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| Cannabis Linked To Biblical Healing |
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Posted by CN Staff on January 06, 2003 at 15:05:47 PT Many of the miracles concerned healing Source: BBC News 
Jesus Christ and his apostles may have used a cannabis-based anointing oil to help cure people with crippling diseases, it has been claimed. Researchers in the United States say the oil used in the early days of the Christian church contained a cannabis extract called kaneh-bosem. They suggest the extract, which is absorbed into the body when placed on the skin, could have helped cure people with a variety of physical and mental problems. The medical use of cannabis during that time is supported by archaeological records -- Chris Bennet The author of the article, published in the US drugs magazine High Times, says his findings are based on a study of scriptural texts. Wide use The article does not question the validity of the miracles reported in the Bible but rather examines whether the early Christian Church may have made use of substances with an active medical effect. They do not rule out the role played by blind faith in Christ. Chris Bennett said cannabis was widely used at the time to heal the sick. "The medical use of cannabis during that time is supported by archaeological records." He said the ancient anointing oil contained high levels of cannabis extract. "The holy anointing oil, as described in the original Hebrew version of the recipe in Exodus, contained over six pounds of keneh-bosum - a substance identified by respected etymology, linguists anthropologists, botanists and other researchers as cannabis extracted into about six quarts of olive oil along with a variety of other fragrant herbs. "The ancient annointed ones were literally drenched in this potent mixture." Miracles Mr Bennett suggested the drug may have played a role in some healing miracles carried out by Jesus and his disciples. He wrote: "In the ancient world, diseases such as epilepsy were attributed to demonic possession. "To cure somebody of such an illness, even with the aid of certain herbs was considered exorcism or miraculous healing. Jesus often becomes the final hope for the pharmacologically impaired -- JesusJournal.com Mr Bennett said the findings suggested that it was unchristian to persecute people who used cannabis. "If cannabis was one of the main ingredients of the ancient Christian anointing oil, as history indicates, and receiving this oil is what made Jesus the Christ and his followers Christians, then persecuting those who use cannabis could be considered anti-Christ." However, Christian groups in the United States have rejected Mr Bennett's claims. They have insisted that the arguments made in the article are lame. In a response to the article published on JesusJournal.com -- http://www.jesusjournal.com/ -- critics said: "As many of us know firsthand, Jesus often becomes the final hope for the pharmacologically impaired." Source: BBC News (UK Web) Related Articles & Web Sites: High Times Magazine Forbidden Fruit Publishing Jesus 'Healed Using Cannabis' Pot and Prophecy - Cannabis Culture Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #10 posted by Ferre on June 03, 2005 at 18:51:06 PT |
| The healing oil as described in the Bible indeed is a very powerful healing substance. Read testimonials here: http://www.thc-ministry.net/forum/archive/testimonials-33.html Have a happy day, Ferre [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #9 posted by The GCW on January 11, 2003 at 06:23:55 PT |
| http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n046/a10.html?397 (notice the reference to Mark 6:13) Jesus was a stoner, pot activist claims Writer suggests accounts of healing may be evidence of a drug infused through the skin, Jennifer Morrison reports. Jennifer Morrison The Ottawa Citizen http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?ID=B5228056-661A-4B51-912D-DDF7B9D93345 Wednesday, January 08, 2003 Was Jesus a spiritual, cannabis-using stoner that doused his disciples in a potent, marijuana-laced oil? That's the claim made in an American cannabis magazine article that suggests Jesus Christ and his apostles used marijuana and promoted its usage for medicinal purposes and to carry out miraculous healings. The article, "Was Jesus a stoner?" was written by B.C. marijuana activist, author and director of the Pot-TV Network, Chris Bennett. It was based on a 13-year study of ancient scripture texts. He claims the holy anointing oil, used in the early days of the Christian church and absorbed into the body when placed on the skin, contained between four and six kilograms of kaneh-bosem, a substance identified as cannabis extracted into olive oil and herbs. "The ancient anointed ones were literally drenched in this potent mixture," Bennett, 40, said in his article, published in the February issue of High Times. He said Jesus and the 12 disciples used this holy oil to cure and heal their followers of such ailments as epilepsy, menstrual and eye problems and skin diseases. The curing of cripples can also be attributed to the cannabis-laced holy oil. He quotes the Book of Mark 6:13 in support of his claim. "And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." Bennett's claim about Old Testament cannabis use is supported in his article by Carl Ruck, a Boston University professor in classical mythology who has spent three decades researching the history of drugs in religion. "There can be little doubt about a role for cannabis in Judaic religion," he said. "There is no way that so important a plant as a fibre source for textiles and nutritive oils and one so easy to grow would have gone unnoticed. "Obviously, the early availability and long-established tradition of cannabis in early Judaism... would have inevitably included it in the (Christian) measures." Bennett said his claims are also supported by archeological evidence. He refers specifically to finds by Joe Zias, an anthropologist in Israel who uncovered the skeleton of a 14-year-old girl who died in child birth. A blackish-brown substance found on her stomach was determined to be a hashish mixture used for healing. He also cited ancient pots discovered throughout Israel and the Middle East that had opium and cannabis residue in them. Greg Bloomquist, a theology professor at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, is familiar with Bennett's claims, but dismisses them. "This is not scholarly work. This is purely speculation with an ideological agenda," he said in an interview. "His arguments are based on the isolated theories of a few people and he brings them together in order to make a point that he wants to make." [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by FoM on January 07, 2003 at 10:05:27 PT |
