Nagaland Rice Beer

Watch the making of rice beer in this video.

An excerpt from the YouTube video description:
"The Nagas drink rice beer, which is a drink common across Nagaland, and is made from fermented rice. An herbal root mixture ingredient acts as the fermenting agent in the beer-making process. The fermented juices are then diluted with drinking water to become the celebrated rice beer!"

[Source: wildfilmsindia.com] 

Rice beer is a celebrated drink among the Naga tribes and is commonly used now during cultural festivals. But drinking is look at with a negative vibe today in Naga areas even if one does it responsibly. After the coming of Christianity drinking have been discouraged so much that  it is not consumed in households any more (except in some cases). Some may have mixed feelings about crushing a culture of making an indigenous drink and taking pride in its enjoyment, which could not have been so bad. It may not be as classy as those red wines in shiny glasses but having a homemade drink in bamboo mugs with family and friends must be a good relish and could not be so wrong...

[caption id="attachment_749" align="alignright" width="300"] pic source: morungexpress[/caption]

We look to be Bible for most advice on living being Christians...but picking a Bible verse to justify something is a tricky thing as people usually seem to find another verse to contradict and retaliate...

We must know the Bible condemns drunkenness but have no mention about condemning its use. But there are stories of its use by Israelites and also in Jesus' time. In fact we know the first miracle of Jesus was to convert water into wine in a wedding as they fell short of wine (John 2:1-12). Our wedding's are without wine! But pork is a must! :)

Paul's instruction to Timothy to drink wine a little:
I Timothy 5:23 contains a remarkable statement in the form of instruction from the apostle Paul to Timothy. He wrote, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.” Wine has inherent properties, which are beneficial for the human body.

Warning in the Proverbs on drunkenness:
Proverbs 23:29-35 (NKJV): “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: they have struck me, but I was not hurt; they have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”

What does God expect of you? He expects you to use alcohol wisely. Jesus has not changed. Hebrews 13:8 states that He is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” We are to “follow His steps” (I Pet. 2:21-24). This principle is clear. Drinking alcoholic beverages is not wrong or sinful! The misuse of alcoholic beverages is sinful! It is not the bottle that is the problem—it is the person holding the bottle! [Source: Resurrected Church of God Website - Is drinking a sin? ]

What's are your views on drinking?