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CTuck
Guest
Just like it says, is it a sin to hang out with people when they are getting high or drunk?
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Shin
Guest
Normally, yes.
Cases of true necessity can make this not the case, but if it’s voluntary, and you can be elsewhere, you shouldn’t be there.
There would be the sin of scandal, for example. You give the appearance of condoning and approving the behavior.
Then too, you would be wasting your time, that too is a sin. And misusing it, that too.
Then there’s the grave imprudence of being in company with people who could be arrested – you too might be.
Then there are all the occasions of sin in such company.
All sinful language used and spoken in such occasions. The thoughts and suggestions.
And so on.
Cases of true necessity can make this not the case, but if it’s voluntary, and you can be elsewhere, you shouldn’t be there.
There would be the sin of scandal, for example. You give the appearance of condoning and approving the behavior.
Then too, you would be wasting your time, that too is a sin. And misusing it, that too.
Then there’s the grave imprudence of being in company with people who could be arrested – you too might be.
Then there are all the occasions of sin in such company.
All sinful language used and spoken in such occasions. The thoughts and suggestions.
And so on.
S
StrawberryJam
Guest
Unless everyone drank in moderation at the wedding at Cana, I’d say you most likely are pretty safe here.
We know you didn’t make the alcohol your friends drank so it’s borderline unless you did. On the getting high part- we know who made that stuff too.
Having fun with you here a little bit. I’m another year older today so I polished off one before replying. I better close now before this could be leading anyone to sin.
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valentino
Guest
I wouldn’t necessarily say it was a sin but one has to be careful not to be influenced by their actions.If one shows good restraint I could have a positive effect.A person who is asked to participate and continually says no and why he doesn’t approve is showing a good example.
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riffer791
Guest
i dont think its sinful to be around people who are involved with drugs and alcohol or crime etc Jesus associated with sinners. but i know from experience it can be a challenge.
i dont know what the people your talking about are like. but the people i used to hang around with were allways tempting me and trying to get me involved in their sinful business. they can be persistant and deceptive. somtimes you need to be quite strong to resist. i could see the devil was definitly at work in them.
but try to be a good example for people like that, and pray for them, and pray for the grace to resist temptation. who knows maybe you could leave a good impression on some of them.
my advice is love the sinner, hate the sin. treasure your friendships. but dont let people lure you away from the path God has set out for you. so if you find hanging around with people like that is causing you to sin, then find better things to do.
i dont know what the people your talking about are like. but the people i used to hang around with were allways tempting me and trying to get me involved in their sinful business. they can be persistant and deceptive. somtimes you need to be quite strong to resist. i could see the devil was definitly at work in them.
but try to be a good example for people like that, and pray for them, and pray for the grace to resist temptation. who knows maybe you could leave a good impression on some of them.
my advice is love the sinner, hate the sin. treasure your friendships. but dont let people lure you away from the path God has set out for you. so if you find hanging around with people like that is causing you to sin, then find better things to do.
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ciero
Guest
Christ made wine at Cana and as the psalm 103 says…God gave us the green herb…so whats sinful about some booze & grass?
Everything in moderation.
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riffer791
Guest
Galatians 5:21
Envies, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Of the which I foretell you, as I have foretold to you, that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God.
i remember hearing this reading in mass, it stuck with me, and my drinking weighed on my concience quite a bit after that. even though a wasnt a very heavy drinker sometimes once i got started i would find it hard to control myself and id get myself hammered.
a few months ago i went to a catholic retreat one of the charismatics there said anyone who struggles with addictions like drugs or alcohol or pornography put your hand up, because Jesus wants to help you. she said youve been praying about it, which i had been.
so i put my hand up. i havnt drunk since. and im happy this way.
