I was always told Jesus turned the water into wine because there were no other options. If coke/pop/soda had existed, he would have turned it into that instead.
No one has quoted "Jesus was Way Cool" yet?
He turned water into wine
And if he wanted to
He could have turned wheat into marijuana
Or sugar into cocaine
Or vitamin pills into amphetamines
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The real problem is, of course, who had a Frigidaire to keep all that grape juice from getting nasty?
It's been explained to me, in very patient terms, that what is translated as "wine" was actually a means of preserving the grape juice as something of a gel so it did not go bad and could be diluted at will.
Of course, this doesn't explain why the guests at the wedding said "Whoa, most people bring out the bad stuff after everybody is drunk; you guys saved the good stuff for last!"
That comment makes no sense at all unless the substance people were drinking before they ran out and the stuff Jesus produced were both intoxicating.
I love that we have a religious conversation in a movies thread, originally inspired by a Morgan Freeman quote.
This place rules.
Also, I love Alanis!God. I also love the Jesus in Reefer Madness: The Musical.
The best explanation (as in 'makes sense') explanation I ever heard a pastor give for using grape juice rather than wine at communion was that a) kids below drinking age took communion at that church and b) they had a number of recovering alcoholics in the congregation. Yeah, there are probably some good counter-arguments, but bonus points for not wanking the Bible to justify a no-alcohol stance.
Edit: I have yet to see Dogma, but desperately want to. My thoroughly agnostic dad walked out of it, not because he was offended, but because he was bored. I think Ben Affleck irks him.
The best explanation (as in 'makes sense') explanation I ever heard a pastor give for using grape juice rather than wine at communion was that a) kids below drinking age took communion at that church and b) they had a number of recovering alcoholics in the congregation.
That's why my church uses grape juice. They don't care about booze (Methodists), but they want everyone to be able to participate.
I'm not too sure how it works in non-Catholic services--is drinking the wine/juice optional, or pretty much expected?
is drinking the wine/juice optional, or pretty much expected?
Partaking in communion at my church is totally optional. And, we only do it the first Sunday of the month.
Post Toasties...
This is also the church that offers rice cakes instead of bread for the people with wheat or gluten allergies.
The best explanation (as in 'makes sense') explanation I ever heard a pastor give for using grape juice rather than wine at communion was that a) kids below drinking age took communion at that church and b) they had a number of recovering alcoholics in the congregation.
Every Reform synagogue I've ever been too has offered both wine and grape juice. (Of course, the wine being Manichevitz, it can be hard to tell the difference.)