Is smoking cigarettes a venial sin?

[ac_claire]

I agree completely - and note that your points very nicely support my argument that masturbation is not morally wrong!

Except that the Church is very clear that it IS morally wrong. These teachings are not that complicated.

 

[DomusAurea]

TedDC may I ask you to take your masturbation conversation elsewhere? I’m not trying to be offensive, just asking you to. There are so many threads about it - can’t you keep it there?

 

[choy]

Smoking is not a sin at all as far as the Church is concerned, some saints and blesseds used to smoke. Don’t try and superimpose your anti-smoking bais on Church teaching.

Here is one example:

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati smoking a pipe.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8uikWGDdEWM/SH6vlkqP2hI/AAAAAAAAAC8/91K3FtAQjOs/S660/frassati.jpg

Saint Damien of Molokai i another one that springs to mind.

but back in the time, people never really understood the negative effects of smoking
its only a recent discovery and admission that smoking does lead to lung cancer

 

[TedDC]

Except that the Church is very clear that it IS morally wrong. These teachings are not that complicated.

I’m trying to get behind that wall of “Something is (or isn’t) moral because Holy Mother Church says it is (or isn’t) moral”, and answer the deeper question of “why?”.

 

[TedDC]

TedDC may I ask you to take your masturbation conversation elsewhere? I’m not trying to be offensive, just asking you to. There are so many threads about it - can’t you keep it there?

My intent isn’t to debate masturbation - I’m just trying to determine why the Church is inconsistent in its treatment of two unnatural uses of bodily functions, since it has stated, in the case of certain sexual practices, that such uses are “gravely disordered”.

 

[Shin]

One word:

Incense.



Specific declarations against everything are not necessary or do they absolve of responsibility. One has to know the fundamental moral law and then be able to apply it oneself properly, not ask for specific declarations on everything under the sun.

The joys associated with creating a new life in wedlock and using the nostrils to smell a vapor which can be harmful in sufficient amounts are quite different subjects.

 

[Advocatus_Fidei]

I agree completely - and note that your points very nicely support my argument that masturbation is not morally wrong!

Your argument is a false one the two things are not comparable, your obsession with masturbation has twisted your ability to think it seems.

 

[ac_claire]

I’m trying to get behind that wall of “Something is (or isn’t) moral because Holy Mother Church says it is (or isn’t) moral”, and answer the deeper question of “why?”.

Because the Church has the God-ordained authority to judge morality. This being a Catholic forum, we have faith in that. You don’t apparently. I can’t break down the philosophical aruments behind faith. You have it or you don’t, by your own choice.

But in any case, the why isn’t that difficult. People smarter than me have already pointed out the reasons, and why the two can’t be compared. It’s logical; insisting for some arbitrary reason (or because it suits your purpose) that apples and oranges are the same thing isn’t logical. Look at the arguments posted here, Ted.

 

[Monte_RCMS]

but back in the time, people never really understood the negative effects of smoking
its only a recent discovery and admission that smoking does lead to lung cancer

People have known for at least a hundred years that smoking was really really bad for you.

Says here: boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-462250.html that cigarettes were first condemned in 1619.

Cigarettes apparently have ALWAYS been referred to as “coffin nails”.

So that was more than a hundred years ago.

They figured it out very shortly after Europeans first discovered the stuff.