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Is Smoking Sinful?
- 02/19/09
- 104
Years ago I was standing in the foyer of the church I attended at that time and a person who was new to the church came to me and, rather quietly, asked "What do you guys believe about smoking? Is it okay to smoke in this church?" I laughed a little, not because it was a stupid question but because the church had people from such a great diversity of backgrounds. We had heaps of ex-Catholics, a core of ex-Charismatics, a few long-time Baptists and so on. I told him I had no idea what the general consensus was but that I was sure that as long as he smoked outside no one would care too much. I was reminded of this a couple of days ago when a reader of the site asked if I've given much thought to the subject.
I know lots of Christians who smoke and it has never really caused me to examine the idea of a conflict between that action (or addiction) and their faith. But I know that for some people this is a significant stumbling block. They feel that the action of smoking reveals something about a person's heart or even about his spiritual state.
Christianity Today's Campus Life once published a small article that provides the usual arguments against smoking:
- Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, so be careful what we put in our bodies.
- Smoking is an addiction and Christians are to guard against addictions.
- Smoking has many harmful effects and can often lead to other addictions.
These are all rational arguments. Another common argument we might add to the list is that God provides our finances and we are told to be diligent stewards of them. Lighting them on fire is not a God-honoring way of using his gifts.
All of these arguments are well and good, but they all have other sides to them. Yes, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, but how much worse is it to put smoke (and all it carries with it) into our bodies than much of the food we eat or much of the air we breathe? I would say that there are far more Christians addicted to caffeine than there are to nicotine. Sure smoking has lots of harmful effects, but so does overeating or eating the wrong things. God provides us money, but how often do we use it to buy things we don't really need? Is spending our money on McDonald's really much better than spending it on cigarettes?
I guess the crux of the matter is this: is it sinful to smoke?
It seems to me that it is hard to sustain a consistent biblical argument which would conclude that smoking is always and ever sinful. I think it is difficult to bind another person's conscience without resorting into some kind of inconsistency or legalism. I see the logic behind these arguments, but those same principles seem to fail when they are extended to the rest of the Christian life. There is part of me that feels I should say with certainty that smoking is sinful. But I don't think I can do so in good conscience.
I actually quite like John Piper's take on this one (though he does conclude that smoking is sinful). He says, "Habitually smoking cigarettes seems to say, 'Life doesn't matter as much as my pleasures do.' And the fact that it is highly addictive should also encourage Christians to keep their distance." So maybe there is a difference between the person who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day and the person who occasionally enjoys a fine cigar. Piper writes that in his church they do not focus specifically on smoking; instead, they have a higher standard. "We engage to abstain from all drugs, food, drink, and practices which bring unwarranted harm to the body or jeopardize our own or another's faith." Some might argue that this is a lowering of standard, but I'm inclined to believe that it actually raises the standard. It removes the focus from specific pet sins and widens the focus to a wider range of sins that we may be willing to tolerate. We should give thought to everything we do, everything we eat, everything we breathe in.
I have an intense dislike toward smoking. I dislike the smell of it and I have a special pet peeve toward seeing cigarette butts lying on the ground outside buildings. But I don't presume to think that I can tell much about a person's spiritual condition by the fact that he smokes. Nor do I find that I can (or would want to) generate the kind of argument from Scripture that would tell another person that smoking is absolutely forbidden. But when we look at the evidence of how smoking impacts the smoker's health, how it impacts the health of others around him, how it encourages addiction and so on, it seems that it is something the Christian would be eager to avoid or overcome. Is it always and for all people sinful? I don't know that I would go that far. Piper gets it right when he says "Don't pick out a few individual named sins, but let your definition of sin be sweeping and pervasive so that it touches everything. And let your definition of holiness be the same. How you drink Coke, eat pizza, or exercise can all be sin issues, or not."
So what do you think? Is smoking sinful? Or can it, like so many other things, be done for God's glory?
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Comments (104)
I like the way Piper puts it. As someone who once struggled with gluttony and laziness I tend to notice those who display a lack of self-control with their eating and exercise. I also was addicted to caffeine and have quit using it as a daily practice, though I will still sometimes have a cup of tea or a glass of sweet tea at a restaurant.
I find it amazing that so many think it is obvious that we should abstain from alcohol or nicotene, but they have no problem with being addicted to caffeine. That seems to be the drug of choice in many circles.
I have heard that MacArthur said about smoking, "It won't send you to hell, but it will make you smell like you've been there." That's how I tend to look at it.
