Smoking and JWS (page 2)

IP_SEC

here'sa few actually this is kind of a hijack of gringo's original post. Sorry man.

*** g86 4/8 p. 9 Facing the Facts: Tobacco Today ***

Christians find the moral and Scriptural objections to tobacco use to be of even more weight than medical or health warnings. Tobacco use originated with animism, spiritism, and worship of man-made gods?all condemned in the Bible as degrading practices that lead one away from the Creator. (See box, ?The Sacred Leaf That Caught On,? page 4.) (Romans 1:23-25) Smoking is unclean, dangerous, and contrary to Christian standards. (2 Corinthians 7:1) More importantly, addictiveness brings the habit within the scope of ?druggery??a condemnatory term used in the Bible for spiritually damaging and superstitious practices.?See the Reference Bible footnote on Revelation 21:8; 22:15.

*** jv chap. 13 pp. 180-181 Recognized by Our Conduct ***

For many years that counsel seemed to suffice. But as tobacco companies used advertising to glamorize smoking, and then abuse of ?illegal? drugs became widespread, more was needed. Other Bible principles were highlighted: respect for Jehovah, the Giver of life (Acts 17:24, 25); love for neighbor (Jas. 2:8), and the fact that a person who does not love his fellowman does not really love God (1 John 4:20); also obedience to secular rulers (Titus 3:1). It was pointed out that the Greek word phar·ma·ki´a, which basically signifies ?druggery,? was used by Bible writers to refer to ?practice of spiritism? because of the use of drugs in spiritistic practices.?Gal. 5:20.

*** w73 6/1 pp. 338-339 Keeping God?s Congregation Clean in the Time of His Judgment ***

15 The Scriptural evidence points to the conclusion that they do not. As has been explained in other issues of this magazine, the Greek word phar·ma·ki´a used by Bible writers and translated ?practice of spiritism? or ?spiritistic practices? has the initial meaning of ?druggery.? (Gal. 5:20; Rev. 9:21) The term came to refer to spiritistic practices because of the close connection between the use of drugs and spiritism. Tobacco was also used initially by the American Indians in this way. It can properly be placed, therefore, in the category of addictive drugs like those that provided the source for the Greek term phar·ma·ki´a. The nicotine in tobacco does not have the same mental and emotional effects produced by ?hard? drugs such as heroin or the so-called psychedelic drugs like LSD; yet nicotine addiction does definitely affect the mind and exercises a strong enslavement. In Europe at the close of World War II, in some instances cigarettes were worth more than money. Reportedly, prostitutes sold themselves for a few cigarettes, and ordinary people sacrificed even food ration coupons to obtain tobacco.

heathen

What they fail to show is where in the bible does it say to disfellowship over it ? That is a pretty far out exsplanation . Yes nicotene is a drug , there is no argument there but as far as being hallucinogenic I don't see how . I was told that pot makes you hallucinate , I don't get that either .I bet most people can't even spell hallucinate ..... LOL Had to check the dictionary on that one myself .

FairMind

Whether smoking is spiritism or not I am glad that the WTS in 1973 banned it. At the time I smoked but with the option of be DFd or quit, I quit. My doctor (years later) after looking at my chest X-rays and noting scarred lung tissue said that stopping smoking was probably one of the wisest things I had done. Considering that my father and sister died from lung cancer and my mother from congestive heard failure (all heavy smokers) I am totally against smoking.

I would agree that obesity and junk food diets are not good things. Eating however is a natural function of living (smoking is very unnatural) and obesity and bad diet IMO should not be categorized as similar to smoking. My thinking is that obesity and eating junk food fall under the category lack of self-control.

FairMind

Whether smoking is spiritism or not I am glad that the WTS in 1973 banned it. At the time I smoked but with the option of be DFd or quit, I quit. My doctor (years later) after looking at my chest X-rays and noting scarred lung tissue said that stopping smoking was probably one of the wisest things I had done. Considering that my father and sister died from lung cancer and my mother from congestive heard failure (all heavy smokers) I am totally against smoking.

I would agree that obesity and junk food diets are not good things. Eating however is a natural function of living (smoking is very unnatural) and obesity and bad diet IMO should not be categorized as similar to smoking. My thinking is that obesity and eating junk food fall under the category lack of self-control.

fairchild

Well, I have always learned that eating a steak which is cooked on a charbroiler is as harmful to the body as smoking 500 cigerettes. If this is exact or not, I wouldn't know because I'm not a scientist, but it is proven that charbroiled food is very harmful. Perhaps this should become the next milestone on the disfellowshiping road then? And how about drinking too much? Many JWs do.

As for the intake of fat, no offence, but I can positively say that 90% of the people at the KH where I went were overweight. It was almost hilarious to sit there and look around during the meeting.... so many overweight people. Isn't that an open invitation for heart disease?

JW`smoke terribly if you leave them on the BBQ too long.....OUTLAW

Hahahaha.

LongHairGal

I had to stop smoking in order to be baptized. It was probably the hardest thing I ever did but I am glad.

Probably one of the few good things I accomplished as a dub.

Smoking and JWS

IP_SEC

heathen

FairMind

FairMind

fairchild

fairchild

itsallgoodnow

OUTLAW

fairchild

LongHairGal

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