Do you/did you ever smoke?

[HondaTooru]

Ya know... About the alchohol thing.. That was a good answer! Wisdom beyond your years Ashley. ^_^

[Technomancer]

it is worth mentioning that Paul actually strongly suggested that Timothy drink some wine. I've heard people say that it wasn't alcoholoic, but that's totally rediculous because using the same words, drunkenness is warned against.

The thing about Timothy isn't surprising since a number of wines are considered to be good digestives, hence the concept of an after dinner drink. As far as grape juice goes, there's really no way to stop fermentation without preservatives, so any "grape juice" would have quickly turned into wine in those days. Granted though, the wine was sometimes watered depending on the locale and occaision.

[Golden_Griff]

I have never smoked and as far as I can tell I never will. Once I couldn't figure out why people smoked so much until I learned that tobacco companies purposely put addictive substances in their cigarettes to keep customers buying their products (very cruel ). I don't want to pick up a habit that I can't get rid of easily. I've heard people say that other things like skydiving puts your life at risk just as much as lung cancer so smoking can't be looked down upon. But personally I reject smoking because I see nothing good about doing it.

[Heart of Sword]

Well yeah and Skydiving's not addictive...I'll never smoke.

[Kireihana]

My grandfather got lung desease from smoking, and my mom always talks about the nasty, grimy hands she has to deal with at work (she's a hand therapist), not to mention the horrible smell and tooth damage... Basically I find nothing appealing about smoking. Also, have you ever talked to a woman who smokes a lot? Their voices sound horrible.

As for alcohol, I see nothing wrong with a person having a glass or two every now and then (provided they're of age). I don't have a problem with it as long as the person drinks responsibly. Personally I hate the taste of wine, beer, and most alcoholic beverages, so drinking will doubtless never be a problem for me. I really love virgin daqueris (sp?) and margoritas though

[Zedian]

I won't lie, back during my later years in high school and during my first years of college I would smoke. Why ? It's beyond me, I guess I found it as a way to socially construct myself to become suitable for everyone else. I made it a habit to stop and well I don't wake up in the morning with a sore throat like the way I use too.

I do encourage anyone that does smoke to stop while they can...there is nothing pleasent about it.

[Fsiphskilm]

Yea, drinkin

[Mithrandir]

... It should probably also be pointed out that it's easy to lose the distinction between "daily for health" and "daily for happiness." While some people can handle drinking, others can't. I would advise you all to be leery about this subject. If you didn't think you'd ever drink before reading this thread, don't change your mind now. It's really not worth it.

Just a tip from someone whose been around this block before...

[Haibane Shadsie]

I once tried a cigarette when I worked for the newspaper. Everyone in the office smoked but me. I tried a cigarette just to give everyone some entertainment. I didn't do well - I gagged. Everyone laughed.

[indyrocker]

I have a cigar about once a week to calm down a relax but I can't stand cigarets and ocasionaly a sip of wisky or some other form of alcohol every now and again.

[Slater]

I never smoked, but I was the victim of second-hand smoke for the first 5 years of my life, thus some serious breathing problems today...

[Gypsy]

Yeah, that picture pretty much sums it up, Slater. I wish my post would somehow make this thread sink further down the list rather than bump it back up to the top.

[Nate]

WOW, this thread is seriously gravedug. XD

Nope, don't smoke, never have, have no interest in ever starting, tobacco or otherwise.

[Scribs]

I have never smoked and never will. My reason for this is that my grandfather smoked for the majority of his life, and had to have a tracheotomy because of it. He had to have his voice box removed before I was 4. I have no memory of my grandfather’s voice. The only recordings of it are from the time when his voice had become so raspy it was unrecognizable. I don’t want that to happen to me.

Although I will never smoke and highly dislike cigarettes in general, I also highly dislike people who look down on other people for smoking. My father smokes. He has ever since he was a teenager. He is not able to stop. Some Christians say things like "I don’t know how a Christian person could smoke, it's so ungodly." (I do not know if anyone has said that in this thread, I didn’t read all 8 pages) I find such statements highly hypocritical. For a Christian to put another Christian down for a mistake that they made and do not have the will power to reverse because they are addicted seems very wrong. We all make mistakes, its just that some are not as addictive as smoking can be. I am not saying smoking is morally right, but condemning smokers is just something that drives me off the wall.

Well, sorry for that rant. I want to make clear that none of the above statements were leveled against any individual either on this site or off it, but rather at something that I have observed in general.

[Sephiroth]

i've never smoked, and never will, but i know plenty of people who do/used to, plus my athsma would get really nasty if i did, plus its pretty stinking. And thats just being near a smoker.

