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 Mind if I Smoke?
by Nic Samojluk
I am borrowing the title of this article from the latest issue of the "AIMS Journal,"the official publication of the "Adventist International Medical Society," which dedicated the entire issue to the topic of smoking cessation program sponsored by the church for many decades. The editors of this prestigious publication, of course, borrowed their title from a book published by the eminent nonagenarian Harold Shryock, a former dean of the Loma Linda University School of Medicine, approximately half a century ago, whose books I had read when I was a teenager, but had the pleasure of meeting only a few years ago.
Humble Beginnings. As I read this latest issue of the "Aims Journal," I could not avoid a feeling of amazement at how God could utilize such small beginnings in order to benefit millions of smokers around the world who felt powerless in their efforts to quit smoking on their own. The magazine includes the story of one individual, a Los Angeles lawyer named Lauren Wright, who was able to rid himself of this addictive habit "cold turkey," but, as you can imagine, he is rather an exceptional case. Most smokers need the intervention of physicians and psychologists experienced in the smoking cessation programs, and this is where SDA physicians have provided a great service to humanity.
A Significant Discovery. One of the lead articles, written by Jonathan Gallagher, News Director of the General Conference of SDAs, tells the story of Linda Hyder Ferry, a Preventive Medicine physician at the Jerry L. Pettis Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Loma Linda, California, whom the author labels as "Doctor Hope", who made a significant discovery in the fight against nicotine addiction: a stimulant antidepressant named buproprion, which possesses the ability to duplicate "the effects of nicotine on the brain," and thus make the problems associated with smoking cessation less painful. Her recognition that nicotine was an antidepressant was helpful in the discovery of the benefits of using a non-addictive drug in the fight against nicotine addiction. It shouldn't surprise us, therefore, that her contribution to preventive medicine has secured for her international recognition.
An Alarming Trend . Doctor Ferry's dedication to this noble cause is anchored in the deep conviction that God has called her to her lifework. She is convinced that, if the present trend continues, by the year 2030 "smoking will be the number one cause of death." No doubt, Dr. Ferry has good reason to be concerned, because even now it is estimated that 420,000 die from "smoking-related diseases in the United States each year." Nevertheless, there is something that should alarm us even more: a preventable cause of death responsible for the loss of a million and a half precious lives each year. I am talking about abortion, as you may have guessed! I wish God would raise another "Dr Hope" among the thousands of SDA physicians who would offer hope to those who are either poisoned or dismembered before they have a chance to take their first breath.
Extending Human Life at its Inception
by Nic Samojluk
Loma Linda University has been in the forefront in the fight against the smoking habit, which kills approximately 420,000 Americans every year. It is a noble work, which recently received the support of both the government and the general public, and forced even the manufacturers of tobacco products to join in the efforts to warn the public about the deleterious effects of the smoking addiction.
Many scientists have discovered unique methods designed to help those wishing to quit smoking for good, including Linda Hyder Ferry, also known as Dr. Hope, who was able to identify a stimulant antidepressant named buproprion, which possesses the ability of duplicating the effects of nicotine on the brain, thus making quitting the habit less painful. Research has demonstrated that those who stop smoking, have the chance of extending their lives by four or five years on the average, and avoid serious illnessess.
My question is: If it pays to extend the life of a person by four or five years, how about extending the life of a human being by an entire life span? Every year 420,000 dye from smoking-related diseases; but a million and a half human being are killed by abortion. Stopping an abortion does extend the life of a human being not by four or five years, but rather by a lifetime. Shouldn't society do something about this? We did away with slavery over a century ago. Can't we do away with abortion as well?
No to Tobacco & Alcohol! Yes to Abortion!
by Nic Samojluk
For over a century Seventh-day Adventists have championed the fight against the harmful habits of smoking and consuming alcoholic beverages. There is a reason, the health benefits derived from abstaining from tobacco and alcohol are too numerous to enumerate, and the public is well aware of this. Common sense would dictate that if we as a church do encourage people to abstain from these two addictive habits, which tend to shorten our lives and contribute to our misery, then it would be expected that we strive even more to disuade pregnant women from aborting their unborn babies, which deprives them of their entire life span before thay have had a chance to see the light of day. Wouldn't true temperance include the avoidance of abortion?
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The word "temperance" may bring to mind the 1920s prohibition era in the United States where the government instituted laws against the sale and consumption of alcohol, but for members of the Seventh-day Adventist church, the practice is still relevant today.
Part of recognizing the addictive and general harmful nature of alcohol and smoking is signing a temperance pledge, church officials say. More than 4,500 people renewed the pledge in the Caribbean during the last two weeks of January, says Dr. Peter N. Landless, associate director of Health Ministries for the Adventist world church ... Read more => [See Internet link below!]
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The Seventh-day Adventist Church committment to help people desiring to quit the smoking habit deserves recognition, since when a smoker quits the harmful addictive habit, he will likely live on the average 4 or 5 years longer than those who persist in using tobacco products.
My question is, if we are so concerned about prolonging the life of human beings, how come we are doing very little to prolong the life of those destined to be deprived of life at its inception?
I am talking about abortion, of course! I have sent my contributions to the Pro-life cause to my local church in Loma Linda and the General Conference, and my checks were consistently returned with a note saying that the church does not have such Pro-life programs. Isn't adding an entire life to a human being a more worthy goal than merely adding 4 or 5 years to the life of an individual?
I have been asking this question for the last decade, and the only answer I get is dead silence? Is my concern irrelevant? We have sacrificed the lives of 45 million innocent human beings in the U.S. since the legalization of abortion, and my church seems to be unconcerned! I do not hear any sermons preached about this subject, nor do I read any articles on the subject in our publications. Are we majoring in minors perhaps?
At the same time, the head of the church we have described in the past as the "Beast of Revelation," and expected by our prophetic predictions to persecute those who "keep the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus" is adamant in the defense of those destined to perish as a result of the ongoing abortion genocide. We are concerned about the desecration of the Sabbath. How about the desecration of life?
Jesus stated: "I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly." How can the unborn have it more abundantly, if we deprive them of life before they have a chance to take their first breath? Is worshipping the Lord on the correct day of the week more important than the murder of the unborn?
We have been teaching that our eternal destiny may eventually hinge on our attitude towards the Sabbath, the fourth Commandment of the Decalogue. How about the other Commandment which reads: "Thou shalt not kill"? I have read the gospels backwards and forwards, and have failed to discover a single text where Jesus affirmed that the Sabbath will be the last test for humanity; nevertheless, I did find what Jesus says in Matthew 25: "If you have done it unto these little ones, you have done it unto me."
According to this passage, the last test for humanity will be their attitude towars the little ones. Nothing is said about the Sabbath. Do I keep the Sabbath? I think I do, but I believe that we have been neglecting what is even more important thatn worshipping the Lord on the correct day of the week! This is my humble opinion!
Caribbean: Thousands Pledge to Avoid Tobacco, Alcohol and Other Harmful Substances
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