Envies, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Of the which I foretell you, as I have foretold to you, that they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God.
i remember hearing this reading in mass, it stuck with me, and my drinking weighed on my concience quite a bit after that. even though a wasnt a very heavy drinker sometimes once i got started i would find it hard to control myself and id get myself hammered.
a few months ago i went to a catholic retreat one of the charismatics there said anyone who struggles with addictions like drugs or alcohol or pornography put your hand up, because Jesus wants to help you. she said youve been praying about it, which i had been.
so i put my hand up. i havnt drunk since. and im happy this way.
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Stylites
Guest
If it was okay for Jesus then it ought to be okay for you, too, even if the Pharisees call you a sinner.
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Stylites
Guest
That’s great to hear, riffer!
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StrawberryJam
Guest
Memes are potent.
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Shin
Guest
‘Seek the good, desire their company. Look for the company of the saints. If you will share their way of acting, you will share their virtue. If you walk with wise men, you will be wise; if you walk with idiots, you will be an idiot, for persons seek those of similar stripe.’
St. Isidore of Seville
‘Every day read a pious book, and avoid bad company as you would Satan.’
St. Paul of the Cross
'“In the company of the innocent, you will be innocent; in the company of the elect, you will be elect; and in a crooked man’s company you will go wrong.” [Ps. 18:26,27]
Let us, then, follow the innocent and the upright. They, it is, who are God’s elect.’
Pope St. Clement I of Rome
‘See, the misfortune is, that people do not reflect. If one said to those who work on Sundays, to a young person who had been dancing for two or three hours, to a man coming out of an alehouse drunk, “What have you been doing? You have been crucifying Our Lord!” they would be quite astonished, because they do not think of it. . . It would be well if all sinners, when they are going to their guilty pleasures, could, like St. Peter, meet Our Lord on the way, who would say to them, “I am going to that place where you are going yourself, to be there crucified again.” Perhaps that might make them reflect.’’
St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney
St. Isidore of Seville
‘Every day read a pious book, and avoid bad company as you would Satan.’
St. Paul of the Cross
'“In the company of the innocent, you will be innocent; in the company of the elect, you will be elect; and in a crooked man’s company you will go wrong.” [Ps. 18:26,27]
Let us, then, follow the innocent and the upright. They, it is, who are God’s elect.’
Pope St. Clement I of Rome
‘See, the misfortune is, that people do not reflect. If one said to those who work on Sundays, to a young person who had been dancing for two or three hours, to a man coming out of an alehouse drunk, “What have you been doing? You have been crucifying Our Lord!” they would be quite astonished, because they do not think of it. . . It would be well if all sinners, when they are going to their guilty pleasures, could, like St. Peter, meet Our Lord on the way, who would say to them, “I am going to that place where you are going yourself, to be there crucified again.” Perhaps that might make them reflect.’’
St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney
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Peepers
Guest
I listen to the Catholic Channel quite a bit. Many of those priests drink a lot more than the average person, if one is to believe their banter. Of course, the Irish did invent distilling…
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TrueLight
Guest
So the Catholic church doesn’t consider getting high to be a sin?
I know drinking is accepted, but doing drugs is as well?
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Patrick_Cox
Guest
I think you’ve perhaps misinterpreted Stylites (and he can correct me if I am wrong). Stylites is not saying that getting high is not a sin. He is saying that being in the presence of someone else who is getting high is not necessarily a sin. I don’t think there is any question that misuse / abuse of any substance IS indeed a sin. Use of any substance for good or use thereof in controlled moderation (such as alcohol) is not a sin. Whilst there are many drugs which have positive medicinal uses, there are of course, some substances, the nature of which are such that ANY use thereof could be considered abuse.
Getting back to the original question. Shin has posted some great saints quotes arguing that one should stay away from sin and those that sin. YET Jesus visited the houses of sinners. There must be a middle ground in all of this, not so?
The middle ground is quite simply this - if we do make a decision to be in the presence of sinners whilst they sin, are we, whilst in their presence, doing anything proactive to either dissuade them to sin, or to counter the effects of their sin? Or are we merely sitting back and allowing them to continue with their sinful behaviour? Therein lies the answer of whether we should be present or not.
