Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Luke 12:25-26

Monday, January 18, 2010

Drinking and Smoking

I've been asked a lot recently what I think about drinking or smoking. I've also been offered a lot of alcohol and usually get asked why I've turn it down. So I've decided to lay it all out on the table.
These are my opinions, take them or leave them. But don't argue with me about them.

SMOKING-
Clearly, this is bad for my health. I have a disease that affects the lungs, I don't need smoke messing them up too. However, what do I think about others smoking? I can't stand it. I h.ate walking to my class in the morning and having to walk through clouds of smoke. With all of the clear evidence that smoking is bad for you, people still pick it up (people my age!) and s.crew their lungs over. You were blessed with a HEALTHY pair of lungs. Why are you BUYING things to ruin them?! The older generations who smoke, I let it slide because they knew nothing about what it did to their lungs. But for those who are younger, as my dad puts it, "smoking should be a sign to the rest of population that those people are idiots and we should avoid them." While that's a little bit harsher than I would put it, it gets the point across.


DRINKING-
I do not drink, but I am in no way against people drinking alcohol. I am against underage drinking and excessive drinking. Underage drinking annoys me because that's a blatant violation of the law and has health risks that older drinkers do not have. The law was not placed (changed, and then changed back) for no reason. So props to people who wait to drink until they're 21. However, I have a problem with too much alcohol. Getting drunk allows for stupid mistakes to be made or rude things to be said and embarrassing situations that could have easily been avoided by a fewer number of shots or not drinking that last margarita. It's foolish and immature to think you have to drink to have fun. And it's even more foolish to arrive at that point where the only time you have fun is when you've had a little "liquid courage." Drinking and enjoying time with people is fine. Getting smashed, trashed, ****-faced, or wasted is a different story. Especially if you do it regularly. There are health risks with that too (direct and indirect). I choose not to drink because 1- I don't know how all the meds will react with alcohol 2,3,4- See paragraph above.

And lastly, to sum it all up,
"19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

-Annie

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I definitely agree with you on the smoking - and secondhand smoke is actually MORE harmful than the smoke that is inhaled from the cigarette. The cigarette has a filter, so the smoker gets filtered smoke, but the secondhand smoke is unfiltered carcinogens.

In general, I agree with your points on alcohol save one. I don't see a problem with the occasional drinking with the purpose of getting drunk - provided that you do so in a manner that will ensure your safety and the safety of others. That means ALWAYS having a DD, who is watching your back and who also should know when to tell you to stop if you either don't have the presence of mind to do so or will to do so. Preferably and alternatively, drink at a private residence where you can spend the night and again have someone designated as the sober person to keep things in check.

If you're going to drink (and that's a personal choice that I always respect), I very much feel that you should be completely wasted at least once so that you know a) how your body reacts, both when you are drunk as well as the aftermath, b) help you identify the different stages of drunkeness (e.g. minimal effect that would still be within the legal limit vs buzzed where you shouldn't drive but might FEEL that you can [see DD] vs drunk-drunk), and c) find out what kind of drunk you are - happy, depressed, belligerent, etc.

My $0.02.

I respect your views and think you not only have a good handle on things, but wish that other college students could be as responsible. Even adults that are legal to drink more often than not make very poor choices that frequently results in tragedy, which I see the aftermath of at my job. I am very much about RESPONSIBLE drinking, you know?

Jennifer said...

Well said, Andrea!

I certainly think if someone decides to drink they should be of age and should "drink responsibly." However, anyone who follows Christ should be very discerning if they decide to drink! Wine was used in Biblical times, but it's my understanding that it was WAY less concentrated back then.

A great verse you quoted. Here is another good one for Christians : "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise." Proverbs 20:1.

I'm proud of you mostly for standing up for what you believe in! So many people let themselves be led astray by what others think, and usually those "others" don't have your best interest at heart anyway.

Hugs!

Jennifer said...

Oh and I agree- smoking's just dumb, so I'm not even gonna comment about that! :)