Drinking

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jenwha said:
I only became Catholic in April of this year, and I cannot truly BELIEVE that this church believes it is all right and not a sin to smoke. Are you kidding? REALLY?

Then what the heck did I give it up for in January? That was the toughest thing I have ever been through in my whole life. My Protestant brother has always, always, always told me it was a sin based on the way that it destroys the good, functioning body that God gave you. I gave it up 7.5 months ago for God. I did not want to quit, but I did, for my health but most of all for God.

I have seen many many posts here at CAF saying it might be a gray area, to smoke but only smoke in moderation… How many smokers in my 24 years of smoking have I ever seen smoke in moderation??? No one. Every smoker I have ever met smokes between a half pack a day to two packs a day. I was a Two-Pack.

I understand the line in the Bible about nothing that goes into a man’s body makes him unclean but two pack of cigarettes per day cause emphysema, heart disease, high blood pressure, COPD, cancer, etc, just as a half a pack a day can.

Do we really think that is not a sin? I’m lost. I sure hope I didn’t quit for nothing when all the time it wasn’t a sin. I see responses on here saying saints smoked and everyone smoked back in Jesus time. So what? Are we saying just because saints smoked or a lot of ppl did that it is not a sin?

I’m getting lost here. We all know what smoking does to our tissues and bodies and we are debating whether it is a sin?

I miss smoking all of the time, but my conscience sure tells me it is wrong and destructive.
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An addiction is a sin. You quitting smoking is a very good thing because it defeats the sin of addiction and frees you from it, not to mention the many health and economic benefits that quitting brings.

Smoking itself however is not a sin. Unhealthy yes, but so is eating at Burger King. In moderation, it is fine.
 
jenwha said:
I only became Catholic in April of this year, and I cannot truly BELIEVE that this church believes it is all right and not a sin to smoke. Are you kidding? REALLY?

Then what the heck did I give it up for in January? That was the toughest thing I have ever been through in my whole life. My Protestant brother has always, always, always told me it was a sin based on the way that it destroys the good, functioning body that God gave you. I gave it up 7.5 months ago for God. I did not want to quit, but I did, for my health but most of all for God.

I have seen many many posts here at CAF saying it might be a gray area, to smoke but only smoke in moderation… How many smokers in my 24 years of smoking have I ever seen smoke in moderation??? No one. Every smoker I have ever met smokes between a half pack a day to two packs a day. I was a Two-Pack.

I understand the line in the Bible about nothing that goes into a man’s body makes him unclean but two pack of cigarettes per day cause emphysema, heart disease, high blood pressure, COPD, cancer, etc, just as a half a pack a day can.

Do we really think that is not a sin? I’m lost. I sure hope I didn’t quit for nothing when all the time it wasn’t a sin. I see responses on here saying saints smoked and everyone smoked back in Jesus time. So what? Are we saying just because saints smoked or a lot of ppl did that it is not a sin?

I’m getting lost here. We all know what smoking does to our tissues and bodies and we are debating whether it is a sin?

I miss smoking all of the time, but my conscience sure tells me it is wrong and destructive.
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I was one of those moderate smokers. When I was a smoker, I smoked about a pack every week to two weeks.

But how did we go from drinking alcohol to smoking?
 
jenwha said:
I only became Catholic in April of this year, and I cannot truly BELIEVE that this church believes it is all right and not a sin to smoke. Are you kidding? REALLY?

Then what the heck did I give it up for in January? That was the toughest thing I have ever been through in my whole life. My Protestant brother has always, always, always told me it was a sin based on the way that it destroys the good, functioning body that God gave you. I gave it up 7.5 months ago for God. I did not want to quit, but I did, for my health but most of all for God.

I have seen many many posts here at CAF saying it might be a gray area, to smoke but only smoke in moderation… How many smokers in my 24 years of smoking have I ever seen smoke in moderation??? No one. Every smoker I have ever met smokes between a half pack a day to two packs a day. I was a Two-Pack.

I understand the line in the Bible about nothing that goes into a man’s body makes him unclean but two pack of cigarettes per day cause emphysema, heart disease, high blood pressure, COPD, cancer, etc, just as a half a pack a day can.

Do we really think that is not a sin? I’m lost. I sure hope I didn’t quit for nothing when all the time it wasn’t a sin. I see responses on here saying saints smoked and everyone smoked back in Jesus time. So what? Are we saying just because saints smoked or a lot of ppl did that it is not a sin?

