Tobacco, Condoms, Beer & Pool

Tobacco, Condoms, Beer & Pool...

So I’ve got your attention!!

Now let’s play a kid’s game – I’m sure we can all remember. What do these 4 things have in common? Or perhaps we can also legitimately ask, which of these 4 is not like the other?

Well for a start, they have all come up for interesting discussion over the past few weeks in the context of our life and work here in Malawi with SIM HOPE for AIDS.

What does the church think/teach about each of them? When or where is it OK to drink or brew beer, play pool, use a condom, grow or smoke tobacco. (Tobacco is the main export earner for Malawi!)

How can playing pool be a problem you ask? Well it can be construed (or misconstrued) to be a problem when the only place to play pool is the local drinking establishment (seedy bar). In a culture where drinking is often abused, and wives and children are often abused as the results of too much drinking, the church generally (but not in its entirety) says Christians should refrain from drinking alcohol.

So Christians limit their freedom for the sake of others – that’s a good thing to do. But perhaps, in all honesty, there is less of the considered freedom limiting thinking, than the legalism thinking – do this, don’t do that.

So does that also mean they can’t go into a bar to play pool? Appearances can be important – what will the local elders say if they see one of their youth entering a bar?

In a society where there are very few forms of entertainment that are relatively cheap for the youth and others, not playing pool in a bar can be a real sacrifice.

 

Are church members allowed to grow or work on tobacco farms? Some churches say yes – their membership would be cut in two if they said otherwise. Other churches say no, and certainly not for the pastor.

Should the use of condoms be permitted, either for family planning or for prevention of HIV transmission? Isn’t it the thin end of the wedge? If we allow condoms to be used under certain circumstances, won’t the youth think it’s OK to use condoms all the time – even outside marriage.

These debates of course are not unique to the church or society in Malawi. There are these and similar questions throughout the world, Christian or otherwise - over condom use (“safe sex”), or use of “safe” drug injecting rooms.

People unfortunately want a blanket rule, which means they don’t have to think, or take responsibility for their actions. Someone else has made the rule (decision) for them. The Pharisees went so far as to say you could never use God’s name, in case you took it in vain, thus contravening commandment#3.

In HOPE for AIDS, as in any Christian context, we need to ask - What does the Bible say?

But the Bible doesn’t talk about tobacco, or pool or beer or condoms. No. But we need to look at the Biblical principles that should govern our choices and actions. It’s all too easy to come up with a blanket rule – but the youth of today (and yesterday) don’t like blanket rules that have no foundation. They are savvier, more questioning, more discerning – some would say more rebellious. But I don’t think that’s necessarily right. They have every reason to question these things, as should we.

There are many other discussions that have taken place recently as well, like what does a man do when his wife refuses to have sex with him .. to some the answer is clear. But that will have to wait for another blog.