Alcohol And Health

SAT., AUG. 21, 1982, 6:14 AM
HAMMAMOTO’S CABANA, HONOLULU

This week, o son, even as your vacation in this lovely place continues I told you that an issue of Ruminations should be forthcoming shortly after you are settled back at home. You have suspected that it should focus on the theme of this teaching, but you also know that it is possible that I could have a higher priority at this time. Not so. This is the time to develop this unique letter around this substance and its relationship to human behavior… and particularly to the spirit.

I shall speak this morning on how alcohol affects health and also how the health of a drinker influences effects. Alcohol is one of My gifts to the world. It was not a mistake on My part. It is a part of the natural world, but it did not just happen by chance… did not catch Me by surprise. Just know that a substance with effects as far-reaching as those coming from alcohol (deservedly and undeservedly) is not in this earth without My prior knowledge. Alcohol fulfills some of My purposes, and, as you know, these do not always appear lovely.

Alcohol can enhance health, it can detract from health (and eventually destroy it), and it can be simply rejected as a part of life. All of this is occurring during each day and night, even in most drinking situations.

The fact that I identified alcohol as one of My gifts to the world does not mean that all should use it. One analog is marriage. You were part of the celebration of a new marriage last evening and the officiator noted that marriage is instituted of God… and that is true. That does not mean that everyone should be married. Some will not marry because they never find a suitable partner. This is both a practical and an idealistic reason for not marrying. Some do not marry out of devotion to Me, and therefore they give up something good for something better, in a spiritual sense. Likewise, alcohol is a gift from Me, but some will not use it, some of these for merely practical reasons and some others for quite high and spiritual reasons.

An analogy that is perhaps even better is that of sexual intercourse. This is a “natural” action discovered by most humans… and yet it also is a gift of Mine. Its purposes are enjoyment and the procreation of children. Alcohol’s purposes are enjoyment and the revealing of spirit. Yet it is clear that there is much pain associated with sexual expression… as there is with drinking. Shouldn’t it be possible to have all good and positive consequences and none of the uncomfortable ones? In other realms, yes. In the earth, no. In other realms there is no alcohol and no need for it. There also is no sexual expression and no need for it.