Copts and Marijuana

[SuperCloud]

Don't you Copts smoke marijuana or something? I recall some years ago, reading in the paper about some Coptic priest in Wisconsin that for religious grounds was given the right to have marijuana.

 

[dzheremi]

What? No....

Probably what you read about was some confused and heretical Rastafarian something or other. As i understand it from a cousin who is way into that stuff, Rastafarians or at least some of them treat marijuana as a "sacrament" in their belief system, but that has nothing to do with Christianity, so...no, that's not accurate at all. I guess maybe there has been some confusion of terms since until very recently Orthodox Ethiopians were called "Copts" (since their church was administered by the Egyptian church since the days of St. Athanasius the Apostolic until the 1940s or 1950s, when their request for autocephaly was granted by Pope Yusab II), and Rastafarians have some kind of weird, heretical obsession with Ethiopia and its last emperor (who was a practicing Orthodox Christian, and sent his bishop HG Abune Yeshaq to Jamaica in the 1960s or so to teach the Rastafarians the true faith, and tell them that they should not worship the Emperor, since he is not God like they thought/think). That too has nothing to do with Orthodoxy.

So no. Perish the thought.

 

[SuperCloud]

It wasn't Rastafarians, but maybe it was a group going by an Ethiopian Church name. I think that's more likely since I'm apparently remembering incorrectly.

Yeah... old Hale Salasie (spelling?). My brother used to be big time into marijuana and had pictures of him produced by Jamaicans. Supposedly he (the emperor) had lions that walked around freely on his palace grounds.

I know "Ras" prefix is the Ethiopian, aristocratic equivalence of "Von" in German or "Don" in what is that... Italian or Latin? I always thought that was a little cool note about Ethiopia.

You know... I think it was in a pictorial book I read this in but on some occasions Ethiopian nuns have swam bare breasted in pools of water with Ethiopian Orthodox children. Apparently, nothing was or is sexual about it. I took it as being a cultural thing more akin to say... the near-naked Muslim Afar that live tribally in Ethiopia as well. The Muslim Afar women walk around with bare breasts exposed. Not what you're used to seeing in the Muslim world.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

What? No....

Probably what you read about was some confused and heretical Rastafarian something or other. As i understand it from a cousin who is way into that stuff, Rastafarians or at least some of them treat marijuana as a "sacrament" in their belief system, but that has nothing to do with Christianity, so...no, that's not accurate at all. I guess maybe there has been some confusion of terms since until very recently Orthodox Ethiopians were called "Copts" (since their church was administered by the Egyptian church since the days of St. Athanasius the Apostolic until the 1940s or 1950s, when their request for autocephaly was granted by Pope Yusab II), and Rastafarians have some kind of weird, heretical obsession with Ethiopia and its last emperor (who was a practicing Orthodox Christian, and sent his bishop HG Abune Yeshaq to Jamaica in the 1960s or so to teach the Rastafarians the true faith, and tell them that they should not worship the Emperor, since he is not God like they thought/think). That too has nothing to do with Orthodoxy.

So no. Perish the thought.

If I may say..

Being in family from the West Indies and being called a Rasta myself many times whenever I've gone to the islands, I think it should be noted that not all aspects of Rastafarian culture were ever deemed heretical. There were always differing strains within the camp. When it comes to the aspect of marijuana, for example, many in the U.S acting as potheads doing weed assuming all Rastas do so all the time - and it is a GROSS misrepresentation. For many Rastas, it's something they use in the same way that others use incense during prayer times - and it's not to be done in incense. It's done for the purposes of medication as well, with regards to Roots Theology and people who do not have access to expensive means of healing in the medical field.

Even Ethiopian Orthodox have noted this, as Bob Marley continued to smoke weed after his conversion and his Confessor Abune Yesehaq discussed this quite openly with regards to how His Grace continually mentored Bob towards moving away from this. In spite of this, to a certain degree, Abune Yesehaq respected Bob's cultural decision to use cannabis. In context, Bob Marley was baptized a few months before his passing, and he was painfully dying of high-stage, metastatic cancer. It was seen as being no better with his use of weed than the use of pharamecuticals.

