Have anyone purchased cigarettes lately?

[TheGloryLand]

I got in line to pay for my gasoline. Two people in front of me, one purchase five single packs of cigarettes totaling $52 dollars and the second person brought one totaling eight dollars. I thought, I could fill my gas tank with those 6 packs of cigarettes.

[BrotherTony]

I would hope that nobody here is a smoker. But, that's not always the case. I haven't smoked for nearly 23 years. I had my last cigarette on March 22, 2000. I only smoked on occasion at that time, but, for several years before that I smoked at least 2 packs a day. Salem Lights, Kool Filter Kings, and Benson & Hedges. When I first started smoking at the age of 12, cigarettes only cost 29 cents a pack. That was 48 years ago. When I quit, they were nearly $2 a pack. My father was a heavy smoker. He smoked nearly 4 packs a day for over 35 years, and one to two packs a day from the time he was 8. He died from cancer at the age of 59, dying just two weeks before his 60th birthday in June of 2000. 

[heartstrings]

Haven't smoked in over 40 years. Funny you should ask. My DIL asked me that very question last night, right after asking what I thought about drinking wine. From the tone of the conversation, I suspected she wanted something to pounce on  So, I told Her I WOULD Not answer the question. She tried to tempt me to answer like 2 or 3 more times but I still refused  So she came from another angle and asked had I ever smoked or drank beer. To that I answered "yes". I then turned to my son and asked, have you ever seen your daddy drink or smoke? He answered, "no". Over 40 years on drinking too. I wasn't going to lie about my past, but both she and my son know where I stand on drinking. She only wanted something to argue about. But she said no more about it. Let me say, in conclusion: neither smoking, nor drinking is going to send a Christian to Hell *if he's already truly saved*. But they'll damage your testimony, invoke the chastening from the Lord, and likely send you to Heaven early.

Edited November 25, 2022 by heartstrings

[TheGloryLand]

Smoke houses are now opening up everywhere, here in Florida, medical marijuana.  I noticed more homeless people are hanging around these places too. Sad I wonder when recreational marijuana is legal here, are we going to look like California. 

[BrotherTony]

2 hours ago, TheGloryLand said:

Smoke houses are now opening up everywhere, here in Florida, medical marijuana.  I noticed more homeless people are hanging around these places too. Sad I wonder when recreational marijuana is legal here, are we going to look like California. 

There's nothing wrong with medical marijuana. People who use it by prescription aren't like those who are using it recreationally. And not everyone who uses marijuana smokes it. Many consume it by eating it in their food. 

[TheGloryLand]

19 minutes ago, BrotherTony said:

There's nothing wrong with medical marijuana. People who use it by prescription aren't like those who are using it recreationally. And not everyone who uses marijuana smokes it. Many consume it by eating it in their food. 

You’re the first Baptist preacher that supports it. For medical then comes recreational.

[BrotherTony]

9 minutes ago, TheGloryLand said:

You’re the first Baptist preacher that supports it. For medical then comes recreational.

That's not a fact. I'm NOT the first Baptist preacher that supports it. There are many Baptist pastors in this country who support it for medical use. It's statements like the one you just made make me call you into question on things. Again, prove your allegation that I'm the first Baptist preacher to support it, or withdraw the statement. These kind of statements from you truly need to stop. 

[TheGloryLand]

1 hour ago, BrotherTony said:

That's not a fact. I'm NOT the first Baptist preacher that supports it. There are many Baptist pastors in this country who support it for medical use. It's statements like the one you just made make me call you into question on things. Again, prove your allegation that I'm the first Baptist preacher to support it, or withdraw the statement. These kind of statements from you truly need to stop. 

On this forum 

[TheGloryLand]

Brother Tony, we need to be firm where we stand, if we support it for medical use, marijuana. We all know what comes after. Now if there’s a brother in Christ, that is using marijuana for medical uses, he or she should not be telling anybody openly. This can become a stumbling block for someone that is using it for recreation uses, an open door. Will those Christians, lose their salvation?  I believe they would not, lose their salvation for using marijuana. I believe it is not approved like other legal drugs, alcohol, and smoking. We Christians, should not be using these for our body pleasures, because the Holy Spirit lives in us.

[BrotherTony]

12 hours ago, TheGloryLand said:

On this forum 

I may well be..."on this forum." But, then again, you really don't know since you've not polled everybody...correct? This makes your assertion a false accusation until otherwise proven. I, for one, am going to continue to call you out when you make blanket, unfounded statements. 

[TheGloryLand]

5 hours ago, BrotherTony said:

I may well be..."on this forum." But, then again, you really don't know since you've not polled everybody...correct? This makes your assertion a false accusation until otherwise proven. I, for one, am going to continue to call you out when you make blanket, unfounded statements. 

Some things don’t need to have a poll here. Example

1 How many here supports gay marriages?

2. How many here supports abortions?

3. How many here supports the legal uses of marijuana?

[BrotherTony]

2 hours ago, TheGloryLand said:

Some things don’t need to have a poll here. Example

1 How many here supports gay marriages?

2. How many here supports abortions?

3. How many here supports the legal uses of marijuana?

You're trying to deflect. 

[swathdiver]

On 12/4/2022 at 3:48 PM, BrotherTony said:

There's nothing wrong with medical marijuana. 

I've watched marijuana destroy lives since I was a boy.  Paranoia and brain cancer come to mind.

[BrotherTony]

2 hours ago, swathdiver said:

I've watched marijuana destroy lives since I was a boy.  Paranoia and brain cancer come to mind.

Yes, and we've all heard the stories. I've seen proof of the value of medical marijuana for years. I've also seen how the data has been manipulated by the Federal government for years to show it to be the "boogeyman!" There are dangers with ANY type of medicine, especially when abused. 

[robmac68]

On 12/5/2022 at 2:11 PM, BrotherTony said:

You're trying to deflect. 

I think there is a lot of "deflect"ion going on here.  What "PROBLEM" arises from the recreational use of marijuana?  Someone grows a plant in their backyard and chooses to smoke it, where's the problem?  Lives destroyed and brain cancer??  John 3:18 states that "he that believeth not is condemned already..."  sounds like a destroyed life to me and that person didn't have to smoke dope to have it happen.  As far as brain cancer, I personally believe more people have gotten cancer from chemical laced sodas and McDonald's burgers than from smoking marijuana.  Years ago on a show called The O'Reilley Factor, the host, Bill O'Reilly was debating this issue and he made the statement that "more lives have been destroyed by alcohol than ever destroyed by dope."  I did not check his facts, I am sure he had plenty of fact checkers doing that, but it is believable.  Think back to Billy Sunday.  Was he out there protesting marijuana?  It wasn't illegal back then.  No, he was shutting down bars.  Preaching against the drunkard.  So why aren't we actively trying to get the government to make alcohol illegal?  

The marijuana issue is just a deflection from the fact that people need the gospel.  I don't need the government legislating my biblical beliefs.  If we are not to be drunk with wine because it hinders the Spirit, than I would put marijuana in that same category and call its use sin.  I am not going to get worked up because a LOST person wants to smoke a joint because they think it is going to make their life better.  They need Christ.  Lost people are looking for many more ways to make their life seem better than just marijuana.  Should the government make violent movies and video games illegal?  Should rock music be illegal?  Alcohol, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, football on Sunday?  And if you have some common sense, you know all those I listed, separate from marijuana, effect your personal lives more than someone smoking dope.  have you had any run ins with the teens from this generation that are numb to violence from movies and video games?  Do you know someone whose life was effected by a drunk driver?  All this effects you more than a stoner ever will.  Does that mean I want marijuana legal.  No, I just don't care whether it is or not.  It is of none effect on me as a Christian that has been commissioned to share the gospel.  I believe in my heart that it is easier to reach a stoner with the gospel than it is to reach a Catholic who has been duped their whole lives by a false religion.  False religion has sent more people to hell than marijuana.  Should Catholicism be illegal?  "No man that warreth entangleth himself in the affairs of this life..." 2 Tim 2:4.  Getting involved in the marijuana debate is definitely an "affair of this life".  Should we preach against the use of marijuana?  Yes, the same as we preach against drunkenness. 

We are to use our Lord and Savior as our example.  So how did He deal with these issues?  He looked on the masses with compassion because they were sheep without a shepherd.  He didn't separate the liars, adulterers and thieves and say "I will deal with these, let me get the Roman government to deal with the others and make their actions illegal."  No.  He preached to them.  It should not matter one iota to a Christian whether marijuana is legal or not.  Just share the gospel and live your life separate from the world.