What Would Jesus Do About Medical Marijuana
July 24, 2006
The article has moved here
I was born into a Pentecostal Christian family. Mind you it was dysfunctional and broken, but we were attached by adoption to a family of ministers. Both my adopted Grandfather and Grandmother were ministers and missionaries.
Thus I spent a lot of time in church and with Christian minded individuals. I have always enjoyed the idea of Christ. Even though I am no longer a member of any organized religion I still like the Christ figure.
In the New Testament he is constantly going against the grain of policy both in the church and in the government. His company was never regarded of highly, these men who believed in the new religion as it was forming.
Jesus was kind, enjoyed wine, song, and the companionship of his fellows. Whether or not he performed the many miracles on the disabled it is told he did, he was always the patron saint of the downtrodden, the misfit, the diseased, and the sinner.
The problem was, I rarely saw any true mercy or kindness for the church. While Jesus would invite anyone who would listen to his table for a meal, my family was better than 99% of humanity and was convinced that associating with them was a mortal sin of the world.
After doing some research on where the “Christian Right” exists on the matter of Marijuana Prohibition today I was happily surprised.
The United Methodist Board of Church and Society, the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Union for Reform Judaism, the United Church of Christ, and the Progressive National Baptist Convention has all come out in favor of Marijuana as a medicine.
If Jesus was to come to earth today he would (by historical reference) not hang out with the choir, but instead would probably kick it with some stoners and drunks, telling them that he loves them and there is a place in heaven even for them.
If a woman was suffering from breast cancer and the only thing that allowed her to eat and keep a healthy weight while on chemotherapy was cannabis I doubt Jesus would condemn her. I doubt he would look down on her marijuana use.
So thank you to all the Christians who have not forgotten the true message of Jesus, love thyself, love thy neighbor, love me. Sounds like a hippie to me, watch out Jesus, Bush might have you arrested.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Cannabis 
April 10, 2007 at 1:13 am
let us not try to include jesus in this topic,,,its a humanitarian issue.
November 30, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Politicians are 10 years behind the times when it comes to hemp use. People have been fighting for a long time against marijuana and pot prohibition with some movement going on now. Still too slow for those caught up in the jail system for possessing a little weed. Our freedoms have been trampled on by folks who know nothing about how beautiful cannabis can be for someones life, if one learns how to grow cannabis. Keep up the good work.
May 30, 2010 at 1:16 am
I am a Christian and have been for over 40 years. I have been using medical marijuana for about one year.
BELIEVE ME this was not my first choice for pain relief. I have a severely bad back and live daily in chronic pain. For eight years I was on opiate based pain killers, mussel relaxants, and anti-depressants. SIX of those years I spent addicted these pain killers.
I really love Jesus and hate my sin. I had been a youth pastor for over a decade. So, when I end up addicted to what really helped my chronic pain. I was in serious trouble. After, my second medical DUI THINGS!!! had to change.
I through a pain clinic, I came off the narcotic pain killers, with the help of Jesus and my loving wife of 26 years.
She puts up with a lot. I’m disabled from my back, and I really have tried to go with nothing for the pain and its’ level is just too high. So, as I was coming off the narcotics my neighbor let me use some of there medical pot.
Honestly, in the middle of severe withdrawals I WAS looking for relief. And, strangely enough, I ended up using something that I dabbled with as a kid. And, it worked. But, I hard a hand time with smoking it. Until I was faced with this, I NOT TOTALLY, but fairly was against medical marijuana.
The PAIN I had made me change my mind over the course several months. And, now I legally smoke pot for pain. My mind is far clearer on pot than on the opiates. The drug abuse had messed up my mind, and now I remember things I haven’t for years.
Even so, I can’t bring myself to tell my pastor. Because pot, even if for a valid medical reason is not socially acceptable, at least within, my group of friends.
I could tell them and I know most would black ball me. That doesn’t sound like my savior. So, my friends that would black ball me are SINNERS just like you and me.I am not asking anybody to accept this, just to love me anyway…
Thanks for letting me vent.
September 1, 2010 at 8:07 pm
I stopped going to Church for the same reasons and I still feel the same way some times. But just recently I talked to all who I thought should know and that included family and friends as well as my minister where I attend Church. I told him of my medical problem and how I am doing it all for my health and well being under my Doctors’ care and legal medical marijuana card and papers and every thing within the law.
He assured me that I was very much welcome at church and for the most part no one at church really needs to know. I mean I am not out partying and having a hay day with what I consider my medication. I respect the law and my Doctors and every one ells that has made it possible for me to medicate with medical marijuana. I mean I went from five different pain killers and muscle relaxers at the same time, to just pot.
I am still having problems from using pain killers for so long that it messed up my stomach. My minister put it this way, “You aren’t doing anything illegal and this is between you your Doctor and God, no one ells.” I am sad to say that I have gotten the support of every one I have talked to except one, my fiancée who no longer wants me to see her because I use medical marijuana and have started growing my own medication.
I totally understand her point of view because there are children to consider here and I just don’t know how to make any one see things the way I do when it come to my pain and what I go through when I am without pot. Pain killers are just to much for me any more and I don’t like being all doped up on pills to where I don’t thing strait and I can’t take a good shit, parden my French.
Don’t stop going to Church and don’t hide the truth. Just don’t brag about it and every thing will be OK because God loves you and it’s his call any way.
AGJ
Walla Walla Wa.
October 18, 2010 at 9:45 am
I am going through a tough decision myself. I have suffered with GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) for most of my life. I’m in my 60’s, and have been put on many anti depressants, and anxiety medications. I stopped them all because of side affects. Recently I suffered temporary memory loss, it came after a severe anxiety attack. I was diagnosed with TGA Temporary Global Amnesia, rare. It was horrible and terrifying. It actually happened while I was in prayer. I love the Lord so deeply, and have done my best to rest in Him through all we’re going through. At times I am ok, but once I’m addressed with another circumstance my body reacts inspite of what me. I’ve been praying for the Lord to show me if marijuana is going to help me, and if it’s ok with Him. If it is not, and I know this for sure, I will continue to battle this through, but if it is a stigma of my years of legalistic hell and brimstone teaching, and He would approve of this help for me I can be free to see if it helps. I don’t know the answer, and I pray I can find the peace in whatever that answer is.
CCL Ca.