Now that Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington D.C. have legalized the recreational use of marijuana, more Christians are asking whether smoking marijuana is truly immoral. After all, it’s legal.[1] Joe Carter has a thoughtful article on this issue that I found extremely helpful.[2] He argues that smoking marijuana is immoral. Here is Carter’s argument in a nutshell (with some ad-lib on my part at certain points):
- While the Bible does not speak to this issue directly, analogical reasoning from Biblical principles leads us to conclude that smoking marijuana is sinful.
- The principle of analogy holds that if X is similar to Y, and Y is judged as sinful in the Bible, then X is also sinful.
- Drunkenness is analogical to smoking marijuana because both have a psychoactive effect on the brain which results in cognitive and behavioral changes that impair our moral judgment by reducing our self-control.
- The Bible condemns drunkenness as a moral wrong, and since smoking marijuana is analogically similar to drunkenness, smoking marijuana is also wrong.
- One might argue by analogy that since the Bible condemns drunkenness rather than alcohol consumption, it would also be morally permissible to smoke marijuana so long as one does not become intoxicated. The analogy between the two in this respect is weak, however. While one can drink small amounts of alcohol without becoming intoxicated (and thus, without sinning), it is nearly impossible to avoid intoxication (and thus, sin) when smoking marijuana. Whereas one can drink several beers without experiencing intoxication, an impaired state is typically reached after just four puffs of a joint (7 mg of THC). Indeed, the only reason people have for smoking marijuana is to reach an impaired state. In contrast, people drink alcohol because they like the taste or for its medicinal benefits.
- If recreational drunkenness is a sin, then so is recreational marijuana.
What do you think of this argument? If you agree, what is the strength of the argument? If you disagree, which point of the argument do you disagree with? What sort of argument would you offer either for or against recreational marijuana use? [1]The confusion between what is legal and what is moral is persistent in our culture, and for good reason. The law is a moral teacher. The purpose of law is to extol the good and punish the bad. When laws are passed that permit or extol immoral activities, it brings moral confusion to the citizens. We saw the same thing when laws were passed legalizing abortion and no-fault divorce. [2]Joe Carter, “Is Recreational Marijuana Use a Sin?”; available from http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/is-recreational-marijuana-use-a-sin; Internet; accessed 18 February 2015.
February 24, 2015 at 1:56 pm
And just when I thought you had tackled every issue of theological and moral relevance…
Definitely something to chew on, but I’m inclining to agree with your line of reasoning. Thanks for posting!
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February 24, 2015 at 3:52 pm
Jason:
From the reasoning of this article regarding the immorality of marijuana it is a case of spinning the bias merely by terminology; it does not compare “drinking” alcohol to “smoking” marijuana but rather it compares drunkenness to smoking marijuana; that is, it compares the full intoxication of alcohol consumption, drunkeness and then speaks to drinking a few beer without being in a state of drunkenness as being different because one is high on marijuana after about four puffs of a joint. This is a weak argument as the intoxication differences between the two is huge.
In an era of heightened awareness about the perils of drinking and driving, the decimal, “0.08,” requires no explanation. We all know what it means: If your blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08% or higher, you’re legally impaired and you can be arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI).
Intoxication begins with the very first drink. So # 5 point: Whereas one can drink several beers without experiencing intoxication, …..” is false
Intoxication is not something one experiences which is why it is the most deadly of the intoxicants as one loses the ability to recognize their intoxication and in many cases argue and INSIST that they are okay to drive!
You can measure alcohol intoxication just 15 minutes after you consume your first drink, and, according to conventional wisdom, your intoxication level will remain within safe limits if you consume only one “standard” drink per hour. A standard drink is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) as half an ounce of alcohol (e.g., one 12 oz. beer, one 5 oz. glass of wine, or one 1.5 oz. shot of distilled spirits).
If it takes 6 beers for intoxication, and you drink one beer you are 1/6 intoxicated; 4 beers and you are 4/6’s or 2/3rds intoxicated.
We know from bible scriptures that Jesus drank alcohol and he was accused by the religious world of being a “boozer”; Christians will also admit that Jesus did not sin.
Marijuana has always been known to be safer than alcohol but today Marijuana is ‘significantly’ SAFER than previously thought: Cannabis is 114 times LESS deadly than alcohol, read “less moral”, claims study.
Results were based on estimating the typical human intake of each drug
Scientists then combined that figure with what constitutes a lethal dose
Alcohol was the deadliest drug, followed by heroin, cocaine and tobacco
Researchers had previously said it is almost impossible for people who smoke large amounts of cannabis to overdose on the drug
On an individual level, the study found that alcohol was the deadliest drug when it comes to the likelihood of a person dying from a high dose.
Researchers say we should stop fighting marijuana legalization and focus on alcohol and tobacco instead.
