Teetotalism



Teetotalism is the practice or promotion of total personal abstinence from the consumption of alcohol, specifically in alcoholic drinks. A person who practices (and possibly advocates) teetotalism is called a teetotaler or teetotaller, or is simply said to be teetotal. Globally, almost half of adults do not drink alcohol (excluding those who used to drink but have stopped). A number of temperance organisations have been founded in order to promote teetotalism and provide spaces for non-drinkers to socialise.

Etymology
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the tee- in teetotal is the letter T, so it is actually t-total, though it was never spelled that way. The word is first recorded in 1832 in a general sense in an American source, and in 1833 in England in the context of abstinence. Since at first it was used in other contexts as an emphasised form of total, the tee- is presumably a reduplication of the first letter of total, much as contemporary idiom might say "total with a capital T".

The teetotalism movement was first started in Preston, England, in the early 19th century. The Preston Temperance Society was founded in 1833 by Joseph Livesey, who was to become a leader of the temperance movement and the author of The Pledge: "We agree to abstain from all liquors of an intoxicating quality whether ale, porter, wine, or ardent spirits, except as medicine." Today, a number of temperance organisations exist that promote teetotalism as a virtue.

Richard Turner, a member of the society Preston Temperance Society, is credited with using the existing slang word, "teetotally", for abstinence from all intoxicating liquors. One anecdote describes a meeting of the society in 1833, at which Turner in giving a speech said, "I'll be reet down out-and-out t-t-total for ever and ever." Walter William Skeat noted that the Turner anecdote had been recorded by temperance advocate Joseph Livesey, and posited that the term may have been inspired by the teetotum; however, James B. Greenough stated that "nobody ever thought teetotum and teetotaler were etymologically connected."

A variation on the above account is found on the pages of The Charleston Observer: Teetotalers.—The origin of this convenient word, (as convenient almost, although not so general in its application as loafer,) is, we imagine, known but to few who use it. It originated, as we learn from the Landmark, with a man named Turner, a member of the Preston Temperance Society, who, having an impediment of speech, in addressing a meeting remarked, that partial abstinence from intoxicating liquors would not do; they must insist upon tee-tee-(stammering) tee total abstinence. Hence total abstainers have been called teetotalers.

According to historian Daniel Walker Howe (What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815–1848, 2007) the term was derived from the practice of American preacher and temperance advocate Lyman Beecher. He would take names at his meetings of people who pledged alcoholic temperance and noted those who pledged total abstinence with a T. Such persons became known as Teetotallers.

Reasons


Some common reasons for choosing teetotalism are psychological, religious, health, medical, philosophical, social, political, past alcoholism, or simply preference. When at drinking establishments, teetotalers (or teetotallers) either abstain from drinking totally or consume non-alcoholic beverages such as water, juice, tea, coffee, non-alcoholic soft drinks, virgin drinks, mocktails, and alcohol-free beer.

Most teetotaler organisations also demand from their members that they do not promote or produce alcoholic intoxicants.

Christianity
A number of Christian denominations forbid the consumption of alcohol, or recommend the non-consumption thereof, including certain Anabaptist denominations such as the Mennonites (both Old Order Mennonites and Conservative Mennonites), Church of the Brethren, Beachy Amish and New Order Amish. Many Christian groups, such as Methodists (especially those aligned with the Holiness movement) and Quakers (particularly the Conservative Friends and Holiness Friends), are often associated with teetotalism due to their traditionally strong support for temperance movements, as well as prohibition. The Latter Day Saints, Seventh-day Adventists, and Holiness Pentecostals also preach abstinence from alcohol and other drugs. Many members of these Christian religious groups are also required to refrain from selling such products.

