Friday, May 18, 2007

Smoking

My parish, like many others includes a very old building in which some of our congregations meet. Fourteenth century in fact. The building not the congregation.

We have been told that, despite it being built before the introduction of tobacco into this country and, despite never, in our experience, having had to tell anyone off for smoking inside it, we must soon display no smoking notices at the entrance.

There was an interesting debate on Today just now in which someone wondered if we should also display 'no murder' signs. Pehaps 'no adultery' or 'do not covet' would be the ones most people needed to remember.

I think our major cathedrals should display huge 'No smoking' signs and coronation photographs should include at least one in which the monarch stood in front of the sign, thus obscuring the middle letters S, M and O.

3 comments:

Emma said...

The equivalent of No Smoking signs have been on display in churches for centuries... many ancient churches have the 10 commandments displayed as a reminder to all about how to behave. Perhaps if you can put a No Smoking sign up carved in stone it would be more in keeping with the building?!

Fr Matthew McMurray said...
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Fr Matthew McMurray said...

So are rules on smoking of equal importance to the 10 commandments?

I hope not (and know some other Christians who would also hope not). ;)