Thursday, January 31, 2008

Can Christians Smoke?


I have just had a 36 hour internet nightmare, total black out thanks to the very unhelpful people at Telefonica!

Anyway, I want to answer anonymous who asked me does: enjoying a cigar make you any less of a christian? and whose daughter told her that she couldn't be a proper christian because she smoked! Sorry I am assuming gender. 

Does smoking make you any less of a christian? Well I have to say NO to that one, as I smoke. I could do a little christian lying here and say I enjoy the occasional cigar, but I don't, I have about 5 or 6 a day and if I don't have one in the morning I feel grumpy and irritable!

It's not good for me and any form of addiction isn't helpful for people in general. It doesn't make me any less of a christian but it does show that I am weak. I am a weak nicotine addicted Christian that God is gracious enough to still love and still use. 

That leads me to the other point "proper Christians" are weak and flawed, earthen vessels. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

What gets to me about the smoking issue is that it is difficult to hide, it's smelly and gets noticed. Of course the masturbating christian can hide, the bitter christian can hide, the envious christian can hide, the greedy christian can hide!

It's okay to be addicted to caffeine, which I probably am!

What about fat christians, you can't be fat and be a christian, you're killing yourself! Why do we never give an altar call "could all the obese chubbers please come forwarded to be delivered from their food addiction" it's seems acceptable to be fat and a Jesus follower! 

Do you think Jesus could have been fat? after all he spent a lot of time eating and feasting..... he probably wasn't sugar addicted.

What about the diet addicts? the people who damage their metabolism by yo yo-ing their weight.

What about the exercise addicts who get off on endorphins?

I am not trying to justify my own addiction, just frustrated that some things are acceptable and other aren't. I hate the inconsistency of it all.

Judge not lest yee be judged, there's to much judgement in certain areas of the church.

Thats what I love about my Christian faith, is that God loves me despite my weaknesses, he is totally for me and if I gave up smoking tomorrow he would still love me as much as he does today.

Of course he doesn't want me to damage my body, I'm sure he would prefer me to follow a healthier lifestyle, but he doesn't make that a condition of His Love.

“You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.”

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

well said!

Anonymous said...

Nice one, Brian.

And let's not forget our addiction to charity shops. Do you think there will be any of those out in the Scottish countryside?

EF said...

i like that Brian. it's true, you shouldn't smoke, (grin) and i shouldn't be so paranoid about gaining weight and needing to exercise - because our bodies are holy places of GOD. rightly said, we have a GOD who loves us whether or not we have an addiction to something. but, controversially, do we as Christians tend to say 'well GOD loves me and cuts me slack' and then we don't take ourselves to task and begin the process of breaking the habit? should we look more closely at those things we cling to? perhaps in our mistrust of giving EVERYTHING of ourselves wholly to GOD, we create these habits, addictions if you will, so that we've something to block the purity and perfection we can't understand and are afraid of?

Anonymous said...

Great answer! Well said! Thank you! I'm a 'closet' smoker and as a result a 'closet' christian also, as I asumed no-one would associate me with Christianity if I smoked! I actually told someone today for the very first time I ws a Christian!!!

Anonymous said...

I miss after dinner Ibiza smoking sessions!

Natalie said...

Amen brother! I am not a smoker...but I am addicted to chocolate and worry. Same shit different pile is what I say!

p.s. I found your blog linked from Dan King's.

Anonymous said...

I read this post yesterday, and again today. I'm addicted to facebook (or stalkbook as my friends call it :)
God really challenge me on this reading your blog, for me I think facebook is worse than smoking coz it takes me away from my time with my family, and more importantly my time with God.
I don't think all people struggle with it to the extent I do though, but we all have different addictions. And thankfully we have a gracious God who can help us break them & uses us & loves us in the meantime!
Sorry this comment was so long :)