Is it right for a Christian to hold a Bible in one hand and a doobie in the other?

[Truman]

Some of my favorite scriptures....and only the wise completely understand them.

Through the Spirit of revelation, insight, and wisdom. Shalom.

 

[kcnalp]

It would seem this way. Pray.

Like my life depends on it!

 

[CharismaticLady]

The context of the character of God says otherwise. He made everything good. Intoxicating wine is fermented... In other words rotten. It's gone off. Jesus did not make fermented alcoholic wine that contradicted every health principle in scripture.

Fermented anything is good for you. It provides probiotics for your gut. God made our bodies, and He is the one that knows what makes it work well. Fermentation improves digestion and immunity.

 

[Grailhunter]

You don't have to tell me about judgmental Christians, as you know. I have found that many Christians automatically judge a fellow Christian who is dealing with big problems. It's called shooting our wounded. We like to assume that they did something bad to deserve those big problems. That way, we think if we avoid their "sins," we won't have big problems ourselves. I have found this to be true of many Christians I have met--even those who preach against being judgy. They are some of the worst.

But Jesus said that in this world we will have problems. What makes a difference for Christians is that our Lord has overcome the world! We need to help each other to keep our minds set on this truth....

Good post. You said, Jesus said that in this world we will have problems. A historian can paint a picture of what "trouble" looked like in His time. To us, that era was nearly an alien world. We think of nudity...to most people it was difficult to own enough cloth to cover themselves by our decent standards. Just one. People slept on mats on the ground...in their homes...furniture was not an option in most homes, that is why the Bible speaks of reclining around the table. That table could be a rock. Death and suffering along the road and city street. Wails of agony in the city...the stench of cities. Roman oppression. Outside the gates of most cites were bodies crucified as a visual examples.

We know about Christ's crucifixion with the two thieves. The Jews knew about crucifixion, early when Christ was a baby, one of the Jewish revolts ended with 2000 Jews being crucified and that was a small number compared to the number of Jews crucified at the end of previous revolts.

If you were to take a walk around ancient Jerusalem which was walled, last I checked it would be a 4.5 mile walk. During and after the revolt of 69-70 AD, crucifixes were placed in rows...I mean more than one row, all the way around. People crucified front and back and as time went on the dead bodies removed and more crucified. Mothers crucified with their children hung off the arms of the cross. numbers vary...about 20,000. Trouble trouble trouble. We do not know trouble. Maybe that is one of the problems. Our bar for what we call trouble has been set so low that boredom is a stress. I was about two hundred feet from a mother that was holding her children as they were tacked to a wall by machine gun fire! Trouble! what do you think? She died it! I have to live with it. Troubles.

Had a genius friend of mine that said in not so nice terms that society was turning men in to "wimps" he did not use the word wimp. Men today cry in their soup. Troubles....Turning to pot to soothe their troubles. Understanding trouble and justification is a very important education that every Christian needs to know.

 

[Grailhunter]

I was going by what I know personally. Booze has killed and abused an ocean of people.

People are dying like flies from illegal drugs. I say legalize them. Put the drug dealers out of business. Stop the drug wars.

Car wrecks, violence, wife abuse, etc.

Like I said, maybe the weed today is much worse than in my weed days. That's why I say legalize it. Maybe even legalize all drugs. Drug abuse is a plague making wicked drug lords filthy rich. Put them out of business!

Kcnalp thank you.
So you think making drugs legal would help?
And drugs do not cause car wrecks, violence, and wife abuse...?
I don't know what to say...
Is there a difference between alcohol and drugs? I think there is a big difference. I was off the forum for a while tonight. My son's girlfriend dropped us off.... my son and I at Buffalo Wild Wings and we watched the football game. Panthers vs falcons We had Jack and Coke and wings and onion rings. Now that is not going to affect me the next day, it is not affecting now, and I might not have another drink for a month or more and most importantly I might not even think about it. Now is there any part of that, that is similar to the way a person that smokes pot....uses pot. Are we talking about people that use pot.....in other words has a doobie once a month or once every few months?

When my son and I got to Buffalo Wild Wings we found a few of our friends....top notch people....UPS drivers. There was some hooting and howling....good game. When people that smoke pot get together, what kind of people are there? Families go to Buffalo Wild Wings, moms, dads, kids...Do kids come to pot parties? I am thinking there is a difference.

