[topcat54]

A drunkard cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Let alone be shepherds. Smoking is a drug addiction.

Abuse of anything, including sex and food, is always to be avoided. But merely engaging in an otherwise adiaphora activity is not sin. Smoking (moderate tobacco use) is no more of a “drug addiction” than eating a slice of peach pie. Just ask the Pharisees who were condemned by Jesus for this sort of legalistic view.

Mixing truth and error will never get you to where you need to be.

[1000 silverlings]

right, if it’s not an addiction, try quitting

[metmom]

Romans 14:20-23 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

They felt condemned in their hearts that what they were doing was sin but excused it by appealing to the priest's actions.

Therefore is was sin for them to do it because it wasn't done in faith.

[metmom]

You were saying?

What are your credentials to make that statement?

Nicotine Addiction
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4753

What causes nicotine addiction?

Nicotine is an addictive drug. It causes changes in the brain that make people want to use it more and more. In addition, addictive drugs cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. The good feelings that result when an addictive drug is present — and the bad feelings when it’s absent — make breaking any addiction very difficult. Nicotine addiction has historically been one of the hardest addictions to break.