So, I was in the chat room and someone commented that a person who IM'd them stated they smoked pot. The commentor stated she immediately said goodbye and closed the chat window. I thought the topic was interesting and tried to ask a question, but apparently I offended someone by bringing up the topic.
First let me state, I AM NOT ADVOCATING MARIJUANA USE. I have never done an illegal drug in my life.
For me this is a thought experiment. I am interested in how we come to the views that we do.
With that said, on what basis do you say marijuana use is wrong? Please provide an argument for why it is wrong. Off hand I can not think of a verse that prohibits it.
If it is becuase it is against the law in the US, would it be different with medical marijuana like here in Colorado, or where it is completely legal like in Holland?
If it is wrong because it is mind altering, then how is it different than having a glass of wine or two after work or in the evening while at home?
Do you view it wrong if it is for medical use to allieviate chronic pain? If not, how would that be different than taking vicodin or any kind of narcotic pain killer?
If it is because it is potentially addicting, then what about anything else that is addicting? by that I mean anything that people become to focused on, like playing XBOX, or fixing cars or anything else that becomes an obbession with someone?
If it is becuase it is "bad" for you, then what about anything else that people consume that is bad for you like sugar, caffine, fat, etc?
Again, this is a thought experiement. I like to understand the views we have and possible contradictions.
Yes, it is in the Bible, but it is a word that is translated as something else. It is a greek word that means pharmaceutical....I'll see if I can find it.
On a different note, I think the only reason it is still illegal is because of the pharmaceutical companies and the liquor industry. However, I am not advocating its misuse either.
I don't smoke it and tried it a few times as a teenager and hated it because it made me more hyper and hungry.
My ex-husband abused it and used it daily, which I am totally against for recreational use. If given the choice? I would have had him toke a few and be mellow than drink and drive like an idiot and scream and curse me. I've never seen a person smoking it, drive bad, maybe slower, :laugh:~ but not dangerous.
I think it's overly taboo when we have social drinking saints and seculars everywhere. Besides that, jail and prisons cells are being taken up by this minor issue when real criminals need to be there.
I am totally for it being legalized for medical use and lean heavy toward legalizing it. Is it addictive? Not like a narcotic and no withdrawals, so it's more of a psychological addiction.
It's a herb, not synthetic or man-made, and has helped many people with medical conditions. I witnessed it helping someone with pain that vicodin and valium did not help and created huge nausea problems.
I only feel it should be legalized because I lean toward conservative libertarian beliefs about government control over the mass of people. Government spends way too much money going after the border carriers of marijuana and that is stupid when we have heavy drugs cartels with cocaine and heroin that are real killers.
Again, let the people govern themselves along with God's Holy Spirit within the followers of Jesus.
I've always wondered if crime would go down if they legalized drug use. The market for it would fall out, and people would either get real tired or real dead from abusing it.
"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
So, where are the drugs mentioned in this verse? Actually, the word translated "sorcery" is the Greek word pharmakeia,4 from which we get the English word "pharmacy." The primary meaning is "the use or the administering of drugs" (usually associated with sorcery or idolatry). Since this verse comes from a list of things that if practiced would preclude one from heaven, this should be a reasonably strong suggestion that the Christian should not practice drug use"
That is a pretty broad interpretation. If that is the case then any kind of pharmaceutical use would be in question. As a paramedic, I would have to call into question my giving patients narcotics for pain management. Christians would not be able to take benzos perscribe by doctors for anxiety.
Joey, while the point of my post wasn't to promote the use,etc, I do agree with you from a governmental/political/societal point of view that it might be a good idea to legalize it.
Donthitthatmark, I would agree that crime very well might go down if it were legalized, taxed and regulated.
I had a patient once who took Marinol, which is a pill form of marijuana.
Twosparrows, "pharmakeia" is found in Revelation 9:21 and 18:23 and is the Greek word for sorceries. The definitions for pharmakeia are-
1) the use or the administering of drugs
2) poisoning
3) sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it
4) metaph. the deceptions and seductions of idolatry
pharmakeus
1) one who prepares or uses magical remedies
2) sorcerer
There are some really legalistic [or whatever you want to call them] Christians that have argued the use of prescription drugs due to the definitions above.
Shawn, I agree that any kind of pharmaceutical use would be in question if we were to go by the definition of pharmakeia. Personally, I don't have a problem giving my patients narcs, and I've taken them a couple times post op. But I'm wondering if, by sorceries, it has anything to do with drugs, if they weren't on some sort of heavy mind altering drugs.
Thanks Shawn and Saved, I knew if I drug (no pun intended) my feet somebody would get it.
The reason it is translated as 'sorcery' is because drug use and sorcery went hand and hand back then. They still do to a point; have you ever heard of the phrase : "Mind expanding drug"?
But to forbid using drugs as medicine are not taught in this verses or any other for that matter, in fact I can think of two verses that promote it.
Saved and Two; I do think from those definitions, that it would have more to do with practicing a religion and combined with drug use (ie hallucinigens). An example would be something like peyote use. But in the spectrum of drugs, I think there is a big difference between marijuana and a hallucinigenic like peyote.
So far I think we are back to the original point where I don't know that it is much different than someone taking ativan for anxiety, caffiene in the morning to wake up, or a glass of wine at night to relax. Personally I think it might be a gray area. That being said, I would side toward being conservative, and not do it. I cant prove it is wrong, but does it seem right? Probably not.
The reason why this is illegal is because it falls under the concept of protecting "the least of these", which reaches the American law through Blackstone, the great English jurist. That is the reason why porn and abortion was prohibited, as well. The more that you open the door to things that negatively affect the body on a society-wide basis, the more you tacitly condone it.
You can't argue that "I have a conscience and so this won't bother me" while you allow things that you know will plunge your brother into sin. To put it mildly, drugs are a huge stumbling block. Further, if society is having a hard enough time with what is legal, adding additional burdens to it is hardly the answer.
And what happens the day after legalization? Are you ready for the hospital bills?
Are you ready for the fundamental ways that this would change American culture (say, discrimination laws when druggies become a protected class of people)? No-one ever really counts the cost for legalizing harmful substances or their misuse and no-one on this thread has done so, either.
It always sickens me to see Christians advocating tearing off the safety rails, claiming that good drivers won't need them anyways.