 

[Grailhunter]

I spend hours in parking lots of stores while waiting for my people to shop. I have nerve damage in my feet and I find it exhausting wearing a mask having COPD so I stay in the car. I watch people.
Many women don't seem to have much femininity to them. They are sloppy about their appearance. They love to fight and swear. Their body language is of young men looking to prove a point. We used to call it machismo. They have lost their glory.
Men, on the other hand, are too often effeminate. Like they have been robbed of their masculinity, which they have. They no longer lead or even know how to.
I view all of this as Divine judgment that has narrowly been avoided by all those who humbled themselves, repented, and cried out to God for mercy on behalf of their country and themselves. To them, I say, "Thank you."
We are in a spiritual fight for our lives and though the tide is turning, our enemy is not about to quit and won't stop until he is bound.
I believe Trump will win on Tuesday. This will happen by Jesus working through us. Which means the battle is raging like never before.
Victory or defeat will happen on Tuesday. Complacency is the enemy here. Make sure you get out and vote. Shalom.

Thanks...really like your avatar.

 

[Truman]

Good post. You said, Jesus said that in this world we will have problems. A historian can paint a picture of what "trouble" looked like in His time. To us, that era was nearly an alien world. We think of nudity...to most people it was difficult to own enough cloth to cover themselves by our decent standards. Just one. People slept on mats on the ground...in their homes...furniture was not an option in most homes, that is why the Bible speaks of reclining around the table. That table could be a rock. Death and suffering along the road and city street. Wails of agony in the city...the stench of cities. Roman oppression. Outside the gates of most cites were bodies crucified as a visual examples.

We know about Christ's crucifixion with the two thieves. The Jews knew about crucifixion, early when Christ was a baby, one of the Jewish revolts ended with 2000 Jews being crucified and that was a small number compared to the number of Jews crucified at the end of previous revolts.

If you were to take a walk around ancient Jerusalem which was walled, last I checked it would be a 4.5 mile walk. During and after the revolt of 69-70 AD, crucifixes were placed in rows...I mean more than one row, all the way around. People crucified front and back and as time went on the dead bodies removed and more crucified. Mothers crucified with their children hung off the arms of the cross. numbers vary...about 20,000. Trouble trouble trouble. We do not know trouble. Maybe that is one of the problems. Our bar for what we call trouble has been set so low that boredom is a stress. I was about two hundred feet from a mother that was holding her children as they were tacked to a wall by machine gun fire! Trouble! what do you think? She died it! I have to live with it. Troubles.

Had a genius friend of mine that said in not so nice terms that society was turning men in to "wimps" he did not use the word wimp. Men today cry in their soup. Troubles....Turning to pot to soothe their troubles. Understanding trouble and justification is a very important education that every Christian needs to know.

We, as a society, are soft. We've had so much for so long that we no longer appreciate what we have. We have been told by advertisers for so long that we deserve their products that we now believe them.
We are pitied, pampered, and petted and secretly worship at the altar of self. I'm speaking to us, His people. I hear there is a balm in Gilead but has anyone even bothered to look for it? Look until they found it?
Someone asked Jesus how much He loved them. He stretched out His arms and said, "This much." Then He asked me how much I loved Him. I stretched out my arms and said, "This much."
I love Him because He loved me first and He even showed me and let my heart understand it. I've never left Him since.
His love has kept me. Even though I've screwed up big time more than once, He still wants me and will never let me go. He even wants to share His Kingdom with me. I was surprised that He would even acknowledge me. I thought He would've been embarrassed by me. Instead, He held me tighter!
This is the kind of love to die for. I screwed up and then He healed me. My inner pain was why I screwed up in the first place. I don't earn any of this. It's all due to who He is. Screw the "doctrine of torturing people forever!" That's the devil's heart.
Wake up, people of God. A trumpet is about to sound and you want to be ready for it.
Forget letting others hear from Him for you. Be determined when you search for Him and never quit until you find Him. He rewards this.
Stop thinking sin is a matter of does and don'ts. Until purified, our hearts are putrid with sin. If you truly hate your sin, implore Him to remove it by the roots. He will do it.
He wants us to follow Him. To do this we need to crucify ourselves. This process took 20 years for me. Then You know what He said? He said He's going to give me another 20 years of life. I want Him to spend these years for His glory. That's another way I try to love Him back. I am no longer ashamed.
Thank You, Father God/Yahweh ha Shem. Thank You, Jesus Christ/Yeshua ha Mashiach. Thank You, Holy Spirit/Ruach ha Kodesh. Thank You!!! Shalom and amen.