I’m getting lost here. We all know what smoking does to our tissues and bodies and we are debating whether it is a sin?

I miss smoking all of the time, but my conscience sure tells me it is wrong and destructive.
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If your conscience tells you it’s a sin then it is surely a sin for you. We are told not to violate our conscience, but in the same token you can’t impose your conscience on another where the bible and the Church and the Sacred Tradition are silent.
 
Bill_Martin said:
An addiction is a sin. You quitting smoking is a very good thing because it defeats the sin of addiction and frees you from it, not to mention the many health and economic benefits that quitting brings.

Smoking itself however is not a sin. Unhealthy yes, but so is eating at Burger King. In moderation, it is fine.
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Actually both my Priest and Mother Angelica would disagree with you. In order for something to be a sin, according to my priest and confessor, you have to have free will in the matter. By the very nature of true addiction you do not have free will. Mother Angelica, of EWTN, of whom I cannot say I do not know anyone more “traditional/conservative” in outlook, always contended smoking was incredibly stupid, but not a sin.
 
BillTheSlink said:
Actually both my Priest and Mother Angelica would disagree with you. In order for something to be a sin, according to my priest and confessor, you have to have free will in the matter. By the very nature of true addiction you do not have free will. Mother Angelica, of EWTN, of whom I cannot say I do not know anyone more “traditional/conservative” in outlook, always contended smoking was incredibly stupid, but not a sin.
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I would consider not attempting to break an addiction that you recognize is problematic is sinful. In the case of cigarettes, putting yourself in the near occasion of sin – harming your body through an addiction – is problematic, as is the continued addiction that does not inhibit the mental faculties that identify it as such.
 
BillTheSlink said:
Actually both my Priest and Mother Angelica would disagree with you. In order for something to be a sin, according to my priest and confessor, you have to have free will in the matter. By the very nature of true addiction you do not have free will. Mother Angelica, of EWTN, of whom I cannot say I do not know anyone more “traditional/conservative” in outlook, always contended smoking was incredibly stupid, but not a sin.
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Well in that case someone who is addicted to Porn is not sinning…

Are you confusing mortal sin vs venial? That is where free will comes into play.
 
BillTheSlink said:
If your conscience tells you it’s a sin then it is surely a sin for you. We are told not to violate our conscience, but in the same token you can’t impose your conscience on another where the bible and the Church and the Sacred Tradition are silent.
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A sin “for me?”

Aren’t we edging into Moral Relativism? A sin is a sin is a sin… for everyone. So what if you are addicted? You’re still choosing to do something that is wrong. You are physically addicted to the substance but I don’t see how that reduces moral culpability.
 
My name is Yessenia, I started this thread.
Thank You all who took It serious. You who
were serious opened so many doors for me.
And those who found excuses on why mod,
Social,friendly,celebrating,relaxing or just a
Kick back drink is o.k… You must not of had
your family torn apart from alcohol and even
“DEATH”. Big words I don’t understand, but
I do know that our body is a “TEMPLE”
and It should not have to endure alcohol &
smoke of any kind…I will keep this thread in
my Prayers!!!
 
YESSENIA1 said:
My name is Yessenia, I started this thread.
Thank You all who took It serious. You who
were serious opened so many doors for me.
And those who found excuses on why mod,
Social,friendly,celebrating,relaxing or just a
Kick back drink is o.k… You must not of had
your family torn apart from alcohol and even
“DEATH”. Big words I don’t understand, but
I do know that our body is a “TEMPLE”
and It should not have to endure alcohol &
smoke of any kind…I will keep this thread in
my Prayers!!!
Click to expand...
Wrong…my mom was an alcoholic …I had to endure her drunken bouts and outburst until I was put into protective custody from her…

My mother-in-law is an alcoholic…my aunt was killed young…her husband was drinking when they had a collision with another alcoholic…

Is that real enough for you? Please don’t assume that because we don’t come to the same conclusion that you do that we haven’t been through experiences.

If you don’t want to drink…that is fine…but to insinuate that those who do are not faithful Catholics or are sinning is putting something on people that the Church does not!
 
