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| Presbyterian Church Votes To Support MMJ |
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Posted by CN Staff on June 23, 2006 at 07:31:23 PT For Immediate Release Source: Religion News Service 
Birmingham, AL -- Yesterday, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) became the latest religious body to endorse legal access to medical marijuana for seriously ill patients. By consensus, the denomination passed a resolution “urging Federal legislation that allows for its use and that provides for the production and distribution of the plant for those purposes.”This comes just days before a major medical marijuana vote in the U.S. Congress. In the next few days, Congress will vote on an amendment to the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations bill to prohibit the use of federal funds for arresting medical marijuana patients in those states that allow medical marijuana. Medical marijuana patients are already protected from arrest by state and local police in eleven states, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. The Presbyterian Church (USA) joins the United Methodist Church, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, Union for Reform Judaism, Progressive National Baptist Convention, and the Unitarian Universalist Association in support of medical marijuana. “Medical marijuana is an issue of mercy,” said Rev. Lynn Bledsoe, a Presbyterian minister from Alabama who works as a hospice chaplain. “As people of faith, we are called to stand up for humans who are suffering needlessly. It is unconscionable that seriously ill patients can be arrested for making an earnest attempt at healing by using medical marijuana with their doctors’ approval.” “Legislators who give lip service to ‘moral values’ had better be consistent on the medical marijuana issue,” said Charles Thomas, executive director of the Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative. “The Presbyterian Church (USA) joins six other major denominations explicitly supporting medical marijuana, while no denominations’ governing bodies have ever taken an official position against it.” “Being seriously ill is stressful enough already without living in fear of arrest for taking doctor-recommended medicine,” said Rev. Jim McNeil, a representative of the Homestead Presbytery in Nebraska, the regional body that brought the resolution to the General Assembly. “It is the job of religious denominations to give voice to those who cannot speak up for themselves. We pray that Congress will have the compassion to stop this war on patients.” Note: Church Joins Other Major Religious Denominations Urging Congress to Stop the White House’s Persecution of Medical Marijuana Patients. Contact: Troy Dayton, IDPI associate director, 301-379-2857: troydayton@idpi.us The denominations’ full positions are available at: http://www.idpi.us/dpr/GREAT2006-1.pdf Source: Religion News Service (DC) CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 24, 2006 at 11:09:10 PT |
| Do you believe in the legalization of marijuana? *** Current Results: Yes. But only for certain medical conditions and with a doctor's prescription. -- 22% Yes. For both medical and recreational puposes. 69% No. The drug is harmful and there's no reason to legalize it. -- 7% I'm not sure. -- 1% Please Vote: http://www.beliefnet.com/story/194/story_19412_1.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by whig on June 24, 2006 at 10:45:37 PT |
| I'm not so quick as you think, I just talk about my thoughts a lot. Sometimes I am confused. Even last night, as I was writing I had to stop and shut up for a while because I was becoming lost in the territory without maps. But it is that territory we walk in sometimes, and find our own way. It is a hard thing to understand, much less to explain to someone, that we are pursuing goodness and truth without always any clear guidance at all, except for our conscience. It is especially hard for those who have suppressed their conscience so deeply, who have through circumstances or choice been led to do things they regret and which they cannot now face. Thus we say it will be forgiven, all of it, but cease to do wrong and confess yourself to those you owe it. We have to rely upon our own sense of right and wrong, we cannot ask anyone to tell us because there is no moral choice in obedience. We cannot rely purely upon any writing, not even scripture, because it is corrupted and misunderstood and it is just another kind of obedience. Even if you should hear the actual voice of God, you will never know what aspect he comes to you in unless you rely upon your own conscience. For who says he is God may be Satan. You cannot know if you only obey, but you can think and you can choose to do as you know to be right. And this is what we are saying, and when any of us have walked a time in this way we understand and can speak to one another and tell what we have learned and ask when we are in need of some assistance. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by paulpeterson on June 24, 2006 at 08:14:50 PT |
| If my memory serves me correctly, I believe the pope (Innocente the 7th, not so innocent in my opinion, of course) decreed in about 1478 that Cannabis was the "antisacrament", meaning that they didn't want midwives helping young mothers to lessen the pain of childbirth with cannabis. That issued in the Spanish Inquisition and led to the horrible burning at the stake of some 8 million (mostly) women-each person that knew the curative powers of cannabis faced a cruel and inhuman punishment just like what Bale (sorry I can't for the life of me remember how to spell Bail) decreed that people must doto ensure the coming of the spring rains-kill a child or twenty and burn their remains to a crisp. Then, in about 1511 or so, the pope then issued "indulgences" which they sold for about 10 pounds each-which accorded the bearer a complete and total absolution from any "sin" they might have committed, or might in the future commit, including torture and murder-it even had a future savings clause-it would include absolution from sins which were not even known until long after your death-sort of a future clause. The bearer was guaranteed to not spend even a second in pergatory-they would pass go and go directly to heaven-a sky-box no less. The pope sold those papers all over Europe-the proceeds were used to build St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. And a lot of toast went into the fray, eh? No, the Catholics are not likely to join the Protestants on this one, Wally. And that is my story for today. Nuff said, eh? PAUL PETERSON [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by Toker00 on June 24, 2006 at 04:52:32 PT |
| That is why I believe that the Word of God is a Living Word. It moves and flows within all of those who recognize Truth and love God. The words we speak here are not perfect, but the Truth within them is. We come here to bathe in the spirit, fill our cups, if you will, then we move about in our lives and the Word flows out of us and into others who either Recognize and Love, or turn away unrepentantly. The flow is constant, and it can wash over people and not be recognized at that particular moment by them, but eventually, if they truly love God, they will come to recognize and witness the Word. Some, like you Whig, are quick to become familiar with the Word. For others, it may take a lifetime, but the Word is eternal and simply waits for acceptance. The Word is a stumbling block for some who think they are doing the Right thing, but keep stumbling. Why can't the DEA win the War on Drugs? Because they keep stumbling on the Words of Truth that keep flowing from those (us) who recognize it. Have a good weekend, all. Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by afterburner on June 23, 2006 at 23:29:05 PT |
| "We pray that Congress will have the compassion to stop this war on patients.” [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by whig on June 23, 2006 at 16:29:53 PT |
| I will give you the moral arguments. To them it is the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It is the tree which tells you the nature of other people. It is the tree that wakes your consciousness and makes you as Gods. Will we honestly entertain this? I will do so. The written scriptures are corrupted. They are written by scribes and pharisees. They are not the true word of God. They are an adulteration. What we write here, to one another as the spirit moves us, is scripture too. The idea that God is silent, that he does not speak to us except through dead words on a page, and through people who hold themselves up as superior, it is a travesty. It is a lie. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by mayan on June 23, 2006 at 14:53:42 PT |
| When the so-called moral arguments against cannabis become exposed as lies then the wall will fall. Decades of lies are crumbling before our eyes. Cannabis prohibition has nothing to do with morality and everything to do with greed,lust for power and maintaining the status quo. Excorcize the demons! I just hope the rotating heads of the prohibitionists don't get too much of that green projectile vomit on us in the process! Yuck! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by FoM on June 23, 2006 at 11:57:58 PT |
| You are very correct. By their fruits you will know them. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by whig on June 23, 2006 at 11:46:55 PT |
| Take your sides. There are good churches out there. There are churches of people who love people. There are churches of sanctuary. They will be with us, and we will be with them. Then there are the other churches. The churches of hate. The churches of moral condemnation. The churches of state. The churches of war. They worship Satan in the name of Jesus. [ Post Comment ] |
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