sophandros
Free Thinker
Should a preacher eat fatty foods?
Why hold a preacher to higher standards than other people? Dude is human, just like the rest of us, last time I checked.
Should a preacher smoke?
- Thread starter philharmonic
- Start date
Should a preacher eat fatty foods?
Why hold a preacher to higher standards than other people? Dude is human, just like the rest of us, last time I checked.
sophandros
Free Thinker
Should they drive SUVs that put WORSE stuff in EVERYONE's air? Is driving an SUV a sin? How about not recycling?
Sometimes a wonder about you guys...
Sometimes a wonder about you guys...
sophandros
Free Thinker
First of all, while I don't use drugs, I believe that they should be decriminalized. That's another issue for another thread on another board.
I've known some very competent preachers, ministers, pastors, and priests who have smoked or imbibed alcohol. Heck, Jesus's first miracle involved alcohol...
The bottom line is that we should adhere to the Hermetic adage: Do Nothing to Excess.
dacontinent
Preacher
Re: Re: Should a preacher smoke?
Yes, occasionally preachers should eat fatty foods just like everyone else.
Preachers should be held to higher standards than non-preachers because God is the one who established the standard being higher. God understands our humanity. Jesus of Nazareth is proof of that.
Yes, occasionally preachers should eat fatty foods just like everyone else.
Preachers should be held to higher standards than non-preachers because God is the one who established the standard being higher. God understands our humanity. Jesus of Nazareth is proof of that.
It really doesn't matter how you try to make logic out of it or if you take it literally, your opinion doesn't matter. Your intellect doesn't matter. Your interpretation doesn't matter if it doesn't line up exactly with God's word.
I hate to say it, but for the people who have reprobate minds, they are going to have to find out at judgement day. I've found out that anyone who wants to continue to do what they want to do or tries to justify what they do will try to find a loop hole in the scripture. Y'all can argue and debate all you want I have a witness on the inside.
I hate to say it, but for the people who have reprobate minds, they are going to have to find out at judgement day. I've found out that anyone who wants to continue to do what they want to do or tries to justify what they do will try to find a loop hole in the scripture. Y'all can argue and debate all you want I have a witness on the inside.
sophandros
Free Thinker
Re: Re: Re: Should a preacher smoke?
That's not a very convincing statement. Preachers are humans, some are gifted with the ability to speak, while others are less so. Some are gifted with the ability to minister to others. But that doesn't mean that they should be held to a higher standard--they are no closer to God than you or me.
I hold every human being to the same standard, and I don't presume to pass judgement on another for any reason whatsoever. I treat what preachers (or anyone, for that matter) says and does like animals. I eat the parts that are good for me and discard that which is inedible or not of any use to me.
One of the big problems with people today is that they prefer to be led by someone whom they consider to be "higher" than themselves. These people are like lemmings. Worse, they are sheeple. Have you ever seriously considered the relationship between a sheep and a shepherd?
That's not a very convincing statement. Preachers are humans, some are gifted with the ability to speak, while others are less so. Some are gifted with the ability to minister to others. But that doesn't mean that they should be held to a higher standard--they are no closer to God than you or me.
I hold every human being to the same standard, and I don't presume to pass judgement on another for any reason whatsoever. I treat what preachers (or anyone, for that matter) says and does like animals. I eat the parts that are good for me and discard that which is inedible or not of any use to me.
One of the big problems with people today is that they prefer to be led by someone whom they consider to be "higher" than themselves. These people are like lemmings. Worse, they are sheeple. Have you ever seriously considered the relationship between a sheep and a shepherd?
dacontinent
Preacher
Re: Re: Re: Re: Should a preacher smoke?
I am a preacher/pastor/teacher. My purpose was not to convince but to tell the truth. When I speak of preachers, I speak of those who have been called of God to preach His Word. That means that God has entrusted them to proclaim the same good news that Jesus did. It means that that they have extra responsibilities that those who have not been called don't have, i.e. a higher standard. Not a holier standard, but a higher one.
I don't have the same standard for my teenage children that I do for their high school teachers. All of them are people, but I expect the teacher to know the material, to know how to teach it, to research additional resources beyond the textbook, to know how to run a classroom even when there are students who are unruly, to be exemplary in conduct, etc. I hold the teacher to a higher standard.
The way that you choose to treat preachers is up to you. Preachers are fallible just like everyone else. Preachers are not the only people to whom God speaks or gives charge. We are all responsible to God to do what he has called us to do...and each thing that he calls us to do carries with it a standard.
And, yes, I understand a good deal about relationships between sheep and shepherds. I have studied from textbooks to get some of the information. I have interviewed shepherds to get still more. I have handled sheep myself - all for the purpose of better understanding my role as a pastor. It has helped a great deal. The most consistent observation of shepherds is that the result of wanting to be a good shepherd is that you will have to be willing to smell like sheep. Even when you take a good bath, you still smell like them. The only way you can get rid of the aroma is to stay away from the sheep indefinitely - meaning that you are no longer a shepherd. Get the picture?
I am a preacher/pastor/teacher. My purpose was not to convince but to tell the truth. When I speak of preachers, I speak of those who have been called of God to preach His Word. That means that God has entrusted them to proclaim the same good news that Jesus did. It means that that they have extra responsibilities that those who have not been called don't have, i.e. a higher standard. Not a holier standard, but a higher one.
