Can a Christian smoke marijuana?

[Fester]

Let's expand this subject a little.

Is there any difference between smoking pot which is illegal and say, speeding on the highway?

Do you believe there is greater and lesser sins?

Blow your nose, and then look at the tissue. Some boogers might be bigger than others, but they're still boogers.

 

[Viker]

No. Consider where those drugs came from, and what was involved in getting them to your doorstep.

What if some one grew it themselves and just for themselves and maybe a few friends?

 

[Fester]

What if some one grew it themselves and just for themselves and maybe a few friends?

Probably not so much, then. But the business of drug use is far from victimless, be it marijuana, meth, coke, whatever.

 

[Two-bit guru]

I think that perhaps it scares Christians as it gives people spiritual insight and turns them into witches.

I think it would be good to smoke it in church so they wouldn't turn into witches.

 

[Thief]

Anyone care to quote that 'law of the land' routine?

That would be Paul...not the Carpenter....ain't that right?

 

[Viker]

Probably not so much, then. But the business of drug use is far from victimless, be it marijuana, meth, coke, whatever.

True. I agree.

 

[Kathryn]

I'll try to remember that next time I jaywalk.

I doubt a person could will lose their job, career, or ability to keep his financial obligations or take care of his family by jaywalking. I doubt you could be sent to jail or prison for continually being cited for jaywalking.


Can you seriously not see the difference?

 

[Kathryn]

I believe we all sin. No one is above sin IMHO. For the Christian, the issue is whether we are forgiven or not.

I don't believe in greater or lesser sin.

I don't believe that one sin outweighs the other before God, but I do believe that some sins have worse consequences, and that this can multiply the sin and it's consequences here on earth.

For instance, speeding and smoking weed - same level - both are a sin.

But each can have very different consequences - and if you lose your job, and then because of that, your car is repossessed and your home is foreclosed on, and your wife loses her home along with the downpayment she put into it with her grandmother's inheritance, and your kids have to move into the projects because you couldn't keep a job because you smoked weed - well, you see where I'm going with that. The sin isn't confined to smoking weed -it also involves selfishness, irresponsibility, lack of commitment to your family, bad parenting, etc.

Same can be said for speeding - maybe you will get away with it, and maybe you will just get a ticket. But you may also lose control in bad weather, run headlong into a van full of soccer moms and kids, and be guilty of manslaughter as well as speeding.

 

[Straw Dog]

I've experienced it for myself. You might feel spiritually heightened by it. Or you might feel incredibly sexy and brilliantly funny. It all depends on how your brain cells are affected.

Yeah, it mostly depends on the particular situation and environment that you're in. I guess it does effect people in different ways as well. When used in a party setting, it might just lead to shenanigans and laughter.

While meditating in a forest or reading a holy book, it might incite deep contemplation coupled with bursts of profound realization. Sure, some of the realizations may be overblown at the moment, which is why it must later be reevaluated or written down. I've found many to be very useful, though. It's effective in losing one's self into the greater system of being.

Every experience affects our brain cells, from the religious to the mundane. I don't see why we should claim our default state of consciousness as the only way to ever perceive reality. Altered states of consciousness are useful in expanding the mind once properly reintegrated with the default state. Drugs are certainly not the only method of bringing about altered states, though.

 

[pwfaith]

No. Consider where those drugs came from, and what was involved in getting them to your doorstep.

This was my thought as well. It's not just the physical/psychological/emotion harm to the individual but others as well - who is harmed by the dealers, etc. Responsible use may be close to victimless but not everyone is responsible in their use.

 

[Straw Dog]

For instance, speeding and smoking weed - same level - both are a sin.

But each can have very different consequences - and if you lose your job, and then because of that, your car is repossessed and your home is foreclosed on, and your wife loses her home along with the downpayment she put into it with her grandmother's inheritance, and your kids have to move into the projects because you couldn't keep a job because you smoked weed - well, you see where I'm going with that. The sin isn't confined to smoking weed -it also involves selfishness, irresponsibility, lack of commitment to your family, bad parenting, etc.

What makes smoking marijuana a sin if I may ask? If sin is separation from God and some Christians feel closer to God while on marijuana, then wouldn't it be considered a spiritual tool? I mean when only used for religious purposes.

You certainly make a good point that the simple fact of weed being illegal brings with it a plethora of corresponding problems for the person. Of course, if it was decriminalized then this would be a non-issue. I certainly think alcohol leads to more destructive behavior than weed does and yet it's perfectly legal. Personally I don't even like drinking alcohol. To me, the government intrusion into personal lifestyle choices like this, though, is much worse and causes more violent crime.

I imagine that once I become married, have children, and a committed career path then I'll probably stop smoking completely. I've heard of many people that quit during their middle-aged years and then pick it back up in their golden years after their children move out and they're retired.

