Why Cigars Are Awesome

G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “In Catholicism, the pint, the pipe, and the cross can all fit together.” We here at Pints With Aquinas completely agree, although we’d also like to throw cigars into that mix. We think good ole’ G.K. would be okay with that.

Smoking often gets a bad rap from other non-Catholic Christians, quasi-Christians, and even certain Catholics. Some think that smoking is sinful. And many Leftists would love to cancel your smoking alongside your car, burger, and fireplace.

Well, they’re all wrong! Of course, over-indulging on cigars, cigarettes, and pipes can be sinful. And not everyone should smoke, including those with certain health or addiction issues.

But smoking in itself is a beautiful thing. And cigars, pipes, and cigarettes each add their own stamp to the experience.

Here, we’ll focus on cigars and why they’re so incredibly awesome!

Cigars are great for contemplation
Let’s face it: Many of us need a lot more contemplation in life. Our fast-paced world encourages us to quickly go from one thing to the next, and to always stay busy. We then become consumed by this world and forget to let our souls breathe and take some time to contemplate the true, good, and beautiful.

A cigar is our giant NO to a world that doesn’t want us to think for ourselves, that merely wants us to comply.

There’s nothing quite like kicking back with a good cigar and letting your thoughts rise to the heavens on wisps of smoke. Those who have never tried cigars don’t realize just how much cigars can inspire deep thoughts. But there’s a reason why many great, insightful writers, artists, and thinkers smoked cigars!

The Mill Brothers know what we’re talking about. To quote their song “Smoke Rings”:

“Where do they go, the smoke rings I blow each night? What do they do, those circles of blue and white? O little smoke rings I love, please take me above!”

Cigars represent the spirited part of the human person
Author Michael P. Foley has compared pipes, cigarettes, and cigars to Plato’s view of the tripartite soul. The pipe corresponds to the rational part of the soul. You often see photos of professors with pipes — we bet that J.R.R. Tolkien popped into some of your minds!

For Foley, the cigarette corresponds to the appetitive part of the soul. We often go for cigarettes when we simply need a smoke right now.

The cigar corresponds to that noble-spirited part of us — the chest. That’s because a cigar is more about what you blow out than what you inhale. It’s therefore no surprise that great speakers and politicians — such as Winston Churchill — loved cigars.

Of course, we will never find full satisfaction in any earthly thing. True happiness is only obtained in heaven. But God in His mercy has given us little foretastes of joy sprinkled here and there.

Some of us find echoes of this joy in cigars. Let’s offer this joy back to God and let our smoking fuel beautiful, holy thoughts!