wrote:
>
> Vaj and new_morning_blank_slate (and MDixon for that matter):
>
> Fall all over yourselves in your apparent rush to defend drug use,
> even something as seemingly innoculous as marijuana. You'll make
> yourselves look foolish all by yourselves without any help from me.
I hardly see why posting a scientific study, and a historical overview
of real religious practices, should be so offensive to you or make
anyone seem foolish.
And why you see posting of them as "Fall[ing] all over [our]selves in
your apparent rush to defend drug use" is well mindblowing.
While I like a number of your comments, this one seems silly, perhaps
touching some nerve that causes an irrational knee-jerk reaction. To
me rationality, independent thinking, and clear thinking are values
and practices to be applauded if not cherised. And at the core of
libertarina thinking, IMO. Thus your irrational response surprises me.
If you find any factual errors in either post (study and history of
religions overview), please by all means post them.
>
>
> --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, new_morning_blank_slate
> <no_reply@> wrote:
> >
> > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <vajranatha@> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > On Jun 5, 2006, at 2:45 PM, shempmcgurk wrote:
> > >
> > > > Thirdly, drugs. That was the era when drugs became
> fashionable.
> > > > What's so good about that?
> > >
> > > We found out we were being lied to? :
> > >
> > > "NO ASSOCIATION AT ALL...EVEN A SUGGESTION OF SOME PROTECTIVE
> EFFECT"
> > > BETWEEN HEAVY SMOKING OF MARIJUANA AND CANCER...
> > > Washington Post | Marc Kaufman | Posted May 26, 2006 08:14
> AM
> > >
> > > 
> > > AP/CP, Richard Lam
> > > The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that
> smoking
> > > marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung
> cancer.
> > > The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald
> Tashkin
> > > of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist
> who
> > > has studied marijuana for 30 years.
> > >
> > > "We hypothesized that there would be a positive association
> between
> > > marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association would be
> more
> > > positive with heavier use," he said. "What we found instead was
> no
> > > association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective
> effect."
> >
> >
> > OK, I'll see your pot article and raise you one (to be posted
> later).
> >
> > Pot hardly first became fashionable, or was seen as a spiritual
> > substance, in the 60's
> >
> > -------
> >
> > Cannabis has a long history of spiritual use, especially in India,
> > where it has been used by wandering spiritual sadhus for centuries.
> > The most famous religious group in the West to use cannabis in a
> > spiritual context are the Rastafari movement, though they are by no
> > means the only group. Some historians and etymologists have claimed
> > that cannabis was used by ancient Jews, early Christians and
> Muslims
> > of the Sufi order.
> >
> > * 1 Rastafari use
> > * 2 Judeo-Christian use
> > * 3 Muslim use
> > * 4 Hindu use
> > * 5 Sikh use
> > * 6 Others
> > * 7 See also
> > * 8 References
> > * 9 External links
> >
> > Rastafari use
> >
> > It is not known when Rastafari first made cannabis into something
> > sacred, though it is clear that by the late 1940s Rastafari was
> > associated with cannabis smoking at the Pinnacle community of
> Leonard
> > Howell. Rastafari claim to know that cannabis is the Tree of Life
> > mentioned in the Bible. Bob Marley, amongst many others, said, "the
> > herb [ganja is the healing of the nations". The use of cannabis,
> and
> > particularly of large pipes called "chalices", is an integral part
> of
> > what Rastafari call Reasoning sessions. (The flaming chalice is
> also
> > the symbol of Unitarian Universalism.) They see cannabis as having
> the
> > capacity to allow the user to penetrate the truth of how things are
> > much more clearly, as if the wool had been pulled from one's eyes.
> > Thus the Rastafari come together to smoke cannabis in order to
> discuss
> > the truth with each other, reasoning it all out little by little
> > through many sessions. In this way Rastafari believe that cannabis
> > brings the user closer to Jah.
> > [edit]
> >
> > Judeo-Christian use
> >
> > The holy anointing oil mentioned in various sacred Hebrew texts
> > contained, among other ingredients, an herb known as kaneh-bosm
> > (fragrant cane). Historically interpreted to mean calamus, there is
> > some evidence that the correct interpretation of 'fragrant cane'
> may
> > in fact be cannabis.
