Spiritual Balance and Distractions: A Religious Perspective on Tobacco and Alcohol

Religious thought, especially in the Orthodox context, offers a profound reflection on our everyday habits and their influence on spiritual life. Tobacco is at the center of attention, perceived as something alien to holiness—a kind of distraction devoid of genuine necessity, capable of clouding the aspiration toward God. Numerous traditional viewpoints indicate that addiction to tobacco only intensifies spiritual slavery, condemning a person to a questionable state far removed from cherished ideals.

At the same time, the approach to alcohol is significantly different: moderate consumption of wine is considered permissible and even beneficial if measure is observed in a timely manner, because moderation embodies a healthy balance between bodily pleasures and spiritual pursuits. The essence of this approach is to preserve human dignity by avoiding overindulgence, which can transform ordinary pleasure into a sinful obsession that shows a lack of respect for sacred traditions.

Thus, a clear picture emerges: in the realm of spirituality, it is crucial to distinguish natural need from an imposed habit. Tobacco appears as an activity devoid of genuine necessity, one that distracts from lofty spiritual goals, while alcohol, when consumed in moderation, remains an acceptable element of life that helps maintain harmony between the physical and spiritual worlds.

Is the use of tobacco or alcohol in line with the criteria of holiness in a religious context?

In the religious context, especially within the Orthodox understanding, tobacco is perceived as something incompatible with holiness, whereas moderate alcohol consumption may be acceptable. Regarding tobacco, it is argued that its use is not a natural necessity and is even considered “a bad habit and whim,” which is inappropriate in a church setting. For example, one source states:

"In the church, do not sniff tobacco. If the consumption of food, which constitutes a natural human need, is not permitted in the church, it is even less permissible to sniff tobacco, which is not a natural necessity at all, but a bad habit and whim" (source: link ).

It is also emphasized that tobacco possesses a sort of “mystical toxicity” and is seen as incompatible with the sacred aspects of spiritual life:

"Such is the old assessment of the mystical toxicity of tobacco by our ancestors. The latest views on tobacco, on its complete incompatibility with the sacred..." (source: link ).

These statements reflect the opinion that attachment to tobacco is viewed as spiritual slavery that inhibits a person's aspiration toward God and high spiritual goals.

Regarding alcohol, the approach to its consumption is somewhat different. One source notes that the consumption of wine in itself is not a sin, provided it is done in moderation and does not lead to drunkenness, which results in the loss of human dignity and turns a person into a slave to their addictions:

"The consumption of alcohol is not a sin, if wine is used moderately, as the Apostle Paul advised Timothy to drink for his stomach. However, he also warns: 'do not get drunk on wine,' and the sin arises from the abuse of wine and the consequent loss of human dignity" (source: link ).

Thus, from the perspective of holiness in a religious context, tobacco—being an object of addiction and spiritual distraction—does not meet the criteria of sanctity, whereas alcohol may be acceptable if consumed moderately and sensibly, without descending into dependency, which is rejected as sin.

Supporting citation(s):

"In the church, do not sniff tobacco. If the consumption of food, which constitutes a natural human need, is not permitted in the church, it is even less permissible to sniff tobacco, which is not a natural necessity at all, but a bad habit and whim" (source: link ).

"Such is the old assessment of the mystical toxicity of tobacco by our ancestors. The latest views on tobacco, on its complete incompatibility with the sacred..." (source: link ).

"The consumption of alcohol is not a sin, if wine is used moderately, as the Apostle Paul advised Timothy to drink for his stomach. However, he also warns: 'do not get drunk on wine,' and the sin arises from the abuse of wine and the consequent loss of human dignity" (source: link ).