cannabisnews.com: Court Hears Case of Pot Use for Religion Court Hears Case of Pot Use for Religion Posted by CN Staff on March 03, 2007 at 19:03:57 PT By The Associated Press Source: Associated Press Ketchikan, Alaska — A Craig couple is arguing that their marijuana convictions should be overturned because a liquefied form of the drug was only used as an ointment in their religious practices.Michael and Maria Lineker appealed the convictions, and the Alaska Court of Appeals in October sent the case back to Juneau Superior Court Judge Larry Weeks "to determine whether the Linekers' possession of marijuana was protected under the free exercise clause of the Alaska Constitution." The Linekers were arrested in 2003 after police discovered 50 marijuana plants in a hidden room behind a freezer in their Craig home. Police found no paraphernalia related to smoking, ingesting or selling marijuana.The state charged them with fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, a felony.The Linekers filed a motion to dismiss the indictment, claiming that their possession was protected under state and federal rights to privacy and free exercise of religion. Weeks denied the motion but preserved the Linekers' right to appeal that decision.In 2004, the Linekers entered plea bargains with the state. They both pleaded guilty, he to fourth degree misconduct, she to fourth-degree attempted misconduct. He received seven days and she got a suspended sentence.However, the couple appealed, and Weeks heard arguments last week after the higher court sent the case back to him to determine whether a religion was involved, if Linekers' conduct in question was religiously based, and whether they were sincere in their religious beliefs.Michael Lineker testified his research of ancient Jewish and Hindu scriptures led to his belief that a liquid extract of marijuana buds is an essential ingredient of an anointing oil used since ancient times.The anointing fluid is made by mixing a half gallon of liquefied marijuana with half a gallon of olive oil, and was used as only one part of a larger spiritual ritual, he said.Other elements of the ritual to be followed by any member of his church include abstaining from alcohol and drugs, fasting, medication and prayer and cleansing internal organs with purified water.After water purification, human skin becomes like a tongue, said Lineker, able to absorb herbs such as the liquefied cannabis and olive oil when it is poured over the body.That "sacrament," he said, nudges the aspirant into "God-consciousness."Growing marijuana plants is part of the religious practice, and including rituals performed at various stages of the plant's growth, he said.Lineker said he eventually harvested the flowers of each plant and destroyed the rest. He used a hand juicer to render the buds into a green, watery liquid, which he then mixed with olive oil so that the cannabis juice wouldn't just run off the skin.While admitting that he had smoked marijuana in his life, Lineker said that he now believes it was a sacrilege to do so."Smoking is not part of my life — period," Lineker said.Under cross-examination, Lineker told state prosecutor Rick Svobodny that he performed the anointing ceremony "at most, three times (in one) year."The full name of his religion is "United Global Mankind — Divine Maintenance and Direction," Lineker said. However, he did tell Svobodny that since his wife doesn't like to participate in the sacrament, it was presently a religion of one person.Lineker said he became an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church on June 23, 2003, about one month after his arrest, and was also a member of the Hawaiian Cannabis Ministry."Basically, the Universal Life Church has no tenets to it, does it, except that everybody should be able to believe what they want to believe?" asked Svobodny."Yes," Lineker replied.Svobodny asked if the church had any ethical underpinnings or creed."Not that I've found," Lineker answered to both questions."There's really no ethical belief?" Svobodny asked."I have not had an opportunity to investigate this church," Lineker said.Svobodny then asked whether it was misleading of him, at his 2004 sentencing, when speaking about his religious beliefs, "to be presenting to the court a binder that shows that you're a minister in the Universal Life Church?""Yes," Lineker said.Weeks scheduled a four-day hearing beginning April 21 to consider the state's argument that marijuana laws should be enforced, and that the Linekers should not be exempt from them, even if the judge finds in their favor.Information from: Ketchikan Daily News: http://www.ketchikandailynews.comSource: Associated Press (Wire)Published: March 3, 2007Copyright: 2007 Associated Press Hawaii Cannabis Ministryhttp://www.thc-ministry.org/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #16 posted by FoM on March 04, 2007 at 20:45:39 PT The GCW I followed a link to an online version of the Koran. http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/koran/browse.