Discussion » Questions » Human Behavior » In some movies and/or TV shows that feature Catholic priests, they are seen smoking cigarettes/cigars/pipes. I'm not Catholic,
Randy D

In some movies and/or TV shows that feature Catholic priests, they are seen smoking cigarettes/cigars/pipes. I'm not Catholic,



so I don't know the ins and outs of it, nor do I have any personal knowledge of other clergy in other denominations smoking cigarettes/cigars/pipes.  In the National Baptist faith to which I belong, I'm not aware of any clergy being a cigarette/cigar/pipe smoker, although if there have been any, it may have taken place in private.

To your knowledge, is it common for clergy of any/of various religions to smoke?  Is it allowed?  Is it prohibited?  Is it an unwritten rule?  Is it merely frowned upon?



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Posted - January 21, 2017
Tags : None

Responses


  • It's commonplace for Catholic clergy to smoke though, of course, the smarter ones don't There is no prohibition in the Anglican church either. Of the rest some will permit it while the more evangelical churches tend to preach against it. It reallysets a poor example for Revelation 3:23 warns us that "He who smokes in this world will smoke in the world to come." 

    Of course, all that's just an observation from an outsider, but I had a religious upbringing and think that's fairly close. Well, perhaps not the quote from Revelation. 
      January 21, 2017 8:02 PM MST
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  • 53509
    Thank you!

    :)
      January 21, 2017 8:16 PM MST
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  • Just as common in the Catholic Clergy as the non-clergy.

    IDK about each denominations rules about it.   I know around here a lot of Amish men smoke pipes.
      January 21, 2017 8:16 PM MST
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  • 53509



    Thank you.
    ~
      January 21, 2017 8:17 PM MST
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  • 17601
    Baptists are the only ones who make an issue out of that kind of thing, in my experience.  I grew up Southern Baptist but have been a member of the Presbyterian USA Church since I was 19 years old.  The Presbyterians could care less about smoking and drinking a bit.  Yes, I remember an associate pastor who smoked.  My son-in-law is a PCUSA minister and smokes a pipe and loves fine whisky and Scotch. This post was edited by Thriftymaid at January 21, 2017 8:59 PM MST
      January 21, 2017 8:37 PM MST
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  • 53509
    Thank you.
    ~
      January 21, 2017 9:47 PM MST
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  • 283
    I was raised in the Catholic church and I have never seen a priest smoke. I grew up in the 60s when it was common place for people to smoke. Even when I saw my priest in the bar, he still wasn't smoking. But it did bring up the question on the proper etiquette of whether or not you should buy your priest a drink. We went with yes.
      January 21, 2017 9:20 PM MST
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  • 53509
    (commonplace)

    Thank you.  It could have also been that your priest in particular was a nonsmoker, and that could account for why you saw him in a bar and taking a drink but not smoking.
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      January 21, 2017 9:48 PM MST
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  • 283
    I had several priests between moving and them being moved around. One I changed parishes because he was so long winded. He was originally a rabbi and then converted to Catholicism. Then he went to South America for years before coming to our parish.
      January 21, 2017 9:56 PM MST
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  • 17601
    The Catholic priests I've been around at parties and other social things were often smokers and most often drinkers too. 
      January 21, 2017 9:53 PM MST
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