Results from the latest poll are astounding. Last month the question of the use of marijuana was asked.
- 37% said that marijuana should be legal and allowed to use with no restrictions whatsoever.
- 22% said that marijuana should be allowed but for medical purposes only.
- 22% said that marijuana should not be allowed but the punishment of possessing or using it should only be a misdemeanor.
- 16% said that marijuana should not be allowed no matter what and it should be treated as a felony.
This means that 59% of the people who voted on this poll agree that marijuana could somehow be part of the American society one way or another or that it is not hat big of a deal if it is in the market somehow. This isn't the most scientific poll created but this happened to be the largest total of votes that this site has ever had in it's first year of existence so these numbers can be trusted more than any other poll so far. if we would take these numbers across the US it would mean that 177 million people think marijuana is not that big of a deal. What makes this number even more staggering is that most of the people who come to this site are Christian (90%). An assumption about those who think it is okay to use is that they are the ones who have probably used or are using. If you add these assumptions up that means that many who are Christian and attend church are getting high and are using drugs. It's no wonder why churches have to water down their message for this generation. They can't reach them because they can't understand it while they're high. Yes, this is the extreme view on this topic but unfortunately where there is an extreme there is truth. We have many people in our churches getting high. So what?
Many people will say there are positive effects of smoking marijuana. But most of those are for medical reasons only while sites like this one: http://www.ehow.com/about_4596355_positive-effects-marijuana.html can't truly be trusted because they are one-sided and are probably voters for Ralph Nader. And anyone who votes for Ralph Nader has to have their head examine anyway. Nevertheless, Ralph, keep running for president, please. If you would like more honest results about marijuana check out this site: http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html.
The point of this whole argument isn't about the positive effects or negative effects. Probably because anything and everything can have an equal amount of them if we try to find them hard enough. The main point of this paper is that anything that will change who you are, whether it be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual can be the wrong thing to do. People say that marijuana has less effects on the body than coffee or is less addictive than caffeine. That is not the point. Those who use caffeine or coffee won't steal from their friends to get another cup. Most who use caffeine will not lie just to get another fill. If someone is on caffeine it doesn't mean that if they get an overload of it that they will stop functioning in the real world. It would be better if a doctor before a surgery would drink coffee than having them smoke a joint.
The worst problem out of this drug is that it is another way of escaping reality. It is another sign of the society that we live in; one that can not deal with how things really are. It is another action of people that leads to abuse of their bodies. A great line from a song by the Christian Metal band Bride called Psychedelic Super Jesus goes like this:
- We get high to remember and take a drink to forget.
People get real. Life may stink sometimes but that's because people give up too easily. The old saying of when life gives you a lemon you make lemonade is no longer followed. It's more like when life gives you a lemon make Mike's hard lemonade.
6 comments:
check out this link a Christian who supports the legalization of marijuana - interesting indeed!
http://geocities.com/jimatto/facts.htm
Thanks for the link. This guy is the epitome of taking scripture and distorting into your own rationalization. The three main verses he uses to back up his ideas has nothing to do with marijuana!
The first one is talking about eating, not smoking. The second one is an analogy about attitudes and living examples in your life. The third one is about how God does not discriminate and that Jews and Gentiles are now both part of the vine.
What a revelation, thank you, ANON.
"Those who use caffeine or coffee won't steal from their friends to get another cup. Most who use caffeine will not lie just to get another fill."
These are some really weak arguments and seem to be just opinion. You should try to back up your statements with facts. There are plenty out there.
In the entire existence of earth, it has been illegal for less than 100 years on this continent.
The smoke is bad for your lungs the same as tobacco.
It can be a very good treatment for Glaucoma and cancer patients receiving chemo-therapy.
Should it be legalized? Well, unfortunately we now live in a very crowded society where the actions of one can affect others. Everyone that I know that uses it (beyond the age of 25) have a pretty limited life. In other words, they will only go so far in life. But all in all, this only seems to affect them personally and not others. I have never observed any rage or violent behavior as a result of its use. It is usually the opposite.
On the other hand, alcohol is responsible for many many deaths and physical abuses to others that aren't using it. I have also observed that it is much more addictive than weed.
So, my opinion is that the current Ohio laws making it illegal, but not criminal, are pretty accurate. But it should be available for medical purposes. I guess I need to change my vote.
I also think that the war on drugs is an enormous waist of taxpayer money and resources when it comes to weed. There are other drugs that we need to keep up the fight on such as cocain, heroin and meth. Those are the dangerous drugs.
Sorry about the facts comment. I totally ignored your links.
Big :) on my face.
No harm done ANON. I agree with you that alcohol is a major problem and perhaps even more of a problem, especially in our homes. Alcohol abuse destroys families and the children suffer so much from seeing in their parents.
We live in this messed up generation that sees drug use as not that big of a deal. It becomes a lifestyle. I remember a movie called "The Faculty" about teens at a high school getting taken over by aliens manifesting the teachers bodies. And the only way they found to kill them was getting them to snort cocaine. You can look at it two ways: Cocaine kills or cocaine is the hero. I wonder which one was on the writer's mind.
The major point is that we have slidden so far that even mind-altering drugs are considered just a part of life. Read A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley for a great story on society, keep in mind he wrote over 50 years ago, if not more!
Something has to draw a line somewhere. The old saying, a little anything never hurts anyone, is a lie. Because it never stops with just a little.
I appreciate your comments and hope you stay around and post some more so people can learn.
And just as a side note: I do post my opinion but I usually have facts with it. Then in the comment section I open up more of opinion. Again, no harm.
"If you add these assumptions up that means that many who are Christian and attend church are getting high and are using drugs."
Maybe many Christians are not potheads and alcoholics like me and don't believe in the legislation of morality.
You know me personally. I don't use engage in alcohol, drugs, prostitution, etc. However, in the same way as G-d doesn't make us follow his law, we shouldn't try to make others follow our morality.
With that said, when the use of such things causes irreparable harm to our community, then certain actions must be taken.
A good example is your comment, "Those who use caffeine or coffee won't steal from their friends to get another cup. Most who use caffeine will not lie just to get another fill."
You are not talking about the use of drugs, alcohol, etc. You are talking about addiction. And yes addiction to anything can and most likely cause irreparable problems within a community.
One last comment, if you will. The main reason people use drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc. is escapism. Taking away their vise is not going to do away with the problem. We, as Christians, need to show them an alternative to or another method of escape and that is G-d.
G-d is the greatest high you can get. Spread the Word. I know the source.
Shalom Dude
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