The United Theological College - Bangalore
Interdisciplinary Paper
Title: Ban of Alcohol: Boon or Bane?
Presented
by S. Sam Sathish Kumar & Vinod Shemron Presented on 31-10-14
Introduction
We as a
group went to CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese for our intensive field education this
year. During our stay we had visited the various works of the diocese,
especially the three native mission centers of the diocese namely Kuttanadu
Mission, Malayora Mission and Thota Pradesha Mission. It was at this time that
the State Government of Kerala had implemented the ban on alcohol in the state,
but has allowed the bars to function only in five-star hotels. “The most
frustrating or dangerous trend that we all have been noticing was that the
average age of initiating has been reduced from 19 to 13.5 years now. There is
an increase in the number of young drinking population especially adolescents
and youth,” said Johnson J Edayarnmula, Director, ADIC (Alcohol and Drug
Information Centre – India).[1]
The Kerala Government claims that a strict ban will also
reduce crime rates and make the streets safer for women. “Such a decision can
be taken only this way, otherwise a search committee, expert committee will be
formed. So many such reports are pending before the Government and no action
has been taken on that. The UDF Government took a conscious decision to save
the future generation to come. We are coming down heavily on the drug mafia
which is exploiting the younger generation,” said Kerala Home Minister Ramesh
Chennithala.[2]
The Congress-led United
Democratic Front Government has decided to make Kerala an alcohol-free state in
10 years. There has been lot of debate going on regarding this matter. The
decision was taken by the Government with an objective of preventing people
from becoming addicted to alcohol, becoming alcoholics, doing harm to their
lives and of others as well, especially among the labour class.[3]
There were a large number of
alcohol consumers standing in a long queue to purchase alcohol during the Onam
season. Therefore we have taken the ban of alcohol as the issue and have
analyzed it and we have dealt the issue from the Biblical and Christian Ethical
perspectives.
Case
We visited Maniyaar which comes under the Thota
Pradesha Mission where we met Mr. Prasad[4]
who was 43-years-old and he was working in the local private bar as an
attender. He is married to Ms. Rani Mol[5],
who is working as a laborer in a rubber factory. They have two girl children stdying
in grade 8 and 10.
The
Kerala Government had passed an order banning the sale of liquor at bars and
hotels below the five-star category and the ban order was supposed to come into
force on Sep 11th but was later pushed to September 30th.
Kerala has a total of 730 bars; of which licenses of 418 were renewed this
fiscal year while the remaining 312 will have to shut down at the earliest
under the new policy. From the next fiscal year, only the five-star hotels in
the state will serve liquor. Also, from Oct 2 this year, all Sunday's will be
dry days. Out of the 383 state-owned retail liquor shops, of which 10 percent
will close down each year.[6]
When asked about the effects of the ban, Mr. Prasad
responded aggressively that the ban on alcohol would affect many lives,
especially those who are employed in the bars and other related industries.[7]
He also states that “I along with my friends drink regularly, but after the ban
how can we afford to buy liquor from star hotels when our wages are
comparatively low. To reach the nearest five-star hotel we have to travel for nearly
two hours, and also pay a high price for the liquor, which we cannot
afford.” In a short conversation with his wife, she appreciates the ban by the Government
but at the same time, she is worried about the future of the children, as it
would be hard for her husband to adapt or to get another type of job. Therefore
we came to a conclusion to look at the ban of alcohol as an issue that affects
the livelihood of many families.
Methodology
We have primarily used interview method to collect
data with the help of the Church Worker and also a short conversation with the
congregation members, Mr. Prasad and his wife Ms. Rani Mol. Since the issue is
very recent one, we have relied on internet as our secondary source. We have
also made use of few monographs from the UTC library to substantiate our
argument.
Case Analysis
Effects of Alcoholism
Social Issue:
Alcoholism is defined as a habitual intoxication; prolonged and excessive
intake of alcoholic drinks leading to a breakdown in health.[8]
Alcohol is the term we use for ethanol, the substance suitable for humans
to drink. Another form of alcohol is methanol and it is toxic to humans.
