Christianity and Cannabis.

Maynard Keenan said:

You'll notice I didn't mention that because alcohol is LEGAL pot is ok. I said that alcohol is acceptable to use by the majority of Christians' standards, and by my own. By the same standards weed should be ok, but since it is legal i said it is probably not acceptable given that we are to obey the law. Geez, could you misinterpret me any worse?

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So long as something that is worse by your standards is accepted by others; means that cannabis should be accepted by others? How does what others believe and do effect what you believe?

I gather I must be the minority of christians who believe in not consuming drugs, alcohol and nicotine/tobacco... Could you provide a source for your claim please?

kopilo said:

Thanks Robinsegg for reminding me about intoxication, in the bible there are passages which speak against and for consumption of wine.
See here for verses.

This may seem to not gell at first, until you recognice that the word wine can mean, "something that invigorates or intoxicates"

Therefore if the word 'wine' in a few given contexts when it is stating something against it, is meaning "something that invigorates or intoxicates", then things such as recreational drugs which intoxicate the body may well be a sin.

Just a thought though.

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in·vig·or·ate ([FONT=verdana, sans-serif] P [/FONT]) Pronunciation Key ( n-v g -r t )
tr.v. in·vig·or·at·ed, in·vig·or·at·ing, in·vig·or·ates To impart vigor, strength, or vitality to
intoxicate
v 1: fill with high spirits; fill with optimism

This logic would seem to indicate that being filled with the Spirit is sin, since He invigorates us and intoxicates us.

The Bible warns against over-indulgence of anything.

Tell me where it says the Holy Spirit poisens us, and is a drug. Can the Holy Spirit be consumed?

Merriam webster - online dictionary said:

Main Entry: 2in·tox·i·cate
Function: transitive verb
1 : [SIZE=-1]POISON[/SIZE]
2 a : to excite or stupefy by alcohol or a drug especially to the point where physical and mental control is markedly diminished b : to excite or elate to the point of enthusiasm or frenzy

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I agree with the last thing you said,
[bible]Ephesians 5:18[/bible].

Maynard Keenan said:

You'll notice I didn't mention that because alcohol is LEGAL pot is ok. I said that alcohol is acceptable to use by the majority of Christians' standards, and by my own. By the same standards weed should be ok, but since it is legal i said it is probably not acceptable given that we are to obey the law. Geez, could you misinterpret me any worse?

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I think you misinterpreted me. I didn't say because you thought alcohol was legal it was ok, I said because there is worse stuff out there than pot that is legal, pot is now ok.

I was pointing out you were comparing worse stuff with bad, to show if worse is ok, than anything not as bad must be ok as well.

kopilo said:

Thanks Robinsegg for reminding me about intoxication, in the bible there are passages which speak against and for consumption of wine.
See here for verses.

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One of Jesus' first miracles was to turn water into wine, and good wine at that.

I am still looking for the verse that states where
Jesus turned Karpas into Kind!

I believe anything can be good in moderation.

SOAD said:

One of Jesus' first miracles was to turn water into wine, and good wine at that.

I am still looking for the verse that states where
Jesus turned Karpas into Kind!

I believe anything can be good in moderation.

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As I stated, we are warned against intoxication. Anything that gives and "altered state" should be examined closely (for both content and ammount). I'll also add that anything legally prescribed by a doctor should be considered fine unless there is direct evidence otherwise.

Rachel

Robinsegg said:

As I stated, we are warned against intoxication. Anything that gives and "altered state" should be examined closely (for both content and ammount). I'll also add that anything legally prescribed by a doctor should be considered fine unless there is direct evidence otherwise.

Rachel

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Then why would Jesus turn water into wine, unless it was just grape juice. Why would Jesus make a substance that could potentially cause another to stumble from intoxication?

I agree with you about the intoxication, that is where moderation comes into play.

I'll also add that anything legally prescribed by a doctor should be considered fine unless there is direct evidence otherwise.

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So...all that matters is who the drug dealer is, huh.

I should note that pot is far more safer than any FDA man-made medicine, even aspirin, and it lacks the arm-long list of strange and embarrasing side effects.

SOAD said:

Then why would Jesus turn water into wine, unless it was just grape juice. Why would Jesus make a substance that could potentially cause another to stumble from intoxication?

