Jehovah's Witnesses, If I smoke a tobacco pipe in moderation, could I be a JW?

Question

God states not to contaminte your body, but ins't eating junk foods also contaminating the body.

Then a true christian should not eat at Mc Donalds or any fast food place, you should not eat anything that is fried as that creates cancer over time, should not eat chips becuase they have cancer creating chemicals and should not drink sodas, or coffee as coffee could be addictive and shrinks your veins. In fact cancer usually occurs because of what we stuff our selfs.

A true christian should have a strict diet of natural fruits and vegies and some fish and meat but not to much.

Also a christian should not be overweight. I see a tons of overweight people (you might be one of them) in all church denomanations, including JW's. Isn't that hipocresy?

Did you know been overweight is cause all sort of cancers and deseases???I know that smoking is bad for your health, but why do you judge when you yourself are contaminating your own body?

achtung_… You don't think that eating at Mc Donalds or eating fried frech fries is
blatant disregard for life?

IT is pure posion to your body. Eat that for 30 days and you will become ill and your body will be depleted of vitamins.

I am a responsible adult, I smoke my pipe at nights and I don't inhale. I just like to flavor the tobac.

I eat very healthy, I east mostly raw food vegies and fruits and fish. no meat. I think, in shape but I enjoy the pipe which is said to be good for stress. I know is not healthy and I maybe be inhaling some second hand smoke but people are feeding themselfs cancer in forms of food, isn't that the same?

Danny H, thanks for the post.

I love God Jehovah. I am not baptized and only attend once a year when it is Jesus conmemoration. I think there are many bad examples of JW's out there. Usually the ones that judge others are the worst.

Judas was part of the 12 diciples, if Judas who saw all of Jesus miracles betrayed him. I imagine there are many judases inside the JW's.

I still want to make an effort to go to the meetings and avoid and ignore those that judge others. I have to make myself go because of God not humans. Humans are imperfect. I smoke my pipe and I don't inhale at all. Cigarettes are completly different because it is a device to feed nitotine to your body and they are full of chemicals. The pipe is just for flavor and you don't inhale just puff. its a hobby i enjoy 3-5 times a week. I don't think Im contaminating my body.

However when I used to eat at Mc donalds or Carls Jr. I used to feel soggy and unhealthy that's why I stopped eating junk food.

To say that If I smoke my pipe i will get disfellowshipped, well that is heavy to say, I doubt Jesus who is appointed by Jehovah to judge will agree with you, or maybe he will, I don't know. I don't think i am committing a sin to God for enjoying fine pipe tobacco responsibly, like drinking a glass of wine a day.

Answer 1

Great question! Ex-JW here.

The JW's try to pin your loss or gaining of salvation on whether you smoke or not, but forget this one little scripture:

Matthew 15: 11 "It is not what enters one's mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one."

Jesus is speaking of jealously, hate, anger, envy, those things that come from the heart, these are what defile a man, not a pack of cigarettes, or a bottle of beer, or that artery clogging Big Mac you ate for lunch.

God bless.

Answer 2

As has been stated: NO.

You also say: "Then a true christian should not eat at Mc Donalds or any fast food place, ...

A true christian should have a strict diet of natural fruits and vegies and some fish and meat but not to much.

Also a christian should not be overweight. I see a tons of overweight people (you might be one of them) in all church denomanations, including JW's. Isn't that hipocresy?"

No it is not hypocrisy. Tobacco is not only harmful, but as something to be consumed it is totally worthless. (It does have uses in other areas, BTW, such as you can put it on a bee sting to draw out the poison, etc.)

On the other hand, even the most unhealthy foods supply at least a degree of nutrition, and sometimes fast foods is all we can get.

As far as being overweight, gluttony is as much of a sin as is smoking, BUT NOT ALL OVERWEIGHT PEPOLE ARE GLUTTONS. There are medical and other conditions that come into play as well.

In short, there is no legitimate reason to smoke; to remain alive we have to eat what we have available.

Answer 3

To answer your question simply and succinctly, No.

As for your supporting arguments, I have 2 thoughts on them. One being that trying to make one activity seem OK by casting dispersions, while an old defense, is not a very sound one. It is reminiscent of the old, But Billy's mom will let HIM do it.

The other thought I have is, yes you are right that eating "junk" food is a bad idea, and certainly overeating/overeating "junk" food is a very poor decision, however, there, as far as I know, are NO positive side effects of smoking, asside from some emotional outlets. Most junk foods have some good to them.

Answer 4

Eating 'junk food' simple DOES NOT COMPARE to smoking. Yes fast food may not be the BEST food to eat but it is food and can keep you alive. No one would want to eat fast food for thirty days in a row. It wouldn't be healthy.

