It's true — smoking DOES cause cancer!
Smoking IS injurious to health!
Read, in this article, backed up by plenty of statistical PROOF, what your Creator says about smoking!
LAST year, Americans alone smoked 523 BILLION cigarettes — a staggering 120 billion more than 7 years ago!
This increase represents more than double what the rise in population alone could have caused. Some 70 MILLION Americans use tobacco — 3 out of every 5 men and 1 in every 3 women!
It's BIG BUSINESS
Tobacco is the nation's fifth largest cash crop, and the third largest crop for export. It is grown on 750,000 farms and, for most of these families, provides their major cash income.
The tobacco weed is processed in 550 factories in 30 states, employing more than 96,000 people, drawing an estimated payroll of 379 million dollars per year.
All this does not mention the obvious consumption of paper, aluminum foil, cellophane, cardboard and use of trucking services, promotions, writers, designers, advertisers, and the tremendous sums (running into the multiple millions of dollars per year) spent through the commercial advertising media to encourage people to smoke.
And all this still does not mention the more than 4500 wholesalers and 1,500,000 retailers involved in moving the weed, now carefully packaged into some "special blend" or another (perhaps, according to one claim, with the cut tobacco even laid "end to end!"), from the growing patch to the stained forefingers of the consumer.
Smoking is truly BIG business! It's part and parcel with social custom, part of the fond recollections of every family, a little bit of our history — and a huge, billowing, gray and ash-filled cloud that blinds our eyes, strangles our lungs, pollutes our cities, and kills hundreds of thousands of us every year!
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Think of it!
How many times do families reminisce about granddad and his fireside pipe? How many acquaintances were begun over the question, "Gotta match?" To how many millions of human individuals is the act of taking a cigarette from a pack, tamping it on the thumbnail, and expertly lighting it in one manner or another the epitome of all social graces?
To how many Americans, Britons, Australians, Europeans, and, for that matter, members of all races, is the "cigarette break" a consummate desire in their lives?
The dollars' volume of the sign painting industry alone, providing all the "smoking" or "no smoking" signs would be staggering!
The average non-smoker, who returns home from ANY restaurant, sports event, plane trip or shoeshine parlor with his clothes and his hair reeking with a blend of dozens of cigarettes and cigars knows that smoking IS truly BIG BUSINESS!
But is it good business? Is it right business? Is it profitable business — physically and spiritually?
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There is no question about its profitableness to those who raise it, package and promote it, and those who slap taxes upon it! The question is: Should YOU smoke it? Should YOU buy it? Is it a SIN for you to smoke?
Smoking DOES Cause Cancer!
The facts are in. Smoking really DOES cause cancer. Incontrovertible facts have been laboriously compiled over many YEARS, by many different researchers. The British Government was first to publicly state smoking caused cancer. Canada followed — and, finally, the United States.
No need to quote here the monumental case histories which factually PROVE smoking causes cancer.
But what has been the public reaction to the government report? A survey conducted by United Press International showed the public reaction ranged all the way from some who said, "I'm going to quit," to those who said, "I'd like to see them MAKE me quit!"
But far more prevalent were those who took the usual philosophical view of their personal lusts and pleasures.
"I'm not going to give up smoking," said Lupe Gonzales, Los Angeles cashier. "I may die young, but I'll die happy." Edward J. Tighe, Cleveland, Ohio, Linotype operator, said, "You gotta die from something, don't you?"
According to the United Press Report, many smokers indicated they would continue right on smoking cigarettes, or maybe just cut down a little, because they got too much pleasure from smoking or felt they would be unable to shake the habit.
"Smoking is one of the few things in life I can possibly enjoy any place outside of church. I will continue smoking," St. Louis radio announcer James Paszarek said.
"I'm not planning to quit. I've been smoking 30 years and I enjoy it," E.J. Dollhopf, Pittsburgh jewelry store manager, said.
Richard Obermaier, 19, Chicago telephoto operator, said, "the report doesn't worry me. I'm in fairly good physical shape. I won't cut back."
"I'd like to give up cigarettes, but I can't. The habit is too strong," New York housewife Saralee G. Braun said. "My husband quit cigarettes, but it was easy 'for him; he had cigars to fall back on."
Another housewife, Mrs. Geraldine Hodson, 19, Des Moines, Iowa, said "I'm concerned about the reports, but I've tried to stop and I couldn't."
"I really don't believe there's anything to this lung cancer stuff," said Walter Jaworski, Des Moines Jewelry store operator.
"I really think I shouldn't smoke, but it's kind of hard to quit. I'm going to think about it," said Mrs. Norman G. Nelson, Hopkins, Minn.
