To the Editor:
Meetings are being held to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of alcohol in our city. Rather than discussing the issues it results in a judging issue with anyone who disagrees with their wants. The meeting should have been a discussion of the benefits to the town or the disadvantages. What will be the income to the city? What will be the effects on the community? What are the concerns of those who oppose? What is the advantage to those who are for it?
I don’t judge anyone, but myself. I stand on God’s principles and His word. We can see the results of alcohol. Thirty thousand people are killed each year as a result of drunk drivers. Crimes committed by people intoxicated. Children from broken homes because of alcoholic parents. We talk of the tax for alcohol sales. What about the cost as a result of alcohol that we see almost daily? The cost of alcohol accidents. The cost of providing children’s care because of alcoholic parents. Care for the alcoholic’s health and problems.
Someone in the meeting quoted scripture from Mark 15, where Jesus said “It’s not what goes into a person that defiles him, but what comes out.” Agreed, however, it can cause what’s inside to change. However, that scripture didn’t come from Mark 15, but from Matthew 15. Jesus was instructing the disciples because they were concerned that the Pharisees were using a different doctrine. Jesus was telling them it’s not the doctrine or what goes in your mouth, it’s what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person. Jesus was explaining for them to know the difference in fake doctrine and true doctrine.
The Bible gives us much advice concerning strong drink. Some of the information can be found in Proverbs 20:12; Proverbs 23: 31, 32; Ephesians 5: 18; Isaiah 5: 11, 22; Habakkuk 2:15. Let it be known I am not judging anyone. The Bible makes it clear. All our righteousness is as filthy rags, there is none that doeth good, no not one. This is why we depend on and follow God’s advice.

Jim Troutman
Elizabethton