Is it really that bad to drink alcohol? how does alcohol affect the digestive system?

Yes: Alcohol affects liver , stomach and pancreas apart from other organs.

Depends: The question is how much alcohol? Low doses of alcohol (1 standard drink/day in women and elderly, 2 per day in men) causes little or no problems in most people, and may actually increase the good cholesterol (hdl). Larger doses cause many problems, mostly to our ability to live with others successfully and navigate life's pathways, but also to the heart, liver, GI tract and every other organ.