Do any of you Christian folk...

That's bullshit. If that's true, who created it?

Plus, weeds are just plants that are undesirable to someone. A dandylion can be considered a weed, but it can also be considered a wildflower, or even food. And people only call cannabis "weed" because it grows quickly and profusely; it is actually a very useful plant, perhaps the most useful plant on earth.

And as far as "wine" meaning grapejuice, that's bullshit too. Grapejuice without refridgeration ferments within days, turning into wine. The only real use for all those grapes everyone around the Medeterranian were growing is either to eat them, or to make wine. Besides, why would the prophets or anyone else admonish anyone for drinking too much grapejuice? What would be too much, anyways? It's friggin grapejuice!

Stop beating around the bush and just admit it: the people in the bible were drinking alcoholic beverages, and enjoying it, just like today. People also understood the dangers (to society/relationships/faith) in having too much, while also understanding the merits of moderation (but not necessarily prohibition).

To get back to the real topic, there is evidence that cannabis is named in the Hebrew bible as 'kenneh bosm' and was a vital ingredient in sacred incense (can you guess why that might be?). It's also possible "manna" was psychedelic mushrooms. It's no secret ancient peoples used mind altering substances (shrooms, weed, alcohol, opium, etc) in religious practice, why should the ancient Hebrew peoples be any different?

 

yeah, im sorry, but to me, there is a diffeerence between "christ-like" and "be like Jesus"

 

Hey I totally support hemp! Hemp is not dope. It is very useful and you can make just about anything out of it. We could actually "save the trees' for real if we would use hemp as thier substitute.
And about the wine, yah i don't know why some Christians believe that folks were'nt drinking in the Bible. There are soooo many references to people drinking and getting drunk. Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine, beacuase they had no more left! That's means they were probably already loaded by the time he made more. It was a celebration and He supported it.

 

Apparently, what most of you seem to be missing, is the point. People take drugs to escape reality. After work, some folks go to a bar to, “unwind” and have a few drinks. Other go home and shoot up or toke. Mind altering substances are used to feel disconnected with the every day grind. Some take them to cope, some take them to forget and some take them to relax. If drugs didn’t cause humans to feel differently, they would not be used for these purposes.

This is what God is for. Healing, peace and comfort come through Jesus Christ. A plant, or any form of medication for that matter, is merely a temporary fix. Indulging in a substance for transient comfort is no better than worshiping a graven image. Both of them cause one to take their eyes off of the Lord. The commandments tells us that this is a sin, so trying to justify it is futile.

 

oops, i deleted the last tlittle bit...but i meant for that to be in ehre...

what i see here is taking the words in the NT and saying that the 10 commandments do not apply [sort of, not exact words, and i aoplogise for semi-putting them into your mouth] but Jesus also preached on the mount, where he added to some of the commandments [adultury coming to mind] where He talks of looking at a woman with lust, you commit adultury of the mind [or somehting to that effect]...

and when you say, "god doesn't mind the stick figure in my sig, cause my heart was in the right place", to me it seems like "oh, it doesnt matter what i do, as long as i love God, God will not care"


i sorry im getting worked up

 

No, I take drugs (weed) to come back to reality. It let's me relax so I can stop worrying about things. It also spurs my creativity and lets me think differently on things. And it's fun, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Besides, you can't escape reality with weed. You can change your perceptions and perspectives, (which is good for you, once in a while), but you're generally still you, still in the same world, though perhaps viewing it differently. And if reality is such a bitch, whats wrong with sometimes doing things to escape it. People read books, watch movies, party with friends, smoke weed...all to escape for a bit, because sometimes, reality sucks.

Who wants to feel connected to the daily grind?

True enough, but that doesn't mean it's wrong. Food is a temporary fix too, but no one says we shouldn't eat. Ok, that was dumb. But music for relaxation and entertainment...that's not necessary for life and thus is an idol, according to you. That's foolish. Life is meant to be lived, enjoyed. Not sitting in your room meditating or praying.

 

i'd like to know where i have been insulting, i wasn't trying to be and apolojize if that's the way any of my posts were taken! I read through them and could only see some sarcasm. Other than that, i was pretty civilized don't you think??

 

Silly angel, I take drugs because they are another part of reality that you have provided. Taking a drug is like going on a walk without moving that much.

I wear contacts (so that I can see sharper images) as well. Another thing in reality that I use.

Which is not all of reality. Although coffee is great.

Yeah, if you didn't keep bringing me stuff, I probably wouldn't do it.

You "Here you go"
Me "thanks"
You "you are sinning because you enjoy what I have given you"
Me "Ok. You are cute."

You keep on changing me (giving me many transient comforts besides your constant companionship) and giving me the option to feel certain ways by doing certain things, which lets me see you keep on doing the things I like. I loveyou.

 

Girl, you crack me up! Still, you probably have a point.

This is a fair statement, but if I didn't smoke, I would probably need the prescription for Valium my Dr. has offered to me for my anxiety attacks. I'm afraid that they're very hard to deal with, and can limit my ability to work if I'm not careful (too much jobsite stress = horrible meltdown). I guess for me, it's a choice between a plant and a man-made chemical, even though I kind of wish I just didn't have the attacks.

Besides, I have to disagree about the "idolatry" stance. I certainly don't view alcohol or marijuana in the same light I view G-d in... To equate one with the other sounds somewhat foreign. Other people with that view use it to justify the boycotting of television, video games, computers, etc. - all because they're things that bring us pleasure outside of G-d. I guess I just don't feel that all these rejections are necessary in order to serve.

Aww, Fuzzy. I'm kinda embarrassed. I just said what I thought I ought to say... I do love you, brother, but I didn't wanna see my friends get bashed to pieces. I talk to these folks on the regular, they're much better Christians than I ever will be. As for them learning something from me... heh, I dunno, that sounds a bit farfetched. Most of these kids have already given up the old "devils plant" whereas I don't really see all that much wrong with it, so I can't be that great. Thanks for understanding my position... Much love, friend.

O, and call me "Hippie L" or "HLS". It's dreadfully tiresome to have to write HippieLngstckng over and over... Wish I'd have thought of that when I chose it. LOL!

I read your posts regularly, seahorse, and know your style of writing... Maybe he just misunderstood what you were saying?

 

Paul recommended to Timothy that he stop drinking pure water and add a little wine to his mix to add his ailing (some say nervous) stomach (1 Timothy 5:23). Interesting for Paul to recommend an herbal treatment instead of the healing power of the Lord. But I do agree with you Epiphany, it is only a temporary fix. Paul certainly wasn't recommending that Timothy get jacked up to heal is ailment.

We all might take note of the Nazarite vow (Numbers 6:1-27), where those who choose to specifically dedicate their lives to the Lord were to abstain from wine, strong drink, and any vineyard product or derivative (there were other things too like avoiding the bodies of the dead, etc.).

Paul himself may have taken the vow of the Nazarite as did John the Baptist, and several other early Christian Jews. It certainly wasn't for everyone, and it certainly wasn't a requirement for all Christians or Jews to abstain. Just for those who wanted to take that extra step.

 

An interesting afterthought on this would be the fact that I abstained from absolutely everything for over the course of a year, was in my church as often as the doors were open, and received prayers from my own church, as well as others.

I was about as "good" (if "good" and "clean" are one and the same) as they came, and still, there was no relief for me in sight. I couldn't hold a job, and therefore couldn't function in life.

Maybe it required more patience and perseverence (sp?), but this year of struggle was enough for me to know that I needed something so I could function in society, whether it be prescribed or not. When the L-rd puts it on my heart to quit, I will, but till then, I need prayers for my emotional state.

Excellent thought. This idea had crossed my mind earlier, but you said it so much more eloquently than I would have.

 

I'm a Christian, and I smoke the herb occasionally. When I do, it's for medicinal purposes, not recreational. I am pretty sure God doesn't have a problem with my use of it medically, and I know he would convict me otherwise if necessary, as far as reasons for using it, etc.

But it's still not right according to my personal beliefs because God doesn't like me deliberately disobeying a (somewhat) rational law where I live. If it wasn't for that, it'd be perfectly fine, Christian and all. As with all things, moderation is the key.

 

Bree,

I know I am saying this at the risk of sounding offensive (please do not take it that way), but can you honestly tell me that you do not enjoy the effects, or see no good in them, despite the fact that you smoke herb for a non-recreational reason?

I'm just curious, as I have never met a person who smokes it and doesn't enjoy the effects, even if they smoke for medicinal purposes.

 

I never said I didn't enjoy the side effects. I just said that the only time I smoke it is for medicinal purposes, meaning I only smoke it if I am feeling miserable due to a condition I have, as opposed to smoking it just cuz it's fun. It's bad enough I even smoke it for health reasons, so I try to "make up for it" in a way by not smoking just for recreational purposes at all.

But, I wanna take this moment to say that I really honestly don't like being totally baked, it is weird and scary. A little buzz can be fun, but anything beyond that is too much for me, I like being grounded in "reality". It makes everything too weird and unreal if I have too much.

 

Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neigbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."​

Mark 12:30,31​

These were God's words, not mine. It's not that God is saying the 10 Commandments no longer apply, but that they are summed up in the 2 new commandments. If you're loving God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and loving your neighbour as yourself, stealing, committing adultery, lying and killing will not be a part of your life. I hope you understand what i mean this time. Maybe someone else could explain it better?

And about the stick figure, I have pretty strong convictions about my actions and I didn't feel the slightest nudge from God about my signature. It's message was simple and straightforward, and i really liked it. You think it's bad, i thought it was good, let's agree to disagree on it, shall we?

Thanks for having a good attitude, dude.

 

agreed

 

What about being part of the drama of the mortal world while knowing all live eternally and are cared for by our God? Then you can murder without killing, steal without worry of depriving another, commit adultery without hurting, and lie without adverse consequence. It's called being part of a living story in which we all have are parts- its like we live in a great pageant (soap opera, spy mystery, or whatever type of play you like to engage in) in heaven that is guided and directed by our God.

 

LOL! It's kind of funny, but... Wow... Can you imagine just how messed up the world would be if everyone ascribed to that philosophy? How many hurt brothers and sisters would be limping through their lives, angry and full of distrust for the rest of humanity? The problem is already too huge to try to contain, but I wouldn't want to contribute to it.

 

Kharakov: Perhaps in the next life, there would be no consequences for such murder, theft, adultery, and false-witness-bearing.

But in this life, there would be. So those murders would still involve killing (even if it is only temporary killing, as death is not permanent according to the Bible), depriving another person of their assets in this world, hurting another person by cheating, etc.

Even though, in the next life, these things may not matter, they still DO matter in this life.