<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "shempmcgurk" <shempmcgurk@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Vaj and new_morning_blank_slate (and MDixon for that matter):
> >
> > Fall all over yourselves in your apparent rush to defend drug
use,
> > even something as seemingly innoculous as marijuana. You'll
make
> > yourselves look foolish all by yourselves without any help from
me.
>
> I hardly see why posting a scientific study, and a historical
overview
> of real religious practices, should be so offensive to you or make
> anyone seem foolish.
>
> And why you see posting of them as "Fall[ing] all over [our]selves
in
> your apparent rush to defend drug use" is well mindblowing.
>
> While I like a number of your comments, this one seems silly,
perhaps
> touching some nerve that causes an irrational knee-jerk reaction.
To
> me rationality, independent thinking, and clear thinking are values
> and practices to be applauded if not cherised. And at the core of
> libertarina thinking, IMO. Thus your irrational response surprises
me.
>
> If you find any factual errors in either post (study and history of
> religions overview), please by all means post them.
I am for the full legalisation of drugs, as I've posted here many
times.
But there's nothing -- absolutely no reason -- for participants on a
spiritual site to have any suggestions in their minds that drugs are
a good thing.
>
>
> >
> >
> > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, new_morning_blank_slate
> > <no_reply@> wrote:
> > >
> > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <vajranatha@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Jun 5, 2006, at 2:45 PM, shempmcgurk wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Thirdly, drugs. That was the era when drugs became
> > fashionable.
> > > > > What's so good about that?
> > > >
> > > > We found out we were being lied to? :
> > > >
> > > > "NO ASSOCIATION AT ALL...EVEN A SUGGESTION OF SOME
PROTECTIVE
> > EFFECT"
> > > > BETWEEN HEAVY SMOKING OF MARIJUANA AND CANCER...
> > > > Washington Post | Marc Kaufman | Posted May 26, 2006
08:14
> > AM
> > > >
> > > > 
> > > > AP/CP, Richard Lam
> > > > The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded
that
> > smoking
> > > > marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung
> > cancer.
> > > > The new findings "were against our expectations," said
Donald
> > Tashkin
> > > > of the University of California at Los Angeles, a
pulmonologist
> > who
> > > > has studied marijuana for 30 years.
> > > >
> > > > "We hypothesized that there would be a positive association
> > between
> > > > marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association
would be
> > more
> > > > positive with heavier use," he said. "What we found instead
was
> > no
> > > > association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective
> > effect."
> > >
> > >
> > > OK, I'll see your pot article and raise you one (to be posted
> > later).
> > >
> > > Pot hardly first became fashionable, or was seen as a spiritual
> > > substance, in the 60's
> > >
> > > -------
> > >
> > > Cannabis has a long history of spiritual use, especially in
India,
> > > where it has been used by wandering spiritual sadhus for
centuries.
> > > The most famous religious group in the West to use cannabis in
a
> > > spiritual context are the Rastafari movement, though they are
by no
> > > means the only group. Some historians and etymologists have
claimed
> > > that cannabis was used by ancient Jews, early Christians and
> > Muslims
> > > of the Sufi order.
> > >
> > > * 1 Rastafari use
> > > * 2 Judeo-Christian use
> > > * 3 Muslim use
> > > * 4 Hindu use
> > > * 5 Sikh use
> > > * 6 Others
> > > * 7 See also
> > > * 8 References
> > > * 9 External links
> > >
> > > Rastafari use
> > >
> > > It is not known when Rastafari first made cannabis into
something
> > > sacred, though it is clear that by the late 1940s Rastafari was
> > > associated with cannabis smoking at the Pinnacle community of
> > Leonard
> > > Howell. Rastafari claim to know that cannabis is the Tree of
Life
> > > mentioned in the Bible. Bob Marley, amongst many others,
said, "the
> > > herb [ganja is the healing of the nations". The use of
cannabis,
> > and
> > > particularly of large pipes called "chalices", is an integral
part
> > of
> > > what Rastafari call Reasoning sessions. (The flaming chalice
is
> > also
> > > the symbol of Unitarian Universalism.) They see cannabis as
having
> > the
> > > capacity to allow the user to penetrate the truth of how
things are
> > > much more clearly, as if the wool had been pulled from one's
eyes.