 

[Kathryn]

What makes smoking marijuana a sin if I may ask? If sin is separation from God and some Christians feel closer to God while on marijuana, then wouldn't it be considered a spiritual tool? I mean when only used for religious purposes.

I'm not saying that smoking weed is a sin in and of itself. It may not be in some circumstances.

I'm specifically saying that speeding and smoking weed are both wrong because they are illegal and can cause serious problems in a person's life BECAUSE they are illegal and including either in your life can have tragic and often unintended consequences.

 

[Thief]

Not wanting to expand into other faiths....however....
don't some temples make a practice of burning incense heavily laced with
'drugs'?

 

[SageTree]

First of all... God Bless Canada and it's laws concerning the Herb.

Secondly... What if the Cannabis Laws in the US are 'illegal' according to God's Law?

Read up on the history of Hemp/Cannabis in the World prior to the 1930s...

What changed to make something so widely used/useful (Hemp and it's Flower) 'the devil' all of a sudden?

Seriously read about it and tell me if Congressmen saying that "Perverted Gr**** and big lipped N******s smoking grass and destroying society" is REALLY a good basis for a Law?

And let's face it.... WHO are the people getting locked up for Canabis realted 'crime'?

Aside from the flower, Cannabis has amazing ecological/green impact on industries like paper and bio-fuel as well as food/health benefits from it's natural complete protein and omega 3/6 amino acids.



Why is Cannabis illegal?

THAT is the real crime to me folks, withholding the rest of my feelings on the Spiritual/Religious use of the Flower...



Say it with me folks.... Oppression of the people through supression of the facts.

 

[Kathryn]

I don't have a problem with weed. I just have a problem with people wrecking their lives by getting arrested and convicted over it. And I'm not passionate enough about it to fight to have it legalized, though personally I wouldn't mind if it was.

Bigger fish to fry.

 

[Thief]

I don't have a problem with weed. I just have a problem with people wrecking their lives by getting arrested and convicted over it. And I'm not passionate enough about it to fight to have it legalized, though personally I wouldn't mind if it was.

Bigger fish to fry.

Really?...something more important?

Tobacco allegedly kills 400,000 people every year.
Alcohol...another 100,000.
Cars....65,000
Backyard pools...2,000
Bicycles...2,000.

Wrecking our lives with pot?...no....
Wrecking our lives while not protesting our laws?.....yes.

But in all fairness...
I have barely enough time to make this posting.
then off to work I go...I have bills to pay.
then chores to do.

Launch a campaign for what is right?...who has the kind of time?

 

[SCHIZO]

I'm not saying that smoking weed is a sin in and of itself. It may not be in some circumstances.

I'm specifically saying that speeding and smoking weed are both wrong because they are illegal and can cause serious problems in a person's life BECAUSE they are illegal and including either in your life can have tragic and often unintended consequences.

Its not the use of marijuana that is a sin. It is what you do on it that can be sinful. The same can be said with anything. Its not eating burgers that causes you to rape pilllage and destroy. Neither does smoking marijuana cause people to rape pillage and destroy. Culturally, illegal behavior has been associated with drug use, so effectively many choices with the consumption of drugs are associated with illegal behavior. Take away the culture and you take away the illegal behavior. Many native cultures don't promote illegal behavior with their drug use but American and industrialized cultures do. If drugs were used for their intended purpose--to heighten spiritual experience there would not be a problem.

 

[ChristineES]

We are saying the the reason that pot can be considered a sin is because it is against the law. If it wasn't against the law, then maybe it wouldn't be. We are obligated to obey the law of the land. Because it is against the law, there is a chance you could be arrested. And by that token, jaywalking is against the law, too and there is a chance you could get a ticket and pay a fine that you could have spent elsewhere.

 

[Straw Dog]

We are saying the the reason that pot can be considered a sin is because it is against the law. If it wasn't against the law, then maybe it wouldn't be. We are obligated to obey the law of the land. Because it is against the law, there is a chance you could be arrested. And by that token, jaywalking is against the law, too and there is a chance you could get a ticket and pay a fine that you could have spent elsewhere.

I don't know that Jesus' intention with that "Render unto Caesar's" verse was that everyone should always obey the government and the law in every case. I mean, it was illegal to be a Christian at different times in different places so, by that logic, should Christians have abandoned their faith because it was a sin to go against the law of the land? Just some food for thought...

 

[Songbird]

Sometimes disobeying the law of the land is conscionable. If someone seriously objects to the amount of money spent on anti-drug campaigning, law enforcement, and the penal system, and believes the benefits outweighs the risks regarding both usage and breaking the law, pot usage may be a conscientious objection. Dude.