Attack on smoking gets papal blessing

[emad]

John Hooper in Rome
Friday December 31, 2004
The Guardian

The Vatican has signalled that it is considering adding its global influence to the campaign against smoking, in an article likely to send tremors of apprehension through the multi-billion-pound tobacco industry.

The article in an authoritative Roman Catholic publication, prepared with the knowledge and endorsement of the Pope's most senior aides, declares that smokers cannot damage their own health and that of others "without moral responsibility".

The article stops short of branding smoking a sin. But its author says that lighting up is "not neutral either in social or indeed moral terms".

His groundbreaking views are published in the latest edition of the scholarly Jesuit review Civilta Cattolica.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/smoking/Story/0,2763,1381253,00.html
including:

"Cases of women who smoke during pregnancy and the early years of their children are particularly morally serious, since the damage they cause them marks for the whole of their lives,"

SORRY no pics....

[DebJ]

1. but don't forget to vote for a guy who wants to blow up people

all around the world.... sign me a former Catholic

[emad]

2. Vatican investments in tobacco industry: a comment:

http://www.acton.org/ppolicy/comment/article.php?id=161

[PATRICK]

9. Interesting article

It seems behind the scenes the Vatican is more on the ball than in its public statements but I bet much of this investment morality began after the battle over the mafia control of funds shortly before the present Pope came into office.

The article deals with the warm fuzzies that fog the guidelines and concepts of moral investments with enthusiastic naivete rather than careful thoroughness. Tapping into the roots of all evil can never easy or morally safe.

[ixion]

3. yes, it's all us evil smokers who cause the worlds trouble

ban smoking in public places, demonize it in society, and yet feel free to tax those of us who choose to smoke. :grr:

[lynne]

4. Smokers, take heart . . .

because once smoking is banned, attention will be turned to liquor and alcohol as the great evil.

Drink up while you can. Happy New Year!!!

[leesa]

5. Gee. More earthshaking relevance from the Vatican!

[emad]

6. Must have been Monday's weird full moon.....

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SpiralHawk]

8. Blowing smoke out of their steeple

infallibly.

[VegasWolf]

10. Pope just struggling to stay relevant in today's world. n/t

[OnlyInAmerica]

12. How does one stay relevant?

Would contributing, to date, $25 million to SE Asia relief efforts via the Catholic Relief Services suffice? Nah, that's probably irrelevant also.

[Sandpiper]

11. Guess he needed to take a break from gay bashing

Before people started thinking of him as a one trick pony.