Smoking weed is of course not “safe, full stop”, but studies have found time and time again that it is indeed “safer than alcohol” with the most recent study claiming that marijuana compared to alcohol is 114 times less deadly; in other words, alcohol is 114 time more immoral than marijuana
The research is backed up by police in Colorado, the first US state to legalise the drug, who said recently that a year on, everything is fine and police work has gone on mostly unchanged.
The matter of harm in society is even simpler to determine with respect to smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. A person’s actions have to cause significant harm to others to be considered anti-social or immoral. Alcohol by a wide margin is more harmful to society and again I refer you to the stats of 114 times more harmful and anti social than marijuana
In contrast hospital resources committed to drunks are huge.
Now there is a unique element to the intoxicant effects of the two different intoxications as well. Alcohol is purely an intoxication that caters exclusively to the fleshly desires of the body. Marijuana, on the other hand, caters to the spirit. And remember the words? it is the spirit that gives life, the flesh profits nothing. Marijuana is an intoxicant to the spirit and life; alcohol is an intoxicant to the flesh and death.
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February 24, 2015 at 4:21 pm
2. The principle of analogy holds that if X is similar to Y, and Y is judged as sinful in the Bible, then X is also sinful.
Not only are alcohol and marijuana not similar they are complete opposites: there points 3, 4 5 and 6 and the conclusion of point 1. are all rendered false reasoning accordingly.
The Law is made to punish transgressors not to extol the good. The righteous are not praised by the law because they wear their seatbelts; that they do what is right because they are under grace is praise enough and the reward is not being subject to the law by the grace of doing what is right without the law.
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February 24, 2015 at 6:12 pm
Jason:
Speaking from the perspective of a former atheist and alcoholic who became a Christian, I don’t abstain from certain habits or activities based on
something like Joe Carter’s 6-point “argument” I think of it more along the lines of what Paul says: ” All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. (1Co 10:23 .
For example, in my case I had a definite weakness for alcohol and, while I don’t believe it’s a sin for a Christian to drink alcohol in small amounts, I believe that in my personal case I should avoid it altogether, and therefore, I haven’t had a drop of alcohol since 1975. I just believe that it is a very personal thing that each Christian has to decide for himself and also we need to be thoughtful to our weaker brothers as the following scripture points out:
“It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” Rom 14:21).
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February 25, 2015 at 12:54 am
I don’t think Christians or anyone else should take alcohol/drugs to cause an altered state (drunk, stoned, high). A person can take a few tokes or consume “special” bake goods without getting stoned though. Where legal, this would be similar to having a few drinks and not sinful IMO. However, I’d agree taking other illegal psychedelic drugs that will cause an altered state would be sinful.
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February 25, 2015 at 1:30 am
I don’t know about you guys, but most of us who has ever smoked weed did it for the sole purpose of getting stoned. Why would anybody smoke it recreationally and stop before they reach an altered state? I find this discussion of “light use” very theoretical and not at all practical. Medicinal use is another discussion, but as far as recreational marijuana, just taking a few puffs is akin to walking into a strip club to buy a Pepsi.
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February 25, 2015 at 4:33 am
Amen to Jeremy’s comment. Let’s not deceive ourselves.
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February 25, 2015 at 11:36 am
Of course smoking weed is not conducive to living in the Spirit with God . It should be included at the end of the list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5. Any honest Christian will easily discern this. Unfortunately all Christians are NOT intellectually honest.
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February 25, 2015 at 11:53 am
Don,
I agree that one can be aware that something is wrong in different ways, and that we need to develop our own convictions on certain matters, but I don’t think this is a Romans 14 issue. If smoking marijuana alters one’s mind, then it is just as wrong as other mind-altering substances condemned in Scripture. While we do need to develop our own convictions, when something is wrong (and we know it’s wrong by analogy to what Scripture condemns as sinful), there isn’t room for personal disagreement envisioned by Paul in Romans 14. The only thing that is debatable in this case is whether or not smoking marijuana is analogous to drunkenness. For me, I don’t see a leg to stand on for claiming it’s not analogous since both have psychotic effects.
Jason
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February 25, 2015 at 11:57 am
Paul Vander Voort, I agree with you in principle that it wouldn’t be wrong to consume small amounts of cannibas as long as it did not result in intoxication, but can you tell me who consumes pot brownies because they like the taste? Who limits themselves to two puffs of a joint just because they like the taste of the smoke? I don’t know anyone in the history of the world who has done so.
Jason
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February 25, 2015 at 4:51 pm
Jason:
yeah, I sort of sidestepped your question: “What do you think of this argument? I got carried away with my own former addiction issues and how I handled them – but to directly answer your question, I agree with Joe Carter’s conclusion (point 6) .”If recreational drunkenness is a sin, then so is recreational marijuana.”
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February 25, 2015 at 5:08 pm
Jason,
I didn’t add rye to my ginger ale because it made the ginger ale taste better or was cheaper. I’m saying one can stop using alcohol or marijuana with out getting drunk/stoned or they could keep using and get drunk/stoned. If someone can’t stop with out getting drunk/stoned then they should abstain.