> >
> > The word kaneh-bosm (the singular form of which would be kaneh-bos
> [1])
> > appears several times in the Old Testament as a bartering material,
> > incense, and an ingredient in holy anointing oil used by the high
> > priest of the temple.[2] The word also appears in Isaiah, [3]
> > Jeremiah, [4] Ezekiel[5] and Song of Solomon.[6] Polish
> anthropologist
> > Sula Benet published etymological evidence that suggested a word
> > believed to be the Aramaic word for hemp can be read as kannabos
> and
> > appears to be a cognate to the modern word 'cannabis', [7] with the
> > root kan meaning "reed" or hemp and bosm meaning "fragrant". Other
> > published evidence suggests that cannabis may have been used as a
> > topical psychoactive substance in this time period. As anointment
> is
> > the application of topical fragrant, emollient, or medicinal
> ointment
> > for ritual or therapeutic purposes, it is possible that cannabis
> may
> > have been an ingredient in holy anointing oil, producing spiritual
> > experiences due to the psychoactive properties of the ingredients.
> [8]
> >
> > Rabbinical scholars appear to be divided on the question of what
> > kaneh-bosm means. Exodus[9] lists kinamon-bosm (qnmn-bsm) and
> > kaneh-bosm (qnh-bsm) separately as ingredients of the holy
> anointing
> > oil used by temple priests, romanized as "v'th qx-lk bsmym r's mr-
> drvr
> > xms m'vt vqnmn-bsm mx&ytv xmsym vm'tym vqnh-bsm xmsym vm'tym".[10]
> > Rabbi Diana Villa confirms that "'Kinamon' or 'kinman bosem' is
> > definitely cinnamon" but disputes that kaneh-bosm is cannabis,
> > offering a number of other possible interpretations from other
> > published sources.[11] Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's annotated Torah
> > translation entitled "The Living Torah" includes cannabis among
> > several other possible interpretations of kaneh-bosm [12]. In
> Israel
> > some synagogues engage in the smoking of cannabis before the holy
> > sabbath to explore a "higher" spiritual learning.
> >
> > Elders of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church consider cannabis to be
> the
> > eucharist, [13] claiming it as an oral tradition from Ethiopia
> dating
> > back to the time of Christ.[14] The word "Christ" actually
> means "the
> > anointed one."
> >
> > The first miracle attributed to Jesus took place in Cana, a name
> which
> > some claim to refer to a place where hemp was grown. Pro-cannabis
> > advocates in modern times interpret various parts of the New
> Testament
> > to mean that the "new wine" which Jesus provided at the wedding
> feast
> > was actually cannabis.[15]
> >
> > Like the Rastafari, some Gnostic Christians have asserted that
> > cannabis is the Tree of Life.[16]
> > [edit]
> >
> > Muslim use
> >
> > Generally in orthodox Islam, the use of cannabis is deemed to be
> > khamr, and therefore haraam (forbidden). As with most orthodoxies,
> > early practices differ in this. Some say that, as hashish was
> > introduced in post-Koranic times, the prohibition of khamr
> (literally,
> > "fermented grape") did not apply to it. Others point to various
> > hadith, which equate all intoxicants with khamr, and declare them
> all
> > haraam, "if much intoxicates, then even a little is haraam".
> >
> > Although cannabis use in Islamic society has been consistently
> > present, often but not exclusively in the lower classes, its use
> > explicitly for spiritual purposes is most noted among the Sufi. An
> > account of the origin of this,
> >
> > According to one Arab legend, Haydar, the Persian founder of the
> > religious order of Sufi, came across the cannabis plant while
> > wandering in the Persian mountains. Usually a reserved and silent
> man,
> > when he returned to his monastery after eating some cannabis
> leaves,
> > his disciples were amazed at how talkative and animated (full of
> > spirit) he seemed. After cajoling Haydar into telling them what he
> had
> > done to make him feel so happy, his disciples went out into the
> > mountains and tried the cannabis for themselves. So it was,
> according
> > to the legend, the Sufis came to know the pleasures of hashish.
> (Taken
> > from the Introduction to A Comprehensive Guide to Cannabis
> Literature
> > by Ernest Abel.)
> >
> > This story is most likely a myth or a simplification but an
> > interesting account nonetheless.
> >
> > In addition, the warrior sect of the Hashashin were said to have
> > smoked cannabis and were given the name "Hashasin" accordingly.
> This
> > notion, traditional in the West, is largely inferred from Marco
> Polo's
> > account of his travels, though it has been disputed.[17]
> > [edit]
> >
> > Hindu use
> >
> > Cannabis is believed to have been used in India as early as 1000
> > B.C.E.. In mainstream, lay religious usage, it is usually taken in
> > liquid form as bhang and used during religious ceremonies such as
> > marriage, as well as the Hindu celebrations of Holi and Baisakhi.
> [18][19]
> >
> > Hashish, or charas, is widely smoked by Shaivite devotees, and
> > cannabis itself is seen as a gift of Shiva to aid in sadhana.
