Smoking Tabbaco

PFC Nektarios · Post by **PFC Nektarios** » Mon 2 February 2004 2:39 am

What's the Orthodox opinion on Cigaret smoking? Does the Church even have one? I am in last semester of High School (THANK GOD!!! $/\$ $/\$ ) So I run across this topic alot as you know. What do you guys think?

In Christ
OL

Liudmilla · Post by **Liudmilla** » Mon 2 February 2004 7:44 am

You're not supposed to be defiling the body God gave you and that includes smoking......

OrthodoxyOrDeath · Post by **OrthodoxyOrDeath** » Mon 2 February 2004 9:01 am

Any kind of a compulsive passion that controls you is very very bad. The whole idea of fasting is to tame your bodies passions because when we fast, we don't just fast from foods, we are supposed to fast from all sorts of luxuries and wants.

It is all about controlling yourself.

The problem with smoking is that you cannot fast from it - it is in control of you and most/all Orthodox priests, (and I don't mean those of the ecumenist churches) will work with you until you've quite.

Joe Zollars · Post by **Joe Zollars** » Mon 2 February 2004 9:57 am

that is the way I understand it as well.

Nicholas Zollars

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Mon 2 February 2004 12:44 pm

I recall Bp. Ignatius Brianchaninov having what struck me as a very odd perspective on this in his book The Arena. I expected him to be 100% totally against it. Well, he was against it, but he also made an exception if the monks were addicted. He basically said: "Don't do it... but if you do, don't let other monks see because they'll be tempted". Orthodoxy really is about getting healthy, and not about following rules. The doctor won't make you follow the rules for a healthy life... but then, if you want a healthy life, you're much better off doing that which you know is spiritually profitable. Eventually, you'll have the doctor looking sternly at you and saying "Why'd you do all this bad stuff?" The fearful thing is if he says "I'm afraid I can't heal you now, you've chosen your path". Will tobacco send you to hell? I doubt it. Then again, as Chesterton said, when one is balancing, an inch can make all the difference.

PFC Nektarios · Post by **PFC Nektarios** » Mon 2 February 2004 4:49 pm

I am not a smoker I was just wonder what the position of the church is. My mom smokes. She is Byzantine Catholic.

In Christ
OL

away · Post by **away** » Mon 2 February 2004 5:51 pm

I am a smoker. Smoking is bad. I can tell that it is bad for me, bad for both my soul and body. This is clearer and clearer to me all the time. Sometimes it makes me cry, because once it takes hold, it is the most addictive thing. It is more addictive than herion, cocaine etc. I have tried to quit several times and I think I could, but my will is just so entwined with it.

I was surprised by some of the attitudes I found in the Church towards it, like St Ignatius'. They seem to have understood through experience with others what this particular passion is like. But it is still an evil addiction that makes everything you want and need to do for the sake of the Kingdom ten times as hard to achieve and even harder to preserve. God takes away our passions one by one and I am hopeful that one day I will not smoke anymore, for now, I must make it an occasion for humility and try to do it as little as possible.

Smoking sux, dont anybody take it up please, and anyone who is a catechumen and smokes, try to quit before you are baptised.