The ongoing Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989 has once again caught media attention as the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) supported by Naga Mothers Association (NMA) and other Church organisations of some tribes have reiterated strict implementation of the Act. Some organisations and individuals have also put forth their views for or against as also a middle way.
The Church is a very influential factor in the daily lives of the people in many respects. This is so as the Nagas are almost all Christians of whichever denominations they individually adhere to. The Church leaders and other functionaries are not only qualified but also committed in their calling and they mean well for the large flock.
Be that as it may, it makes one wonder whether or not they take into account the ground realities of the laity (general public/common people). As advocate Pakhrinchapbo stated in local papers of March 07, 2022: “Though the law imposes total ban on liquor sale and consumption, Govt. or any Church body or pressure groups would not succeed in stopping certain families or individuals from selling alcohol for livelihood, people will always find alternative ways as it is a matter of livelihood.” This includes the broader perspective of house rent, children’s school and/or college fees, uniforms, books et al plus paying tithes to the Church---for survival.
Moreover, with or without prohibition, there is an alarming rate in substance abuse. Director General of Prisons, Home Guards, Civil Defence and SDRF Rupin Sharma, IPS, has pointed out that in terms of quantity and volume, various psychotropic drugs are not only much less but overall costs are exponentially multiple times the amount spent on alcohol. There are cases of well to do families who have been reduced to poverty as some of its members sold off multi-storied buildings, land, SUVs and other assets to pay for various multi-dimensional drugs which are harmful in the long run.
Leave aside loss of excise revenue as also the numerous cases of domestic and public violence and untimely deaths the glaring fact is NLTP Act has not attained its target. Why? One reason is an aspect of economics. If supply meets demand, then prices are stable. In case of shortage of any commodity especially essential items suppliers will endeavour to provide but at increased prices---legally or under the counter. This results in malpractices like hoarding and supplying spurious stuff. Same with liquor. Wine is a part of almost all cultures because it derives its source from plants, herbs and grains which the land provides and hence forms part of its festivities dedicated to the deities they believe in. So people partake of it.
Among the goals of Church leaders and functionaries a primary one is commitment to spiritual values to feed and motivate the sheep in their daily lives through tenets of the Holy Bible, personal example and try to save the souls from eternal damnation. Another is the exercise of temporal power including administration of Church hierarchy, financial dispensation regarding humanitarian and other charitable works maintaining or sponsoring educational institutions, and various scholarships. Practically every village has one Church, if not two or more. Herein, being human, with strength and frailties, the tendencies towards bias or prejudice (in simple terms, likes and dislikes), a tussle may arise between these two forces of spiritual commitment and temporal power. As a high and noble calling the Church not only moulds character but also public opinion. As such, it must also get rid of the cobwebs, if any, in the nooks and crannies in those magnificent buildings/citadels of prayer and worship.
Now and then, quotations from the Scriptures are used to emphasise a particular point or two of the writer in an article. That is fine and encouraging. Yet, one hardly comes across any mention of the first miracle wrought by Jesus Christ wherein he turned water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana, Galilee. (John 2:1-11).
Matthew Henry in his Bible Commentary (pages 1513, 1514 & 1515), states Christ could have wrought miracles before, but, miracles being designed for the sacred and solemn seals of His doctrine, He began to work only after He began to preach. The Spanish (Jew) rabbi Maimonides (1135 -1204), theologian, evangelist and philosopher, observed the first miracle to be to the honour of Moses who did all the signs in the wilderness he did upon necessity; the ancient Israelites having fled from centuries of bondage in Egypt and moved about 40 (forty) years in the Sinai peninsula, they needed food so he brought them manna, and so did Christ.
The commentary notes Christ began to work His miracles in an obscure (rural) part of the country. His doctrine and miracles would not be so much opposed by the plain and honest Galileans as they would be at Jerusalem where avaricious traders, priestly Levites, powerful Sanhedrin, intellectual Sadducees, Pharisees and other learned but dogmatic sects abounded. The honour Christ put on the marriage was that He graced it not only with His presence but with His first miracle.
As the festivity wore on, Mary, the mother of Jesus informed Him that there was no more wine. The bridegroom might have sent out for more wine, but she was for going to the fountainhead. So Christ rebuked her: “Woman, what have I to do with thee?” As many as Christ loves, He rebukes and chastens. He calls her “woman” not “mother.” When we begin to assume we should be reminded that we are men and women, frail, foolish and corrupt. So this rebuke to His mother was a check on her for interposing in a matter which was the act of His godhead.
Matthew Henry further comments “the greatest advancements must not make us forget ourselves and neither our place, nor the familiarity to which the covenant of grace admits us breeds contempt, irreverence, in any kind of degree of presumption.” The reason for this rebuke was: “My hour is not yet come.” For everything that Christ did and that was done to Him, He had “His hour,” the “fixed” time and the “fittest” time. Yet afterwards, He wrought this, before the hour, because He foresaw it would confirm the faith of His newly inducted disciples (verse 11). Thus, this was the earnest of the miracles He would work when “His hour was come.”