But on the issue, I tend to feel that there is anything wrong with weed in/of itself. For the Church does not condemn people for drinking responsibly or smoking tobacco responsibly, so why would it condemn someone for smoking weed responsibly? It really has to do with stigma....

As it concerns His Holiness, many Rastas simply admire the Emperor as a demonstration of how Christ walked the earth - no different than others respecting Martin Luther to the point where they emulate his lifestyle and call themselves Lutherans. They take after the Emperor's formal name and thus live out devotion to Christ on that basis - whereas others deify the man and do what the emperor warned against. And this is very key really wishing to understanding what being a Rasta is about. Some of this has been discussed elsewhere, as seen in #3 .

If interested, one of the Orthodox ladies who I was conversing with shared this with me elsewhere....and in her words:

Peace,

I was never incorporated into Rastafari, but I have a number of friends among the Rastas. If you want to converse with more Rastas who have embraced Christianity and especially Orthodox Christianity, you can find many at this forum Fulfilled Rastafari House - Serving Jah & Rastafari

Rastafari has always been a blend of many different beliefs. The worship of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I has been most widespread but not all Rastas worship Selassie as god. In fact, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, a towering figure in Rastafari livity did not worship Selassie. In the 1990's I believe, the 12 tribes mansion ruled that one could be Rasta in their house and not worship Selassie, but Jah. Also, many Rastas have embraced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity through the churches that Selassie planted in the West Indies.

The Orthodox Church is for all people regardless of nationality or background. Rastas are welcome too

M

The cultural aspects of Rastafari that I retain and respect are:

*love and concern for Africa as our ancestral homeland. This might not seem like a big deal for people with a natural connection with the land of their fathers. But for people of African or mixed descent in the West, there has often been shame associated with being Black or having ancestors that were slaves. Rastafari elders were some of the first people to teach people of African descent not to be ashamed of Africa or our physical features, but to be proud of our history and who we are.

*Identification with the poor and the sufferers. I love this about Rastafari. It is a movement of poor people and people who suffer oppression to live with dignity and "upfullness" (hope).

*Respect for His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I. Of course, I do not worship him, but I love his writings, the fact that he sent bishops from the Ethiopian Church to the caribbean to catechize the Rastas that were worshipping him and that he gave a portion of his personal land, Sheshamane, for people of African descent who desired to "repatriate."

*My dreadlocks My husband, my son and I all have them.

*The aesthetics. I wear red, gold and green which have a special significance for us. I love my head wraps, my tams, my long skirts. I love the greetings ("peace, Ras." "one love, empress.")

*Ital food Ital means vital. Ital food is fresh and unprocessed. No meat, no dairy and no salt. Natural medicines when possible. I don't always eat ital, though I should. The Rasta elders taught us to live close to the earth and in harmony with nature.

*The music! Here as with other genres, there is a mixed bag to be found in reggae. I take the good and leave the rest. It may not be your cup of tea, but I love roots-rock-reggae, the themes of which draw a lot from the Scriptures. I've linked one of my favorite songs below. Note the Scriptural references:

Psalm 118:19 - Open to me the gates of righteousness:
I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Isaiah 26:2 - Open ye the gates, that the righteous
nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Isaiah 43:6 - I will say to the north, Give up;
and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far,
and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

YouTube - The Congos - Open Up The Gate

M.

​

And for more on the issue:

• Bob Marley Died a Christian

• Church choice

• Reggae Righteousness: Seeing Ones that are both Messianic Jewish & Rastas for Christ?

As it concerns the focus many give to the Emperor, you cannot really appreciate or understand the focus given to him by many in the West Indies without understanding the concepts behind Ethiopianism - a school of thought that had long been in place (since the days of Marcus Garvey) that believed the Messiah would come from Ethiopia due to how they interpreted scripture....more here. Adding to that the fact that the Messiah was expected to be from Africa and Black - opposite of what was emphasized in Colonial views which emphasized a Euro-Centric view of Christ not being Black - and it's no surprise to see what occurred.

