Some people deal with things by blaming it on 'the thing' and not taking responsibility.
I don't think you ought to call something most people hate and wish they could quit doing to be idolatry.
There's not a lot of mercy in your post.
I guess a church could make the rule that there be no smoking in the parking lot...the whole world has done it so why not the church? In fact, I guess an argument could be made that the church should have been the one to lead the charge to take away permissible places to smoke instead of just following the world on it.
I don't know. I just know I have compassion on people with addictions because they are in misery most of the time. I wish I could help them in some way when I see them. I've met some of them who their eyes light up when you talk about Jesus. They seem more receptive to Him than a lot of people without addictions I've spoken with. And it's painful to watch them struggle and then fall back down and then you have no answer for why God hasn't taken it from them when they put their request before Him.
There's not a lot of mercy in your post.
I guess a church could make the rule that there be no smoking in the parking lot...the whole world has done it so why not the church? In fact, I guess an argument could be made that the church should have been the one to lead the charge to take away permissible places to smoke instead of just following the world on it.
I don't know. I just know I have compassion on people with addictions because they are in misery most of the time. I wish I could help them in some way when I see them. I've met some of them who their eyes light up when you talk about Jesus. They seem more receptive to Him than a lot of people without addictions I've spoken with. And it's painful to watch them struggle and then fall back down and then you have no answer for why God hasn't taken it from them when they put their request before Him.