www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Smoking

Why is smoking not only tolorated but almost encouraged in some parishes? Smoking kills more than 1000 daily, and that is just those who personally smoke. That number nearly tripples if you include those who get those terrible illnesses because of second hand smoke. Smoking is almost as bad a problem as abortion and nothing is even said about it...Why?

I'm having a problem due to others in my parish smoking. Easiest way to befriend the priest is to give him a cigerette. I feel like an outcast because I won't tolorate cigarette smoke.

PLEASE DO NOT SMOKE!

THE ASHES FALLING ON THE FLOOR COULD BE YOUR OWN!

Incognitus

Glory be to Jesus Christ!

I don't like smoking either, but I don't think that it is comparable to abortion.

--Mark Therrien

I watched as my father died from lung cancer. It wasn't pretty. I think a priest who smokes sets a bad example for the young people.

4000 die daily in the USA from abortion. 1000 smokers and ex-smokers die daily from cigerettes. The death toll tripples if you include all those who die from being exposed to 2nd hand smoke. So you have 4000 deaths from abortion and 3000 daily deaths from cigerettes.
There are people with connections getting rich form smokers dropping dead, so they lead blind and indifferent people into tolorating it. Abortions are not mass produced by a connected individual and the issue gets a political party elected, so they allow churches to oppose abortion.

I have to disagree with you on this. If you are looking at death rates, ultimately everyone who lives shall die. The distinguishing issue in death is not numbers but cause.

Dying from a drug addiction (smoking) is bad and perhaps negligence or even suicide. Dying from someone else's drug addiction (second hand smoke) is bad and perhaps negligence or negligent homicide or even manslaughter.

(And, either death might also be chosen. It is hard to believe, but some people choose to smoke or choose to stay around those who smoke. Others, of course, have no choice.)

But, deliberately killing someone else is murder. Murder is in a totally different league than other causes of death because it is killing, that is unlawful and immoral, that is freely chosen, and that is done with malice and after conscious deliberation.

And, deliberately killing a baby --as in abortion-- is murder and it is unspeakably worse; it is an abomination.

-John

And what of suicide? If the smoker knows that smoking causes cancer, and chooses to smoke, is that a greater sin than smoking in one who is unaware of the dangers of smoking? (OK, hard to find someone like that in this day and age, but for argument's sake assume it).

Both make a mockery of the idea of the body as the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

However, I am going to agree with John. Neither is MURDER.

Gaudior, who cannot abide smoking

The cigerette makers have known for years that they were selling poison. They have killed more than in Nazi Germany since 1965.
Drugging someone is sorcery as defined in Rev 21:8. It is also murder if it results in deaths.
It shouldn't be tolorated on church property at the very least. It isn't tolorated on my property and the inner city neighborhood I live in has made major improvements in the 2 years I lived here. Spiritually I don't tolorate smoking and/or drugs near my property either. If someone were to try to build an abortion clinic near me it would fail and everything would go wrong.

But I will concede that abortion is even worse.

Let's kick t he habit and start using Holy Smoke.
Ya know there are those in the Church that even want to ban incense. Imagine!
Stephanos I
by the grace of God a non smoker who loves incense.

I believe in holy smoke but cigs are unholy smoke. I use incense. Addiction smoke is a major no no.
I have a cure for addictions, but nobody will listen to me. Those who do say "oh only numbers, it could never work". Meanwhile I drive out addictions everywhere I go.

I thought about this for a couple of days while this topic drifted to the bottom of the page.

While abortion is a more seroius problem in western society than smoking, it is a more serious problem in the church. How many priests would knowingly give sacrements to an abortion doctor? My guess is none. How many priests smoke? My guess is about 5 percent.
Smoking is to drug and alcohol addiction as contraception is to abortion. Each abortion takes at least 50 years off of someone's life. Smoking takes about 10 years off of smoker's life and a few years of the lives of those exposed to 2nd hand smoke.
I know that there are other problems in the church, but addiction is my focus. I have a cure for addiction. I drive out addiction out whereever I happen to be...unless I allow myself to be exposed to unholy cigerette smoke.

Do you mean they actually smoke in the church building? Like the basement? I can remember when I was younger, people smoked EVERYWHERE.
The local Denny's restaurant still is like this, and it is horrible. Not to mention cigarettes cost over 4 dollars a pack in PA, 3 something in maryland, and ny, it varies.
If you have to smoke, do it outside.

Thank God for one thing in California. Virtually a no smoking zone.
Stephanos I

There are ash trays at every door. Yes they smoke outside. I sometimes have to pass smoke comming and going. They also smoke in the parrish hall.

OK.. I'll bite.

How do you drive out addition everywhere you go?

-ray