I agree with first commenter. Here in Michigan bar hours begin at noon on Sunday; and a back-slid Episcopalian such as myself (Catholic Light - All of the Ritual; None of the Guilt) needs to hit late service to get the timing right.
And please don't forget the Lutherans. Why make up sins for sinners to commit? What are sausages without a beer or a cocktail? And what is waiting without a smoke for an order or for the check, but something akin to Hell already? And why should the godless have all the fun?
As the only smoker at my evangelical church, I will say we are likely not holding up our end of the smoking-section bar rush. But I'm working on it. I suspect, as noted, that the liturgical churches may dominate in this rush. Their people get less rattled by "new" (19th C) rules of behavior.
What really gets me is from back when I worked maintenace for a theater (stage type, not movie) downtown. Cleaning the house after Gospel musicals never failed to turn up a metric butt-load of empty pint bottles.
When I was a boy in the 50's, a Lutheran basement potluck had the same centerpiece-height blue haze you'd find at an Army reunion. The minister smoked in the sacristy. The church ladies smoked while complaining about the beatniks. The church council smoked, cigarettes, cigars and pipes. I have searched in vain for the new discovery in Scripture that changed all this.
If I get the chance, I may brace my pastor for his comments about cigars yesterday. He said, in his opinion, that he'd get a new pastor if that pastor smoked. Thing is, as far as I know, the only arguement you can make for not smoking from the Bible is that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and should be treated with respect.
This applies to overeating as well, but since he's somewhat rotund, I'm not sure he'd follow that logic out. (I'm also carrying a spare tire so I'm not doing well on this either.)
Humans have the problem as shown by the Pharisees. We like to make rules, even when God doesn't see fit to do so. Sometimes this is good, because I genuinely think people ought not smoke, but we ought to be cautious about giving our opinions the force of Scripture which this pastor hasn't, but some do.
There's nothing unChristian about smoking or drinking, Jesus Christ's first miracle in the Bible was turning water into wine, and it was GOOD wine too. Communion is held with wine in many churches still.
The Bible and Christianity as a faith have no problem with drinking or smoking Sunday or any other day, any more than eating sweets or not exercising.
Episcopalians
ReplyDeleteI agree with first commenter. Here in Michigan bar hours begin at noon on Sunday; and a back-slid Episcopalian such as myself (Catholic Light - All of the Ritual; None of the Guilt) needs to hit late service to get the timing right.
ReplyDeleteAnd please don't forget the Lutherans.
ReplyDeleteWhy make up sins for sinners to commit?
What are sausages without a beer or a cocktail? And what is waiting without a smoke for an order or for the check, but something akin to Hell already?
And why should the godless have all the fun?
As the only smoker at my evangelical church, I will say we are likely not holding up our end of the smoking-section bar rush. But I'm working on it. I suspect, as noted, that the liturgical churches may dominate in this rush. Their people get less rattled by "new" (19th C) rules of behavior.
ReplyDeleteJust be thankful that your bars still have smoking sections. Perhaps the patrons have to get their bar time in early so they can get back to Ohio.
ReplyDeleteSome church goers are drinkers and smokers especially in denominations that don't see any problems with it.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of us aren't willing to wait for a seat and can tolerate a little smoke if it means we avoid a 45 minute wait.
:)
Theology is best done over stout and pipes. Or hefeweissen and cigarillos in the summer. Or, sometimes just good cigars. Partagas, maybe.
ReplyDeleteInstalanche!
ReplyDeleteExpect many complimentary posts on other blogs - a lot of guys have a thing for "hot chicks with guns".
And Tam, you certainly know your Boomsticks.
What really gets me is from back when I worked maintenace for a theater (stage type, not movie) downtown. Cleaning the house after Gospel musicals never failed to turn up a metric butt-load of empty pint bottles.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a boy in the 50's, a Lutheran basement potluck had the same centerpiece-height blue haze you'd find at an Army reunion. The minister smoked in the sacristy. The church ladies smoked while complaining about the beatniks. The church council smoked, cigarettes, cigars and pipes. I have searched in vain for the new discovery in Scripture that changed all this.
ReplyDeleteIf I get the chance, I may brace my pastor for his comments about cigars yesterday. He said, in his opinion, that he'd get a new pastor if that pastor smoked. Thing is, as far as I know, the only arguement you can make for not smoking from the Bible is that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and should be treated with respect.
ReplyDeleteThis applies to overeating as well, but since he's somewhat rotund, I'm not sure he'd follow that logic out. (I'm also carrying a spare tire so I'm not doing well on this either.)
Humans have the problem as shown by the Pharisees. We like to make rules, even when God doesn't see fit to do so. Sometimes this is good, because I genuinely think people ought not smoke, but we ought to be cautious about giving our opinions the force of Scripture which this pastor hasn't, but some do.
Tennwriter
There's nothing unChristian about smoking or drinking, Jesus Christ's first miracle in the Bible was turning water into wine, and it was GOOD wine too. Communion is held with wine in many churches still.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible and Christianity as a faith have no problem with drinking or smoking Sunday or any other day, any more than eating sweets or not exercising.
Unitarians
ReplyDelete