Should be Marijuana be legalized?

[exnihilo]

You cannot just take an illegal action and make it legal for economic purposes. You must deal with the actual reasoning underlying the law.

And why not? More importantly you must deal with the question of why make it illegal in the first place. The default position is not all things are illegal unless made legal. It is just the opposite.

I firmly believe in the intent behind Blue Laws, as did most of America not that long ago. But whether we should have Blue Laws or not is a separate matter. At this point in history enforcing Blue Laws might actually be a negative thing for Christianity as people would view it as establishing a theocracy. Of course this is a rather silly notion since we used to have Blue Laws and countries like Germany still did, at least a decade ago. Neither were considered theocracies at the time.

Using drugs is an American past time. We get stoned on beer. We get stoned on doctor prescribed pills. Why are the first too moral but the cheap and nearly harmless MJ is immoral?

I would decriminalize not only because it would save money in a broke country but also because the criminalization creates disrespect for the law since so many people break it.

 

[Spirithound]

Yes you can. The US Government made alcohol illegal and then made it legal again for the purpose of tax revenue. Why do you believe the MJ issue is that different?

To be more precise, you can do anything you set your mind to (almost…). What I object to is unphilosophical actions. If an action is dangerous or immoral or harmful enough to warrant being outlawed, frankly I value that criteria more than any economic gains from its legalization.

More importantly you must deal with the question of why make it illegal in the first place. The default position is not all things are illegal unless made legal. It is just the opposite.

Thank you for being more logical.

I firmly believe in the intent behind Blue Laws, as did most of America not that long ago. But whether we should have Blue Laws or not is a separate matter. At this point in history enforcing Blue Laws might actually be a negative thing for Christianity as people would view it as establishing a theocracy. Of course this is a rather silly notion since we used to have Blue Laws and countries like Germany still did, at least a decade ago. Neither were considered theocracies at the time.

Is the prohibition of drugs really a Blue Law? It seems to me that any secular society has a vested interest in regulating intoxicating substances.

Using drugs is an American past time. We get stoned on beer. We get stoned on doctor prescribed pills. Why are the first too moral but the cheap and nearly harmless MJ is immoral?

I would decriminalize not only because it would save money in a broke country but also because the criminalization creates disrespect for the law since so many people break it.

Again, this is bad reasoning (except for debating whether marijuana is harmless or not). Whether many people do it or not is irrelevant to whether it ought to be illegal or not. In fact, if it ought to be illegal and there are still people doing it, then the government is not doing its job.

 

[exnihilo]

Is the prohibition of drugs really a Blue Law? It seems to me that any secular society has a vested interest in regulating intoxicating substances.

I meant Blue Law in the sense of Sunday laws.

I dont know why a society has a vested interest in regulating intoxicating substances. In fact this is a new idea, at least in the history of America and even the cultures that formed America. Drugs and alcohol were legal for most of America’s history. There was not a notion that the government had the right to tell people what drugs they could take or to restrict drinking to those over 21. This explains the absence of laws through most of history.

Again, this is bad reasoning (except for debating whether marijuana is harmless or not). Whether many people do it or not is irrelevant to whether it ought to be illegal or not. In fact, if it ought to be illegal and there are still people doing it, then the government is not doing its job.

No, it is not bad reasoning. I stated some facts. And then I showed why these facts suggest we should decriminalize drugs.

If having a law that is mostly ignored is of such great value that it is worth bankrupting your country that is a value judgment. I value respect for the law and solvency over a law that achieves nothing but makes criminals out of regular citizens for violating regulatory laws.

Drug laws are not like laws against murder and theft. Murder and theft are clearly wrong. The fact that people still murder and steal is proof that the law does not stop those things. The law is about justice. If you break the law you pay a price.

Marijuana use is not that bad, if it is bad. It is certainly nothing like murder and theft. So the purpose of the law can only be to stop its use. The fifty years of the Drug War (dont you just love wars on your own citizens?) has not stopped drug use at all. But it has cost billions of dollars. It has also eroded the rights of everyone as the government, always looking for an excuse to get rid of pesky rights, passes laws dismantling protections in order to get the drug dealers and user. But still drugs are widespread.

I think it bad to spend billions of dollars, destroy rights and create black market crime for the purpose of stopping drugs when the purpose is not even achieved.

 

[Nausicaa]

Here’s what I think:

It should be legalized, but I personally wouldn’t smoke it. As much as I would like to, I have pretty strong views on things that prevent you from having a clear mind.

