While Christian conservatives are known for several causes—opposition to abortion...gay marriage...teaching of evolution as fact—another cause is now gaining support among people of faith: opposition to smoking.

A key figure...Vincent DeMarco...led successful campaigns in his home state of Maryland to get the legislature to adopt handgun control measures as well as raise the tax on cigarettes.
"The faith community played such a central role in our gun control work that I thought maybe we could do the same with tobacco," DeMarco says.

Southern Baptists, who number about 16 million and often champion conservative causes, adopted a resolution last month at their 2005 Southern Baptist Convention to "add our efforts...to work to reduce tobacco use, especially among teenagers."

For some, the antitobacco campaign has a scriptural foundation in the teachings of Paul in 1 Corinthians (6:19-20): "Or do you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit...?"

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What else can these "Save your soul/lungs" people work on to preserve our bodies for their use as temples of the Holy Spirit? Alcohol, caffeine, sugar?

"To work to reduce tobacco use, especially among teenagers." Adults aren't even safe from these people. I wonder if they want a tithing from the tax increase they'll most assuredly suggest when they talk to Tom Delay?

Well, they've always been anti alcohol (they say it wasn't really wine Jesus supplied for the feast of Canaan, but unfermented grape juice, which is what they use for communion). And while not exactly labeling smoking a "sin," they've never been too happy about it. On the other hand, sugar and fat are permitted in the "temple" with no reservations and in abundance.

I guess they closed the Bible too soon and ran to the publishers with it.

How many Catholic clergy smoke, drink, and over eat? How many thin priests are you aware of?

How many of the Cardinals looked like fashion models as they entered the sixteen chapel to vote for the last Pope?

How many people today worship more often at the alter of health and/or medicine vs their chosen faith?

I have begun to combat antis by saying don't impose your physical disabilities on the rest of us. If they had taken better care of themselves they would be in their current shape. Just like the commercial says, you can thank your relatives for your bad genes and poor health. I had nothing to do with it, then or now. Learn to live with it while you can.