I am a Christian, I smoke, I know its stupid, but is it more of a sin than being?

Question

Is it more a sin than being overweight? Doesn't that also cause harm to your body and show lack of control? I'm not trying to say that smoking is by any means a good thing, but at church its perfectly ok to show up obese, or with a great tan, but if they found out you smoked!!!! They would form a prayer circle for you and be all judgemental. I just feel that its a little uneven. God knows my struggle and will deal with me. I'm sick of feeling like a criminal and hiding. It makes me not want to be with them. I know its bad testimony, but we ALL have our issues.

Answer 1

Yes, I see your point here. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and it is as much as a sin to be over weight as it is to smoke, because it is all abuse of the body which the Lord has given us, and wants us to look after, so that we can be well, and serve Him.

What I advise, is that you live your life for the Lord, and seek to give up, asking Him yourself for His power to come on you, so that you can give up. It will take some of your own effort too, but just keep giving it to the Lord. No one has a right to judge you, and please please don't worry about OTHER PEOPLE.

There is a scripture which I seek to put into practice daily.

AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. - What this means to me is not to allow for other people to come between you and your relationship with God.

God Bless You.

Answer 2

Don't worry so much. It should be between you and God (since you believe in God). The bible has a word for the kind of judgmental people you describe: Pharisees. I went through similliar feelings years ago. One option is to take a break from church or try to find a more tolerant and accepting one. You can look at this experience in many different ways: maybe this is a test for you to strengthen your faith in God and look beyond the actions of others, focusing more on your own relationship; maybe you can see fundamentalism as a paradigm and that there are various kinds of Christianity that are much more accepting. Don't know if this helps any. Good luck.

Answer 3

Yes, everybody does have their issues. And remembering that is always good so long as it's not a way to give yourself permission to continue in your issue (does that make sense?)

I'm confused about the giant circle of prayer and judgment thing though. Repentance is something private between you and God (and maybe your ecclesiastical leader, and someone you may have hurt depending on what it is).

Can you tell them that you appreciate your concern, that it's something you're working on, but you'd prefer for them to pray in the privacy of their homes about this because all the attention just makes you feel emabarrased.

I don't know if they'll listen, but it's worth a shot.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Smoking is not even mentioned in the Bible. People aren't to judge other people in the first place, it's in the Bible! God does all that just fine on his own. Do you care what your church thinks of you or what God thinks of you? Pray about your smoking if you don't want to do it anymore. Ask for the strength to stop. If you want to smoke then go ahead, God isn't going to hold you accountable for lung cancer. Your time is numbered by Him anyway. You die when He wants you to. If you live like a Christian and do what He asks of you then forget the judgements of a group of people. If they told you to jump off a bridge would you? If God asked you would because he's the only one who can save you midfall. Am I right? I think so. Many people have problems only God can fix and without Him we are all nothing. When in doubt go to your bible and ask for guidance while reading. Have a blessed day.

Answer 5

people are not nice are they, and sometimes christians are the worst thus the say the christian army is the only one that shoots it's wounded.
People who smoke can get into heaven. I myself am terribly alergic so I stay away.
Lately since I have a digestive problem I heard that the tobacco that you put in your lip would aid in digestion and it does. Trying it a found out tobacco gets ya high, a pleasant surprise. This method does not affect others unless you just think you need to spit. My idea for you is that when people arearround you can put just a bee bee size pinch under your tongue. it goes right to your head and with an amount that smaal not much need to spit. Might be a temporary measure for when people are arround. In the lip means spitting and takes longer to get to your head.

Answer 6

Everyone is a sinner, and those who are calling you out as one are sinning doing just that. If we struggle with something and use it as a crutch, it's a sin. But you've acknowledged that you have troubles with it and that's what matters. You are saved, that's what TRULY matters. Yes, obesity is a sin because it is using food as a god. Just ignore these people or let them know they need to take the plank out of their own eye, before trying to take the speck out of your's.

Answer 7

I'M A SMOKER TOO AND KNOW I'M CAUSING MYSELF HARM AND WONDER ABOUT THE SINFULNESS OF IT TOO.SMOKING IS A SLOW SUICIDE BUT THEN AGAIN I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT NICOTINE WAS PUT ON EARTH NOT INTENDING TO BE SO ADDICTIVE. I THINK 1 OR 2 CIGARETTES A DAY IS FAIR.
IT'S NOT A SIN TO SMOKE AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE ONLY CONCERNED FOR YOUR LIFES HEALTH SO GO EASY ON THEM.
BY THE WAY....BEING FAT IS NEVER A SIN.THAT LITTLE JUSTIFICATION OF YOURS TRYING TO TAKE THE HEAT OFF YOUR OWN BAD HABITS IS'NT GONNA FLY.THAT WAS TOTAL BS. SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE BORN BIGGER PROPORTIONED/FRAMED THAN OTHER PEOPLE,QUIT JUDGING WHO SHOULD DESERVE LIFE AND GODS LOVE.LEAVE IT UP TO THE CREATOR.

Answer 8

We all have our issues, and we all struggle with something. I don't think that it is healthy to obsess over "how others are treated".

In our society it is considered impolite and downright rude to discuss a person's health due to weight concerns directly to them. People will discuss this "behind her back" but not with the person directly. Our society doesn't see discussing smoking as "rude" in the same fashion. I think that perhaps they see obesity as something so much worse that they can't even discuss it socially.

Deal with this in your own way, remember that no one is forcing you to quit, and your creator (whoever you believe it to be) loves you no matter what you do.

Answer 9

I am also a Catholic (and a CCD teacher) smoker. The catechism says that gluttony includes over use of tobacco, food, alcohol, etc. but makes no condemnation of moderate use of all such products. One of my favorite quotes from Scripture is Psalms 18:8 or 19:8, depending on your version of the Bible, which is the only place in the Bible where somebody smokes -- it is God the Father.

Answer 10

I don't know what church you go to, but I know where I go we don't judge based on if you smoke. That is a personal decision that, yes affects your health, but it is your own choice. The only thing that I ask of you is please think of the people that you are harming by smoking. Second hand smoke kills.