For many in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, being a Rasta is not opposite to being Orthodox anymore than it'd be opposite of Orthodox to admire and support the Church Fathers or adopt names after the saints when we're chrismated. The Emperor was truly an amazing person and that's something the Rastas have always taken seriously - and with good reason. On a side note, I don't appreciate the fact (when it comes to Oriental Orthodoxy) that a Marxist revolution in 1974 led to the overthrow of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie (who though an autocratic ruler of a feudal nation is remembered for modernizing Ethiopia as best as possible and leading the resistance against Italian invasion in 1935 as well as for his devout life/support of the Church ) - with the years following the coup being marked by severe persecution of Christians, church properties seized by the state, and as many as tens of thousands of Ethiopians killed during a period known as the “Red Terror.” ...for the man did so many amazing works for the people and the West Indies was truly lacking in many ways without his influence.

 

[dzheremi]

I don't want to get into the rest of what you've posted regarding Rasta culture or whatever, Gxg (G2). Suffice it to say, I disagree and have witnessed first hand on a number of occasions a sort of split between those born and raised in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Ethiopia or in the diaspora, and those who either converted to it or were raised in it in the West Indies. Call it a cultural difference, but it should be noted for the sake of accuracy that the Rastafarians are foreigners, as Jamaica, Barbados, et al. are not in Ethiopia. Whatever other ideas they may entertain over there or have brought to Ethiopia in certain places (e.g., Shashemene) are still foreign to the EOTC.

And as the OP has asked about Copts and marijuana, it should also be said that what you have written below (sorry; for some reason the quote function is not working properly for me) also contradicts what our Coptic Orthodox bishops have said on the matter:

"But on the issue, I tend to feel that there is anything wrong with weed in/of itself. For the Church does not condemn people for drinking responsibly or smoking tobacco responsibly, so why would it condemn someone for smoking weed responsibly? It really has to do with stigma...."

In response, here is what my bishop, HG Bishop Youssef of the Southern United States, has to say on the matter of marijuana (you can look it up for yourself in the Q&A on the diocese website, if you wish; I do not have enough posts here yet to post links):

"The use of marijuana, whether for medicinal or recreational purposes, is still not legalized throughout the United States. From the perspective of the Coptic Church, marijuana is still perceived to be exactly what it is—a mind-altering substance. Marijuana and similar drugs are in the same category as alcohol. The use of these kinds of substances is dangerous, spiritually debilitating, can become habitual, and may lead users to more toxic substances. There are many other effective prescription medications for ailments that are used without resorting to marijuana for solutions."

Regarding alcohol, HG admits that the drink in itself is not sinful, but advocates complete abstinence because the likelihood of abuse is so high as to make the possibility of "responsible use" more remote than that of dependency. (In his exact words: "Regarding the Church’s viewpoint in relation to alcohol drinking; the Church does not say drinking alcohol is sinful but the abuse of alcohol is sinful. Although this is the position of the church, it advocates complete abstinence from drinking because the possibility of abuse is usually very high.")

We can agree to disagree on this, but I want to make sure that the actual view of the church is in here somewhere, for the sake of the OP and anyone who might read this thread.

 

[SuperCloud]

Wow. Interesting! this has gotten deeper than I could have imagined. I had no idea Bob Marley converted to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. I also was nor aware of a lot of that posted about Rastafarians.

This term "Jah" means "God"?

Thanks for the contribution and views and information offered Gxg and dz.

dz said:

In response, here is what my bishop, HG Bishop Youssef of the Southern United States, has to say on the matter of marijuana (you can look it up for yourself in the Q&A on the diocese website, if you wish; I do not have enough posts here yet to post links):

"The use of marijuana, whether for medicinal or recreational purposes, is still not legalized throughout the United States. From the perspective of the Coptic Church, marijuana is still perceived to be exactly what it is—a mind-altering substance. Marijuana and similar drugs are in the same category as alcohol. The use of these kinds of substances is dangerous, spiritually debilitating, can become habitual, and may lead users to more toxic substances. There are many other effective prescription medications for ailments that are used without resorting to marijuana for solutions."

