Even though that was acknowledged, it was “the wise and moral” choice to abstain.
Much variation within a narrow subject matter. I regularly have to remind myself that the teachings of some churches aim to override or obscure the teachings of Christ.
Some things are just ethnic traditions that aren't part of the underlying religion, but don't directly conflict with it and have become ethnically tied together. There's nothing wrong with that, so long as you know which is which.
WASPs often prohibited alcohol because they associated it with the Irish and Italian Catholic working class (this Prohibition was eventually overturned). Sort of the way penalties for crack are much harsher than with cocaine because black people smoked crack and white people snorted cocaine.