This is slippery slope argument for me . I don't think one can be consistently biblical and make smoking a sin. Although I hate smoking and know for a fact it played a major factor in my mother getting cancer which took her life much too early . Plus even though I love Piper in most cases , I think he falls into the into the old Baptist tradition of making things sin that are based upon personal convictions apart from from what the bible clearly states. One could say it robs people of money that could be used for the kingdom but when I drive into our church parking lot on Sunday , I see many brand new suv's and other types of cars that are secondary cars and one could argue that is one who is in love with his possessions. What about leisure time , does God think that's sinful as well . Playing sports or going to to a Leafs game or whoever . I mean there has to be some careful measure when labeling something sin. Smoking is something that people should break away from solely for health reasons and but I could not with a clear consistent application of scripture label a smoker a unrepentant sinner without beginning to open up a Pandora's box of problems . Oh and just so the Baptist know , my favorite preacher of the past Charles H Spurgeon liked his cigars and even used to drink ale .
I think whatever case you make for or against smoking has to work for alcohol too. If alcohol in moderation is not sinful, then I do not see how tobacco in moderation is. Certainly smoking a pack of cigarettes every day is not good for your health, and neither is drinking a six-pack of beer either. If enjoying a beer with friends on the weekend is ok, why wouldn't enjoying a cigar or pipe tobacco in the same context be ok?
The argument from health does indeed call into question our eating habits, as well as our non-adult beverage consumption. Caffeine is a stimulant too, and eating fast food is not healthy either. Aristotle's wisdom of "all things in moderation" seems to be the wisest course of action.
I would hesitate to call it sin, but I wouldn't hesitate to call being mastered by it a sin.
My wife could go out with friends and smoke if she wanted (not that she does), and would not experience any real problems.
But, if I have a cigarette, then for days afterward I find myself daydreaming about having another, and get just as cranky as I did when I was a 2-pack/day smoker.
So for me, my sinful lack of self-control in the past has made it very difficult to enjoy some of the freedoms others may enjoy, and I am under the conviction that for me, it is probably sin, if not just very unwise.
It's really no different than drinking. Drunkenness is a sin. But I believe we are free in Christ to partake of drinks with discernment and with a constant awareness of 1 Cor. 10:31.
This is an issue on which I have changed my mind in the past few years. I am currently in a work environment in which smoking is the least of the bad habits that my co-workers exhibit and so I've had to pick and choose my battles, and in the end, I can't find any justification for telling people that smoking is sinful, just unhealthy.
The main problem is that the argument from 1 Corinthians 6:19 about the body being a temple of the holy spirit just simply doesn't work. Paul was making a very specific point about sexual immorality. He likens the body to the Temple because it is a place in which God's presence dwells, and God's temple should not be defiled by sexual immorality (which it often was in Israel's history). It is an argument very much rooted in its context. We do not know if Paul would have, given the opportunity, applied this argument to issues of health bodily well-being, but this application is entirely remote from this passage. To apply this passage to smoking is, I think, to stretch it beyond the limits of good exegesis.
I have come to see smoking as an indulgence that if enjoyed in moderation, is probably perfectly acceptable. I have even come to mildly enjoy the ambient smell of good pipe tobacco, though I still can't stand cigarettes. Like anything, if it is done in excess, it becomes harmful and destructive, but a universal argument against smoking I just can no longer sustain.
Matthew 15:10-11 (ESV): And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person."
I don't smoke, but I don't see how smoking is any different than coffee or alcohol. It certainly can be abused by some and made to become a "god", but I don't think the God of the Bible is at all threatened by these things if they are not displacing him from his throne in a believer's life. A true believer should not do these things in front of a weaker believer if it would harm the other person's faith, but aside from that, I can't see anywhere that specifically forbids all smoking/alcohol, etc...
You're a brave soul for taking this one on!
We Christians love our "pet sin lists" precisely because of what we can leave off of those lists. We grab a few obvious-looking (or smelling) ones with which we can assure ourselves that we are better than our neighbor, and then from our position of superiority we feel free to indulge in whatever sins didn't make our list.
It's gnats and camels (Matt. 23:23-24).
I was just reading something from Piper this morning that says, "The essence of sin is preferring anything to God." Those of us who are honest will have to look at that standard, get off of our pedestals, and go stand with the smokers (no matter how the smoke makes us gag). Our pride and hypocrisy make our Lord gag (Rev. 3:16), and they're pretty obnoxious to our smoking brother, too.
May God have mercy and free us from our Pharisaism!
Interesting post.
My initial reaction is that smoking may or may not be a sin. It depends on the person and the heart and the extent to which they are bound by it. Sounds like we're on the same page.
And I think trying to evaluate everything we eat in light of an uber "healthy" standard which is somehow tied to greater godliness is a risky road to go down. It is a fairly common topic in mom's circles and can be emphasized over and above things like, teaching children Scripture and caring for their souls.
Much of our society (and it has seeped into the church) has placed good "health" (i.e. don't smoke, only eat organic or homegrown foods, etc) as an idol. And in the Christian community it comes under the guise of godliness (which it may be for some) but often turns to a kind of legalistic and perfectionistic way of living. And it allows for self-righteousness in relationship to those who aren't eating as "healthy" or do things like drink caffeine.
