It is a scientific fact that smoking relieves stress. It is a scientific fact that stress contributes to health problems such as diseases cardiaques.Mais, surprisingly, no JW smoking is prohibited. They even throw a JW caught smoking in the congregation – they are disfellowshiped, I know of no other religion that prohibits their members to smoke under pain of excommunication.
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Smoking is proven to cause cancer and many other related disease. It is a bad, unclean, habit.
“Since we have these promises, beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in God’s fear.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)
Jehovah wants us to be free of practices that pollute our fleshly body and damage our spirit, or dominant mental inclination. We must therefore avoid addictive behaviors that are known to be harmful to physical and mental health.
You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.” (Matthew 22:37) Jesus singled out this commandment as the greatest of all. (Matthew 22:38) Jehovah deserves such love from us. To love him with our whole heart, soul, and mind, we must avoid practices that could shorten our life or dull our God-given thinking abilities.
“[Jehovah] gives to all persons life and breath and all things.” (Acts 17:24, 25) Life is a gift from God. We love the Giver, so we want to show respect for the gift. We shun any habits or practices that are detrimental to our health, for we recognize that such practices show a gross disrespect for the gift of life.—Psalm 36:9.
“You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) Unclean habits and practices often affect not only the practicer but also those around him. For example, exposure to secondhand smoke can have a harmful effect on nonsmokers. An individual who hurts those around him is violating the divine requirement that we love our neighbor. He also belies any claim that he loves God.—1 John 4:20, 21.
“Be in subjection and be obedient to governments and authorities as rulers.” (Titus 3:1) In many lands, the possession or use of certain drugs is a violation of the law. As true Christians, we do not possess or use illegal drugs.—Romans 13:1.
And also It is a scientific fact that produce Cancer.
People normally do not want to die, but some risk death for the sake of pleasure. For example, many use tobacco, chew betel nut, or take drugs for recreational purposes. Such substances harm the body and often kill the users. A person who makes it a practice to use these substances does not view life as sacred. These practices are unclean in God’s eyes. (Romans 6:19; 12:1; 2 Corinthians 7:1)
To serve God acceptably, we have to give up such practices. Although doing so might be very hard, Jehovah can give us the needed help. And he appreciates the effort we make to treat our life as a precious gift from him.
Smoking causes heart disease as well. boned either way i guess.
Is that really your argument?
2 Corinthians 7:1: “Therefore, since we have these promises, beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in God’s fear.”
Smoking does more than simply defile the flesh, polluting one’s body with noxious chemicals; it also defiles one’s spirit, or dominant mental force. Smoking is corrupt, selfish, ungodly.
The Bible says to respect the body that Jehovah gave you.
How is getting cancer respecting your body…I don’t think it is.
Doing things, that you know is going to do you harm, is like telling God that you are not grateful for his creation.
Steve
Jehovah’s Witnesses stop smoking before they are permitted to be baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their understanding is that they know the consequences before taking up the habit again.
No one is “blind-sighted” and put out of the congregation for smoking. The material that is studied, the scriptures that are gone over, and the questions asked to qualify for baptism are all very clear.
Very few Witnesses are actually disfellowshipped for smoking. Most find their health and quality of life greatly enhanced by removing smoking from their lives. And very few choose to return to smoking.
As for stress relief – making changes in their lives to conform to the Bible’s standards is the greatest stress relief available.
Smoking actually increases the cost of living and the health risks and sets a poor example of neighborly love and for those who are parents, a poor example to the children in the family.
That’s just obtuse. I smoked, right up until they tried to kill me via a heart attack. There’s some stress for you…but I suppose using your reasoning, if your dead you don’t have stress anymore. (sic)
There are NO benefits to smoking. Smoking will kill you.
When we decide to dedicate ourselves to Jehovah, we KNOW what will happen if we smoke, commit fornication, or any other gross sin…the provision of being disfellowshiped for bad, unrepentant behavior is NOT a surprise to anyone. Who else practiced this, why it was the 1st Century Christians who were following the Apostles guidance.
