by AlmostAtheist 60 Replies latest jw friends
If I was that "addicted" and could afford it, I would have myself dropped on an island with no "smokes" and just be forced to detox. That and my subscription to Playboy- oh wait is that another vice- doh!
They'd have to cut my hands off to cure me of my vice...
u/d (of the not wealthy enough to smoke class)
Hi Fair??? its Fairchild isn't it?? yes
Every ones body/brain/mind/emotions and "reactions" are different. Even if they may be slightly so.
Some one like you has the ability to control their actions but not always the reactions of the brain/mind and body to stimulants or depressants.
With the established rules you have given your self, I see no reason to feel guilt or worry about what others may think. I doubt the small amount of smoking you do will harm you.
Since our dna determines what kind of lungs/heart we have and their tolerance to smoking, it is kind of a toss up.
Nice to see you posting here and free from the borg.
Outoftheorg
So the question is, how are we able to justify this suicidal practice to ourselves?
We justify all our bad habits because they're addictions and it's human nature to justify our behavior, even when we know what we're doing is killing ourselves. I've never smoked a day in my life, but I had a food addiction that I simply couldn't break, even though I tried and tried and tried.....I finally had what's called a "gastroplasty", where they reduce the size of your stomach, but don't bypass anything and I'm down 50 lbs. I hated what my addiction was doing to me so I did what I had to to change it. I exercise 4-5 times per week too, which helps A LOT.
While it's up to each individual as to whether or not you want to stop smoking, you have to realize that with an addiction like smoking, it's affecting not only you, but others around you because they breathe in the smoke you're exhaling. If I were in a restaurant eating a piece of chocolate cake and I spewed half of it all over people at the next table, I don't think they'd appreciate it too much.
Any addiction is very difficult to break, and you have to WANT to quit. A close friend of mine, an ex-Dub, started smoking again last year after quitting 30 years ago. It's cost her big time. Not only is she coughing more now, but her kids (all Dubs) found out she was smoking and will no longer allow her to see her grandchildren. She's furious but she won't quit smoking. She views this as a power-struggle between her and the religion and she said to me "there's no way they're telling ME what I can and can't do!" I said to her "you raised your kids as Witnesses, so their reaction to your smoking cannot possibly surprise you."
While I know she's hurt that she can't see her grandchildren until she quits smoking, I view it that she's chosen cigarettes over her grandchildren---and she lived for those kids. I don't agree with what her kids have done, but unfortunately if we've got family in the Borg, what we do can still affect family ties.
If I were in a restaurant eating a piece of chocolate cake and I spewed half of it all over people at the next table, I don't think they'd appreciate it too muchThat's quite a visual. I'll have to remember that. Jeannie
Fairchild,
I'm glad you've achieved a measure of peace over your addiction. I won't ask "have you tried...?" because whatever I could mention, I'm sure you've tried it.
You're right about the different physical make up for each person. There is a "pleasure center" in your brain that tells you when you're happy. If I open up your head and jam a 9-volt battery against that center, you'll be tickled pink until I quit. (Or so they say, you get the idea) We're just computers, being happy when we're told to be, sad when we're told to be. (Apologies to those that feel this isn't true, I should qualify this by saying this is only my opinion)
Abe Lincoln is said to have said, "People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." If you spend your life fighting a losing battle, you'll die a loser. If you decide this battle's not worth fighting and concentrate on the overall picture, you eventually die a winner. Seems like a reasonable course.
Dave
you have to realize that with an addiction like smoking, it's affecting not only you, but others around you because they breathe in the smoke you're exhaling. If I were in a restaurant eating a piece of chocolate cake and I spewed half of it all over people at the next table, I don't think they'd appreciate it too much.
That's not a smoking problem, that's a bad manners problem. Smokers that smoke around non-smokers (except in designated smoking areas) really bug me. Walking down a crowded sidewalk while smoking seems rude, knowing how many people are bothered by it. It also torques me off when they throw their butts on the ground, like there's some sort of butt-service that will come around behind them and clean it up.
I don't smoke around any non-smokers. I either smoke out of the house, or in the garage. If you came in my house, you couldn't smell it. (Except on me, of course!)
It still affects others, though. I'll die sooner, cough more, have less energy for playing with my kids, have less money, have at least some measure of stress over the cognitive dissonance required to do what I know will kill me. So your point is valid, in my opinion.
Dave
Hey Athiest Dave.
Not to change the topic, BUT you mentioned something I often wonder about. "we are computers"
I have often wondered as I ponder this God-creation-thing.
Might we be a biological product "computer" manufactured to be self replicating and serving some unseen unknown race of entities.
This thought ever cross your mind?
Outoftheorg
...and smoke would appease the computer-gods?
Cool!!!
Might we be a biological product "computer" manufactured to be self replicating and serving some unseen unknown race of entities.This thought ever cross your mind?
It never had until now. THANKS ALOT! ;-)
The case for evolution is too strong in my opinion to believe someone put "man" here as he is. I can certainly buy that somebody got life started on our planet, though I tend not to think so. Given a little evidence though, I could be swayed.
In Scott Adams' book "God's Debris", a character suggests that people help god or hurt god by obeying or disobeying probability. If you smoke, your probability of an early and more painful death is greater, which acts against the interests of God. (His interests are in generating more and more people to increase overall knowledge and intelligence) If you stop smoking, you're in harmony with probability and essentially "on God's side".
Adams' says it's a thought-experiment, not meant to reflect his views or the "truth". But it's definitely thought-provoking.
Dave
Wow Fairchild! That was really honest of you. I know so many smokers who won't admit to themselves the fact that they don't actually like smoking - that they can't stop even if they wanted too.
I started smoking when I was 16 and left the JWs mainly just to be extra rebellious. I stopped when I reejoined and the next time too. When I left for good in 98 disfellowshipped because I started smoking again I thought I would never be able to give up. Why? Because I seriously believed that I had only managed to stop before because I had Jehovah's holy spirt helping me. Well two years ago I read the Allen Carr book and gave up for 6 months and relaised that it had nothing to do with god's spirit which was a tremendous relief to me.
However I re started in a moment of weakness when drinking and gradually started smoking regularly again - regularly being two or three times a week when I will smoke about 20 with a few drinks. I tried again in Jan of this year using the book as my magic talisman but only managed 12 days before crumbling. I can honestly say I hate smoking, I hate people who smoke on sidewalks, I hate the smell on my clothes, i hate the smell in the house when I do smoke. I can even walk behind a puffing person holding my breath because I literally cannot bare it and then I can walk into a tobacconist and buy 20. I am addicted and torn between the comfort of smoking when at parties. The smokers are by far outnumbeered by the non smokers these days, so it means that I can abscond with a small group of one or two to smoke outside and feel more comfortable as I hate large crowds.
I am worried about the health implications, although not worried about clinging onto dear life into my 80s and 90s, as Walter said. I have no kids and dont plan to. One day I would like to be clean of it because it is a filthy habit like everyone says who doesnt smoke, but I can not stop for some reason at the moment. I can go a few days but eventually I will be compelled to open a bottle of wine and have a few fags. Which is exactly what I'm going to do when I get home. x
