hoghead1 wrote:
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Replying to theStudent]
I firmly believe that God wants us to think for ourselves, question all authority, and maximize such beauty as we can under the circumstances. I seek to maintain a healthy skepticism about tradition, an emphasis on creativity, and favor personal experience over dogma. I think that alcohol, tobacco, and other intoxicating plants are beautiful things, which God put here specifically for us to enjoy, and I intend in so doing. I don't think the Bible specifically and directly addresses the matter under consideration, as it dos not deal with smoking, and it would be an abuse of Scripture to assume it is a textbook of modern medicine.
Well, I understand that we all have views, and all of us, I believe, were born with a conscience, which the Bible says is trained by use.
So, as a child grows its conscience is shaped by their surroundings, their guidance, or lack of it, etc.
Hence, something can seem right to a person, even though it is wrong, simply because their conscience was trained to
accept it as right.
Some persons' maturity can even be stunted, simply by the company they keep.
The Bible states these facts, and shows that a person's conscience can be trained properly by God's guidance.
(Hebrews 5:11-14)
Concerning him we have much to say and hard to be explained, since YOU have become dull in YOUR hearing. For, indeed, although YOU ought to be teachers in view of the time, YOU again need someone to teach YOU from the beginning the elementary things of the sacred pronouncements of God; and YOU have become such as need milk, not solid food. For everyone that partakes of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong.
For Jehovah's Witnesses, this means that a person's conscience can become a reliable "compass", when guided by Bible principles.
In other words, their conscience is so well trained, they can perceive what is right or wrong, without someone having to write out a law for every possible thing, by just following basic Bible principles.
Take the following, for example that were mentioned.
Smoking
Pornography
- Avoid greed, and have self control. Respect others. 1 Corinthians 7:2; Colossians 3:5, 6; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6
- Train you mind on clean things, not filth, and you will have peace. "You are what you eat". Phillipians 4:8, 9; Romans 12:2
One cannot honestly say they value their life, and the life of others, and be a smoker.
While nicotine may not kill you, the same as pornography wouldn't kill you, they both are bad habits - addictions, that we must try to break. According to the Bible, they are both sinful practices.
(Romans 6:12) . . .
do not let sin continue to rule as king in your mortal bodies so that you should obey their desires.
...the possibility that people can be addicted to nicotine, but not die from it, is at the heart of a growing debate in the scientific community. Scientists don't doubt nicotine is addictive, but some wonder if a daily dose could be as benign as the caffeine many of us get from a morning coffee.
(John 8:34) “Most truly I say to you,
every doer of sin is a slave of sin.
Some of these principles apply to almost all things in life.
A person guided by such principles, would not dump garbage on their neighbor's property.
They would not fondle the breast or genitals of a minor.
They would not sit and be entertained by movies featuring violence, profanity, vulgar jokes, nor blood and gore.
They would not get involved in dangerous sports, like car racing.
Psalms 11:5; Ephesians 4:31, 32; 5:3-6;
They have their sense of awareness trained by scriptural principles, to know what is right and wrong.
So true Christians do not condone these things, by baptizing persons who show that the scripture have no impact on how they live their lives.
If the scriptures do not impact on our lives, how can we make a dedication to do his will.
In everyday life, people apply these same principles.
Do you think you would be hired as a police officer, if you were a known pimp?
Would you not first have to show that you are not pursuing that lifestyle anymore?
If someone does not have control over their mind, and body, how can they be committed to helping others change their lives.
When we follow Bible principles, imo, we are on the right track.
Some people find that out a bit too late, like when they are on their dying bed, or when they get bad news from their doctor, or when they have no control on their children who want to follow mommy's, or daddy's bad ways.
But apart from sinning each person makes the decision on what their lives will be.
Is Nicotine Dangerous?
Nicotine in high doses acts as an effective nerve poison and can have a number of potentially harmful side effects. It is extremely physically addicting, though estimates on the exact degree of addiction range wildly from very low levels to those rivaling that of heroine or cocaine. If taken in large doses — larger than almost anyone is likely to achieve through smoking — it may induce severe nausea or vomiting. In small doses, it may increase blood pressure, which can prove harmful, or in very rare cases, be fatal to those with dangerous heart conditions.
Whether experts know if this is a fact or not, should it matter?
What are the benefits - other than quitting smoking?
