Cigarette Smoking Christians

[GracenMercy]

I wanna just say to EVERYONE who has shared their hearts on this thread. I feel so blessed to be able to witness the coming together of Christians who aren't afraid to be "real". Thank you for the passion all of you have expressed...no matter what side of the debate you're on.

It's so cool. People are talking about a very divisive topic. You're talking to each other! It's a beautiful thing!!

 

[Drew]

People are free to believe what they wish. You can't change that. Why come here and call people liars?

I call people liars when it is clear that they knowingly misrepresent the truth. Lying is rampant in this forum. There is a poster who argues with me about the topic of predestination (a theology issue, in case you were unaware). He is a smart guy. But he lies - representing me as believing certain things when he most certainly knows otherwise. I am not sure why he thinks that's ok.

If you believe smoking is a sin, I accept that BUT I believe that judging people is a sin. You are judging people here and what they choose to believe and calling them liars.

Whoa, just a minute. It wasn't me who called posters "Pharisees", knowing that there was no evidence to support such a claim. When you say something is true, and know that you cannot support that claim you are, in my books anyway, lying. And there has been more than a little of that in this thread. If you actually read the thread, you will discover that my playing the "liar" and "troll" card were in response to some very uncharitable behaviour on the part of other posters.

People believe differently, there is really no reason to argue who is right or wrong..

But there is a reason to decide who is right and who is wrong - getting at the truth is always importatnt.

 

[Sparkey]

I wanna just say to EVERYONE who has shared their hearts on this thread. I feel so blessed to be able to witness the coming together of Christians who aren't afraid to be "real". Thank you for the passion all of you have expressed...no matter what side of the debate you're on.

It's so cool. People are talking about a very divisive topic. You're talking to each other! It's a beautiful thing!!

i noticed this is your third post on the forum when I read it - and wanted to welcome you, Grace-N-Mercy. Nice name, hope to see more of you.

In another thread I just posted that although I have strong feelings about protecting children, BUT that doesn't mean kids should be protected from seeing signs of affection and how people can fight in healthy ways. Mom's and dad's should let their kids see their moring kisses and dads should not care if his kids see his eyes light up when he beholds the love of his life.

We are the beloved. We Christians are His beloved. It's not okay in today's society (because society is sick) to actually greet each other with an holy kiss but that is something that I for one would love to see rectified. No clue how it might be done. Welcome again,

I've often pondered, would I rather have a kiss from my enemy or a slap from my friend. IN that light, it's okay for somebody to point out the obvious, I am sinning when I smoke. My flesh gets in the way of the message when even the smell of the leaven of the Pharisee's is in the air. At the time of the first passover the Israelites didn't even have time to bring leaven with them so there is a supernatural remedy for that. Drew is working on sounding more emphathetic and eventually I may even consider the subject discussed here sufficiently to think about quiting cigarettes (some day, again) --did that sound wishy-washy enough? Yeah, maybe it did.

(*smile*)

~Sparrow

 

[Classik]

A very old thread I'd love to add.
Good is not always good; bad is not always bad.
--

Exodus 20:6
You SHALL not murder
**
Smoking weakens your body. That weakening your body is a process of murder.

---
Can Smoking make you high? Can cocaine do the same? Indian hemp? Cannabis? Marijuana? Other strong leaves?
--
If you don't condemn tobacco do not condemn these other ones :D

 

[Pebbles]

intrestingly diverse opinions here I personally would like to question do you feel the same way about smoking substances other than tobbaco? is smoking weed for instance somehow more sinful?

I myself am strongly opposed to smoking but it's impossible for me to kick up too much of a fuss... I was brought up in an enviroment saturated with cigarette smoking both my mum and dad were heavy smokers and with one exception (Maternal grandmother) everyone in my whole extended family are also smokers. Even now pretty much everyone of my friends smoke aswell.

My family must have a high resistance to cancer because none of them have ever died from cancer, however the older ones do all suffer from other smoking related diseases to whitch my family line is not resistent. Emphysema, Heart disease, High blood pressure, Strokes, Dementia

when your exposed to such a heavily dosed enviroment you either accept it like most do or for some reason you flip against the norm and become massively polarized against it. At university I knew a girl who had the same experience with alcohol she wouldn't touch it, and had never drunk a drop in her life... didn't save anyone else from that enviroment tho as Tragically by graduation her dad had actually died of liver cirrhosis.