> > > Thus the Rastafari come together to smoke cannabis in order to
> > discuss
> > > the truth with each other, reasoning it all out little by
little
> > > through many sessions. In this way Rastafari believe that
cannabis
> > > brings the user closer to Jah.
> > > [edit]
> > >
> > > Judeo-Christian use
> > >
> > > The holy anointing oil mentioned in various sacred Hebrew texts
> > > contained, among other ingredients, an herb known as kaneh-bosm
> > > (fragrant cane). Historically interpreted to mean calamus,
there is
> > > some evidence that the correct interpretation of 'fragrant
cane'
> > may
> > > in fact be cannabis.
> > >
> > > The word kaneh-bosm (the singular form of which would be kaneh-
bos
> > [1])
> > > appears several times in the Old Testament as a bartering
material,
> > > incense, and an ingredient in holy anointing oil used by the
high
> > > priest of the temple.[2] The word also appears in Isaiah, [3]
> > > Jeremiah, [4] Ezekiel[5] and Song of Solomon.[6] Polish
> > anthropologist
> > > Sula Benet published etymological evidence that suggested a
word
> > > believed to be the Aramaic word for hemp can be read as
kannabos
> > and
> > > appears to be a cognate to the modern word 'cannabis', [7]
with the
> > > root kan meaning "reed" or hemp and bosm meaning "fragrant".
Other
> > > published evidence suggests that cannabis may have been used
as a
> > > topical psychoactive substance in this time period. As
anointment
> > is
> > > the application of topical fragrant, emollient, or medicinal
> > ointment
> > > for ritual or therapeutic purposes, it is possible that
cannabis
> > may
> > > have been an ingredient in holy anointing oil, producing
spiritual
> > > experiences due to the psychoactive properties of the
ingredients.
> > [8]
> > >
> > > Rabbinical scholars appear to be divided on the question of
what
> > > kaneh-bosm means. Exodus[9] lists kinamon-bosm (qnmn-bsm) and
> > > kaneh-bosm (qnh-bsm) separately as ingredients of the holy
> > anointing
> > > oil used by temple priests, romanized as "v'th qx-lk bsmym r's
mr-
> > drvr
> > > xms m'vt vqnmn-bsm mx&ytv xmsym vm'tym vqnh-bsm xmsym vm'tym".
[10]
> > > Rabbi Diana Villa confirms that "'Kinamon' or 'kinman bosem' is
> > > definitely cinnamon" but disputes that kaneh-bosm is cannabis,
> > > offering a number of other possible interpretations from other
> > > published sources.[11] Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's annotated Torah
> > > translation entitled "The Living Torah" includes cannabis among
> > > several other possible interpretations of kaneh-bosm [12]. In
> > Israel
> > > some synagogues engage in the smoking of cannabis before the
holy
> > > sabbath to explore a "higher" spiritual learning.
> > >
> > > Elders of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church consider cannabis
to be
> > the
> > > eucharist, [13] claiming it as an oral tradition from Ethiopia
> > dating
> > > back to the time of Christ.[14] The word "Christ" actually
> > means "the
> > > anointed one."
> > >
> > > The first miracle attributed to Jesus took place in Cana, a
name
> > which
> > > some claim to refer to a place where hemp was grown. Pro-
cannabis
> > > advocates in modern times interpret various parts of the New
> > Testament
> > > to mean that the "new wine" which Jesus provided at the
wedding
> > feast
> > > was actually cannabis.[15]
> > >
> > > Like the Rastafari, some Gnostic Christians have asserted that
> > > cannabis is the Tree of Life.[16]
> > > [edit]
> > >
> > > Muslim use
> > >
> > > Generally in orthodox Islam, the use of cannabis is deemed to
be
> > > khamr, and therefore haraam (forbidden). As with most
orthodoxies,
> > > early practices differ in this. Some say that, as hashish was
> > > introduced in post-Koranic times, the prohibition of khamr
> > (literally,
> > > "fermented grape") did not apply to it. Others point to various
> > > hadith, which equate all intoxicants with khamr, and declare
them
> > all
> > > haraam, "if much intoxicates, then even a little is haraam".
