Alcohol
Further information: Teetotalism Teetotalism is the practice and promotion of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages.
Some common reasons for choosing teetotalism are religious, health, family, philosophical and/or social reasons, and, sometimes, as simply a matter of taste preference. When at drinking establishments, they either abstain from drinking or consume non-alcoholic beverages such as tea, coffee, water, juice, and soft drinks.
Contemporary and colloquial usage has somewhat expanded teetotalism to include strict abstinence from most "recreational" intoxicants (legal and illegal, see controlled substances). Most teetotaller organizations also demand from their members that they do not promote or produce alcoholic intoxicants.
They are different and nothing in that wiki article says otherwise.
Teetotalism is abstaining.
But all who abstain are not teetotalers.
It's like all preaching is teaching but not all teaching is preaching.
An abstainer can believe with all of his heart that God made the wine which makes the heart of man merry.
He can believe that it is every Christian's liberty to drink all he wants in moderation.
All he is doing is choosing to PERSONALLY abstain.
Teetotalers are people who not ONLY abstain themselves but also believe that all should abstain.
I think this relates closely with gun ownership and the views of liberals versus conservatives.
Their are many conservatives who choose not to own or use guns, but they respect the right of others to own and use them responsibly.
Liberals choose to abstain from owning guns and try to impose that onto everyone else.
Any argument which uses the logic of liberalism should be suspect.
It does not appear to me you called anyone an idiot.
Having said that, I am sure it is the word "idiot" that caused the infraction.
I got one several months ago when the threads about depression and mental
illness were going around.
It was over these threads that I did call someone that.
I work at a mental health center helping adults learn life skills, basic education classes, and learning to get along in the community.
The infraction drops from your record after 21 days.
I am glad that you didn't take it that way.
I didn't think you reported it.
I hope we are able to discuss this and even get heated (if we feel strongly we probably should) and maybe even be insulting (though not ok) and still come together on the main things.
I get angry.
I think it is very obvious others get very angry with me.
But we ought to be ABLE to do so and still be ok with each other.
To avoid heated debate is a terrible mistake, in my opinion.
That said, I am all for moderators keeping it in check when they do so on principle and not personal reasons.