Thanks for your words. I hope that your position isn’t the unpopular one, for the sake of the church. Surely, biblical love doesn’t equal relative acceptance. Whether Christians or non, we must find creative and winsome ways to love people without endorsing unrighteous worldviews or behavior. I agree wholeheartedly and passionately with you here.
As for the issue of smoking, it’s possible that we’ve understood the article different ways. I don’t think the author was intending to promote smoking. He tried, at least, to make it a point that most of what goes for smoking is indeed sinful. And I didn’t hear him arguing from the basis of others’ sins (i.e. comparing the two and relativizing the one). The point, as I understood it, is that smoking a cigarette isn’t “inevitably” a sin. If a person smokes one cigarette in his life, is that one six-minute session a sin? Does that harm his body any more than a six-minute walk to the store deteriorates his knee joints? Or six minutes spent filling up the car and inhaling some gas fumes kills a few brain cells?
As I understand the argument, the point isn’t whether smoking is a good thing, but whether the single act of smoking one cigarette is inevitably, and by definition, a sin; and, thus, depending on our reaction, what does this say about the church’s desire to jump to quick criticisms, reactions, condemnation.
Thus, can you, biblically, say that the act of smoking one cigarette is a sin? I am yet to be convinced, but I’m open.
eprentiss
Jun 23 2003
10:02 am
Thanks for your words. I hope that your position isn’t the unpopular one, for the sake of the church. Surely, biblical love doesn’t equal relative acceptance. Whether Christians or non, we must find creative and winsome ways to love people without endorsing unrighteous worldviews or behavior. I agree wholeheartedly and passionately with you here.
As for the issue of smoking, it’s possible that we’ve understood the article different ways. I don’t think the author was intending to promote smoking. He tried, at least, to make it a point that most of what goes for smoking is indeed sinful. And I didn’t hear him arguing from the basis of others’ sins (i.e. comparing the two and relativizing the one). The point, as I understood it, is that smoking a cigarette isn’t “inevitably” a sin. If a person smokes one cigarette in his life, is that one six-minute session a sin? Does that harm his body any more than a six-minute walk to the store deteriorates his knee joints? Or six minutes spent filling up the car and inhaling some gas fumes kills a few brain cells?
As I understand the argument, the point isn’t whether smoking is a good thing, but whether the single act of smoking one cigarette is inevitably, and by definition, a sin; and, thus, depending on our reaction, what does this say about the church’s desire to jump to quick criticisms, reactions, condemnation.
Thus, can you, biblically, say that the act of smoking one cigarette is a sin? I am yet to be convinced, but I’m open.
Respectfully,
eprentiss