I'm a Christian. And I enjoy smoking pot. I desire to practice my faith to the fullest of my understanding (although obviously, I fall short much of the time), so I'm not trying to carve out an exception for marijuana because it's convenient for me. Personally, I don't believe smoking marijuana in moderation (and also as a reliever for my Crohn's disease) is a "sin". I tried posting this topic on a theology forum and not surprisingly, I mostly encountered a bunch of fundamentalist nuts who will not or cannot engage in intelligent debate. Curious to hear other people's thoughts. Christian and non-Christian alike. but obviously, Christian perspectives would be more helpful to me with regards to this topic
You do not fall short. You are only human and can only expected to perform as such. Live your life by your own standards. Edit: That probably wasnt very helpful. Normally, I practice abstinence-only religious education, but if you're a Christian, that's that. You just have to practice it in your own way. Those 'fundamentalist nuts' are, technically, the same religion as you; but you wouldnt call yourself one of them, would you? Live by your own morals. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, dont steal or kill anyone. those are the moral absolutes. the rest is gray area. You like to smoke weed? Go for it. As long as you're a good person, Im sure baby Jesus wont get too butthurt about it.
Everyone interprets the bible differently. Some people will take something out of the bible, and see fit that it is an excuse to murder someone. Some people will see it as reason to keep gays from being wed. Some people use it as a reason women should not have an abortion. Christian diversity is more than ever these days. In short: Don't let anyone tell you're not a Christian because of there stupid made up morals. The definition of a Christian, religious person who believes Jesus is the Christ, and God created all. You don't have to be a right wing republican to be Christian, just as much as you don't have to not smoke weed to be Christian. Don't let anyone define christianity for you. (i'm agnostic, but i tried to write this in a Christian perspective as best as i could) Hope that doesn't make you rethink what i wrote.
I am christian too and I believe marijuana is not a sin. I mean, I dont think its gods plant like people state or that its the center of christianity but I do not believe in any way that it is a sin. Heres the reasons people say it's a sin. 1) It's harmful to your body and you cant hurt your temple FALSE marijuana is not only harmless but very good when used medicinally. 2) Being drunk is a sin 100% and being high is equivalent FLASE you still have judgement when your high, you can walk striaght on a line, you can do work like homework, you can pass SATs seriously I can go on forever and ever. There is not one thing you can tell me that shows that putting THC into your bloodstream is a sin. It is not and will never be.
I am a Christian also (and smoke pot, obviously). My feelings are that no other man can tell me what is right and wrong in God's eyes; God is our only Judge. Ask them what Jesus says of judging others (John 8:7) Why would something be a sin just because the government says it is illegal/wrong? What if that law gets repealed tomorrow (think prohibition in the '20s), that somehow makes it okay now? People used to think any alcohol was a sin but now it is only if you get trashed. Many (not all) of these people you mention conflict themselves on so many differenet levels it is sad; I honestly do not get mad at these people but pity them. It seems to me that they are not personally close to God, and are only following the path that other men tell them they should. There are some very powerful doctor-prescribed drugs taken everyday that have more side effects than pot. Why is it that just because some guy with a degree puts it in writing that you/I need them it is okay? Where the sin often comes in is what people might do when they are high. Those people that say it's immoral are stereotyping everyone that smokes pot as the same one person, which is not the case. They are too ignorant to see the whole picture, unfortunately.
Great responses guys. Thanks. I'm not surprised that I've already encountered a host of more intelligent responses than I did in that theology forum. To be clear, I couldn't care less what those types think about my activities...I certainly am not looking for them to condone what I choose to do. I was merely trying to have a reasonable debate, hoping that I could debunk some myths, because I believe their resistance to the idea of smoking pot is more based on firmly rooted societal conventions (misinformation) rather than any biblical grounds or something of that nature. But of course, when I lay out what I believe to be well-supported assertions, they just dismiss it without giving me any reasons. People may wonder why I should care. I care about my faith, and I don't want to see it be given a bad name by these fundamental nuts who are so comfortable with divisiveness and who so clearly misinformed. Anyways, they completely lost credibility with me when the kept deriding my use of MJ as a pain reliever for my Crohn's disease.