I do somtimes nag my friends about their smoking never enough to actually cause an arguement but they know my position on it somtimes when they do attempt to quit I give them all the support and am slightly dissapointed when they always inevitably fail.

If I had the power I would require that tobbaco companies gradually lower their nicotine dose over several years as it's no suprise that once it was identified as the addictive agent they've been gradually increasing the dose through selective breeding... Lowering the dose would make it easier for those who want to escape to actually do so. Because I belive entrapment strips pepole of their choice.

 

[HisSheep]

Tobacco was a really serious sin issue with me, so I’d like to add my . There are plenty of things that are flat out sins no matter who you are. (stealing, for example.) But other things are sometimes left up to God and the saint in question. Even going to the movies could be sinful, if it comes between God and the believer.

I think God will cleanse His children of sin, and will purify them for Himself. He will work on their hearts and expose the sin for what it is. I believe that He brings about conviction, confession, and repentance in those whom He is making holy.

For decades, I smoked imported Dutch tobacco, which I would hand-roll in gumless Italian papers. I also smoked pipes of which I had quite a collection, and would only smoke the BEST aged, flake pipe tobaccos that money could buy. I had quite a cigar collection too… I LOVED my tobacco!

I know a lot of people who have had challenges in their lives that they felt that God helped them to overcome, and I don’t doubt them one bit. But my experience with tobacco was special for me, because I have NEVER wanted to quit. Not even once. It was clear to me that God wanted me to quit. He worked mightily in me to compel me to quit.

Tobacco was an idol for me. Thus, it was sin. God personally made this very clear to me. He cleansed me of it, and further proved Himself to me through His having done so. It’s been over a year, now. My friends are amazed, and so am I.

In prayer, I have literally begged the Lord to let me keep some element of tobacco in my life, but the answer has always been, “NO!†He pointed me to 1 Samuel 15 in which Saul is told to completely destroy Amelek, but stops short of killing the best of the sheep and oxen.

Amelek describes the initial sins of a person after deliverance from their bondage. We are to spare none of it.

Because I have had Him work in my life like this, I know He must do this to others as well.

My conclusion; God makes it plain to His children what is sinful for them, and He compels them to get rid of it. He will chasten His children until the sin is GONE.

I fully believe God would have brought lung cancer upon me if necessary to cleanse me, if I had exercised my will against His…

-HisSheep

 

[Drew]

Smoking weakens your body. That weakening your body is a process of murder.

I might not use these words, but I agree with what I infer you are doing. You are going beyond the notion that, when it comes to prescriptions related to moral behaviour, the Bible is simply a "list of do's and don'ts".

You are, I believe, applying a Biblical principle - that God does not want people to destroy human life - and reasoning, quite correctly, that the specific acitivity of smoking violates this principle since it most definitely contributes to the destruction of human life.

 

[Drew]

If I had the power I would require that tobbaco companies gradually lower their nicotine dose over several years as it's no suprise that once it was identified as the addictive agent they've been gradually increasing the dose through selective breeding... Lowering the dose would make it easier for those who want to escape to actually do so. Because I belive entrapment strips pepole of their choice.

Exactly. This particular issue shows that, despite the appeal to "my freedom to do what I want" or concerns about a nanny state, the government has an appropriate role in protecting addicted people from those who, if unconstrained by law, will most certainly continue to prey on the addicted, gently guiding them into the night in the name of making money.

 

[Classik]

I fully believe God would have brought lung cancer upon me if necessary to cleanse me, if I had exercised my will against His…

Brilliant!
There are cases when God uses such a measure to change His stubborn child. He still does it.

 

[Bonairos]

My conclusion; God makes it plain to His children what is sinful for them, and He compels them to get rid of it. He will chasten His children until the sin is GONE.

Not only is it a relationship, but a personal one at that! To God (alone) be the glory.


Be blessed, Stay blessed, and be Bold!

 

[Classik]

Formerly it was, 'The federal ministry of health warns that tobacco smoking is dangerous to health.'


