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"And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more." (Ezekiel 34:29)
"Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth. To you it will be for meat.' And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." (Genesis 1:29-31)
"In the later times, some shall speak lies in hypocrisy commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." (Paul: 1 Timothy 1-4)
"If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." (Mark 3:24)
(Jesus:) "Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him.... That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man." (Mark 7:18-20)
(Jesus:) "Blessed are the peacemakers,for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness' sake: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:9 10)
(Jesus:) "Beware the scribes which desire to walk in long robes and the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: They shall receive greater damnation." (Luke 20:46-47)
(Jesus:) "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethern, ye have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40)
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you,that you will be no priest to Me for I desired mercy and not sacrifice.(Hosea 4:6, 6:6)
(Jesus:) "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (Matt.7:1-4)
(Jesus:) "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other, and him that taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also." (Luke 6:27-29)
(Jesus:) "He beheld them and said, 'What is this then that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner'?" (Luke 20:17)
"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning: and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. (Proverbs 1:5)
"If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. (Prov. 29:12)
Legalize Sacramental Cannabis Food, Fuel, Fiber, FARM-aceuticals, Hardrug&Booze Alternative. Peace, Love & Liberty DdC
Peace Love and Liberty or FRCn DEAth!
DdC = dendecannabist@yahoo.com
Marijuana & the Bible
[The King James version has been used herein.]
Originally found on Chris Conrad's old website...
"And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more." (Ezekiel 34:29)
"The Lord said unto me, 'I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs.' "Isaiah 18:4-5
1) What is the Word of God concerning marijuana, or cannabis hemp ?
The hemp plant (scientific name: cannabis, slang name: marijuana) is but one of the many useful herbs "yielding seed after its kind" (Genesis 1:12, 29) blessed by God on the third day of creation for people to use in conjunction with our free will. The only place in the Bible where Cannabis was mentioned by name got switched into 'calamus' by the King James translators as part of a holy ointment (described in Exodus 30:23).
The Bible also predicted prohibition: "In the later times, some shall speak lies in hypocrisy commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." (Paul: 1 Timothy 1-4) Nowhere in the Bible does it say people cannot grow, possess, use or even smoke cannabis or that hemp is bad. In fact, quite the contrary: "God said, 'Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth.To you it will be for meat.' And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." (Genesis 1:29-31)
2) How was the cannabis plant used by people during Biblical times?
Cannabis was widely used throughout the world since earliest times. 'Cana' got its name from the same root word as "cannabis," indicating that hemp was grown there. The Bible also describes a common way of preparing marijuana for medicinal use: "The Lord said ƒAfore harvest, when the bud is perfect and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches." (Isaiah 18:4-5)
Cannabis was traditionally used in 12 different ways: as clothing, paper, cord, sails, fishnet, oil, sealant, incense, food, and in ceremony, relaxation and medicine. And it was written, "On either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare 12 manner of fruits, and yielding her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." (Rev. 22:1-2)
The leaves and flowers of cannabis are well known for their medicinal value, and the Thracians Scythians and Zoroastrians were just a few of the groups that were using cannabis socially during Jesus day.
3) What about cannabis today?
Hemp today has thousands of uses. Modern technology has devised many new uses for the helpful hemp plant; like biomass energy, construction materials, fuel oil, plastic and so on. It is used worldwide as medicine. It is among the best food crops on Earth, and is ecological, as well as a popular relaxant and a spiritual tool.
Unfortunately, during the 20th century, new anti-drug laws have been made by man to imprison, seize property, and even apply the death penalty for people caught growing cannabis in accordance with God's law.
4) What does the Bible say about drugs?
Alcohol is the only drug openly discussed in the Bible, so it must serve as our reference. Jesus began his public life by miraculously turning water into wine at the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-10) when the wine ran out at the celebrator party. Wine is symbolically drunk during religious occasions such as Passover the Last Supper of Jesus and His disciples. It continues to be a traditional sacrament in today's standard church services. Yet the simple joys of God-given pleasures were also sung: "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shineth." (Psalm 104:14-15)
The Bible distinguishes between use and misuse: "Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts." (Proverbs 31:6-7) as well as "Woe unto them that ƒ follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!" (Isaiah 5:10)
5) What do the 10 Commandments say about people using marijuana?
