Sorry for multiple posts in a row. I tried editing it all into one, but my 20 minute time limit ran out. To answer some questions:
Since smoking violates the body is that too forbidden?
My opinion is YES, from a Catholic perspective. Smoking is (besides IV drugs) the WORST thing you can do to your body, and nicotine is MORE addictive than Heroine. Smoking is a sin.
Smoking just one cigarette is a near occasion of sin, due to the highly addictive nature of nicotine. Plus, when you smoke, other people inhale the second hand fumes, so you cause bodily harm to others by doing it. It’s a violation of “Thou Shalt not Kill.” Commandment Number Five.
My opinion is that smoking your very first cigarrette would be a mortal sin (because the body is not yet addicted and the Free Will is fully free to choose between good or evil), but once you’re hooked, it’s a venial sin because of diminished capacity (i.e. addictions decrease the “guilt factor” or “culpability” factor because the Free Will is hindered towards choosing the evil choice due to the body’s addiction to Nicotine).
(I’m a health care provider by profession)
What about drinking coffee?
I would say no on this one, as coffee contains antioxidants, which are good for your body, even though Caffeine is mildly addictive. BUT to drink coffee in excess to intentionally get a caffeine “high” would be a sin, but not a grave sin. It would be a venial sin.(A lot of people in college did this during finals week).
What about Methamphetamine?
Highly dangerous. Highly addictive. Against the law. To use it would be a grave mortal sin. Violation of Fourth and Fifth Commandments.
What about chewing tobacco?
Yes, a sin. IT causes lip cancer and if you chew long enough, the doctors will be forced to cut off your lower lip.
What about Alcohol?
Same answer as coffee. Some alcohol, especially Red Wine, is good for your cardiovascular health, even though its addictive. However, to drink alcohol with the intent of getting drunk is a moral sin. The exeption to drunkenness being a sin would be if you either didn’t know you were drinking alcohol, or if you didn’t know alcohol caused drunkenness, or if you didn’t know your limits. Didn’t … uh … Abraham accidentally get drunk? Or was that Isaac? I forget. Anyway, one of the big Old Testament Patriarchs got drunk and passed out, but it wasn’t a sin because he didn’t know that alcohol would cause drunkeness.
Anyway, I think you get the idea…
Basically, for something to be a sin, you must KNOW it’s wrong, and then CHOOSE to go evil instead of good, in a nutshell.
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