Unfortunately, life is hard. It's a catch-22. Sometimes you just want to get high.

I'm tempted to think alcohol has somekind of historical 'dumben the nation down with the food/drink we provide them so we can control them easily' roots, or has atleast be used for that kind of application.

Still, in an environment where drinking is the culture (university for me), its kind of hard not too drink, because you end up looking socially reclusive. I know some might say that you should be yourself and not drink if you don't want, but at the end of the day I want friends and I want a full spectrum of experiences before I pass over, not that I personally have a problem with getting drunk.

Separation of the mind and body is never a good thing really, but use for getting drunk is as a temporary escape from existence, as the thoughts of always being connected and being eternal sometimes get a bit much, as funny as it may sound. I can elaborate if anyone wishes.

I heard an interesting story once, I can't verify it as fact, but supposedly a priest who is skilled in exorcisms always asks before he begins his work : "is there an alcoholic in the house?". I wonder why he would ask that.

Hmm i reckon i would be as just wary of the Priest as the alcoholic and would keep both out my house at all costs.

Alcohol is a horrible drug. It has killed half of my family of origin and nearly took me out as well. I heard an interesting story once, I can't verify it as fact, but supposedly a priest who is skilled in exorcisms always asks before he begins his work : "is there an alcoholic in the house?". I wonder why he would ask that.

Because if he manages to call up the (evil) spirits, the alcho might just drink them.

Edit: I am sorry, in this instance my blind need for a laught caused me to failed to take into concideration the first half of your post.
I am sorry for your loss.
My father and two brothers are also plagued by the curse of alcholism and I've been through some crap because of this.

It feels like it puts my mind and body on autopilot.  Like T-Ren said, it acts like a magnifier, but to me it's more than that.  It's like whatever personality your spiritual path has caused to be imprinted on your 3D mind, under the influence of alcohol that personality is entirely in control.  So even if your true self is positively oriented, and with alcohol you act positive and happy, ultimately it's still artificial because you're running off a 3D imprint.  To me, alcohol takes away the steering wheel of my life, and I just coast for a while, which on rare occasion may be desirable but most of the time it's just an escape that doesn't feel appropriate.

I think Eckhart Tolle mention that when you are drunk, your painbody takes over you.  Because your painbody seeks pain, it makes you do things that you might later regret.

For me I do goof ball things sober, so I did even more ridiculous things drunk...but couldn't remember a lot of them, so I quit getting drunk like that.

...I think this is because when I get really drunk I just let go and all my emotions flood out and I just have a really good time.

Yes, alcohol can provide a release of pent-up emotion. The festivities for the worshipers of Bacchus and Dionysus were all about that release, and it can be a good thing once in a while, in a safe environment.

But use a bit of caution, PhiConcept, as the release is made possible by the dampening effect of the alcohol on your inhibitions (or boundaries, or common sense, whatever you like ). When I was younger, I did some very dangerous and foolish things when I was drunk that I'm still amazed I actually lived through. I'm sure many of us have stories like that...

So I rarely drink anymore, as I prefer Ape-x's "friendlier substances" occasionally. But a good margarita now and then is still a wonderful thing.

Just be safe and enjoy your experiment, Phi.

Cheers

I don't believe in Budda or Buddhism.

I don't either