 

[Truman]

Fermented anything is good for you. It provides probiotics for your gut. God made our bodies, and He is the one that knows what makes it work well. Fermentation improves digestion and immunity.

There are 4 instances when I think a person shouldn't drink: 1. When they have liver disease. 2. When they are an alcoholic. 3. When they are a Nazarite. 4. When they are driving or operating heavy machinery.
Having a drink or 2 isn't the same thing as going on a bender. In my understanding, scripture makes it clear that one is not to get drunk. How do you know if you have a drinking problem? When you drink, does it cause you problems? If yes, then don't drink. If no, and your drinking isn't going to mess up someone else, then have a drink, if you want.
Alcohol, along with other inert substances is not wicked. However, the human heart is. Shalom!

 

[Brakelite]

I hope you're not referring to my objection to your overgeneralizing. As far as I'm concerned, you can criticize the Republican Party all you want if you base your criticism on specific facts. My main criticism of the Democratic Party is based on immoral stances in their platform.

I appreciate your passion about the issues. I just don't think you always have your facts straight about American politics, so I find some of your criticism to be misguided.

The link I included was an article by an American to which reflects my views. I am essentially apolitical. I wouldn't vote for either side of i was American. I'm not taking anyone how to vote, but simply, since j the beginning even of Trump's administration, have been trying to show the dangers inherent in the church involvement with today's politicking.

 

[Brakelite]

I hope you're not referring to my objection to your overgeneralizing. As far as I'm concerned, you can criticize the Republican Party all you want if you base your criticism on specific facts. My main criticism of the Democratic Party is based on immoral stances in their platform.

I appreciate your passion about the issues. I just don't think you always have your facts straight about American politics, so I find some of your criticism to be misguided.

No, wasn't thinking of you at all personally. I was criticised by several for my tongue in cheek thread suggesting voting for Biden was to the church's advantage. Not many twigged to what I was actually saying. Most just jumped into the conversation with the knee jerk horrified shocked reaction not even considering that maybe I was getting at something a little deeper than manipulating the vote for getting an advantage. I may not understand American politics as well as some. But I do understand American Christianity and it's relationship with politics fairly well. I also understand prophecy. I understand the necessity of a separation between church and state. And I can see that unraveling. I don't think American Christianity in general does. Hence the attached article which articulated my thoughts a lot better than I.

 

[kcnalp]

Kcnalp thank you.
So you think making drugs legal would help? And drugs do not cause car wrecks, violence, and wife abuse...?

Those things are already destroying people's lives. The drug lords are a huge problem. Put them out of business.

I don't know what to say... Is there a difference between alcohol and drugs? I think there is a big difference. I was off the forum for a while tonight. My son's girlfriend dropped us off.... my son and I at Buffalo Wild Wings and we watched the football game. Panthers vs falcons We had Jack and Coke and wings and onion rings. Now that is not going to affect me the next day, it is not affecting now, and I might not have another drink for a month or more and most importantly I might not even think about it. Now is there any part of that, that is similar to the way a person that smokes pot....uses pot. Are we talking about people that use pot.....in other words has a doobie once a month or once every few months?

When my son and I got to Buffalo Wild Wings we found a few of our friends....top notch people....UPS drivers. There was some hooting and howling....good game. When people that smoke pot get together, what kind of people are there? Families go to Buffalo Wild Wings, moms, dads, kids...Do kids come to pot parties? I am thinking there is a difference.

The big cities are WAR ZONES! Nearly all because of drug lords. Put them out of business. Legalize! Save lives.

 

[Brakelite]

Violence has often been linked to marijuana use. Educate yourself! Read the articles I posted.

I am far from being a supporter in any way of marijuana use. It is a spiritual millstone around the neck of users and blocks the holy Spirit from ministering. It is an absolute no no for any Christian to use. Period. For any reason.
When I was in my late teens around 1970 I began using. I knew no-one at the time who was growing it locally, we were smoking imported Thai or south American weed. The Thai was opiated and was called Buddah sticks. There was nothing weak about those imported varieties. The locally grown began very weak... It took several years of cultivating and meticulous attention to strains etc to start producing stronger priduct. I remember a few years before I started when marijuana just began it's popularity among various communities. At the time there was almost a gang warfare in those days between local motor cycle gangs and surfers. Alcohol in the early to mid sixties was the drug of choice and violence was common place. Marijuana changed all that. By the time I started the bikers and surfers got along famously and peacefully. In the years I was dealing and smoking I witnessed no violence as a result of weed. I did see a great deal of riots and fights break out in the local pubs between factions of visiting sailors fueled by alcohol. The bikers would be looking on with amusement from one side and us surfers from the other. We were all to mellow to get involved and just wanted to get back to the music.

