A couple of years ago the question about the legalization of marijuana was asked on the sister site that deal with politics that is now in hiatus. California (who else) got the ball started with the process of legalizing it. Back in November Colorado became the latest battleground. And on the day that it became legal thousands of people flocked to the state to buy their share. Of course they probably never thought about the fact that they had to smoke it there because you can not take illegal substances across the state line. But they are pot heads so they probably were not able to think about that anyway. This time the question is based more on the morality of the issue. What do we do with marijuana? Do we treat it like coffee and cigarettes? Do we treat it like alcohol and medical drugs? Or do we treat it like cocaine and heroine? After all everything that has been listed here is still a drug and "has its purpose". But where is the line drawn about it usage? The answer to the poll is repeal the laws, create new ones that put a huge restriction on it. Here are the actual results to the poll about the legalization of marijuana:
Some Christians think it should be legalized for the following reasons (none of which are valid nor rational): it takes the money power out of the equation, we can't force our morality on others since we have free will, or there is nothing wrong with it. Pathetic answers. It won't take the money out of it since now they can get away with bringing a lot more into the country and will have a bigger market. Plus they will just move on to harder drugs to sell and then what do we do with those drugs? There is something wrong with it. Anytime we put things into our body that alter who we are is wrong. Medical reasons? Fine, then put it in a pill and get a real prescription for it. Some will argue that alcohol kills more brain cells that marijuana, but that is like saying could you please only cut two of my fingers off instead of three. It still kills. Some will say it is not that addictive. The government says it is but some psychologist are on the fence: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-mind/201012/is-marijuana-addictive. Think about it. If it is a drug that people feel the need to fight for then guess what? If they took coffee off the market, people would fight for it. If they took soft drinks of the market...hmmm, New York.
So what about the third reason Christians would agree about it? We shouldn't create laws that force people to listen to a moral issue? There are laws against us all the time and they don't hurt anyone. Is there a two-way street here? But perhaps there is truth about creating a law against it. If it illegal then people due to their disobedient nature will want to try it. Restricting it won't reduce the usage of it. Look what happened to alcohol. Either way there are alcoholics. Same with marijuana. There will be people using it no matter what. And that brings us to the main issue.
Actually the main issue isn't should we legalize it or not. The issue is why are people feeling the need to have it. And the answer to that is because our society is immoral. We feel the need to live in fantasy worlds. We can't take reality so we escape it. We live in a world that only cares about feeling good instead of doing good. If we look at those who support the legalization we get a better picture at how dumb it is to do so: http://www.pinterest.com/theinsider/celebs-who-support-marijuana-legalization/. Most on the list are unrespectable people living questionable lives. Don't judge? It is not a matter of judging. It is a matter of knowing right from wrong.
But here is the main problem with legalization. If no one is held accountable then people can use it recreationally at their leisure. Doctors, pilots, teachers, bus drivers, presidents (wait, never mind) will be coming to work more high. Without any boundaries the children of today are bot going to know the difference between helping your body or abusing your body. And then we will wonder why so many kids want to commit suicide and feel they have no purpose in life. Not all marijuana users will use cocaine and heroin. But all heroin and cocaine users started with marijuana. Fact. We are now getting to a point where it is becoming more and more accepted as part of our culture. Nothing seems to bother us anymore. As a teacher there are signs everyday of the culture inside the schools that show lack of motivation for anything in life. And marijuana is usually a part of those kinds of students' lives. Nice future we have built for them.
Until the culture changes, until we can turn people's thoughts around, until we can get people to understand that there are consequences for all of our actions, until we get society to believe in hope again, marijuana should remain illegal, or at least come with many restrictions. And Christians, do what is right.
6 comments:
Being a student of Government, you are aware of the main facets of any legal system. They can be broken down into:
The Legal Law
The Ethical Law
The Moral Law
Even though I totally agree with the fact that there is absolutely no benefit to smoking marijuana or taking other chemicals into our bodies, I also see no benefit to society to attempt to legislate morality.
Laws should be restricted to actions that would violate the combination two or more of the legal, ethical or moral laws, not just one.
Look at the Bible. Can you give me a law that God gave us that did not encompass two of more of legal, ethical or moral laws?
The best that we, as a society, can warn people of the ramifications of self destruction but you cannot prevent it with a law.
I forgot the best argument.