In the 10 Commandments, God ordered that man shalt not hold cannabis or anything else as a 'false god,' 'not covet' it, 'not steal' it and 'not lie' about it (Ex. 20:1-17). Unfortunately, the US government has done nothing but lie about cannabis for most of this century. The result of all this is that these lies have been used to rationalize the arrest of more than 10 million Americans for marijuana; 695,201 in 1997 alone, and 87% of them for personal possession. This is a good example of why the Bible also warns that "If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked." (Prov. 29:12)
The Ten Commandments:
1. No false Gods.
2. Worship no graven images.
3. Do not use God's name in vain.
4. Keep the Sabbath day holy; no work permitted.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. Do not kill.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, servants, or possessions.
6) How did Jesus speak ["Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."] of marijuana?
Although Jesus lived among a society with many cannabis smokers, He never chastised the practice and warned us not to criticize other people for their habits or for whatever they consume. "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; that which cometh out of the mouth defileth a man." (Mat. 15:11) The Apostle Paul wrote, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Paul: Romans 14: 2,3,13,14,17)
7) What did Jesus say about the role of government?
He said to keep church and state separate. "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's and unto God the things which be God's." (Luke 20:25)
As we have already seen, it was God, not government, who gave man the seed bearing herbs to use and government, not God, who forbade us to use them. Jesus elaborated on this theme: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. 7:18-20)
Certainly the Drug War is just such a branch of government that has borne no good fruit, and should be cast into the fire.
8) Who did Jesus say has the right to judge others for their lifestyle choices?
Jesus reserved judgement for God alone. " 'Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged' " (Matthew 7:1-4). And " 'Let him who is without sin cast the first stone' " (John 8:7).
9) What did Jesus say about crime and punishment?
Jesus preached love and forgiveness. "Peter said, 'Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?' Jesus saith unto him, 'I say not unto thee until seven times: But until seventy times seven.' " (Mat. 18:21-22) Today's mandatory minimum penalties for marijuana conspiracy can exceed 25 years to life, with no hope of parole, for people who cultivate, exchange or otherwise enjoy this natural herb.
He also warned us about seizure and forfeiture laws. "Beware of the scribes which devour widows' houses. The same shall receive greater damnation." (Luke 20:46-47) In fact, Jesus was a victim of property seizure: "The soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part." (John. 19:33)
10) What, then, is the Judeo-Christian response to marijuana prohibition?
What would Jesus do? He told his followers to show tolerance, compassion and unselfishness in every effort to end the persecution of God's children. He told us to visit those in prison, and when it comes to the Drug War, remember His words, "Blessed are the peacemakers." (Matthew 5:9) This is reinforced in older texts, in which was written, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you will be no priest to Me for I desired mercy and not sacrifice." (Hosea 4:6, 6:6) "The Lord hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." (Isaiah 61:1)
Prisons and drug wars do not save souls. It was God who created cannabis hemp and told mankind to use "every green herb" on Earth. "They persecute me wrongfully; help thou me." (Ps. 119:86) Jesus himself said, "Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me
Nothing in either the Bible or the U.S. Constitution says politicians can imprison those who follow their conscience and use cannabis in good faith. "Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine." (Paul: 1 Timothy 4;1-6)
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you will be no priest to Me for I desired mercy and not sacrifice." (Hosea 4:6, 6:6)
Summary analysis of the foregoing discussion
What does the Bible say about marijuana? The Bible says that God created hemp for people to use "as meat," (ie, to consume), that its seed oil is to be used as an ointment, and that cannabis is "to be received with thanks-giving of them which believe and know the truth." Paul also warned that some people would "speak lies in hypocrisy" and prohibit us from using it.
It also says that we "shall not bear false witness" about people who use cannabis, nor judge them because that judgement is reserved to the Lord. The Lord hates those who speak lies and sow discord among brethern. For those people harrassed and imprisoned for using cannabis rightfuly, Jesus offers these words of comfort, "Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness's sake: For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."
What would Jesus do regarding medical marijuana?