> > >
> > > Although cannabis use in Islamic society has been consistently
> > > present, often but not exclusively in the lower classes, its
use
> > > explicitly for spiritual purposes is most noted among the
Sufi. An
> > > account of the origin of this,
> > >
> > > According to one Arab legend, Haydar, the Persian founder of
the
> > > religious order of Sufi, came across the cannabis plant while
> > > wandering in the Persian mountains. Usually a reserved and
silent
> > man,
> > > when he returned to his monastery after eating some cannabis
> > leaves,
> > > his disciples were amazed at how talkative and animated (full
of
> > > spirit) he seemed. After cajoling Haydar into telling them
what he
> > had
> > > done to make him feel so happy, his disciples went out into the
> > > mountains and tried the cannabis for themselves. So it was,
> > according
> > > to the legend, the Sufis came to know the pleasures of
hashish.
> > (Taken
> > > from the Introduction to A Comprehensive Guide to Cannabis
> > Literature
> > > by Ernest Abel.)
> > >
> > > This story is most likely a myth or a simplification but an
> > > interesting account nonetheless.
> > >
> > > In addition, the warrior sect of the Hashashin were said to
have
> > > smoked cannabis and were given the name "Hashasin"
accordingly.
> > This
> > > notion, traditional in the West, is largely inferred from
Marco
> > Polo's
> > > account of his travels, though it has been disputed.[17]
> > > [edit]
> > >
> > > Hindu use
> > >
> > > Cannabis is believed to have been used in India as early as
1000
> > > B.C.E.. In mainstream, lay religious usage, it is usually
taken in
> > > liquid form as bhang and used during religious ceremonies such
as
> > > marriage, as well as the Hindu celebrations of Holi and
Baisakhi.
> > [18][19]
> > >
> > > Hashish, or charas, is widely smoked by Shaivite devotees, and
> > > cannabis itself is seen as a gift of Shiva to aid in sadhana.
> > > Wandering ascetic sadhus are often seen smoking charas with a
> > chillum.
> > >
> > > The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report[20] describes some
> > traditional
> > > Hindu spiritual uses of cannabis.
> > >
> > > Connection of ganja with the worship of Siva.
> > > 435. It is chiefly in connection with the worship of Siva, the
> > Mahadeo
> > > or great god of the Hindu trinity, that the hemp plant, and
more
> > > especially perhaps ganja, is associated. The hemp plant is
> > popularly
> > > believed to have been a great favourite of Siva, and there is
a
> > great
> > > deal of evidence before the Commission to show that the drug
in
> > some
> > > form or other is now extensively used in the exercise of the
> > religious
> > > practices connected with this form of worship. Reference to
the
> > almost
> > > universal use of hemp drugs by fakirs, jogis, sanyasis, and
> > ascetics
> > > of all classes, and more particularly of those devoted to the
> > worship
> > > of Siva, will be found in the paragraphs of this report
dealing
> > with
> > > the classes of the people who consume the drugs. These
religious
> > > ascetics, who are regarded with great veneration by the people
at
> > > large, believe that the hemp plant is a special attribute of
the
> > god
> > > Siva, and this belief is largely shared by the people. Hence
the of
> > > many fond epithets ascribing to ganja the significance of a
divine
> > > pro-party, and the common practice of invoking the deity in
terms
> > of
> > > adoration before placing the chillum or pipe of ganja to the
lips.
> > > There is evidence to show that on almost all occasions of the
> > worship
> > > of this god, the hemp drugs in some form or other are used by
> > certain
> > > classes of the people it is established by the evidence of
> > > Mahamabopadhya Mahesa Chandra Nyayaratna and of other
witnesses
> > that
> > > siddhi is offered to the image of Siva at Benares, Baidynath,
> > > Tarakeswar, and elsewhere. At the Shivratri festival, and on
almost
> > > all occasions before the on which this worship is practised,
there
> > is
> > > abundant evidence Commission which shows not only that ganja is
> > > offered to the god and consumed by these classes of the
> > worshippers,
> > > but that these customs are so intimately connected with their
> > worship
> > > that they may be considered to form in some sense an integral
part
> > of
> > > it. . . .
