Not sure why your original comment didn’t pop up right away…we’re definitely not screening comments:)
Either way, I appreciate your response…we (starting with me) can all stand to practice a little more patience with those who don’t “get it” about certain issues. We want this blog to be a place where a variety of important issues are discussed, debated, and commented on. So to all of our readers: keep the comments coming and by all means let us know what issues are important to YOU so we can blog about them!
kj

In this great country of ours, we have drawn a line in the sand as to where “adulthood” begins. On your 18th birthday, all the benefits of childhood disappear. If you commit a crime, no more slaps on the wrist- you’re going to big girl jail. If you take out a loan, Mommy and Daddy can’t be sued for your failure to pay. Or, you can join up, grab arms, and fight & die to defend the freedom of your non-legal-drinking counterparts back home. There is no debate on where adulthood legally begins, so how in the heck is there a discussion on the legality of making a personal choice once you have become an adult??

You say that kids aren’t mature enough at 18, and there’s so much that goes on between the ages of 18 and 21, and I say that is a failure of a parent, or of society, to prepare the kid to join the “real world”. Humans of any age perform to the level to which they are required. I think we all know examples of 16 year olds that have been forced for one reason or another to become “adults,” and have thrived living on their own. On the flip side, we probably all know of 34 year olds who still live with the folks, because they never could quite get it together.

There is a huge duality in the standards our society has made for 18-21 year olds: You are old enough to elect our officials, but not enter a bar. You are a big enough girl to choose to smoke, but not enjoy a glass of wine. Why should 18 year olds be mature if we are constantly telling them that they aren’t ?? Again, I’ll say, we have drawn the line in the sand of where adulthood begins, so it should be universally drawn. I feel it is important to distinguish here that my argument is strictly that the ages should all be the same- not necessarily that it should be 18. For the sake of argument (Ha! Ha!), 18 is where legal adulthood begins, and is therefore my age of choice.

All that said, this is Consider Lily. So in doing that… considering Lily, considering purity in Christ… I think all sides can agree without debate that Scripture tells us to be responsible in drinking- avoid drunkenness, don’t allow anything to “master” our bodies, don’t do things that might offend our conscience. No arguments there… just didn’t want to post without a mention of Christ! J

Your newest and most opinionated Lily7 team member,
Cara

Students have alot of expectations on them, most students at my school take full time classes and work at least part time if not full time, about 80 percent pay for their own school, and make time to be involved with campus groups, we have had class discussions on the topic and many are put off that people think so little of their capabilities to make wise decisions regarding alchohol consumption.

Alright, now that I have written a book, and successfully procrastinated my homework, I think I will grab a glass of wine, lunch, and start on my criminology midterm. (I’m over 21…… and… I live off campus)

I think i’ve realized my real issue. i have a terrible habit of turning my nose up toward what i think are cultural American problems–and our drinking habits, collectively, i think are awful. we don’t teach moderation or responsibility from the get go, and so i get frustrated and i say to myself, ‘well, i get it, so let’s move on.’ cuz i’ve been to plenty of places in the world that ‘get’ drinking… and in being so cultured, well, i say to my fellow Americans in my head: time to catch up and get over it!

talk about arrogance. it’s sick, but thanks for helping me to see it.

Which is an altogether terrible thing to do and not at all Godly. I’m working on it. Talk about arrogance… man.

Thanks, in the meantime, for blogs & comments that are always challenging. I love that that’s something I can always count on.

