An excerpt everyone should read

[ArgoSG]

This is from "The End of Faith" by Sam Harris, from a chapter devoted to how he believes Religion, and in general, belief without evidence is responsible for some of the absurd laws that still exist in many states in our country:

The influence of faith on our criminal laws comes at a remarkable price. Consider the case of drugs. As it happens, there are many substances(many of which are naturally occurring), the consumption of which leads to transient states of inordinate pleasure. Occasionally, it is true, they lead to transient states of misery as well. But there is no doubt that pleasure is the norm, otherwise human beings would not have the continual desire to take such substances for millennia. Of course, pleasure is precisely the problem with these substances, since pleasure and piety have always had an uneasy relationship.

When one looks at our drug laws, indeed, at our vice laws all together, the only organizing principle that appears to make sense of them is that anything which might radically eclipse prayer, or procreative sexuality as a source of pleasure, has been outlawed. In particular, any drug:

-LSD
-Mescaline
-Psilocybin
-DMT
-MDMA
-Marijuana
-etc

..to which spiritual or religious experience has been ascribed to by it's users, has been prohibited. Concerns about the health of our citizens or about their productivity are red herrings in this debate, as the legality of alcohol and cigarettes attests. The fact that people are being prosecuted and imprisoned for using marijuana, while alcohol remains a staple commodity, is surely the reductio ad absurdum of any notion that our drug laws are designed to keep people from harming themselves or others. Alcohol is, by any measure the more dangerous substance. It has no approved medical use, and it's lethal dose is rather easily achieved. It's role in causing automobile accidents is beyond dispute. The manner in which alcohol relieves people of their inhibitions contributes to:

-Human violence
-Personal injury
-Unplanned pregnancy
-The spread of sexually transmitted disease

Alcohol is also well known to be addictive. When consumed in large quantities over many years, it can lead to devastating neurological impairments, to cirrhosis of the liver and to death. In the United States alone, more than 100,000 people annually die from it's use. It is also more toxic to a developing fetus than any other drug of abuse. Indeed, crack babies appear to have been really suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome.

None of these charges can be leveled at marijuana. As a drug, marijuana is nearly unique in having several medical applications and no known lethal dosage. While adverse reactions to drugs like aspirin and ibuprofin account for an estimated 7,600 deaths and 76,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States alone, marijuana kills no one. It's role as a 'gateway drug' now seems less plausible than ever, and it was never plausible. In fact, nearly everything human beings do; driving cars, flying planes, hitting golf balls- is more dangerous than smoking marijuana in the privacy of one's own home. Anyone who would seriously attempt to argue that marijuana is worthy of prohibition because of the risk it poses to human beings will find the powers of the human brain are simply insufficient for the job. And yet, we are so far from the shady groves of reason now that people are still receiving life sentences without the possibility of parole for growing, selling, possessing or buying what is in fact a naturally occurring plant. Cancer patients and paraplegics have been sentenced to decades in prison for marijuana possession. Owners of garden supply stores have received similar sentences because some of their customers were caught growing marijuana.

What explains this astonishing wastage of human life and material resources? The only explanation is that our discourse on this subject has never been obliged to function within the bounds of rationality. Under our current laws, it is safe to say, if a drug were invented that posed no risk of physical harm or addiction to it's users, but produced a brief feeling of spiritual bliss and epiphany in 100% of those who tried it, this drug would be illegal, and people would be punished mercilessly for it's use. Only anxiety about the biblical crime of idolatry would appear to make sense of this retributive impulse. Because we are a people of faith; taught to concern ourselves with the sinfulness of our neighbors, we have grown tolerant of irrational uses of state power.

Our prohibition of certain substances has led thousands of productive and otherwise law-abiding men and women to be locked away for decades at a stretch; sometimes for life. Their children have become wards of the state. As if such cascading horror were not disturbing enough, violent criminals; murders, rapists and child molesters are regularly paroled to make room for them. Here we appear to have overstepped the banality of evil, and plunged to the absurdity at it's depth.

