Attitudes today must be informed by both contextual and theological considerations. For one thing, a significant difference between alcoholic drinks of the first century and of today has come with the advent of distilled liquors. Today, alcoholic drinks can be much more potent. Alcohol consumption in North America clearly has reached disastrous proportions. Millions of Americans use alcohol as a drug.
Alcohol is the depressant of choice for millions who find it difficult to cope with life.
Increasingly, youth use alcohol as an alternative to illicit drugs. Yet its total effect is possibly more disastrous than that of hard drugs. Our society has failed to institutionalize drinking in a way that would place it within a healthful setting and define its limits. Many who drink at bars, parties, and even in the home are separated from the positive elements of life. Alcohol has become both a symbol of tragic loneliness and a factor contributing to it.