Originally Posted by Biblethumper

I will also turn 18 this month. On the 11th. I've never really thought about going to a bar but it sounds to me like we need to pray for you and your friends. I pray that God will help your friends and you as well but... I would feel ashamed if I had a friend or friends that wanted to take me to a bar for my birthday. Not only does that tell me that my friends need to seek Christ more but if they thought for one second that I would go it would make me wonder if people see Christ in me at all. I have experimented with alcohol before and it wasn't all they say its cracked up to be. Thank the Lord it didn't become a problem for me. I respect that you say that you won't get drunk but... thats sorta like saying your going for a swim but your not going to get wet. I don't want that to be taken in a bad way. I'm just trying to help with my 2 cents. The bible says we are not to get drunk and in Luke 16:15 that we are not to justify. If we are not supposed to get drunk then we shouldn't justify that and say, "Oh well a buzz won't hurt."

On my birthday I plan to spend some time with my girlfriend and family... After we turn 18 the world doesn't baby us anymore and we should cherish the time we have that things will be "easier". College is around the corner. As youth we are faced with many temptations but... Think about the doors that Satan will try to invite us into when we come of age.. At 18 you can smoke, drink, legally view pornography, and much more. If we give into the temptations early they will be all the more difficult to battle later. An example is the best way to stop smoking is to never start.

I will pray for you and your friends Mark. I hope nothing I said offends you and if it does I am deeply sorry.. That's just the way I see things. If I didn't help you at all then the 1st and best thing to do is to just seek God for advice. You can NEVER go wrong there.