Drinking and smoking are sins.

It is to bad you didn't realize your stance on the topic until now. I would have rather debated someone who disagrees with me on both issues, but never the less. I make my closing points. As Pro has stated drinking CAN lead to sins. But drinking in it self is not necessarily a sin. Neither is smoking for that matter. Our culture has decided that drinking and smoking are sins and we, as the great American Christian sheeple have fallen for it. I understand not all Christians have fallen for this ideology but many have. Some Christians go to the extend of labeling smokers sinners and calling them out on it. Some have condemned people for having an alcoholic beverage in their home. Or for going out to drink at a bar, pub, club or other places ware alcohol is served. This method is not only wrong but it gives all Christians a bad name due to our secular world view that creates wrong full stereo types. I would ask any person who disagrees with me to think about this scenario. Someone moves into your neighborhood from a culture such as England ware drinking is an every day social event. They come to your house and knock on your door and invite you out to the bar for a few drinks so they can spend some time getting to know you. And you say, "Sorry, I am a Christian and I do not believe in drinking, there fore I will not and can not go thanks any way." So your new neighbors go to another one of your Christian neighbors houses and invites them along to the bar for some drinks so they can be acquainted. The Christian neighbor says yes, and tags along to the bar. They have a few drinks and Then the Christian asks the English neighbor of his, to tell him a little about his life and he goes on about this and that. Then the Englishmen asks the same to his Christian neighbor. The Christian neighbor goes on about his life and then proceeds to tell his new friend about Jesus, or invites him to church next Sunday or for an ice cream social or any number of events. I ask any one who dis agrees with me which neighbor was the better neighbor which one was the better witness. The Christian who said "sorry I am a Christian and I do not believe in drinking" or the one who said, "yes"? How can you effectively witness to someone without being able to get on the same page as them? Or without relating to them. I am not saying go out and get plastered. That will not help any but maybe if you go out and have a drink or two then the tow of you can connect. Maybe they will accept Christ maybe not either way you tired. Just realise we cant always expect non believers to meet us in Church ware we are. Sometimes we have to go to ware they are. Now I realize there are some Christians who may have been former alcoholics and they cant have just one drink without having another and another and winding up trashed. But just because it is wrong for you doesn't mean it is wrong for the rest of us. I want to try to wind up my argument here because I don't want to go on and on.(because believe me I could) But something that has always struck me as a good way to decipher what is wrong or not has always come down to the method or the intention behind it. I mean I can TP a friends house in the name of fun and games knowing he will get over it and that is not wrong or sinful. But I can not TP someone's house with the INTENTION of pissing them off. That is wrong. So if your intending is to go out and get drunk when you go drinking you are sinning if you are doing it to piss off or offend someone around you you are wrongfully drinking and I would even go to the extent of saying you are sinning but if you mean no harm and you cause no harm and the bible doesn't say anything about it then it isn't anyone else's business and you are not sinning. It all comes back to MODERATION and INTENTIONS! and that is the bottom line. Thank you all for considering my thoughts. It was a pleasure debating you shlh1514 even though it wasn't much of a debate considering your misunderstanding. Good luck in your future debates. -Sin is not always what we think it is-