Church Opposed to Abortion, Drinking

The 2-million-member Assemblies of God will soon release position papers on abortion and alcoholic beverages, which recommend that Christians totally reject both.

“To destroy the life of an unborn child is flagrantly to disregard the plans God has for that life,” says the paper that officials said is a fuller exposition of the denomination’s previous stances opposing abortion.

The position paper on abstinence from alcoholic beverages begins by noting what the authors said was a growing trend among Christians that drinking in moderation may be permissible. “Drinking in moderation is providing Satan an opening he would not have with an individual committed to total abstinence.”

Although medical authorities commonly consider alcoholism a sickness, the position paper indicates that the use of alcohol is a “spiritual problem” and that alcoholism is a sin, a spokesman said.