I went to a catholic school for many years, obviously we are told that it is wrong. But, why i would ask? "It's illegal" is just about the only answer. That isnt good enough for me. Governmental laws have no place in religion. As far as from a religious standpoint the only possible negative aspect that i can possibly think of is that maybe Cannabis is our modern day "forbidden fruit". Or maybe its the complete opposite and its one of gods many gifts to us. I guess we will all find out soon enough. But until then, I am simply going to try and be the best person possible and and be honest. man that is the most anyone can ask of another human. I dunno if you can tell but going to catholic school gave me a really cynical impression of Catholicism and chrisitianity. Peace
I am Christian, and I go to a catholic college (this doesn't affect me though, they are how you say, different), and had to take some theology courses. From what I gather if you have Jesus in your life, you try to live a good and morale life, be happy, thank God for what he gives you, and ask for and truly want forgiveness then you are all good man. I believe God gave us everything on this Earth so use what he has given you, people say it changes you and has negative affects on you. But what matters is how YOU view it. As long as you are happy and live a holy life then you are a true Christian. The only time you are not is when you are a different person, but then face God as yourself. Basically be yourself and God chills with you, I got Jesus sitting next to me right now, he says what up.
It is irelevant to say what is a sin and what isnt. Everything is sin, and nothing is sin. Have you people even pondered what "sin" actualy is? Most reactions would produce this respone "um, I supose doing something wrong to another person?", well, sin is inevitable, corect? Sin is a constant. Sin is not a choice, it is not morals. Sin is a constant law governing human existance. If you inevitably sin, it is not a choice. Thats why Jesus (god) "forgives" you if you ask him to. The reason i put forgives in parenthesise is because if sin is not a choise why would you be forgiven? I am not saying that the conception of forgivness of sin is wrong, i just think people look at it from a perspective of a microscope, when it should be looked at from miles away. What I am saying is only one choice governs your soul, that choice isnt if you go to church on sunday, if you dont steal, or whatever, the only choice is acepting god. That is the one choice you have, everything else is a byproduct of that one choice, a ripple in eternity, if you will. People try to reason and explain god, when in reality, if you are assuming god exists, anything that is done by this god would be beyond the comprehension of the physical human brain. When people start using human reasoning and calling it law is when evil occurs (organized religion, with its "traditions", government, basicaly any human interaction). It is what drives a divider between you and god.
Wow, that's a meaty paragraph there. We have theological differences and it would probably take a while to argue about this. In my understanding of my faith, there are concrete sins. As a Christian, I believe in one God and I believe that the Bible is the word of God. And the bible fairly clearly identifies sinful behavior. And it's not just a law that you should blindly follow...the idea is that indulgence in sinful behavior will lead you away from God, while adherence to his word will lead you closer. Anyways, this discussion could go on forever. My point in bringing up marijuana is that I was just curious to hear people's perspectives on it because there seems to be such a huge historical opposition to it, in both societal and religious contexts. And we're conditioned to think that it's simply wrong. But, I'm a big advocate of reasonable, intelligent conversation and debate (something that many fundamentalists are seemingly allergic to), and after discovering the value in MMJ through personal experience, reading literature about the Drug War, and just simply using common sense, I started questioning whether it's right or wrong. While I believe it's ultimately less important than your personal relationship with God, and adhering to a set of rules should not be at the heart of your faith, I think it's still important as a Christian to live in a way where you're not following certain tenets and not following others simply out of personal convenience. At that point, you're basically establishing your own religion.
In the new testament, the apostles make it fairly clear. 1 Peter 2:13,14 - Submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. (Recall: in the biblical sense, "drunkenness" refers not only to alcoholic inebriation but to all intoxication. Re: Thessalonians 5:6-8) Romans 13:12-14 - Cast off the works of darkness, walk properly, not in drunkenness. Make no provision to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Galatians 5:19-21; Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 5:11 - If a church member commits drunkenness and refuses to repent, he should be disciplined so we don't keep company with him. 1 Peter 1:13-14 - Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance 1 Peter 5:8,9 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. I don't think anything of Christianity or the bible thought. Live your life that way you choose too, not by the standards of some hoaky old ghost story.