Hmm... is HG Bishop Youssef a medical doctor, pharmacologist, or otherwise educated in some manner that his statement (that I put in bold and underlined) out be taken as scientifically sound, professional medical opinion?

When I was shot multiple times and hooked up to IV's in the hospital, I forget what they had me on (I had to press a button every so many minutes to release a drug into my body) but I do know it was a painkiller that was a mind altering narcotic.

Pain killers, addiction to these prescription medications, are growing big time in the United States. I have a crack addicted lesbian friend that finances her addiction by buying and selling prescription pain killers to people addicted to them. I remember seeing her selling that stuff one day and was amazed that they were going about as fast (in sells) as crack cocaine.

Anyways... overdoses from prescription pain medication now in the United States outnumbers the combined overdoses of heroin and cocaine in the United States. Among military veterans its even higher than the general rate of the U.S. population.

I don't like marijuana because I don't like the feeling of the high and the kind of paranoia it gives me. So, I don't really smoke the stuff. Have zero desire for it. But in fairness... how many people do you hear about ODing from smoking marijuana?

Marijuana and the harm from it is one of those things vastly exaggerated in society. The biggest harm is that some smokers (some, not all) can get a bit lazy, and just about all marijuana smokers get the munchies. So, the snack and food industry might profit a little from weed smokers.

 

[SuperCloud]

Here is a video about rising U.S. veteran drug addiction to pain killers. And I've seen a veteran come into V.A. rehab, then having to go to the psych ward, after being frazzled from getting high on pain killers. It's rather wowing how "out of it" he was. Okay, crack doesn't hold a candle to what I saw him go through mentally. It took him a week or maybe two weeks before he was talking like a regular person. It was night and day from what he came in like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Api-LmGsLw8


Edited to add:

Common Painkillers Kill More Than Cocaine, Heroin

More Americans die from overdoses of commonly prescribed painkillers than heroin and cocaine combined, according to researchers at McGill University.

In a first-of-its-kind analysis, the McGill team found a dramatic increase in deaths due to prescribed painkillers, linked to more than 16,000 deaths in 2010 in the U.S. alone.

Currently, the U.S. ranks No. 1 in the world in per-capita consumption of painkillers.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I don't want to get into the rest of what you've posted regarding Rasta culture or whatever, Gxg (G2).

I was not expecting you to get into the rest of what was posted on Rasta culture, dzheremi - I am already aware of what you feel on the matter since it is something you have shared before on elsewhere..regardless of where I disagree with some of the hasty generalizations (IMHO). Respectfully, It was for the sake of the casual reader more so than response to you - for as said before, there's a GROSS difference in actually growing up around a culture and learning about it from a distance or in isolated instances. Being from the West Indies and seeing it repeatedly in action, it was necessary to address since several comments were not close to what has actually been said in what Rastas are about - and that's said in light of what has been witnessed with both friends/family, going to Jamaica and talking with strangers.

Its never good to misrepresent people, no matter how zealous one may be, on the basis of experience with some rather than addressing people in their views as a WHOLE and not in accuracy.

Suffice it to say, I disagree and have witnessed first hand on a number of occasions a sort of split between those born and raised in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Ethiopia or in the diaspora, and those who either converted to it or were raised in it in the West Indies. all it a cultural difference, but it should be noted for the sake of accuracy that the Rastafarians are foreigners, as Jamaica, Barbados, et al. are not in Ethiopia.


Whatever other ideas they may entertain over there or have brought to Ethiopia in certain places (e.g., Shashemene) are still foreign to the EOTC.

IIt is not expected that you would agree - and again, what was written was not done for the basis of seeking agreement. It was done on the basis of actually noting what Rasta culture was about up-close and personal.