It also creates a false sense of control, as though if we only eat healthy and protect our bodies from smoking we will necessarily have good health. God doesn't make those guarantees.
Thanks for the thoughtful post.
"I cultivate my flowers, and I burn my weeds" (Charles H. Spurgeon).
I completely agree with Jacob -- smoking a pack of cigarettes every day as opposed to 1 or 2 cigars or a pipe every now and then is very different.
It seems most simple, yet biblically faithful to me to say that if you NEED to smoke (get your fix), you're being mastered by something other than Christ. If you are able to have a cigar and go weeks or months without another one, you're not mastered by tobacco -- you're enjoying one of the gifts of God in this world.
Jared Wilson has a good article called "20 Ways to Smoke Cigars to the Glory of God" -- http://searchwarp.com/swa386156.htm.
Ok, I may be going out on a limb here...but, I am a pastor of a conservative church - and I enjoy a fine cigar every now and then. Typically around the new year, and in celebration of a major life event (like the birth of a child, successful adventure, etc.). What I do is simply buy a cigar, retreat to a secluded place, and smoke it while I pray. Probably sounds crazy to you, right? I have struggled with many of the same questions you bring up like: can I do this to the glory of God? For me, I can honestly answer yes. It usually takes me anywhere from 30-45 minutes to enjoy a good cigar, and I have had some of the sweetest times of prayer during those moments of praising and celebrating God's faithfulness in my life.
Now, all that being said, I am acutely aware that other people may be completely against my practice of enjoying cigars. So, I never make it known to them. I keep my preferences to myself, not because I think that it is wrong, but because it might violate another person's conscience.
So, I avoid becoming a stumbling block, avoid the addiction, avoid the excessive waste of money, avoid it becoming an idol of my heart, and at the same time do it to the glory of God. I suppose if at any time it became a violation of my conscience, I should follow the attitude that Spurgeon did when seeing a billboard reading "Smoke the cigar that Spurgeon smokes." He immediately gave it up after that.
I agree with Michael's comment. At the risk of sounding invective, the argument made by Campus Life:
God Blesso Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, so be careful what we put in our bodies.
is not reasonable, but is stripping Paul's words from their context. I used to use this same argument when condemning Christians for drinking any amount of alcohol, smoking, earrings, etc... That is, until I started to read the Bible as opposed to hit and run 'hermeneutics'.
Paul makes it perfectly clear that there is only one kind of sin against the body:
Whenever smoking comes up in the context of whether it is sin or not, I always refer to Spurgeon and his declaration of "smoking a cigar to the glory of God." You can read the whole thing here: http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/cigars.htm
It's a bit of a red herring isn't it? Our bodies are decaying anyway. We need resurrection bodies, not just slightly more functional bodies.
I'm not suggesting we should have a reckless disregard for our bodies - the human body is amazing - in Christ the fullness of God dwells in bodily form, he took on our flesh - his incarnation bestows the highest dignity to the human body but Christ's body was subject to decay and the wicked inflictions of sinful humans, but He resurrecton body cannot decay or be broken by sin.
A gospel view of food, drink, exercise, surgary, smoking etc would be respectful of the body, not reckless, but mindful of it's limits and our ultimate physical hope of a resurrection body in the new creation. Our works will not bring us perfect bodies, but Christ's will, and we have to wait for that!
How we use our liberty is probably the issue, and where sin is manifested by our eating, drinking and smoking or whatever. Eating food sacrificed to idols isn't sinful, but if we eat it in front of a weaker brother as Paul puts it, who might struggle with our liberty, we cause them to stumble, show our lack of love and thoughtless selfishness. Our liberty should be informed by our christian context. If all our brothers and sister enjoy a cigar, then hey, give me a cigar. If I'm the only one who likes a cigar, then best not smoke.
Nobody busted out 1 Cor 6:12, 8:13 and 10:13?
"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."
"Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble."
"All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable All things are lawful, but not all things edify."
The greater issue is, "is my smoking making others stumble?" If so, you recognize it yet dismiss it, then you're sinning.
Tom (former smoker!)
Smoking is no more or less sinful than any other vice, but comparing it to things such as bad eating habits doesn't make it any more ok either. If smoking is ultimately not a sin, I have no problem with someone engaging in that activity...just don't make me do it too by forcing me to breath in your second-hand smoke-filled air.
For years I have thought of proposing and designing a head bubble that smokers would be required to wear so that their smoke stays with them and them alone when they exhale. I imagine that even they would not be able to tolerate their own air if it stayed just with them. I am also pretty sure that others would like to require me to wear something similar (but not over my head) every time I eat chili!
While I cannot conclude that smoking in and of itself is a sin, I certainly CAN conclude that I should not be forced to partake of it just because someone else is doing it. If you are going to smoke...do us non-smokers a favor, and do it at home, away from children and others who also do not want to smoke (or else buy one of my head bubbles for smokers).