Despite common knowledge and widespread scientific support, the federal government has for nearly 30 years kept cannabis in schedule 1 as a deliberate way to deny patients access to medical marijuana. This includes people suffering from asthma, cancer, migraine headache, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, and provides relief for many other conditions. As a result, people at various locations across the USA have had to risk and suffer years in prison for providing medical marijuana to patients as an act of compassion and personal conscience. What would Jesus do? He chose to break the law in order to heal the sick.
"At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn, and his disciples were hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2) But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day 3) But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungered, and they that were with him? 10) And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered, And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11) And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out? 12) How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13) Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. 14) Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 15) But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence, and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16) And charged them that they should not make him known." (Matthew 12: 1-2, 10-16)
Should people give blind obedience to government?
Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2) Why do thy disciple transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." 3) But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 7) Ye hypocrites! 12) Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13) But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14) Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind, And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:1-3, 7, 12-14)
Passages from the King James Bible that are relevant to the legal and moral status of Cannabis sativa, L.
And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12)
God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so." And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Gen. 1:29-31)
(No prohibition of cannabis or any other drug is made in the Ten Commandments: See Ex. 20:1-17)
(Cannabis is mentioned in Ex. 30:23 but King James mistranslated it as 'sweet calamus') : Moreover, the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even 250 shekels, and of [cannabis] 250 shekels, 24 And of cassia 500 shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: 25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy anointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. 26 And thous shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick ahd his vessels, and the altar of incense, 28 And the altar of burnt offerings with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. 29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. (Exodus 30:22-29)
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shineth. (Psalm 104:14-15)
The Lord said unto me, "I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches. (Is. 18:4-5)
And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. (Ezekiel 34:29)
(Jesus:) "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." (Matt. 15:11)
One believeth that he may eat all things. Another eateth herbs. Let us not, therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Paul: Romans 14: 2,3,13,14,17)
In the later times, some shall speak lies in hypocrisy commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine. (Paul: 1 Timothy 4:1-6)
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielding her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Rev. 22:1-2)
Other relevant quotes:
Prohibition: Intoxication: (Jesus:) He said unto them, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's and unto God the things which be God's." (Luke 20:25)
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. (Prov. 20:1)
"Then came Peter to him and said,"Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, "I say not unto thee until seven times:But until seventy times seven." (Matt.18:21-22)
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those of heavy hearts. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. (Prov. 31:6-7)
(Jesus:) "If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." (Mark 3:24)
"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! (Isaiah 5:10)
(Jesus:) He saith unto them, "Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him.... That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man." (Mark 7:18-20)
(Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana: See John 1-10. He also served wine at the Last Supper.)
Forfeiture: Persecution:Thy commandments are faithful: They persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
As troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests commit murder in the way by consent. (Hos. 6:9) (Ps. 119:86)
(Jesus:) "Blessed are the peacemakers,for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness' sake: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:9-10)
(Jesus:) "Beware the scribes which desire to walk in long robes and the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: They shall receive greater damnation." (Luke 20:46-47)
(Jesus:) 'Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethern, ye have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40)
"The King shall answer and say unto them, Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part. (John 19:33)
Tolerance: Judgement & Punishment: The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." (Is. 61:1)
These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood; An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief; A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethern." (Prov. 6:16-19)
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you,that you will be no priest to Me for I desired mercy and not sacrifice.(Hosea 4:6, 6:6)
(Jesus:) "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (Matt.7:1-4)
(Jesus:) "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other, and him that taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also." (Luke 6:27-29)
Truth: (Jesus:) He beheld them and said, "What is this then that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner'?" (Luke 20:17)
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning: and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. (Proverbs 1:5)
If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. (Prov. 29:12)
Pat & Jer's Brand New Testament
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America was not founded on Christianity
Neither the trappings of robes, nor temples of stone, nor a fixed liturgy, nor an extensive literature or history is required to meet the test of beliefs cognizable under the Constitution as religious. So far as our law is concerned, one person's religious beliefs held for one day are presumptively entitled to the same protection as the beliefs of millions which have been shared for thousands of years.
-- Judge Jack Weinstein, New York State, 1977
Welcome Jesus and the Holy Herb
The United States is in no way founded upon the Christian religion
-- George Washington & John Adams, in a diplomatic message to Malta.
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This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.
-- John Adams, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson.
I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to Heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all.
--Thomas Jefferson
In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1814
The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter.