I don't have the same standard for my teenage children that I do for their high school teachers. All of them are people, but I expect the teacher to know the material, to know how to teach it, to research additional resources beyond the textbook, to know how to run a classroom even when there are students who are unruly, to be exemplary in conduct, etc. I hold the teacher to a higher standard.
The way that you choose to treat preachers is up to you. Preachers are fallible just like everyone else. Preachers are not the only people to whom God speaks or gives charge. We are all responsible to God to do what he has called us to do...and each thing that he calls us to do carries with it a standard.
And, yes, I understand a good deal about relationships between sheep and shepherds. I have studied from textbooks to get some of the information. I have interviewed shepherds to get still more. I have handled sheep myself - all for the purpose of better understanding my role as a pastor. It has helped a great deal. The most consistent observation of shepherds is that the result of wanting to be a good shepherd is that you will have to be willing to smell like sheep. Even when you take a good bath, you still smell like them. The only way you can get rid of the aroma is to stay away from the sheep indefinitely - meaning that you are no longer a shepherd. Get the picture?
nevaehinvesting
Active Member
I Co-sign what Docontinent said. James 3:1 co-signs it also.
?Brothers, not all of you should rush into being a teacher because they will be judged more strictly!? ? James 3:1
1) The bible emphasizes that it?s one thing to not know right from wrong and to sin.
2) It?s another thing when you do know right from wrong and still sin.
Bible Teachers usually know more about right and wrong, truth and false, etc than someone who hasn?t taken the time to study the bible. They have to because it?s dangerous to teach in error with the bible. We all have the perfect standard of Jesus, of course, but I can see why bible preachers / teachers in theory should be judged more strictly given their knowledge.
Oh, and more bible knowledge doesn?t necessarily = closer to God.
AAMU Alum
Active Member
Originally posted by nevaehinvesting
A couple of quick observations?
Doesn?t matter what?s legal. Abortions are legal, but they?ll still get you on God?s ?bad side?. God?s laws are sometimes the opposite of man?s, especially since the man who made the law may not even believe in God.
Were you comparing smoking to a woman's right to choose?
Surely you jest! :eek2:
I have even better questions. If a pastor smokes, does that mean he is not saved or does it mean that you shouldn't listen to him anymore? Are you better than anyone else if you don't smoke? Last but not least, is there a definate place in the bible that proves without a doubt that smoking is wrong?
nevaehinvesting
Active Member
Smoking, dranking, cussing, lying, etc doesn?t mean he?s not saved. All Christians are justified (saved) when they accept Jesus, but we need to continually work on the sanctification (saved) part daily. The more sanctified (saved) you are, the less you will submit to what your flesh wants to do. Flesh should be crucified anyway.
Go to church where you feel God wants you to be, period. Don?t hold a sin against him. IF it is a sin, pray for him. I love my pastor but I?d be crazy to think he doesn?t do things against the Will of God sometimes, just like me, just like you. I?d also be crazy to ?not listen to him? because of his sins. We?re all battling the flesh, especially preachers!
You probably won?t find scripture specifically about smoking in the New Testament. None that clearly define dranking alcohol as a sin either. When people say these things are likely wrong, they?.we are combining what we know as a whole about God, the Bible, Holiness, your body being a temple, etc.
Instead of telling you a cigarette is a sin I?ll simply just say:
Since you were bought a price by God & that body your'e walking around with is not your own ? ask God if using His body to smoke cigarettes is wrong, if not - how many can you smoke per day, and if He says ?Yes? to you being able to smoke, will he then shield you chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer, cheek cancer, throat cancer, etc? When you pray about it, if God says ?yes do it? you should not develop any of these life threatening problems, right? The key is, pray about it first.
I?d also ask him about drinking alcohol, too much coffee, constant fatty foods, lack of sleep for the body, etc. Anything that can harm your body, don?t just do it, pray about it first. That?s what God (our daddy) is there for.
The bible does not tell us that smoking is a sin and it clearly warns us to not use scripture that is not sound for teaching, but it does warn us not to have an addiction to anything.
Let's consider this point, addiction is the product of habit and habits are fueled by desire. Desires, in and of themselves are not bad, it's only when our desires are misdirected that sin takes place. Desire, either good or bad, demands your attention. As you repeatedly give in to desire, the behavior becomes entrenched through repetition and a destructive habit has been formed. What are your desires? Since it is desire that can lead to habit and habit to addiction, it may be safe to say that all sin has an addictive characteristic. Take away the addiction and you are left with the ability to choose between right and wrong by the power of the conscious mind and human will power.
Let's consider this point, addiction is the product of habit and habits are fueled by desire. Desires, in and of themselves are not bad, it's only when our desires are misdirected that sin takes place. Desire, either good or bad, demands your attention. As you repeatedly give in to desire, the behavior becomes entrenched through repetition and a destructive habit has been formed. What are your desires? Since it is desire that can lead to habit and habit to addiction, it may be safe to say that all sin has an addictive characteristic. Take away the addiction and you are left with the ability to choose between right and wrong by the power of the conscious mind and human will power.