The "First Church of Cannabis" in Indiana gets approved! - Here are their Twelve Commandments

Activists have been using Indiana's "religious freedom" law as a way to use marijuana as a sacrament in a state that still considers it banned. The guy who started the whole thing is quite the character.

"It's a new religion for people who happen to live in our day and age," Levin told The Huffington Post in an interview Monday. "All these old religions, guys walking across the desert without Dr. Scholl's inserts, drinking wine out of goat bladders, no compass, speaking Latin and Hebrew -- I cannot relate to that #. I drive by Burger Kings, bars and corn fields. I cannot relate to an antique magic book."

He is calling it a god-filled or godless religion and leaves that entirely up to the individual. Last week he began working on what he calls the "New Deity Dozen" and disputes that though they are related to the ten commandments in a cheeky way, it is entirely up to the person if they want to follow them. They are as follows...


I couldn't help but laugh. The guy doesn't take himself very serious at all, but his drive and passion to overcome the odds while doing what he loves is commendable. Seems like a great set of rules to live by.

"We're going to have a 'good book,'" Levin said. "The first good book that we're going to authorize in the church and share is the first good book we all read." Levin says that's The Emperor Wears No Clothes: Hemp and the Marijuana Conspiracy, a classic cannabis history book by Jack Herer, first published in 1985.

While marijuana is still illegal in Indiana, he will have to literally tempt the law in order to see if the new system works in his favor. It will be a hard sell to convince the state of his actions, but not impossible.

"I want to have a place where everyone can go," he said, adding that the church won't provide marijuana to the congregation because they don't want to break federal laws. But if he is able to find a space, he said, he will welcome the use of marijuana by members.

I admire his passive aggressive approach and hope he becomes successful in his endeavor. It wouldn't be the first time someone has challenged the system and won. Seems like one of the few positive outcomes so far since the new "religious freedom" law was signed into effect.

Source

a reply to: eisegesis

People who are beating this dead horse over and over forget that when the Federal Version of the bill (that Indiana copied for its own version) was passed, it had NOTHING to do with Christians or marriage. It was actually passed to protect Native Americans.

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act applies to all religions, but is most pertinent to Native American religions that are burdened by increasing expansion of government projects onto sacred land. In Native American religion the land they worship on is very important. Often the particular ceremonies can only take place in certain locations because these locations have special significance.[5] This, along with peyote use are the main parts of Native American religions that are often left unprotected.

So, these people think they are pulling one over and getting free drugs and using the law in an ironic way, but they are actually exercising it in the manner in which it was passed.

The joke is very much on them.

LMAO!
i knew this would spiral into something the religious bigots would hate but, I thought maybe a "satanist" cult or an FSM church would be the first news worthy ones to sprout.
This is kind of a lot awesome

a reply to: ketsuko

I guess we'll be seeing this Levin character in the funny pages, or maybe The Onion LOL Personally, I hope if he's challenged he wins, because that really is a win for everyone. This retarded prohibition has gone on way to long. nI think they only maybe marijuana illegal to try and fill prisons with generally easy to handle, cost effective inmates, so the industrial prison complex could make more more profit through reduced management costs.

Cheers - Dave

a reply to: eisegesis

This kind of activism is what citizens need to challenge the smothering police state and the distorted values that nourished it.

Failing that, achieving a measure of personal peace free of memes and the assault of marketing.

He missed "do not kill or support entities that do". It should be at the top. No, it's not obvious.

a reply to: ketsuko

So, these people think they are pulling one over and getting free drugs and using the law in an ironic way, but they are actually exercising it in the manner in which it was passed.

No one seems to be getting free drugs. The joke is very much on the state of Indiana if it thinks that it's law are keeping people from smoking the stuff. I might have missed your point.

It's a BYOP worship session.

I'll ride that wave until it's over any day than sit back and get told what I can and can't do. A law is only justified in my mind if I'm willing to follow it. Within good moral judgment of course.

So...

a reply to: bobs_uruncle

The only crappy thing about it is that his isn't really a sincere religion. I wish he was something like a Rasta where drugs are actually used spiritually and not someone just out to use the law to get high.

a reply to: eisegesis

"Free" as in drugs without worrying about being arrested for them.

originally posted by: eisegesis
a reply to: ketsuko

So, these people think they are pulling one over and getting free drugs and using the law in an ironic way, but they are actually exercising it in the manner in which it was passed.

