I have 2 questions. 1 about MJ ,1 about god

[2greencats]

(warning long read) Ok I have 2 questions I am really struggling with. Yes one of them is about Cannabis ( Marijuana ) and the other question is about God but not relating to Marijuana at all. So I am going to start with the Marijuana question first. I have smoked pot since I was 11 years old and I have always questioned if its a sin or not. First of all yes I know its a sin to harm your body and smoking definitely harms your body but, smoking Marijuana is not the only way to use Marijuana. So recently I gave up smoking and now I only orally consume Cannabis which gives the same effect as smoking it with out all the nasty tar inhaled into the lungs. So seriously I cannot find any way on how this is harmful to the body at all if I orally consume the substance and it has never affected my brain in any way... there has even been studies proving that marijuana use does not affect the learning development. ( well duh if your stoned and doing a test its not going to work well probally but it does not affect your ability to learn and do stuff while sober because even when I smoke pot I can still learn while sober and make A's on tests). Also the bible I think it says to stay away from things are addictive. Is marijuana addictive? Yes it is... or probably wouldn't read so much about it if it wasnt but, you have to consider one thing every substance is addictive so thats saying I have to stay away from everything? ... the computer,CoCa -Cola,books, even the Bible can probably be addictive because I just love to hear stories from revelations all the times and I find that addictive that I love to listen to those story's the same way I love to feal the effects of Marijuana. Yes I agree any addiction is bad ,but if I just use Cannabis once to a few times a week in moderation for my relaxation period ... how is it so bad? Yes I also know its in the bible to obey the laws of your land but I know some countrys back in the old days or still now probably do not permit the Holy Bible and the Holy Bible is illegal and there are people who read the bible under those laws while the bible saying to obey the rules of your land so therefore making reading the bible a sin???????? I also hear people saying that its bad to be drunk... yes it is because you loose complete control of your judgement... but when I am "high" off marijuana I can still some what function normally ( I can drive high and never have gotten into a accident while all my accidents happened while sober believe it or not which I came to the conclusion ... ppl high on marijuana make just as many mistakes as people who are sober ) Also I heard people saying Cannabis is not mentioned in the Bible.. Yes it is mentioned in the bibles as "Kaneh Bosm" in the old Testament. Check this link out "h**p://w w w. cannabisculture. com/ backissues/cc05/kanehb .h t m l "
So anyways my basic question is ... am I really sinning by using cannabis a few times a week just to relax and to think about this beautiful world and that its pretty much a harmless thing and is just as bad as other substances we don't usually consider bad such as aspirin and other things ( aspirin kills tons of people every year check this link out. "h**p://w w w . jackherer . com/comparison. h t m l" ). Anyways thats my first question basically is MJ a sin. So anyways my next question(s) are on a completely different subject. I seriously am having a hard time fully understanding God. Do I believe that he exists? yes... why? I dont know I just feal that hes real. So that being said .. I also find god to be some what unfair. First thing is like God int he bible says how the world is going to end like hes going to destroy evil one day etc.. So this brings me to the conclusion God can see the future. So why did he ever let evil be created in the first place if he knew it was going to happen? Why did he create Lucefer his best angel knowing that he was going to turn into evil? Why did he not destroy sin a long time ago? Why is he waiting? Does he like to sit here and watch us suffer and sin!?!?!!? I also don't find it fair that were on earth for an like an average of like 70 years or so and if we dont like do the whole holy thing we go to hell for eternity?!?!!?!? It sounds a bit harsh to me. I mean if I were able to create something such as people... I would never let my creation be in pain or never even know what pain is or even let evil come about it and why would such a loving God let this happen?. I just don't understand this part.... Can some one please try and explain this part of god where I am confused. Anyways I hope this post made sence because I have been typing for a loong time lol and my train of thought can only go on for so long typing with out thinking what I am going to write with out sometype of refrence.. So I hope I made sence I probally left some things out that I wanted to say but whatever, but please answer.... ( EDIT: oh any by the way it says I cant post links until I have 15 posts so I could not post the link in a proper form so it might take some thinking on how to go to those pages but, not to much thinking)

 

[TexasGirl06]

Hello 2greencats ~
I will address your marajuana question:

Yes, what you are doing with the marajuana is a sin against our Holy God.
You are harming your body.
Period.

No need to go any further.

Studies are pretty clear about the use of marajuana and the effects on the body, specifically the brain.

 

[TexasGirl06]

. So anyways my next question(s) are on a completely different subject. I seriously am having a hard time fully understanding God. Do I believe that he exists? yes... why? I dont know I just feal that hes real. So that being said .. I also find god to be some what unfair. First thing is like God int he bible says how the world is going to end like hes going to destroy evil one day etc.. So this brings me to the conclusion God can see the future. So why did he ever let evil be created in the first place if he knew it was going to happen? Why did he create Lucefer his best angel knowing that he was going to turn into evil? Why did he not destroy sin a long time ago? Why is he waiting? Does he like to sit here and watch us suffer and sin!?!?!!? I also don't find it fair that were on earth for an like an average of like 70 years or so and if we dont like do the whole holy thing we go to hell for eternity?!?!!?!? It sounds a bit harsh to me. I mean if I were able to create something such as people... I would never let my creation be in pain or never even know what pain is or even let evil come about it and why would such a loving God let this happen?. I just don't understand this part.... Can some one please try and explain this part of god where I am confused. Anyways I hope this post made sence because I have been typing for a loong time lol and my train of thought can only go on for so long typing with out thinking what I am going to write with out sometype of refrence.. So I hope I made sence I probally left some things out that I wanted to say but whatever, but please answer.... ( EDIT: oh any by the way it says I cant post links until I have 15 posts so I could not post the link in a proper form so it might take some thinking on how to go to those pages but, not to much thinking)

I guess the basis for the answer to your question is: free will.
God did not create evil.
He allowed for free will of man.
He gave man a choice.
Obey God... or not.
Love God...or not.
Man chose not.
It is then that evil (sin) entered the world.

But, from the beginning (whenever that was)
God knew that man would choose to disobey.
He knows all things.
This is why He knew that His Son would have to come.
He knew His Son would have to die.
It was the big plan.

And, sin is so bad. Evil is so bad.
Thank goodness He provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him.

Why is God still waiting?
Waiting for the end, when He will end all of the sin...

He is still drawing people into His Kingdom.
He has the time/date all set.
We do not know when.
Nobody can know when.

When the time is perfect, He will move into that part of His Plan.

He can be hard to understand.
How do we understand Him?
How do we begin to understand Him?

We need to study Him.
We need to know Him.
We get to know Him by studying His Word.
He is all over the pages of the Bible.

He is ready to show you much.
He is waiting for you to desire to know Him.

 

[TexasGirl06]

And about love:

God could have created man to be a "robot man":
Loving God because God programmed man to love, without the option to sin. No choice involved. Just love God.

Instead, God created man to have free will, to love Him, or not.
Because, real love has a choice.

Robot love is not real love.

Oh.
God knew what He was doing.
Look @ how sacrificial His Love is.
He allowed His Son (who was perfect, by the way) to be treated poorly, beaten, made fun of, stoned, spit on, killed, etc... etc....
because He loves you so much.

 

[Bondman]

- snip -
I seriously am having a hard time fully understanding God. Do I believe that he exists? yes... why? I dont know I just feal that hes real. So that being said .. I also find god to be some what unfair. First thing is like God int he bible says how the world is going to end like hes going to destroy evil one day etc.. So this brings me to the conclusion God can see the future. So why did he ever let evil be created in the first place if he knew it was going to happen? Why did he create Lucefer his best angel knowing that he was going to turn into evil? Why did he not destroy sin a long time ago? Why is he waiting? Does he like to sit here and watch us suffer and sin!?!?!!? I also don't find it fair that were on earth for an like an average of like 70 years or so and if we dont like do the whole holy thing we go to hell for eternity?!?!!?!? It sounds a bit harsh to me. I mean if I were able to create something such as people... I would never let my creation be in pain or never even know what pain is or even let evil come about it and why would such a loving God let this happen?. I just don't understand this part.... Can some one please try and explain this part of god where I am confused.

Great answers by TexasGirl, so I'll just add some further bits you asked/queried!

Yes, it does seem harsh to punish forever, hey! But if you look at it from God's angle it makes more sense:

1. He made man perfect.

2. Man chose to sin against Him. We all live in rebellion against Him and His laws, right! When you commit a crime, you can expect punishment. Sin is the same.

3. God's law is if you sin and are rebellious against Him, then you die (meaning separated from Him in hell). Do you sin and rebel? We all do. So what do we deserve? HELL! So ask yourself this question: "Why didn't He send me to hell the first time I sinned?" He didn't did He! Wow, how about that!!

4. So how come? Because He loves you, He's decided to give you another chance. If you murder someone, would you expect the courts to totally let you off punishment, set you free, and give you a second chance? Of course not! But God has done exactly that - now that's LOVE!!!

5. How has He given you this 2nd chance? Answer: AT GREAT COST! He sent His only and unique Son to earth to die on a Roman cross the most horrific of deaths. What was He doing there? He was paying for your sin!

There's absolutely NOTHING you or I can do to get out of the punishment for our sin. But it's like a court has fined you a humungous amount for a crime you committed. You can't pay it, no way. But a friend who has money comes along and pays the fine, and next minute the cell door is flung open and you're set free!

Jesus is that friend. HE paid the full price for you. HE experienced hell - instead of you - while He was on the Cross. That's why He cried out from the depths of His soul: "My God, My God, why have you left me!!!"

6. Jesus paid the full price, died, rose the 3rd day and is now back in heaven with His Father.

Now if you were God and this is the price you had to pay so you could be set free - but you thumbed your nose at Him and said 'Pshaw, I could care less about Jesus and what He did for me!" - wouldn't YOU feel a trifle upset!!!

7. So you've been given a 2nd chance you don't deserve, and nor do I. If you say no to that, then you cop hell forever, and you can see that it's well deserved. Hell shows us how SERIOUS our sin and rebellion is. I often give people this warning: DON'T MESS WITH GOD!!

Thing is NO ONE needs to go to hell. Never mind whether it seem fair or not. Just don't GO there!

The decision is entirely yours! We will give you help and advice on how to become a Christian and make absolutely certain that hell is not for you. All you need to do is ask, okay!

Bless you heaps, man!

- Bondman (ministering the Good News of the Gospel)

_________________​

Hey, WE LOVE PMs (anytime!)​

• Jesus DIED for our sin. • God FORGAVE all our sin. • Then He FORGOT all our sin!​

 

[2greencats]

Well thank you all for your replys... although I still dont know how to understand this... I mean yes god could have created man a robot man but thats not what i am saying... I was saying if he never let the serpent deceive Adam or Eve or what ever there would be no sin... I mean he does know everything and your answers don't entierley make sense to me because I just cant understand why he would let sin be created out of no where not saying that he him self created evil.... I mean he should have just killed sin right when it was created and saved us all the trouble. This is the only question that I can never really find an answer to and this question sorta in a way makes me not like god so much... like it just turns me away.. I mean I seriously do believe hes real and I am scared about the whole hell thing and I dont believe we deserve to go to hell no matter what we do... even if we are against god.... its simply does not seem fair to me and I cant understand why a god so awesome would not be fair and this sorta makes me angry at god in the inside. I mean yes Jesus did die for us ,but I am pretty sure others that are normal humans have died just almost as horribly or worse because I know there are some sick people out there who skin people alive and throw salt on them and so on and so on.... but guys I do appreciate your time in answering my questions I had. On the Mj issue... even if its a sin .... I still gonna do it because a sin is a sin and either way I am going to sin regardless if i use MJ or not... and for the harming the body part.... I still dont find it harmful.... espically if they give to to patients that have AIDs..... and basically I was just scared if mj is a sin or not and if i continue to do it ... I would end up in hell but on the other side I seriously dont think its a sin at all..... So what ever ill stop talking about MJ b4 i get banned or sumtin. Anyways I hope one day to find some answer that makes me love god more or get closer and to understand him. I mean what should I do about reading the bible? I just dont find it intresting ( except for a few storys) .... I just dont want to study about god because I dont find it all the intresting and it usually upsets me or makes me hate god when I try to go to church etc.... or to just even think about the question of the fairness side really upsets me. Anyways I just hope one day to find an answer to his to make me love god or to understand him. Anyways thanks for your help.

 

[TexasGirl06]

Well thank you all for your replys... although I still dont know how to understand this... I mean yes god could have created man a robot man but thats not what i am saying... I was saying if he never let the serpent deceive Adam or Eve or what ever there would be no sin... I mean he does know everything and your answers don't entierley make sense to me because I just cant understand why he would let sin be created out of no where not saying that he him self created evil.... I mean he should have just killed sin right when it was created and saved us all the trouble. This is the only question that I can never really find an answer to and this question sorta in a way makes me not like god so much... like it just turns me away.. I mean I seriously do believe hes real and I am scared about the whole hell thing and I dont believe we deserve to go to hell no matter what we do... even if we are against god.... its simply does not seem fair to me and I cant understand why a god so awesome would not be fair and this sorta makes me angry at god in the inside. I mean yes Jesus did die for us ,but I am pretty sure others that are normal humans have died just almost as horribly or worse because I know there are some sick people out there who skin people alive and throw salt on them and so on and so on.... but guys I do appreciate your time in answering my questions I had. On the Mj issue... even if its a sin .... I still gonna do it because a sin is a sin and either way I am going to sin regardless if i use MJ or not... and for the harming the body part.... I still dont find it harmful.... espically if they give to to patients that have AIDs..... and basically I was just scared if mj is a sin or not and if i continue to do it ... I would end up in hell but on the other side I seriously dont think its a sin at all..... So what ever ill stop talking about MJ b4 i get banned or sumtin. Anyways I hope one day to find some answer that makes me love god more or get closer and to understand him. I mean what should I do about reading the bible? I just dont find it intresting ( except for a few storys) .... I just dont want to study about god because I dont find it all the intresting and it usually upsets me or makes me hate god when I try to go to church etc.... or to just even think about the question of the fairness side really upsets me. Anyways I just hope one day to find an answer to his to make me love god or to understand him. Anyways thanks for your help.

2greencats ~ I just really commend you for being so honest and transparent. That is a good thing.

Free will must involve a choice.
The choice is to obey...or not.
It had to be that way, otherwise, we would not be in a free will (free to love him) situation with God.

Adam and Eve did the "original" sin.
Remove yourself from that.
Let's talk about your sin.
(and mine)
We are facing the death penalty (hell) because of our own disobedience.

The one little lie you told....a long time ago: sin
The wages for sin is death.
Because of that lie, 2green cats, God says you must live eternally in hell.

God is Holy and He will not tolerate sin.
He will not allow sin into Heaven.
Period.
Do we have to like that?
No.
Do we have to completely understand that?
No.
It is the way it is. And the God who created the universe says it is so.

Allow me to explain what "not fair" really is.
It isn't fair that God has allowed you to remain alive all this time.
Fair = He has the authority and right to zap your life.

2Greencats.... He is FULL OF MERCY !
He does not want you to perish.
He loves you.
He loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you.
Your sin was placed upon Jesus that day on the cross.

It is okay to not understand God...and to even be angry with Him.
He knows exactly where you are at with this whole "God" thing.

May I suggest that you get alone....
and just talk to Him.
Tell Him that you do not understand.
Tell Him that what you do understand....you don't like.
Call to Him.

My friend,
if you are really seeking Him...
and the Truth about Him...
He will respond.
I promise you.

Actually... He promises to do that.

Look where He already has you.
On A Christian Forum...
speaking with His people.

I know it's hard.
I was 26 years old before I came to know Him as my Savior.

Question Him.

 

[heymikey80]

Anyways I just hope one day to find an answer to his to make me love god or to understand him. Anyways thanks for your help.

I hope you do, too. I have a lot of thoughts about this, too. Just not from the doubting side any more. I see what depth of love and favor God has showered on someone who so richly doesn't deserve it.

I think the answer lies in where all this sinning comes from. It comes from our limited view of reality. The actual sin in the Garden wasn't caused by some Person of evil. It was revealed in us by the Serpent -- a created Being placed in the Garden along with humanity. We wanted the Serpent's version of reality to be true, so much so that we defied the One by Whose givingness we actually existed.

I realize you think of this as an indictment of God, but I see it another way. By the reasoning of your argument, it's unjust of God for me to even exist. By some stroke of fortune, God doesn't see it your way, and for that I'm utterly relieved and grateful; I'm not angry. Few people would have the gumption to accuse God of wrong. But I daresay God will right every wrong -- so we'd better be prepared to accept the consequences ourselves if we call it injustice, when it's God's massive patience and deep forgiveness.

The limitations of people lead us to consider evil courses of action. It's simply a fact of our natures. When we don't rely fully on God, we're exposed to all kinds of evil -- just by living our lives. If there were no rebellious desire on the part of humans to defy God, the Serpent couldn't have accomplished a single thing. But our limitations did us in.

Could God have made us without those limitations? I don't think He'd get humans if He did.

I also noticed that this seems to be the process for eliminating sin in Creation, too: repentance, forgiveness, and new creation. It's kind of odd that we'd be criticizing the very thing we're trying to accomplish.

When you get to the endpoint of view of Christianity, you find many of these issues collapse under that endpoint view. Creation isn't really ultimate Reality -- so our hanging onto our life as some kind of Ultimate judge of God's grace is ... kind of a paradox. Our arguments against God making us this way is really an argument against our very existence. And God fully intends to set everything right at the Last Day -- so it's kind of strange we should be criticizing God for doing the very thing we want Him so to do.

We seem to be like children waiting anxiously for Christmas morning, wanting it to happen on December 1, opening up the presents early, and feeling disappointed that now we know the gifts and can't anticipate the arrival of Christmas with such excitement. Well, I think the answer when we stumble down that morning of the Last Day will surprise us by its perfection. Maybe that's because our presents won't be the only source of excitement -- His Presence will be.

 

[heymikey80]

On the marijuana question -- Paul instructed the Ephesians, "Don't be drunk on wine, but rather be filled with the Spirit." It strikes me that the end result of marijuana is much the same. And that's what Paul instructed against.

 

[Bondman]

TexasGirl's replies to this were SO GOOD, and I hope they may have helped you. I'll just put in my 2 cents worth as well, if that's okay (well maybe 10 cents worth...) *grin*

I was saying if he never let the serpent deceive Adam or Eve or what ever there would be no sin...

I've struck many who are hung up on the 'God isn't fair' thing. And it can be really hard to get through it.

If He'd STOPPED the serpent, then He would have stopped our freewill. Can you see that? So we'd have then been PUPPETS on a string. Don't you like being able to make your own decisions? I sure do! Would you prefer God to pull your strings and totally run your life? I don't think so. So it really did HAVE to be as it was - cos it's actually a GOOD thing, not a bad one!!

And it's still like that. You have a CHOICE. Wow! Accept Jesus' sacrifice for you and don't go to hell. Isn't that great that you DO have a choice! But what if you didn't? Then you'd be sent straight to hell for your sin and rebellion against God. But you don't have to do that - you can choose Jesus and go to heaven instead. Man, isn't that Great News!!!

I mean he should have just killed sin right when it was created and saved us all the trouble.

But ask yourself: how could He kill sin? As I've said, He had to let Eve be tempted and DECIDE for herself if she'd do right or do wrong. She choose wrong (but she didn't have to, cos she had freewill).

If God had intervened and stopped her choosing wrong, He'd have interfered with her freewill. But let's say He did that. Five minutes later, she'd have had another decidion to make: again, will I do right or wrong? He'd have to intefere again, right! And so He's put her on a string again, which we'd all HATE!!!

So can you see how essential it is that He allows us to CHOOSE?

I dont believe we deserve to go to hell no matter what we do... even if we are against god....

I've explained why we do deserve hell, but let me say it this way. You are just one of 6 billion people on the planet, and just a human being, COMPARED TO the power and might of this great God of ours. And here's the serious bit: in the above quote notice how YOU are deciding that God shouldn't do this or that!

You have just made YOURSELF... God!!!

You're saying in effect, I know better that God. What I think is more important than what He thinks. I will make up the rules from now on - and I'll tell Him what to do!

Can you see that this is the very REBELLION against Him that I've been talking about? It's SO serious! We all do it. Every one of us. I'm NOT picking on you, not one little bit.

So what must we conclude here? Either we all be little gods telling Almighty GOD what to do. OR we choose to recognise that He IS God - the only God, and start to take notice of what He says, NOT what I think, just like TexasGirl said. Yes, He's God and He COULD have kinda banned sin. But as you can see that make you a robot. And YOU don't want that, NONE of us what that, and GOD doesn't want that either!

So He really has done it the best possible way!




Finally, you need to get this serious matter sorted out. Trying to read the Bible and go to church comes after that. So do decisions about MJ.

Please keep asking and telling us what you feel. We're here for you for as long as you want us, and won't get tired of replying, okay! Cos we love you and care about you - that's a major part of how our Christian life works. And you can have this too!

I hope you can get your head around this now. Ask Him for help like TexasGirl said. He WILL. Truly He will. He just LOVES when people are trying to find Him!

Bless you so much, man!

- Bondman (ministering the Good News of the Gospel)

_________________​

Hey, WE LOVE PMs (anytime!)​

• Jesus DIED for our sin. • God FORGAVE all our sin. • Then He FORGOT all our sin!​

 

[2greencats]

well thanks for all the new replys ... so yea I guess ill just stop thinking about the fairness /sin etc etc thing... I dont understand it but what ever theres nothing I can do to change it.. so I guess ill try to study some more of god if i come around to it. But yea thanks you guys were helpful. So ill just come back here if i need any more help.

 

[Bondman]

well thanks for all the new replys ... so yea I guess ill just stop thinking about the fairness /sin etc etc thing... I dont understand it but what ever theres nothing I can do to change it.. so I guess ill try to study some more of god if i come around to it. But yea thanks you guys were helpful. So ill just come back here if i need any more help.

You're very welcome 3greencats!

And yep, we're always here to help, anytime at all.

May you truly find God! Blessings from both of us.

- Bondman (ministering the Good News of the Gospel)

_________________​

Hey, WE LOVE PMs (anytime!)​

• Jesus DIED for our sin. • God FORGAVE all our sin. • Then He FORGOT all our sin!​

 

[TexasGirl06]

But yea thanks

You are most welcome.

We'll be here....
if you have any more questions.