Hey Pastor:
About excessive drinking in WELS -
"I was taken aback in 2003 attending the WELS
biennial convention respresenting the district at the
beer tent right on campus in Watertown. I wondered how that could be, with so many WELS
pastors and teachers having gross alcohol problems - plus the rampant societal problems abuse of alcohol has caused this nation. I was one of them 30 years ago
as a WELS teacher. Why would the leadership would suppport tap beer at a spiritual event? Can they really see how those with less tolerance to such questionable exercises in
liberty might be completely turned off? I don't know if this situation has
changed since I last attended but I've felt that the WELS simply is too lenient
in attitude after all the carnage that this abuse has caused."
By the by, while we were still a mission congregation here the WELS pastor assigned to us brought his drinking problem here. Before he left (or was asked to leave?) he absconded with some of our offering money also! Needless to say his exploratory work was unsuccessful.
By the by, while we were still a mission congregation here the WELS pastor assigned to us brought his drinking problem here. Before he left (or was asked to leave?) he absconded with some of our offering money also! Needless to say his exploratory work was unsuccessful.
I had Al Just as a teacher at MLA and
knew the unforgettable Tabor brothers there also. Al Just: Was my teacher and coach. It was really weird talking with him at DMLC while I was taking certification courses and he was out on bail for murdering his wife. Remorse, what remorse?
I taught at one WELS school for several years, quit the WELS for a while, but have been involved for the last 20 years here in this state.
I taught at one WELS school for several years, quit the WELS for a while, but have been involved for the last 20 years here in this state.
May God bless you!
GJ - The leaders are cruel in allowing alcoholic ministers to wreck congregations without helping the men recover. Alcohol addiction is so common in WELS that no one sees the problem until it blows up on them. I heard one statement from a pastor I just met and knew he was an addict. He volunteered that Valium helped kick up the impact of an alcoholic drink. He left messes everywhere, but he was connected.
The problem begins with the amount of alcoholism in the leadership. One pastor pointed out a Love Shacker and said, "Now that is a drunk's drunk."
7 comments:
They probably don't have this in psychology textbooks on alcoholism, but alcoholics tend to be mean and judgmental, and the meanness and judgmentalism is passed down to the third and fourth generation.
BTW, I asked a lady who works at a women's shelter what they did with the pets, since no pets were allowed. Did they leave the pets with the abuser at home or do they go to a kennel or human society for adoption? She said that most of the time no pet is involved since even the abuser recognizes that his/her home is no place for pets. I just brought that up since many of the abusers have alcohol problems.
I took a quarter of Clinical Pastoral Education in that area - at Yale (sorry Tim). We even got a week of training at Yale Medical School, with a little certificate suitable for framing.
The biggest effect of alcoholism may be the escape from problems, which only grow worse. Children grow up in a home with a separate reality, one often not seen by others.
In general, the only way to stop the addiction behavior is to stop tolerating it - a difficult move where everyone is born forgiven.
Nasty drunk? I used to wait on them downtown - not fun.
The long term effects of alcoholism are both physical and mental. The liver works overtime in its role of detoxification. This increases the body's need for B-complex. The B-complex deficiency contributes to the nasty mood swings, besides just what the alcohol does to the brain.
I was a lay delegate at a district convention held at the Sausage Factory. At the close of the day, one of the pastors asked for a head count as to who was staying around for the social hour. The next day, there was a couple of kegs sitting on the grass. The students were quite amused by this sight. I should have told them that this could be their future.
Alcohol addiction takes a long time to develop, so many people think they can over-indulge without effect.
The physical damage is extensive, involving all the organs. Habituation starts early, where excessive drinking is associated with being cool, manly, popular, and friendly. Addicts want other addicts around them to make them feel normal. I remember one alcoholic pastor begging the others to stay longer, "I'll buy." Everyone left.
Studies cite link between booze sales, inner-city violence, September 28th, 2011:
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/28/studies-cite-link-between-booze-sales-inner-city-violence/?hpt=hp_t2
"Taking into account other factors known to contribute to youth homicide rates – such as poverty, drugs, availability of guns and gangs – the researchers found that higher densities of liquor stores, providing easy access to alcoholic beverages, contributed significantly to higher youth homicide rates," said a news release from the university.
Sobering thoughts from everyone.
The Dean Wormer picture reminded me of what his wife said in Animal House before she had to 'vacation' suddenly at Saratoga Springs:
'Cut the c--- and fix me a drink.'
She was an English major and could still remember the correct usage of 'sensual' and 'sensuous'. (No disrespect, I am an English major who can use both words correctly, too.)
There is a real complex with drink fanciers: either one is too inarticulate or too articulate. There are also those who crave sugar and drink or only those who favour the fermented sugar found in drink. It is a mystery.
:digs out Animal House video:
Churchmouse
Drinking...in the WELS ?????
Perish (or parish?) the thought !!!
Your criticism of drinking in the WELS proves you are unloving...although you are forgiven....
Unless you are unloving..then maybe you are unforgiving???
But hey, no schools are ( ** hick **) closhing....
BA - SHINGGGGGGG - urp - OOOOOHHHH
I love you man...
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