I actually agree with many of the commenters here, that enjoying a cigar or a pipe occasionally doesn't seem sinful to me. Cigarettes I just don't get though. At least a cigar or a pipe actually smell good. :-)
But in response to this paragraph...
No, it's not any better. Eating fast food as a way of life, or even regularly, eating food that is bad for you, drinking alcohol excessively (small quantities, especially of wine, is actually good for you), and consuming excessive amounts of caffeine (some reports say it is good for you in small amounts), are all just as sinful as smoking (has there ever been a medical report that said smoking in moderation had health benefits?). Just because we accept gluttony, bad eating habits, etc. doesn't make them any less sinful, and doesn't make an excuse for other offenses against the body.
I think Joel just touched on something there: whether it's wise to smoke.
I believe that this is one of many areas in life where we do much better to, instead of asking "Is it sin/Is it wrong/etc." ask the question "Is it WISE to smoke?" Arguing whether it's right or wrong (ie. sin or not sin) is often fruitless. I would think most people would agree, sin or not, it is not WISE to smoke.
I think that we do much better in life if we seek the wise thing to do in all situations, rather than just asking whether it's right or wrong. Andy Stanley wrote a good book on this idea, drawing on so many scriptures regarding wisdom, called "The Best Question Ever." Although the title sounds a little pompous, it's a really good book.
I think at the final judgement, we are all going to be quite surprised at how thoroughly sinful we all are, all the time. Everything I choose has a pound of flesh included. It seems like the closer I get to God, the more sinful I realize I am, which paradoxically leads to contrition and joy at the same time. Contrition because I realize how wretched I am, and joy because in Christ my sins are atoned for and His righteousness is imputed to me.
This doesn't mean I can have a laissez-faire attitude about everything. Instead, by God's grace, I can become more and more like Christ through each season. I can also extend much grace to others who are at different places on the road of sanctification.
One this is for sure: I can't wait for heaven, when all sin is GONE. Now THAT is a tough one to wrap one's mind around.
Peace.
Padron,
His tradition has been mine since.Back in my college days I was a young and zealous fairly new Christian. I was a hardcore blockhead when it came to condemning my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ for everything that I considered "sin." Mostly, I opposed alcohol of any kind in any amount, secular music, and smoking of any sort because they were my stumbling blocks.
"What kind of example are you being," I would say.
"How can you do such things to the temple of God?" I would ask.
It all came to a screeching halt when a good friend on his way to an M. Div., pulled me aside and said something very much like:
I agree with the previous post that quoted Aristotle’s “all things in moderation.” All too often, however, we jump on those things that we don’t like personally; smoking because we don’t like the smell, drinking because a family member was an alcoholic, etc. This is where Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 10:23-30 (ESV) is helpful. “Why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience?” – v. 29. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” – v. 26. While individuals may choose to partake or abstain from such things as the tobacco leaf or distilled grain, both are of the earth and both should be able to be enjoyed by other individuals in a responsible manner without being “denounced because of that for which they give thanks” – v. 30.
I give thanks to God for the tobacco leaf – I love a good pipe. I give thanks to God for the distillation of grain – I love a good Belgian beer. Both of them represent the goodness of God in His creation. Yet both can be (and far too often are) abused. This is where biblical maturity comes in, something that is sorely lacking in most churches. Throwing out the baby with the bathwater (as I believe Piper’s church is doing) is one answer, but not necessarily the most biblically mature. I am reminded of a White Horse Inn program some years ago in which the hosts (after a long debate on the merits of a good beer) decided to go out and find some Baptist teetotalers and toast them with a pint in order to spur their maturity. That’s not necessarily a biblically mature thing, either (albeit a little more fun). Biblical maturity has to mean something more than snarking at one another over so-called vices.
After all, “all things are lawful, but not all things are helpful” – 1 Cor. 10:23. We as Christians partake in many things that aren’t necessarily “helpful,” but that doesn’t automatically make them sin. Why do we spend so much of our time, then, sniffing out pseudo-sin in other people’s lives rather than dealing with the real sins that we all commit, corporately and individually?
My favorite quote of Johann Sebastian Bach comes to mind. “And so, puffing contentedly, on land, at sea, at home, abroad, I smoke my pipe and worship God.”
