The reason that it is necessary to address this issue to a person's own spiritual father is that the sin, if it is a sin, is not in the physical act of smoking one cigarette, but in the choices and reasons and desires behind the smoking of that one cigarette.
This is what the spiritual father would need to address. For example, if the spiritual father was asked if it was a sin, he might say, 'Let's put aside the issue of the cigarette for a moment and consider, why did you think that you needed to have a cigarette on that occasion?'. If the spiritual child replied, 'Well everyone else was smoking and I wanted to fit in with what they were doing so that they wouldn't laugh at me', then that might require one type of medicine. If the spiritual child replied, 'Well I was bored and I started thinking that having a cigarette might give me something to do', then that might require a different type of medicine, and so on.
So it is not smoking a cigarette which is the issue at all, it is why a cigarette would be smoked. And more than that, it is the fact that the spiritual child raises this as an issue, which suggests that it has troubled the conscience.
There are not so many things which are black and white sins. Many depend on the person and their own spiritual condition and must be the subject of conversation with the spiritual father. These type of questions include:
Is it a sin to go to the cinema? Is it a sin to go to watch TV? Is it a sin to go drink any alcohol? Is it a sin to go to the off licence? Is it a sin to wear make-up?
etc etc.
We tend to have good discussions here trying to make them black and white issues. But many of these are issues for discussion with a spiritual father.
I left this post when it was at one page, and now we're talking about gay, sex and drugs.
Enough already.
Smoking is a sin. Its bad for you. Its addictive. Don't ruin your health.
If smoking is bad for you, then is it wrong to inhale incense that abouna does when using the incensor? If you smoke it and roll it up in a joint its a sin.
i have a few points: 1. smoking is not good for inflammatory bowel disease. sometime the disease worsens at the time a smoker stops smoking, but overall it is not beneficial. 2. i have smoked a few times in the past :o but it was me trying to fit in and i don't do it now (mainly coz it's really unhealthy). 3. cannabis makes most people who take it a bit paranoid and it definately affects your brain, it's really dangerous. 4. an off-licence is a shop (in uk) which is licenced to sell alcohol to be consumed at home 'off the premises'. it also sells other things (sweets etc) and usually tobacco, so it would not be a sin to go there but there is the danger of temptation. 5. it's been really interesting reading this, thanks everyone! :)
[quote author=mabsoota link=topic=9406.msg116827#msg116827 date=1279611034] i have a few points: 1. smoking is not good for inflammatory bowel disease. sometime the disease worsens at the time a smoker stops smoking, but overall it is not beneficial. 2. i have smoked a few times in the past :o but it was me trying to fit in and i don't do it now (mainly coz it's really unhealthy). 3. cannabis makes most people who take it a bit paranoid and it definately affects your brain, it's really dangerous. 4. an off-licence is a shop (in uk) which is licenced to sell alcohol to be consumed at home 'off the premises'. it also sells other things (sweets etc) and usually tobacco, so it would not be a sin to go there but there is the danger of temptation. 5. it's been really interesting reading this, thanks everyone! :)
1. UC- I agree that smoking shouldn't be considered a treatment for UC- especially when it is something you can just cut out! 2. Yeah- I think smoking, as many sins are, are a sign of a pressing sinful condition or weakness. In this case for you, like many smokers, being easily influenced by other people, to be esteemed by them, having a lack of control (smoking and alcohol, I suppose does not have a high rate of uptaking other substances of abuse, but I never heard anyone who had illicit drugs not having had or have an alcohol abuse or cigarette history.) 3. Exactly! How stupid are those celebrities that are trying to normalise it! But, you see all drugs have benefits and risks and side-effects; so clinically I reckon their may be an indication for it, but there is no defense as a recreational drug. 4. For those had a history, it would hey. 5. Yeah.
I guess I come from the view that there is nothing created that is essentially evil in itself, if used in a way pleasing to God. That is why I think drugs, including nicotine, cannabis (it has been used for weight loss and gain, refractory pain etc.) and other drugs etc. have their indications and should be very controlled to avoid misuse and abuse, and only produced if they have actual clinical need, that have no other equal or better alternatives. However, most drugs of abuse rarely are used clinically, and have better alternatives! Many people have realised, the indications for human usage of these drugs are far between! And to be used recreationally? I think obviously it is wrong.
cannabis is only useful in certain extreme medical conditions, eg. multiple sclerosis, and even here it's benefits have not been proven. most of the claims of the benefits of canabis have not been backed up by proper scientific trials.