Alcohol is the result of combining food substances like grapes or barley with
sugar and yeast and allowing them to ferment. People around the globe consume
alcohol in various forms and within various cultural settings. But
although alcohol is used the world over, it is also commonly misused or abused.
Whenever and wherever it occurs, the abuse of alcohol has deleterious effects
on the abuser, those close to him/her and to the wider society.[9]
The damaging effects of
alcohol abuse are not limited to the person and to those living closest to
them. Alcohol abuse is linked to many social ills which affect people otherwise
unconnected to the drinker. There is a clear connection between alcohol abuse
and higher rates of workplace absenteeism. Abuse of alcohol is also linked to
higher rates of violent crime in neighbourhoods. Because alcohol impairs good
judgment, it is often connected to risky sexual activity. Finally, alcohol is
involved in a majority of automobile accidents. Alcohol, or ethanol, may not be
as toxic as methanol to the human body, but it is still damaging to everyone
intimately or remotely connected to the one who abuses it.[10]
The prevalent type of
alcoholism is that in which there is an attempt to escape the realities and
problems of living by the excessive use of alcohol. From the point of view of
public health, efforts should be made to help individuals suffering from this
illness to meet the realities of living through education, example and support.[11]
Economical Issues: Alcoholic beverages normally serve
both the interest of public health and welfare, and simultaneously gain extra
revenue for the Government. States derive as much as 25% of their annual
budgetary revenue from the sales of alcohol. Duties on alcohol constitute
as much as 23% of some Indian states’ revenues. Household expenditure studies
found that many families are spending about 3%–45% of their income on alcohol.
Besides the generation of legal revenues for the Government, the alcohol
industry is thought to create an approximately equal sum in ‘black money’. In
Kerala, revenues and tax from alcohol account for 22 per cent of the state's
income. [12]
Kerala has always been
a must-visit destination for foreign tourists who visit India. The state offers
everything in a package such as backwater cruises, Ayurveda and a moderate
climate to boot. Fort Kochi, Allepey, Kovalam etc cater entirely to foreign
tourists where they get everything they need a touch of Kerala in a western
ambience, in the comforts of luxurious hotels and cafes. It is no wonder that
though the foreign tourists contribute only less than 10% of the total number
of tourists visiting Kerala, their stays are longer, and the revenue they
generate is more than 25%, which comes to a whopping 5000 crores a year in
foreign exchange. Most foreign tourists are from countries with cooler climates
and prefer chilled beverages, say those in the hospitality industry. Their
preferred drink is beer, not hard liquor. Around 11.30-12 in the morning, when
the heat goes up, they have a beer or two, which is like a routine for them.
And with dinner, most tourists prefer wine as an accompaniment. All this
applies to both genders.[13]
This way we see that the liquor industry influences the economy of the state,
though an irony where it on one side uses this income to enhance lives of many
and on the other hand deprives livelihood of many families.
Familial Issues:
Although most people abuse alcohol because it makes them feel better about
themselves, the truth is that over-use of alcohol tends to negatively impact
the abuser’s personality. They argue and fight, call each other names, try to
get even for all the hurt they have suffered. The home becomes a battleground. Increased
irritability, poor judgment and reasoning are just a few of ways that alcohol
damages the human personality and relationships by extension. The abuse of
alcohol is behind as much as 40 percent of instances of serious domestic
violence.[14]
Alcoholism is attributable to verbal and physical abuse of the spouse and the
children and carries a great responsibility for the break-up of marriages.
Children living in the home with an alcoholic person are affected in various
ways. At times directly hurt by the alcoholic person’s behaviour, especially if
they are violent. The children end up with lower grades, higher rates of
depression and frequently feel socially isolated.[15]
Psycho-Medical Issues:
The most basic human instinct
is for survival and the most basic drive is pleasure or the satisfaction of
human appetites whether for food, drink or sex. Each of us have innate
restlessness in the pursuit of something better, more perfect and more
complete. This restlessness is fed by hope. If hope dies, depression is never
far away, the spirit is crushed, energy melts and life seems to have no
purpose. When people cannot find rewarding work and feel their existence is
meaningless, a chemical or liquid cosh to anaesthetize against reality becomes
very attractive.[16]
Alcoholism
can cause signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, psychosis, and antisocial
behaviour, both during intoxication and during withdrawal. At times, these
symptoms and signs cluster, last for weeks, and mimic frank psychiatric
disorders (i.e., are alcohol–induced syndromes). These alcohol–related
conditions usually disappear after several days or weeks of abstinence.
