Are Christians allowed to drink caffeine and smoke?

Question

Smoke anything-=cigarettes, cigars, pipes.

Nicotine is a highly addictive mind altering drug.

Caffeine is the most popular legal mind altering drug.

Are Christians allowed to use mind altering drugs ever or only when they are legal?

And yes, grasshopper, caffeine and nicotine are drugs, drugs which your body even goes into withdrawal over if you are addicted.

Barbara< Babs, hate to break it to you , but caffeine and nicotine absolutely are mind altering drugs.

They alter your mood and your mental state,
they are mind altering drugs, if they weren't hun, no one would ever use them.

Answer 1

Generally most mainstream churches (Episcopal {my faith}, Catholic, Lutheran) do not prohibit social drinking (Jesus drank socially) or smoking. Churches like Holiness and Nazarene and many Penticostal Churches, specifically prohibit Smoking and Drinking, but not coffee. Members tend to adhere pretty well to these things.
Popular, but not mainstream churches like Southern Baptist, etc, generally take a dim view of smoke and drink, but many members do one or both. The Mormons prohibit all three and member adherance to these beliefs is very high, although less so than at one time. They don't tend to overeat either. Interestingly, Mormons have the longest life expectancy of all Christians. I'm not a Mormon, but I admire some of their beliefs.
Holiness do not live all that long, just average, but they don't say much about diet and they are often quite large, I guess food is their only vice.

Answer 2

I believe, as long as you do not really need coffee every day to function normally, it is not a sin for a christian. Besides, there is also decoffeinated coffee people can drink. I have seen people who smoke pipes on a total irregular basis, because it is a comfortable thing to do they said.If it is once a month or so, then I think it is not a problem. I have heard that people who smoke pipes actually do not inhale the smoke like people do when they smoke cigarettes. It is strange that you did not ask about wine or other alcoholic liquids. Is drinking wine a sin then? It is how you drink the wine. A glass of wine here and there -and I really mean only a single glass of wine here and there- does not make you drunk or an alcoholic. Jesus Christ drank wine as well, but he did not get drunk of it and most certainly did not get addicted to it. Now nicotine, I assume you mean cigarettes, is a different thing again. Cigarettes is not only slightly mind-altering, but it is highly addictive and it also destroys your lungs. And that is not ok. If one can deal with having a cigarette here and there, then I think it is not a problem. Some people like to have a comfortable cigarette after having eaten a big and good meal once every so often. Regular cigarette-smoking is a problem for christians, and of course non-christians as well, because it destroyes your health and sometimes makes you more dependend on the cigarette instead of on Jesus Christ. I hope this did answer your question. To make a note though, there also other kinds of behaviours or consumations which are addictive which are not good for christians eventhough they do not include mind-altering substances like coffeine, nicotine, alcoholic drinks, or other drugs.

Answer 3

First of all, I agree they are potent and also addicting substances.I am guilty of both. I need help with the smoking. I have talked to my Dr, about this. If you try to stop smoking, caffeine is a trigger to smoke, they go together when you are a smoker. Coffee and cigarettes! Alcohol being another trigger to some(not me, don't drink, thank the good Lord above, I don't like the alcohol, it makes me ill., I tried it when I was younger). As far as your question go's, we are not supposed to put these things into our bodies, because our bodies are a temple for the Holy spirit. Boy! Do I feel guilty at the moment, as I sit here and have my coffee and occassional cigarrette! I really do need help with this! I have been a rather nervous person all my life and these are just a crutch. They don't help the nervousnes either as some think. It only makes it worse. I need some prayer. Thank you for making me think about it.

Answer 4

Many are saying it depends on your denomination or sect of Christianity - well, it really depends on each person individually. After reading the Bible, what does your conscience say?
If you don't allow yourself any of these, then what about medication such as aspirin or tylenol? Those also alter your state of conscience so as not to feel the pain of a headache or a back-ache and have been proven addictive as well. How extreme are you willing to go? The real question is:
Does what you are doing or taking really destroy your body? As far as being in an altered state of mind, are you still able to make sound decisions after having or not having these "mind altering drugs"?
Cigarettes have proven to cause cancer and be addictive. Life insurance companies charge more for smokers because they know that the life expectancy of these people is shorter than an average person by at least 7 years. When you smoke, you are only helping your body deteriorate at a faster rate than normal. Same as someone who is addicted to alcohol. Small amounts of alcohol are not harmful and can in fact help with digestion. But someone who is overdoing it will eventually need a liver transplant. Coffee? Same thing - so far proven to help blood circulation to the head. Negative side effects only to those who already have heart conditions or are pregnant - and again, only if people with those conditions overdo it.
Many are quoting the scriptures that say your body is a temple and how are you treating yours?
Well - there's another one that says do all things in moderation. Meaning, you should have the ability of self control. When you allow something or someone else to control part of your life, then it is getting out of hand. We are to love god with our whole hearts, minds, and bodies - this would assume we had control over such matters and anything that would make you fall short is to be cut off. If you are addicted to something in the way that you can't go a few days without that thing - then you are allowing that thing to control a small portion of your life. If you do not have control over your own body or mind, then what kind of temple can it be? Moderation is key.

Answer 5

That depends entirely on which sect of Christianity you're asking about. Some of the more mainstream sects (Catholic, Methodist, some Baptists) are fine with it. Others, most notably Mormons, absolutely do not allow these, no matter what the laws of the land. Jehovah's Witnesses will disfellowship a member for smoking; I'm not too sure about the coffee, though.

Lots of things we take for granted are drugs, some are just more acceptable than others. Why? I don't rightly know. It all seems very hypocritical to me. But that's another topic... ;)

Answer 6

In a sense Christians are "allowed" to do what ever they want. Jesus teachings are meant to change what you want to do. Of course Jesus never spoke of Tobacco or Caffeine but I know many Christians who don't use these drugs and it is because of how they understand the teaching of the Bible. On the other hand many Christians have a different understanding and they do drink coffee and/or smoke tobacco.

Read the Bible for your self and pray for understanding and He will surly open your eyes on this matter.
.

Answer 7

Even though nicotine and caffiene are addictive, they are not mind altering drugs. As far as your question about if Christians are allowed to drink caffeine and smoke is up to each christian. It does say in the bible that your body is your temple, and to keep it clean, but I wouldn't consider someone who is a chrisitan to be sinning if he or she smoked or drank caffeine.

Answer 8

Let's see.

I'm a Christian.

I smoke.

I drink, wine and coffee and tea.

Can I? Yes.

Should I? Probably no.

I shouldn't because it is not good for me, physically.

I can, because God cares more about what goes on in the heart.

I guess this falls under: whatever conviction you have in your heart, you should follow it. If you feel you are replacing God with your love to smoke and drink, then I'd say it is wrong -- for you. If you feel that God is telling you to quit, then you should.

Answer 9

Being a Christian does NOT disallow any of those things. Moderation is the key to avoiding addiction with pretty much anything. Society has put it's own spin on "what a Christian should be", and it's not necessarily correct. I also think that way too many things are being called "drugs" by the Politically Correct Faction.

Answer 10

If you are LDS, you aren’t even supposed to drink caffeine, but if you live in Colorado City Arizona, and are a follower of the profit Warren Jeffs you can have 13 year old wives. Lots of them.

There is a joke that goes, how do you keep a Mormon from drinking all your beer? Invite two Mormons.