Just *why* is marijuana use wrong?

[Thoughtfulone]

You’re not Catholic, this is a thread about why it’s wrong from a Catholic perspective. You’re of course entitled to your beliefs and opinions on it’s legality but if someone’s asking why something is wrong or sinful here they’re asking from a spiritual perspective, not a legal one.

As I’ve noted previously I don’t believe the OPs intent was to ask about why it’s illegal but why it’s considered sinful. You make a good argument for the former but not the later. As a Catholic if you know something to be sinful you’re not supposed to do it, right? I’m not trying to antagonize I’m genuinely asking as I’m still learning about the faith. If I’m correct and you know smoking marijuana is a sin, no amount of justification will change that.

As far as the legalization, I think the gateway drug argument is a very good argument for it. As you pointed out the only way it can be a gateway drug is because it can be purchased from dealers who may also sell other things and try to “push” them. If it were legal this wouldn’t be a problem. The potential issue with that argument however is that another fact of marijuana is that it lowers inhibitions so someone may be more likely to try other drugs as the part of their brain that says “I’m not going to try coke because it’s bad” may instead say “meh, why not?”

On the subject of alcohol since you insist on making comparisons… if it were a new thing being introduced today it would be illegal because as you’ve pointed out, it is a toxin to the body. The problem is that whenever it was first cooked up it wasn’t seen as the problem causer that it is today. Once we realized it was we tried prohibition… it’s legal again because of the problems that caused. It was more or less “grandfathered” in.

So… let’s say for the sake of everyone’s sanity alcohol were illegal… what would your argument be then? I’m not saying there aren’t valid reasons for legalization (I agree with some you’ve made and have a few as well)… but comparing it to alcohol isn’t one of them. Just because something can be considered better than something else doesn’t mean it’s good but that’s the logic you use when you say “reason X” is why it’s better than alcohol.

I see what you’re saying about the sinfulness of it. I mainly use the alcohol comparison to gauge the sinfulness of marijuana use because alcohol is clearly used in the Bible and responsible use is not sinful. In fact, some of His enemies accused Jesus of being a drunkard, his first miracle was turning water into wine, He turned wine at the Last Supper into His blood, etc., so we KNOW that Jesus wasn’t exactly a teetotaler! Thus, when we compare the physical effects and possible damage to the mind and body caused by alcohol vs. marijuana, marijuana (when vaporized, not smoked) clearly passes the litmus test based on the Bible itself. So we can conclude that responsible, moderate marijuana use is probably not seen as a sin by God, right?

The only thing that MIGHT make it even venially sinful is the illegality (misdemeanor) of it (because of the Pauline idea that we must obey civil authority). Now I don’t know about you, but I speed by 5-10 mph sometimes, I roll through a stop sign if no-one is around etc. which are often considered to be venial sins because one is technically breaking the law, and those are laws which are actually in place for public safety. I don’t beat myself up about it and I don’t scruple over it, so why should I beat myself up overthis? Also, sometimes I eat too much fried food or drink a little too much or have a lazy day where I barely do anything…all of these are venial sins as well, but no-one raises the morality alarm.

 

[Thinkclearly]

O.k.,

The above paragraph about why marijuana is “bad, mmmkay?” is completely false and has no basis in reality.

Marijuana, as discussed in previous posts, kills no brain cells (unlike alcohol) and is non-toxic to the human body, which is why it is not INTOXICATING (unlike alcohol) and which is why overdose is impossible (unlike alcohol). Marijuana does not cause people to become aggressive (unlike alcohol). If vaporized, there is virtually no harm to the human body whatsoever. It is also not physically addictive (unlike alcohol). If it is organically grown and vaporized, it is probably about as dangerous to your body as basil.

The only reason you can even make the (weak) argument that marijuana is a gateway drug is because of its illegality, which forces one to purchase it from drug dealers, who also tend to sell other drugs as well, so contact with them will increase your chances of having access to other, real drugs.

If you know exactly where you are getting it from or grow it yourself, there is no reason why you should be purchasing it from people related to any kind of gangland activity, violence or prostitution.

None of the above is opinion, but fact.