I like your take on this. Sounds like Piper has some good thoughts as well, though I would like to see both sides of the weaker brother scenario (Romans 14 esp. verse 2) included in his discussion (perhaps it is, but not from what is included in this post). By this I mean, I think our stance on this issue should warn against judgmental attitudes from those with more sensitive consciences toward those who have more free consciences about smoking and moderate drinking. Piper seems to, and I think it is common, to give greater preference to the weaker brother in these issues as we reiterate the "temple of the Holy Spirit" arguments and tell the stronger brothers to prefer the weaker brethren. It is true that in practice the weaker must be given deference in these issues precisely because they have the weaker consciences and are more likely to be offended or led to sin, but at the same time, teaching on this ought to help those with weaker consciences to grow into maturity and to not judge the one who eats (drinks or smokes). "The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. " (Romans 14:3) Those who have free consciences in regard to eating and drinking and even smoking are not to look down at and offend the weaker brother, but the weaker brother is here exhorted to refrain from judging those who freely partake.
Of course we must bring the exhortation "whether you eat or drink of whatever you do do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31) into the discussion. And also, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything." (1 Cor. 6:12) In answering your question, can you smoke to the glory of God? I believe that one can. Still, we must not forget that smoking is incredibly harmful to the body, and we must not be mastered by it. Most smoking that goes on involves addiction and all of it involves some harm to the body, though occasional smoking is in such a proportion that I can sooner see banning McDonald's cheeseburgers or coca cola than some body smoking a cigar on a special occasion. Smoking can be very relaxing, can be enjoyed among brothers in Christ, and in these moments glory, thanks, and praise can be given to God with a clear conscience. One can smoke with thanksgiving. However, it is going to be hard to give thanks when you become addicted and are destroying your body through a habit of smoking. I have known some to say that all smoking is excessive, but I think this is a definition of excess that opens up a huge can of worms we don't have biblical warrant to open. So while we steer clear of justifying our own addictions and destructive patterns under the banner of Christian liberty, we must steer clear of destroying Christian liberty through legalistic rules imposed on others regarding these matter.
Of course another whole issue that we could raise in regard to this is the social and cultural baggage that comes along with smoking and also drinking. Since these things are abused and used destructively in our culture must we abstain from them, or can we as Christians partake in such a way as to show a better way? I favor the later direction. I know others whose strong distaste for the habit of smoking and drinking is linked to the wretched histories of the industries. So, in what ways might smoking and drinking be an issue of social justice? Of course, we have already brought up the use of your resources. Probably should bring up the SUVs in our church parking lots as one commenter has mentioned when we come to this side of things.
Certainly these are complex issues with many factors to weigh. I appreciate the discussion. God bless.
So, if we ever get this one nailed down, what comes next? Can I smoke the occasional joint, I mean for medicinal purposes only? Being an ex-smoker, I guess that makes me more than a little bias. Is it catagorically sinful...maybe! I will say this, when I'm driving and a discarded butt lands on my windshield, that is the worst of sins. Well, I guess I will conclude that smoking is a stupid thing to do. Is being stupid sinful?
Love in the Truth.
Here's a real can of worms: What about smoking pot?
I am a former smoker. Since becoming a Christian (not terribly long ago) I have gone from not doing it at all to doing it on occasion. I am not really a cigar man myself... I like to have some cigarettes sometimes when I'm out with friends who also do that, or while playing a game of chess & having a beer, etc.
I agree, though, that if it is mastering you, you should not do it - and regularly buying cigarettes or cigars is basically asking to become addicted to it. I struggled with this for a while before realizing it was probably a bad idea for me to buy a pack and leave them in the fridge, just having one every once in a while because I liked them - having them there led to me smoking them more, and then getting cravings, which is the sign of beginning to be mastered.
I take it, Tim, you were never a smoker.
I never smoked a cigar or pipe in my life, but I can tell you that smoking, and the desire for smoking, cannot be done in "moderation." It is highly addictive, just shy of heroin, and quickly rules over the life of the one who partakes, whether it be though time spent smoking when one should be living, or money spent on cigarettes when other items are most needed. And, every upset of life, or every turn of boredom, is an excuse to smoke: "I'm upset, stressed, angry, sad, confused, hungry..."
As with all sinners in all sins, smoking easily and swiftly takes the place of God in our lives. When we should turn to Him with our burdens, cares, and praise, we instead turn to a substance for our comfort, ease of mind, and strength to go on. Foolishly, we covet and indulge in a substance that, if taken as directed, will cause our untimely death. In other words, things will not go well with us and we will not live a long life if we smoke.
And smoking kills not only the one who smokes, it kills relationships with those around him. If a pack of cigarettes contains twenty, and we are awake on average sixteen hours, think of the man who must excuse himself from those around him--his wife, his children, his friends and co-workers, his boss--every forty-one minutes for a seven minute smoke! I've been on both ends of this and can confess that no matter what is happening in the home, you just can. not. stop. yourself. nor can you stop the one in the grip of it.
Just because sinners will find all sorts of ways to sin, such as caffeine, foods-whether too much or too little, computer-time, books, tv, etc., should not mean that we stop calling idolatry by its given name.
Seems like most commenters agree, but I just wanted to chime in and say that I think the cigarette/cigar or pipe distinction is a legitimate and helpful one.
