Article September 22, 1997 Issue

Standing up for God—and not drinking

Lois Royle Marquardt

As a senior in high school considering the options I had for college the following year, I selected two schools to which I wanted to apply. On one of the applications from a private college, there was a question asking me whether I drank alcoholic beverages. I was in a quandary as to how I should answer the question. I had to admit to myself that I did drink socially at parties. I knew that drinking was not in accord with the practice of Christian Science. What I did wasn't too bad and it was only at parties, I thought; besides, I wasn't dependent on alcohol. In my response on the application I tried to skirt the question and replied that "my friends" drank.

Not long after, though, I had to face up to my answer. After a frank discussion with the admissions officer at this school, I was asked to free myself completely from drinking before the college could process my application.

I could see they had everyone's best interest at heart. This was an opportunity to resolve this problem through prayer to God. Having attended Sunday School for several years, I loved what I was learning about my identity as a child of God. God is all good and is Spirit; man, as God's reflection, expresses goodness, purity, innocence, integrity, and dominion. I felt unconditional love from God and from my Sunday School teacher. Sunday School was a place where I could really be myself.

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Standing up for God—and not drinking

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