# Religion and alcohol prohibition
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-and-alcohol-prohibition/182487
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 17, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-and-alcohol-prohibition/182487 "2003-06-17T15:49:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Paddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paddle)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-and-alcohol-prohibition/182487/1 "2003-06-17T15:49:02Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Anything that interferes with the clear functioning of the mind is prohibited. This includes alcohol and intoxicating drugs. Alcohol is prohibited either as a beverage or in food preparation; thus pure vanilla and other extracts pose a problem, as do mouthwashes with alcohol. \*\*
This came about after reading Dex’s Staff Report, but its not really about the report, so its in GQ.
I can understand prohibition of alcohol and other drugs on the grounds of allowing ‘clear functioning of the mind’. (Clearly my approval is necessary!!! 😃 )
What I find less clear is why using alcohol in food prep is banned. If the alcohol is boiled of, (as it usually is) so only the flavour remains, shouldn’t that be ok?
Using mouthwash/pure vanilla/drinking those cans of ‘shandy’ that have next to no alcoholic content\*/etc. doesn’t impede clear thought.
I guess what Im asking is whether any islamic scholars have made decrees on this topic and what reasons they gave. Do any groups allow such minimal amounts of alcohol?
How do christian denominations that forbid alcohol treat this sitiuation?
Other religions?
Many thanks,
Paddle.
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### Author:  [@NFlanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NFlanders)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-and-alcohol-prohibition/182487/2 "2003-06-17T16:32:34Z")
Mormons are cool with Listerine, NyQuil, and wine cooking (as long as the alcohol burns off). Liquor pastries are a no no and non-alcoholic beer is frowned upon.
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### Author:  [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-and-alcohol-prohibition/182487/3 "2003-06-17T16:51:28Z")
Curious, a good friends is what I’d call a very devout Mormon but will drink O’Douls.
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### Author:  [@NFlanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NFlanders)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-and-alcohol-prohibition/182487/4 "2003-06-17T17:07:10Z")
Frowned upon, not prohibited. Worse than drinking coke, not as bad as getting a tattoo.
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### Author:  [@igloorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igloorex)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-and-alcohol-prohibition/182487/5 "2003-06-18T04:42:09Z")
Just a swag, but total prohibition makes it hard to get around the rules. It is most certainly possible to consume some of those things with the express intent of “interfering with the clear functioning of the mind.”
I’ve known some pretty degenerate alcoholics who were not above draining a bottle of vanilla or Scope while on a binge. Vanilla can be on a par with serious hard liquor in terms of alcohol content. Some mouthwash brand are pretty high proof as well. I’ve also known a few college chums who would knock back more than a few shots of cough medicine before a night on the town sore throat or no.
It seems to me that if there’s a way to get f\*\*\*ed up on it, someone’s going to try it. The only way to be “safe” is total prohibition – otherwise you wind up having to interperet exactly just how much vanilla in your recipe puts it over the line. Not my position to judge whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I’m gonna go grab a beer.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religion-and-alcohol-prohibition/182487/6 "2003-06-18T12:06:09Z")
[Hijack]There are alcohol-free vanilla extracts available - prepared for the benefit of those who have a problem with traces of grain (they have a sugar syrup base, IIRC)
As regards Christian denominations; the Methodist Church has fairly recently relaxed its views on alcohol - there was a time when strict abstinence was expected, this was (according to my minister) a consequence of the era in which the reasoning was formulated - a time when gin was a social evil, associated with prostitution and criminal behaviour - moderate social drinking was a rare phenomenon (or perceived as rare) - the church took the stance that it was better to avoid the stuff altogether, rather than play with fire.
However, as I said, this has relaxed somewhat and the church no longer sees drinking as problematic (or rather recognises that sensible/moderate consumption of alcohol is possible), unless it actually leads to drunkenness and debauchery.
(the above is something of a simplification).