Is smoking acceptable for Christians?

[syo]

I don't know about christians. I think for them is a sin. I have no idea.

 

[stvdv]

I wish I could. My dream is to ban bad food.

I believe that is most important

Once I met a "food Master". He ate only once a day, mainly fruits and 9 nuts and sprouts at 14:00 (before and after just water)

His advice was to avoid unhealthy food

BUT he told me

IF you can't resist french fries
THEN at least eat it without feeling guilty
Better enjoy it (that was a good but very tough lesson for me)

Above all
Offer the unhealthy foods to God
(Offer healthy meal to God is easier for me than offering unhealthy meals)

Note: I found it amazing that he did not become dogmatic to others. I never forget meeting him. He gave me very good pointers

 

[1213]

The Bible doesn't specifically mention smoking but its principles make me believe that smoking is an unhealthy and unclean habit and therefore, inappropriate.

Here's two of those principles:
Acts 17: 24, 25 "The God who made the world and all the things in it does not dwell in handmade temples, nor is he served by human hand because he himself gives to all people life and breath and all things". Life is a gift and we shouldn't deliberately do things that shorten our lives. Smoking is one of the leading causes of premature death in the world.
Matt. 22:39 "You must love your neighbor as yourself". People who are exposed to second hand smoke have a very high risk of developing the same illness as smokers, sometimes even higher. When we love others we don't expose them to something harmful, like smoking.

Since smoking is this toxic, damaging to the body, filthy habit, I believe Christians who want to live according to bible principles shouldn't smoke.

I agree with that. I don't think it is directly forbidden, but if we are the temple of God, it would be good to keep it clean.

...For you are a temple of the living God...
2 Cor. 6:16

Also, these are good when deciding is something ok

”All things are lawful for me," but not all things are expedient. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be brought under the power of anything.
1 Corinthians 6:12

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are profitable. "All things are lawful for me," but not all things build up."
1 Corinthians 10:23

Smoking is not necessary nor good, therefore it would be good not to smoke.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I think we ought not be too hard on ourselves. Which means we probably shouldn’t smoke, but if we do and we can’t stop easily, we ought not to beat ourselves up about it.

 

[Jedster]

I think we ought not be too hard on ourselves. Which means we probably shouldn’t smoke, but if we do and we can’t stop easily, we ought not to beat ourselves up about it.

I met a very religious person who smoked. He justified his smoking by saying that the tobacco releases divine sparks into the world.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I met a very religious person who smoked. He justified his smoking by saying that the tobacco releases divine sparks into the world.

What was he smoking?

 

[Jedster]

What was he smoking?

Cigarettes

 

[wellwisher]

The Bible doesn't specifically mention smoking but its principles make me believe that smoking is an unhealthy and unclean habit and therefore, inappropriate.

Here's two of those principles:
Acts 17: 24, 25 "The God who made the world and all the things in it does not dwell in handmade temples, nor is he served by human hand because he himself gives to all people life and breath and all things". Life is a gift and we shouldn't deliberately do things that shorten our lives. Smoking is one of the leading causes of premature death in the world.
Matt. 22:39 "You must love your neighbor as yourself". People who are exposed to second hand smoke have a very high risk of developing the same illness as smokers, sometimes even higher. When we love others we don't expose them to something harmful, like smoking.

Since smoking is this toxic, damaging to the body, filthy habit, I believe Christians who want to live according to bible principles shouldn't smoke.

First of all, smoking one time will not hurt you. It takes decades before the body can no longer process the smoke. The all or not message is based on propaganda, not real science. Smoking does hurt many people but not all people. That is the truth, but science is not advanced enough to tell the difference.

If you look at the data not everyone who ever smoked is doomed. One needs to know their body and look for signs when dealing with behavior that is not considered healthy. I know an elderly woman, widowed, lives alone, in her mid 80's, who maintains her property, who has smoked 60 years and and still smokes but has no health problems. The one size fits all approach, that the propaganda teaches is more evil to her than she is to herself. Back in the day, she could be burned as a witch, since she defied the common wisdom.

