To Literal and Back Again
A dilemma surfaces with a verse like this. Most literalists have no problem ignoring the "immediate" meaning of the words and extending the teaching to include ALL forms of alcohol...even drugs or other mind-inducing mechanisms. This is a seemingly logical thing to do, since we know the effects of other forms of alcohol would yield similar results.
But is this proper? What I mean is why are we ok with stretching the meaning of the Biblical text in favor of a more "moral" or "ethical" applications? It seems ironic that most people who stretch the literal interpretation of this verse to "never drink" find it exceedingly difficult to extend a similar method of application to verses that have nothing to do with morality...like a 7 day creation, or if there was a literal Adam and Eve.
Created 8 months ago
