The Kṛṣṇa and Allāh Are Budweiser’s Enemy
An Autobiographical Essay in Comparative Moral Philosophy
Keywords:
Alcohol prohibition, moral philosophy, Islam, Caitanya Vaiṣṇavism, ISKCON, Straight Edge, A. C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda, Ayatollah Khomeini, comparative religion, autobiography, delayed gratification, secularism, Islamic law, Bhakti movementAbstract
This autobiographical essay explores the moral and philosophical dimensions of alcohol prohibition across three distinct traditions—Straight Edge punk culture, Caitanya Vaiṣṇavism (ISKCON), and Islam—through the lens of personal experience. The author traces his journey from early teenage drinking to encounters with Straight Edge ethics, Hindu devotionalism, and Islamic law, ultimately examining how each tradition constructs moral boundaries around alcohol consumption. The essay contrasts the theological and social frameworks of prohibition in ISKCON (rooted in vaidhī bhakti and the transcendence of material desires) and Islam (which permits paradisal wine while banning earthly intoxication), alongside the secular moralism of Straight Edge. It argues that these prohibitions reflect deeper existential choices about human purpose, delayed gratification, and communal identity in a pluralistic society. By weaving memoir with analysis of figures like A. C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda and Ayatollah Khomeini, the essay highlights how lived adherence to prohibitions shapes individual and collective moral landscapes, challenging liberal secular assumptions about autonomy and "first principles."