 

[Crimsonflyboy]

When we look at the morality of alcohol the key is how much one drinks. It is perfectly ok to drink alcohol and to get a bit of a buzz. If one drinks too much and becomes tipsy it can rise to the level of a venial sin. If one drinks to the point of getting drunk or to the point of losing consciencousness then it becomes a mortal sin. This is what I have been told by three priests. Now the question with marijuana is, can a person smoke/ingest marijuana without getting drunk? Or can a person smoke/ingest marijuana and get only a little tipsy? We have to be able to answer this question before answering the question of the morality of marijuana.

 

[diller]

It honestly makes me sad that I am a citizen of a country that allows stuff like this to go on. Let me say that I really enjoy beer, I enjoy drinking, brewing, and talking about it. I have invested a lot of time and money into my hobby of beer. As much as I like it though I would give it all up in a heartbeat and never drink again if it meant Weed were made legal. The stigma that society has put on Weed makes ignorant people have steadfast opinions about stuff they don’t understand. I’ll probably lose some credit with some of you with this but I feel the same way about steroid use. Want to know how many documented cases there are where someone died from steroid use? 3. One person had brain cancer, one was a child that killed himself, and I can’t remember the other one. Medical use of steroids has been used with very successful results for a long time. I don’t know how many people have been killed from using Weed but I’m pretty sure it is 0. Meanwhile all the deaths, injuries, and broken families caused by alcohol can be counted in the millions. One thing that makes me feel great is that my home state of Michigan is taking steps towards being an intelligent society by making laws that legalize medical marihuana. Therefore when I come home from Afghanland I’ll be able to go to my doctor, explain to him that I have chronic pain in multiple parts of my body due to a rigorous military career and get my very own registration card and smoke weed just the way that God had planned, responsibly and freely.:thankyou:

 

[joshrp]

If you want to destroy your mind, go ahead. But don’t expect me to let you do it if I care for you.

 

[joshrp]

It honestly makes me sad that I am a citizen of a country that allows stuff like this to go on. Let me say that I really enjoy beer, I enjoy drinking, brewing, and talking about it. I have invested a lot of time and money into my hobby of beer. As much as I like it though I would give it all up in a heartbeat and never drink again if it meant Weed were made legal. The stigma that society has put on Weed makes ignorant people have steadfast opinions about stuff they don’t understand. I’ll probably lose some credit with some of you with this but I feel the same way about steroid use. Want to know how many documented cases there are where someone died from steroid use? 3. One person had brain cancer, one was a child that killed himself, and I can’t remember the other one. Medical use of steroids has been used with very successful results for a long time. I don’t know how many people have been killed from using Weed but I’m pretty sure it is 0. Meanwhile all the deaths, injuries, and broken families caused by alcohol can be counted in the millions. One thing that makes me feel great is that my home state of Michigan is taking steps towards being an intelligent society by making laws that legalize medical marihuana. Therefore when I come home from Afghanland I’ll be able to go to my doctor, explain to him that I have chronic pain in multiple parts of my body due to a rigorous military career and get my very own registration card and smoke weed just the way that God had planned, responsibly and freely.:thankyou:

Weed makes people psychotic and irrational. These drugs are used as psychological warfare on the population to destroy your mind. We’re all going to die if we continue to use drugs like weed and other narcotics. It’s a slow death, because it kills your mind slowly.

 

[Rand2410]

Weed makes people psychotic and irrational. These drugs are used as psychological warfare on the population to destroy your mind. We’re all going to die if we continue to use drugs like weed and other narcotics. It’s a slow death, because it kills your mind slowly.

Please provide links to medical and or scientific studies that support your position.

Do you include all prescription drugs and alcohol in your list of drugs that destroy your mind?

Every night I watch TV adds for prescription drugs for sale that have HUGE lists of side effects so sever they frighten me. Should ALL these drugs be added to your list?

 

[diller]

Weed makes people psychotic and irrational. These drugs are used as psychological warfare on the population to destroy your mind. We’re all going to die if we continue to use drugs like weed and other narcotics. It’s a slow death, because it kills your mind slowly.

Obviously you are one of the ignorant people that I talked about that have strong opinions about something that you know absolutely nothing about.

 

[joshrp]

Obviously you are one of the ignorant people that I talked about that have strong opinions about something that you know absolutely nothing about.

Do you want your kids smoking weed?

 

[FaithfulAndTrue]

A sin? Prove it !