No, we are actually discouraging suicide in slow motion, and even homicide when others are affected by the habit. Your comparison of stress and heart disease is a poor joke. There are medications that relieve stress, even diet and exercise can help, but there is no benefit from smoking tobacco. Weed relieves stress, too, but it is illegal. What’s the difference?
Any Witness who has a problem with nicotine addiction is given a lot of help and counsel for quite a while before they would be disfellowshiped. And that would be for showing no repentance nor desire to quit. You’re right. Other religions don’t do it, but then they don’t care about Bible principles and wouldn’t even expel or excommunicate Hitler. They are cowards, we have Jehovah God backing us, big, big difference.
smoking is a nasty habit and I am glad that none of us smoke. I can not even stand being around anyone who smokes. I am so glad they stopped people from smoking in restaurants also. how many people get cancer from smoking. they see the warning on the carton and still continue smoking, then they want to sue the company. I rather listen to my Father Jehovah who knows best
Those who claim that smoking is a stress-reliever are just trying to justify their bad habits
The bible is more authorative than any scientifice research (2 Cor 7:1)
Disfellowshiping is not a knee jerk reaction. No one would get disfellowshipped for smoking unless they refuse to give it up and then you would be given an appropriate amount of time to kick the habit. My brother, who is not a witness is now dieing of lung cancer from smoking. He liked to smoke and found it very relaxing and stress relieving. He’s still smoking to relieve the stress of dieing from smoking. Yes, you’re absolutely correct! It does relieve stress….
Smoking is “stress relieving?”
Oh my goodness! I know that smoking causes among other things cancers of the throat, lungs and mouth.
It causes high blood pressure and restricts arteries and limits blood flow.
It rottens teeth and makes one’s breath foul.
It deadens taste buds and causes one not to be able to fully enjoy the deliciousness of certain dishes.
It dries out the skin, causes wrinkles from squinting, makes the voice hoarse, etc, etc, etc,
Why would anybody in their right mind want to do something so nasty and harmful? If a JW chooses to smoke he/she knows it a pollution to the body and not showing respect for the life God gave us.Therefore, we don’t engage in this habit. When you truly love someone, you goal in life is to please them…we LOVE Jehovah, and strive to put aside all harmful things that displease Him….that’s what love is, putting the interests of others ahead of your own.
http://www.watchtower.org
That is because our body is a kind of “temple” for Jehovah and we must respect our bodies. Everyone knows that smoking is really unhealthy.
Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of YOUR flesh: for even as YOU presented YOUR members as slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness with lawlessness in view, so now present YOUR members as slaves to righteousness with holiness in view.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in God’s fear.
Well, it is in the Bible so read it.
are you serious? It’s also a scientific fact that smoking causes heart disease, lung cancer, harms unborn babies, and this doesn’t just put YOU at risk, it puts everyone around you at risk!
We respect our bodies that are given to us by Jehovah and do not wilfully practice anything such as smoking that is harmful to us.
I daresay taking heroin relieves stress too..does this mean it is beneficial , healthy, or legal?
Ali x
You do know that there are other ways to relieve stress that don’t cause lung cancer right?
I feel dumber for even having read this.
It is NOT a “scientific fact” that smoking relieves stress.
What IS a scientific fact is that smoking harms the body.
What IS a scientific fact is that smoking has been proven to cause cancer, emphysema, and a number of other serious medical conditions.
What IS a scientific fact is that there are many ways to relieve stress that don’t involve your sucking in poisonous air into your lungs and causing your body much harm.
I win.
** Ahuvahb is NOT an “ex JW” nor has she ever had any kind of association with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
It just goes to prove how much the JW’s love one another by caring for the health of their members.
All faiths should take a leaf out of their book .
More proof they are the one & only true religion , by their love !!!
John 15:12 kjv
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Thank you for asking this question , even thought it tends to make you look stupid by advocating smoking is a good thing you give the chance for JW’s to show they are prepared to make strong stand for the health of their membership out of the love for each other as Jesus commanded
Rofl!
Great stuff!
We can eat smoked salmon & smokey bacon crisps (chips to you) though.
What more do you want?
WOW! Was this a real question? It is a scientific fact that smoking causes cancer and many more health problems that are way more serious than the “stress” you may find yourself experiencing if you were not smoking.