> > Wandering ascetic sadhus are often seen smoking charas with a
> chillum.
> >
> > The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report[20] describes some
> traditional
> > Hindu spiritual uses of cannabis.
> >
> > Connection of ganja with the worship of Siva.
> > 435. It is chiefly in connection with the worship of Siva, the
> Mahadeo
> > or great god of the Hindu trinity, that the hemp plant, and more
> > especially perhaps ganja, is associated. The hemp plant is
> popularly
> > believed to have been a great favourite of Siva, and there is a
> great
> > deal of evidence before the Commission to show that the drug in
> some
> > form or other is now extensively used in the exercise of the
> religious
> > practices connected with this form of worship. Reference to the
> almost
> > universal use of hemp drugs by fakirs, jogis, sanyasis, and
> ascetics
> > of all classes, and more particularly of those devoted to the
> worship
> > of Siva, will be found in the paragraphs of this report dealing
> with
> > the classes of the people who consume the drugs. These religious
> > ascetics, who are regarded with great veneration by the people at
> > large, believe that the hemp plant is a special attribute of the
> god
> > Siva, and this belief is largely shared by the people. Hence the of
> > many fond epithets ascribing to ganja the significance of a divine
> > pro-party, and the common practice of invoking the deity in terms
> of
> > adoration before placing the chillum or pipe of ganja to the lips.
> > There is evidence to show that on almost all occasions of the
> worship
> > of this god, the hemp drugs in some form or other are used by
> certain
> > classes of the people it is established by the evidence of
> > Mahamabopadhya Mahesa Chandra Nyayaratna and of other witnesses
> that
> > siddhi is offered to the image of Siva at Benares, Baidynath,
> > Tarakeswar, and elsewhere. At the Shivratri festival, and on almost
> > all occasions before the on which this worship is practised, there
> is
> > abundant evidence Commission which shows not only that ganja is
> > offered to the god and consumed by these classes of the
> worshippers,
> > but that these customs are so intimately connected with their
> worship
> > that they may be considered to form in some sense an integral part
> of
> > it. . . .
> > Worship of the hemp plant
> > 449. The custom of worshipping the hemp plant, although not so
> > prevalent as that of offering hemp to Shiva and other deities of
> the
> > Hindus, would nevertheless appear from the statements of the
> witnesses
> > to exist to some extent in some provinces of India. The reason why
> > this fact is not generally known may perhaps be gathered from such
> > statements as that of Pandit Dharma Nand Joshi, who says that such
> > worship is performed in secret. There may be another cause of the
> > denial on the part of the large majority of Hindu witnesses of any
> > knowledge of the existence of a custom of worshipping the hemp
> plant
> > in that the educated Hindu will not admit that he worships the
> > material object of his adoration, but the deity as represented by
> it.
> > The custom of worshipping the hemp plant, though not confined to
> the
> > Himalayan districts or the northern portions of India alone, where
> the
> > use of the products of the hemp plant is more general among the
> > people, is less known as we go south. Still even far south, in
> some of
> > the hilly districts of the Madras Presidency and among the rural
> > population, the hemp plant is looked upon with some sort of
> > veneration. Mr. J. H. Merriman (witness No. 28, Madras) says: "I
> know
> > of no custom of worshipping the hemp plant, but believe it is held
> in
> > a certain sort of veneration by some classes." Mr. J. Sturrock, the
> > Collector of Coimbatore (witness No. 2, Madras), says: "In some few
> > localities there is a tradition of sanctity attached to the plant,
> but
> > no regular worship. "The Chairman of the Conjeveram Municipal
> Board,
> > Mr. E. Subramana Iyer (witness No. 143, Madras) says: "There is no
> > plant to be worshipped here, but it is generally used as
> sacrifices to
> > some of the minor Hindu deities. "There is a passage quoted from
> > Rudrayanmal Danakand and Karmakaud in the report on the use of hemp
> > drugs in the Baroda State, which also shows that the worship of the
> > bhang plant is enjoined in the Shastras. It is thus stated: "The
> god
> > Shiva says to Parvati-- 'Oh, goddess Parvati, hear the benefits
> > derived from bhang. The worship of bhang raises one to my
> position. In
> > Bhabishya Puran it is stated that "on the 13th moon of Chaitra
> (March
> > and April) one who wishes to see the number of his sons and
> grandsons
> > increased must worship Kama (Cupid) in the hemp plant, etc.".
> >
> > Sikh use
> >
> > The Sikh religion developed in the Punjab in Mughal times. The
> common
> > use of bhang in religious festivals by Hindus carried over into
> Sikh
> > practice as well. Sikhs were required to observe Dasehra with
> bhang,
> > in commemoration of the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak.