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by The GCW on March 04, 2007 at 20:30:49 PT FoM, I know the persons motives, who sent it to Me... it is not to indicate, the war is right... but to share some things...The person who sent it to the person who sent it to Me, is something else. And that person may be trying to do that dirty deed.Thank You, I may pass it back... [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on March 04, 2007 at 20:13:45 PT The GCW I wanted to mention that when I read the last sentence which was Koran 9-11 I did a google search since it seems like the war would have been right. I read that it isn't in the Koran and I thought you might want to know. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on March 04, 2007 at 11:57:56 PT afterburner I'm glad you are getting to see Heart of Gold. I love it. I haven't heard but a couple songs and clips from Massey Hall but I am ordering it this week. As far as the angels yes they talked about plants and angels last night on the documentary I watched. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by afterburner on March 04, 2007 at 11:45:24 PT FoM I am watching Heart of Gold now, finally. Now, I understand Only a Dream so much better. BTW, Have you heard Neil's "new" acoustic version of Heart of Gold from the 1971 homecoming Massey Hall Concert in Toronto yet? It's magic."Angels" Did you know that anthropologists have discovered some tribes that believe certain *plants* allow us to have contact with angels? [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Toker00 on March 04, 2007 at 11:09:52 PT OT: Colbert Report. Passing it on. Dear You,Tune in Monday Night. With everything going on in Washington and the world, we think you could use a good laugh. And it just so happens, Ben (of Ben & Jerry's) Cohen, our fearless leader and creative visionary, will be yukking it up with Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report this Monday night. We think it's worth a laugh.So be sure to watch Comedy Central on Monday night at 11:30 pm eastern. Ben's gonna try to mention TrueMajority and the great work you folks do to make the world a better place -- but who knows what Colbert has in store. Either way, it's sure to be hilarious, so tune in.Matt, Darcy, Chris, Li'l Ben and Brian The TrueMajority TeamToke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on March 04, 2007 at 07:49:53 PT The GCW Thank you The GCW. I love ancient archaeology. I watched a program on Angels last night. They talked about angels in the Bible and the Koran. The middle east was where everything important to me as far as the past goes began. I really enjoy The Naked Archaeology. He makes it all very interesting to learn. How can we win in anyway in that area of the world if we don't try to understand something about them? I will watch this program tonight. http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/tomb/tomb.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by The GCW on March 04, 2007 at 07:37:45 PT I'm passing this on: IRAQ - DID YOU KNOW? 1. The garden of Eden was in Iraq. 2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization! 3. Noah built the ark in Iraq. 4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq. 5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq! 6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq. 7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq. 8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq. 9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel. 10. Amos cried out in Iraq! 11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem. 12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq! 13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the fiery furnace!) 14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq. 15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq. 16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq. 17. The wise men were from Iraq. 18. Peter preached in Iraq. 19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon,which was a city in Iraq! And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq, means country with deep roots. Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible. No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq. And also... This is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages... The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible) Koran (9:11) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on March 04, 2007 at 06:49:59 PT March Today in Selma, Alabama I hope that C-Span covers Senator Obama's speech today. I have always wondered if the people that became Republicans during that time in history left the Democratic Party because they didn't like Johnson giving the blacks the right to vote? I guess that's what I have always thought and I sure hope I'm wrong.Pictures of Selma to Montgomery: A March for The Right To Vote:http://www.spidermartin.com/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by The GCW on March 04, 2007 at 06:10:48 PT War mongers SHOULD fear the tree of life. US LA: PUB LTE: Cannabis, "the tree of life," brings healing and