Smoking in Front of the Church After Mass

[lewevanhoop]

As a smoker and out of respect i will not smoke on the church property. I usually cross the street and smoke in a public parking lot. While smoking isn’t necessarily sinful i still prefer to show the proper respect.

 

[Sarahforgiven]

I do happen to think smoking is discussing but it’s more than that. I grew up in a church where smoking was considered unChristian. If you smoked you had to keep that under wraps. You definitely did not smoke in front of a church!

Is there such a belief in the Catholic Church?

I don’t want to comment on the churches position on smoking. But, I senses some legalistic tone in your posts on this thread. Having been in Non-denominational churches myself, I think you may be expressing the legalism that can take root in some settings. My personal experience was that you had to be “perfect” and a “certain way” in the evangelical world. One of the things I love about being Catholic is the acceptance/acknowledgement of our fallen nature & the need for our Lord & the sacraments of the church.
I try to stay focused on getting the log out of my own eye so to speak.

Peace
S

 

[At_Trent]

Attention parishoners: The ashtrays have been moved across the parking lot, behind the dumpsters.

I wish they’d move the sign of peace to the parking lot as well !

 

[odile53]

C’mon, guys, the only possible “redeeming” value of smoking is the cameraderie that sometimes breaks out with groups of regular smokers who socialize while being consigned to the only area they can smoke nowadays, which is outside, and probably near a dumpster or two! Otherwise, I think we can all agree that it is an unhealthful and offensive habit that most get addicted to, and lose some freedom of choice. I have confessed smoking in Reconciliation, and been told (not by my own pastor, who is a smoker,) that it is at most a venial sin, and was given the advice (not a penance) to go to a quit smoking program. I’ve done that several times, and have quit from time to time but always end up going back to it.

It’s not like wearing an excessive amount of cologne (I consider “excessive” any amount where I can smell you before I see you!) or failing to wash one’s armpits daily. Most smokers would probably do quite a bit to quit, and stay quit.

My little coterie of smokers after Mass go far away from the church entrance, around the side of the building that doesn’t have an exit, and puff away there. Any vestigal smoke has dissipated by the time air currents have gotten around the building. You wouldn’t realize that we were there unless you knew about it from “parish legend.”

The fat lady who felt a need to lecture us that morning was just someone with an axe to grind who figured we were fair game. She had to go out of her way to yell at us. I thought it was a little over the top myself, and secretly applauded the woman who made the comment about her obvious weight problem. Served her right, we’re all sinners, and people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, yadda-yadda!

To answer the original poster’s question, though, I think what you’re talking about is some cultural issues: Average Catholics do tend to be a little more laid back than average evangelicals about things like smoking, dancing, drinking coffee, or the moderate drinking of alcohol. Of course, you’re bound to find more liberal or more conservative parishes. Remember, the word “catholic” itself means “universal.” In other words, “here comes everybody and his uncle!” You’ve got your obvious saints-in-training, your reprobates, your casual punch in twice a year folks, your daily Mass attendees, your very active-outreach folks, your people who would probably make pretty good hermits, your smokers, your drinkers, and everything in between. No telling who you’re going to find in your parish!

Personally, I love it! No cookie-cutter believers here!

 

[TrueLight]

As a smoker and out of respect i will not smoke on the church property. I usually cross the street and smoke in a public parking lot. While smoking isn’t necessarily sinful i still prefer to show the proper respect.

 

[TrueLight]

!

To answer the original poster’s question, though, I think what you’re talking about is some cultural issues: Average Catholics do tend to be a little more laid back than average evangelicals about things like smoking, dancing, drinking coffee, or the moderate drinking of alcohol. Of course, you’re bound to find more liberal or more conservative parishes. Remember, the word “catholic” itself means “universal.” In other words, “here comes everybody and his uncle!” You’ve got your obvious saints-in-training, your reprobates, your casual punch in twice a year folks, your daily Mass attendees, your very active-outreach folks, your people who would probably make pretty good hermits, your smokers, your drinkers, and everything in between. No telling who you’re going to find in your parish!

Personally, I love it! No cookie-cutter believers here!

Ha ha. Thanks for reminding me of the diversity.

 

[Debora123]

Because we now know the health dangerous of smoking does not make it sinful. Not everything that is hazardous to your health is sinful. Being healthy does not equate to morality or holiness. Red meat, butter, vodka, are not considered healthy but in an of themselves are not sinful. Not washing your hands after the restroom isn’t healthy either. It may be gross, but it’s not sinful. Do not think that our modern ideas of healthy living automatically outline what is or isn’t sinful behavior.

Abuse of unhealthy substance, however, IS sinful. Just like eating a lot of junk or drinking a lot. It IS a sin to not take good care of the body God gave us.

 

[Debora123]

Smoking is gross. It stinks. It causes those who smoke to stink. it makes them look old. It is not “cool” in any way, shape, or form.

I would rather sit by a skunk who has not washed its hands after using the bathroom and picks its nose.

Luckily, we have no ashtrays anywhere near our church, and I have never seen anyone smoking outside our parish. That is a very good thing, IMO.

Same here. Never seen anyone smoke in the property.

 

[Phemie]

We have ashtrays right outside of the building. So if people shouldn’t smoke there, they need to move the ashtrays.

