Rev Dr Phuveyi Dozo
Discussion on Merit and Demerit of liquor prohibition will be endless. But a verdict can be drawn out when the father and mother in a family can give their observation, a medical doctor in a hospital gives his or her opinion, school teachers give their views, leaders of principle give their wisdom, and department secretaries and directors give their wish as they want disciplined people and attendants of loyalty. It is easy to advice our children saying, “Do not drink”. But the best policy is to keep the killer away.
Disadvantage of Prohibition includes loss of revenue, porous of illegal trades, and mechanism failure of implementation. Saving young brain, vitality and prospect of youth is incomparably more important than revenue at the expense of human value. At this point, Church and civil societies are armless moral and social wings in process of implementation while the government can functionally create armed-mechanism including imposition of heavy fine, rigorous imprisonment, and punitive measures under a slogan of ‘Safe Generation’.
Sacrifice of Church Leaders
In process of intensive dry fasting and prayer, several church leaders were hospitalized during the full three day Sit-in in Kohima, 1989. When our spiritual leaders advocated and demanded for total liquor prohibition, it was a vision given by God to save and protect the generation from destruction by liquor. The move and demand for prohibition was based on analysis of factors such as better spiritual health, mental and psychological liberation, better economic condition, welfare of youth education, family stability, and social forwardness and peace.
The NLTP is historically a prophetic voice with solidarity of both the Church and the state without disputed opinions. Prohibition is beautiful and has brought many blessings to the people. Therefore, we must rethink before jumping over to revocation of NLTP as it is a divine conviction. Rather, we must thank God for such historic sagacity as clean foundation of Nagaland.
Merit of Prohibition since the Act
The NLTP brought immense advantage and blessing to the society since its enactment. To the glory of God, the scenario of prohibition reflected the image of Nagaland as a land of Christians who believe what the Bible tells us including sanctity of human bodies, solemnity of family and decency of society. The merit of prohibition has been obvious, including
* Serenity of schools and educational centers with peaceful and conducive atmosphere and environment.
* Hospitals have far less rate of casualties from drinking related cases.
* Police stations have less liquor related discipline problems.
* Our streets on Christmas and New Days are decent and not messy.
* Parent-children and family relationship stand normal.
* Progress in education, economy and spiritual shalom grew fast.
* Civil societies and NGOs rendered service to check liquor out.
* Prohibition, as a legal act, creates a general and psychological awareness.
The scenario of the above beauty will reverse once the prohibition is reverted. Civil society and the Church should not be a part in lifting the promulgated prohibition under any circumstance, if it is to be lifted against the will of the society and the spiritual body of the land. It will be a self-defeat and eating one’s own vomit since the Act of NLTP was passed in the name of God by the Church and Christians in leadership. The Bible warns us when it says, “Gaining the whole world gains nothing when life is lost” (Luke 9:25). Instead lifting or relaxing the prohibition, the Act of NLTP should be fully implemented with stringent measure.
Grass-Root Education
The need is laying grass-root foundation to develop far-reaching vision towards healthy generation now and even souls yet to be born. Young generation must cultivate a conscience of ‘good and evil of liquor effect’ in their education system. Beyond many good literatures, the Bible teaches us about morality, sanctity, purity, honesty, modesty, peace and tranquility. It is high time, if not getting late, for Nagaland to legislate the use of Bible or Bible literatures in schools for Christian boys and girls as they have every right to know and uphold the foundation of their faith. Besides science, social science and other studies, building spiritual foundation in the lives of our children is fundamental as the Bible tells us to lead our children in the right way (Proverbs 22:6; Matthew 6:33). In the long-run, the subject of NLTP will become an irrelevant subject when our youth come to a full understating of side effect of liquor that destroys human vitality.
God bless Nagaland!