"I have the right to do anything,but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything, but not everything is constructive."
1 Corinthians 10:23
We have free will to anything we want. I'm sorry but that what it says. But remember, it certain actions violate the other aspects of the legal, ethic or moral law, then we have to be willing to except the circumstances.
No Doubt,
I can totally respect your ideas (and you know that) so I can speak freely here.
If you ask me, drugs WOULD violate two of them. Moral and ethical. Taking anything into your body is the moral. Your body is a temple. But the secular world not accept that. And if they do not accept that then no moral or ethical laws would be accpeted either. And if you go to work high when it may endager someone else then the ethical code is broken. And if something bad happens while you are high then the legal code might apply.
Yes, we have free will, but there were still laws God passed down to us.
But as I said, our culture is what needs fixing. But until we can get it back then laws have to take the place of missing morals. If we took your ideas then ALL things would be allowed even up to the point of murder. Where is the line to be drawn?
Some laws will prevent actions. This may not be one of them, but I will take my chance with it.
Should we get rid of all speed limits? Should we give out condoms in schools? There are laws placed in order to keep chaos from happening.
Should we get rid of the laws that say 20 years old can drink? Would it be okay for a 2 year old to drink? I know Europe does. And look at them...
Your last sentence is the main point. Our actions have consequences. That is something no one in this age wants to accept.
Keep it coming!!!
First of all, I hate my spell checker. :-) LOL I can't believe how many mistakes I made in my first two comments.
But seriously, don't you think it's a slippery slope once we begin to legislate morality?
What's next? Sharia Law?
But getting back to the marijuana question. We have laws, on the books right now, prohibiting its use. We also had prohibition during the 20's. It appears to me that prohibiting self destructive behavior only leads to more bad behavior, such as gangs, cartels, etc.
Bottom line...If people want to put that garbage into thier bodies, no law is going to prevent them from doing it.
It may sound bad, but let them do it as long as they don't hurt someone else in the process. They have the warnings just like God warns us not to sin or face the consequences. If people choose the wrong path, who is responsible for that?
As for our culture needing to be fixed, that is the sign of the times. I firmly believe that we are in the end times. Regardless of what we do, we are headed for the time that the Bible says more about than the time which Y'shua spent on this earth during his ministry, the time just before the Messiah comes back.
I know that it's frustrating to watch what the world is doing to itself. It honestly makes me sad and I won't stop throwing up the red flags to warn people of thier stupid behavior. But, I'm also reminded that God is doing everything to warn us in an effort to get us to stop our own self destructive behavior, even dying on the cross for us. Through all that, he doesn't get what he wants out of the deal either.
He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Think about how frustrated he feels.
Shalom in the Messiah my brother.
No Doubt,
I have an issue when people ask about the slippery slope. Because there is always a slippery slope. The main problem with that argument is that we never see the slope until we are already sliding down it. The Sharia Law would have to be looked at. The difference is Sharia Law hurts people. Stopping marijuana does not.
We have laws RIGHT NOW. Colorado no longer does. Ohio is next. The process has already started. look it up. There is your slippery slope.
I think laws will stop some people. Otherwise why have any laws at all?
If you let someone go as along as they don't hurt anyone then you are in reality WAITING for them to hurt someone. That is like the domestic abuse issue. Women can't get protection until the husband actually hurts her...too late.
"They have the warnings just like God warns us not to sin or face the consequences. If people choose the wrong path, who is responsible for that?"
They are. But there paths cross ours. We have to protect the others in this. Colorado just passed another part of the law that says the items for consumption have to be in child-proof containers. But why? Let the child have it. After all if they are 13 they are old enough to make the moral decision, right? If we pass one restriction and not another isn't that hypocritical?
Amen to the rest. Just remember God also sent prophets and not just a word but a messenger with it.
I know it's a horrible argument. There is no great answer since we have slipped so far already. Christians need to be more active. Fight the real fights. Change the culture instead of letting it change us.
Why is there a speed limit? Is it about morals? Is it about ethics? Is it about legality?
None. It is about what few people have decided to set as a standard because they think it could save lives and/or save a commodity. That could be argued that it is ethical but the law keeps changing. It could be about morals but whose? Just the government's. It's not about legality since it is not in the Constitution. So why? And we accept it. Is it right to have a speed limit? Yes, because it could be saving lives. It is worth a law being made. Same principle.
Post a Comment