Annabelle_Marie said:
Wrong…my mom was an alcoholic …I had to endure her drunken bouts and outburst until I was put into protective custody from her…

My mother-in-law is an alcoholic…my aunt was killed young…her husband was drinking when they had a collision with another alcoholic…

Is that real enough for you? Please don’t assume that because we don’t come to the same conclusion that you do that we haven’t been through experiences.
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I’m piggybacking on your post. I am sorry for your experiences which are more severe than mine.

However, I also grew up with an alcholic parent and an alcoholic grandparent. I lost a cousin to alcoholism and have two siblings who are still battling to get to sobriety.

I think the OP is projecting his own experience and not considering that many of those who post here can speak from experiences of our own. 😦
If you don’t want to drink…that is fine…but to insinuate that those who do are not faithful Catholics or are sinning is putting something on people that the Church does not!
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Exactly! If a person,who is not an alcoholic, choses to drink in moderation - it’s a lifestyle choice. It’s just like some people choose to eat meat or to eat only organic food; some people live a rural lifestyle while others thrive in the big city. Not every lifestyle choice is connected to a faith and morals position.
 
My question is not about who is an
Alcoholic in general.
But who believes they are Mass attending
Catholics…
I have fam who don’t even pray.
Leave it alone…Good nite!!!
 
YESSENIA1 said:
My question is not about who is an
Alcoholic in general.
But who believes they are Mass attending
Catholics…
I have fam who don’t even pray.
Leave it alone…Good nite!!!
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Your OP asked how someone could drink alcohol and be a devout Catholic.

Since I attend Daily Mass…pray…and spend time in adoration…And drink alcohol on occasion…I felt qualified to answer:shrug:
 
YESSENIA1 said:
My name is Yessenia, I started this thread.
Thank You all who took It serious. You who
were serious opened so many doors for me.
And those who found excuses on why mod,
Social,friendly,celebrating,relaxing or just a
Kick back drink is o.k… You must not of had
your family torn apart from alcohol and even
“DEATH”. Big words I don’t understand, but
I do know that our body is a “TEMPLE”
and It should not have to endure alcohol &
smoke of any kind…I will keep this thread in
my Prayers!!!
Click to expand...
I’m sorry that alcohol has had such a bad effect in your family.

But…you need to consider that alcohol is not only approved in moderation by the Church, but is in fact central to our highest form of worship in the mass. Jesus used wine in the last supper and commanded us to do the same. In the mass, the celebrant consecrates the beard and wine. There is no mass without wine, and the wine must be consumed by one of the celebrants (except in certain circumstances which are conceded to, but not encouraged, by the Church).

Jesus was a wine drinker. Jesus chose wine to be a central part of our worship. Please do not suggest that those of us who enjoy a moderate alcohol intake do anything contrary to our faith.

Alcoholism is a terrible disease. But it is a disease that does not affect everyone, so we cannot conclude the alcohol per se is evil. In much the same way, diabetes is a disease, but we don’t think of sugar as evil per se (but excessive consumption is certainly unhealthy). Or someone with celiac disease can’t consume gluten (such as my daughter), but that doesn’t make wheat evil per se.
 
In UK and Ireland thousands of Parishes have a Social Club and bar usually next to the Church. There is absolutely nothing at all wrong with having a smoke and a drink. My Parish priest smokes but doesn’t drink, most priests and laity I know drink but many have stopped smoking. I do both but I go on the waggon for Lent (but have St Patrick’s day off). We aren’t Methodists or Baptists. We are catholic we celebrate all aspects of life. Our religion and our lives are linked in a sensible way. It was often a criticism levelled at Irish men in the UK that they went to Mass on Sunday and them went immediately to the Pub. So what! They worked 60/70 hours per week. The God I love would have been in the pub with them glad they had been to Mass and were having a good big drink to relax
 
There are alot of alcoholic fathers in az. So I suppose
That was Jesus plan…
 
YESSENIA1 said:
There are alot of alcoholic fathers in az. So I suppose
That was Jesus plan…
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Of course not. But diseases are part of our fallen nature and constitute crosses that people must bear. An alcoholic must avoid alcohol; a diabetic must manage sugar intake, someone with celiac disease must avoid gluten, etc… Other people who do not suffer such diseases have no need to avoid, and can consume in reasonable moderation.

One day you can ask for yourself why Jesus chose wine. Until then, it should be enough that he chose it, for the Eucharist and to drink in moderation, to know that it’s OK for non-alcoholic Catholics to drink.
 
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