Prematurely labelling these conditions as major depression, panic disorder,
schizophrenia, and so on, can lead to misdiagnosis and inattention to an
alcoholic person’s principal problem, the alcohol abuse or dependence. With
knowledge of the different courses and prognoses of alcohol–induced psychiatric
disorders, an understanding of the gloomy independent disorders one needs to
rule out, an organized approach to diagnosis, ample collateral information, and
practice, however, the clinician can improve diagnostic accuracy in this
challenging patient population.[17]
Consequences of Banning Alcohol
Economic Aftermath:
The proposals include shutting down of bars and shops which sell alcohol and
introducing 'alcohol-free days'. Only luxury, five-star hotels will be allowed
to serve alcohol in a bid to tackle the state's drinking problem. Tour
operators specialising in Kerala holidays are concerned that the proposals are
already affecting their business. When the ban goes ahead it will affect
tourism on a huge scale. It will put small hotels out of business and the five
star hotels will increase their prices even more. The numbers of foreign
tourists visiting Kerala jumped by 8 per cent last year, but many feel that
this may fall drastically if the move goes ahead.[18]
Kerala has the highest
consumption of alcohol in India at more than eight litres per person annually. Kerala Government announced to close all 730 bars in
the state, allowing only five-star hotels to have the bars from April 2015 –
418 bars have been closed already since April and licence for the 312 bars will
not be renewed after 31 March 2015. Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC)
runs 337 liquor shops which are open on all days; each liquor shop is catering
for around an amazing 80,000 clients also would be phased out.[19]
According to Shashi
Taroor, “Excise duties on liquor are a vital source of income for the state Government,
accounting for 22% of Kerala's revenues, another 26% depends on tourism, both
domestic and foreign. In addition, much of Kerala's economic viability depends
upon attracting foreign investors, especially into the knowledge and services
sectors, where the quality of life available in the state had to be a major
draw (IT professionals in Bangalore tend to flock to that city's bars and pubs
after their long hours on the job). It had been widely assumed that, morality
aside, Kerala simply could not afford to do without widely,
conveniently-available, and heavily-taxed liquor.”[20]
Familial
Struggles: Due to the imposition
of the ban on the closure of bars, many have lost their jobs; this in turn has affected
the families badly. The economy of the family is struck hard by this
imposition. There are families like that of Mr. Prasad that were relying on the
earnings they get in working in the bar. Tharoor notes that “Bar workers and
distillery employees, some 20,000 across the state, will be thrown out of work;
they and their families will soon be clamouring for relief, in a state with
levels of unemployment so high that lakhs of Keralites go outside the state
each year looking for work.”[21]
Kerala Mahila Congress vice president said that the government is not
worried about revenue loss as of now as they are spending more on the problems
that are emerging in the state due to alcoholism. The basic aim is to solve the
problem of alcoholism, which is leading to other problems like domestic violence,
anti-social events, accidents, including severe health problems and deaths. Ban
on alcohol is a step to make the state better and more prosperous in due course
of time.[22]
Social Issues:
A common result of prohibition is a disproportionate effect on the poor, who
are more likely to drink potentially unsafe or even deadly drinks, and more
vulnerable to the black market that inevitably explodes when prohibition kicks
in. In Kerala, anti-prohibition campaigners fear that alcohol tax revenue that
currently flows into social projects to help alcoholics will instead line the
pockets of criminal gangs and corrupt officials.[23]
There is a section of political leaders and citizens
across different platforms who are totally against prohibition. According to them,
when India is rapidly progressing towards economic growth, banning is not a
solution of problems. Whoever wants to drink will get a bottle from somewhere.