The consequences of our irrationality on this front are so egregious that they bear a closer examination. Each year, over 1.5 million men and women are arrested in the United States because of our drug laws. At this moment, somewhere on the order of around 400,000 men and women languish in U.S. prisons for non-violent drug offenses. One million others are currently on probation. More people are imprisoned for non-violent drug offenses in the United States than are incarcerated for any reason, in all of western Europe, which has a larger population. The cost of these efforts, at the federal level alone, is nearly 20 billion dollars annually. The total cost of our drug laws, when one factors in the expenses from state and local governments, and from the tax revenue lost by our failure to regulate the sale of drugs could easily be in excess of 100 billion dollars, each year. Our war drugs consumes an estimated 50% of trial time in our courts and the full time energy of over 400,000 police officers. These are resources that might otherwise be used to fight violent crime and terrorism.

In historical terms, there was every reason to expect that such a policy of prohibition would fail. It is well known for instance, that the experiment with the prohibition of alcohol in the United States did little more than precipitate a terrible comedy of increased drinking, organized crime and police corruption. What is not generally remembered, is that prohibition was an explicitly religious exercise; being a joint product of the woman's Christian temperance union and the pious lobbying of certain Protestant missionary societies.

The problem with the prohibition of any desirable commodity is money. The United Nations values the drug trade at 400 billion dollars a year. This exceeds the annual budget for the U.S. Department of Defense. If this figure is correct, the trade in illegal drugs constitutes 8% of all international commerce. While the sale of textiles makes up 7.5% and motor vehicles just 5.3%, and yet prohibition itself is what makes the manufacture and sale of drugs so extraordinarily profitable. Those who earn their living in this way enjoy a 5,000 to 20,000% return on their investment; tax-free. Every relevant indicator of the drug trade; rates of drug-use and interdiction, estimates of production, the purity of drugs on the street, etc, shows that the government can do nothing to stop it as long as such profits exist. Indeed these profits are highly corrupting of law enforcement, in any case. The crimes of the addict, to finance the stratospheric cost of his lifestyle, and the crimes of the dealer, to protect both his territory and his goods are likewise the results of prohibition. A final irony which seems good enough to be the work of Satan himself, is that the market we have created by our drug laws has become a steady source of revenue for terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Shining Path and others. Even if we acknowledge that stopping drug use is a justifiable social goal, how does the financial cost of our war on drugs appear in light of the other challenges we face?

Consider that it would only require a one-time expenditure of 2 billion dollars to secure our commercial seaports against smuggled nuclear weapons. At present, we have allocated a mere 93 million dollars for this purpose. How will our prohibition of marijuana use look(this comes at a cost of 4billion dollars annually) if a new sun ever dawns on the port of Los Angelos? Or consider that the U.S. Government can afford to spend only 2.3 billion dollars each year on the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda are now regrouping, warlords roam the countryside along the city-limits of Kabul. Which is more important to us? Reclaiming this important part of the world for the forces of civilization, or keeping cancer patients in Berkley from relieving their nausea with marijuana? Our present use of government funds suggests an uncanny skewing, we might even say, derangement of our national priorities. Such a bizarre allocation of resources is sure to keep Afghanistan in ruins for many years to come. It will also lead Afghan farmers with no alternative but to grow Opium; happily for them, our drug laws still render this a highly profitable enterprise.

Anyone who believes that God is watching us from beyond the stars, will feel that punishing men and women for their private pleasure is perfectly reasonable. We are now in the 21st century. Perhaps we should have better reasons for depriving our neighbors of their liberty at gunpoint. Given the magnitude of the real problems that confront us; terrorism, nuclear proliferation, the spread of infectious disease, our failing infrastructure, our lack of funds for education and health care, etc, our war on sin is so outrageously unwise as to almost defy rational comment. How have we grown so blind to our deeper interests? And how have we managed to enact such policies with so little substantive debate?
=============

Please spread this message, and with some work we'll live in a more sane world.

ArgoSG Reviewed by ArgoSG on 02-12-2009. An excerpt everyone should read This is from "The End of Faith" by Sam Harris, from a chapter devoted to how he believes Religion, and in general, belief without evidence is responsible for some of the absurd laws that still exist in many states in our country: The influence of faith on our criminal laws comes at a remarkable price. Consider the case of drugs. As it happens, there are many substances(many of which are naturally occurring), the consumption of which leads to transient states of inordinate pleasure. Rating: 5

[ArgoSG]

Media Hysterics About Supposed Cancer Link Nothing New
February 10th, 2009 By: Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director

It must have been a slow news day.