| For me I don't know what to make of the articles because I don't know where to find a proper translation to show me what it all means. Lame isn't a good word because it means they won't even try to check it out with a Hebrew scholar. I hope this makes sense. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by observer on January 07, 2003 at 09:59:46 PT |
| ''However, Christian groups in the United States have rejected Mr Bennett's claims. They have insisted that the arguments made in the article are lame." "Lame"? Is that the best they can do? "In a response to the article published on JesusJournal.com -- http://www.jesusjournal.com/ --" from JesusJournal.com: ''JesusJournal.com: #1 Christian Weblog Resource!'' I.e. The BBC sources this astounding expert opinion (below) from a blog. "... critics said: "As many of us know firsthand, Jesus often becomes the final hope for the pharmacologically impaired." And the meat of this expert, scholarly, documented 'fact' is? That since "the pharmacologically impaired" (all users of drugs that are not approved by certain governments at the present) said it, it can't be true. In other words, don't dispute any particulars of the argument, simply insult the article's author as being "on drugs" and dismiss it. That's pure ad hominem, and of course isn't an argument but instead is a classic logical fallacy. (Much of what passes for debate in general, is fallacy.) The BBC article closes with the best attack they could muster, obviously. This tells me that the Christian world is utterly unprepared to deal with evidence or discussion about the facts. The anointing oil contains cannabis. The anointed were anointing with pot. Anointing thine head with oil means being a pot head. Literally and in every other sense. Ex 29:7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour [it] upon his head, and anoint him. Self-styled "men of God" are always crying about the need to look to the scriptures for guidance, 'rightly dividing' the word of course. They wax long and eloquent about the widow's mite, or 'bring ye tithes' into their 'storehouse' and Ananias and Sapphira being struck dead by angels for not bringing enough money to men of God. That is, when these 'men (and women!) of God' are not busy making up new commandments for you and I (lustily supporting new government-defined "sins" like "drug abuse" which they define as any use of cannabis by anyone). (They of course excuse their own sins like adultery as minor and instantly forgivable: it is just this 1938-minted 'sin' of using marijuana that has them so terribly worked up.) Maybe between their adulteries, their pedastry, their sanctimonious wheedling for money and of course their ever-worshipful fawning support for government punishments of pot smokers, some of these men of God could take a little time to study the matter out? 2Ki 4:41 (KJV) ... And there was NO HARM IN THE POT. What more can you say? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by FoM on January 06, 2003 at 22:06:42 PT |
| I didn't understand the comments though. Went over my head so I didn't read them all. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 06, 2003 at 22:04:53 PT |
| Thanks I saw it earlier today. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by firedog on January 06, 2003 at 21:51:18 PT |
| ...you should look at some of the comments people have posted about this story on the Guardian's website. They are alternately quite funny and enlightening. It's a discussion a lot like the ones you might find here. I think this is the link: http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?128@232.UflNcdErqHi.0@.3ba7a138 You might have to cut and paste that link, because the last part seems to be getting cut off. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by The GCW on January 06, 2003 at 20:24:20 PT |
| Sacramental cannabis sects by Reverend Damuzi (30 Sept, 2000) Marijuana spirituality persists despite ongoing persecution http://www.hempbc.com/articles/1670.html
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| Comment #2 posted by The GCW on January 06, 2003 at 20:22:15 PT |
| Legal herb for Rastas? by Reverend Damuzi (06 Jan, 2003) US court decision could open the way for religious pot users to legally use their sacrament. http://www.hempbc.com/articles/2661.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by Imprint on January 06, 2003 at 15:50:56 PT |
| Seems easy enough to prove or disprove. Evidence shows what the anointing oil was made of so make some and administer it to folks with epilepsy, skin diseases, et and see what happens. If it helps then I think validity should be given to Mr. Bennett’s theory. And I think the Christian groups should accept this part of their history. If it doesn’t help then we can put the issue to rest. Whoops, this makes too much sense. I guess America will never get this research going. Could some other part of the world figure this out for us, were too busy hunting down pot users to use common sense. [ Post Comment ] |
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