It will in fact increase bootlegging. Alcohol consumption is not a crime.
Rather steps should be taken to stop alcohol abuse, to make people aware of the
evil effects of alcoholism. Prohibition is no solution.[24]
The Response of
the Church
“It should be pointed out, though,
that however counter-intuitive this issue might seem, the decision has been
widely hailed across the state. The influential Christian churches (all seven
denominations of the Biblical faith) have applauded loudly, as have the
political parties identified with the Christian community. Working-class women,
despairing of their feckless and bibulous husbands, have hailed the decision,
as have traditionalists, Gandhians and assorted moralists, of which our country
has no shortage. No public figure of any consequence in Kerala has stood up to
oppose the decision” says Tharoor.[25]
During a public rally organized on Habel Day[26],
the Bishop of the Madhya Kerala Diocese openly challenged the political parties
saying, “No political party can survive if they try to touch the church.” This
was said in a context when certain Hindu groups challenged the Government to
ban the use of wine in the church, as it also contains alcohol. The church has
taken a very moral stand in this issue but being very judgemental on the people
who consume alcohol. Clinebell
opines that “Alcoholism is a sickness which is caused by a combination of
factors involving both sin and sickness.” The goal of the church must always be
that of voluntary abstinence; otherwise, it cannot be vocational abstinence – a
witness to a wise way of life. If one cannot accept total abstinence as his/her
Christian vocation, then the decision must be made in the light of the facts
and not from social pressure or temporary impulses.[27]
During festivities like Easter, Christmas and New Year when
the sales of alcohol are high, it is the Christians who ravage the liquor
market giving whooping sales for the liquor industry. The church, however, is
in strong support of the ban imposed by the Government, but by standing with
the ban the church is being hypocritical. This also portrays a different
picture to the outside world saying, that the church has no control over its
own people rather asking the Government to impose a law to control the
behaviour of people. The church has failed to address the issue of alcoholism
within its boundaries through various means of counselling and other prevention
measures. The church has disguised itself as an angel to support the ban of
alcoholism in the state, without realizing the subtle transaction of authority
from the church to the Government and also demonising the lives of many who
lose out due to the ban of alcohol in the state.
Perspectives
Christian
Ethical perspective – Vinod Shemron S
In India, there has
been not much of a serious reflection on the ethics of alcoholism. However it
is our task to reflect on our experiences is such areas and evolve new
frameworks to analyse the issue. I understand the limitation that this cannot
be done by an individual with limited experience, but done as a collective
effort. However I have attempted to deal with this issue in the Christian Ethical
perspective.
Moralism
Rejected
The attitude of the
church and the wider society in India towards the issues related to alcohol can
be characterised by moralism. The moralistic approach of regarding drinking as
a matter of ‘sin’ has not completely helped in addressing the issue. It
actually distorts the meaning of sin itself. Anyone who has the experience with
alcoholic people will know that there are several factors involved in
contributing to the issues related to alcohol. It is easy to call names, fix labels,
or look down on the people with different behaviour without making an attempt
to understand the emotional social cultural factors that have made him/her
succumb to such behaviour. A responsible ethical probing on this issue must
forego and reject the moralistic view. It should rather be probing into the
cultural, social, and other conditions that probe the person to generate this
behaviour.[28]
The abolishing of alcohol will not cater to the upliftment of the society or
the eradication of the problem rather contributes to harsher repercussions.
Hence our idea must be based on the removal of the root causes to help the
person for a better livelihood.
Dominance of the
Elite
We can see the society
in which we live in, is being dominated by the minority elite who for the want
of power make sure that the others are exploited just to make adequate or
selfish benefits for themselves. The dominant have not only pushed the masses
to the margins, away from the decision-making process but also made failed to
address their problems such as poverty, economic inequality, rising prices etc.
Today’s economic power is in the hands of a very few. This faulty economic
system is obviously the result of the decisions made in the political realm
which again is in the hands of the dominant.
Alcoholic behaviour can
be seen in the light of the social and cultural roots. It is commonly known
that a person who consumes alcohol expresses ‘freely’ the repressed feelings.