Now it is, 'The federal ministry of health warns that smokers are liable to die young.'


Tomorrow Could be, 'The federal ministry of health warns that if you are caught smoking you would be jailed.'

 

[leftyatbest]

24 PAGES ABOUT CIGARETTES!!! wow.

 

[Mike]

24 PAGES ABOUT CIGARETTES!!! wow.

It shouldn't really come as such a surprise. Anyone who lives in America knows what a divisive issue this has become over the past decades. I've never smoked, but I feel for people who are vilified like smokers are. Independent restaurant/bar owners can't choose to allow smoking in their own businesses in Michigan. Chicago is completely smoke free, even on the streets. In time, your own living room will be off limits.

 

[stovebolts]

Tobacco was a really serious sin issue with me, so I’d like to add my . There are plenty of things that are flat out sins no matter who you are. (stealing, for example.) But other things are sometimes left up to God and the saint in question. Even going to the movies could be sinful, if it comes between God and the believer.

I think God will cleanse His children of sin, and will purify them for Himself. He will work on their hearts and expose the sin for what it is. I believe that He brings about conviction, confession, and repentance in those whom He is making holy.

For decades, I smoked imported Dutch tobacco, which I would hand-roll in gumless Italian papers. I also smoked pipes of which I had quite a collection, and would only smoke the BEST aged, flake pipe tobaccos that money could buy. I had quite a cigar collection too… I LOVED my tobacco!

I know a lot of people who have had challenges in their lives that they felt that God helped them to overcome, and I don’t doubt them one bit. But my experience with tobacco was special for me, because I have NEVER wanted to quit. Not even once. It was clear to me that God wanted me to quit. He worked mightily in me to compel me to quit.

Tobacco was an idol for me. Thus, it was sin. God personally made this very clear to me. He cleansed me of it, and further proved Himself to me through His having done so. It’s been over a year, now. My friends are amazed, and so am I.

In prayer, I have literally begged the Lord to let me keep some element of tobacco in my life, but the answer has always been, “NO!” He pointed me to 1 Samuel 15 in which Saul is told to completely destroy Amelek, but stops short of killing the best of the sheep and oxen.

Amelek describes the initial sins of a person after deliverance from their bondage. We are to spare none of it.

Because I have had Him work in my life like this, I know He must do this to others as well.

My conclusion; God makes it plain to His children what is sinful for them, and He compels them to get rid of it. He will chasten His children until the sin is GONE.

I fully believe God would have brought lung cancer upon me if necessary to cleanse me, if I had exercised my will against His…

-HisSheep

Great post, so much of it rings true in my own life. You see, I smoked almost 2 packs a day for almost 21 years. I didn't know where my children were, but I knew exactly how many cigarettes I had left in my pack at any given time. Honestly, and can I be honest? I put more time and energy with my cigarettes than I did with my family and my cigarettes always trumped the family. Even when my daughter would ask kindly when driving in the car, "Can you put that out, it stinks and hurts my throat." I'd say, "No, you're ok" and keep on a puffing.

If that's not an idol, I'm not sure what is...

I wasn't a smoker that hid his smoking habit either. Yup, I'd light up just after I got out side of the door after church. Which brings up a good question. Why do Christian smokers hide their cigarette smoking from other Christians, but would smoke openly in front of their non-christian friends. Hmmm, I wonder if their non christian friends knew they were Christians?

We used to go to Nashville ever Easter for a Christian get together and I remember seeing people I knew hiding outside smoking and I'd say, "I didn't know you smoked"

 

[WIP]

No doubt, they are bad for your health and a big waste of money, but if we're going to call it sin because it pollutes the body, why don't we throw in fast-food, donuts and potato chips?

I only have one question about this statement. People who eats fast food, donuts and potato chips do so because they are hungry, and it's cheap.
but people who smokes cigarettes, what is it for?