Most people who smoke cigars or pipes (like me) do so on an occasional basis-- something like having a piece of cheesecake after dinner. To do that every night wouldn't be good, but as an occasional thing, no big deal. Cigarettes, on the other hand, are normally something you're addicted to, a several-times-a-day kind of thing, and there are the obvious health issues.
At the same time, there's no "thou shalt not" on cigarettes, so when we talk to people about this we need to be really clear about why, from a biblical standpoint, there could be a problem. Certainly not as clear as sexual immorality or what have you.
Overall, I think occasional tobacco use is like occasional alcohol use-- avoid causing others to stumble and enjoy God's creation. But addiction or the unwise use of either is clearly sinful.
alfie,
I don't think there's any can of worms going to be opened.
Smoking pot would be sinful for two reasons:
1. We are admonished to obey the laws of the land. Romans 13:1-2:
2. One long pull off of a joint (or bong or bowl) induces something very similar to drunkeness (and so admonishments that apply to drunkeness by wine are just as applicable to pot as they are to gin), and that's bad: Galations 5:19-21Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.Ephesians 5:15-21Well, God made tobacco, and alcohol, and sugar, and coffee beans. As created things, they are neither good nor bad in and of themselves. But their use can become sinful if we choose to abuse them.
Thus, using them for pleasure is fine - God intends for us to derive pleasure from His creation. But abusing them as an addiction - something that we intend, at least partially, to use to reduce our reliance on Him - is sinful.
Wow! Amazing responses in both volume and insight! Isn't smoking just one aspect in the larger view of where we take our pleasure? My sense of God's ordering the Garden is that we take it in the enhancement of life and worship.
But oh man! While smoking may be distasteful to me there are so many other pleasureful distractions!! Oh...would that I could but I can't!!
The urge to eat masters me on a daily basis. Perhaps I should stop eating ;-)
J. S. Bach Edifying Thoughts of a Tobacco Smoker
I don't know about that, Ray. I'm speaking from a place of ignorance here, not having smoked pot, but I've been around people who were high (not ridiculously so) and it was no different from being around someone who'd had two or three glasses of wine.
I'd agree with you that it's sinful from the perspective of obeying the laws of the land. That said, it's not illegal everywhere.
Back to the drunkenness thing...how much wine do we suppose Jesus drank at the wedding at Cana? I mean, I can't by any stretch of the imagination imagine Jesus drinking enough to become ill or be unable to walk. At the same time, I could very easily see him drinking enough to "feel it".
Some people have a glass of wine at night because it helps them get to sleep. So the alcohol is having a significant physical effect, i.e. making the person sleepy. Suppose pot were legal, and we substituted "eat a pot brownie" for "drink a glass of wine". Doesn't seem that different to me.
(Consequently I support legalization, and don't see this as an inherently "un-Christian" position.)
Interesting.. I have a blog post which speaks about caffeine and touches on some of the same issues.
One problem when dealing with various substances which can be dependence forming, is that our cultural very much impacts how we think about these things. And we arrive at many inconsistencies because of it.
The fact that something is potentially addicitive or psychoactive does not make it inherently wrong. Caffeine is perhaps the most widely accepted addictive and psychoactive drug.
As a user of caffeine (though not an over-user I think), I can definitely say that I've seen cases where caffeine can produce an addiction that, if it were any other drug, would be classified as problematic.
"Suppose your friend came to you and said he’s been using a new drug for a few years, and he just has a couple hits a day. And then suppose he waits in a huge line-up to get it. And suppose there are some 20 people lined up potentially getting late for work just to get their fix. And suppose he even budgets a certain amount of money for it. And suppose his eyes light up when someone delivers him a free hit. And he gets a bit cranky and shaky if he can’t get it. And then suppose he just needs a little hit to start his day and another one to continue it, and is sort of unable to function with out it."
As much as I hate I despise smoking, I must say that an addiction to nicotine is not inherently any *morally* worse than an addiction to caffeine. We as Christians are called not to be enslaved to anything (cf. Paul to the Corinthians). The enslavement can come from many things, and there are many things it isn't wise to partake in. But I believe we don't have a license to classify the ingestion of nicotine as a sin in and of itself.
For any benefits from the consideration of this pracitce, you have the Bach quote given above, and you also have "Smoking Spiritualized" by the Puritan Ralph Erskine:
http://www.puritansermons.com/erskine/erskin15.htm
The analogies are quite interesting, and I think some insight can be gained. The first part goes thus:
"This Indian weed now wither'd quite,
'Tho' green at noon, cut down at night,
Shows thy decay;
All flesh is hay.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The pipe so lily-like and weak,
Does thus thy mortal state bespeak.