As for referencing scripture…I read through the Bible last year and unfortunately (as you pointed out) did not find ONE verse that addresses the legal drinking age. I did, however, find a plethora of scripture similar to Proverbs 2 which tells us to seek wisdom and knowledge and understanding SO THAT we can “understand what is right and just and fair”.
Where scripture is silent (and if you haven’t noticed, it often is when you’re talking particulars), we are told to seek wisdom and knowledge and understanding. We make no claims to be an authority on any of those, but our goal at Consider Lily is to provide different perspectives (aka OPINIONS) to help our readers pursue those three things…especially on controversial, “grey” issues.
I’m sure we wouldn’t be opposed to talking about drunkeness, but the discussion would probably be pretty short and could be summed up in three words: “Don’t get drunk” (see Eph. 5:18, 1 Cor. 6:10, 1 Pet. 4:3).
Perhaps a discussion on “living above reproach” or “not causing a brother to stumble” with regard to alcohol might be of interest to some of our readers so stay tuned.
kj

Marijuana IS legal within some contexts– it’s prescribed medicinally, just not everywhere.

“Safe Sex” education doesn’t work, because we don’t teach it across the board. If it’s not taught everywhere, there’s no basis for saying it does or does not work. *Side note: Did you know we pull out aid money from nations that teach ’safe sex’ and not ‘abstinence only’ (which I personally find to be a joke)? This happens in Africa a lot. People are going to have sex, whether you tell them to or not, so helping them be safe IS a good thing, especially when we’re talking about eradicating AIDS/HIV. But if someone with AIDS doesn’t know using a condom is wise… well, then why use a condom?

To be perfectly honest, I ONLY liked reading this because it shows there’s no such thing as ‘being right’ about many issues, and it shows that a group of women can engage in disagreement respectfully. But beyond that, I kind of wonder why this issue in particular matters… it seems more relevant to discuss drinking itself, not whether the drinking age should be lowered. I mean… oh man, the Bible says NOTHING about age limits on drinking, but plenty about drunkenness. Talk to me about that. Cuz I do enjoy going out with my friends, and I am 21, and I do drink, and I am a Christian.

I want to read a blog where you reference Scripture to back up what you say. Opinion is opinion is opinion and I’ve heard these opinions before.

AND— if that blog does exist… please point me toward it!

21st Birthday Drinking: It is no surprise the many college students consume a drink or two on their 21st birthdays. However, a recent study by the University of Texas-Austin indicates that most students drink quite heavily on that day, with men consuming an average of 12 drinks and women an average of 9. More than of students say they experienced ill effects the next day including hangovers (54%); blackouts (44%) and sex they did not remember (22%). Nearly 40% say they were unsure how they got home that night. A similar study by the University of Missouri found that just over 1/3 of men and almost of women reported consuming 21 drinks on their 21st birthday. The UT study examined behaviors in the 2 weeks before and after the 21st birthday, finding that quantity of drinking decreases after turning 21, but frequency increases. (USA Today August 27, 2008)

Social Norms to Decrease Drinking: A six year study at the University of Virginia has shown some success for their social norms campaign to curb alcohol abuse. The social norms approach attempts to give students a more accurate idea of how much most of their classmates actually drink. Most students overestimate their compatriots’ alcohol consumption. UVA students exposed to social norms approach to curb drinking had experienced fewer negative results of drinking including: missed classes, encounters with campus safety and unprotected sex. (Inside Higher Ed August 12, 2008)

For the record, my college has also been trying the “social norms” approach with posters proclaiming that 2 out of 3 students report drinking fewer than 4 drinks at their last party. Although the posters with twin brothers… possibly not the most believable! I don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the chancellor of my university signed that petition because to be honest, the campus police DO tend to take the position of “if we don’t see it and no one calls to have us break up the party, it didn’t happen.” This is one of the top universities in the nation, so the students are no dummies. Unfortunately there is a pretty big drinking culture due to an unofficial student body motto of “Study Hard, Party Hard.” Just because there’s a lot of maturing that happens between 18 and 21 doesn’t really mean that 21-year-olds are actually much more responsible when it comes to alcohol. In a lot of ways (and this is getting into a different topic), I think the root of all of this behavior might be how relative or absolute students see morals to be. Meaning the Christian kids, theoretically have an absolute truth informing their morality and behavior, but a good number of students may also take the post-modern approach of “everyone has to define what’s right and wrong for themselves.”