Is smoking morally wrong?

[GregoryTurner]

I would like to know because if someone smokes a cigarette in the privacy of their own home, it isn't hurting anyone, right?

 

[metherion]

Well, it is hurting yourself. Remember, your body is a temple of God, and you are wrecking it intentionally. That's not really a good thing.

If you truly live alone, then I guess not. But if you have houseparties or anything like that, anyone coming over has to deal with the accumulated crud. If you have a non-smoking spouse, kid, roommate, etc it's really unhealthy for them. For pets too. It can be worse for many pets, because many animals use their sense of small much more than humans do, like dogs.

I would say that yeah, it is wrong, because you are intentionally disrespecting that which God gave to you. While it might not have the horrible hallucenogenic effects of LSD or the one-shot death chance of inhalants like certain glues, it's still really really bad for you.


Metherion

edit: Forgot I was in the open to everyone part of the forum. Ahem.

Even if you don't believe in some higher being or anything like that, it's still wrong if you force your secondhand crap on other people. And even if you do live alone, though it might not be wrong, it's still incredibly expensive and rather stupid. Two thumbs downs.

 

[GregoryTurner]

Thank you for that response...

 

[kopilo]

I would like to know because if someone smokes a cigarette in the privacy of their own home, it isn't hurting anyone, right?

Providing they aren't breaking any lease conditions with the land lord and everyone else who lives at that residence is cool with them doing it.

I don't see how it is immoral or rather any more immoral then consuming unhealthy food.

 

[JesusWalks78]

Providing they aren't breaking any lease conditions with the land lord and everyone else who lives at that residence is cool with them doing it.

I don't see how it is immoral or rather any more immoral then consuming unhealthy food.

I look at it two ways:

1) it is herbal and God gave us all herbs and seed bearing plants to use, and it isnt subjected to chemical change....it is just dried and rolled. So if you are doing it alone then there isnt a problem.

2) You are killing yourself and suicide is sinful, just like eating unhealthy food. I agree that everything you do and age kills you slowly and that cant be avoided and is a part in Gods glorious plan. However many will agree that eating unhealthy, unhealthy lifestyle and smoking is a catalyst towards death.

Also you are damaging the environment, you are potentially hurting other people....thats got to be a sin. I am a strong anti smoker and think it should be banned in bars and any public place.

 

[beechy]

I would like to know because if someone smokes a cigarette in the privacy of their own home, it isn't hurting anyone, right?

Just out of curiosity, were you asking this because you're a smoker, or were you hoping to make an analogy here?

 

[quatona]

I think there are plenty of rational reasons against smoking. No need for a sin discussion.
quatona (smoker)

 

[Ave Maria]

No, smoking cigarettes is not morally wrong. However, it is damaging to one's health and as such, should be avoided.

 

[Robinsegg]

Smoking is a sin, just as gluttony and jealousy are: They all harm the body.
However, near as I can figure, smoking is also impractical, unhealthy, off-putting to others (we can smell it on your clothes, almost no matter what), and silly. My grandfather died of emphysema, a complication of smoking for years, and brought it on himself. Growing up with that example, I find smoking absolutely absurd, have no frame of reference for why someone would start, and see it as a silly choice to make.

Is it a sin? Yes, as stated above. Is it wrong otherwise? Don't know.

Rachel

 

[fillerbunny]

If one is truly alone in his or her place of residence, and smoking is allowed there, then, no.. I don't think there's anything morally wrong with it. I can't really see why anyone would choose to do it, given what we now know about the possible effects.. but that's their prerogative, not mine.

However, I don't think it's particularly ethical to expose non-smokers to one's secondhand smoke.. so if one has a non-smoking spouse, roommate, child, or a pet living with them, I can see some potential moral issues with that (unless we're talking about an adult who is aware of the potential dangers and has no problem with somebody smoking in his presence).

 

[TheMissus]

IF the person lives alone and owns the residence and
IF they pay for their medical treatment themselves, without insurance or governmental assistance and
IF they grow the tobacco themselves instead of funding Big Tobacco and
IF they never smoke around non-smokers or animals
then their conscience may be clean. Since that scenario is incredibly unlikely, I'd say that most smoking is immoral. As it is, smoking depreciates the value of someone else's property (i.e., the landlord), the resulting illnesses are a drain on insurance companies (thus driving up the premiums of everyone else) and taxpayers' money (if the smoker relies on government care), the smokers fund an industry that is guilty of a multitude of social sins, and the second-hand smoke kills humans and animals who passively breathe it in.