Thou art ev'n such,
Gone with a touch.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the smoke ascends on high,
Then thou behold'st the vanity
Of worldly stuff,
Gone with a puff.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the pipe grows foul within,
Think on thy soul defil'd with sin;
For then the fire,
It does require.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And seest the ashes cast away;
Then to thyself thou mayest say
That to the dust
Return thou must.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco."
I don't smoke, by the way, and don't recommend it, at least not in "excess", whatever that would be. Yet somehow I don't seem to freak out about being around smokers as much as many non-smokers seem to. And be careful not to consider them "second class" humans - that would be biblically inconsistent.
I've been listening to some Matt Chandler (who spoke at the Desiring God Pastor's Conference recently) and I think he was referring to 1 Cor 6:12 when he said something to the effect that the question to ask yourself is not whether something is right or wrong (and get a list for legalism), but does this activity draw me closer to God or draw my heart away from him?
I agree with most of what's been said here. It's a heart issue, and smoking is going to look different for different people. But being aware of how your actions are affecting others is important as well. I'd also want to guard against the thought of "I only smoke a pipe now and then, so I'm not as bad as that guy over there smoking a pack a day." There's a danger in comparing ourselves to others rather than applying the Word simply to OURselves and acting according to how God convicts us.
Mark re: nicotine vs. caffeine:
From what I gather (having two parents who were nicotine addicts when I was growing up), nicotine and caffeine addiction are apples and oranges. I drink about 5 cups of coffee a day. It's free at work. Could I quit? Sure. And I'm pretty sure I could do it much more easily than, say, my parents quitting smoking. So there's addiction and there's addiction. I can sit through an 8 hour plane ride without missing coffee. Not so for the nicotine addict.
Then there's the health aspect. Two-pack-a-day smoking is drastically more health-affecting than drinking 4-5 cups of coffee a day.
Basically I'm with you that smoking cigarettes isn't inherently sinful. At the same time, though, I'm not ready to say "two-pack-a-day-several-thousand-dollars-a-year" smoking is not sinful.
"Pastor, can I smoke while I'm praying?"
"Absolutely not! Praying is a holy activity, and you must not profane it with a sin like smoking!"
"Pastor, can I pray while I'm smoking?"
"Certainly! Prayer is appropriate at any time and every time!"
J.P.H.,
You make good points, and I would be hypocritical to argue that "feeling it" is the same as drunkeness.
From my personal experience (back in the day, mind you) one good drag was similar to drunkeness. But, I understand that different things affect different people in different ways. For example, four fingers of Scotch is a tasty treat for me, with no effect on my brain function. Two beers for my brother, and he's on the floor. So, I'll concede that ...in a way. However, given the culture that surrounds pot (even where it's legal - been to Amsterdam more than once) and the effects that it has, I can't imagine it being a good thing for a Christian to do (legal or not here), at least not in my lifetime.
I think we're irresponsible when it comes to naming sins. We tend to focus on the individual sins, while letting some greater sins go. What is worse from God's eyes: smoking, or supporting a politician who oppresses the poor? I think if anything we need to take a wide angle view of sin.
I think it is very easy to say smoking cigarettes and pipes and cigars is not a "sin". I think the marijuana question is really the more in your face question. I think 'alfie' brings up a really poignant issue because I have many students who travel abroad and this mitigates the legal question from Scripture.
We can make the argument about mind altering drugs (i.e. drunkenness), but everything that I have read about cigarettes is that they are totally mind altering, they change the bio-chemistry of the brain. I think the issue of any smoked drug very much needs to be a part of the complete understanding of this issue.
J.P.H.,
On a related side note:
I would venture to guess that, if marijuana were legalized, we would be sadly suprised at the number of professed Christians rushing to the local cornerstore to get their first joint. I gather this from many a conversation. Anyhow, this isn't a commentary for or against legalization, nor am I damning anyone intentionally, just a postulation made obsersation.
just a postulation made obsersation should read just a postulation made from observation.
Others have touched on this, but I think it comes down to "being mastered by" it, or by anything (i.e., "addiction"). If one is able to smoke a cigarette or a cigar without lasting attachments and related difficulties (i.e., he is not addicted to it), I see no reason to condemn it. I apply this to alcohol as well. If one is able to enjoy alcohol in moderation, and with great care, without being mastered by it, it is permissible.
Another thought: Tim, one of your arguments (and one I hear often) is basically, "Eating unhealthy food is just as much a problem as smoking; therefore, we shouldn't make a big deal of smoking." It seems to me that the logic of this argument is backwards; if we see a connection between smoking and unhealthy eating (or any other related issue), rather than dismissing the one as "no big deal," we should consider both as sinful and strive for discipline and self-control regarding ANYTHING we put in our bodies.
Umm. . . Tobacco smoke at any and all levels is poisonous.
Is smoking a sin? Who cares -- it’s stupid.
Can I smoke without being “mastered by tobacco?” Who cares -- it’s stupid.
If you smoke, you will find out more likely sooner than the rest of us what God really thinks of smoking.
