Them wacky Christians...
Posted on 02/21/2006 7:42:06 AM PST by AntiGuv
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that a small congregation in New Mexico may use hallucinogenic tea as part of a four-hour ritual intended to connect with God.
Justices, in their first religious freedom decision under Chief Justice John Roberts, moved decisively to keep the government out of a church's religious practice. Federal drug agents should have been barred from confiscating the hoasca tea of the Brazil-based church, Roberts wrote in the decision.
The tea, which contains an illegal drug known as DMT, is considered sacred to members of O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao do Vegetal, which has a blend of Christian beliefs and South American traditions. Members believe they can understand God only by drinking the tea, which is consumed twice a month at four-hour ceremonies.
New Justice Samuel Alito did not take part in the case, which was argued last fall before Justice Sandra Day O'Connor before her retirement. Alito was on the bench for the first time on Tuesday.
lol. i love the smell of purple in the morning.
BabelFish is no help - it translated "O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao do Vegetal" into "Or Center Espirita Beneficiente Vegetal Uniao do"
Yes I understand the difference
And if your "faith" depends on drugs then maybe you need to reconsider where you are placing your "faith"
I forget, but at what age are Catholic children allowed communion?
The Unified Brotherhood of Masticating Tub-Thumpers:
"We just chew Redman and spit. Join us, won't you?"
Them wacky Christians...
The overwhelming majority of FReepers who voted in this poll apparently share that concern:
Do you think the expansion of the Interstate Commerce Clause to include regulation and prohibition of drugs and firearms is a proper use of that clause?
Member Opinion
No 85.9% 1,704
Undecided/Pass 9.1% 181
Yes 5.0% 99
And the beauty of that episode is that there was no attempt to show the carnage. Les Nessmen huddling in a doorway describing it was funnier than any picture.
I think I was about 12? Maybe younger.
Oral ingestion of DMT does nothing, your stomach enzymes destroy it- unless you mix the DMT with another drug that's an MAO inhibitor, then the enzymes are deactivated for long enough that the DMT passes into hte blood. Smoking "pure" DMT lets it pass into the blood through the lungs.
I find it fascinating that the original users of ayahuasca found this somehow and exploited it. It must have come froma culture with a strong drive to find psycoactives, I doubt it was an accident given the reported taste and appearance of the mixture.
Ayahuasca and huasca both use a DMT-containing plant like psychotria viridis mixed with an MAOI plant like bannisteria or peganum harmala.
And I marvel that the folks would deliberately drink something that made them so sick last time they tried it.
When I drink the wine and eat the broken bread in church, I don't get sick, I just remember the Last Supper and sacrifice and redemption.
Time was that First Communion was 7 years old. I think even after Vatican II that didn't change, but it's been a LONG time since I've been to mass.
LOL
DMT is powerful stuff, but I don't know if it's that powerful.
By what reasoning can the Supreme Court deny the Rastafarians now?
"Probably firing up the bongs now in celebration"
Maybe even while reading your message!
How about an elucidation of why the majority opinion was incorrect?
"if you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one"
Could you really get a sword for the price of a crummy old cloak?
"DMT is powerful stuff, but I don't know if it's that powerful."
Extremely powerful but very short amount of time for it's effect.
It's not a drug which is easily abused.
Hmmmmm! Sounds like New Mexico. (Don Mescalito, he love you much.)
Don't assume your denomination is indicative of all churches. We use wine.
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