It’s similar to having a few drinks at the end of the day to unwind. My lingo may be a little out of date but it’s the difference between getting mellow and stoned. Therefore, if it’s not sinful to use one legal drug (alcohol) to unwind at the end of the day, why would it be sinful to use another legal drug (marijuana) to unwind at the end of the day?
A drug like Acid would be sinful IMO. Anyone taking acid wants to trip out.
Paul
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February 25, 2015 at 7:50 pm
Paul Thorp:
Who, I wonder, decides if Christians are intellectually honest or not? You?
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August 11, 2016 at 4:34 pm
Jason, even though I am absolutely against recreational marijuana,(which your question is about, but I am compelled to speak) until anyone who has a debilitating painful disease such as cancer, I feel it is judgmental and unfair (such as our minister’s) to treat one of God’s most powerful, healing plants on the face of the earth, like it’s the most sinful, shameful, and ungodly plant that God created. Until one has researched the history and it’s powerful use, please, I beg of everyone NOT condemn those who desperately need it. If you go into the government involvement, ther are several theories why they declared it illegal, It’s a shame that the Hippie era misused it and really brought condemnation on this incredible plant. It was used in Bible days for so many variety of things. When one juices it’s leaves, it has incredible healing properties. It can reverse so many illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, epilepsy, etc. Even though in my state, medicinal marijuana is illegal.at this time, once it is legal, I will be the first one to use it, but until then, I have to be content to use the CBD from the plant, which is LEGAL in ALL states.. There is virtually little THC in juicing the leaves. This does NOT get you high, but helps with pain and as I reiterate, has such an amazing healing power. I believe this plant has been misused as most things are such as computers, media, etc. – it’s why and how you use it.
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August 11, 2016 at 4:42 pm
There is much controversial whether smoking it can cause cancer. There is a danger in smoking it – Anytime the plant is heated, the THC is triggered and you can have your ‘high’, whether it is in the form of smoking, brownies, candy, oils, etc. BUT juicing the leaves DOES NOT GIVE YOU A ‘HIGH’ since it is raw and NOT heated!!
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August 11, 2016 at 4:49 pm
The problem is if you legalize medicinal marijuana in all states, it won’t be long before all states will legalize recreational marijuana and abuse it. That’s such a shame, because the juiced raw leaves could help us who are so very sick.
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August 11, 2016 at 9:23 pm
View Full Version : Early Christians just a Bunch of Pot Addicts?
Cannabis linked to Biblical healing
Jesus Christ and his apostles may have used a cannabis-based anointing oil to help cure people with crippling diseases, it has been claimed.
Researchers in the United States say the oil used in the early days of the Christian church contained a cannabis extract called kaneh-bosem.
They suggest the extract, which is absorbed into the body when placed on the skin, could have helped cure people with a variety of physical and mental problems.
The author of the article, published in the US drugs magazine High Times, says his findings are based on a study of scriptural texts.
The article does not question the validity of the miracles reported in the Bible but rather examines whether the early Christian Church may have made use of substances with an active medical effect.
It does not rule out the role played by blind faith in Christ.
Chris Bennett said cannabis was widely used at the time to heal the sick.
“The medical use of cannabis during that time is supported by archaeological records.”
He said the ancient anointing oil contained high levels of cannabis extract.
“The holy anointing oil, as described in the original Hebrew version of the recipe in Exodus, contained over six pounds of keneh-bosum – a substance identified by respected etymology, linguists anthropologists, botanists and other researchers as cannabis extracted into about six quarts of olive oil along with a variety of other fragrant herbs.
“The ancient annointed ones were literally drenched in this potent mixture.”
Miracles
Mr Bennett suggested the drug may have played a role in some healing miracles carried out by Jesus and his disciples.
He wrote: “In the ancient world, diseases such as epilepsy were attributed to demonic possession.
“To cure somebody of such an illness, even with the aid of certain herbs was considered exorcism or miraculous healing.
“Interestingly, cannabis has been shown to be effective in the treatment of not only epilepsy but many of the other ailments that Jesus and the disciples healed people of such as skin diseases, eye problems and menstrual problems.”
Mr Bennett said the findings suggested that it was unchristian to persecute people who used cannabis.
“If cannabis was one of the main ingredients of the ancient Christian anointing oil, as history indicates, and receiving this oil is what made Jesus the Christ and his followers Christians, then persecuting those who use cannabis could be considered anti-Christ.”
However, Christian groups in the United States have rejected Mr Bennett’s claims.
They have insisted that the arguments made in the article are lame.
In a response to the article published on JesusJournal.com, critics said: “As many of us know firsthand, Jesus often becomes the final hope for the pharmacologically impaired.”
John Cunyus, the author of a book on Christian healing, said: “Well, the Bible does say that St. Stephen was stoned… but perhaps not in that sense!”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2633187.stm
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January 12, 2018 at 2:34 pm
This might be a bit unrelated but I really hope that medical marijuana becomes legal nationwide soon. Do you have any other articles specifically about legalization?
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