Also, I would recommend doing some research, about even other religious groups sharing that belief about smoking. The only difference is, they let their imperfect human desires overpower their decisions and they continue allowing it, belittling the counsel from the scriptures. this is sad
You stated: “I know of no other religion that forbids their members to smoke on pain of excommunication.” To be blunt, that’s because no other religion practices true Christianity. Can you picture Jesus smoking?
When a person makes a choice to do something that pollutes the body, they show gross disrespect for their own life as well as the Creator of life. If a person willfully chooses to do this, they are not welcome in the Christian congregation. If they choose to stop, they are welcome. It’s that simple.
It’s a myth that smoking relieves stress:
– The apparent relaxant effect of smoking only reflects the reversal of the tension and irritability that develop during nicotine depletion.
– Dependent smokers need nicotine to feel normal.
It is proven that when smokers manage to quit smoking, they gradually become less stressed over time. So, there are really no grounds for smokers to continue believing that cigarettes help relieve stress.
This is what scientists have concluded.
Smokers need to learn to manage stress properly, not by using a “crutch” like smoking…
__________________________
[Quote]“…they don’t care about Bible principles and wouldn’t even expel or excommunicate Hitler…”[/quote]
Wendi888, that cracked me up! Got to remember to use that one next time lol
Smoking violates Mark 12:31. You cannot say you love someone and slowly choking him/her to death. It is more stressful seeing a person dying on a bed with oxygen wired to his/her nose, wheezing, coughing, grasping for air. Surround him/her are his/her spouse, children, grandchildren, some of them also wheezing from inhaling the smoke over the years. Do you know how much stress to care for children with asthma?
Funny, I have started smoking very very rarely. I decided once that I wanted to be in the group of smokers that hang outside clubs and parties. It’s actually pretty fun. I also like smoking Hookah and P@^. Strangely, I have gotten to the point where I will smoke a cigarette once every few days after a meal or when I am bored. I do not feel any addictive urge towards it. I do not crave it at all. I smoked a whole pack one of Cloves (my cigarette of choice) and still haven’t found myself to crave it in an addictive way.
Some smokers are so neurotic about smoking they can’t even sit through a movie without taking a smoking break. That is really annoying. Also, if you live with a smoker, they will always try to sneak one in inside the house even if there is a rule not to. But in general I have found smoking with others to be enjoyable, relaxing, non-addictive and socially advantageous.
Oh, I also smoke a cigar with my friends on my birthday, or when their child was born and other special occasions. It is a male bonding thing to smoke a cigar with yopur son on his 18th birthday whicjh I am looking forward to doing.
Their reputation is important.
And smoking is bad for your health.
So why not quit? Its not like they’re kicking you out just because of your appearance…
Also, if they are willing to change and repent, they are allowed to come back, but they have to really mean it.
Yes, I know a couple of people that were disfellowshipped for smoking. I find it odd that I see that the JW’s are talking about valuing life and doing what you can do preserve life by not smoking, however they are ever so willing to throw their lives (and their innocent children’s lives) away by refusing a blood transfusion – a bit of an odd one, eh?
The refusal of Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept blood transfusions stems from a misunderstanding of the Biblical Scriptures at Leviticus 17 and Acts 15:29, both of which speak of not “eating” blood. The context of these Scriptures was in reference to animal sacrifice where God told Israel to pour animal blood out on the ground because the life of the flesh is in the blood. Once the blood was removed, Israelites were allowed to eat the meat of the animal that was sacrificed.
Nothing in these Scriptures speak of human blood, nor do they speak of non-sacrificial, blood transfusions where the blood is replaced in the human body with other human blood and not eaten. Thus, we conclude that the Scriptures Jehovah’s Witnesses use to support their blood refusal policies are taken completely out of context.
Furthermore, scientists affirm that one is not “eating” blood when the blood enters the body through the veins because the blood that is transfused into the veins functions like an organ of the body and merely replaces the blood lost during a surgical procedure or an injury. The body does not digest blood, so there is no connection whatsoever with the Biblical policy forbidding the eating of animal blood.