when I was a small child one of my earliest memories is watching my father make a cigarette. The WTS had not yet made smoking a DF'ing offense. We were always poor and Dad didn't spend money on ready made cigarettes. Instead, he bought Bull Durham tobacco in a small cloth bag with a drawstring top and a package of cigarette papers glued on the side. This was in the days before we had TV and we would sit in the living room and listen to radio programs (gee, there's a whole thread in itself!) I loved to watch him open the little bag and sprinkle tobacco into the paper he held like a little trough in the other hand. He then did something that totally fascinated me. He would roll the paper into a tube with one hand while at the same time he closed the bag with the other hand by holding the drawstring in his mouth. Then he licked the edge of the paper and each end and, viola!, a cigarette! A wooden match would appear and he would strike it with his thumbnail, take a deep draw and blow out a big blue cloud of smoke. I loved the smell of it. A few years later I tried smoking some snitched cigarettes and they made me sick. Never tried to smoke again.
I don't know why I never picked up the tobacco habit...
by Gregor 14 Replies latest jw experiences
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tula
well, surely you have some other vice you could tell us about......
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WTWizard
I made a rational decision to not smoke. That was long before becoming one of Jehovah's Witlesses. I realized that there was a positive cost involved with smoking, with money and with one's health, it stinks, and it can start a fire. And for what? Nothing. With no benefit and a big positive cost, there was no sense for me to start.
And then the Tower found me. At least they didn't make me start smoking--had it been a cult requiring its members to smoke instead of forbidding it, I would have had a harder time making up fake smoking reports and faking the smokers cough (and of course, "quitting" upon going apostate). That is one example--perhaps the only example--of a rule that actually made sense. (Still I think they are way too hard on those who cannot quit smoking on the first try or those who start because of the stagnation involved with being a Witless).
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Tyrone van leyen
I hear ya Gregor. I didn't start smoking till just after I left the witnesses. Its funny but they are part of the reason I keep smoking. A cigarette, or a beard is a way of giving a signal to a witness which says, " stay away from me, I am not one of you!' The dilema is that when i do quit I know these shitheads will be right on my doorstep. Thatrs the last thing I want when I'm going htrough withdrawl.
My grandpa smoked the old Colt cigars and had an amazing lighter collection. When I smell a colt it brings back very fond memories. I even like to chew on the wine tipped extenders.
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lisavegas420
When I was young, I liked the smell of cigarette smoke.... and always thought I'd smoke if I wasn't a JW. But when I left, I never started.
lisa
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JK666
When I was young, I did not have a desire to smoke. My father (non-JW) was a big smoker. My suits were kept in the same closet as his, and the elders would keep asking me if I was smoking because of the scent. It was a big hassle.
I tried it a few times as a teen and adult, no major thrill, and I didn't understand why people did it. I always liked drink much more.
Then drinking became a problem for me, and I couldn't control it anymore. After getting DF'ed for drinking, I took up smoking when attending meetings to help with my problem. That and as a form of rebelllion against the Jerks that kicked me out.
Now it is six years later, and I wish that I never started. I toy with the idea of quitting, but have not tried to yet. I do find it ridiculous that smoking is a DF offense though.
JK
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inbyathread
Never smoked. My parents did allthough they have quit now for close to 30 years. I never liked the smell of cigarette smoke or cigar smoke for that matter but I did like the smell of my grandfathers pipe smoke. If I wanted to take up smoking, I'd choose a pipe.
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megsmomma
I wish I never started...but I did when I da'd and felt I was good as dead anyhow. I quit during my pregnancy ....but then I started again because my hubby smokes and when I wasn't and he was...I would get soooooo mad at him for not quitting, and sneaking smokes, and tempting me...so I couldn't beat him, I joined him. We are about to try quitting AGAIN.
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Scully
Tyrone, maybe start growing a beard before you quit... that way you'll still have a "keep away" sign. A beard would probably suit you well, too.
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funkyderek
You guys just aren't trying hard enough.
Start by biting your nails.
Then move on to chewing gum.
Then nicotine gum.
Start hanging around with smokers.
Finally, take your first cigarette.
Aaaah!
To make sure you keep up the good habit, don't forget the 3 Fs:
Fire escapes
Funerals
and
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France
(Shamelessly plagiarised from those [adult swim] bumps)