MAMEWorld Forums - The Loony Bin - Re: Donkey Kong III within a Galaga cab? Noooooooo!!! <nt>

> There's a difference between a social drinker and an alcoholic...

The way I see it is by using something that can dull your senses, or alter your behavior -you're lending yourself (making yourself open) to evil spirits in where you might do things you wouldn't normally do if you were sober. Like, if you get drunk after 5 beers, then if you drink 1 beer then you're already 1/5th the way to being drunk. There's also the aspect of becoming dependent on a substance. If a person comes home from a day of hard work and uses alcohol to 'unwind', then it's possible, sometimes likely - that they begin to think they need more of said substance to 'unwind' even more.

And I know there's moderation, knowing your limit, etc. But again, I suppose this is my personal view on it - if something is wrong -it's wrong. Like a "little white lie" is like lying in moderation. Playing with tarot cards is diving in moderation -whereas using a(n) Ouija board is inviting, or conjuring up demons. Or beating up old people. One can taunt and pick on elderly -that would be the moderate example of elder abuse. And you could say "Well, at least I don't brutally beat them up." So, you can say "I'm a social drinker, but at least I don't drink so much that I get 'drunk'."

"Oh Tom, get real! Those examples can't be compared."

Alright. I'll give you this. I do know of a good number of people in the denomination of church that I attend that are dead set against televisions. The idea they have is if there are evil things on T.V. -then by having them in our home and watching them is letting a little bit of evil into our lives (or whatever). And I do have a T.V. I hardly ever watch it though, maybe to see what the weather will be for the next day. But taking their 'logic' on this matter.... One could argue the same thing about radios. If I happen to tune into the station that plays rap songs or heavy metal or whatever -according to them I'd be sinning (well, it would also depend if I listened to it willingly). So it's really how you use something that makes it evil. Like guns. You could use it for self defense or you could use it to commit murder. Also, if there are things on T.V. that we could see that would be evil... Then why even go shopping for food or anything else? In the check-out line there are magazines with half clothed females and sometimes males that one could POSSIBLY look upon. So if anyone would be in trouble for having a T.V. they'd also be in just as much trouble for going shopping.

...

I guess what it comes down to is PERSONAL convictions. You might not have a problem with your "social drinking", but I would if I were to do it. So it's not for me and I won't feel any conviction by not partaking.

LEVEL-4