The person is temporarily free to rebel against authority. Those who counsel
with an alcoholic person would know that a considerable amount of aggression is
projected on the ‘authority figures’ in general. For instance in a rural
setting it is projected on to the landlord or the upper-caste and other
dominant sections. Liquor places become the only place where masses can
‘freely’ vent to their feelings of hostility toward the forces that dominate
them.
Hence the primary
concern should be the removal of the unjust structures, to help the elevation
of the quality of life of the people providing them reasonable security and
well-being. Here however, I do not suggest that the economic development would
enhance the living of the people, at the same time I affirm that any conflict
situation like social, cultural, economic etc, aggravates the destructive
potential of such behaviour.
‘Sin’ of Alcoholism
In what way do we say
that drinking is a sin or a sinful act? We tend to identify ‘sin’ with some
acts contrary to our moral norms. Therefore, the don’ts like: don’t smoke,
don’t drink, don’t do this or don’t do that, has become the standard of
spiritual life, but ‘sin has a deeper meaning. It represents an attitude that
keeps us away from God and the people around us into a mode of
self-centeredness. The closed life that is incapable of relating to God or with
fellow human beings is a sinful life. Even non-drinkers and even religious
people are prone to that kind of life (a life of retreating). Therefore
singling-out alcoholism as a ‘sin’ is taking a very judgemental attitude to it.
I am conscious of the
consequences of drinking and also brand alcoholism in the list of forces that
thwart God’s gift of life. But my point is that in our attitude towards the
alcoholic person, we tend to overlook the factors that make the person. He/she
must not be treated as an immoral person rather a person with an illness who
needs help.
Ministerial Perspective – Sam Sathish Kumar. S
In the Biblical world the term leper was ostracized.
In our world, the alcoholic is a type of leper. It has also become a myth that
nice people do not become alcoholic although they have anxieties, depression or
nerves. It happens to the poor, the unemployed and the least sections of the
society. It is considered as a moral weakness, a sin for a very long time. It
may well be that alcoholism is rooted in self-centeredness and self-deception,
but that liability is not a monopoly of the alcoholic. The alcoholic is
eventually locked into a narrow, isolated world is a tragedy, but not
necessarily more sinful than greed or hypocrisy or fear.[29]
Alcoholism is an illness; it is the consequence of the
deliberate wrong exercise of the human will. It is an area in which the force
of death is at work. We, Christians, who are witnesses to Christ, are committed
to continue this ministry of healing and liberation in the face of the struggle
of humans against the force of sin and death and restoring them to life of
abundance in Christ. The people whom Christ loves are drawn to a path leading
to destruction. Neither the individual alone nor the family are solely
responsible for this malady but frequently other influences beyond control in
the structure of society are also responsible. A person who becomes alcoholic,
therefore, stands in need of help, concern, love and understanding. It is the task
of the church to reach out to them compassionately that they may be liberated
and made whole.[30]
The Christian response to the alcoholism should be to
view the alcoholic persons, as they were, through the eyes of Jesus Christ and
to present Christ as the One who can deliver the addict from the binding evil
power; be the full effective answer to their needs and give them a new goal,
direction, dynamic and satisfaction for their living. The Christian attitude to
the alcoholic persons should be one of loving concern, understanding and
compassion, as that of our Christ who confronted people with their sins, but
loved them and forgave them and healed them. The church can help the alcoholic
persons to change their attitude and thinking, a renewal of the mind by
providing new values and systems. Thus the new way of life involves the setting
of new goals, direction and life-style which leads to wholeness and
wholesomeness and becoming a new creature in Christ.[31]
The first and the most important task of the church is to have an accurate
knowledge of the nature of alcoholism and people who are affected by that. The
church should make the alcoholic person admit that he/she has no control/power
over alcohol and has to come to realize that their life has become unmanageable.
Most of the alcoholic persons will deny that alcohol is a problem, even in the
face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. One or more crises may be
inevitable before the alcoholic person is even willing to consider the
possibility that alcohol is a problem. It takes a kind of “tough love” both to
induce the alcoholic to seek treatment and to give appropriate pastoral support
after the alcoholic has sought treatment.[32]
An inclusive church cannot exist with a rigid ethic.
