Temperance is an old-fashioned word that means to abstain or refrain from imbibing alcoholic drinks. It can also be the quality of moderation or self-restraint in all parts of life.
October 3 is World Temperance Day, an opportunity to stay away from alcohol for at least one full day.
Although Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding, it's thought that miracle had more to do with celebrating marriage than encouraging people to over-indulge in alcohol.
Fermented beverages and alcoholic drinks date back thousands of years. Records show the ancient Egyptians and Chinese were some of the first to consume alcohol.
During the turn of the 20th century, Temperance Leagues. The goal was to lose the hold of demon rum on families, particularly poor families where the main breadwinner would end up drinking his payday, leaving his desperate wife and children hungry and desperate. This movement helped bring about Prohibition, a social experiment in making the purchase of alcohol illegal. The hope was that the lack of easily available temptation might result in less (or even no) alcohol consumption. While a noble idea, it unfortunately failed.
For people who want to give up alcohol, numerous Alcoholics Anonymous meetings offer opportunities to meet with like-minded people, find a sober community of others "walking the walk" and engage in working through the 12 Steps to break the damaging hold of alcohol on one's life. Many have found success and freedom from alcohol through AA.
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