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1823
I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature.
-- Thomas Jefferson
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.... Do not be frightened from this inquiry from any fear of its consequences. If it ends in the belief that there is no God, you will find incitements to virtue in the comfort and pleasantness you feel in its exercise...
-- Thomas Jefferson, in a 1787 letter to his nephew
The Bible is not my book, and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma.
-- Abraham Lincoln
It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties. We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of citizens and one of the noblest characteristics of the late Revolution. The freemen of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, and they avoided the consequences by denying the principle. We revere this lesson too much ... to forget it
-- James Madison.
It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man, who knows what the law is to-day, can guess what it will be to-morrow. Law is defined to be a rule of action; but how can that be a rule, which is little known, and less fixed?
-- James Madison, Federalist Papers 62
I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which grant[s] a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.
-- James Madison, 1794
Never could an increase of comfort or security be a sufficient good to be bought at the price of liberty.
-- Hillaire Belloc
USE OF MARIJUANA AS INCENSE
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica: "Pharmacological Cults"
"...the ceremonial use of incense in contemporary ritual is most likely a relic of the time when the psychoactive properties of incense brought the ancient worshipper in touch with supernatural forces."
In the temples of the ancient world, the main sacrifice was the inhalation of incense. Incense is defined as the perfume or smoke from spices and gums when burned in celebrating religious rites or as an offering to a deity. Bronze and gold incense burners were cast very early in history and their forms were often inspired by cosmological themes representing the harmonious nature of the universe.
The following piece was taken from "Licit and Illicit Drugs", page 31.
"In the Judaic world, the vapors from burnt spices and aromatic gums were considered part of the pleasurable act of worship. In proverbs (27:9) it is said that 'Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart.' Perfumes were widely used in Egyptian worship. Stone altars have been unearthed in Babylon and Palestine, which have been used for burning incense made of aromatic wood and spices. While the casual readers today may interpret such practices as mere satisfaction of the desire for pleasant odors, this is almost certainly an error; in many or most cases, a psychoactive drug was being inhaled. In the islands of the Mediterranean 2,500 years ago and in Africa hundreds of years ago, for example leaves and flowers of a particular plant were often thrown upon bonfires and the smoke inhaled; the plant was marijuana." (Edward Preble and Gabriel V. Laurey, Plastic Cement: The Ten Cent Hallucinogen, International Journal of the Addictions, 2 (Fall 2967): 271-272.
"The earliest civilizations of Mesopotamia brewed intoxicating beer of barley more than 5,000 years ago; is it too much to assume that even earlier cultures experienced euphoria, accidentally or deliberately, through inhalation of the resinous smoke of Cannabis?" (Ritual Use of Cannabis Sativa L, p. 216.)
"It is said that the Assyrians used hemp (marijuana) as incense in the seventh or eighth century before Christ and called it 'Qunubu', a term apparently borrowed from an old East Iranian word 'Konaba', the same as the Scythian name 'cannabis'." (Plants of the Gods -- Origin of Hallucinogenic Use by Richard E. Schultes and Albert Hoffman)
"It is recorded that the Chinese Taoist recommended the addition of cannabis to their incense burners in the 1st century as a means of achieving immortality." (Marijuana, the First Twelve Thousand Years by Earnest Abel, page 5)
"There is a classic Greek term, cannabeizein, which means to smoke cannabis. Cannabeizein frequently took the form of inhaling vapors from an incense burner in which these resins were mixed with other resins, such as myrrh, balsam, frankincense, and perfumes." (Ritual Use of Cannabis Sativa L)
"Herodotus in the fifth century B.C. observed the Scythians throwing hemp on heated stone to create smoke and observed them inhaling this smoke. Although he does not identify them, Herodotus states that when they "have parties and sit around a fire, they throw some of it into the flames. As it burns, it smokes like incense, and the smell of it makes them drunk, just as wine does us. As more fruit is thrown on, they get more and more intoxicated until finally they jump up and start dancing and singing." (Herodotus, Histories 1.202.)