 

[kcnalp]

I am far from being a supporter in any way of marijuana use. It is a spiritual millstone around the neck of users and blocks the holy Spirit from ministering. It is an absolute no no for any Christian to use. Period. For any reason.
When I was in my late teens around 1970 I began using. I knew no-one at the time who was growing it locally, we were smoking imported Thai or south American weed. The Thai was opiated and was called Buddah sticks. There was nothing weak about those imported varieties. The locally grown began very weak... It took several years of cultivating and meticulous attention to strains etc to start producing stronger priduct. I remember a few years before I started when marijuana just began it's popularity among various communities. At the time there was almost a gang warfare in those days between local motor cycle gangs and surfers. Alcohol in the early to mid sixties was the drug of choice and violence was common place. Marijuana changed all that. By the time I started the bikers and surfers got along famously and peacefully. In the years I was dealing and smoking I witnessed no violence as a result of weed. I did see a great deal of riots and fights break out in the local pubs between factions of visiting sailors fueled by alcohol. The bikers would be looking on with amusement from one side and us surfers from the other. We were all to mellow to get involved and just wanted to get back to the music.

Amen! Something has changed drastically.

 

[FollowHim]

I have never seen anyone smoking real dope being a problem, that mate of mine was the king of smoking dope, no one could smoke more than he could.
The new types of Dope are a real problem and the synthetic type is just stupid to do.
It's what people add to such and when one goes to hospital you will get the old line, oh he was smoking dope nonsense mushrooms and dope or something other and dope or it was laced by some moron.
When one is dealing with the moron element of drug dealers, then you get such morons beyond what you would ever believe as to what they will do to a product.
The criminal element has to be truly dealt with, because we are not winning the battle at all the way it's been controlled now, the Government has to licence and totally control the selling and making and win the people over to be smart about such drugs and that's the only way to destroy the criminal element and moron problem.

Control of alcohol was difficult and took time. In truth most states who have legalised do not believe in the process and make it too difficult.. Economic models need to make legal compliance preferable to the black market. It might be the crop is just too easy to grow, but then the incentives need to reflect this.
Equally the smoking being a dope head needs to become a stigma of an idiot destroying their life. What can one legally do while high? Testing and being penal being caught like drink driving needs to be harsh.

It's fine to drink and smoke, but in the end it destroys you. Powerful messages. So dope needs to be shown for what it is, stupid and dangerous.

It appears those who become psychotic never come back, just cope. Why anyone wants to risk this is beyond me. God bless you

 

[Prayer Warrior]

The big cities are WAR ZONES! Nearly all because of drug lords. Put them out of business. Legalize! Save lives.

Oh, yeah, preach it brother! I mean, aren't Christians on this earth to preach the gospel of hallucinogenic drug legalization?

Maybe if we Christians were out there preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ--the gospel of HOPE--people wouldn't feel the need to mess up their minds with hallucinogens. As Christians, we are given sound minds, not doped-up minds! We are told to be sober and alert, not inebriated!

How about saving men's souls so that they don't end up in hell? Now, this is sobering.

Please find it in your hearts to forgive this boisterous woman. After all, I should know my place and not debate like a man........

 

[JohnDB]

As far as drug wars go...
It's an economic thing. It's not going to stop the violence by legalizing it. Even if it was free by government subsidy there still would be guys out on the street corners reselling it saying that they have the "really good stuff"
And they should try their brand.

But I've been to places where they were all so poor they couldn't buy drugs... marijuana grew wild naturally. And people fought and killed each other violently over $20. Or they fought and killed each other over the right to pick through piles of garbage.

So saying that legalizing drugs puts an end to the drug wars...it's true on one hand but untrue about it stopping the violence.

Then on top of this.
Marijuana sales and marketing has no benefit to a society. It increases overdosing... DUI, and accidents due to the fact that a lot of it is manufactured to the point that it no longer has any smell to it.

Workplace accidents do increase. And people who get injured at work who use marijuana recreationally have a two year long court battle to get workman's comp to pay the medical bills if they can prove they were actually sober when they got hurt. And in the meantime they are unemployable.

