Why I will never drink alcohol

First of all let me say that I know this is a controversial topic and a very personal decision. Obviously you don't need to share my beliefs but I thought I'd share them because this is something I feel very passionate about.

1.  If you are a Christian it is NOT a sin to drink (provided you don't get drunk)

• I've done research on this topic and the Bible actually has a lot of say about alcohol but no where does it prohibit Christians from drinking in moderation. 
• However, I believe that Christians have become too liberal with drinking, cursing, sexuality, and the like. Just because a person is free to make a choice doesn't mean we need to do so. The Bible talks a lot about being wise in how we live and staying as far away from sin and temptations as possible. 

2. I have personal reasons for feeling strongly against alcohol 

• Without going into too much detail I'll just say that when I was young, before I understood what alcoholic beverages were, I watched someone close to me struggle with an addiction to wine and saw how their behavior changed when they became drunk. This terrified me and resulted in a paralyzing phobia during my adolescence. 
• I was afraid. And to be honest I'm still afraid of alcohol and what it does to the brain. I don't ever want to be out of control of my own decisions. 

3. My family doesn't support it. 

• I'm influenced a lot by my parents' beliefs and so I've adopted theirs about alcohol as well. They don't drink again for personal reasons. 
• I know some people have parents who support drinking/don't care if their kids go bar hopping all weekend but that's not my family.
• If I really wanted to try drinking I wouldn't have their full support and that would really bother me.  

4.  It's expensive. 

• I can find better things to spend my money on that are far less dangerous or detrimental to my body. 
• The industry that produces alcohol is in it for profit. They don't care about the quality of lives of their customers. Generally speaking they don't care if their product causes family dysfunction, contributes to disease, crime, and poverty. 

5. This is my protest 

• Some people are vegetarians because they want to see a change in the way animals are treated. 
• I am a non-drinker because I want to see a change in the culture about how alcohol is viewed. I realize it's impractical to completely do away with alcoholic beverages, but for people to get drunk as often as they do is not right. I know I'm just one person and that my decision to never drink probably won't change the culture or the industry, but that is not my goal. My goal is to live by my own personal convictions and beliefs and abstaining from alcohol is one of them. 

"I love you, I'm excited about serving Christ with you. I'm just not on the road. I don't think I'm better than you. To judge you for your choice, that would be legalism. God protect me and anyone else who's a total abstainer from that. We don't want legalism. But I can't let my fear of you thinking I'm a legalist keep me from warning you that I think you'd be better and I think your family'd be better off if you just got on a different road because it's a wise choice... Listen to me, you have the freedom to drink alcohol in moderation. You have the freedom to do that. But Romans says all things are lawful but not all things are helpful. So while I have the freedom, here's the higher level of maturity. Just because I could doesn't mean I should." -Pastor James McDonald