When it comes to the specifics of getting high on drugs, it is certainly arguable that the state of mind of the drug-taker is in no position at that moment to hear the voice of good or reason. So it would likely be better to stay away and attempt to guide the drug-taker back towards the right path when they are in a more sober state. (Easier said than done of course).
Patrick
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Peepers
Guest
In the case of addiction, most recovery programs require the addict to stop using the drug, or engaging in the other addictive behavior in order to begin recovery. That is a first step in the process. Talking to a person at length about the dangers of substance abuse, while they are intoxicated is not likely to be much more than a waste of time.
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marica_mandic
Guest
Only if you do not try to minimize or stop that things or you do the same things.
Which for sure you do too.
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warpspeedpetey
Guest
As long as you aren’t drinking for the purpose of getting drunk then you aren’t doing anything wrong.
J
jonathanjlinn
Guest
Being around people partaking in such things is not a sin…but It’s very difficult to do.
In cases of alcohol: assuming you are of age then yes, you can drink but not to the point or for the purpose of getting drunk.
In case of smoking (the illegal kind): being around them could be of great help to those who partake, assuming you are strong in faith. Use the time to get them thinking about spirituality and why they are doing the things they are doing. That being said, when it is one vs. a room of those who don’t believe they are doing anything wrong, it’s very hard to resist (been there done that), especially if you trust them. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking that there is nothing wrong with getting ‘high’, there is.
A personal aside: I hang out with some “stoner” types and they are some of my best friends, however I have made it very clear that I refuse to partake, and there have been many times where the only discussion has been to the tune of “who are you to condemn our activities” which is a very annoying battle to fight with on Saturday night when you don’t want to be annihilated by stress and theological defenses
Also, I invite these same people to hang out one on one and get coffee (i.e. not a sin) or have a beer and generally just listen to what they have to say and give the best advice I can. You would be surprised that when you separate the individual from the group and just listen without force how the theme of their soul is always in accordance with: “maybe I shouldn’t be doing these things” or “I think I may be just as happy without”.
The pleasure would never be worth the risk, and the activity never gets you closer to God, and generally leads to deception. Honestly, as you strengthen your faith you realize that being around this stuff is just annoying and even if they are your friends, under the influence of drugs they become different people.
But in the end: Our goal is to be Christ like, and Jesus was without sin, and Jesus hung out with sinners.
But getting arrested by association would just stink.
In cases of alcohol: assuming you are of age then yes, you can drink but not to the point or for the purpose of getting drunk.
In case of smoking (the illegal kind): being around them could be of great help to those who partake, assuming you are strong in faith. Use the time to get them thinking about spirituality and why they are doing the things they are doing. That being said, when it is one vs. a room of those who don’t believe they are doing anything wrong, it’s very hard to resist (been there done that), especially if you trust them. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking that there is nothing wrong with getting ‘high’, there is.
A personal aside: I hang out with some “stoner” types and they are some of my best friends, however I have made it very clear that I refuse to partake, and there have been many times where the only discussion has been to the tune of “who are you to condemn our activities” which is a very annoying battle to fight with on Saturday night when you don’t want to be annihilated by stress and theological defenses
Also, I invite these same people to hang out one on one and get coffee (i.e. not a sin) or have a beer and generally just listen to what they have to say and give the best advice I can. You would be surprised that when you separate the individual from the group and just listen without force how the theme of their soul is always in accordance with: “maybe I shouldn’t be doing these things” or “I think I may be just as happy without”.
The pleasure would never be worth the risk, and the activity never gets you closer to God, and generally leads to deception. Honestly, as you strengthen your faith you realize that being around this stuff is just annoying and even if they are your friends, under the influence of drugs they become different people.
But in the end: Our goal is to be Christ like, and Jesus was without sin, and Jesus hung out with sinners.
But getting arrested by association would just stink.
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