According to Google News, more than 750 media outlets â?? thatâ??s 7-5-0, folks â?? have now weighed in on this weekâ??s pot scare story du jour: â??Smoking marijuana causes testicular cancer.â?� Study found here: Marijuana Use Linked To Increased Risk Of Testicular Cancer

So is there any truth behind the provocative headline? Some, but hardly enough to justify the mediaâ??s feeding frenzy.

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research in Seattle matched 369 men with of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) with 979 healthy controls. Hereâ??s what they found.

Men who self-reported having â??ever usedâ?� marijuana had no statistically significant risk of testicular cancer compared to healthy controls who never used pot.

Men who reported currently using marijuana at least once per week, and who had started smoking pot prior to age 18, had an elevated risk compared to controls of contracting a type of testicular cancer known as nonseminoma.

Sounds scary, huh? Well hereâ??s the catch.

According to the federal government, millions of people smoke marijuana regularly. By contrast, diagnoses of nonseminoma, which typically affects males between the ages of 15 and 34, are extremely rare.

How rare?

Nonseminomas account for fewer than one half of one percent of all cancers among American men.

Further undermining the studyâ??s hypothesis is this: Since the 1970s, the percentage of American males smoking pot has climbed dramatically. By contrast, incidences of nonseminoma have risen only nominally during this same time period.

Of course, this is hardly the first time the mainstream media has jumped ugly on cannabis. Around this same time last year, news outlets from Reuters to Fox News declared that marijuana posed a greater cancer risk than cigarettes. Only problem was that the study they were reporting on actually demonstrated the opposite.

So why does the mainstream media continue to get the story wrong when it comes to pot? Good question. You can read my abbreviated answer here. And while youâ??re on NORMLâ??s site, get the skinny on what the scientific literature really has to say about any potential links between marijuana and cancer here, here, and here.

NORML Blog » Blog Archive » Media Hysterics About Supposed Cancer Link Nothing New

[Rusty Trichome]

Anyone who believes that God is watching us from beyond the stars, will feel that punishing men and women for their private pleasure is perfectly reasonable.

Moronic in thought and content.
Spoken like an undereducated, unloved person that wishes to project their feelings on others, in a vain hope of gaining social signifigance. Doesn't work, tho...when the facts are that mainstream christians are forgiving...agnostics aren't. Not only are agnostics not forgiving, they appear to enjoy ripping the very fabric of society, that protects not only their right to remain ignorant, but the rights of the christians to chose what they believe.

Don't like my right to worship as I please...? Tough shit. It's not a right I'll ever relinquish, for social acceptance, or peer pressure. But you are welcome to attend my church whenever you'd like. We're friendly and tolerant, lol.

As far as the other drugs that are inappropriatelly mentioned, (this is a medical cannabis site, not a back-alley drugstore) I'm all for making stiffer drug laws. It's not the addiction I have a problem with. It's the choices that are made while active in that addiction. You choose to rob my house looking for shit to sell for your habit...I shoot to kill. You choose to run your car into mine after a night on the town...I choose do everything in my power to see you pay the price. You od in the parking lot while picking-up your kids from school...I choose to call 911 and child protective services.

I do not have the right to go out and shoot drunks or addicts, nor is that something I would find amusing. But conversely...they don't have the right to assault my body, my home, my family, and yes...my religion.

Kinda curious how the muslims feel about this. Or the buddists, or jews...or is this strictly the christians we're targeting with insult and inuendo here?

[the image reaper]

I agree with Rusty Trichome on this, and I am offended that fools can attack my Christian faith with impunity, on this website ... but, oh no, don't say anything negative about cults, perverts, or chickenshits ... OK, I'm done :smokin:

[DdC222]

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

I'm an American first.
To each their own.
It's when they try legislating their version of morality is when I and the forefathers have a problem. If lil ole ladies get off on Pat Robertson and send him their ss checks, not my problem. His diamond mines need new curtains.

Most Christians are good at following and believing. Just read the rusty old morons threats and coersion, baaa. Most fascists require followers who believe. Jesus is totally missing from the equation. If anyone had a right to be pissed off and seek revenge it would be Jesus towards the Khristzions and their naive blind obedient sheople. I think he would be the antichrist if I was wrote the novel. Man or Nature. Man's religion. All started with entheogenic plants. But the hallucinations and weird thoughts are not supposed to be taken seriously. Especially thousands of years after the trip. By those who outlaw the very substances their religious forefathers wrote about. Ain't that a kick? And these cosmic groupies have expensive places and costumes to prime time the rituals with incense lacking the hashish. Did Jesus inhale? So to each their own. Keep your laws and lords off my body and we'll be ok fine.