Mrs. Dominic Gianasi, Cleveland bookkeeper, said she smokes at least three packs a day and "I'm scared. I don't know if I can stop, but I will try — for the Nth time."
Think of it!
The "what me worry?" nonchalance in the face of proven danger in cigarette smoking is one of the many paradoxes of our time!
Faced with the biggest issues in the history of mankind; faced with the possibility of annihilation of every man, woman and child on the face of the earth; most people are on a pleasure binge — seeking only to satisfy the lusts of the flesh!
What Do the Churches Say. About It?
When many religionists were asked the question, "Is smoking a sin?" the answers ranged from "yes" to "no" to "sometimes." Some even said "maybe."
According to another report by United Press, the opinions of various church leaders "cut across sect lines." As a matter of fact, the United Press Report said "a few noted church officials smoked as they voiced their views on the subject," and that's just it! They voiced "THEIR VIEWS" but apparently did not bother to research into the Bible to find out what GOD says about smoking! One man said those who "fail to make a reasonable attempt to stop smoking are committing a sin." Another theologian said if a person is warned by a physician to stop smoking "and fails to do so, the sin is mortal."
Still another, commenting on the previous quotation, said that he couldn't go along with most of what the other theologian had said.
He continued, "I am smoking a cigar right now and believe there is nothing fundamentally wrong — that's not a sin."
A prominent pastor of a church for 52 years, and a pipe smoker, said "smoking and the use of tobacco are not moral issues but the personal business of the individual." He continued, "If it affects his health, as it undoubtedly does, and he continues to smoke, I don't think it is a sin but I think it's downright FOOLISH!" (Emphasis mine) Amazing! With a pipe clamped firmly between his teeth, he stated, "someone continuing to smoke, if it affects his health, is downright foolish!"
Still another leading pastor said, "Smoking is not a sin until it is abused and becomes an uncontrollable habit." (Have you ever seen a smoker who does NOT smoke from habit?)
Some are terribly hard to convince! One minister said, for example, "If smoking is harmful, it is sinful. The question, of course, is whether we have the total proof of its harmfulness."
Still another said, "I would be inclined to say it is up to the individual conscience."
Still another said, "Maybe ministers will have to start smoking behind the barn!" Could you base your personal habits on the personal opinions, conflicting points of view, and "watered-down theological approaches you have just read?"
Hardly!
But forgetting, for a moment, the various opinions of people — the way "they look at it" — let's find out what the great Creator in heaven above, who gives you every breath of air you breathe, says about it.
What Does GOD Say About Smoking?
The conclusive facts concerning cigarette smoking stand firm! There is a PROVED relationship between smoking and lung cancer — and no amount of "reasoning" and "rationalizing" will change, alter, or do away with it.
These plain facts mean if you are a smoker — you are smoking in spite of grave warnings about the possible consequences. It means you are deliberately subjecting your body which is meant to be the temple of God's Holy Spirit, to punishment and possible agonizing death!
"But surely," one might reason, "the BIBLE doesn't say anything in plain language about smoking, does it?"
No, the Bible does not contain a direct command — "Thou SHALT NOT SMOKE!" But, for that matter, would men stop smoking if it did?
The Bible, says, "THOU SHALT NOT KILL!"
Have men everywhere stopped killing?
Notice! God is just as concerned about the motive behind the act as He is about the act itself!
When Jesus Christ magnified the inexorable laws of God, He said, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery! But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her HATH COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH HER ALREADY in his heart"! (Matt. 5:27-28)
Jesus said what happened in the heart constituted the sin — AS MUCH AS the literal act itself!
The law of God says, "THOU SHALT NOT COVET" or "THOU SHALT NOT LUST!" This point demands of you NOT to do a certain thing! By doing, or committing the act — you become guilty of sin!
To LUST after something — to lust after ANYTHING — constitutes sin! And what is sin? "For sin Is the transgression of the law"! (I John 3:4.)
James, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all"! (Jas. 2:10.)
Remember! ". . . to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (Jas. 4:17).
And remember further! It is Almighty GOD who tells you, in His Word, WHAT is sin!
God does not allow any man to decide WHAT is sin. He merely allows each individual to choose for himself WHETHER he will obey God's law — or commit sin!
The Bible is a book of law! There are laws of health, laws of farming, laws of diet, laws of marriage, laws covering every facet of life REVEALED in the Bible!
Jesus said we are to live by EVERY WORD OF GOD! He said any who break even the least of God's commandments will be called LEAST in the Kingdom of heaven!