I starting smoking late; middle twenties. Smoking did not impact my growing teen body. I stopped in my 40's when I felt a chest pain. My body was telling me it was time to change my behavior. I quit cold turkey and took up hiking in the mountains to clear my lungs and build them back up. It was time to quit and it was easy. Now I have no health issues. The bogeyman passed me over.

I do not have a lot of trust in casino math science; since it tries to lump everyone with averaging odds and ignores individuals, as the unique people that they are. Science needs to evolve beyond casino math to be able to target, just the vulnerable, and not just lump everyone in ways that are not appropriate to them. This is not acceptable to God; man made tree of knowledge of good and evil.

 

[Mock Turtle]

First of all, smoking one time will not hurt you. It takes decades before the body can no longer process the smoke. The all or not message is based on propaganda, not real science. Smoking does hurt many people but not all people. That is the truth, but science is not advanced enough to tell the difference.

If you look at the data not everyone who ever smoked is doomed. One needs to know their body and look for signs when dealing with behavior that is not considered healthy. I know an elderly woman, widowed, lives alone, in her mid 80's, who maintains her property, who has smoked 60 years and and still smokes but has no health problems. The one size fits all approach, that the propaganda teaches is more evil to her than she is to herself. Back in the day, she could be burned as a witch, since she defied the common wisdom.

I starting smoking late; middle twenties. Smoking did not impact my growing teen body. I stopped in my 40's when I felt a chest pain. My body was telling me it was time to change my behavior. I quit cold turkey and took up hiking in the mountains to clear my lungs and build them back up. It was time to quit and it was easy. Now I have no health issues. The bogeyman passed me over.

I do not have a lot of trust in casino math science; since it tries to lump everyone with averaging odds and ignores individuals, as the unique people that they are. Science needs to evolve beyond casino math to be able to target, just the vulnerable, and not just lump everyone in ways that are not appropriate to them. This is not acceptable to God; man made tree of knowledge of good and evil.

How lovely. It almost gives me the impulse to start smoking - apart from my still functioning brain that tells me it is a purely tedious and habit-forming behaviour, and costly, and where whatever it apparently achieves can be done far more cheaply and without the associated health risks.

 

[AdamjEdgar]

Well, Christians probably shouldn't get drunk and get tattoos, but they still do. I'd say many smoke but they definitely shouldn't, especially since it's a definite health hazard.

I am an SDA, our church definately is against drinking alcohol and smoking.
We use the principle that our bodies are the temple of the holy spirit...how can one honestly believe that the Holy Spirit can be working through us when we are affected by alcohol, or injecting toxic substances into our lungs?
We also believe that good health and vegetarian diet and general healthy eating and living are important religious habits. These were the main ideas pushed by Ellen White...she was not a crazy women as many other denominations claim, she just wanted to further the importance of health and education and religion. These things allow us to have clearer minds that can be more in harmony with God. The irony was, due to a childhood injury from a rock thrown at her face, she suffered terribly from health problems most of her life. We tend to believe her decision to be more healthy and promote good lifestyle were of great benefit to her personally despite her affliction.

 

[Kenny]

The Bible doesn't specifically mention smoking but its principles make me believe that smoking is an unhealthy and unclean habit and therefore, inappropriate.

Here's two of those principles:
Acts 17: 24, 25 "The God who made the world and all the things in it does not dwell in handmade temples, nor is he served by human hand because he himself gives to all people life and breath and all things". Life is a gift and we shouldn't deliberately do things that shorten our lives. Smoking is one of the leading causes of premature death in the world.
Matt. 22:39 "You must love your neighbor as yourself". People who are exposed to second hand smoke have a very high risk of developing the same illness as smokers, sometimes even higher. When we love others we don't expose them to something harmful, like smoking.

Since smoking is this toxic, damaging to the body, filthy habit, I believe Christians who want to live according to bible principles shouldn't smoke.

It isn't a determinant for God's love... but as He has made us a Temple of His Holy Spirit, not smoking is preferable and a worthy goal born out of love.