This teaches us that man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. “His hour is come when we are reduced to the utmost difficulty and know not what to do. The delays of mercy are not to be construed as denials of prayer.” Notwithstanding this, the mother of Jesus encouraged herself with expectations that He would help, for she told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you to do.” (verse 5). It is best not to deserve reproof from Christ, but next best to be meek and quiet under it, and to count it as kindness.
There were six stone water jars, each one large enough to hold about a hundred litres which had never been used to store wine. These were filled up to the brim at Christ’s word (verse 7). The miracle was wrought suddenly, and in such a manner as greatly magnified it. Christ said “Draw out now and take it to the man in charge of the feast” (verse 8) and it was done without any ceremony as Christ willed it the water which had now turned into wine was tasted (verse 9). Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen described in his “Life of Christ,” the “water saw its Creator and blushed!”
The duty of man in charge of the feast was to see that each guest had enough and none did exceed so that there were no indecencies or disorders since many guests tend to lose control after drinking instead of abiding by the rules of piety and devotion. So he then told the bridegroom, “Everyone else serves the best wine first, and after the guests have had plenty to drink, he serves the ordinary wine. But you have kept the best wine until now.” (verse 10). On this occasion Christ was providing plentifully for the guests but it also implied caution for a sober use of wine in times of rejoicing as indicated in Nehemiah 8:10 and that our hearts should not at any time get overcharged with excess and drunkenness (Luke 21:34).
Temperance per force is a thankless virtue; but if divine providence gives abundance of the delights of sense, and divine grace enables us to use them moderately, this is self-denial that is praiseworthy. According to the commentary, two considerations drawn from this story may be sufficient at any time to fortify us against the temptations to intemperance (get over drunk and violent for instance). Firstly, our meat and drink are “the gifts of God’s bounty to us.” It is, therefore, ungrateful and impious to abuse them. Secondly, that, wherever we are, Christ has His eye upon us. He has given us a specimen of the method He takes in dealing with those that deal with Him, which is, to reserve the best for the last, and therefore they must deal upon trust. The pleasures of sin give their colour in the cup, but at the last bite; but the pleasures of religion will be pleasures for evermore.
In the conclusion of this story (verse 11) we are told, (i) That this was the “beginning of miracles” which Jesus did. He Himself was the greatest miracle of all; but this was wrought by Him, He had power, but there was a time of the “hiding of His power”; (ii) That hereby He “manifested His glory;” hereby He proved Himself to be the Son of God; (iii) That “His disciples believed on Him,” those whom He had called (John chapter 1), now saw this, shared in it, and had their faith strengthened by it. Even the faith that is true is at first but weak. The strongest men and women were once babes, so were the strongest Christians.
Thus we come to the crux of reviewing the NLTP Act. On paper, provisions of the Act suffice to ensure total prohibition. The problem is some mid-level bootleggers and minor dealers get caught, cases of liquor seized and destroyed in a glare of media publicity with some credit to personnel of the Excise department. The menacing fact is that big syndicates headed by influential persons have never been exposed and their whole-sale liquor continues to thrive because of self-interest boosted by bribery at various levels. The general public knows it and so also is the Church aware of it and yet the liquor business flourishes. There are also loud whisperings and even complaints of our national workers of various factions who propagate “Nagaland for Christ” deriving taxes (?) from wholesalers/syndicates.
In a recent article headlined “Review of NLTP Act: Opinions” Dr Sentiwate Aier suggests, that the Church come out “with clear prophetic vision to address challenges like alcoholism, insurgency, multiple taxes, unemployment, power abuse and corruption in public life.” The Church in general, may also introspect on its persistence for total prohibition as this may result in some of its adherents being led astray. It is suggested that endeavours be to uplift drug addicts through setting up more facilities for their rehabilitation and pursue justice for the downtrodden who have no other alternatives.
Dr Imtirenla Walling has opined, “instead of total prohibition, a more stringent regulation on violators and law enforcement agencies will be more practicable.” She also adds, “Debating on NLTP Act of 1989 will be fruitless.” As it is, Govt. of Nagaland has held enough talkathons with various stakeholders on the Naga political issue but we are yet to know of anything new in our Naga Saga. Even marathons and half marathons begin and end in time.
It is high time that we decide to call a spade a spade instead of pining for the Queen of hearts and passively tolerating the numerous anomalies that prevail in our land. As such, where prohibition is concerned let us fervently hope that instead of any more discussions/debates, our mandated Government which does acquire assorted liquor from probably Jorhat or somewhere else, will decide something positive that will be sustainable in the long run with some necessary amendments so that we can relish the fruits of the first miracle.
Nevertheless, abstinence is most laudable but more than this moral discipline is superlative.
Jack T. Chakhesang