Take a look at Galations 5:19-21…

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)

The Greek word for “sorcery” is “pharmakeia” which can mean “the use or the administering of drugs” and is where we get our English word “pharmacy”. Also, notice “drunkenness” is listed. Paul clearly states that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Also take a look at Ephesians 5:18…

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18)

I realize that it explicitly states wine and not marijuana but Paul’s message is not to alter one’s mind but rather to be filled with the Spirit.

 

[Robert_Sock]

Weed makes people psychotic and irrational. These drugs are used as psychological warfare on the population to destroy your mind. We’re all going to die if we continue to use drugs like weed and other narcotics. It’s a slow death, because it kills your mind slowly.

You may not be making sense to people like diller, but I’m in complete agreement here. Pot is a dangerous drug that has severe effects.

“It’s only teenage wasteland”
–Pete Townshend

 

[Rand2410]

Take a look at Galations 5:19-21…

The Greek word for “sorcery” is “pharmakeia” which can mean “the use or the administering of drugs” and is where we get our English word “pharmacy”. Also, notice “drunkenness” is listed. Paul clearly states that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Also take a look at Ephesians 5:18…

I realize that it explicitly states wine and not marijuana but Paul’s message is not to alter one’s mind but rather to be filled with the Spirit.

Well done. I would agree that the use of the word “drunkenness” used in a broad sense must include any drug that alters a persons mind. To me this would also include, alcohol , pharmaceutical drugs as well (ex all anti-depressants, pain killers, sleeping pills, etc.) In my opinion then the use or abuse of these types of drugs could ALSO be considered a sin. Please let me know if you agree/disagree. Thank you for the lesson in scripture.

 

[Rand2410]

Do you want your kids smoking weed?

My children are grown adults and must make their decisions on their own. I am reasonably sure neither of them use MJ. I am also very sure both of them have used alcohol and have been occasionally intoxicated. This is why I believe alcohol is the most prevalent gateway drug and the MOST abused drug aside from tobacco or caffeine.

 

[Rand2410]

The original topic was the legalization of MJ.

I believe the cultivation, possession and consumption of MJ should be equivalent to the making of wine or beer. I am not in favor of full legalization, as in selling pot like tobacco products. I believe this country is not ready for that type of change.

Sin or not, I believe adults should make their own decisions and live with the results.

 

[exnihilo]

Do you want your kids smoking weed?

I dont have kids, but as a hypothetical I would rather my kids smoke weed than be a heavy drinker. I would certainly rather any daughter smoke weed in college rather than go to a frat party and get loaded on the free booze they make so available. I would rather my kid smoke weed than watch most television and absorb its message. I would rather my kid smoke weed than learn the lessons most government schools and colleges indoctrinate them with (why do you think so many kids do smoke weed). I would rather my kid smoke weed than be one of the huge percentage of kids on psychiatric drugs.

I just dont see how weed comes anywhere close to being as bad as most things we allow. A kid in California schools will now be clearly and proudly indoctrinated into accepting homosexuality as not just morally neutral but actually good. We can be sure that God is against that. The case against weed is weaker and even if it is not good it is far less of an evil.

 

[Rand2410]

aol.com/2011/08/25/drunk-priest-baptism-sacramento_n_935300.html

I found this story of a catholic priest that passed out drunk at a baptism. A sad tale to be sure. Alcohol is a dangerous drug.

 

[FaithfulAndTrue]

Well done. I would agree that the use of the word “drunkenness” used in a broad sense must include any drug that alters a persons mind. To me this would also include, alcohol , pharmaceutical drugs as well (ex all anti-depressants, pain killers, sleeping pills, etc.) In my opinion then the use or abuse of these types of drugs could ALSO be considered a sin. Please let me know if you agree/disagree. Thank you for the lesson in scripture.

In the mind-altering sense, I completely agree. For example, do I think it’s a sin to have a single beer or a glass of wine with dinner? No. Do I think it’s a sin to have a 6 beers or several glasses of wine? I would say yes. Do I think it’s a sin to take a prescribed dosage of Vicodin after a painful surgery? No, I do not. Do I think it is a sin to take Vicodin—especially with alcohol—simply for the feeling of it? Yes, I do. Replace Vicodin with any drug in that last statement and I think it still holds true.

We should be addicted to the Spirit and not the things of this world. Now, don’t think that I’m sitting on some kind of high-horse or something because we ALL find ourselves somewhere on that list that Paul writes in Galations. This reflects the fact that we are all flawed humans in need of a savior to help us overcome a lifestyle of these sins.

I hope this helps. God bless, my friend.

 

[Rand2410]

Thank you for your fair and balanced reply.