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'God Has Much More Serious Things To Worry About'
Vue asks people of faith if the demon weed is really that sinful
Ross Moroz | VueWeekly | 06/21/2006

Marijuana is not good for you. Sorry kids, but despite what the dreadlocked chick on your bus or your Pink Floyd-loving uncle or your flaky, aging-hippie 12th-grade Social Studies teacher might have led you to believe, smoking marijuana is, generally speaking, harmful to your health.

Pot smoke contains known carcinogens, and smoking weed can cause respiratory problems, as well as a drop in the hormones responsible for growth and development, to name just a few of its less-pleasant impacts.

But so what, right? I mean, compared to the dangers of, say, drinking alcohol, or even eating fatty foods, the health risks of pot seem reasonably innocuous, all things considered. So why does marijuana continue to be surrounded by stigma? Why, in our supposedly enlightened, western, 21st century society is marijuana still thought of as “evil” in many quarters? (including, evidently, the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper ... but that’s another issue entirely.)

When it comes to other generally harmless activities that continue to be subjected to cultural taboo and are considered morally wrong by at least some segment of the population—homosexuality comes to mind—the rationale can usually be traced back to religious teachings. With this in mind, Vue decided to ask representatives of different religious traditions how they feel about the demon weed, and if, in their minds, smoking cannabis is morally damaging.

According to Rabbi David Kunin of Jasper Avenue’s Beth Shalom synagogue, Judaism’s view of marijuana, while generally negative, tends to be open to interpretation and discussion.

“We believe that the law of the land is the law, and therefore we feel that, if it is illegal to use marijuana, Jews are obliged not to use it,” he explains. “As to whether or not marijuana is something inherently evil or whether or not it should be legalized, there are lots and lots of different views in the Jewish community—there isn’t a Jewish view on marijuana as such.”

Kunin’s personal opposition to marijuana use is more based on science than specific religious teachings. “In my opinion, I feel uncomfortable with anything that damages the body, just as I’m uncomfortable with cigarettes,” he says. “However, on the other hand, in cases where a doctor prescribes marijuana to help a patient deal with pain, we would have no problem with that.”

Mormons, meanwhile, have a far less flexible policy on cannabis use, which they “strongly oppose.”

“Any illegal or illicit drugs are inappropriate, partially because they are outside the bounds of the law, but we’re also opposed to things like alcohol, which is inside the law. So even if marijuana was legal, we would still be strongly opposed,” says manager of the public affairs department of the Church of Latter Day Saints Clark Hirschi, who cites the Mormon Word of Wisdom in his response.

“Alcohol is proscribed [by the Word of Wisdom], and from there our brethren have extrapolated no illicit drugs,” he explains. “It’s really a matter of avoiding anything that leads to addiction—the Church teaches the principal of agency, so anything that compromises our agency through intoxication and addiction is inappropriate.”

The Buddhist attitude towards marijuana is much less explicit. “There are no specific references in Buddhist teachings to marijuana,” says Prem Kalia, a lay-Buddhist teacher and the vice-president of the International Buddhist Friends Association.

He believes that Buddha’s views on other intoxicants could give an idea of how cannabis should be treated.

“Marijuana did exist in the time of Buddha, but I don’t think he was interested in this kind of thing,” he admits, “Buddhism is based on alertness, and Buddha was opposed to intoxicating drinks, because they delude the mind.”

The mind-altering effects of weed are also cited by the Church of Scientology as the basis of its opposition to marijuana (and, for that matter, all recreational drugs, and a few prescription medications, as well).

“If you really want to be smoking marijuana, that’s your choice, but if you want to avail yourself spiritually through Scientology, drugs will impede that,” warns Deborah Jurt, a director at the downtown Church of Scientology. She says that combating the use of drugs, specifically marijuana, is an important issue for the Church.

“The Church wants to help people do better in life, and drugs affect people in a negative way, emotionally, spiritually, physically and other ways,” she continues, referencing a youth-targeted initiative of the Church called “The Truth About Joints.”

“These drugs do have side effects, and there are risks to taking drugs, so we don’t want to see especially young people taking drugs.”