No one seems to be getting free drugs. The joke is very much on the state of Indiana if it thinks that it's law are keeping people from smoking the stuff. I might have missed your point.

It's a BYOP worship session.

I'll ride that wave until it's over any day than sit back and get told what I can and can't do. A law is only justified in my mind if I'm willing to follow it. Within good moral judgment of course.

So...

Ah, I see ... it's a perfectly good law so long as you can use it to get your way and what you want, but if I use it to try to protect my beliefs because they disagree with what you believe ... I ought to be crucified for it.

I see no actual hypocrisy there at all ...

To quote Homer Simpsosn,,,"PRAISE CHEEBUS'

a reply to: eisegesis

The road has actually already been paved for his church, kinda, if he does it right.

Medical marijuana ministries

Down on the corner, the church bells are ringing, and folks with a host of crippling and life-threatening ailments cane or wheelchair down the block to receive their daily sacrament and medicine? cannabis. The preachers who distribute the sacrament from these churches have had spiritual experiences deeply rooted in life-threatening illnesses and family compassion.

Marijuana ministers model themselves after the image of Jesus: they provide medicine for the sick, and they do it despite social prohibitions ? like the ancient Jewish taboo against working on the Sabbath that landed Jesus in hot water with the Pharisees for healing.

Since Reverend Kimmel's trials, there have been two significant court rulings regarding sacramental use. Reverend Dennis Shields, who was arrested after testifying against the helicopter eradication program, explained that in April of 1997, a 9th Circuit court in Hawaii ruled (in The State vs Blake) that churches must comply with a three-pronged test for cannabis use to be considered legal. A 1997 case in California, The People vs Trippit, reconfirmed the courts' willingness to rely on the three-pronged test.
"First, the religion needs to be genuine," said Shields. "Second, the use and practices have to be sincere. And third, the use of cannabis must not be optional for the church's members. Blake was a tantric buddhist, and the judge ruled that he wasn't sincere because cannabis use was optional in his religion, and he could avoid it with due conscience."
Reverend Shields was also stung by the three-pronged devil's pitchfork? Religion of Jesus members weren't officially required to use marijuana, and so he was convicted. Shortly thereafter, Religion of Jesus leader Reverend Kimmel declared cannabis use to be mandatory for all members.

a reply to: windword

There is a marijuana church in Cali that I remember seeing on a Discover doc, and I actually thought that he was opening a new chapter of it or something.

However, it seems he's just using this as the occasion to exempt himself from drug laws which isn't cool.

I'm not sure if this is it -- 420 Church of the Anointed, but it's a similar idea. I won't link because it is a drug that's still illegal in many places.

I tend to disagree with what they think fire baptism is, but whatever.

originally posted by: InverseLookingGlass
a reply to: eisegesis

This kind of activism is what citizens need to challenge the smothering police state and the distorted values that nourished it.

Failing that, achieving a measure of personal peace free of memes and the assault of marketing.

He missed "do not kill or support entities that do". It should be at the top. No, it's not obvious.

I love the image he puts forth.

I'll do my thing and you do yours. You are welcome at my house anytime to take part in worshipping your god with us using marijuana in their name. The very essence of tolerance.

With that said, he can technically discriminate anyone who walks through his doors and tell them to hit the road. He will certainly have his faith tested.

This could be the silver lining to a very black cloud that now hangs over Indiana. Some see oppression, others see opportunity.

That's America baby.

I don't see any problem with this new 'religion'. I support religious freedom in all its forms. At least this religion won't be killing anyone.

a reply to: ketsuko

Ah, I see ... it's a perfectly good law so long as you can use it to get your way and what you want, but if I use it to try to protect my beliefs because they disagree with what you believe ... I ought to be crucified for it.

Right...

The same thing that politicians and CEO's have been doing to us for most of their very existence.

If you don't agree with the law, don't follow it. Simple as that. If you put forward a good enough case, you just might make your point and win.

a reply to: eisegesis

I think I just found religion again.

Actually, those commandments would change the very world if they were followed. Simple yet all encompassing.

a reply to: eisegesis

I freaking love it. I would join. What a great idea'....lol

I really like the first commandment.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: bobs_uruncle

The only crappy thing about it is that his isn't really a sincere religion. I wish he was something like a Rasta where drugs are actually used spiritually and not someone just out to use the law to get high.

Seems kinda arrogant to presume what a " sincere religion " is with out experiencing it.

I'm an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church and far be it for me to determine how others should worship.

I sent him a message about starting a similar church in the state of Washington, united as one organization.