In many states just being in a fender bender that really wasn't your fault but you had some marijuana product in your vehicle makes the accident your fault automatically.

The stuff may be legal in some states...but it's extremely effective at causing job/career loss and financial ruin.

 

[Brakelite]

With all the focus on the physical or mental negative affects of drugs, we tend to overlook the more dangerous...the spiritual. I have found through experience that although God can wink at our ignorance, which for a time He did for me, there is a point that mind altering substances do drastically affect our ability to discern truth and relate healthily to spiritual powers, both good and evil. There can be no doubt that imbibing in substances that aleter our mindsets weakens our spiritual power over darkness. And places a stumbling block between oursleves and otehrs to spiritual truth. Who can testify affectively to anyone who needs deliverance from drugs and alcohol when we ourselves are helplessly bound emotionally if not physically alcohol drugs, even coffee?

Oh, yeah, preach it brother! I mean, aren't Christians on this earth to preach the gospel of hallucinogenic drug legalization?

Maybe if we Christians were out there preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ--the gospel of HOPE--people wouldn't feel the need to mess up their minds with hallucinogens. As Christians, we are given sound minds, not doped-up minds! We are told to be sober and alert, not inebriated!

How about saving men's souls so that they don't end up in hell? Now, this is sobering.

Please find it in your hearts to forgive this boisterous woman. After all, I should know my place and not debate like a man........

Telling it like it is sis. Go hard.

 

[Prayer Warrior]

As far as drug wars go...
It's an economic thing. It's not going to stop the violence by legalizing it. Even if it was free by government subsidy there still would be guys out on the street corners reselling it saying that they have the "really good stuff"
And they should try their brand.

But I've been to places where they were all so poor they couldn't buy drugs... marijuana grew wild naturally. And people fought and killed each other violently over $20. Or they fought and killed each other over the right to pick through piles of garbage.

So saying that legalizing drugs puts an end to the drug wars...it's true on one hand but untrue about it stopping the violence.

Then on top of this.
Marijuana sales and marketing has no benefit to a society. It increases overdosing... DUI, and accidents due to the fact that a lot of it is manufactured to the point that it no longer has any smell to it.

Workplace accidents do increase. And people who get injured at work who use marijuana recreationally have a two year long court battle to get workman's comp to pay the medical bills if they can prove they were actually sober when they got hurt. And in the meantime they are unemployable.

In many states just being in a fender bender that really wasn't your fault but you had some marijuana product in your vehicle makes the accident your fault automatically.

The stuff may be legal in some states...but it's extremely effective at causing job/career loss and financial ruin.

Also, the drug wars wouldn't stop because marijuana is not the only drug that is causing drug wars. Sadly, harder drugs, like meth, have become the drugs of choice for this generation.

 

[Prayer Warrior]

With all the focus on the physical or mental negative affects of drugs, we tend to overlook the more dangerous...the spiritual. I have found through experience that although God can wink at our ignorance, which for a time He did for me, there is a point that mind altering substances do drastically affect our ability to discern truth and relate healthily to spiritual powers, both good and evil. There can be no doubt that imbibing in substances that aleter our mindsets weakens our spiritual power over darkness. And places a stumbling block between oursleves and otehrs to spiritual truth. Who can testify affectively to anyone who needs deliverance from drugs and alcohol when we ourselves are helplessly bound emotionally of not physically to audiobook, drugs, even coffee?

Telling it like it is sis. Go hard.

You too, bro! Preach it!

Gal 5:1--It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

The "yoke of slavery" Paul is talking about here is the yoke of the Law, but I believe that this verse could apply to any yoke, even addictions. Jesus paid an extremely high price to set us free! I don't think we have any idea how much He suffered for us, or we wouldn't dare subject ourselves to any yoke of slavery.

I pray that all who are battling with substance issues would find true freedom in Christ. This is my earnest prayer!

Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!!

 

[JohnDB]

Then there's the whole thing with honoring the Government.

I knew a girl who had a big time habit of chewing gum.
But she was going on a mission trip to a country that didn't allow chewing gum. It was illegal.
We all poked fun at her for going. She was going to be in withdrawal and etc.

She got some as soon as she hit the airport on the way home.
But she still respected the foreign government...and for that she had my respect. Even though the situation was laughable and silly...and chewing gum is not a wonderful habit...it still was a great reaction.