Believing or not believing is not an issue. The question is why does a person drink? In the absence of faith one uses reason to navigate his life. That is after all the big difference between an animal driven by instinct and mankind driven by reason, logic and discerning intellect. As far as every possible data goes drinking alcohol does no good, does some harm or the other and most importantly, especially with regard to social drinking keeps you on the edge. Many who later develop Alcohol dependence start with social drinking. Orientals are in fact genetically prone to get dependent. Of course many may not get dependent but still why would any right thinking person do something which benefits in no way but carries a certain degree of inherent risk.
One would say that the reason for drinking is pleasure and relaxation. Well it means that one is closed to certain natural healthy ways of pleasure such as games, music, reading something beautiful, joy of contemplation, joy of being together with a friend, watching a good film, doing something creative, visiting a beautiful place such a mountains, rivers, garden. There are so many simple healthy natural ways of finding happiness, even pleasure. So why this morbid method?
One might say it lowers your reflexes and defences and provides a mechanism of escape for a moment. Escape from what? From some what? Oneself? From some sense of inadequacy? Or to simply conform with social demands and pressures? All these are signs of an inferior humanity. A higher humanity, which is what we should strive to be, lives for a higher ideal, is individualised (makes choices through reason and not under social pressure), has sufficient mastery over one’s urges and impulses. Of course each to his own choice and consequences but this is how I look at it.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
