Richard Hollerman

In the past, we know that tobacco use was much more prevalent, at least in America. We know that people use tobacco much more now in places like Japan, Russia, and such places. However, for a number of years now, ever since the government made known the danger of this weed, the United States has been much more likely to not become involved in the Tobacco industry. At one time, even physicians in the United States approved and even endorsed the use of tobacco. But no more. It has now become known as a dangerous drug and people should keep from it.

R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company is still around. They produce such brands as Newport, Camel, Doral, Eclipse, Kent, Pall Mall, and they employ about 6,800 people. R. J. Reynolds has been established in British Virgin Islands to minimize tax liability.

Years ago, we are aware that even young people partook of this drug. Of course, they died earlier than they would have (according to statistics perhaps the average smoker dies about 7 or 8 years before he would need to). But, with the government support and endorsement, we no longer find this support for tobacco.

Yet today we find that some people write (on Facebook, which I have) that their fathers used tobacco and these people thought that this was a good thing. I, in turn, pointed out that this was a sin that should be forbidden and avoided. I can recall, years ago, that the little church I joined endorsed this sin. On the very day that I visited, someone was on the front steps and was smoking! One of the elders was known as an incessant smoker. It makes me wonder what ever happen to him and those like him. I visited a church a distance away. I was living in Ohio at the time. Right in the meeting room was a place to dispose of a cigarette or cigar. I wonder about now?

Regarding my exchange with these “friends” and their support of their father’s use of tobacco, I must think of how futile and evil this habit was and is. Yes, I know that the physicians supported it and in the Second World War it was a common practice for tobacco to be used and encouraged. Surely many died in the 1930s and 1940s because of this sin.

But I must think. If someone spent or spends $1,000 a year on this habit, and he dies (on average) some seven or eight years earlier than he should, does this mean anything? This $1,000 a year would be something that could have been spent on the family and children! If this went another ten or twenty years (without premature death), this would have been $10,000 or $20,000 that could have been used for the good of the children and family! Would this not have been the way of love, kindness, and support?

We haven’t even begun to deal with the matter of sin here. Was and is it sinful for someone to spend this kind of money on something that would harm him, that would be a poor example for others, and would misuse money that could have been used for God’s glory? And speaking of God, we must ask, what would Jesus think of this? What would God think of it? Is this something that the Lord would approve? With the connection of love and lack of love, is this something that the Lord would want?

We know that the people who have defended this filthy and evil habit are of a Religion that fails to frown on this. This religion would not even consider this habit as sinful and wrong. I have even seen priests of this religion smoking!

What do you think? Is this something that should be promoted, endorsed, and given a hearty welcome and would it be something that we should say Okay to? After all, if religious authorities endorse smoking, should we too? If our own relatives were involved, was this something good?