• Module 1 - Attitudes
  • Introduction
  • The Function of Attitudes
  • Opportunites for Discussion
    • Ambivalence
    • Faith Tradition
    • Youth Experiences
    • Case Study
    • Final Reflection
• Module 2 - Awareness
  • Introduction
  • General Awareness Information
  • Salient Features
  • Stages of Alcoholism
  • Physiological Impact
  • Other Options
  • Handouts
• Module 3 - Assimilation
  • Introduction
  • Roles of Religious Leaders
  • Codependency
  • Class Activity
  • Case Study
  • Handouts
• Module 4 - Action
  • Introduction
  • General Considerations
  • "The Twelve Steps" Information
  • Factors
  • Phases
  • Additional Possibilities
  • Handouts

Module 1: Attitudes

Opportunity for Discussion - Ambivalence

 

Competency 10 – Be able to acknowledge and address values, issues and attitudes regarding alcohol and other drug use and dependence in:
Oneself
One's own family

The following speech attributed to a Midwestern senator at the turn of the 20th century is reflective of the ambivalence and confusion about the substance of alcohol itself. Depending upon the availability of time in class, you may or may not use this as an illustration of the ambivalence towards alcohol and alcoholism. If you wish, you may print it out for students to read for themselves.

"…You have asked me how I feel about whiskey. Well, here is how I stand on the question. If, when you say whiskey, you mean that devil's brew; the poison spirit; the bloody monster that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, and creates misery and poverty; yes, literally takes the bread from the mouths of children; if you mean that evil drink that topples the religious man (sic) from the pinnacle of righteousness, gracious living, causes him to descend to the pit of degradation, despair, shame and helplessness, then I am certainly against it with all my heart."

"But, if when you say whiskey, you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale consumed when good fellows get together that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in an old man's footstep on a frosty morning; if you mean the drink whose sale puts untold millions of dollars into our treasury which are used to provide tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf and dumb, our pitifully aged and infirm, to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am in favor of it. This is my stand, and I will not compromise."¹

While the incongruity of what this person says is humorous, it is also indicative of the fact that there is social confusion and ambivalence relative to alcohol itself, the use of alcohol and the illness of alcoholism.

The same ambivalence and confusion exists in religious communities. Some faith communities prohibit the ingestion of alcohol as a matter of principle in living out their understanding of their own tradition. Other faith communities use wine in a sacramental way in the very worship of God. Obviously there is no unanimity among varying faith traditions with regard to the use of alcohol. Even within the various branches of a given tradition, diverse beliefs and practices are common. In some instances, the culture of the individual faith community holds sway, even when other faith communities claiming the same heritage have a different practice.

In many instances, the use or non-use of alcohol is integral to the fabric of a given faith tradition. However, some have noted that where the prohibitions are most rigidly and stringently required, the rate of alcoholism is often very high because, when the person drinks, s/he drinks with guilt. This often exacerbates the problem and prompts more drinking in an attempt to anesthetize the feeling of guilt.

An alleged solution to the social-moral-religious dimensions of alcohol use and abuse involved a marshalling of religious and political activists to enact Prohibition as a way to treat the deleterious effects of alcohol use. The attitude that prevailed was that the substance itself was evil and complete eradication of it from society, and hence from religious communities as well, would solve the problem. The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and other such groups were supportive of this action. History has proven this tactic to be ineffective as the sale of alcohol went underground and was controlled by the criminal element until the repeal of Prohibition.

The American Medical Association (AMA) in the mid-1950s declared alcoholism as a disease or illness that manifested a predictable progression. The effect of this action theoretically moved the discussion of alcoholism out of the realm of a purely moral or willpower problem and presented it as an illness that could be diagnosed, treated and arrested. Now more than fifty years after that declaration, the controversy continues. Cultural attitudes are slow to change! Despite the steady growth of scientific evidence that alcoholism is a disease, there is still substantial social and religious ambivalence and confusion that comes to expression in a multiplicity of ways. Theological students, like other people, are products of their social environment or milieu. If you have international students in your classes, a rich education in this arena can be garnered as they share their cultural, social and religious perspectives from differing angles of vision. However, it is critical to remember that afflicted individuals and affected family members are suffering and need the understanding and support of their faith community to find their way to recovery and re-orientation to their Higher Power.

1. This quotation was taken from a booklet published by the Division for Life and Mission in the Congregation of The American Lutheran Church.
Roger Svendsen, "Chemical Health: A Planning Guide for Congregations in Response to Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse." (n.d.)

 

Module Home • Introduction • Function • Ambivalence • Faith Tradition • Youth Experiences • Case Study • Final Reflection

 

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