Mark_18

I'm so excited I'm almost 18. Come December 22nd.

Some of you guys are going to look at me like I'm terrible for this, but try to understand where I come from.

Now I promised myself I would not drink again. I have many friends wanting to take me out to bars for my 18th. I want to watch myself and not put myself in situations where I might sin. Am I allowed to get a buzz on though? Other than leading to sin, drinking isn't a sin am I right? My older sisters should be there and I'll ask them not to let me drink too much or anything, but I do believe I can do that myself. I know a bar is full of demons I will pray if I go in one, to be fully armored up by Christ. And no.... no strippers.

Mark

Born2LoveYou

Hey, Welcome to the club

I didn't have many freinds through school, don't have many still now lol, except in Church. So I was lucky to not get drunk, an Im very shy.. I went out one night when I was 16 before I was saved... never been to a Bar, a curry house, a club or a lap dancing club (im very ashamed of that one) and done them in all in one night, they were all older than me, around 35+ to 45. I never got drunk though thankfully.

I thought where is the fun in going out drinking, and clubbing, getting drunk and if you got drunk enough end up waking up somewhere outside or in someones bed, (I didn't) but I dont see fun in that.

I enjoy a cold beer or some wine with a roast dinner or something, People have mixed views on weather you should drink alcohol or not.


Instead of going to a bar or club, why not go to a posh restaurant instead ?

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Boanerges

You would indeed do better going somewhere besides a bar. The bible does not say we cannot drink but it does say not to get drunk. It also says we are responsible if our actions lead someone else to stumble. You never know who is predisposed to alcoholism and you wouldn't want to get them started. Then there is the fact that drinking and driving kills more people in one year than the US has lost on the battlefied in it's entire history.
Just my advice but find another way to celebrate. Certainly pray about it before you decide.
Your brother, Larry

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Well i cant look at you like youre terrible, cause ive gotten myself drunk plenty of times haha. So id be a huge hypocrite.

But getting a buzz would, im sure, be considered drunk by some, although the point at which someone actually becomes drunk is hard to pinpoint. But as far as alcohol and sin go, i think it has to do with amount as well as intention. Technically, going out to drink 'because you can' is probably a sin. But im not totally sure. Then again, im one who has no problem with alcohol itself and will have a few drinks now and then

Rumely

I am wondering what the point is of taking you out to the bars for your 18th? Are there not better, more wholesome ways to celebrate your legal adulthood where it is easier to avoid temptation or inadvertent overindulging? I must confess, I've never seen the attraction of bars. My point, though, is simply that going with your friends to the bars is likely to put you in the way of temptation unnecessarily. I like Born2LoveYou's suggestion; frankly, it sounds more "adult" to me, and no less of a good time.

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.

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"Don't tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big God is!"

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Mark_18

Thanks guys.

I take no offense Biblethumper. You've clearly grown up a lot different from me. All my friends are into drinking, partying, and a lot of them drugs. I don't have any desire to go into a bar either. I've been to house partys and been drunk many times. I haven't drunk driven but I've drunk biked. To the point where I don't really remember riding home, but I remember I didn't care if a curb got in the way! I have to confess too, that one time while drunk out of my face I tried smoking pot. It was an experience that I could never begin to explain. I knew God was in my heart though, because I felt nothing but paranoia and my mind drew so many pictures and hallucinations of evil.

I felt like I was starting to be shown (By satan) how life is made. I felt like I was watching someone draw it out. I felt that satan was trying to lure me to where he'd show me secrets that God doesn't want me to see. Almost like he's the real good guy and God's brainwashing me!!! I was even seeing these red dots along the lines of the cieling and walls that a guy there saw too and said they're called pixels. He said he sees them every day. One of the things I realized is that you can't imagine what being high is like unless your currently "In there" Let me say I'm very ashamed I took part in this evil.

I will never go there again.

One of the quotes I made up is "Never mistake desensitization for growing up" I remember when I never would have thought of drinking. Then you think that's OK but I'd never do the next worse thing, then you do, then you say that's OK but I'd never do...etc. What do people on the outside see as you go through this? Shockingly they see you growing up and doing more adult things. It's sad.

The friends that want to take me out BTW, are people I work with. they are 23 and up. I have quite old friends. My closest friend is a 23-year-old girl.

I need a good christian girlfriend. I think that would really help my wanting to drink. I don't have to, but it's my 18th and the guys will think I'm retarded or something if I don't drink.

What's a posh restaurant?

What do ya know my friend just sent an email asking the plan for my 18th.


Mark

Biblethumper

Thank goodness! I was worried if I had offended you or not.

If your friends truly look down upon you for something that you did to honor God then take that as a compliment or not at all. Make sure you pray for these guys sounds like they really need it.

As for the whole girlfriend thing... make sure you don't let it stress you out. I was extremely lucky to find my girlfriend. I wasn't even looking or thinking about a relationship and God put this wonderful creature in my path( it was cool I went bowling with a friend and his church and she went with her friend who was a member of my friends church.. if that makes sense anyways...). Another thing is you don't NEED a girlfriend to help you to stop your temptation. You need to get into the Word. Read your bible as much as possible!

A scripture that helps me out is 2 Timothy 2:22. It's easy to remember too! Just think, Two Twenty-two.
I interpret the word lusts in this verse as temptations. Not just lusting for a woman but all temptation. Another thing I do... this may seem funny but.. when I feel tempted I literally tell Satan to leave me alone. That God has a future for me and hes not invited to the party when I get to heaven so there's no point associating with him now. It makes me feel a lot better...

I'll most certainly keep you and your friends in my prayers. If you ever feel like you wanna just talk to someone close to your own age just PM me. We can help each other out.

My name is Beau. It's good to meet you Mark!

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"Don't tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big God is!"

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

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Not trying to be a jerk here, but i just thought your analogy was a little extreme. I find it implies that one gets drunk the second alcohol touches their lips. Which then seems to imply that one cant drink without sinning. Maybe that wasnt the opinion you intended to express, thats just the way it seemed to me when i read it. To me, a better analogy would be (using girlfriends as an example, seeing as you have one) that 'im gonna drink, but im not gonna get drunk' would be like saying 'im gonna have a girlfriend, but im not gonna have sex'.

Biblethumper

It may have been extreme.. now that I really look at it. I like your analogy better but.. I don't see sex as a part of having a girlfriend but rather part of marriage where I see drinking as a part of getting drunk... if that makes sense at all...

Idk...

__________________
"Don't tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big God is!"

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.