Originally posted by Sui Generis@Mar 15 2006, 02:05 PM
I don't want to appear like I am bragging or anything, so do not take it that way.

I have had very upsetting moments in my life (death, betrayal, disappointment), just like everyone else. I was able to keep focused on my morals and ethics that I had learned throughout my life, and have ultimately resisted the temptation to smoke, drink, do drugs. Now I don't hold myself above anyone who does, because I am a realist. I realize that these things are very tempting alternatives to just dealing with the pain, and on the surface, they can look even better.

All opinions about smoking being wrong aside, I think it is just a better decision in life to stick with the morals that have been instilled in your mind over the years, rather than sacrificing them for a short-term relief from pain. It gets controversial, of course, when your morals do not reflect a contempt for smoking, drugs, and alcohol, but your morals should reflect a desire to keep your body healthy and as pure as you can. Unfortunately in our society, the line separating black and white has seemingly disappeared and the two have blurred together on issues like this.
I don't know if you are a religious man, and I do not want to judge you either way, but it is a strong conviction of mine to follow 1 Corinthians 6:19 which says:
This is really my foundation for the morals I have in my life. My body has been a gift for me, and I choose not to harm it with any substances like cigarettes. You showed some pretty convincing data that cigarettes are not harmful, but even you can admit that it can harm your respiratory system, and raise your chances for getting cancer, emphysema, or other diseases. To me, it is just easier to stay away from all these things rather than condoning one, and not another. Because I have seen that when people take one step, they are likely to take another, and each time they get further and further from where they began.
Again, don't think I'm trying to act righteous, or act like a radical religious man who is trying to convert you to my cause. I just find that life is much easier to keep ahold of your convictions, rather than letting go of them. Maybe not at first, but in the long run, the rewards far outweigh the work.
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Very nicely said sui.

I honostly don't care what type of backup info that anyone has that smoking doesn't harm your body. I've seen what it does to people, I've seen old people die because of lung cancer. I see people do it everyday, and when I walk by it, I hold my breath because of how disgusting it is to me, especially since I have asthma.

It's just plain disgusting, not only that, people look down on you because of it.