Who managed to quit smoking? or is trying to quit?

[farouk]

13 hours ago, AlsoBroken said:

I am chuckling to hear that Charles Spurgeon smoked. He suffered from severe depression at times too. Dietrich Bonhoeffer smoked too and no doubt hundreds of old saints. It’s just so socially unacceptable these days but the real reason to quit isn’t that. 

@AlsoBroken I'm all for quitting smoking, but it goes to show that "fundamentalist taboos" are really more cultural than historically constant, I guess.

[farouk]

@Tony the student Thanks for your comment on the other thread about quitting! FYI..I started this thread also on the subject.

[farouk]

On 4/5/2023 at 3:19 PM, Anne2 said:

Well, as I said earlier, these things can be what someone is called to. In my situation, I needed to be able to help, and minister to my child in that situation. The Lord made me absolutely capable in that calling. Otherwise falling apart would not have been much use. I suppose if smoking was an issue to get in the way of something like that, it could happen.

@Anne2 I guess in your case the inhales were part of keeping you steady in the face of immense stress and disappointment.

You can see that - while quitting would be good - a fundamentalist taboo doesn't particularly help someone practically that is going through immense stress.

[farouk]

On 4/5/2023 at 2:55 PM, Anne2 said:

Others are similar 

11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

23  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
 

 

@Anne2 It's strengthening verses like this that really help, not guilt-manipulation from holier-than-thou attitudes about smoking, right?

[Anne2]

24 minutes ago, farouk said:

@Anne2 It's strengthening verses like this that really help, not guilt-manipulation from holier-than-thou attitudes about smoking, right?

I do however think, we all can fall into various levels of this. Perhaps if I did not have this issue, I suppose I would be the worst of them. Soesn't mean I can't think more highly than I ought of myself in other areas of strength. Things we all should be aware of this danger.

[FJK]

Whether it's quitting smoking or anything else, there's one thing I've learned for certain:  When you argue in favor of why you cant, you can't.

[farouk]

1 minute ago, FJK said:

Whether it's quitting smoking or anything else, there's one thing I've learned for certain:  When you argue in favor of why you cant, you can't.

@FJK I'm all for quitting; but I don't get the fundamentalist taboo mindset;  a bit like giving young ppl a hard time who might have one or two piercings or tattoos in order supposedly to make them "holy".

True separation to God works from the inside outwards, not by the application of taboos and guilt-manipulation about superficials and externals.

( cc @Anne2 )

[FJK]

4 minutes ago, farouk said:

@FJK I'm all for quitting; but I don't get the fundamentalist taboo mindset;  a bit like giving young ppl a hard time who might have one or two piercings or tattoos in order supposedly to make them "holy".

True separation to God works from the inside outwards, not by the application of taboos and guilt-manipulation about superficials and externals.

( cc @Anne2 )

I was addressing how people fail at something, not whether or not they should do that something.

And it applies to everything we do, not just quitting a bad habit or some self destructive behavior.

My experience with myself is that I usually end up doing that, arguing why I can't do something, when it's something I think I should do (for whatever reason) but don't really want to.

[farouk]

On 4/20/2023 at 11:19 AM, Anne2 said:

I do however think, we all can fall into various levels of this. Perhaps if I did not have this issue, I suppose I would be the worst of them. Soesn't mean I can't think more highly than I ought of myself in other areas of strength. Things we all should be aware of this danger.

@Anne2 Interesting perspective..........

Personally I just don't get the fundamentalist taboo culture.

Edited April 22, 2023 by farouk

[farouk]

Hi @AnnaGrace FYI.................any wisdom?