Here is where assumptions can often lead to a lack of accuracy, as what was noted was NEVER focused on those who simply converted to it and where raised in the West Indies. Part of understanding what His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I did is understanding where many Ethiopians came over to help with witnessing to those caught in the negative camps of Rasta culture - many Ethiopians already knowing what happened in Rasta culture and reforming it...or saw Rastas who never held the Emperor to be Christ incarnated and thus knew how to make the difference between with extreme views and those with cultural ones which could be accepted. The split between those who were born in Ethiopia (including those who were native Ethiopians converting to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) and those in the West Indies is often made out to be bigger than what it really is, despite where other Ethiopians have often disagreed. Just came from the Ethiopian store on my side not too long ago (as I've been friends with the manager for years since he is Ethiopian Orthodox) and it is always amazing to see the extensive variety in thought from others born in Ethiopia who came to the U.S voluntarily and still have family in Ethiopia like-minded.

Many have long pointed out that being in Diaspora in Jamaica or Barbados or Trinidad, etc., was never the basis for showing what others in the Orthodox Church hold to - nor was it ever the case that all who were Rastas started out as being outside the Church IN diaspora....a common myth that tends to get started by people not knowing what life in the West Indies is actually like. For many, to be involved in Rasta culture is no different than one asking can one be involved as an Orthodox person in Hip Hop culture or Folk Music culture and other things similar....even though others take things in each of those cultures to extremes. Bishops for particular music-based subcultures AND understanding how to operate within them is not new...and when it comes to Rasta culture, it was always about (for many) simply remembering where others may imitate the emperor in terms of his personal piety and that the only Truth who will save us is Christ.

For the casual reader, For more info on the matter...

• "Dread Jesus": A New View of the Rastafari Movement"

• SONGS OF FREEDOM: The Rastafari Road to Orthodoxy

• Rastafarians and Orthodoxy"

• Orthodox Christianity: The Rastafarian Movement

• "Need help responding to a Rastafarian about Orthodoxy"

• From Rastafari To Orthodoxy - The Illumined Heart - Ancient Faith Radio

• Looking for a Dreadlocked Jesus - Is Rasta Christian? An Interview With William David Spencer by Todd Hertz, Christianity Today

• "Judiasm & Rastafarianism: A study of the Falashas - Debate Central"

And to be clear, nothing would have been said in regards to the matter if the Rastas had not been brought up - but as they were brought into the discussion, even though the discussion was on the Copts, it seemed warranted to clarify the issue as best as possible.

And as the OP has asked about Copts and marijuana, it should also be said that what you have written below (sorry; for some reason the quote function is not working properly for me) also contradicts what our Coptic Orthodox bishops have said on the matter:

"But on the issue, I tend to feel that there is anything wrong with weed in/of itself. For the Church does not condemn people for drinking responsibly or smoking tobacco responsibly, so why would it condemn someone for smoking weed responsibly? It really has to do with stigma...."

In response, here is what my bishop, HG Bishop Youssef of the Southern United States, has to say on the matter of marijuana (you can look it up for yourself in the Q&A on the diocese website, if you wish; I do not have enough posts here yet to post links):

"The use of marijuana, whether for medicinal or recreational purposes, is still not legalized throughout the United States. From the perspective of the Coptic Church, marijuana is still perceived to be exactly what it is—a mind-altering substance. Marijuana and similar drugs are in the same category as alcohol. The use of these kinds of substances is dangerous, spiritually debilitating, can become habitual, and may lead users to more toxic substances. There are many other effective prescription medications for ailments that are used without resorting to marijuana for solutions.

I am aware of what HG Bishop Youssef has said on the matter, even though I appreciate his response. Nonetheless, he does not represent what all in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church have said on the matter when it comes to the issue of marjuanna. I don't care to smoke it nor will I ever - but it is legal in other states. Where it is legal, it is no issue - but where it is illegal, of course there is a problem to push for it without consideration and others have spoken on that often. More has been discussed on the issue elsewhere in the TAW forum - as seen in Medical Marijuana & Schedule 1

And on where Bob Marley's priest spoke on the issue...Abuna Yesehaq on Haile Selassie and the culture (as well as where he did not make the use of cannabis something that would be an impedement into being recieved into the Church when in Jamaican culture - a completely DIFFERENT context than the use of cannabis within the U.S wherever it is illegal).