Conservative Anabaptist denominations of Christianity proscribe the use of alcohol and other drugs. The following teaching of the Dunkard Brethren Church is reflective of Conservative Anabaptism:

With respect to Methodism, the Church of the Nazarene and Wesleyan Methodist Church, both denominations in the Wesleyan-Arminian tradition, teach abstinence from alcohol. Members of denominations in the conservative holiness movement, such as the Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection and Evangelical Wesleyan Church, practice temperance and teetotalism, thus abstaining from alcohol and other drugs. The Book of Discipline of the Immanuel Missionary Church, a Methodist denomination, states:

Uniformed members of the Salvation Army ("soldiers" and "officers") make a promise on joining the movement to observe lifelong abstinence from alcohol. This dates back to the early years of the organisation, and the missionary work among alcoholics.

With respect to Restorationist Christianity, members of certain groups within the Christian Science movement abstain from the consumption of alcohol.

The Latter Day Saint movement reject alcohol based upon the Word of Wisdom.

Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Anglican Communion all require wine in their central religious rite of the Eucharist (Holy Communion). In contrast, churches in the Methodist tradition (which traditionally upholds teetotalism) require that "pure, unfermented juice of the grape" be used in the sacrament of Holy Communion.

In the Gospel of Luke (1:13–15), the angel that announces the birth of John the Baptist foretells that "he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb". A free translation of the New Testament, the Purified Translation of the Bible (2000), translates in a way that promotes teetotalism. However, the term 'wine' (and similar terms) being consumed by God's people occurs over two hundred times in both the Old and New Testament.

Some Christians choose to practice teetotalism throughout the Lent season, giving up alcoholic beverages as their Lenten sacrifice.

Dharmic faiths
Jainism forbids the consumption of alcohol, in addition to trade in alcohol.

In Hinduism, the consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants, called surāpāna, is considered the second mahāpātaka, or great sin. Brahmins are prohibited from drinking alcohol "as it has a direct impact on the nervous system, leading to actions that a sound person normally would not."

Similarly, one of the five precepts of Buddhism is abstaining from intoxicating substances that disturb the peace and self-control of the mind, but it is formulated as a training rule to be assumed voluntarily by laypeople rather than as a commandment. Buddhist monks and nuns who hold traditional vows are forbidden from consuming alcohol.

Islam
In Islam, the Arabic word "Khamr" (Arabic: خمر) refers to any intoxicant. Muslim countries have low rates of alcohol consumption, with many enforcing a policy of Prohibition. Additionally, the majority of Muslims do not drink and believe consuming alcohol is forbidden (haram).

Ibn Majah and al-Tirmidhi narrated an authentic Hadith that if a Muslim drinks alcohol and does not repent, he would enter Hell after death and be "made to drink from the pus of the people of Jahannum."

Research on non-drinkers
Dominic Conroy and Richard de Visser published research in Psychology and Health that studied strategies used by college students who would like to resist peer pressure to drink alcohol in social settings. The research hinted that students are less likely to give in to peer pressure if they have strong friendships and make a decision not to drink before social interactions.

A 2015 study by the Office for National Statistics showed that young Britons were more likely to be teetotalers than their parents.

According to Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health, published by WHO in 2011, close to half of the world's adult population (45 percent) are lifetime abstainers. The Eastern Mediterranean Region, consisting of the Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa, is by far the lowest alcohol-consuming region in the world, both in terms of total adult per-capita consumption and prevalence of non-drinkers, i.e., 87.8 percent lifetime abstainers.

Notable advocates
This is a list of notable figures who practiced teetotalism and were public advocates for temperance, teetotalism, or both. To be included in this list, individuals must be well-known for their abstention from alcohol, their advocacy efforts, or both. Individuals whose abstention from alcohol is not a defining characteristic or feature of their notability are intentionally excluded.


 * Albert Barnes – American theologian, clergyman, abolitionist, temperance advocate, and author
 * George N. Briggs – 19th Governor of Massachusetts, from 1844 to 1851
 * Hugh Bourne – American clergyman and one of the joint founders of Primitive Methodism
 * Neal Dow – American Prohibition advocate and mayor of Portland, Maine, from 1851 to 1852 and from 1855 to 1856
 * Lucy Webb Hayes – wife of Rutherford B. Hayes and first lady of the United States from 1877 to 1881