I agree with you about the intoxication, that is where moderation comes into play.

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You should check into how wine was consumed back then. Typically, it would have been watered down, as drinking wine straight would have been considered barbaric.

Yes, Jesus turned water into wine, but context is important. Jesus making watered down wine does not dismiss other scripture that speaks against intoxication, and mind altering substances.

The Bible never speaks of cannabis, why is that. It was around back then, it did grow in the Mid East, and it's stoney attributes had been discovered long before Jesus, so if alcohol was mentioned, why wasn't pot?

SOAD said:

Then why would Jesus turn water into wine, unless it was just grape juice. Why would Jesus make a substance that could potentially cause another to stumble from intoxication?

I agree with you about the intoxication, that is where moderation comes into play.

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The same reason He multiplied the loaves and fishes that could have led to gluttany, it was needed and He provided.

Do we even need a Bible verse or Christians to say being a pothead is lame?

The Bible isn't very big on giving medical advice. I don't see any mention of trans fats or nicotine.

It's up to us to get the info and find out the physical and mental health risks for ourselves.

*nods*

SOAD said:

I believe anything can be good in moderation.

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Hemp is a good fabric.

JustJack! said:

The Bible never speaks of cannabis, why is that. It was around back then, it did grow in the Mid East, and it's stoney attributes had been discovered long before Jesus, so if alcohol was mentioned, why wasn't pot?

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Cannabis was probably used for medicinal purposes (for eg, hemp oils). Maybe it's not as important as wine. Wine is obviously more a social thing for the people then. If cannabis is medicinal it would only be used when sick. Wine is more practical for drinking and grapes(eating). They would not have been using cannabis as a recreational drug as it's used today. There is probably no reasons for mentioning cannabis in the bible because it's just not significant.

Wine was probably more significant for ancient people socially and being an acceptable practice it would have been economical - the growing of the grapes. I guess due to the Roman Empire being wine drinkers, its importance probably become significant in Jesus' time? There would have been also alcholic wine and non alcholic(a grape juice). So not all wine is bad.

You would have to look up a history of wine and cannabis and it's social implications for that particular time of Jesus' life.

Also found this: a time line for cannibis uses:

http://www.ukcia.org/culture/history/chrono.html

SOAD said:

Then why would Jesus turn water into wine, unless it was just grape juice. Why would Jesus make a substance that could potentially cause another to stumble from intoxication?

I agree with you about the intoxication, that is where moderation comes into play.

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They probably only drank alcholic wine on very special occasions. But I think the point is being missed with whether the wine was alcholic or not. It probaby was grape juice because not all wine is alcholic. IMO it is one of the miracles Jesus performed that proved who he really was to his family/friends/followers.

But as some have mentioned. Moderation is to be taken into consideration.

crumbs2000 said:

They probably only drank alcholic wine on very special occasions. But I think the point is being missed with whether the wine was alcholic or not. It probaby was grape juice because not all wine is alcholic. IMO it is one of the miracles Jesus performed that proved who he really was to his family/friends/followers.

But as some have mentioned. Moderation is to be taken into consideration.

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Don't forget that any wine back then would have been watered down. They wouldn't drink wine straight up, as that would have been considered barbaric.

knightlight72 said:

Don't forget that any wine back then would have been watered down. They wouldn't drink wine straight up, as that would have been considered barbaric.

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Or grape juice, has any cellers or fermenting tools/places/things from that period or before been found?

kopilo said:

Or grape juice, has any cellers or fermenting tools/places/things from that period or before been found?

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Oh yes, many examples of storage containers that contain the resin of wines in Egypt thousands of years before Jesus walked the Earth.

I know the idea of wine or harder alcohols seem to require machinery, and huge metal vates with temperature controls and so on. But that's just for mass production.

I work in a jail, and inmates with access to just a garbage bag and their meals can make a batch of fermented drink(often called brew) in a matter of days.
No temperature controls, no metal vats, or aged oak barrels, nothing advanced like that.

It's really easy.

Alcoholic wine was consumed. However, thin sour wine would have been the everyday drink. This was mainly consumed because the water wasn't good (at least in some areas) to drink, due to mineral deposits or parasites.

Rachel