> > > Worship of the hemp plant
> > > 449. The custom of worshipping the hemp plant, although not so
> > > prevalent as that of offering hemp to Shiva and other deities
of
> > the
> > > Hindus, would nevertheless appear from the statements of the
> > witnesses
> > > to exist to some extent in some provinces of India. The reason
why
> > > this fact is not generally known may perhaps be gathered from
such
> > > statements as that of Pandit Dharma Nand Joshi, who says that
such
> > > worship is performed in secret. There may be another cause of
the
> > > denial on the part of the large majority of Hindu witnesses of
any
> > > knowledge of the existence of a custom of worshipping the hemp
> > plant
> > > in that the educated Hindu will not admit that he worships the
> > > material object of his adoration, but the deity as represented
by
> > it.
> > > The custom of worshipping the hemp plant, though not confined
to
> > the
> > > Himalayan districts or the northern portions of India alone,
where
> > the
> > > use of the products of the hemp plant is more general among the
> > > people, is less known as we go south. Still even far south, in
> > some of
> > > the hilly districts of the Madras Presidency and among the
rural
> > > population, the hemp plant is looked upon with some sort of
> > > veneration. Mr. J. H. Merriman (witness No. 28, Madras)
says: "I
> > know
> > > of no custom of worshipping the hemp plant, but believe it is
held
> > in
> > > a certain sort of veneration by some classes." Mr. J.
Sturrock, the
> > > Collector of Coimbatore (witness No. 2, Madras), says: "In
some few
> > > localities there is a tradition of sanctity attached to the
plant,
> > but
> > > no regular worship. "The Chairman of the Conjeveram Municipal
> > Board,
> > > Mr. E. Subramana Iyer (witness No. 143, Madras) says: "There
is no
> > > plant to be worshipped here, but it is generally used as
> > sacrifices to
> > > some of the minor Hindu deities. "There is a passage quoted
from
> > > Rudrayanmal Danakand and Karmakaud in the report on the use of
hemp
> > > drugs in the Baroda State, which also shows that the worship
of the
> > > bhang plant is enjoined in the Shastras. It is thus
stated: "The
> > god
> > > Shiva says to Parvati-- 'Oh, goddess Parvati, hear the benefits
> > > derived from bhang. The worship of bhang raises one to my
> > position. In
> > > Bhabishya Puran it is stated that "on the 13th moon of Chaitra
> > (March
> > > and April) one who wishes to see the number of his sons and
> > grandsons
> > > increased must worship Kama (Cupid) in the hemp plant, etc.".
> > >
> > > Sikh use
> > >
> > > The Sikh religion developed in the Punjab in Mughal times. The
> > common
> > > use of bhang in religious festivals by Hindus carried over
into
> > Sikh
> > > practice as well. Sikhs were required to observe Dasehra with
> > bhang,
> > > in commemoration of the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru
Nanak.
> > [21]
> > >
> > > The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report[20] describes the
> > traditional
> > > use of cannabis in the Sikh religion.