[bigsleepj]

I once smoked a cigar - it burned my tongue. I should have paid attention which end I put in my mouth. Just kidding.

I have smoked only a cigar - I liked it but I never took it up. I know that it's not a healthy thing to do. And its expensive.

[KojiroMusashi]

Heh, know this is probably beating a dead horse already, but I've never smoked...ick, uck, nastiness! . . .


Well, at least I've never REALLY smoked. I did have a puff off a mostly burned up cigaretto (is that what you call those cigarette-sized cigar types with the plastic lip thingy?...anyways) when I was about five. Mom, my bro and I were waiting for the bus and as it pulled up, the guy in front of us tossed his smoke. I ran up (think my mom was distracted...and she wished she wasn't ), grabbed it and took a puff...


Imagine if you can, what breathing in concentrated fire smoke is like...mix it with the disgusting aftertaste of chemicals and God only knows what else. Needless to say, I've never really been tempted to even try it again. And I agree totally with Scribs. Just 'cause you haven't fallen into that particular snare, that doesn't give ANYone the right to call down other Believers, or unsaved for that matter. We need a Saviour BECAUSE we've each been snared at some time or other, and need to be set free from our failures. What snare it is is irrelevant.


And as far as other drugs, etc. go I've never tried them. I couldn't truthfully say I've never been tempted to, or haven't ever had opportunity to, but God kept me safe from all that during a time when I really didn't want anything to do with Him. I thank God for it! But alcohol I've tried. I have taken it to the extreme, and the one time I did was more than enough for me to teach myself to never do it again. Nowadays, I might have one or two, never often, never to extreme, and never to make myself feel good.

As was posted before, moderation is key, as well as dependency on situation. For instance, hasn't there been medical proof that substance abuse is much more likely in individuals who were raised in a substance abuse environment? (This applies to any substance abuse, not just drugs.)

So if your parents were trapped in that stuff, it's a very good idea for you not to try it.

Oh...and yes, beer is disgusting. I can't stand even the milder types. Wine is mostly too strong (a.k.a. "gross") for me too, so I don't enjoy it. Coolers or other drinks where the alcohol is not overpoweringly nasty I enjoy. Particular fave is Coffee and Bailey's....but like I said, alcohol's not for everyone, and even those who CAN handle it need to be careful. Satan sets so many traps around this stuff because it's very easy to fall into one of them.

-My very long postie is over now, everyone cheer!

[TurkishMonky]

never ever. it's just stupid to smoke/ do drugs, so i've never really had the inclinaion.

[~Natsumi Lam~]

nope never smoked anything other than a turkey.

~Natsumi Lam~

[PrincessZelda]

No.

[CephasWhite]

I was thinking about it when I was younger, but I've decided not to, and I'm glad I didn't, and never will.

I saw the movie "Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue" and that made as much sense as anything...plus the final result of smoking in the movie scared me, thus keeping me from ever smoking anything in my life. I don't want anything affecting my lungs that would impair my voice. I thank my God for not letting me go down that path.

If you guys want, rent that movie, it's old, but it's awesome. It stars the most well known cartoon characters of that age. Believe me, it's awesome, and trust me, you'll know who these characters are.

I rented it in Roger's Video for free, because it was that old. Again, please rent it, show it to your kids, if you have any and let them see it, it will leave a big impression in you and kids of all ages.

[Aka-chan]

Like many others, I have slight asthma and therefore don't even find it much of a temptation. I can't even spend extended periods of time around people who are smoking.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Never have...

However when I was a wee little lad, I LOVED the smell of it... for some reason... when my uncles smoked when we had some family gatherings, I would always love the smell of it... (I guess I was an 7 year old second-hand smoker?)

Fortunately now I dispise the smell, it gets on your clothes and stuff (Knowing this from going to TGI Fridays and my friend's house)

[Taka]

yes i did. i didn't care about right or wrong at the time. i would occasionaly now too, simply as a stress relief. i smoked for about 8months "regularly" and was never addicted. i simply liked it and it was a social thing, with the people i hung around. these days i may crave one just to chill out every now and then. but i could go the rest of my life and never smoke and not really care. but i dont' care if others smoke around me. not the most attrictive smell, but whatever.

[Heart of Sword]

O boy I smell a locked thread...

No, I've never smoked anything, and I never will. Blargh.

[Yojimbo]

Yes I've smoked before. Maybe four cigarettes over a year. I smoked weed twice, but I never really inhaled. It was just a peer pressure thing then and I wasn't hanging out with the right people. Haven't touched anything in a year and a half.

Oh did smoke a cigar once with my family at a bonfire didn't inahle, you're not supposed to inhale those anyway unless you're a corporate fatcat from 1926.