Faith Leaders Wrestle Over Growing Support for Marijuana

Christian Headlines ^ | February 04, 2014 | Sarah Pulliam Bailey

[metmom]

There is an aspect of that, however, most people dealing with addictions and addictive behavior are looking for an escape from the pain. The drugs and alcohol do give the pleasure they are missing.

Those who are emotionally healthy do not need that outlet to cloud their thinking and numb the pain. They enjoy life and get pleasure out of it already without assistance.

[Ken H]

Mind altering drugs have always been associated with witchcraft and associated practices and beliefs, and still is.

What does that have to do with secular prohibition laws? Are those not the province of Caesar?

[Durus]

I didn’t state an opinion, I asked a question. I’m a firm believer in rebelling against evil even if they are rulers.

[ifinnegan]

This is what I mean by your not following your own train of thought.

What was the question you asked? About where in the Bible is drug use condemned.

[Durus]

"Your statement makes no sense unless you think George III qualified as a "good ruler". I don't think many historians would agree with that assessment".

Your statement makes no sense as Romans13 does not specify good or bad rulers.

Romans 13 (1-7) Every person should obey the government in power. No government would exist if it hadn’t been established by God. The governments which exist have been put in place by God. 2 Therefore, whoever resists the government opposes what God has established. Those who resist will bring punishment on themselves. 3 People who do what is right don’t have to be afraid of the government. But people who do what is wrong should be afraid of it. Would you like to live without being afraid of the government? Do what is right, and it will praise you. 4 The government is God’s servant working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid. The government has the right to carry out the death sentence. It is God’s servant, an avenger to execute God’s anger on anyone who does what is wrong. 5 Therefore, it is necessary for you to obey, not only because you’re afraid of God’s anger but also because of your own conscience. 6 That is also why you pay your taxes. People in the government are God’s servants while they do the work he has given them. 7 Pay everyone whatever you owe them. If you owe taxes, pay them. If you owe tolls, pay them. If you owe someone respect, respect that person. If you owe someone honor, honor that person.

[Salvation]

I’m only a lay person, but I’m greatly concerned about this too.

[Durus]

I fail to see the flaw sorry. While they might be Christian Romans they are still Romans and everything Paul wrote has to be filtered through that context.

[afsnco]

Agreed. Wine is obviously not prohibited. The Apostle Paul encouraged its use too:

1Ti 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

It’s wine in excess that’s forbidden.

[afsnco]

The word is from “pharmakon” which means “a drug, that is, a spell-giving potion.” It appears to me that all recreational drugs fall into this category. They produce an altered state of consciousness. These “potions” leave their users “spellbound.” That’s why drinking alcohol to drunkenness is also forbidden.

[SgtHooper]

Certainly seems to be the case. Indecision on obvious topics; I can see this for seculars, but then for the clergy!!??

[afsnco]

Please bear in mind that Christ and most of the Apostles died at the hands of government. Millions of martyrs through the centuries also died at the hands of government. And they didn’t die because they obeyed the government, but because they disobeyed it. And they were right to disobey those governments.

The bottom line is if we’re faced with obeying men or obeying God, God wins. Even if it means our martyrdom.

So there are profound limitations on Romans 13. We have an affirmative duty to DISOBEY government when government opposes God’s commands.

If our government demands that we say abortion or homosexuality are not sins, for instance, we must refuse that demand, because God says the opposite. At that point the government is doing wrong and we have no obligation to obey it.

Interestingly, because of the First Amendment, if our government were to do such a thing, it would be breaking the supreme law of the land. They’d be criminals, and we have no obligation to kowtow to criminals either. Our Founders were very wise to include such rights into the supreme law of the land.

[Durus]

That is a gross oversimplification of the term. Pharmakós was an ancient Greek religion known for human sacrifice. They were known as poisoners and using drugs to induce "religious" experiences. The term later expanded to those that used/sold fake remedies. To then limit it to druggies or drug dealers needlessly limits the term and doesn't (probably) encompass the full intentional use of the word.

Being drunk as far as I can see is not forbidden, while being a drunkard is. There is a difference.

[Durus]

I don’t disagree with you in any way. In fact you have stated my very point.

[Pan_Yan]

Intoxication is always presented negatively in the bible

Proverbs 30

6 Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!
7 Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.

There are plenty of admonitions against being a drunk but this one makes you pause for a minute.