Part 1
Interview with Abuna Yesehaq Part 1 of 4 - YouTube
Part 2
Interview with Abuna Yesehaq Part 2 of 4 - YouTube
Part 3
Interview with Abuna Yesehaq Part 3 of 4 - YouTube
Part 4
Interview with Abuna Yesehaq Part 4 of 4 - YouTube

And on the rest of his ministry focus:


Abune Yesehaq and The Mother Church - YouTube

Abba Yesehaq Interview.mp4 - YouTube

As another from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church wisely noted on the issue:

Abuna Yesehaq possessed keen wisdom and Christian patience in his evangelistic efforts. His brilliance was evidenced by the fact that he wisely discerned what was necessary for salvation and what was not. And what is necessary for salvation is essentially a truly repentant heart, the worship of Jesus Christ, and the confession of the Nicene Creed. Abuna Yesehaq did not require Rastas to cut their locks. He did not demand that they stop using Ganja. He did not tell them that they had to forsake their vegetarian diet and begin eating meat. He did not tell them that their music was of the devil. He only preached the Orthodox Christian Faith to them, willingly and joyfully baptizing any and all who embraced Christ and His Church.

Certainly there were aspects of the Rastafarian lifestyle that were disturbing to Abuna Yesehaq. For example, he had difficulty with the Rastas' use of Ganja. But he was wise enough not to make marijuana use an issue that precluded Holy Baptism. Instead, he trusted the Holy Spirit to deal with such matters rather than presuming to play the role of the Holy Spirit himself.

It is also interesting to contemplate the title of Abuna Yesehaq's masterful book on the Church. The book is titled: The Ethiopian Tewahedo Church: An Integrally African Church. Notice that the subtitle does not read "A Primarily African Church," "A Supremely African Church," or "An Exclusively African Church." You see, Abuna Yesehaq recognized and valued the importance of cultural identity without elevating cultural identity to a prejudicial level. So, we must follow his sagacious example, neither elevating cultural identity to an exclusive level nor devaluing it with disparagement. For to do either one is to promote prejudice and racism.

Because of Abuna Yesehaq's wisdom, countless Rastafarians have renounced the idolatry of Selassie worship and have entered the Orthodox Church.​

Wise words, IMHO, to keep in mind....

But as it concerns the use of MJ, as said elsewhere, Part of me wonders why there seems to be so much focus on mj when there are literally dozens of other herbal treatments for medicial causes that would not come close to having the stigma that mj has. One I ended up learning of in Jamaica was something called Lemon Grass ....(known for therapeutic properties and altering mood....similar to what incense does since it alters the mood of the body via smell). Currently, it's not grown on a commercial scale in Jamaica...but I so wanted to take some home after seeing it grown on a farm there---and wondering "As much as I think MJ is legitimate, so many other things could do what it does and they're not considered."

Nonethleess, as it concerns the use of cannabis, there is a lot to it which involves demonizing something which was never utilizing the body for the sake of mind-atlteration. And if one was fully against drug usage for the sake of avoiding body alteration, one should be against coffee or any other kind of stimulant. The same goes for incense - proven to alter one's mind and be a means of healing. Early in my own spiritual development, it was amazing learning of the ways that incense adds an entirely differing dimension to how we see the spiritual.

What's fascinating to me is realizing the extensive ways that smell was a BIG DEAL in the early Jewish culture and other Eastern cultures - it was essential to know what scents needed to be picked up since that is a focus for the Lord. He went out of his way to mention it many times....and when seeing that theme present in Revelation at the end, I have to wonder why many make it out like it's not a big deal.

There's an excellent book on the matter I am hoping to get a hold of in the future - entitled Scenting Salvation.

​

One can go here to Scenting Salvation | Citydesert for more - or investigate the following:

• THE OLFACTORY CONTEXT: Smelling the Early Christian World

"

We can agree to disagree on this, but I want to make sure that the actual view of the church is in here somewhere, for the sake of the OP a

Not really having any kind of dog in the fight - as what matters is the view of the Church on the matter....and not avoiding where certain views extented for all as dogmatic are really more so within the realm of opinion. This is why what was noted was also pointed out here for the sake of anyone reading the thread when it comes to the OO world.

