"Honor thy mother and father"

[EphelDuath]

I don’t quite understand this commandment.

Suppose your mother politely asks you to quit smoking. Now, the issue here isn’t the actual smoking – you do it alone, and you do it in moderation. So the smoking itself is not the issue. But if your mother asks you to stop, are you violating the fourth commandment by refusing?

 

[Nickkname]

I don’t quite understand this commandment.

Suppose your mother politely asks you to quit smoking. Now, the issue here isn’t the actual smoking – you do it alone, and you do it in moderation. So the smoking itself is not the issue. But if your mother asks you to stop, are you violating the fourth commandment by refusing?

Drug abuse is a mortal sin. Smoking included. (Drinking in moderation, however, is not drug abuse, so it’s not a mortal sin)

If you’re a child, yes you are breaking the Fourth Commandment. If you’re an adult, no you are not. But no matter the age, you’re required to respect your parents and help them out.

 

[EphelDuath]

Drug abuse is a mortal sin. Smoking included. (Drinking in moderation, however, is not drug abuse, so it’s not a mortal sin)

Smoking tobacco itself is not a sin, since it can be done in moderation.

But, thanks.

 

[Nickkname]

Smoking tobacco itself is not a sin, since it can be done in moderation.

But, thanks.

Last I checked, it was a sin. Show me the Church document where it says otherwise.

 

[EphelDuath]

Last I checked, it was a sin. Show me the Church document where it says otherwise.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=56394&highlight=smoking

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=24386&highlight=smoking

 

[Nickkname]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=56394&highlight=smoking

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=24386&highlight=smoking

Thanks for the info.

By the way, here’s something from the Pontifical Council For Health Pastoral Care:

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/hlthwork/documents/rc_pc_hlthwork_doc_20011101_chiesa-droga-presentation_en.html

 

[Et_Cetera]

Smoking is unhealthy, but you’re not committing a sin.

 

[EphelDuath]

OK, so if it’s not a sin, can you clarify when the fourth commandment applies?

 

[LilyM]

OK, so if it’s not a sin, can you clarify when the fourth commandment applies?

The fourth commandment means different things for adult v minor children.

As a minor child your parents are much more of an authority, so unless they command something sinful, impossible, harmful, you should try to obey without question or argument.

As an adult, you should always treat them in a respectful and loving manner. Don’t take them for granted (eg if they should happen to help you out financially or with child minding or the like, don’t accept more than you need, and make it a point to either pay back any money or do something helpful for them in return as soon as possible).

If you disagree with them, as an adult you have more room to say so, and to act as you think fit, but disagree with love and respect for them - no resentfulness, name calling or anger. Unless it’s something they have a right to a say in. For example, whether to put them in a nursing home - even if you might be paying for it, if they’re of sound enough mind to decide where/when they want to go.

As for smoking - well, doing anything as well-proven to compromise your health as smoking would be skirting along the edges of sin if not actually sinful. Not saying it’s mortal, depends on the circumstances (how much you smoke, whether your health is otherwise good, and so on), but it can come under the heading of ‘gluttony’ - putting too much of a priority on pleasurable things like food (or smoking).

 

[EphelDuath]

Define “adult”

Would a person in college, attending off of his parents’ tuition money, be an adult?

 

[LilyM]

Define “adult”

Would a person in college, attending off of his parents’ tuition money, be an adult?

If said student is spending moms and dads money (and a lot of it) on smokes??? I think they have a right to a say on something that a sizeable amount of their money is spent on, no?

I’d try to quit for a) health and b) other moral issues (as I’ve discussed above) rather than just as a matter of keeping the fourth commandment.

 

[ElizabethPH]

I don’t quite understand this commandment.

Suppose your mother politely asks you to quit smoking. Now, the issue here isn’t the actual smoking – you do it alone, and you do it in moderation. So the smoking itself is not the issue. But if your mother asks you to stop, are you violating the fourth commandment by refusing?

How can the issue not be about smoking? I assume she didn’t ask you to quit because the smoke bothered her, because obviously you don’t smoke around her. She asked you to quit because it’s bad for you and you can die from smoking; whether it’s in moderation or not. She’s only concerned for your health. Can you quit? If you can’t then you are addicted to nicotine and perhaps that’s what your mother is afraid of.

 

[EphelDuath]

Not addicted, formerly smoked about one pack a month. Since then has quit because I was asked to.

 

[Catholic90]

Not addicted, formerly smoked about one pack a month. Since then has quit because I was asked to.

Good. Stay quit!!

Smoking is…expensive, addicting, smelly, stinky, yucky, gross, and disgusting. Those are its good points.

Smoking was a deal breaker for me when I was dating back in my college days. I never accepted a date with a smoker. I figured if he was that careless with his own health, how careless would he be with me?! Besides, guys (and gals) who smoked smelled really bad - clothes, hair, breath, apartment, car…

Nothing good comes from smoking.

 

[EphelDuath]

People often roll their eyes at this, but I smoked for two reasons. One, because it controlled my weight. (Instead of eating an extra snack every once in awhile, I would smoke one cigarette.) Two, because it was a stress reliever. Mental health is something you should consider, too.

Now I’m not saying that smoking is a wonderful thing, but it’s wrong to separate it so black and white like that.

 

[cargau]

Drug abuse is a mortal sin. Smoking included. (Drinking in moderation, however, is not drug abuse, so it’s not a mortal sin)

If you’re a child, yes you are breaking the Fourth Commandment. If you’re an adult, no you are not. But no matter the age, you’re required to respect your parents and help them out.

Wow, you sound like a real expert on the matter with all of the authority of the magesterium.

The catechism (2290) states:“The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine.” It permits moderate tobacco use without being considered sinful, just as it does for food, alcohol and medicine.

Further, in the nexrt paragraph, it states: " The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. So, any use of illicit drugs is seriously sinful.

I agree that as an adult, one she be free to make their own life choices

 

[EmBee]

People often roll their eyes at this, but I smoked for two reasons. One, because it controlled my weight. (Instead of eating an extra snack every once in awhile, I would smoke one cigarette.) Two, because it was a stress reliever.

Exactly the reasons I started smoking …

Smoking is…expensive, addicting, smelly, stinky, yucky, gross, and disgusting.

Exactly the reasons I stopped

I see this as less “honor they mother and father” and more “honor thyself”. Of all the hypothetical situations that would require a child (of any age) to respect his/her parents - quitting smoking would, for me at least, be an easy one. This is not a gray area where you have to sort out “is this really in my best interest?” type questions. Everyone can agree that smoking = bad. Props to your parents for encouraging you to quit!

–

 

[Sam_Maloney]

No one starts smoking to manage stress. They just keep smoking to manage the stress of the addiction.

I don’t think many people can smoke tobacco ‘in moderation’. Maybe the pipe or cigar people, or the very rare occasional cigarette person.

Tobacco, used as directed, kills.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Last I checked, it was a sin. Show me the Church document where it says otherwise.

St. Pius X smoked cigars.

 

[cargau]

Last I checked, it was a sin. Show me the Church document where it says otherwise.

St. Pius X smoked cigars.

The catechism (2290) states:“The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine.” It permits moderate tobacco use without being considered sinful, just as it does for food, alcohol and medicine.

Further, in the nexrt paragraph, it states: " The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. So, any use of illicit drugs is seriously sinful.

As I read it, smoking is not sinful unless done to excess. The question is, what exactly is meant by “excess”? I suppose that is left to the smoker…

I think it is a bit dangerous for people to make statements that are not supported by the Church, particularly the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Oh, and like St Pius, I enjoy a cigar. And no, I do not believe I am commiting a sin.