> [21]
> >
> > The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report[20] describes the
> traditional
> > use of cannabis in the Sikh religion.
> >
> > Among the Sikhs the use of bhang as a beverage appears to be
> common,
> > and to be associated with their religious practices. The witnesses
> who
> > refer to this use by the Sikhs appear to regard it as an essential
> > part of their religious rites having the authority of the Granth or
> > Sikh scripture. Witness Sodhi Iswar Singh, Extra Assistant
> > Commissioner, says :"As far as I know, bhang is pounded by the
> Sikhs
> > on the Dasehra day, and it is ordinarily binding upon every Sikh to
> > drink it as a sacred draught by mixing water with it. Legend--Guru
> > Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, the founder of the Sikh religion,
> was on
> > the gaddi of Baba Nanak in the time of Emperor Aurangzeb. When the
> > guru was at Anandpur, tahsil Una, Hoshiarpur district, engaged in
> > battle with the Hill Rajas of the Simla, Kangra, and the Hoshiarpur
> > districts, the Rains sent an elephant, who was trained in attacking
> > and slaying the forces of the enemy with a sword in his trunk and
> in
> > breaking open the gates of forts, to attack and capture the Lohgarh
> > fort near Anandpur. The guru gave one of his followers, Bachittar
> > Singh, some bhang and a little of opium to eat, and directed him to
> > face the said elephant. This brave man obeyed the word of command
> of
> > his leader and attacked the elephant, who was intoxicated and had
> > achieved victories in several battles before, with the result that
> the
> > animal was overpowered and the Hill Rajas defeated. The use of
> bhang,
> > therefore, on the Dasehra day is necessary as a sacred draught. It
> is
> > customary among the Sikhs generally to drink bhang, so that Guru
> > Gobind Singh has himself said the following poems in praise of
> bhang:
> > "Give me, O Saki (butler), a cup of green colour (bhang), as it is
> > required by me at the time of battle (vide 'Suraj Parkash, ' the
> Sikh
> > religious book). "Bhang is also used on the Chandas day, which is a
> > festival of the god Sheoji Mahadeva. The Sikhs consider it binding
> to
> > use it on the Dasehra day-The quantity then taken is too small to
> > prove injurious." As Sikhs are absolutely prohibited by their
> religion
> > from smoking, the use of ganja and charas in this form is not
> > practised by them. of old Sikh times, is annually permitted to
> collect
> > without interference a boat load of bhang, which is afterwards.
> > distributed throughout the year to the sadhus and beggars who are
> > supported by the dharamsala.
> >
> > Others
> >
> > Organized religions founded in the past century are Ethiopian Zion
> > Coptic Church, Religion of Jesus Church, THC Ministry, Way of
> Infinite
> > Harmony, Cantheism and Cannabis Assembly. Many individuals also
> > consider their use of cannabis to be spiritual regardless of
> organized
> > religion.
> > [edit]
> >
> > See also
> >
> > * Freedom of thought
> >
> > References
> >
> > 1. ^ http://www.gnostics.com/numbers-7.html
> > 2. ^ Exodus 30:23
> > 3. ^ Isaiah 43:24
> > 4. ^ Jeremiah 6:20
> > 5. ^ Ezekiel 27:19
> > 6. ^ Song of Solomon 4:14
> > 7. ^ http://www.njweedman.com/kanehbosm.html
> > 8. ^ http://cannabisculture.com/backissues/mayjune96/kanehbosm.html
> > 9. ^ Exodus 30:23
> > 10. ^
> http://bibledbdata.org/onlinebibles/hebrew_translit/02_030.htm
> > 11. ^ http://www.schechter.edu/askrabbi/fragrantcane.htm
> > 12. ^ http://www.thc-ministry.org/thelivingtorah.jpg
> > 13. ^ http://nepenthes.lycaeum.org/Drugs/THC/bible.html
> > 14. ^ http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_spirit2.shtml
> > 15. ^ http://www.ccguide.org.uk/bible.php
> > 16. ^ http://www.iamm.com/man-
> cu.htm.._ABRIDGED_THEOLOGICAL_DISCUSSION
> > 17. ^ http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_info4.shtml
> > 18. ^ http://www.skunked.co.uk/articles/history-intoxicant.htm
> > 19. ^ http://www.ukcia.org/research/indian/chapt9.htm
> > 20. ^ a b Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1893-94.
> Simla,
> > India: Government Central Printing House, 1894, 7 vols., CHAPTER
> IX,
> > SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS
> > 21. ^ http://www.ukcia.org/research/abel/6.htm
> >
>
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