 

[dzheremi]

"I am aware of what HG Bishop Youssef has said on the matter, even though I appreciate his response. Nonetheless, he does not represent what all in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church have said on the matter when it comes to the issue of marjuanna."

HG Bishop Youssef does very much represent the Coptic Orthodox Church, which is what the OP is asking about.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Wow. Interesting! this has gotten deeper than I could have imagined. I had no idea Bob Marley converted to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. I also was nor aware of a lot of that posted about Rastafarians.

A lot of people are not aware of where Bob Marley was converted by Abuna Yesehaq, nor are they aware fully of how he worked with others within Rastafarian culture in agreement with many others within the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Of course, this may disagree with others in the Coptic Orthodox Church and that's fine - but there is still a lot of differences. Part of the struggle that comes up with that is due to where Ethiopians were called "Copts" at certain points due to where the Ethiopian Church was administratively part of the Coptic Orthodox Church until 1959, due to how the Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches reached an agreement on July 13, 1948, that led to autocephaly for the Church of Ethiopia and it being granted its own Patriarch by Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa, Cyril VI. Being Autocephalous changed a lot of things- and even though it is still historically given the name "Copt" in many circles, it is not the case that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church calls itself Copts still overall or identifies with all things said currently with Coptic Orthodox Church leaders - there have been differences and debates which have been well-documented. The Coptic Orthodox and the Ethiopian Coptic Orthodox are distinctly separate entities (sister Oriental churches and there are the Coptic Churches of Egypt, which are similar to the Ethiopian Churches, but not identical. ....for although the Ethiopian tradition stems out of the Coptic one IN many respects, they are really their own branch.

More can be found here in CNEWA - The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

And with the work of Archbishop (Abuna) Yesehaq Mandefro, commissioned by the EOTC , it was very much a big deal with the work he did on behalf of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I.

This term "Jah" means "God"?

Yes..."Jah" means God.

It wasn't Rastafarians, but maybe it was a group going by an Ethiopian Church name. I think that's more likely since I'm apparently remembering incorrectly.

From what you're noting, you're probably thinking of a group known as the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church - a group which is really a sect /offshoot of Rastafarianism which has been very problematic in Florida and not Orthodox, more here in James Tranmer and the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church | WeedPress

Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church (1979 CBS Reports) - YouTube

 

[SuperCloud]

Yes, that seems to a ring a bell, the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church. I bet that's why I was connecting Ethiopia and Coptic in my memory of this marijuana thing.

 

[seattleartcolony]

I had the pleasure of riding in a taxi with a person of Coptic faith and he assured me that pot is used in ceremony and yes the Coptic Church is the FIRST organized Christianity put forth by Saint Mark.
also you might find the hebrew word Kaneh Bosm a promising idea that Moses was the APOThacary the pharmisist in creating Holy Oil with a componant being Kaneh Bosm or what in greek and english should translate to Cannabis why is the church so conservativly upholding information such as this?
believe me do minimal study and find that Religion and some kind of herbal drug use is often the norm in world history and even today in those so called backweirds countries you will find it in use open your minds and eyes to see that the herb is perhaps the spiritual meat in which we all should eat and be baptisted in the cloud and under the cloud and in the sea as prescribed by Moses aparently

Jesus People and Unitairian

(קְנֵה-בֹשֶׂם kaneh bosm)

 

[seattleartcolony]

The Egyptian Coptics are royally being pressed and pushed around in thier islamic country
I am so saddened that Religion gets in the way of each other we need to LOVE our religious neighbors and make peace with our enemies Jesus himself told us this.
and here in the states we persecute and demean our brothers in Christ the coptics for their use of the herb

 

[rakovsky]

I had the pleasure of riding in a taxi with a person of Coptic faith and he assured me that pot is used in ceremony

I have not been able to find confirmation that it is used in any OO ceremonies. This sounds like misinformation. Besides, the associations are much more with Ethiopian culture than Egyptian (Coptic) culture.