Would you attend a church where an illegal substance is considered a sacrament?

Question

An Arizona couple have said they have to step down as leaders of their church which considers marijuana a sacrament and a deity. They state the impending federal charges filed against them has made it impossible for them to lead their church. The government, which has brought the lawsuit against them, maintains this is merely a front for drug trafficking.

The couple feels that the judge will have no recourse but to rule in their favor as they believe their religion to be sincere. They maintain that this invasion and upcoming trial is a spiritual invasion.

So, should this 'church' be allowed to continue it's practices even though the practices contradict with federal law?

Answer 1

So should a church be allowed to continue if it thinks molesting children is part of their spirituality?! They are bound by the laws for a reason. Remember Jim Jones?

Answer 2

This is a tricky line, but when it comes right down to it both religion and government benefit when the two of them stay as far away from eachother as possible.
I would never leave a religious organization just because the government has a law prohibiting some aspect of the religion.
There are many reasons why marijuana could be considered to be sacred, and its consumption be considered a sacrament. There are many religions around the world (most predating any modern government) that make sacred use of psychoactive plants like marijuana.
Throughout history, may religious practices have been outlawed by various governements. Sometimes, entire relgions have been made illegal to practice. The thing to remember is that both governments AND relgions are imperfect - both are run by imperfect human beings (even if a religion is divinely inspired, the day-to-day running of that religion is carried out by regular, imperfect mortals) and so both are capable of making mistakes. Sometimes one will be right and the other wrong - I think it's important to find a balance between them.

Answer 3

Dear Barbara,

i know that many Native American Churches in Arizona use substances as part of their ceremony.

Your question as to whether a person should attend a church where an illegal substance is considered a sacrament should really be answered on an individual basis. Although i would say that the individual should ask him/her self what is the purpose of attending a church. If the purpose of attending a church is to get to know God and to give Him worship and honor than i would say the practices of a church which takes illegal substances would not be a church that an individual should attend if that is their purpose. Whether a person should attend the church or not should not be decided based on how the state rules over this case. People have a right to worship anything (that's part of being an American citizen) but truly to worship something which is not truly God is a waste of time and damaging to one's soul...

Hope that helps. Kindly,

Nickster

Answer 4

Well lets clear the dust up a bit. This is not a church. This is a group of drug addicts claiming religious exemption to rational thinking-just like the Muslims. No Christian(real) would object to prosecuting these people. I repeat---this is not a church by any stretch of the imagination.

Answer 5

This would fall in the category of illegal religions. Ones that traffic drugs, break the law, and plan to blow up buildings/kill people. It should be illegal. What is this, the 1st church of Bob Marley?

Answer 6

All the federal government needs to prove is "this is a front for drug trafficking"

If marijuana is distributed and people leave the premises under the influence or with it on their person(s) they will (should) be arrested.

Answer 7

My church already has somewhat some racial variety. We had much less whilst i became a infant, because of the fact the country as an entire became much less racially distinctive. Now that the section is extra distinctive, the congregation is extra distinctive. the known Church has continuously been distinctive, because of the fact it rather is a international Church. We continuously learnt that we've been part of a international community of Catholics international extensive, in communion with one yet another. whilst a Catholic strikes to a distinctive usa, they bypass to their community Catholic church, with the locals. My parish is honestly between the uncommon places the place each style of human beings from the section carry jointly jointly as equals, in spite of sophistication. because of the fact in case you're Catholic, this is the church which you attend, rather than figuring out on and figuring out on consistent with different factors (which includes despite if the congregation journey your race or classification or musical decision). Catholic ability 'common', in spite of each little thing. It does strike a twine in me of a hilarious article in the dad or mum a pair of years in the past, wherein the journalist had visited a Catholic church in London and regarded astonished to locate a sort of races. Goodness me, black human beings and chinese language human beings, in a Catholic church in London! What in the international had they envisioned?

Answer 8

Remember the Mormons? If it's against the law it's against the law. Period. Let me know what happens though, wouldn't mind getting baptized into that religion.

Answer 9

I think Americans should do whatever they want, as long as they don't hurt other people.

The judge will not rule in their favor because the 'church' has no history.

Answer 10

If someone believes in and practices human sacrifice, has he broken the laws against murder?