And no, I don’t smoke.

Most public buildings around here have a 25’ no-smoking zone around them. Our church has certainly never had ashtrays around and except for that seminarian I don’t recall ever seeing anyone smoking there – other than the visiting episcopal vicar who didn’t even have the decency to go smoke outside while here and imposed his smoke on the two non-smoking priests and me by smoking in my office. Inconsiderate or what!!

 

[Phemie]

Attention parishoners: The ashtrays have been moved across the parking lot, behind the dumpsters.

Reminds me of DH. When asked where the smoking area was at a certain venue he named the nearest community – 275 km away.

 

[Phemie]

Once they move the perfume wears, I will say something. Until then,

We have many scent-free places in our town: our theatre, our schools and our churches, our hospital, etc. It goes along with the peanut-free zones, the fish-free zones, etc.

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

I see nothing pleasurable about it. How is it a social tool? What manner of people are you going to endear yourself to with cigarettes? Do you really think “all the cool people do it?” Smoking absolutly does make people sick. It may not be lung cancer that gets you, but there is overwhelming evidence that it causes severe and chronic respritory problems, even after a short time smoking. I never knew a chronic smoker who enjoyed good health. Nearly everyone in my family smokes and they are always constantly sick. I work in a school, for crying out loud, and I have less colds than the rest of them.

Yeah it’s a wonder that with all the ills of tobacco that its being used for nearly 6000 years that man has survived at all. I mean as deadly as it is should not it have wiped out the entire species?

I have to laugh when I see people at bus stop on busy downtown streets breathing all the fumes from the buses and cars and trucks with not problem at all. Then some one lights a cigarette, they will look over at the smoker and start to cough. It cracks me up.

 

[TrueLight]

Yeah it’s a wonder that with all the ills of tobacco that its being used for nearly 6000 years that man has survived at all. I mean as deadly as it is should not it have wiped out the entire species?

I have to laugh when I see people at bus stop on busy downtown streets breathing all the fumes from the buses and cars and trucks with not problem at all. Then some one lights a cigarette, they will look over at the smoker and start to cough. It cracks me up.

Does anyone in this day and age still doubt that cigarettes are harmful? It’s not just a matter of cancer, it also increases your risk of other diseases.

One can live to be old and reasonably healthy or old and a mess.

One or two exceptions of “my grandfather lived to be 120” does not change the fact that smoking is harmful.

 

[Loboto-Me]

Smoking in and of itself is not sinful, however, as with all addictions, it can lead to sinful behavior.

Must have something to do with people saying “I’d KILL for a cigarette right about now” LOL

We really must watch those smokers… they just might start stealing and do all manner of sinning due to cigarettes

 

[benedictgal]

Does anyone in this day and age still doubt that cigarettes are harmful? It’s not just a matter of cancer, it also increases your risk of other diseases.

One can live to be old and reasonably healthy or old and a mess.

One or two exceptions of “my grandfather lived to be 120” does not change the fact that smoking is harmful.

Of course, George Burns lived to a ripe old 100, and he enjoyed his stogies.

 

[TrueLight]

Of course, George Burns lived to a ripe old 100, and he enjoyed his stogies.

Yep. One of those exceptions.

Someone like that has longevity in their genes. It almost doesn’t matter what they do. But the rest of us…

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

Does anyone in this day and age still doubt that cigarettes are harmful? It’s not just a matter of cancer, it also increases your risk of other diseases.

One can live to be old and reasonably healthy or old and a mess.

One or two exceptions of “my grandfather lived to be 120” does not change the fact that smoking is harmful.

It is not a matter of exceptions. It is a matter of over indulgence. Any thing that is over indulged in is harmful. And your senario of “old and reasonably healthy or old and a mess”
can apply to smoker and non smoker alike.

By the way In my circle it not one or two It is most all the smokers in my family live good long lives of reasonable good health into their 80’s.

 

[TrueLight]

It is not a matter of exceptions. It is a matter of over indulgence. Any thing that is over indulged in is harmful. And your senario of “old and reasonably healthy or old and a mess”
can apply to smoker and non smoker alike.

By the way In my circle it not one or two It is most all the smokers in my family live good long lives of reasonable good health into their 80’s.

Hello!

God has blessed you with good genes.

 

[Debora123]

I have to laugh when I see people at bus stop on busy downtown streets breathing all the fumes from the buses and cars and trucks with not problem at all. Then some one lights a cigarette, they will look over at the smoker and start to cough. It cracks me up.

…This could be because cigarette smoke from the person next to you smells infinitely more disgusting and intolerable than cars, buses, and trucks on a busy downtown street.

Sad, but true.

 

[Debora123]

It is not a matter of exceptions. It is a matter of over indulgence. Any thing that is over indulged in is harmful. And your senario of “old and reasonably healthy or old and a mess”
can apply to smoker and non smoker alike.

You don’t think being addicted to something insinuates an over indulgence??

By the way In my circle it not one or two It is most all the smokers in my family live good long lives of reasonable good health into their 80’s.

Good. We should all smoke, and encourage out kids to smoke too.

I’ll remember this story to make me feel better if I ever have a kid who comes home from college with a pack of cigarettes in their bags.