 

[Thinkclearly]

I do not wish to continue this discussion on this particular thread. It might be an interesting discussion elsewhere, but I have had plenty of them in the past with athiests and have decided I am done with it. There’s only so many hours in the day.

Good Idea I have reposted my 3 questions in the moral forum. I hope you will give my questions some thought, and give our discussion a chance. I asked these 3 questions because they are probably (atleast amung) the top reasons I have trouble believing in any one persons particular religion of choice, and why Christianities particular doctrine leaves me with a very uneasy depresasing vibe, one I didn’t feel while researching other faiths such as Buddhism, or the teachings of the Falung Gong.

All I was trying to do was answer the question. Then, I spoke up when you gave some flack to a poster because they gave you a faith-based answer. Then, you went on a diatribe about God and continue to turn the subject towards that. If you want to discuss God, start a new thread and I am sure there are plenty of folks who’d love to take you up on it.

I hope you join them.

 

[LCMS_No_More]

A spliff is joint diluted with tobacco to suite your taste, making the effect vary from less, to nothing. The vast majority of people who smoke weed in the world do this. The only places that smoke pure prodomonantly are America, western Canada, Amsterdam (split), and Newzealand. Smokers in eastern Canada, Australia, Europe etc… smoke spliffs almost exclusively.

DISCLAIMER: I have a doctor’s recommendation for medical cannabis.

I don’t mix my weed with anything. I used to smoke tobacco and it’s VERY addictive to me. I can easily go to two to three packs of tobacco cigarettes a day, so I just use a water pipe at home or a small hand pipe with a cover when I’m mobile (a friend called it a sneak-a-toke).

 

[mdrummer5]

So we can conclude that responsible, moderate marijuana use is probably not seen as a sin by God, right?

Again… it seems you’re looking for justification.

For the most part, I agree with you but as far as the question at hand, “why is it wrong?” it’s because of the civil authority. You can try to rationalize it all you like but it still doesn’t make it ok even if it’s only a “minor” sin. Honestly as far as assessing whether or not we have God’s “ok” to do things like this I’m probably the worst one to ask. As I learn more and more I try to be more cognizant of the things I do wrong to avoid any sin and find myself immediately asking for forgiveness when I catch myself.

On the flip side of that consider this. Since we can’t be certain… what if God DOES have a huge problem with it? One of the justifications that keeps popping up is how lenient the legal system is with marijuana. Don’t you think God would have a huge problem with us using the laws (or lawlessness) of man to contradict his teachings?

 

[mdrummer5]

A spliff is joint diluted with tobacco to suite your taste

Morality aside… this just sounds like it would taste nasty.

 

[LCMS_No_More]

O.k.,

The above paragraph about why marijuana is “bad, mmmkay?” is completely false and has no basis in reality.

Marijuana, as discussed in previous posts, kills no brain cells (unlike alcohol) and is non-toxic to the human body, which is why it is not INTOXICATING (unlike alcohol) and which is why overdose is impossible (unlike alcohol). Marijuana does not cause people to become aggressive (unlike alcohol). If vaporized, there is virtually no harm to the human body whatsoever. It is also not physically addictive (unlike alcohol). If it is organically grown and vaporized, it is probably about as dangerous to your body as basil.

The only reason you can even make the (weak) argument that marijuana is a gateway drug is because of its illegality, which forces one to purchase it from drug dealers, who also tend to sell other drugs as well, so contact with them will increase your chances of having access to other, real drugs.

What’s funny is that the people in my spot (a dispensary) have never tried to hook me up with any white powders or little rocks make out of chemicals. Just nice, pretty, smelly buds of sticky weed. Some of them have unfortunate, but descriptive names (i.e., cat p***, which tastes exactly like cat urine smells…that became my backup supply or I mixed it with other buds…it was pretty vile).

I HAVE seen, however, dudes doing lines of coke in a bar’s restroom so they can keep on drinking.

 

[Thinkclearly]

Morality aside… this just sounds like it would taste nasty.

I think coffee tastes nasty, when I was 8 I didn’t much care for the taste of beer either, everyone has their own taste and tastes change and can be aquired, and millions if not tens of millions have chosen to enjoy smoking spliffs.