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[David1701]

7 hours ago, PeterR said:

I wonder what Spurgeon thought about that. Apparently he smoked a cigar before each of his fiery sermons. 

He did used to smoke cigars; but, they are nowhere near as bad as cigarettes, which is what we have been discussing.

Cigars do not contain all the carcinogens that are added to cigarettes; they are far less addictive (if at all); cigar smokers usually do not inhale, which protects their lungs and reduces absorption into the bloodstream of any harmful ingredients; cigar smokers usually smoke far fewer cigars than cigarette smokers smoke cigarettes.  This all adds up to cigar smoking being much less dangerous than cigarette smoking, although it is not without risks (mouth cancer is possible and the same goes for pipe smoking).

My father used to smoke cigars, at the rate of no more than one a month.  I have never heard of a cigarette smoker who managed to smoke in moderation like that (the minimum I've come across is about five per day).

Even though cigars are far less bad than cigarettes, other Christians did speak to Spurgeon about his smoking (including D.L. Moody), urging him to give up, not only for his own health, but also because of the bad witness to others and because others might be encouraged to take up the practice, due to Spurgeon's good reputation.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by David1701
typo

[David1701]

19 hours ago, Marathoner said:

I've been involved with a number of brothers in this shelter who are caught in the throes of the deadliest of addictions: addiction to alcohol... addiction to heroin... addiction to methamphetamine... and often these addictions overlap in the afflicted. 

I have witnessed the work of these addictions, in the ruins of their lives and their faith. What do I say to them?

The Lord brought you here for a reason. I will always be your advocate just as Jesus Christ is our Advocate. I've never been addicted to intoxicating substances but this does not make me better or superior to you. On the contrary! The Lord has opened my eyes to your affliction since I came here and so I have learned things which man could never reveal. 

I've been afflicted by despair and dark times so I understand what desperation means. Yes, dark times when it seemed all was lost. Despair, because I believed I had failed the Lord and so I abdicated this life when His Spirit came to me at the end of very long road. Drugs didn't afflict me but does this matter?

Death by injection or death by suicide... both bear the same fruit which is death. I declare the words of the Lord spoken when I was close to death to the afflicted, so they'll know that His words weren't just for me but for us all. This is the conviction of His Spirit: I will stand with them, weep with them, and give to them as the Lord gives to me. 

To my sorrow many have fled.   

That is a heart of pity, but...

1 Cor. 5:9-11 (Revised Webster)

 9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to associate with immoral people:
  10 Yet not altogether with immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then ye must needs go out of the world.
  11 But now I have written to you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a person no not to eat.

[mmegan]

On 5/9/2021 at 5:14 AM, PeterR said:

I wonder what Spurgeon thought about that. Apparently he smoked a cigar before each of his fiery sermons. 

The only thing is that I feel conviction about doing it.

[mmegan]

On 5/9/2021 at 1:07 PM, David1701 said:

He did used to smoke cigars; but, they are nowhere near as bad as cigarettes, which is what we have been discussing.

Cigars do not contain all the carcinogens that are added to cigarettes; they are far less addictive (if at all); cigar smokers usually do not inhale, which protects their lungs and reduces absorption into the bloodstream of any harmful ingredients; cigar smokers usually smoke far fewer cigars than cigarette smokers smoke cigarettes.  This all adds up to cigar smoking being much less dangerous than cigarette smoking, although it is not without risks (mouth cancer is possible and the same goes for pipe smoking).

My father used to smoke cigars, at the rate of no more than one a month.  I have never heard of a cigarette smoker who managed to smoke in moderation like that (the minimum I've come across is about five per day).

Even though cigars are far less bad than cigarettes, other Christians did speak to Spurgeon about his smoking (including D.L. Moody), urging him to give up, not only for his own health, but also because of the bad witness to others and because others might be encouraged to take up the practice, due to Spurgeon's good reputation.

 

 

I smoke less than two a day

[missmuffet]

5 hours ago, mmegan said:

I smoke less than two a day

I wouldn't worry about that. Do you smoke a low and tar cigarette? Do you smoke the short king cigarettes?

[David1701]

6 hours ago, mmegan said:

I smoke less than two a day

That will certainly reduce the risks.

[mmegan]

Just an update ...I no longer smoke.