Cigarette Smoking?

[SantoSubito]

I'm curious to see what the general opinion on smoking is here. By opinion I mean a spiritual opinion, and not a health opinion. Personally I don't see it as sin as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says this about it.

2290 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others' safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.

Basically it's in the same category as alcohol and food. Something to be enjoyed, but not abused and over indulged in. I don't expect to get a lot of answers since most of the people in this forum cannot legally smoke. Also please state if you are a smoker or non smoker so i can get a sense of where you're coming from. For honesty's sake I will abide by my own rules, I am a smoker.

 

[Akner39]

I would see it as a sin. Your body isn't your own but Gods. So therefor your ruining something he created and pourposely hurting yourself. has my opionion. Everyones is different :] But I hope I helped you a litle bit? :] Take care of your body! Your basically rubing the paint off of a painting by Picaso! Stop it! :]

 

[Pinemeadowsgeorge]

Smoking is damaging because it becomes an addiction.. the quote mentioned moderation... it is hard to moderate an addictive substance no matter what it is... TV... Sleeping late... Poisonous ideas about killing beamed into our heads on the air ways.. pridefullness... these are all SYMPTOMS of a greater sickness, a malady of the heart
.. Smoking is a scourage.. but it isnt the only thing thats like it, and smoking is not the cause of evil... the only reason anybody smokes is that they are looking for an outlet for relief from their lives..

 

[Timofree]

Waste of money and life, can't see how anyone could condone it as a wise thing to smoke. The only reason I would of ever considered smoking would of been to look 'cool', and that's not a great reason for a Christian to do something.........However I feel sorry for people trapped in the habit, I don't imagine it's easy to break. Thank God though, in an instant an addiction can disappear

 

[SantoSubito]

Smoking is damaging because it becomes an addiction.. the quote mentioned moderation... it is hard to moderate an addictive substance no matter what it is... TV... Sleeping late... Poisonous ideas about killing beamed into our heads on the air ways.. pridefullness... these are all SYMPTOMS of a greater sickness, a malady of the heart
.. Smoking is a scourage.. but it isnt the only thing thats like it, and smoking is not the cause of evil... the only reason anybody smokes is that they are looking for an outlet for relief from their lives..

The Bold-faced portion is more my thoughts around it. If you can do it in moderation fine, but if you can't don't. I can regulate my smoking fairly well sometimes I'll have 5 a day other times I won't have any, and sometimes I can go for days without wanting a cigarette. Basically I guess it just all boils down to the person.

As for the only reason being an outlet for relief, I would have to contest that. Lot's of people myself included just like the taste and smoke for no other reason than that.

 

[Pinemeadowsgeorge]

I see what you mean... its very easy to make generaliztions about something which ive had personal expirence...
i really need the Lords help with judgement... Pray for me and forgive me...

 

[STRUGGLING]

Well I do know in the culture from which tobacco comes or it a part of daily life other places its a "food" I know any false teaching to condemn a true believer by the Apostate church will even still be what is eaten or drank and they are exposed knowing the true source ,culture,nature of tobacco I Know NOT to be distracted form thet gospel as spoken through Paul that food and the stomach will both perish but Faith in the One Who bore the cross for us and love and that faith ,love and life are etrnal

 

[TheTruthWillSetYouFree]

The Bold-faced portion is more my thoughts around it. If you can do it in moderation fine, but if you can't don't. I can regulate my smoking fairly well sometimes I'll have 5 a day other times I won't have any, and sometimes I can go for days without wanting a cigarette. Basically I guess it just all boils down to the person.

"sometimes I can go for days without wanting a cigarette". I have chosen to illustrate this, for two reasons:

1) It shows that although you are under the illusion of self control, you end up falling back to your addiction after a few days. Why? Because you are addicted. You tell yourself you're not addicted, and that you can choose to smoke whenever you want. But do you really? Then test yourself; try going without smoking for two weeks. If you never have the urge to smoke throughout that whole period of two weeks, then you were never addicted.

2) It shows that you have not mastered your body, and you do not have complete self control. If you were truly a master of your flesh, then you would not need to feed your body's addiction. As it is, you are submitting to the flesh every time you smoke. Smoking isn't sinful, but submitting to the cravings of your flesh is.

I am a non-smoker, currently helping a smoker fight through his addiction.

Here are some Bible verses on self control:

1 Peter 1:13:
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

2 Peter 1:6-8:

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:20

you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.


Master your flesh!

 

[SantoSubito]

Don't worry about it. I will admit that the main reason the majority of people smoke is stress relief, at least among cigarette smokers.

As for the person above me. I have actually gone multiple weeks without a cigarette before In all honesty it's not that hard to do. Did I have cravings at some points, yes, but as far as my mood and demeanor being adversely affected that I have never experienced. Some people have addictive personalities and some don't

 

[TheTruthWillSetYouFree]

Don't worry about it. I will admit that the main reason the majority of people smoke is stress relief, at least among cigarette smokers.

As for the person above me. I have actually gone multiple weeks without a cigarette before In all honesty it's not that hard to do. Did I have cravings at some points, yes, but as far as my mood and demeanor being adversely affected that I have never experienced. Some people have addictive personalities and some don't

You're a lucky one! I know for a fact that I have an addictive personality. Well, if you have no problem not smoking, may I ask why you do it? I can see no obvious reason for wanting to smoke. If you have complete self control over smoking, there is absolutely nothing wrong, aside from desecrating the temple which rightfully belongs to God. Why do something unhealthy? Why?

