Two interesting Articles - Smoking isn't just a bad habit; it is a moral failing.

[Jherek]

Electronic cigarettes lack smoke but not addiction

Quote regarding vaping as an alternative to smoking:

“There are no benefits whatsoever. You are still getting nicotine in the form of a cigarette,” she said. “It even looks like a normal cigarette so the psychological addiction of still holding a cigarette would be there.”

Electronic cigarettes lack smoke but not addiction | panama, addiction, smoke - News - The News Herald
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(Disclaimer: I am in no way anti-Christian, or against any other religious/spiritual faith. Rather, I seek to understand, so that effective counter arguments can be constructed. I do NOT think most anti-smoking zealots are doing it out of a duty to the Christian faith. Rather, anti-smoking IS their religion.)

Most Christians Think Smoking Is A Sin


"Out of 2,400 Christians that responded to the survey, 59% stated that smoking is sinful,..."

Most Christians Think Smoking Is A Sin

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As infuriating and DANGEROUS as this strange, puritanical attitude is (it is literally threatening our lives), I think it needs to be examined more fully.

(ahem)

We are up against a particularly rotten branch of the temperance crusade. Vapers are taking away their self-appointed mission to banish the "sin" of the *act* of smoking from the Earth. They do not want to learn about the relative benefits of vaping, as it would undermine their calling. Indeed, by vaping, rather than smoking, we are doing them harm. They are losing their mission; we are taking away their path to moral salvation. On a strictly visceral level, vapers are *attacking* them, too, by taking away their principal source of schadenfreude.

It is no wonder the anti-smoking crusade clings to such vehement willful, dedicated ignorance, and outright intellectual dishonesty, in regards vaping.

[climbs off soapbox]

[MadeyeTony]

I wish people would have listened more to Confucius than Jesus. Confucius put his golden rule in the negative: What you do not want done to yourself, do not do unto others.

In other word leave other people the f*** alone!

[abhowe]

I am a smoking Christian...... Most Christians talk about smoking as a sin..... They fail to realize that smoking was a very common social practice during the days of Jesus..... He never condemned it..... He did condemn drinking alcohol to excess...... Most fundamental Christians will not drink alcohol and say that Jesus did not drink wine...... That is contrary to the Bible......
The Bible has much to say about Gluttony, but you won't hear a word about it in the churches...... Look at all the fat preachers and fat Christians that will condemn smoking and "Pig Out " continuously....... Such hypocracy.......
How many of those same Christians drink coffee or soft drinks...... Caffine and nicotine are cousins and have almost the same effects....... Again, if they do it, it is OK...... But if you do it, you are going to Hell...... People wonder why I stay away from churches.......

[Sevenchan]

What nonsense. I know more Christian smokers than non-Christian smokers. I even know a priest who smokes. No one has ever suggested for a minute that it's sinful. Then again I am in Japan. I think this "temperance run wild" must be a US of A thing

[kcr]

The only Christians I know of that say "smoking is a sin" are of the holiness and independent Baptist varieties, certainly not all of Christendom.

[martha1014]

I have always heard that smoking want send you to hell just make you smell like you have been.

[solaar]

I'm not religious, so no comment on that particular claim BUT I know that in my neck of the woods (Europe) it's mostly the catholic regions where there's still a relative tolerance for smokers and where cigs are still more affordable than, let's say in the UK or scandinavia who are predominantly protestant. They also seem to become increasingly militant.

But then again, it might as well be that they're catholic only on paper...

[bikergirl1908]

So I guess folks are also sinning by ingesting caffiene and alcohol too? What's next, fried food and red meat? All of the moralizing just irks me to no end!

[SheerLuckHolmes]

And they seem to ignore the ever popular 'attend to the log in your own eye before trying to remove the splinter from the eye of someone else'. In other words, 'clean up you own act before harping on the behaviors of others'.

I'm waiting for the next reality game show, "Shunning". Fifteen contestants live alone in a monestary for 39 days, fending for themselves while tending to the crops and making holy wine. Every third day they assemble in a sanctuary to vote out one of their own based upon uncovered and exposed sins. The one remaining that has been the most successful at hiding their own 'sins' by schemming, outting others, lieing, cheating and attacking the character of other contestants in entertaining and creative ways wins an all expense paid vacation to Reno, Nevada and a three day stay at the Mustang Ranch.

[AngusATAT]

Originally Posted by SheerLuckHolmes

The one remaining that has been the most successful at hiding their own 'sins' by schemming, outting others, lieing, cheating and attacking the character of other contestants in entertaining and creative ways wins an all expense paid vacation to Reno, Nevada and a three day stay at the Mustang Ranch.

In other words... they become televangelists?