Response to posts #94 and #95:
Paved Paradise wrote: "It (smoking) is a sin and I cannot endorse nor condone such a thing"
Are we supposed to consider ourselves back in the time of Puritans, Salem and witch burning? Singing and dancing used to be considered sins too. I enjoy smoking and so do a lot of other people. You can call us sinners if that makes you feel better. Only the "good" die young. It must be nice to be such a righteous person. I quit going to church years ago, because I couldn't stand the righteous hypocrites who couldn't wait to gather in cliques after services to gossip and try to decide how they could rule the world.
Yes, there is a definite smell to smoke, but throughout history ("Smoke: A Global History of Smoking") many people have enjoyed it. What may come as a major surprise to you, (had you ever bothered to check the validity of your statement before you made it) is that many smokers have a far more acute "sense of smell" than non-smokers. Also, non-smokers are more often guilty of offending others with halitosis.....possibly, it is because they don't devote the attention to oral hygiene that smokers do.
I have been defending smokers, conversing with and writing to anti-smokers long before today, and have never personally insulted anyone....even the ones that deserved it. I have never felt the frustration in my inability to express myself, where I felt it was required. I am content to leave personal insults to good religious people, such as yourself.
I prefer to smoke, but I respect the choice of anyone who chooses not to smoke. It is their business and I don’t appreciate anyone who intrudes in my personal business. I believe our government's purpose is to prevent anarchy. Government’s purpose is NOT to baby-sit its constituents through enacting unnecessary ordinances and bills that disregard our Bill of Rights. Perhaps you are not acquainted with the Libertarian viewpoint. I also believe in FREEDOM OF CHOICE and DON'T GO IF YOU CAN'T SMOKE.
Government’s purpose is NOT to baby-sit its constituents through enacting unnecessary ordinances and bills that disregard our Bill of Rights. BA DA BING.
It never ceases to amaze me how many folks posting on a conservative forum are so in favor of nany-state government restrictions........and not just on smoking.
Welcome aboard Garnet - be prepared to get grilled a bit from those not familiar with you that have been around here a while.....but there are enough of us here who know you from elsewhere, so holler if need be!
"I quit going to church years ago, because I couldn't stand the righteous hypocrites who couldn't wait to gather in cliques after services to gossip and try to decide how they could rule the world."
Are you reading my mind and posting my thoughts? Same here, and I was a pre-seminary student my first year of college.