ISRAELITE USE OF INCENSE
It was said that Moses, at the direction of Almighty God, first brought in the use of incense in public worship, and that the other nations of antiquity copied the practice from him. It was however a practice that began with Adam. The "Book of Jubilees", an Apocryphal book, (the Apocrypha was considered canonical by the early church and is to this day by the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church) states that "on the day when Adam went forth from the Garden of Eden, he offered as a sweet savour an offering of frankincense, galbanum, and stacte, and spices, in the morning with the rising of the sun, from the day when he covered his shame." And of Enoch we read that "he burnt the incense of the sanctuary, even sweet spices, acceptable before the Lord, on the Mount."
Incense was assigned miraculous powers by the Israelites. It was burned in golden bowls or cauldrons placed on or beside the altar. It was also burned in hand-held censers. In the Blessing of Moses, a poem belonging to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and written about 760 B.C., the sacrificial smoke is offered to the God of Israel.
Let them teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law; Let them offer sacrificial smoke to thy nostrils, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thy altar.
Throughout the Bible the ancient patriarchs were brought into communion with God through smoking incense and at Mt. Sinai God talked to Moses out of a bush that burned with fire (Exodus 3:1-12). After Moses brought the Israelite people out of Egypt he returned to Mt. Sinai at which time God made a covenant with Moses in which the Ten Commandments were revealed. Exodus 19:8 describes the conditions at the time of this covenant.
Exodus 19:8 "And Mount Sinai was altogether on smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
The Mysterious smoke mentioned in the covenant on Mt. Sinai is also referred to as a cloud.
Exodus 24:15 "And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. 16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
Scriptures make it abundantly clear that the clouds and the smoke are related to the burning of incense. Exodus 40:26 describes Moses burning incense, a cloud covering the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle. Leviticus 16:2-13 describes how God appeared in a cloud and refers to it as the clouds of incense. Numbers 16:17-19 describes how every man of the congregation had a censer full of burning incense and that the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. Isaiah 6:4 describes how Ezekial saw God in a smoke-filled inner court. Numbers 11:25 describes how God was revealed to moses and the seventy elders in a cloud; that the spirit rested upon them and that they prophesied and ceased not.
The Book of Grass by Andrew and Vinkenoog includes a section on Ancient Scythia and Iran by Mircea Eliade, one of the foremost experts on the history of religions. On pages 11 and 12 is the following:
"On one document appears to indicate the existence of a Getic shamanism: It is Straho's account of the Myssian KAPNOBATAI, a name that has been translated, by analogy with Aristophanes' AEROBATES, as 'those who walk in clouds'; but it should be translated as 'those who walk in smoke'! Presumably the smoke is hemp smoke, a rudimentary means of ecstasy known to both the Tracians and the Scythians..."
This passage should be carefully noted. Biblical passages make it abundantly clear that the ancient Isrealites also walked in clouds and in smoke. In fact it was in the clouds of smoke that God was revealed to the ancient Isrealites. The words "smoke" and "smoking" appear fifty times in the King James Version of the Bible and two separate times the Bible says of the Lord, "There went up a smoke out of his nostrils." II Samuel 22:9, Psalms 18:8.
There are numerous other places in the Bible that mention the burning of incense, the mysterious cloud, and smoke. This common thread is found throughout the Bible, including the New Testament.
St. Matthew 24:30 "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the Earth morn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory."
Revelations 1:7 "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."
Revelations 8:3 "And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer: and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the Angel's hand."
Revelations 15:8 "And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power."
SOURCES
Richard E. Schultes, article: "Man and Marijuana"
Richard E. Schultes and Albert Hofman, Plants of the Gods -- Origin of Hallucinogenic Use (McGraw-Hill Book Co. [U.K.] Limited, Maidenhead, England [1979]).
v G.S. Chopra, article: "Man and Marijuana", International Journal of the Addict,1969, 4, 215-247.
v Earnest L. Abel, Marijuana, the First Twelve Thousand Years (Phenum Press, New York, 1980)
Earnest L. Abel, A Comprehensive Guide to Cannabis Literature
Earnest L. Abel, Marijuana Dictionary: Words, Terms, Events and Persons Relating to Cannabis(Greenwood Press, Westpoint, Connecticut [1982])
Edward M. Breecher and the Editors of Consumer Reports, The Consumer Union Report, "Licit and Illicit Drugs", (Little, Brown, and Co.)