Comments
This is what the spiritual father would need to address. For example, if the spiritual father was asked if it was a sin, he might say, 'Let's put aside the issue of the cigarette for a moment and consider, why did you think that you needed to have a cigarette on that occasion?'. If the spiritual child replied, 'Well everyone else was smoking and I wanted to fit in with what they were doing so that they wouldn't laugh at me', then that might require one type of medicine. If the spiritual child replied, 'Well I was bored and I started thinking that having a cigarette might give me something to do', then that might require a different type of medicine, and so on.
So it is not smoking a cigarette which is the issue at all, it is why a cigarette would be smoked. And more than that, it is the fact that the spiritual child raises this as an issue, which suggests that it has troubled the conscience.
There are not so many things which are black and white sins. Many depend on the person and their own spiritual condition and must be the subject of conversation with the spiritual father. These type of questions include:
Is it a sin to go to the cinema?
Is it a sin to go to watch TV?
Is it a sin to go drink any alcohol?
Is it a sin to go to the off licence?
Is it a sin to wear make-up?
etc etc.
We tend to have good discussions here trying to make them black and white issues. But many of these are issues for discussion with a spiritual father.
Father Peter
I left this post when it was at one page, and now we're talking about gay, sex and drugs.
Enough already.
Smoking is a sin. Its bad for you. Its addictive. Don't ruin your health.
If smoking is bad for you, then is it wrong to inhale incense that abouna does when using the incensor? If you smoke it and roll it up in a joint its a sin.
Eh da!! What is going on!??
1. smoking is not good for inflammatory bowel disease. sometime the disease worsens at the time a smoker stops smoking, but overall it is not beneficial.
2. i have smoked a few times in the past :o but it was me trying to fit in and i don't do it now (mainly coz it's really unhealthy).
3. cannabis makes most people who take it a bit paranoid and it definately affects your brain, it's really dangerous.
4. an off-licence is a shop (in uk) which is licenced to sell alcohol to be consumed at home 'off the premises'. it also sells other things (sweets etc) and usually tobacco, so it would not be a sin to go there but there is the danger of temptation.
5. it's been really interesting reading this, thanks everyone!
:)
I will take it that you are not familiar with Arabic, and not that I am picking on you, but, it may be well to avoid using this term:
i have a few points:
1. smoking is not good for inflammatory bowel disease. sometime the disease worsens at the time a smoker stops smoking, but overall it is not beneficial.
2. i have smoked a few times in the past :o but it was me trying to fit in and i don't do it now (mainly coz it's really unhealthy).
3. cannabis makes most people who take it a bit paranoid and it definately affects your brain, it's really dangerous.
4. an off-licence is a shop (in uk) which is licenced to sell alcohol to be consumed at home 'off the premises'. it also sells other things (sweets etc) and usually tobacco, so it would not be a sin to go there but there is the danger of temptation.
5. it's been really interesting reading this, thanks everyone!
:)
1. UC- I agree that smoking shouldn't be considered a treatment for UC- especially when it is something you can just cut out!
2. Yeah- I think smoking, as many sins are, are a sign of a pressing sinful condition or weakness. In this case for you, like many smokers, being easily influenced by other people, to be esteemed by them, having a lack of control (smoking and alcohol, I suppose does not have a high rate of uptaking other substances of abuse, but I never heard anyone who had illicit drugs not having had or have an alcohol abuse or cigarette history.)
3. Exactly! How stupid are those celebrities that are trying to normalise it! But, you see all drugs have benefits and risks and side-effects; so clinically I reckon their may be an indication for it, but there is no defense as a recreational drug.
4. For those had a history, it would hey.
5. Yeah.
I guess I come from the view that there is nothing created that is essentially evil in itself, if used in a way pleasing to God. That is why I think drugs, including nicotine, cannabis (it has been used for weight loss and gain, refractory pain etc.) and other drugs etc. have their indications and should be very controlled to avoid misuse and abuse, and only produced if they have actual clinical need, that have no other equal or better alternatives. However, most drugs of abuse rarely are used clinically, and have better alternatives! Many people have realised, the indications for human usage of these drugs are far between! And to be used recreationally? I think obviously it is wrong.
So yeah,