This has been a public service announcement...
Drug WarRant :: View topic - This has been a public fucking service announcement...

I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature. 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

THE Jefferson Bible
The Jefferson Bible
The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth
Extracted Textually from the Gospels
Compiled by Thomas Jefferson
Edited by Eyler Robert Coates, Sr.

Cannabis and the Old Testament
Kaneh Bosm: Cannabis in the Old Testament

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

Cannabis Culture Archives: Sacrament
Cannabis Culture Library | Cannabis Culture Magazine

Big Bucks in forced Faith-Based Rehabilitation
Drug WarRant :: View topic - Faith-Based Rehabilitation

â??Mayberry Machiavellians.â?�

(Guv W) Bush. Religious drug treatment in Texas by Hanna Rosin
US TX: George W Bush: The Record In Texas
CORPUS CHRISTI, Tex. 05 May 2000

Over the door of one church-based drug treatment center in Houston, a sign printed in foot-high letters announces: "Drug Addiction Is NOT a Disease. It's a Sin." At another, clients pass by a poster of an addict in a hospital bed, ripping IV tubes out of his arms and throwing his pills in the garbage. An angel hovers nearby, offering her protection from this plague of prescriptions.

And at a Christian young adult home in Corpus Christi, police recently took the unusual step of arresting a supervisor after teenagers complained that they were beaten and roped to a bed, all in the name of Christian discipline. More arrests are anticipated, authorities say.

These are some of the results--expected and unexpected--of Gov. George W. Bush's "bold new experiment in welfare reform." With his conviction that religious groups can transform lives in ways government can't, Bush sponsored laws in 1997 that allow churches to provide social services their own way, outside the intrusive glare of the state.

The new laws exempted faith-based drug treatment programs from all state health and safety regulations followed by their secular counterparts, a list contained in a rule book as thick as a Russian novel that covers every detail from fire detectors to frayed carpets. Counselors in religious treatment programs now may skip the criminal background checks and hundreds of hours of training required of their state-licensed peers.

Faith-based groups that provide child care or operate homes for troubled youths can opt out of state inspections and choose to be regulated by a Christian child care agency approved by the state.

Since their inception, the new rules have been criticized by traditional caretakers, who worry that Bush has placed too little emphasis on holding religious groups accountable, and too much on the notion that faith alone can heal addiction and delinquency--despite decades of research to the contrary.

Knowing this, they then select it as puppet president?
I wonder if Americans even want freedom sometimes.
Seem awful eager to give it away... To support the prez.

Plagued by Moral Relativism
Drug WarRant :: View topic - Plagued by Moral Relativism

This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.
-- John Adams, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson.

Wall street's Spontaneous Abortionists (where's the outrage?)
Wallstreet's Spontaneous Abortionists - Cannabis Culture Forums

The United States is in no way founded upon the Christian religion.
-- George Washington & John Adams, in a diplomatic message to Malta.

Demonizing
Drug WarRant :: View topic - Demonizing Drugs

This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.
-- John Adams, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson.

Christian Extremism and Terrorism In History
Drug WarRant :: View topic - Christian Extremism and Terrorism In History

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

THE PSYCHEDELICS AND RELIGION
THE PSYCHEDELICS AND RELIGION - Shtuff! - All - Ending Cannabis Prohibition - Message Board - Yuku

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

On Indications of the Hachish-Vice in the OT
On Indications of the Hachish-Vice in the OT - Shtuff! - All - Ending Cannabis Prohibition - Message Board - Yuku

Vision of a Sacred Tree
Visions of a Sacred Tree

In Hebrew the word for hash also means incense...

When Smoke Gets in My Eye
Smoke Gets In My I

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

Christ and Cannabis, Jesus Used Cannabis
CC11: Cannabis and the Christ: Jesus used Marijuana

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
-- Mahatma Gandhi

[Rusty Trichome]

Ahh, but to be young and stupid again. Your cut-n-paste propoganda has, in some sited cases, merit. But alas the sum of the whole is not fully represented by the deviant minority. You wish to slander that to which you show no prior knowledge of, and expect anyone with a brain and the ability to think for ourselves, to give your self-indulgent misrepresentations any creedence? There have been moral, social, governmental deviants in each and every society, since the dawn of time.