Cheap? I wouldn’t say that. On more than one occasion I have felt that stopping at a fast-food joint has cost my family more than it would have at a regular café or restaurant. I can guarantee beyond any doubt that it would be less costly and much healthier to buy groceries and prepare a meal at home than it would be to buy a fast-food meal. Fast-food is just a quick and easy way out and nothing more plus there’s a price paid that goes beyond the monetary.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
What about all the chemical pollutants we put into the air we breathe, water we drink, and food we eat? I believe that is every bit as damaging to each of us as cigarette smoke. The differences are that first these pollutants are out of sight and out of mind for the most part, second cigarette smoking adds to it, and third we think we “need†all these things. We justify these pollutants to ourselves so we can dismiss them as not being sinful while we judge smokers as committing sin by polluting their bodies. We are all polluting our bodies much more than we need to. But the smoker is a worse sinner and that makes what we do okay, right? It would appear we are as hypocritical as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes Jesus spoke to over 2,000 years ago. <O:p</O:p

 

[Classik]

Great post, so much of it rings true in my own life. You see, I smoked almost 2 packs a day for almost 21 years. I didn't know where my children were, but I knew exactly how many cigarettes I had left in my pack at any given time. Honestly, and can I be honest? I put more time and energy with my cigarettes than I did with my family and my cigarettes always trumped the family. Even when my daughter would ask kindly when driving in the car, "Can you put that out, it stinks and hurts my throat." I'd say, "No, you're ok" and keep on a puffing.

If that's not an idol, I'm not sure what is...

I wasn't a smoker that hid his smoking habit either. Yup, I'd light up just after I got out side of the door after church. Which brings up a good question. Why do Christian smokers hide their cigarette smoking from other Christians, but would smoke openly in front of their non-christian friends. Hmmm, I wonder if their non christian friends knew they were Christians?

We used to go to Nashville ever Easter for a Christian get together and I remember seeing people I knew hiding outside smoking and I'd say, "I didn't know you smoked"

Good observation

Some of us are against smoking, some are not. Many are uncertain about this issues.


I have this question: for those of us who believe smoking is ok why can't they smoke inside the church building or inside the church compound?

Why hiding the stuff:

 

[Adullam]

I smoked for 21 years.

I always knew how many cigarettes where left in my pack, and I was never without a pack, and I took my cigarettes everywhere I went, I even knew when I'd get to have my next cigarette.

I only wish I could have felt that deeply, or concerned for my wife, or my children. Had I spent a 10th of my energies that I dedicated to my cigarettes toward my family... well, you get the idea.

I finally quit shortly after the day that my daughter wanted to play catch football outside and I couldn't run 20 yards without being winded. After about 10 minutes, I just couldn't do it anymore and I saw the disappointment in my daughters face.

It was at this point that I saw just how selfish I was. Many times my daughter had told me not to smoke in the car, and that they stunk, but I insisted I was the adult and I could smoke in my car if I wanted to. Now, my selfishness took something else away from her, and it was our quality time together. It's not often a young teen wants to spend time with their step Dad.. Parents just aint cool at that age. Opportunity was there, and I blew it because my cigarettes were more important than being able to toss a football around for a half hour.

So I quit years ago and now she's getting all grown up, and we'll be running a 5 k together this summer.

An excellent treatise on the subject. Are we doing what is permissible or what is edifying?

 

[stovebolts]

Good observation

I have this question: for those of us who believe smoking is ok why can't they smoke inside the church building or inside the church compound?

When I was a wee lad, my momma used to take me to the grocery store to do her shopping. I always found it odd as she walked down the isles, or the meat counter with a cigarette in her mouth, dropping her ashes on the floor and when she was finished, she'd toss it down step on the butt like the rest that littered the floor.

Maybe people don't smoke in church for the same reason you can't smoke in a store anymore?

Naw... It's probably for the same reason Baptist can't have a beer :toofunny

 

[stovebolts]

An excellent treatise on the subject. Are we doing what is permissible or what is edifying?

I dunno, but life is a lot better for our whole family now that I quit :nod

Have you seen the price of a pack of cigarettes lately? :o

 

[reba]

Took this ol pentecostal gal years and years to grasp that a person can be a christian and smoke. I smoked for about 11 years quit in 1971. Smoking is not good for anyone and folks should not smoke. I do believe it is one of those things that God will convect if that christian need convecting.

We have heard folks say ya cant smoke in God house.... 'No ye not ye are the temple of the Holy Ghost'.....


Good for you Mr. Stovebolts