"But when we look at the evidence of how smoking impacts the smoker’s health, how it impacts the health of others around him, how it encourages addiction and so on, it seems that it is something the Christian would be eager to avoid or overcome."
I smoked for years. Maybe five packs a week. My brand was Raliegh filters, and I did save a lot of coupons as well. I'm glad I never had to order a lung machine with those coupons. Just kidding.
I'm happy the Lord delivered me from smoking. Smoking is up to $5 a pack I think. I was paying 50 to 75 cents a pack. I'm very happy I don't smoke anymore.
I like how Yul Bynner said it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNjunlWUJJI
Nathan and Laura Lee are EXACTLY the reasons Pharisees were called blind.
I enjoy a cigar with my husband once a month. And a glass of wine. And were cigars around in Jesus' day, he may have even had once at Levi's and Zaccareaus' house those evenings. And the Lauras and Nathans of the world would have sniffed and still called him a smoker and winebibber.
So friends, enjoy your Christian liberty.
Ahh...you have touched on a topic very dear to my heart here. I detest cigarettes, but in the same way that I detest sushi. I just don't enjoy it. But, I am an avid cigar fan, and I very much enjoy smoking a pipe. I don't think the text about our bodies being the temple applies here. That is speaking of sexual immorality,clearly. My philosophy is "all things in moderation". God has limitations on everything. Sex is wonderful, but to be enjoyed within marriage and not be mastered by it. Food is wonderful, but our stomach is not to be our god and we are not to over eat. Sleep is great as well, but we are not to be lazy. Money is something that we need to survive and support our families, but we are not to be greedy. Knowledge is a great thing to have and grow in, but we don't find our identity in how intelligent we are. I come from a fundamentalist background where I had to keep my hair above my ears and have no facial hair and listen to only organ music and not enjoy ANY form of alcohol and ABSOLUTELY NO tobacco. But reading Charles Spurgeon, but above that, scripture, set me free from legalism. I now enjoy wine in moderation. I love beer, in moderation.
One last point- one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. NOT abstinence. I have found that it is far easier to abstain from something than to just exercise self control over yourself. Well, that's my two cents. I enjoy the discussion...I think I am going to go have a cigar now, with a nice glass of wine, and read my Bible. :)
Umm. . . The Lindas of the world should read more carefully. I never called smoking a sin. Do what you want to do, Linda, I don't care, but the biological fact remains -- tobacco smoke kills.
The last line of my last post was mere tongue in cheek and not condemnation of smokers. . .
Laura Lee,
I must take exception to your statements. In fact, that is too tame. I Categorically, absolutely, infinitely, vehemently, passionately disagree with you. You're comparing it ( tobacco use) to heroin! There is a story that pertains to this. I don't know it word for word, but I have the rough idea, I bet you could find it at the Spurgeon Archives. Charles Spurgeon every evening would have a cigar with his servant outside while his servant chewed tobacco. They would sit and pray and discuss scripture. One time his servant implied that he was addicted to tobacco. Spurgeon agree to stop smoking cigars if the servant would stop chewing tobacco. The servant agreed thinking that it would be a few days and Spurgeon would begin, I guess(As Laura Lee would say) itching and throwing up from withdrawal from his tobacco. Months passed. Months. Spurgeon was fine. Finally the servant said that he missed his chewing tobacco and Spurgeon agreed to start meeting at night again.
As I said before, I smoke cigars. I have maybe four a month. One a week. Not even that in the winter time, it's too cold. Also, I would contend that it brings fellowship. John Piper quotes J. Gresham Machen ,who taught at Princeton and eventually founded Westminster Theological Seminary " The fellows are in my room now on the last Sunday night, smoking the cigars and eating the oranges which it has been the greatest delight I ever had to provide whenever possible. My idea of delight is a Princeton room full of fellows smoking. When I think what a wonderful aid tobacco is to friendship and Christian patience, I have sometimes regretted that I never began to smoke".
I can attest to this. In the city I recently moved from, the elders and pastors of the church would get together with young men at a local cigar lounge. We spent countless hours studying theology and having ale. Those were some of the best hours of fellowship in my life. So as to the theory that smoking breaks relationships...that is ridiculous. My wife has even asked me to smoke my pipe at times because she enjoys the smell of the vanilla. What a woman!
One last note....Piper believes that having a hang-up against smoking is "pietistic, perfectionist tendencies".
All my Piper quotes come from Contending for Our All
JPH - I see what you mean about apples and oranges. I would just add that the degree of harm or the degree of addicitivness or the degree of strength isn't necessarily relevant if in principle the same sort of thing is going on. Caffeine stimulates the same area of the brain in ways almost biologically identical to other stimulants. Sure we could argue whether one is substantively worse or not. But that gets rather subjective, because then you would have to factor in a persons tolerance, dosages, and what not.