce criminal activity and accidents in society but will also lead to a better family and social life,’said the archbishop. Continue reading “Church leaders applaud liquor ban in Bihar, India”
“Twenty-four Central Australian Lutheran pastors have called on government leaders to take urgent action about alcohol abuse in Alice Springs.
In a co-signed letter to federal government ministers (including the prime minister), shadow ministers, senators and senior Northern Territory MLAs, the pastors described ‘the unfolding tragedy’ in the Centre and requested the federal and territory governments to reduce the all-day trade in alcohol in Alice Springs, close ‘hidden bars’, designate one day a week on which no takeaway alcohol can be sold, and better manage welfare payments in order to restrict the purchase of alcohol.” Continue reading “Alice Springs pastors against alcohol carnage”
“A 1am lockout and 3am closing time for all pubs and clubs. Such measures imposed on Newcastle hotels in 2008 brought about a 37 per cent fall in violence in the following year.”
(Sean Nicholls, 17 Jan 2014, ‘Michael McEwen’s father pushes for ban on alcohol industry donations’, Sydney Morning Herald)
“The House was unanimous in their support of the Bill to Amend the Manufacture of Intoxicating Liquor Act to raise the drinking age from 18 to 21 years, with votes of 15-0.”
But in New Zealand (where the drinking age was lowered from 20 to 18 in 1999),
“A study found that after the drinking age was lowered to 18, there was a significant increase in traffic crashes among youth affected by the law change. The study found that the rate of traffic crashes and injuries to 18- to 19-year-old males increased 12 percent and increased 14 percent for males aged 15 to 17 comparing 4 years before and after New Zealand lowered the MLDA to 18. For females, the effect was even greater—rates increased 51 percent for 18- to 19-year-olds and 24 percent for 15- to 17-year-olds. The study estimated that 400 serious injuries and 12 deaths could be prevented each year among 15- to 19-year-olds if the nation raises the MLDA back to 21.”
“NHTSA estimates that minimum drinking age laws [in USA] have saved 26,333 lives since 1975 [till 2007 inclusive].” [In USA, the minimum age was increased to 21.]
“Examination of the Criticisms of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21 Laws in the United States from a Traffic-Safety Perspective“, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Oct. 2008
NHTSA’s New Zealand source:
Am J Public Health. 2006 January; 96(1): 126–131. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2005.073122 PMCID: PMC1470436
“Minimum Purchasing Age for Alcohol and Traffic Crash Injuries Among 15- to 19-Year-Olds in New Zealand”
Kypros Kypri, PhD, Robert B. Voas, PhD, John D. Langley, PhD, Shaun C.R. Stephenson, BSc[Hons], Dorothy J. Begg, PhD, A. Scott Tippetts, MS, and Gabrielle S. Davie, MBios
“Several studies in the 1970s found that motor vehicle crashes increased significantly among teens when the MLDA was lowered.”
Australian Family Association, 21 Nov. 2011, Revisiting the minimum legal drinking age
AFA source: Shults RA, Elder RW, Sleet DA, Nichols JL, Alao MO, Carande-Kulis VG, Zaza S, Sosin DM, and Thompson RS. (2001) Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to reduce alcohol-impaired driving. American Journal of Preventative Medicine. 21(4 suppl 1): 66–88.
“Recent neuro-imaging studies show that the human brain is still developing through to the mid 20s. Episodes of heavy alcohol use that are common amongst young adults have detrimental implications for healthy brain development. Research shows that when the MLDA is increased to 21, people under age 21 drink less overall and continue to do so through their early twenties. Decreasing the MLDA below age 21 has also been shown to result in population increases in other alcohol-related harms including suicide and youth crime.”
Australian Family Association, 21 Nov. 2011, Revisiting the minimum legal drinking age