I know several drug users, one is my mate, he smokes marijuana, and he is one of the most compassionate, peace loving people I have ever met. The kids that brought Bones (the broken back kitty) to me were also known as part of the "druggie" crowd, yet they carefully scooped this poor crippled cat in their own hoodie, and brought her to me, because they knew I would know what to do. They were very concerned for her, and do still occasionally drop by my house to smoke pot with my mate, and they always inquire about Bones, and they pet her, and seem very genuinely happy that she is doing so well.
True, there are many people on drugs that are bad people, BUT they would STILL be bad people even without any drugs. Most of the worst serial killers were NOT on drugs at the time they were committing murders. How many people do YOU know PERSONALLY that have stolen or killed while on drugs? Or are you, like so many others, just going on hearsay and the brainwashing put forth by our governments? Certainly you MUST have lots of first-hand experience on the topic to state your cause so boldly! The devil doesn't have a damn thing to do with anything. PEOPLE are bad because of how there are raised by other people, and because of the bad experiences in their lives. People make bad people, NOT the "devil". The best way to combat evil is to take a proactive approach to children, to make sure that they learn to be compassionate adults, to rear them with values instilled in them that tell them how to treat other beings, be it other humans or animals. Be there for your fellow men, to support them through rough times in their lives, to lend support to them, and to show them that compassionate nurturing in their times of need is a good thing, something they will want to pass on to others. Show compassion for those who are not doing as well as you are, don't look down on the homeless, or the drug users, look to them as people in need of a helping hand, offer it to them, and show them that there is hope for a better tomorrow. Support public assistance for the poor, so they don't have to choose between buying clothes or buying food. Sure, there are people who take advantage of a "free ride", but the people that do that NEED to do so, because they know nothing else, and if that is taken from them, they will suffer for it. In yourself, find inner peace, and pull that calm and satisfying emotion from within your inner self, and let it flow from your body, so that you are a beacon of peace and comfort to those around you who face difficulties in their lives. Teach love, respect, and compassion to others who are open to the teachings, so that you can spread the wealth of goodness throughout all mankind. This, all of this, YOU can accomplish, on your own, without seeking the support of any god, and without placing blame on any devil. I am NOT a Christian, and this is not a religious group to be used for preaching about your god, or the evils of your devil, or any such things. You can offer support to others without preaching your religion to them, without trying to convert them. This REALLY isn't the place to slander drug users, take it to a prohibitionist listserve. I don't come in here whine to everyone about Christians, and how they try to convert us all, and how I really think it's less to do with religion and more along the lines of world domination by religious force. Never once on this list have I ever preached about Satanism or Buddhism or Bahá'í or New Age Crystallology or Wicca, or any of the many religions I pull my wisdom from. I RESPECT the right to freedom of religion of others, and know my place in a setting of diverse people such as this list. It's just my opinion, but I think you should find yours. Jenn PS, you will not hear one more word from my on this topic, I have said all I will say on this list, and I apologize to everyone for it, but I felt I must reply to this thread to defend my religion and my friends in the presence of such attack. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I also wonder how humans can be so cruel to one another. I think a lot of it has to do with drug use. So many people steal or kill while under the influence. The devil is out there and he is having a great time. Some forget that he's behind the evil, and anytime he can get his fingers into our lives, he takes the opportunity. Just remember he's out there and keep that in mind if you pray. It's my opinion that no matter what, we will never be totally happy or comfortable in our lives here on Earth, as we are not of this Earth. God never said that our lives would be easy here, and He's right, they aren't. In the meantime, I hope all of you enjoy your lives as much as you can, despite all the horrible things that do go on and do what you can about them, as many of you are already doing. Taking comfort in the "little" things, the simple pleasures of life, having faith, and prayer is all any of us can do to repel the evil. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.13.13/200 - Release Date: 12/14/2005