I don't really see what's so hard for you to fathom. A lot of us here are, at the very least, spiritual...if not fully religious. I hold no ill will to non-believers, and never do I criticize those that choose another path. But when some moron comes into our little medical cannabis sanctuary, and starts spouting the ills of that to which we hold dear, and additionally, that idiot has no personal insight to the gains we recieve from His blessings...then that idiot (you) have stepped over the line. This isn't some antichrist rally you are posting this dribble at, it's our refuge.

Sooo, what do you believe in, beyond showing the cannabis world how angry, biggoted and ignorant you can really be in a membership full of folks with the patience and tolerance to help others thru myriads of injuries and diseases. Meanwhile the membership reads all about how their belief system is bullshit, and we are all fools for having the balls enough to stand up to your tirades.
All we know about you is:
that you can Google, and cut-n-paste. (as can my 8 year old)
that you hate the government.
that you hate corporations and capitalism.
that you hate religion.
that you hate god specifically.
and you hate those that do not share your views.
Was there more?

What exactly is your purpose here? Activism...? What are you being activistic for? What are your goals, as an activist, in posting this stuff here? Obviously not medical cannabis reform, or even cannabis reform in general.
Tell me how your "activism" should be welcomed in here.
I think I get enough hate from watching MSNBC, I damn well don't need the theocraphobic, socialist bullshit here, too. But perhaps I'm wrong. I'd like to hear other views, even if I don't agree with them. Regardless of your dislike for opposing viewpoints, some of us learn more from heated discussions, than we would ever learn from the mindless parrotings of an angry child. :jointsmile:

[the image reaper]

my Christian faith dictates I don't hate, nor do I condemn the un-saved (I pray for them) ... if that's subversive to you, I guess I'll have to pray harder

'Christians aren't perfect, we're just forgiven' :thumbsup:

[ArgoSG]

when the facts are that mainstream christians are forgiving...agnostics aren't.

Not only are agnostics not forgiving, they appear to enjoy ripping the very fabric of society, that protects not only their right to remain ignorant, but the rights of the christians to chose what they believe.

Okay. You make these claims, now present the evidence. Where do you get this information from?

As far as the other drugs that are inappropriatelly mentioned, (this is a medical cannabis site, not a back-alley drugstore) I'm all for making stiffer drug laws. It's not the addiction I have a problem with. It's the choices that are made while active in that addiction. You choose to rob my house looking for shit to sell for your habit...I shoot to kill. You choose to run your car into mine after a night on the town...I choose do everything in my power to see you pay the price. You od in the parking lot while picking-up your kids from school...I choose to call 911 and child protective services.

There are a dozen non sequiturs here. Where to begin...

-LSD - Non addictive.
-Mescaline - Non addictive.
-Psilocybin - Non addictive.
-DMT - Non addictive.
-MDMA - Non addictive.
-Marijuana - Non addictive.

Where the heck did you get addiction from? Do you think cannabis is somehow exclusive and should be legalized while the rest shouldn't?(You're in the activism forum. You're going to see topics about the legalization of Cannabis.)

Unless you want to strictly argue from the "Cannabis has medical benefits" angle, which is rather narrow, you won't be able to ignore the criminalization of these other substances is similarly absurd.

Spoken like an undereducated, unloved person that wishes to project their feelings on others, in a vain hope of gaining social signifigance.

You already know I'm undereducated, I'm unloved, I wish to project my feelings on others(You're.. somewhat right, but I fail to see how stating something so obvious helps you), and I hope in vain that I will gain social significance, which assumes I have none? Does Jesus give you these magic powers?

You choose to rob my house looking for shit to sell for your habit...I shoot to kill. You choose to run your car into mine after a night on the town...I choose do everything in my power to see you pay the price.

Doesn't work, tho...when the facts are that mainstream christians are forgiving.

I don't even need to say anything. Your post speaks volumes by itself.

[Rusty Trichome]

Okay. You make these claims, now present the evidence. Where do you get this information from?

Decades of experience. Where do you get your misinformation...?