> > >
> > > Among the Sikhs the use of bhang as a beverage appears to be
> > common,
> > > and to be associated with their religious practices. The
witnesses
> > who
> > > refer to this use by the Sikhs appear to regard it as an
essential
> > > part of their religious rites having the authority of the
Granth or
> > > Sikh scripture. Witness Sodhi Iswar Singh, Extra Assistant
> > > Commissioner, says :"As far as I know, bhang is pounded by the
> > Sikhs
> > > on the Dasehra day, and it is ordinarily binding upon every
Sikh to
> > > drink it as a sacred draught by mixing water with it. Legend--
Guru
> > > Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, the founder of the Sikh
religion,
> > was on
> > > the gaddi of Baba Nanak in the time of Emperor Aurangzeb. When
the
> > > guru was at Anandpur, tahsil Una, Hoshiarpur district, engaged
in
> > > battle with the Hill Rajas of the Simla, Kangra, and the
Hoshiarpur
> > > districts, the Rains sent an elephant, who was trained in
attacking
> > > and slaying the forces of the enemy with a sword in his trunk
and
> > in
> > > breaking open the gates of forts, to attack and capture the
Lohgarh
> > > fort near Anandpur. The guru gave one of his followers,
Bachittar
> > > Singh, some bhang and a little of opium to eat, and directed
him to
> > > face the said elephant. This brave man obeyed the word of
command
> > of
> > > his leader and attacked the elephant, who was intoxicated and
had
> > > achieved victories in several battles before, with the result
that
> > the
> > > animal was overpowered and the Hill Rajas defeated. The use of
> > bhang,
> > > therefore, on the Dasehra day is necessary as a sacred
draught. It
> > is
> > > customary among the Sikhs generally to drink bhang, so that
Guru
> > > Gobind Singh has himself said the following poems in praise of
> > bhang:
> > > "Give me, O Saki (butler), a cup of green colour (bhang), as
it is
> > > required by me at the time of battle (vide 'Suraj Parkash, '
the
> > Sikh
> > > religious book). "Bhang is also used on the Chandas day, which
is a
> > > festival of the god Sheoji Mahadeva. The Sikhs consider it
binding
> > to
> > > use it on the Dasehra day-The quantity then taken is too small
to
> > > prove injurious." As Sikhs are absolutely prohibited by their
> > religion
> > > from smoking, the use of ganja and charas in this form is not
> > > practised by them. of old Sikh times, is annually permitted to
> > collect
> > > without interference a boat load of bhang, which is afterwards.
> > > distributed throughout the year to the sadhus and beggars who
are
> > > supported by the dharamsala.
> > >
> > > Others
> > >
> > > Organized religions founded in the past century are Ethiopian
Zion
> > > Coptic Church, Religion of Jesus Church, THC Ministry, Way of
> > Infinite
> > > Harmony, Cantheism and Cannabis Assembly. Many individuals also
> > > consider their use of cannabis to be spiritual regardless of
> > organized
> > > religion.
> > > [edit]
> > >
> > > See also
> > >
> > > * Freedom of thought
> > >
> > > References
> > >
> > > 1. ^ http://www.gnostics.com/numbers-7.html
> > > 2. ^ Exodus 30:23
> > > 3. ^ Isaiah 43:24
> > > 4. ^ Jeremiah 6:20
> > > 5. ^ Ezekiel 27:19
> > > 6. ^ Song of Solomon 4:14
> > > 7. ^ http://www.njweedman.com/kanehbosm.html
> > > 8. ^
http://cannabisculture.com/backissues/mayjune96/kanehbosm.html
> > > 9. ^ Exodus 30:23
> > > 10. ^
> > http://bibledbdata.org/onlinebibles/hebrew_translit/02_030.htm
> > > 11. ^ http://www.schechter.edu/askrabbi/fragrantcane.htm
> > > 12. ^ http://www.thc-ministry.org/thelivingtorah.jpg
> > > 13. ^ http://nepenthes.lycaeum.org/Drugs/THC/bible.html
> > > 14. ^
http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_spirit2.shtml
> > > 15. ^ http://www.ccguide.org.uk/bible.php
> > > 16. ^ http://www.iamm.com/man-
> > cu.htm.._ABRIDGED_THEOLOGICAL_DISCUSSION
> > > 17. ^
http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_info4.shtml
> > > 18. ^ http://www.skunked.co.uk/articles/history-intoxicant.htm
> > > 19. ^ http://www.ukcia.org/research/indian/chapt9.htm
> > > 20. ^ a b Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1893-94.
> > Simla,
> > > India: Government Central Printing House, 1894, 7 vols.,
CHAPTER
> > IX,
> > > SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS
> > > 21. ^ http://www.ukcia.org/research/abel/6.htm
> > >
> >
>
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