Louis Lewin, Phantastica, Narcotic and Stimulating Drugs: Their Use and Abuse, (London: Kegan, Trench, Turbner and Co., Ltd. Translated from the second German edition by P.H.A. Wirth, 1931) (N.Y., Dutton, 1964, reprint, 1924, trans. 1931)
Sula Benet, Cannabis and Culture, ed. V. Rubin (The Hague: Moutan, 1975)
Richard E. Lingeman, Drugs from A to Z, A Dictionary (McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1969, 74)
John R. Glowa, The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs (Chelsea House Pub., N.Y., New Haven, Philadelphia, 1986)
George Andrews and Simon Vinkenoog, The Book of Grass: An Anthology on Indian Hemp; Chandler and Sharp Series in Cross Cultural Themes (N.Y., Grove Press [1967])
v Jack Herer, The Emperor Wears No Clothes, 1985, 90, 91, 92.
Peter T. Furst, Hallucinogens and Culture (Chandler and Sharp Publishers, Inc., 1976)
v Baudelaire, Artificial Paradises
v Dr. Charles Tart, "On Being Stoned: A Psychological Study of Marijuana Intoxication" (Science and Behavior, 1971)
William A. Emboden, Jr. Ritual Use of Cannabis Sativa L
S.I. Rudenko, Frozen Tombs of Siberia Dent., London, 1970
v Edward Atchley, A History of the Use of Incense in Divine Worship
E. A. Wallis Budge, The Divine Origin of the Craft of the Herbalist
Egon C. Corti, A history of Smoking, by Count Corti; Translated by Paul England (G.G. Harrap, London, England, 1931)
v Francis Robicsek, The Smoking Gods: Tobacco in Mayan Art, History, and Religion (University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 197
Diodurus, Histories 1.97.7
Herman Scneider, History of World Civilization, 2v (New York, 1931)
M.N. Dhalla, Zoroastrian Civilization (Oxford University Press, N.Y., 1922)
Sir Charles Eliot, Hinduism and Buddhism 3v. (Routledge & K. Paul, London, 1921)
A.A. McDonell, India's Past (The Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1927)
Charles Anthon, A Classical Dictionary N.Y., Harpers and Brothers, 1848
G. Maspero, The Dawn of Civilization: Egypt and Chaldea (London, 1897)
Lucy Lamy, Egyptian Mysteries
Friedrich Ratzel, History of Mankind (N.Y., Gordon Press)
R.H. Charles The Book of Jubilees, cap, iij, (London, 1902)
Alfred Wiedemann, Religion of the Ancient Egyptians (London, 1987)
Geoffrey Wainwright, Eucharist and Eschatology (Epworth Press, London, 1971)
Webster's Third New International Dictionary, 1966
The Book of the Dead, Edit. E.A.W. Budge, British Museum, 1895, p. 250
J. Jeremias, in Encyclopedia, Iv, 4119, quoting Rawlinson, Cuneiform Inscription IV. 19 (59) Cnf. the story of Bel and the Dragon.
John McKenzie, The Bible Dictionary (N.Y. MacMillan Pub. Co., 1965)
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Holy Spirit" 15th Edition, 1978 Micropaedia, Ready Reference and Index
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Sacrifice" 15th Edition, 1978
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Pharmacological Cults" 15th Edition, 1978, p. 199
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Coptic"
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Essenes"
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Theraputea"
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Sacred Pipe" (15th Edition)
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Incense"
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Hemp" (Microppaedia Ready Reference and Index, p. 1016)
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Roman Catholicism, The Eucharist" Volume 15, p. 998
Encyclopedia Britannica, "Mysticism"
King James version of The Bible
The Apocrypha
The University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Cannabis Reform Coalition
S.A.O. Box #2
415 Student Union Building
UMASS, Amherst MA 01003
verdant@titan.ucs.umass.edu
* To find out about our on-line library, mail a message with the pattern "{{{readme}}}" contained IN THE SUBJECT LINE.
* You will be mailed instructions; your message will be otherwise ignored. DISCLAIMER -- The UMACRC does not affiliate with ANY religion. We do, however, believe that the right to use marijuana in religious ceremony should not be violated.
The above is the text of a pamphlet entitled "Marijuana and The Bible" published by the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, or an excerpt thereof. to request the entire pamphlet, use {{{#bible}}}
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