There are a dozen non sequiturs here. Where to begin...
-LSD - Non addictive.................FELONY
-Mescaline - Non addictive.........FELONY
-Psilocybin - Non addictive.........FELONY
-DMT - Non addictive................FELONY
-MDMA - Non addictive..............FELONY
-Marijuana - Non addictive..........THE SOLE REASON THIS SITE IS ONLINE.

Where the heck did you get addiction from? Do you think cannabis is somehow exclusive and should be legalized while the rest shouldn't?(You're in the activism forum. You're going to see topics about the legalization of Cannabis.)

Well, the addiction label is quite subjective to varying degrees, and can be split into three general categories...physical emotional and mental.

As far as the cannabis goes...yes, it is in a class by itself, but the others you mention...inappropriate in these forum. This isn't a medical LSD forum, and there are site rules regarding talk of these drugs. If you want to flaunt site rules...be my guest. Until then, I have never been a fan of drugs that alter ones reality to the point of insanity, (as is evidenced by some of your views...your reality is not shared by mainstream cannabis users.) and am fine with keeping our discussions to the reason most of us are here.

Unless you want to strictly argue from the "Cannabis has medical benefits" angle, which is rather narrow, you won't be able to ignore the criminalization of these other substances is similarly absurd.

Absurd to who...? I do not come to this board seeking justice for the downtrodden drug addicts with the mental capacity of a garbonzo bean. I could care less if you feel oppressed by the 'arbitrary' drug laws. And I really could care less if one has a 'bad trip' and kills his family, which was 'tollerant' of his drug use, but was unaware of the psychosis it can often degenerate into.

My problem is that:
A) This is a medical cannabis site, not "Chewy's dope house". If you can keep your activism to the standards outlined in the site rules, then there wouldn't be much I could say, and likely I'd slip-away as if in a dream. If those in charge back off of these site rules, I'll refrain from mentioning this whenever and wherever appropriate.

B) Not all the folks in this forum are doped-up psychopaths looking for you to legalize their next dime bag. Most of the folks here have disease, injury or specific need for cannabis, some have a doctors prescription, and virtually all have the legal and moral right to have access to this site. So you are saying that since we have come here seeking solace form our pain and to help our healing, you think we all want to join your bandwaggon, and become an irresponsible drain on society? The only instance I would consider legalization, would be if it were legalized solely for National "dope-up your violent convicts" day, along the lines of ThunderDome. Would be better viewing than some of the MTV reality shows, and likely cost-effective. :thumbsup:

C) Having been around the block a few times, I have seen the effects of all but one of the drugs you mention. The folks that regularly consume these substances...perhaps you call them freedom fighters within their rights to do as they please. I call 'em drug addicts, scum, irresponsible drains, undereducated worthless pieces of shit, and doped-up immoral bastards that are neither insightful nor enlightened to anything beyond denial and an inability to deal with life, on lifes terms. Please...come to our church...there is a better way. :jointsmile:

and I hope in vain that I will gain social significance, which assumes I have none? Does Jesus give you these magic powers?

The belief in His love for us brings us together, and gives us strength to follow his teachings, to help others, and be the best we can be. I have never seen anyone be the best they can be, while hiding behind parked cars and being paranoid about tree-monsters.
Just like you evidentally enjoy getting together, popping a few sugar cubes or doing some lines on the toilet cover at the gas station, or sitting around thinking of new ways to pop those zits on your girlfriends ass, or while shitting your pants waiting for the crosswalk sign to quit blinking...religious groups are cheerfully trying to help the community rather than becoming a drain on it. Bummer you can't organize your spun-out minions to help cover graffiti, or clean-up a park, or feed and clothe the homeless...but most self-serving drug addicts are lazy and uninspierd anyway, so your inaction there is understandable. At least you can type, though. :jointsmile:

I don't even need to say anything. Your post speaks volumes by itself.

As does yours.

[chandlerbinger]

Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

So why isnt it legal again?

I dont know why some people think this site is for medical use only but its not. As it clearly states Cannabis.com and not MedicalCannabis.com.

Total decriminalization or bust! No need to hide behind a medical excuse to smoke out when God gave it to you in the first place.

The first thing Noah did after landing the Arc was to plant a vineyard. He spent the rest of his existence getting drunk.

Smoke weed cuz you can, cuz you want to, cuz it gets you high and because you were born with cannibanoid receptors(<Another gift from the almighty).

:jointsmile: