Illegal drugs, smoking and such

[wishtolearn]

JOhn Wells,
Can you clarify something for me? If someone enjoys having their couple of Corona's and watching a Packer game on the weekends, does that make them less of a Christian than someone who doesn't?

 

[Mike McK]

cricket,

I smoked a lot of pot in high school and college and I was one of those kids who was "sqeaky clean". I lettered in three sports, was a co-founder of our school's Young Republicans and YAF and got great grades.

Same in college. I smoked a lot of pot in college and drank quite a bit, too (I went to an SEC school, what can I say?). I was active in just about everything and got good grades. Had I not missed one of my humanities requirements, I would have had a 4.0.

I don't smoke pot now because it's not like beer in that you can enjoy it without becoming intoxicated. Pot's only purpose (other than medical) is to get high and I don't think I could indulge without sinning (not to mention that I'm terrified of random testing).

I do have a bunch of friends who smoke pot and they are all "sqeaky clean". A high scool history teacher, a doctor, a couple of firefighters.

I'm not commenting on the morality or immorality of smoking pot (although I do believe that, at least until we can come up with a better drug policy, it should legalized), I'm just saying that there are a lot of people who smoke pot recreationally and are productive members of society.

As someone who has smoked pot recreationally and who is around a lot of people who smoke pot, I can tell you that you would be amazed at the number of people who fire one up every now and then and even more amazed at who those people are.

[ August 11, 2002, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: Smoke_Eater ]

 

[Mike McK]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by wishtolearn:
JOhn Wells,
Can you clarify something for me? If someone enjoys having their couple of Corona's and watching a Packer game on the weekends, does that make them less of a Christian than someone who doesn't?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I hope not because I had several Yeungleungs while we were watching the Eagles beat up on San Diego today.

 

[Helen]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by wishtolearn:
JOhn Wells,
Can you clarify something for me? If someone enjoys having their couple of Corona's and watching a Packer game on the weekends, does that make them less of a Christian than someone who doesn't?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

When your life belongs to Christ, and when He is living in you and through you by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will find yourself being more and more transformed to become more and more the image of Christ.

Gradually, the parts of your life that are not honoring to God will be dropped away like a lizard's outgrown skin. So it's not a matter of being more or less a Christian. One either is or isn't born again and that's an A/non-A proposition. It's rather a matter of maturity in Christ.

It's really easy for a person who is strong in one area of their Christian walk to criticize another person's weak area. That is exactly what Paul told us not to do!

So if it is your weakness to spend part of your weekend like that, then it is not up to us to criticize you for that. If it is my weakness to not understand that part of your life, then you are not to criticize me for THAT.

Instead, let us keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and learn to follow more and more closely.

Let me ask you this, though. Do you spend as much time reading God's Word as watching television?

Now THAT's a rough one, eh?

But if you are spiritually alive, then you are also spiritually hungary, and His Word is your food. "Man does not live by bread alone, but on every WORD....." remember that one?

Remember to feed yourself, OK?

 

[wishtolearn]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Smoke_Eater:



I hope not because I had several Yeungleungs while we were watching the Eagles beat up on San Diego today.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What are "Yeungleungs"? New micro-brew I'm not aware of?

 

[Mike McK]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by wishtolearn:


What are "Yeungleungs"? New micro-brew I'm not aware of?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeunglueng and Sons is is the oldest brewery in the country.

It's a beer that is wildly popular in Pennsylvania and South Jersey.

Great beer. It never extended beyond the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys.

When I go out of town on business or on vacation, I never know what to do because they don't have it there.

[ December 09, 2001: Message edited by: Smoke_Eater ]

 

[wishtolearn]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Smoke_Eater:


Yeunglueng and Sons is is the oldest brewery in the country.

It's a beer that is wildly popular in Pennsylvania and South Jersey.

Great beer. It never extended beyond the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys.

When I go out of town on business or on vacation, I never know what to do because they don't have it there.

[ December 09, 2001: Message edited by: Smoke_Eater ]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Come to Milwaukee, we got everyting here, hey?

 

[John Wells]

Is "having a couple of Coronas or Yeungluengs a sin?"

I cannot be the judge of that. How many and how often are we talking about? Do you become intoxicated (in the least bit)? I do know that two beers downed very quickly can make you not act like the normal you, and that, I think, is a sin. In my personal opinion, if you are filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit, drinking alcohol becomes a "downer" and not an "upper." At least that's my experience. I don't like injesting anything into my body that impedes my mental capacity, because that "mind" is tuned, just like a radio is tuned to a particular station, to God! The last time I had a "couple of beers," my mind got "untuned" and I hated it. My mind is stimulated by the Holy Spirit. I don't need, nor can I stand artificial stimulants. Without being judgemental, I do wonder about anyone who claims to be on fire for the Lord who regularly exposes their mind to artificial stimulants. The Holy Spirit high is better than any alcohol or drug high I ever did, and believe me, I've been around the block a few times!

Do you experience the same thing? That's for you to determine and you to decide. Choose wisely!

[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: John Wells ]

 

[Joe Meert]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Helen:

If you are not part of the answer then you are, by nature, part of the problem.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

JM: false dichotomy. You may be neither. This is one of the classic illustrations of false logic. Having said that, let's move on to the notion of drugs, alcohol and other problems. If the body is a temple, then why do some people heat up their food in the microwave using plastic? Don't they know that this introduces an estrogen-like substance (bisphenol) into the body and can cause infertility in adult males, cause females to enter puberty at a very young age and otherwise cause harm? Should plastic be banned? Jesus himself turned water into wine (presumably with alcohol) and drank it at his last supper. It seems to me the question is one of abuse NOT use.

Cheers

Joe Meert

[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: Joe Meert ]

 

[Helen]

Joe, I happen to agree with my father that if a person is doing nothing, he is perpetuating the problem, whatever it is. Non-action when you are aware of a problem, is the same as being part of it.

As far as the plastic, etc., goes, not many people are aware of that. Now a few more are. Thank you. I think the point of taking care of yourself, however, is simply to do the best you know how rather than indulge in substances or activities you know will either damage you or put you at risk.

In other words, on both subjects, it's not a perfect world, but we should do the best we can in it.

 

[poikilotherm]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Helen:


(snip)

It's really easy for a person who is strong in one area of their Christian walk to criticize another person's weak area. That is exactly what Paul told us not to do!

So if it is your weakness to spend part of your weekend like that, then it is not up to us to criticize you for that. If it is my weakness to not understand that part of your life, then you are not to criticize me for THAT. (snip)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Just curious here. In what way is saying that somebody spending a weekend "like that" is a "weakness" not a criticism? I mean, on the one hand, you say that its not up to you to criticise, and on the other you say that his behavior is a weakness. That's kinda like if I said (hypothetically)"Hey! Its not up to me to criticise if you are going to be a hypocrit like that." Maybe I'm missing a fine point in ethics here.

[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: poikilotherm ]

 

[Joe G Meert]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Helen:
Joe, I happen to agree with my father that if a person is doing nothing, he is perpetuating the problem, whatever it is. Non-action when you are aware of a problem, is the same as being part of it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

JM: I know you agree, but the logic is flawed. Suppose the problem is that Hewlett-Packard needs a new computer concept according to a conversation you overheard at lunch. Suppose you know this but you do not work there nor do you know anyone who works there. In addition, suppose you know nothing about computers. Given that you know the problem but do not act, are you by definition 'part of the problem'?

Cheers

Joe Meert

 

[poikilotherm]

(please ignore superfluous post caused by *tupidity on poikilotherm's part when he tried to edit previous for annoying spelling mistake)

[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: poikilotherm ]

 

[Scott Page]

What about implying that one has read and understood, say, a scientific paper, when it is obvious that the claimant has done no such thing?
Is that part of the problem?

 

[donnA]

cricket
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> I hope your son is doing all right now, Katie? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

froggy
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> hope your son is doing ok now. Probably what he needs the most is love, tolerance and understanding (and yes a swift kick in the butt too--my brother is going through some of these same things). I sincerely hope that he is ok. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I am sorry it took so long to get back to you, but I actually forgot I had posted in this thread.

Yes he is doing very well at the moment, he's in jail(not drug related, but caused by the fact he was on drugs). So he at least isn't doing drugs. And I know someones going to ask, so before you do, no I don't know when he will be coming home. It can possably be next year with a lot of prayer, or as much as another 5 years.

 

[donnA]

Froggie, thanks for your nice words, and also thank you for the drug information. It explains a lot.

 

[wishtolearn]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John Wells:
Is "having a couple of Coronas or Yeungluengs a sin?"

I cannot be the judge of that. How many and how often are we talking about? Do you become intoxicated (in the least bit)? I do know that two beers downed very quickly can make you not act like the normal you, and that, I think, is a sin. In my personal opinion, if you are filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit, drinking alcohol becomes a "downer" and not an "upper." At least that's my experience. I don't like injesting anything into my body that impedes my mental capacity, because that "mind" is tuned, just like a radio is tuned to a particular station, to God! The last time I had a "couple of beers," my mind got "untuned" and I hated it. My mind is stimulated by the Holy Spirit. I don't need, nor can I stand artificial stimulants. Without being judgemental, I do wonder about anyone who claims to be on fire for the Lord who regularly exposes their mind to artificial stimulants. The Holy Spirit high is better than any alcohol or drug high I ever did, and believe me, I've been around the block a few times!

Do you experience the same thing? That's for you to determine and you to decide. Choose wisely!

[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: John Wells ]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I do everything to a point where I feel comfortable. I never like to lose control or act like an idiot because I've drank too much. I've been there too. Nor do I slam my drinks when having them. I am an occasional social drinker and enjoy the company of my friends while doing it. That is me.
I never claimed to be "on fire" for anything. I believe what I do, always have, and enjoy my life and hope that I bring joy to others lives as well. We can agree to disagree on this matter and many since every person is their own person with likes and dislikes.

 

[Gina B]

Ok, so there's a serious discussion going on about if it's great and wonderful to smoke pot?
DUH!
Sure, everyone sins, doesn't make you a better or worse person than the next Christian, nice you can be honest about it, kinda sad when you gotta try to justify it though.
The end.
Gina

 

[Mike McK]

Originally posted by katie:
Yes he is doing very well at the moment, he's in jail(not drug related, but caused by the fact he was on drugs). So he at least isn't doing drugs. And I know someones going to ask, so before you do, no I don't know when he will be coming home. It can possably be next year with a lot of prayer, or as much as another 5 years.

How's he doing now, Katie?