However there is NOTHING healthy about smoking.Pipe smoking isn't any safer than any other form.

"Did you know been overweight is cause all sort of cancers and deseases?"

A possible cause maybe but smoking IS linked to cancer. There is no maybes about it.

" I smoke my pipe and I don't inhale at all. Cigarettes are completly different because it is a device to feed nitotine to your body and they are full of chemicals."

You might want to ask your doctor on this one.

Consider this from the American Cancer Society

""Smoking and tobacco use are clear
causes of cancer and many other health problems — whether it's smoked in
cigarettes, pipes, or cigars, chewed in smokeless tobacco, or dipped between the gums and lip in snuff.

We do know that nicotine is contained in all tobacco products, and is the main chemical responsible for addiction to them. It's
absorbed easily through the lungs and tissues of the mouth; this occurs no
matter what type of tobacco product is being used. The possibility of becoming addicted is a health risk — in terms of increased health risks with long-term use, dependency, and the financial impact of
smoking.""

""Michael Thun, MD, vice president of epidemiology and surveillance for the American Cancer Society, knows the ritual well. He used to be a pipe smoker -- but he found good reason to quit. "Tobacco is highly addictive and remarkably destructive, however you use it," Thun says. In other words, it's doesn't matter if you smoke tobacco or puff it in a pipe: it's a potent cause of cancer and other diseases. ""

SO no you cannot smoke your pipe and try to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Answer 5

Apparenty, the answer is no.

You make some good points. In my opinion, a religious group is overstepping its bounds when they start condemning people for nothing more than an unhealthful habit . Smoking may be somewhat more unhealthful than drinking caffeine or eating a high fat diet, but it is - nevertheless - not a religious issue, but one of health. The Jewish Law contained laws relating to diet and health, but Christians were freed from that.
As was already stated, it isn't what goes in through the mouth that's important.

It wouldn't be surprsing to me if the JW's started excommunicating people who drink caffeine or are irresponsible with credit cards or other similar trivial offenses. I'm sure there's a scripture somewhere that could be used to justify that, too. Excommunication should be reserved for SERIOUS SIN, not bad health practices.

For the record, I don't smoke, never have, never will.

Answer 6

Tobacco does more than merely contaminate the body. It leads to an addiction that can kill.

It is great that you have your opinion of what a "true Christian" should do, and if you consider yourself to be a "true Christian" I am sure you are doing those things.

It is not hypocrisy to do what the Bible allows, while avoiding what it condemns.

For Jehovah's Witnesses, the relevant principle is found at 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." (NWT)

The Greek word translatred "defilement" here is MOLYSMOS, from MOLYNW, referring to what causes something to become dirty, soiled, stained, defiled.

That would certainly apply to smoking tobacco in a way that it does not apply to eating food.

True Christians do not practice fanaticism nor extremism. We follow the example of Jesus. He ate. He didn't puff.

Answer 7

Now, you and I both know that smoking is way more hazardous to our bodies and those around us than McDonalds!

Second-hand smoke can kill someone quicker than the one smoking.

Trying to make something right on the grounds of human understanding just isn't gonna cut it. Smoking is so dangerous, they put the warning labels on the box. It's like drinking clorox or something. The poison label is right there, but people ignore it cause it's addictive.

Addicitve is another reason whey smoking should be avoided. Anything that can control your mind and body like that should be avoided. Whether it's smoking or eating.

Answer 8

You must be in a real panic after seeing Knocking the other night that JWs are right.

Question: What is the nutritional of tobacco?

Answer 9

No.

The unrepentant practice of smoking (and other continuing evidence of blatant disregard for life) disqualifies a person from baptism, and could lead to one's removal from the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

(1 Peter 1:15-16) Become holy yourselves in all your conduct, because it is written: “You must be holy, because I am holy.”


Interestingly, Jehovah's Witnesses now believe that a baptized person who "might smoke a few cigarettes in a short period of time" has not necessarily committed a serious sin requiring a committee of elders to consider disfellowshipping (JWs see page 30 of The Watchtower 7/15/06).

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19990708/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_09.htm

Answer 10

Did you wake up this morning and decide to target Jehovah's Witnesses with stupid questions?

It is true that junk food is harmful to the body when taken in too much. In moderation, it should have no ill effects. Smoking is different. Smoking tobacco, whether it is in a pipe or otherwise, is 100% harmful. Anyone that smokes cannot be one of Jehovah's Witnesses. If any Witness is discovered to be smoking, he/she is disfellowshipped from the congregation.