Now I'm not a JW, is it ok for me to...

Julia Orwell

...drink a lot? Gosh I love wine. I like a good bottle of wine each night, and I have a high tolerance to alcohol, though I never drank much (except for a couple of times with the vodka, but I don't keep that stuff in the house anymore, way too dangerous) as a JW because getting slightly happy is a 'sin'.

Now my husband and I are drinking on Sunday afternoon instead of going to the meeting. I don't feel we are going overboard, because although we may each drink a bottle of wine over a 5 hour period, we never get hung over. But as a JW- a bottle of wine a day?! Whoa, that's a JC because you have a drinking problem. I don't drink every day; I just seem to enjoy the freedom of having a drink when I want, not when "Jehovah" says I can.\

So if I drink a bottle of wine, a 750 ml bottle a day, is that too much? The times I have got ripped in the past, I've regretted because I've felt like crap the next day. However, I know I can down a bottle over about 3-5 hours with little effect. What do you think? I'd really like to open the nice bottle of red my dad gave me, but the ol' JW guilt comes crashing in on me.

Bells

I think that's fine - especially if it's half decent red wine!!!! It's practically a health tonic ;)

Avoid the wines with too many preservatives and additives (i.e the really cheap ones) - and I reckon it's just fine.

I think it's a good idea to have at least 2 alcohol free days per week - and don't fall into the habit of having to have a drink in order to relax - this can cause a serious 'habit'. Even though you might not be a raging alcoholic, I still think it's a good idea to avoid the habit of using alcohol to switch off, relax etc.

But to enjoy a glass (or bottle) of red because you enjoy it - that's just enjoying the life that you have!!! :)

LoisLane looking for Superman

Julia, You and I have different ancestry. If I drank like that, I would be dead. First, I would throw up... a lot. lol I can only drink, a little. Everyone has different tolerances. I know a COBE, who literally can drink alcohol like a fish drinks water. It does not faze him, at all. You are your own best monitor. Only you know how you feel and think and walk and drive, after a large consumption of alcohol. Cheers. Just Lois PS Personally, I think it is nobody's business, unless it hurts another.

Julia Orwell

Thanks guys.

I stay away from 'cheap' stuff and most nights I don't even drink a full bottle; I've learned to drink what I'm comfortable with. I do like to have a 'dry' night or two, because I feel it's good to. Usually Thursday and/or Friday is my dry night, but it can vary. Also, usually when we visit my parents, I volunteer to drive, therefore I don't have much to drink, so my hubby can drink with my brother and father (in lieu of JW 'friends' he used to have), and my family have really supported us in leaving JWs.

Phizzy

I always look upon a good drink of wine as one of my "five a day", (the U.K Governments advice to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day).LOL

The advice on how much intake of Alcohol is healthy or not is not based on solid scientific research, and anyway, individuals are different as to what effect it will have on their health.

Having said that, the advice above to have two days a week alcohol free is very good. People like us Julia, who have suffered depression, can come to rely too much on alcohol, and can find our consumption goes up and up. It is a dangerous drug, and should be treated with respect.

Now we are free of the JW/WT mental prison we can make our own choices and decisions in all things, but do look after your health my dear, this is the only life we can be sure of, and all your friends on here want you to have a very long life, and a happy one.

We have been out for a number of years now, and we have both found in recent times the "JW guilt" has gone completely, well almost, we don't feel it ever about anything we do, but sometimes a memory of the stupid rules and attitudes comes back, and we laugh about it, especially if Mrs Phizzy has had her usual half a bottle of wine or so,

and I have had my usual Tanker full of beer !

fulltimestudent

Dear Julia,

The JW organisation is very strange. OTOH some are very down on drinking, but OTOH there is a lot of heavy drinking.

I recall my shock when young, at one country circuit assembly, being sent with a message, after the final sunday afternoon talk, for the District Overseer (one Vince McNee at that time) and finding him and the Circuit Overseer (Ron Walters) knocking back a couple of bottles of beer. Not really very serious, was it, but not what I expected. I think Ron may still be going, though he could be dead. Vince Mc, a Queensland boy, former Catholic and raised in an catholic orphanage and as far as the JWs are concerned with a chequered career. Sent home from Gilead a couple of times, and finally on the out when his wife came home and found him saving water by showering together with his long time lover (as it turned out), a former Bethel boy.

And, I have an eye-witness account, from a long time witness in the Newcastle area, that before WW2 the brothers running the sales dept for the WTS owned radio station (2HD) in Newcastle, would entertain their business contacts with drinking parties in which they would finish up drunk to the point of being paralytic.

Still Nathan Knorr got out to Australia in 1945 (as soon as he could after wartime travel restrictions eased) and rooted out all those evil practises (grin). Though not quite.

Some 35-30 years ago the 2.I.C. at the Sydney branch, a David Madzay developed a serious, serious drinking problem. Nothing was said at Bethel (after all, just what is 'drunkeness?'), until he was picked up by the cops one night, and then the sh*t hit the fan. His drinking got worse, and one night he filled his kerosene heater bottle with petrol and blew himself and his small apartment up.

So Julia you can take your pick of what example to follow - grin.

Are you and your husband enjoying yourselves? And, its not affecting your health, is it?

So have another glass of wine, and say goodbye to the week's cares

rmt1

If I had a whole bottle with sulphites, by head would be splitting.

sherrie11

Julia, Your post has made me feel better. I too like to have a glass or two of red wine of an evening. Hey Fulltimestudent Ron Walters was an elder in the first congregation I was in. In fact his wife studied with me. sorry to go off topic Julia, He would have a glass or wine or two with his meals, although i got the impression he frowned upon heavy drinking as we had a brother who loved to watch the footy of a sunday and drink a six pack or two. He was never allowed to be an MS. Small world!!

Julia Orwell

Totally.

I feel like I wanna finish this bottle of wine, not because I want to, but because I can. Just like why Hubby grew a beard: because he jolly well could! Not because he was dying to have one. And why he plays Japanese samurai/violent manga video games: because he loves them, and now he can play them guilt free! So if I get sloshed, it's because I can! And I love wine!

Not that I want to get sloshed: got an early start for work tomorrow.

zeb

Just dont drink and ..drive.

Now I'm not a JW, is it ok for me to...

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