peace Pubdate: 26 Feb 2007 Source: Daily Reveille (LA Edu) Contact: editor lsureveille.comWebsite: http://www.lsureveille.com/ Author: Stan WhiteReferred: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n234/a03.html?319647Viewed at: http://media.www.lsureveille.com/media/storage/paper868/news/2007/02/26/Opinion/Letters.To.The.Editor-2742682.shtml Cannabis, "the tree of life," brings healing and peaceThe tree of life, also known as cannabis, kaneh bosm and marijuana, is a plant, not a drug. However, it is one of the most important considering your column: "Religion, Drugs Similarly Affect Brain" (Feb. 23, 2007), though America's current political leaders - read, disobedient Christians - deem it the devil weed.Cannabis holds survival in its realm; the very last page of the Bible tells us the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations. Healing in every sense of the word with the ability to bring world peace and cure disease. Interestingly, while God, The Ecologist, indicates all the plants are good on the very first page of the Bible, cannabis prohibition may be the original sin.If there ever was a plant that greedy war mongers should fear and exterminate, it's the tree of life.(Coming soon to MAP http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/ ) [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Toker00 on March 04, 2007 at 05:30:17 PT Jesse Jackson Jr.'s March Forth! Greeting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVWCvyRkKsQRep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s March Forth! Greeting NEW! Meet the Backbone Campaign Video 20 "We the People" Celebrations Across the Country Flagship Events at Seattle Center & Evening Concert at Columbia City Theatre, Seattle ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jesse Jackson Jr.'s March Forth! Greeting You-Tube Version Mpeg video, 16 mb, best for use on Macs Windows Media, 11mb, best for PCsWe recommend that both files be downloaded to your computer for later use. On a PC, right click on the link and select Save Target As, or whatever your browser needs to download the file. Save it to your desktop, or wherever you will be sure to find it later.You-Tube Version Hi Res. Quicktime (requires newest QT)Meet the Backbone Campaign is a quick video tour through the mission, history and range of free tools the Backbone Campaign and its companion project Progressive Government provide.Puget Sound March Forth eventsFind and attend event near you at: WeThePeopleMarch4th.org.Read more about the flagship events in Seattle below: Map of March Forth! Events for thisSeattle Center, MarchForth! Flagship Event ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FREE - FAMILY FRIENDLY - Extravaganza!Bring your family and friends down to the Seattle Center House, 12:30 - 4:30 for a free event with music, speakers, kid's activities, Benjamin Franklin and other Patriots, a marching band, parade, and a 50 foot Constitution for YOU to sign. (Soon to tour the country so now's your chance.) Pick up a pocket constitution, get inspired, have fun, help create a kid's backbone puppet, and march forth!Program Includes Procession into Center House Music by Rebel Voices Video greeting by Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. State Representative Eric Oemig Emma's Revolution Music by Steffon Moody Speaker Nina Laboy Music by Ian Moore Speaker Reverend Robert Jeffrey Hip Hop by Eastern Parallel March on Seattle Center grounds with marching band, giant puppets, singing, and giant ConstitutionDon't Miss It! Spread the Word! Sign up to volunteer and help out! (Call 206-408-8058) See Larger PosterSeattle Center, MarchForth! Flagship Event ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Music by Emma's Revolution & Ian Moore Aerial by Esther Edelman & Dance by Helene Eriksen7-10 PM, doors open at 6:30. No-host bar. The Columbia City Theatre (See map), is one of Seattle's most charming venues. Located at: 4916 Rainier Ave S., it is our oldest vaudeville theatre and has recently been beautifully restored. Join the Backbone Campaign in welcoming an all star cast. Virtuosic Austin musician Ian Moore, now based on Vashon Island will stir your spirit with his skillful and soulful opening set.Then hold on to your socks with two inspiring and rockin' sets of Emma's Revolution, a "Roots Rock and Revolution" band visiting Seattle for the March Forth! activities. Aerialist Esther Edelman will perform a stunning aerial (tissue) act, and world dance expert Helene Eriksen will thrill the audience with a dance from Afghanistan in between sets. All this in one of Seattle's most charming venues to benefit one of the nation's most innovative activist organizations. DO NOT miss this!Seating is limited and tickets for this benefit concert are only $20. Go to: BrownPaperTickets.com TODAY!We cannot do this without your help. Please become a member of the Lumbar Club today. Backbone T-shirtFREE T-Shirt with Donation! Click to enlarge and see back~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ email: info backbonecampaign.org phone: 206-408-8058 web: http://www.backbonecampaign.