There is a voluntary surrender of some pleasure for a higher good or the
avoidance of an evil which overweighs the good – this is known as the Christian
virtue of sobriety. It can be practiced in two ways: by total abstinence from
alcohol beverage for supernatural motives, and by true moderation in the use of
alcoholic beverages for the same motives. The rapidly changing, confused world
which surrounds the church causes real problems for Christians who seek to take
ethical counsel with those who are constantly on the move. Jesus talked far
more about the sins of the spirit than the sins of the flesh, but somehow
modern-day Christians have reversed the order. The education program of the
church must deepen the theological and ethical base and utilize the scientific
facts about alcohol. The program of the church directed toward the prevention
of drinking should involve steps of educating the youth and students, training
workers to deal with alcoholic persons and should challenge the parents to be
the models for their children. The church also needs to crate Para-Church
Groups within or outside the church which can foster fellowships of mutual
trust. It should provide basic understanding of why people drink, the
scientific facts of alcohol and the basis for making an ethical decision. There
is no magic panacea which will cure the world’s ills, but the churches have the
message and know enough to begin. Jesus Christ gave the answer, “Love your
neighbor as yourself.” but the church lacks the blueprint for putting this word
of truth into action.[33]
Therefore the church has to initiate projects and programs to enhance the lives
of people and not by standing with dominant moral ban like in Kerala.
Bibliography
------- Hope for Children of Alcoholics. USA:
Alateen Publications, 1992.
Bergendoff, Conrad. Pastoral Care for Alcoholism:
An Introduction. USA: Hazelden Foundation, 1981.
Blane, Howard and Kenneth, Leonard, eds. Psychological
Theories of Drinking and Alcoholism. New York: Guilford Press, 1987.
Block,
Marvin. Alcoholism: Its Facets and Phases. USA: John Day Company, 1962.
Dixon, Patrick. The Truth About Drugs. London:
Hodder & Stoughton, 1998.
Garmon S,
William. The Many Faces of Ethyl. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1966.
Lawton, Kenneth, et al., eds., The Christian
Response to Alcohol and Drug Problem. Bangalore: Ecumenical Christian
Centre, 1983.
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[4]
Pseudoname
[8] According to Word Web Dictionary
[9] Marvin Block, Alcoholism: Its
Facets and Phases (USA: John Day Company, 1962), 47
[10] Howard Blane and Kenneth
Leonard, Eds., Psychological Theories of Drinking and Alcoholism (New
York: Guilford Press, 1987), 131-135
[11] Marvin Block, Alcoholism: Its
Facets and Phases, 43
[14] ------- Hope for Children of
Alcoholics (USA: Alateen Publications, 1992), 5-9
[15] ------- Hope for Children of
Alcoholics, 7
[16] Patrick Dixon, The Truth
About Drugs (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1998), 65-66
[19] http://english.manoramaonline.com/my-news/shutting-down-bars-or-liquor-ban-is-not-the-answer.html,
accessed on 29.10.14
[22]
http://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/society/ban-on-alcohol-is-it-the-preventive-solution-for-alcoholism,
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[24] http://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/society/ban-on-alcohol-is-it-the-preventive-solution-for-alcoholism,
accesed on 29.10.14
[28] Kenneth Lawton, Jonathan
Gnanadason and K.V. Mathew, eds., The Christian Response to Alcohol and Drug
Problem (Bangalore: Ecumenical Christian Centre, 1983), 133
[29] Conrad Bergendoff, Pastoral
Care for Alcoholism: An Introduction (USA: Hazelden Foundation, 1981), 1-2
[30] Kenneth Lawton, Jonathan
Gnanadason and K.V. Mathew, eds., The Christian Response to Alcohol and Drug
Problem, 199
[31] Kenneth Lawton, Jonathan
Gnanadason and K.V. Mathew, eds., The Christian Response to Alcohol and Drug
Problem, 123-127
[32] Conrad Bergendoff, Pastoral
Care for Alcoholism: An Introduction, 10-12