Of course, even if the person fit my scenario, there's also the pain they put their family through when they get sick and eventually die from years of smoking. Cutting your life short and taking away those moments from the people who love you is not okay, in my book.

 

[fillerbunny]

All good points..

 

[RavenPoe]

Very good point about the health care issue. Just goes to show how any action you take effects others, no matter how small or indirect it is.

I personally believe in harming none - including yourself - so I feel smoking is wrong and when I began my current spiritual path I chose to quit. Glad I did because my father now has emphysemia.

 

[kopilo]

I look at it two ways:

1) it is herbal and God gave us all herbs and seed bearing plants to use, and it isnt subjected to chemical change....it is just dried and rolled. So if you are doing it alone then there isnt a problem.

2) You are killing yourself and suicide is sinful, just like eating unhealthy food. I agree that everything you do and age kills you slowly and that cant be avoided and is a part in Gods glorious plan. However many will agree that eating unhealthy, unhealthy lifestyle and smoking is a catalyst towards death.

Also you are damaging the environment, you are potentially hurting other people....thats got to be a sin. I am a strong anti smoker and think it should be banned in bars and any public place.

Indeed that is one way of looking at it, remember though that in a capitalisitic society everytime someone buys an item it sends a message out to the producer and other firms to make more of that product. Whilst the effects of unhealthy food on the environment is probably negligable, it's not unknown for McDonnel's car parks to have litter flying around from (the self centered) customers.

The other thing is that it is not uncommon for parents to take their children to fast food outlets, by all means the children probably want to go there but if the parent(s) allows it to occur in an unhealthy fashion, then I don't really see it any different from allowing a child to smoke a cigarett. (Not that I would be suggesting or promoting either behaviour)

Also the body is a temple, both eating unhealthy food and smoking could be considered as damaging the temple (of course within the reason of it actually doing damage).

 

[GregoryTurner]

IF the person lives alone and owns the residence and
IF they pay for their medical treatment themselves, without insurance or governmental assistance and
IF they grow the tobacco themselves instead of funding Big Tobacco and
IF they never smoke around non-smokers or animals
then their conscience may be clean. Since that scenario is incredibly unlikely, I'd say that most smoking is immoral. As it is, smoking depreciates the value of someone else's property (i.e., the landlord), the resulting illnesses are a drain on insurance companies (thus driving up the premiums of everyone else) and taxpayers' money (if the smoker relies on government care), the smokers fund an industry that is guilty of a multitude of social sins, and the second-hand smoke kills humans and animals who passively breathe it in.

Of course, even if the person fit my scenario, there's also the pain they put their family through when they get sick and eventually die from years of smoking. Cutting your life short and taking away those moments from the people who love you is not okay, in my book.

So... why dont we quit driving and start walking or ride a bike everywhere we go? No more planes, trains, or automobiles.

 

[Cerberus~]

It maybe a sin, I couldn't care less. But it isn't wrong, and we should all be free to do it, or not do it as we please.

Just like pot.

 

[TheMissus]

So... why dont we quit driving and start walking or ride a bike everywhere we go? No more planes, trains, or automobiles.

Huh? Non sequiter perhaps?

 

[Robinsegg]

It maybe a sin, I couldn't care less. But it isn't wrong, and we should all be free to do it, or not do it as we please.

Just like pot.

Well, if it is sin, it's wrong, by definition. Also, I must say that while a person may have the ability to smoke, it is wrong to force others to participate in a more dangerous way than you (ie 2nd hand smoke). If you wanna go in your empty closet, smoke whatever, come out, take a shower, put your clothes in the washer and brush your teeth before coming in contact with anyone else . . . that's your business.

But anything less sets my asthma off by fouling up clean(ish) air. Your rights end where mine begin, and I'm quite sure I have the right to breathe in this country.

Rachel

 

[kopilo]

So... why dont we quit driving and start walking or ride a bike everywhere we go? No more planes, trains, or automobiles.

I'm saving up to buy an electric scooter/motor bike and hopefully some solar panels to charge it.

Although in the mean time I have to catch mass public transport.

 

[JesusWalks78]

So I'm assuming you see nothing wrong with pot or the use of salvia to get high?

Pot to me is no different from alcohol (I dont partake in either)....it can cause great damage but it can be quite a sociable thing.