 

[SantoSubito]

You're a lucky one! I know for a fact that I have an addictive personality. Well, if you have no problem not smoking, may I ask why you do it? I can see no obvious reason for wanting to smoke. If you have complete self control over smoking, there is absolutely nothing wrong, aside from desecrating the temple which rightfully belongs to God. Why do something unhealthy? Why?

Neither I or the Church see it as desecrating the temple of God, so I'll leave that comment aside. To put it simply I like the taste of the tobacco, there are as many different flavors and tastes of tobacco as there are food. And there is nothing quite as nice as settling in for the night with a nice cigarette for some Bible reading before bed.

Oh and may I ask how it is going with helping that person you mentioned quit smoking? I can tell you how my mom quit, but you may not approve of the method since it still involves smoking while you are trying to quite, at least for a time that is.

 

[TheTruthWillSetYouFree]

I view smoking as a way to escape smoking as investing; giving a little money away to save a lot.

So go ahead; what did your mom do to escape smoking?

 

[SantoSubito]

I view smoking as a way to escape smoking as investing; giving a little money away to save a lot.

So go ahead; what did your mom do to escape smoking?

Well basically since nicotine patches and gum don't deliver nicotine very well she didn't go that route. Instead she set down a strict limit of how many cigarettes she can have per day (5 in her case) and switched to lights since they have about 30% less nicotine than normal cigarettes. Then after about two weeks when her body had adjusted to lower nicotine levels she switched to ultra lights which have about 70% less nicotine than normal cigarettes while still only smoking 5 a day.

After about two weeks of that she just slowly scaled down the amount of cigarettes she would allow herself per day and after a couple of weeks of being at one a day she just cut out the cigarettes all together, and since she was already used to low nicotine levels she really didn't have any cravings.

 

[TheTruthWillSetYouFree]

Interesting. I'll let him aware of this gradual process. I still think smoking is unhealthy and pointless, but a long as you have complete self control (and only you know and God know if you do), then the rest is really your choice.

 

[Peter321]

I Think it's okay aslong as you're not addicted to it, But as cigarette's contain addictive stuff, you should be very carefull with it.
I personally think it's a waste of money, your body suffers from it and i don't like how it smells.

 

[SantoSubito]

Interesting. I'll let him aware of this gradual process.

Yeah the process will only really work if you can actually force yourself to only have 5 a day. It relies a little bit more on self control than other methods since you have to regulate your smoking while still having the cigarettes around to tempt you to smoke more.

I still think smoking is unhealthy and pointless, but a long as you have complete self control (and only you know and God know if you do), then the rest is really your choice.

Yeah my mom says I take after my great grandfather in that respect. He could smoke a pack a day for weeks and then not touch a cigarette for months if he wanted to with no adverse affects. He's probably up in Heaven enjoying his pipe and talking in that thick German accent right now.

 

[livingbygrace]

OK Firstly I am not trying to promote or excuse smoking. It is a waste of money and harmful to ones health. But how does God view it compared to other imperfect thingsa we do.

In my youth I went to a church. After the service I as a teenager stood outside and often smoked a cigarette. I was legally old enoughj to smoke. I remember well certain members of the church frowning on me smoking and some would come and shake their heads and gravely tell me that smoking was wrong and Christians should not partake of such a habit. I was quoted

Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
I grew up thinking anyone who smoked would surely go to hell. It had to be one of the worst sins imaginable.

But then most of the core members of that church only spoke to people on their own social level, apart from a cursory handshake after the service, and only invited such likeminded people into their homes. I wonder whose wrongdoing God was more displeased by, theirs or mine?

The church believed in the Baptism of the Holy Spiorit and obviously speaking in tongues. As a young teneager I had been prayed with to receive this gift, but never did. I believed it was because I was not good enough to receive it. Some in the church would say 'you are not ready to receive it.' I certainly dson't think they believed you cou;ld smoke and be baptised ion the spirit

A few years later I learnt of the grace of the Bible and was saved, and I spoke/prayed in tongues, and I still smoked. I learnt that day that God does not put the demands on people that man often does, and he looks at the heart. I went to a meeting. A minister I had never met prayed with me and told me much about my life and confirmed I could speak/pray in tongues so I know it had to be genuine.

So those people at that church of my youth gave me the wrong impression. I believe there are things that are far more displeasing to God than smoking, but smoking is a fault/frailty/weakness that can easily be seen. And don't we just love to look at people and cast stones or find fault.
If you can be baptised in the spirit and smoke, God cannot consider it to be such a terrible sin, but in saying that with his help it is best to stop

 

[SantoSubito]

Living, it sounds like you went to a church that is part of the holiness movement which strongly condemns the use of tobacco and alcohol. Regardless, I don't think condemning people for smoking is right, and I even had this opinion before I was a smoker. Tobacco, like everything else in life, is to be enjoyed in the proper context with moderation.

 

[VegHead]

Smoking is just gross. There's no point to it at all. Simple as that. You don't even get a high off it, so why even bother?

 

[Pinemeadowsgeorge]

thats not true. there is a chemical alteration associated with nicatine. the problem is that getting high is the same as slow death...!!