Baptists and Natty Light...

Al Mohler done did it. He's stuck his fundy-feet into the ongoing alcohol war being waged throughout the Southern Baptist Convention.

As reported by EthicsDaily.com, the President of Southern Seminary has declared that the Bible doesn't demand total abstinence from alcohol!

You can read the transcript of Mohler's radio program HERE and Bob Allen's story on the subject at EthicsDaily.com

Dr. Robert Parham of the Baptist Center for Ethics has also weighed in on the "alcohol war"...

Robert Parham, executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics, said such intense debate over alcohol "would never have taken place when moderate Baptists had stewardship of the SBC." That, he said, is because moderates read the Bible differently than fundamentalists. Moderates viewed Jesus as "the criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted," he said, and "used that principle with spiritual discernment to determine moral behavior within a respected faith tradition."

That contrasted with fundamentalists, who trotted out the claim, "The Bible says it. I believe it. That settles it." One seminary president stated it: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is what it all comes down to. The issue is whether the Bible is the word of God or merely a record of God's word." "That kind of simplistic absolutism has now bred a literalistic generation which says drinking is okay, while disregarding the clear, albeit non-literalistic, biblical admonition that not everything that is right is the right thing to do," Parham said.

"On a practical note, perhaps both warring factions could come together to advocate for an increase in the federal excise tax on alcohol, one of the best ways to curb alcohol-related problems, for which many of us in the pro-health community have pushed for decades."

FEDERAL EXCISE TAX ON ALCOHOL!!!!

Now I know that most Southern Baptists are Republicans and Republicans hate taxes with a passion that would deny a working single-mother the right to make more than $5.15 an hour - but an increase in the Federal Excise Tax on Alcohol makes a helluva lot of sense!

Will Wade Burleson endorse such a tax? Can I get a second from Danny Akin? How 'bout it Ben Cole? Where ya at James Merritt??

Granted, a tax increase on alcohol might force some to drink their wine from a box instead of a bottle. Some may have to replace their Bud Light with Natural Light. But, hey - it'll be like college (ahem, seminary) all over again...

Seriously... Yea or Nea?