We are talking about the same thing. You are blinded by the skewed teaching and are only viewing the subject from a small scale. I am saying onpen your mind and look at the big picture. I am saying sin is a constant, this constant causes the acts that you are sperating, such as catagorizing sin (stealing, rape, murder, lust, what have you...) I am saying it is all the same thing, sin is sin, if you steal a thumb tack and never acept god, you are in the same place as a mass murderer who doesnt accept god. Sin is not a bunch of acts, it is a constant. A constant that jesus saves you from. Your problem stems from thinking in terms of sins, when in reality it is sin (no "s"). And let me ask you this. You say you are a christian, a religion which is centered around forgiveness of sin. Well sir, what is your definition of sin? surley you have an in depth description, considering Jesus was put on the earth to save you from it. And in regard to the last thing i bolded, what does religion have to do with faith in god? Religion is not faith, in fact i think it is one of the biggest evils in the world. You only need god, you dont need to follow traditions made by man to be close to god (dont confuse this with making your own ideas up, I am a christian, and belive in jesus. I am saying their is an ultamte truth, which is jesus, and you dont need a pastor in a church to tell you that)
Before I go into anything else, let me ask you this: you are a Christian as you've stated. Do you believe that the Bible is the word of God? Or can we have a relationship with God apart from the Bible?
I think the bible explains something that is already inside of us. If their is an ultamate truth, it will be their wether its in a book or not. So, yes to both of your questions.
Genesis 1:29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth I was raised a lutheran, I absolutely believe in god not because of being raised with religion but because of all the shit thats happened to me through my life. If there was something theologically wrong or immoral with cannabis god would not have created it, or he would have forbidden it and it is one of the greatest and most versatile plants (not meant only in that in gets ppl high). I give god thanks for danks.
i am a christian and i think staying high or drunk all the time is wrong if it turns your life into a mess. i think that if your responsible and you use it for the right reasons then its okay. and "it hurts you" or "its illegal" are the only responses ive ever gotten. so, what if it became legal? what would they have to say about it then?
Well quite arguably he DOES forbid it. God also gave us the Castor plant. Does he want us to poison people with ricin? I mean, talk about cherry picking.
Romans 13:1-5 - God ordained governing authorities. To resist them is to resist God's ordinance. Those who disobey may be punished by the authorities, but they also have harmed their conscience toward God. 1 Peter 1:13-17 - Be sober, gird up the loins of your mind so you can avoid lusts and be obedient and holy. This requires being alert. 1 Peter 5:8,9 - Be sober so we can be on guard for the devil, resist him, and not be devoured by him. Realizing how dangerous Satan is, we should keep our minds clear so we can recognize his deceit and resist his temptations. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 - Bring our bodies into subjection to our minds, exercising temperance (self-control) like athletes in training, so our bodies will be properly guided by our minds. Romans 12:1,2; 1 Corinthians 6:19,20 - Your body and life belong to God and are entrusted to you to use to accomplish His will. This is a stewardship. We are responsible to care for property that belongs to someone else but has been entrusted to us for a purpose. We must use that property for the purpose of the owner, not destroy it for selfish purposes. We will give account to the owner for how we used his property 3 John 2 - We pray for good health. Is it fair to ask God to protect our health and cure us of diseases, then turn around and selfishly practice things we know harm our health? (yes weed does have negative physical effects anyone who thinks it does NOTHING negative to the body is just in denial) Matthew 25:35,36,43 - Christians should have compassion on the sick and care for them. People who knowingly harm their health for self-pleasure, are working contrary to Christian goals. Should we knowingly harm our health and then expect other Christians to have compassion on us when our habits destroy our health? you cant tell me tar in your lungs from blazing doesnt affect your body in a negative way. You say its for medical purposes.i think if its for medical purposes and thats ALL you use it for and you take regular doses and dont do it for recreational purposes then i think its all good in gods eyes.
god created cannabis for HEMP which almost everyone used for their clothes and ships sails rope and other things like that. thats my opinion on that verse.
[quote name='JohnnyOnTheSpot']I am christian too and I believe marijuana is not a sin. I mean, I dont think its gods plant like people state or that its the center of christianity but I do not believe in any way that it is a sin. Heres the reasons people say it's a sin. 1) It's harmful to your body and you cant hurt your temple FALSE marijuana is not only harmless but very good when used medicinally. so that tar in your lungs does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to damage the lining of your lungs? and i know my motor skills arent what they usedto be,or my short term memory. but maybe its just all in my head eh?or maybe your wrong.