Sober Fun? Yes, It’s Possible

6 January 2011

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - What happens when over 1,000 young New Zealanders get together for a dance party? If they also happen to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) then they have an absolute blast without alcohol, drugs or promiscuity.

Such was the case last Friday night at the Latter-day Saints’ New Year’s Eve dance for young single adults at Auckland Grammar School, according to 19-year-old Auckland resident Blake Leitch.

“Mormons are sometimes taunted by their friends for their ‘no-alcohol’ policy,” Blake says. “But in a world where drinking is a leading cause of unnecessary death, violence and other problems, you can’t help but admit that they are on the right track. Alcohol is not necessary to make a good party; in fact more often than not, the drunken antics of the lunatic fringe cast a cloud over an otherwise potentially successful event.”

Drugs are in a whole other class of their own, he adds. “All that drugs do is shorten the life of the user, or dumb down the brain.” Even the so-called “party pills” have both psychological and physiological risks. Psychologically they cause the user to disassociate from their environment resulting in carelessness, ignorance of danger, loss of “healthy” inhibition and impairment of judgement. Physiologically these drugs may cause cardiovascular, nervous system, and respiratory distress.

”People will do drugs regardless of who says what, but remember that a thousand young adults on New Year’s Eve, a key market for drugs, managed to have a great time without needing to rely on artificial stimulants.”

Blake also contends that Mormons are sometimes criticized for their ‘no-sex-before-marriage’ policy. But he and his many Latter-day Saint friends don’t seem to mind. They are taught that delayed gratification leads to strong marriages based on mutual trust. Activities such as the New Years Eve dance provide them with an opportunity to socialise with other like-minded young single adults, and perhaps strike up friendships which can lead to romance.
He sums it up, “With good music, dancing, friends and some awesome fireworks, any party can make a lifelong memory.”

To read more about Mormons’ beliefs regarding clean living, go

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