Is this religious persecution?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/azstar/20061227/lo_azstar/courtoverruleschurchsuseofpotassacramentsaysfounderslackasincerereligiousbelief

Just wondering what the general consensus is.

Answer 1

I suppose so. A belief has to be sincere? Doesn't that rule out a ton of religious belief. Do Catholics REALLY believe that crackers become the "body of christ"? I think not.

Answer 2

The I Chong, That's a good question, especially after the earlier Supreme Court approval of the case involving a Native American hallucinogenic tea. My guess might be based on length of use and establishment of the "religion." Anyone can start a church or even a new religion, and some do it to get a tax write-off for their house, if used as a place of worship. That doesn't necessarily validate the "religion." If they just want to use a hallucinogen they should study Indian Anthropology. I remember my college classes in that field and noticing a major hallucinogenic plant growing undisturbed all over the campus. Also, a widely cultivated large columnar cactus has the same alkaloid as peyote, but in larger, more easily accessible quantities, but most people have never heard of the San Pedro Cactus or Trichocereus pachanoi. And only Central American Indians and well versed anthropologists know how to extract it. Maybe they should start a religion based on a more obscure drug plant!

Answer 3

No, it's not. These people are breaking the law. I have nothing against marijuana users...I'm not even sure it's a sin; but breaking the law is breaking the law. If you are going to break the law, you should be prepared to face the sentence. If in the future Christianity became illegal, I would still continue to worship God, but if I was caught, I'd accept the punishment. You know the consequence before you do the deed.

Question: Do they also deify acid? Cause these people have lost their minds.

EDIT: If these people were the only people who would be considered to be breaking the law by smoking marijuana, then it would be religious persecution. However, since smoking pot is illegal for everyone, it doesn't meet the standard. These people aren't being singled out because of their religious beliefs, they are just having the law applied to them the same as it is to everyone else.

Answer 4

first of all, one should look in the details and evidences in the case to debate... second, the general laws of the country prohibits Marijuana based on public interest of protecting safety of society. therefore, I think this sould not be allowed, even if courts ruled otherwise in previous cases. Then the court of course should look if the practice is a sincere religious practice, if it is mandatory in their beliefs, if the beliefs constitute a religion that person feels obligatory to follow. you cannot claim you have religion that you can have sex in public for instance.. and you cannot claims you have a new religion today, just to smoke drugs..

therefore, to judge this case, one has to look in the details deeply,.

Answer 5

Hell yeah it is! Who's next,Rastafarians? With a decision like this, The Holy Church Of Psychedelic Panditism is also being attacked, we need to stand together, and face this religious persecution once and for all!

Answer 6

Technically it is religious persecution however the decision was likely made to set a precedent so there would not be the crack church, heroin church and pedophile church starting up any time soon. Some people are dying to say that last one already exists...lol

Answer 7

To some extent, yes. The fact that they established their church long before their arrest speaks in their favor. That said, the issue of religious freedom versus judicial laws has never been clearcut, what with issues like the legalities of Christian Scientists refusing medical treatment for their children.

Answer 8

Rasta's get to sacrifice animals in the US as to their religion. Why should we not be able to practice our religion the way we want? I believe it's persecution! Kids in the Catholic Church can drink wine!

Answer 9

Totally!

I AM sad to hear your Dad is sick.. If mine was sick I too would be carefully feeding it to him along with a course in meditation and truth as best I know.

Take him on a journey in mind to that which ails him and show him that in his mind is that which dissolves him… reverse the process and dissolve the sickness.

Answer 10

I know that to participate in a Native American religion that you have to be Native American or you can be busted for peyote use. I believe when the government starts busting churches for their beliefs that soon they will be telling us what to believe by force.