A United Church minister who would rather not be named (possibly because of her admission that “most of us, if we told the truth, would have to admit that we had met [marijuana] sometime in our lives”) shares some of these concerns.

“Any kind of a thing that alters the state of your thinking and alters who you are might be dangerous in excess,” she explains. “If it’s interfering with your life or your ability to function as a parent or a partner, then I would say that it’s a problem.

“But philosophically speaking, can a substance itself be evil, or is it the trafficking for profit and the causing of pain and suffering to others that is evil? That’s the part that I would consider sinful,” she continues.

In practice, she tends to take (and believes that the Lord also tends to take) a more pragmatic approach.

“Do the children have enough to eat? Do they have warm clothing? These are the things that I consider serious moral issues,” she states, adding with a laugh that, “God has much more serious things to worry about than this.”

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PotShot

I am fine if it is an important issue for the Church... as long as it is contained WITHIN the Church.

There is nothing inherently wrong with drug use; it is the behavior of the person that could be viewed as a problem.

It is really disturbing that people believe prohibition should continue because of the basic idea that "drugs are evil" or "of the devil" ad nauseum.

Yet another reason to reject organized religion; certainly Scientology and their "psychology is pseudo-science" nonsense.

Morality is one of the worse rationals for prohibition that I have ever heard, and their are a lot of bad ones to choose from. Bleh.

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hendrix

nevermind the article, i'm still trying to figure out why 'God' would have to worry?

if you believe in that sort of thing.

Higher Logic

Yeah, that'd be fine if they could actually do that. Take a look around, and not just in this country, and you'll it's impossible. Quite pathetic actually.

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MrIMStoned

"I am fine if it is an important issue for the Church... as long as it is contained WITHIN the Church."

Would you say this...

I am fine if legalization is an important issue for the marijuana community... as long as it is contained WITHIN the marijuana community.

__________________
"In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality, was tacitly denied by their philosophy. The heresy of heresies was common sense. And what was terrifying was not that they would kill you for thinking otherwise, but that they might be right. For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable? If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable what then?"

 

Tokamak

According to Rabbi David Kunin of Jasper Avenue’s Beth Shalom synagogue, Judaism’s view of marijuana, while generally negative, tends to be open to interpretation and discussion.

This is surprising, since the incense used in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant contained cannabis. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis>

Mormons, meanwhile, have a far less flexible policy on cannabis use, which they “strongly oppose.”

No surprise here...

“Marijuana did exist in the time of Buddha, but I don’t think he was interested in this kind of thing,” he admits, “Buddhism is based on alertness, and Buddha was opposed to intoxicating drinks, because they delude the mind.”

That's a VERY conservative viewpoint for a Buddhist, considering the comfort marijuana gives to the poor. Those practicing Tantric Buddhism might have a very different view. <http://members.aol.com/heraklit1/tantra.htm>

The mind-altering effects of weed are also cited by the Church of Scientology as the basis of its opposition to marijuana

Its more likely that they're afraid pot smoking members will become too lazy to work and stop forking out money. Why did the reporter even ask these people? Doesn't he know Church o' Sci is a pyramid scam?

“Do the children have enough to eat? Do they have warm clothing? These are the things that I consider serious moral issues,” she states, adding with a laugh that, “God has much more serious things to worry about than this.”

Amen to that!

Peace.

__________________
"He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know."
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1tokeovertheline

I agree. That is exactly what I thought when I read the title. I don't think God worries about anything.

Mamabudz

Not at all ...read further and you read ...This incense is no longer pleasant...in I beleive Isah.

Then again, I don't believe Rabbi Kunin speaks for all of us... in fact, the saving of a soul is like the saving of a universe ...and I have seen Pot save a person... and keeping someone from using Pot, kill them.

...I take the *high* road on this...my Rabbi agrees with me ... say, has the Rebbe read this yet Buzzby ? Dear R. PB...could you add something to this conversation?

...have a cookie

PotShot

Obviously not.

I support the legalization of cannabis because it is the best course of public policy. Evidence from reality supports this claim. Religions fight against legalization of drugs based purely on moral grounds.

Mamabudz

And some fight FOR pot on the same grounds