I smoked for about 10 years. I do not believe all that horse shit the government and all the one sided government 'studies' and the holier than thous that tell you smoking is as bad as it is. Living in the city,breathing in all the contaminants from pollution is just as harmful as smoking in IMO. The O-N-L-Y reason I do not smoke now is because here in Ontario it is damn near $8.00 a pack. That is all. Hell I think if we were living closer to my wifes Indian Reservation, I probably would still be smoking as smoke shops abound and tobacco is hella cheaper there.
Smoking = Disfellowshiping is it justified?? Do you do it now?
by Witness 007 37 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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Maddie
I don't smoke now because I found it really hard to stop and don't want to have to go through all that again. As posters have already said, alcohol and obesity are unhealthy and potentially fatal too so there is no consistency in just ds for smoking and not these other things - not that I think any of these things warrant ds any way.
Maddie
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Homerovah the Almighty
One thing that I think was astoundingly hypocritical is seeing elders booze it up, and I'm not talking about 1 glass of wine or 1 glass of beer.
If a baptized individual gets caught smoking 1 cigarette or a cigar and they are pulled into JC and put on public reproof.
Blatant ignorance and stupidity
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WTWizard
Smoking is actually bad for your health, and it is a waste of money. One only has to Google "Health Hazards and Tobacco" or something like that to find out how bad it really is, and they are finding new problems with smoking every year.
But, that is punishment enough, except if you are forcing children to be continually exposed to your smoke (in which case, it could also ruin that child's health). I see nothing wrong with someone smoking, somewhere that no one else is going to be affected. And, someone that occasionally smokes a cigar is doing minimal damage to their health (and probably paying upward of $10 a cigar for premium cigars). I do not recommend it, but it really is no one's business whether they smoke or not. And, it should not be allowed to break up a family because of an uncle that smokes a cigar a week or so.
No, I do not smoke (and I never did before I became a witless). I never smoked because I didn't like secondhand smoke and didn't see any point in trying it, for the health effects, and because it was a waste of money and time. The only thing I have against others doing it is that it stinks, and the secondhand smoke can affect my health and that of those around them. However, that only happens if I am exposed to enough smoke to smell. Notably, since I turned apostate, I have been exposed to less smoke than I was when I was active as a witless.
As for the real health hazards, being a witless is worse. You never get enough sleep. That alone is as bad as smoking, if not worse. You are staying up late for boasting sessions, and then having to get up at 5:30 in the morning to do street work. The long hours needed to make a living (no college) makes it worse. And, if you are pioneering as you should be (remember, you will be held accountable if you are not), you will find yourself averaging less than 6 hours of sleep a night. Prime candidate for an accident, plus it slows your metabolism as bad as diabetes does. That explains why some of them are so fat.
As bad, there is the Pioneer Diet. I will not preach against someone that enjoys an occasional Big Mac or a Whopper. However, as a steady diet, those things will ruin your health as much as smoking would. Add a continual supply of TV dinners, and you have the recipe for a major health problem later in life (and not so much later at that). Coffee, in moderation, is not a health issue. However, when added to the above diet, and used as your whole breakfast in place of adequate sleep, it can be a problem that can aggravate health problems from the above. (No, that is not to bash Starbucks--it's the displacement of sleep that does most of the damage).
And, there is the risk of getting something at the door. Along with a donation for the Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund, you risk getting a flu. Or, perhaps that person coughing nonstop has tuberculosis and you could pick that up, too. To me, that is a much more serious health risk than smoking, even heavy smoking. I am glad I quit field circus.
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Witness 007
Hey "Wilda" how can anyone living in 2008 believe smoking is NOT bad for you???? Come on!!!!!
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inkling
If the elder body realizes that they are consistently eating unhealthy and thus treating their temple poorly can or should they disfellowship such a one?
Based on the logic used to DF a smoker, yes, that would be a consistent position.
I never said JW DFing law was rational or consistent. It certainly is not morally justified.
(oh, and technically "gluttony" IS a DFable offence. It's just really hard to prove.)
[inkling]
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Hope4Others
I'm think it might be frowned upon since it is considered a drug (pot), and they may say there are other alternatives. (Are there?)
Depending on how much pot you keep on hand could be a problem. After so many joints on hand I think it is considered trafficking. Is it legal in your Country?
Hope4Others
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Witness 007
No it's not legal here....but alot of people have become rich growing pot in "the outback" very hard to Police here.
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Vachi 8 He Is
How do I justify it? Simple, I'm going to have some fun in this life even if it kills me.
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yumbby
I only smoke cloves when I'm drinking (can anyone say goth clubs?) but after working at National Jewish Medical and Research Center (number one respitory hospital in US) and seeing what smoking does to people, I avoid it like the plague.