www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Smoking

OK first a disclaimer. I am completely basing everything I say on stereotypes and my limited personal experience, so I expect to get criticised for that, and if some of my perceptions are wrong, I apologise.

What I am interested in is people's thoughts as to why the Orthodox Church (particularly it seems the Russians) are against tobacco smoking, but Catholics are generally more tolerant?

I say particularly the Russians because in my experience the Greek and Antiochian orthodox churches seem to be pretty tolerant - for example I have seen plenty of Greek old men out the front of churches having a cigarette, but never Russians. I also hear that many monks on Athos smoke.

My theory, and it is only a theory, is that the Russian's violent opposition to smoking is because it is seen as a western import, and it falls into the category of things (like cleanshaven clergymen etc) that are associated with Peter the Great and his "modernisation" of Russian society.

Thoughts?

Your conjecture makes sense to me.

Someone please explain the religious significance of beards among Orthodox clergy and observant Muslim and Jewish men.

I suspect the anti western reaction to the force used in westernising the empire is a significant factor. I wonder if shamans of traditional religions of other ethnic groups in the empire who may have used smoking in their religious ceremonies may also be a lesser reason and possibly an older reason why Christians avoided smoking.