Simplicio and the alcohol

Here's a short story for your enjoyment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was talking to a person named Simplicio. As we conversed, the topic of alcohol and Islam's view of it was brought up.

He asked me eagerly, "Can you drink alcohol?"

"No." I answered, simply.

"Even on rare occasions? Say, a holiday or a celebration? Perhaps a little sip?" He pursued.

"No, not a sip, not ever. Alcohol is forbidden in Islam. Some crudely call it the devil's urine." I explained. "Why do you drink alcohol? Why do you need to drink it, to celebrate an occasion? It's not a necessity, I'm sure you can live without it." I inquired.

He looked at me with an astounded look of disbelief. "How could this person say such a thing, did he not know about the beauty of alcohol?" he thought.

"It's nice. At times you get high, and you feel happier than you are. It brings a sense of joy and ecstasy to the drinker. I'm sure you'd like to experience that occasionally?"

"No. There are other ways to feel enlightened and at peace. Peace is part of Islam. Alcohol brings many more harms too. Alcohol can cause intoxication, it destroys your liver, it causes people to do many stupid things. Like drunk driving." I rebutted, slightly annoyed that he wouldn't understand. Simplicio looked exasperated, as if to mock my ignorance.

"Look, you wouldn't know anything about alcohol. It's delicious, and it's a good thing to have it." he said, in desperation and scoffed at my lack of intelligence, as if he knew what was better. He walked away, shaking his head, with the aura of higher intellect, thinking he has lost a person from his cause.

We all know, who truly lost who. :)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------