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Stand up for our Constitution.Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Wayne on March 03, 2007 at 23:27:30 PT GCW, thank you I have several copies of the good Book in my house, in several different versions. I actually referenced 1 Timothy 4 tonight to see what it said. I have an updated 'plain English' version, and here's what it says, it was even more moving than the original text:"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."That whole chapter is actually very uplifting. It mentions things like not letting people look down on you because you are younger.I'm having kind of an epiphany right now. I just finished watching parts of that new documentary 'Ghosts of Abu Ghraib' and I am simply horrified at what our country and some of the people in it have become (for once, I couldn't even watch the whole thing). I also saw video on DWR about DARE students, and the teachers and newscasters portraying them as 'soldiers' in the WoD. It gave me chills. I'm not an overtly religious individual by any means, but being a soldier for God and doing what is right by Him seems so much more acceptable than this shit that I am seeing today. Why would anyone willingly send their child off to war, especially a war as hopeless as the WoD or Iraq? I guess I just don't 'get it'.Perhaps the 'God' angle would be the correct approach that we should take in this (for lack of better words) God-forsaken War. Start telling everyone that the Bible says WE are right, and that the gub'ment can go to hell. What say you?? After all, if God is for us, who could possibly be against us, right? [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by The GCW on March 03, 2007 at 21:43:48 PT Toker00 "Thank you for Cannabis, GOD."(You may already be familiar with this, but for those who are not...)The only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis is that it is to be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5). http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=61&chapter=4&version=49 [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by HempWorld on March 03, 2007 at 21:14:45 PT JesusUsedMarijuana.com If cannabis cannot be used under freedom of religion then we must abolish and declare illegal; the Bible, the words and actions of Jesus Christ and all religions based on that. But somehow it is denied that Jesus could have used marijuana. It does not fit the reborn-Christian mould. Everything on earth is for us to use, it is our birthright if you accept the birth of creation or Genesis 1:29 Being high is being in communion with God. http://JesusUsedMarijuana.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Toker00 on March 03, 2007 at 20:50:15 PT Thank you for Cannabis, GOD. If a Man believes in the God of Creation, and that this God Created a Seed-Bearing Herb and told the entire World that this Seed Bearing Herb was Good, what law can Man possibly make to "TRUMP" the belief in this God? To claim that cannabis is evil, is to smack the very hand that Created You. One Nation Under God, remember? Not one Nation under Religion or Government Tyranny. And it's really One Universe Under God, isn't it? That's the feeling I get.Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by The GCW on March 03, 2007 at 20:44:57 PT The ultimate sacrament. I didn't know this: "After water purification, human skin becomes like a tongue"I would like to experience the anointing... The use of cannabis (kaneh bosm / the tree of life) in this way is well known: I'd like to experience it. I do believe it would increase My awareness and relationship with Christ God Our Father. I strongly believe cannabis helps Our relationship with God, the Ecologician and have read more than a few times that anointing with it is true. Most often the recipe used is the same recipe as the Holy Anointing Oil in Exodus 30:23, which calls for about 9 pounds of cannabis. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=2&chapter=30&version=49 I don't think the ideas is to rub a few drops on a part of the body; it calls for a dousing.It would be nice to have Roger Christie's thoughts on this, from Hawaii cannabis ministry and THC Ministry from Amsterdam. (Adam as it were)http://www.thc-ministry.net/forum/index.php?sid=88ed349f56b2c701b40ff76bc7559e3a-0-Using cannabis for religion as an ointment::: it IS NOT "presently a religion of one person."-0-If this subject interests anyone, The following site is worth a good read.CHURCH MANDATE http://www.iamm.com/man-cu.htm-0-Notice: for cannabis to be used in freedome of religion arguments, it is thought that it must be mandated / mandatory..."""Church members are required to use God’s Tree of Life, (Cannabis, Marijuana), as a sacrament in their lives and worship. It is required in their search for an understanding of their spirituality and connection with Almighty God.Church members are required to provide medicinal sacrament to the sick."""CONT.The Ultimate Sacrament, yes.The Green Collar Worker [ Post Comment ] Post Comment