“The religious fringe makes the most noise,” said J. Ross Jones, an artist in Batesville, seat of dry Independence County. “Tell them the sky won’t fall with alcohol sales, they’ll kick the Jesus ball: The Bible says alcohol is wrong. That’s when I recommend they move to Saudi Arabia. They don’t like that.”
It still amazes me that in the 21st Century there still are places in the U.S. where you can’t buy any wine or beer at all…
Nice quote from the article:
Battles also are being waged in small towns like Magnolia and Mountain Home, and even Toad Suck. Legend claims the place got its name from 19th century river men who met at a tavern to “suck on the bottle 'til they swell up like toads,” according to a website devoted to town history.
Anyone here feeling bloated? 
Whole thing reminds me that years ago, my in-laws lived in Lubbock TX. It was (at the time at least) dry. Driving out of town in any direction, you knew right away when you crossed the line by the cluster of liquor stores.
This reminds me of an article I read ~15 years ago in the Economist(!) about my mother’s hometown – Star City, Arkansas. The article related a local brouhaha over the issuance of a special permit for a “private club” that allowed liquor by the drink to be served from 6-9 p.m. Wed-Saturday. Folks were up in arms about allowing liquor by the drink in that dry county (liquor by the drink might well lead to dancing!), and this caused county officials to withdraw the permit. Amusingly, the Economist also pointed out that Lincoln County Arkansas (where Star City is located) was the crystal meth capital of Arkansas at the time.
Is that true. Certainly, my Bible permits alcohol. In fact, most of our holidays involve wine.
Does the Christian Bible prohibit wine? If so, did anyone tell that to Catholics? Or are these people really closet Muslims reading the Koran?
That evil Jesus - turning water into wine…
I grew up about 10 miles from Batesville, Arkansas. This article accurately portrays the prevailing religious sentiment. Drinking might lead to dancing, which is clearly the work of the devil…
I agree that having dry counties leads to more DWIs, not less.
Reminds me of a joke I often heard while living in Arkansas: How many [Baptists, Church of Christ, other local religion] should you take fishing? Answer: Two, because if you take one, they’ll drink all your beer and whiskey.
Yeah, I could never find the Biblical basis for enforced abstinence.
The Bible condemns drunkenness and being enslaved to wine (Ephesians 5:18; Titus 2:3), but it never says that tee-totaling is the better way to obey God.
The Bible prohibits abusing beer (Isaiah 5:11; 28:7; Proverbs 20:1; 31:4). But in moderation, drinking beer was encouraged (Proverbs 31:6). In fact, Deuteronomy 14:26 actually commands Israelites to use some of their tithe money to buy some beers and celebrate before the Lord. (Ever hear that verse being read as the ushers are passing the plates?) They were also commanded to offer up two liters of beer to God six days a week and even more on the Sabbath (see Numbers 28:7-10).
The Bible even goes further than admitting that drinking is simply allowed. Throughout Scripture, the production and consumption of beer and wine are often connected to the covenant promises of God.
Under the old covenant, wine is a blessing (Deut 7:13; 11:14) and the absence of wine a curse (28:39, 51). When Israel looked to the future, God promises to flood them wine flowing from the mountaintops (Amos 9:14; Joel 3:18) and vats brimming with fresh wine (Joel 2:19, 24).
Jesus signals the beginning of such blessings by creating an over-abundance of wine at Cana (John 2:1-10). And on the eve of his death, He sanctified a cup of wine as “the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:14-23). When Christ comes back, He’ll prepare “well-aged wine” (Isaiah 25:6)— and for theological reasons it will be served, as at Cana, in abundance.
I think the Bible offers a tremendous basis for oenophilia - and reminds us not to get too wasted or fail to appreciate what a great thing wine is.
But, then, I expect I am preaching to the converted on this forum! ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Many thanks for the sermon, Anton!
And then of course the Talmud says that to celebrate Purim one should drink to the point of not knowing the difference between “cursed is Haman” and “blessed is Mordechai”.
“And then of course the Talmud says that to celebrate Purim one should drink to the point of not knowing the difference between “cursed is Haman” and “blessed is Mordechai”.”
I never knew that!
Sort of a day to “forget all your troubles, come on, get happy” thing to do.
That seems like a very affectionate religious command. A day for letting your mind wander and seek the peace of not overthinking things.
My trouble is, I already don’t know the difference between “cursed is Haman” and “blessed is Mordechai,” so no drinks for me until I Google it and learn something!
(Time break)
I started at Wikipedia, the one stop shop for religious philosophies and rules…
For celebrating Purim:
1.Exchanging reciprocal gifts of food and drink known as mishloach manot.
2.Donating charity to the poor known as mattanot la-evyonim.
3.Eating a celebratory meal known as a se’udat Purim.
4.Public recitation (“reading of the megillah”) of the Scroll of Esther, known as kriat ha-megillah, usually in synagogue.
5.Reciting additions, known as Al HaNissim, to the daily prayers and the grace after meals.
6.Other customs include drinking wine or any other alcoholic beverage, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration.
And, I have until March to get right with it.
What a lovely joyful holiday.
I’m surprised some liquor corporation hasn’t tried to turn it into Cinco de Mayo.
I didn’t think the Koran forbade alcohol…
Alcohol is not mentioned specifically in the Koran but you are not supposed to touch the ferment of fruit or grain. Technically, mead and potato vodka would be allowed under those rules
But that’s from a Hadith isn’t it?
A reading of the Koran shows that Mohammed discouraged alcohol consumption (about three or four passages) but did not ban it; wine is mentioned in the Koran in that context. It’s the interpretationists (is there such a word?) who banned its consumption…and why are Islamic martyrs promised honey and wine in the after life?
The sufi mystic and Islamic Iranian scholar Omar Khayyam said it best: “a jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and thou…” and "Drink wine. This is life eternal. This is all that youth will give you. It is the season for wine, roses and drunken friends. Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”
I worked in Tehran for two years in the mid 1970s. I drank copiously of Iranian Riesling and a couple of Iranian red wines. The Riesling and one of the reds were pretty damned good.
I remember a story from the 1980’s of an Alaskan village the switched from dry to wet depending on if one member of the village was on the wagon or not at election time. Can’t vouch for the story but I do remember a story on Alaska in National Geographic that did comment that bootlegging into dry communities was a problem and had a picture of a boat with a load of Olympia beer that had been stopped by the local authorities.
Sometimes puritanical St. Paul chimes in.
“Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.”
1 Timothy 5:23
And King Solomon liked dancing.
Here in the deep south one of the jokes is,
What’s the difference between a Baptist and a Methodist?
The Methodists look each other in the eye at the liquor store on Monday.
I grew up Baptist.