Email
Print
Why Christians should oppose use of marijuana
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: March 5, 2009
Two recent stories in the news have triggered in me a desire to warn parents of the seriousness of marijuana use.
The first was the news that Michael Phelps was caught using a bong. Without question, Phelps became a national hero as he won gold medal after gold medal this past year in the summer Olympics.
Both adults and kids admired and respected his achievements. So, I was terribly disappointed to hear that he had engaged in such activities, but what bothered me even more was the relative lack of outrage concerning his behavior. Kellogg Co. stopped using Phelps in its advertising campaign, but Subway stuck to its man. This is sad.
I believe that our nation is moving dangerously close to the normalization of marijuana.
The second story supports my gut feeling. President Obama is very close to appointing Gil Kerlikowske as the new drug czar for the federal government. Kerlikowske is currently the chief of police in Seattle, Wash. In 2004, Seattle enacted a law placing marijuana use as the lowest priority of all possible legal violations.
Pot smoking became less of an issue than "jay walking." In addition, Seattle is known for its annual "Hempfest." During the "festivities," the police provide oversight, but are instructed to make no arrests for the use of marijuana.
Throughout my life I have consistently opposed marijuana. Although I have never personally smoked pot, various people whom I know and love most certainly have. I have witnessed its effects firsthand.
I have engaged in many a discussion with those who consider marijuana use not such a big deal. I have also talked with many parents about how to oppose marijuana. This brings me to my concern. Most parents fall back on one of two arguments.
First, they use a rationale that there are detrimental physical effects to smoking pot. I believe this has some reasonableness to it, but it is hard to argue this case when an increasing number of doctors consider marijuana's negative side effects to be less than other legal drugs of choice.
As a Christian, my opposition to marijuana must not be dependent upon the most recent medical opinion.
The second reason parents give to their children against marijuana use is that it is illegal. I am convinced we will not be able to use this argument much longer. Unfortunately, we are moving toward a day where marijuana will likely become legal. What will be our response to our kids when it does?
I oppose marijuana. I oppose its use, period. I do believe it has many negative physical effects, but I believe its spiritual effects are far more destructive.
My following comments as to the destructive effects of marijuana are not taken from studies. They come from my personal observations. I hope they will help parents educating their children about the evils of marijuana use.
First, any use of marijuana produces a high. Marijuana is not like alcohol in this sense. I am absolutely opposed to drunkenness. But I encourage parents to not fall into the trap of making a comparison where limited use of marijuana seems acceptable. Any amount of marijuana produces a high and is therefore wrong.
Second, marijuana reduces a person's moral resolve. This effect occurs when a person is actually high. But it also occurs at other times when a person uses marijuana regularly.
As a Christian worker on college campuses and as a pastor, I have counseled many people dealing with other moral struggles from which they desire freedom.
Pot smokers often will be amazingly open and honest with me regarding their struggles. Initially, I was impressed with this vulnerability. But I was soon to discover that there was little actual improvement. I was trying to deal with some other moral issue, without first dealing with the use of marijuana. It didn't work.
Their moral resolve was inhibited. They could often see wrong in their life. They could recognize that it was evil, but they did not have sufficient remorse or the resulting inner resolve to actually overcome the evil.
On the other hand, if a person with whom I was helping to deal with some other moral evil was also willing to stop their use of marijuana, they repeatedly had greater resolve to deal with the initial moral evil.
Third, marijuana becomes an idol, replacing God in a person's life. This is the reason why godliness and marijuana use are incompatible. Some have tried to reason with me that this is only due to the false stigma against marijuana.
If we could remove the stigma, they say, then people could love God and love marijuana as well. I am not convinced, nor should you be. Marijuana use fits well with certain religions that worship the earth. Several pagan religions use marijuana to enhance their "spiritual experience." But this cannot be the case with Christianity.
The Christian life is not a denial of all pleasure, a point that those who use marijuana are quick to point out. But it does include spiritual discipline, clarity of thought and personal moral and spiritual resolve.
The Christian disciplines his body and keeps it under control (I Corinthians 9:27), so that he is able to set his mind on things above (Colossians 3:2). Marijuana use replaces godly zeal with the hedonistic love of pleasure.
And so, while Michael Phelps may be able to win a gold medal and smoke pot, and while our current president does not fully grasp the detrimental effects of marijuana use, you as a parent should continue to teach its evils.
I warn you to not slip in your resolve to oppose it. No, I beg you, for the sake of your kids, be strong in your opposition to marijuana.
Mike Thompson is the pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church. He welcomes comments or questions at michaelethompson@charterinternet.com.
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Click a region for news specific to that area.
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
Advertisement
