The Church of Cannabis is now a legally recognized religion and weed is its holy sacr

[Robrites]

The Church of Cannabis is now a legally recognized religion and weed is its holy sacrament.


Time to sign-up?


Marijuana advocates amped up their game as the first cannabis church is starting to move forwards. The First Church of Cannabis was already had its legal recognition.

According to Plaid Zebra, The Church of Cannabis is now a recognized religion. What made the Church of Cannabis a bit peculiar is the fact that they tend to smoke weed as their holy sacrament. The church's minister and "Grand Pooba" Bill Levin sought help from the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to have The First Church of Cannabis to become a legitimate establishment.

Levin took a step in having The First Church of Cannabis and its congregation legitimized by applying for legal status. The First Church of Cannabis can already be considered as a religious corporation. Declaring marijuana as their official holy sacrament, The First Church of Cannabis was granted religious tax exemption.

The church gathered more than 700 backers, wherein it was able to earn more than $15,000 after sourcing out funds from a GoFundMe campaign. The First Church of Cannabis will be using the funds to acquire an existing church building or construct their own establishment using "hempcrete," which is a form of concrete entirely made from hemp.

We are progressing to get a building property to be our holy ground," Levin said. "We're going to set up counseling for heroin since we have a huge epidemic in this country. We'll probably have Alcoholics Anonymous, too. I'm not going to allow alcohol on the premise."

According to Chicago Tribune, The First Church of Cannabis is planning to grow hemp, but they will not place it on the market. Marijuana is currently illegal in Indiana, the church's hometown. This being said, the RFRA stops Indiana's government to prohibit a person's believer's right to exercise religion.



"If someone is smoking in our church, God bless them," Bill Levin stated. "This is a church to show a proper way of life, a loving way to live life. We are called 'cannataerians.'"
http://www.parentherald.com/article...cannabis-finally-gained-legal-recognition.htm

 

[Payaso]

What a long road this is... and this is definitely NOT the first church of cannabis on this planet.

Many folks have tried to use the religious defense since the passage of the religious freedoms restoration act that allowed some native Americans to use peyote in their ceremonies.

I have attended a trial in a Federal court where the judge refused to listen to or allow testimony about religious rights (or medical usage rights) and the accused was sent to jail for ten years for starting a church of cannabis and allowing over 900 people to grow on his land, which he considered part of his church.

And yes his church was legally recognized and incorporated in the state of California. It was Eddy Lepp.

I wish them the best of luck. Indiana needs all the help they can get to smoke more cannabis.

 

[armedoldhippy]

the Rastafarians use cannabis in their religion/daily life, but i am not sure if they consider it to be their "sacramental herb". probably so, but that has not kept them from being arrested here. not sure about Jamaica...

 

[CosmicGiggle]

I've been considering joining something similar recently and they have online services too.

The only thing holding me back is the certainty of being a name on a list in some gov. office somewhere.

I'm not in a legal state.

 

[Gizmo]

a church no way, a mosque no problem

 

[aridbud]

Nah, I'll worship in Nature w/ cannabis. An organized spiritual base....too sketchy for me.

Way back in high school/college, when collection plate was passed around, I and friends put in a joint or bubble gum into the offering plate. I'm sure whomever counted the $$ enjoyed it. ;o)

 

[CosmicGiggle]

Nah, I'll worship in Nature w/ cannabis. An organized spiritual base....too sketchy for me.

If push comes to shove, the good thing about belonging to a cannabis based religion is the LEGAL protection of your right to smoke pot wherever you live.

....in theory at least, but yer still gonna have to $hell out the bucks to a lawyer if caught to exercise your religious rights!

 

[dddaver]

I bet most of the problems would be in actually getting the "sacramental" material.

Mailing cannabis is federal offense and is still illegal everywhere. Even if you went and got some yourself, when transporting it back home you are trafficking. I would think the fuzz might frown upon that in those illegal states.

I'm sure the "churches" make everything sound rosy, but the reality may be way different.

If you just buy black market, you might still be guilty of trafficking or whatever, but at least you're not paying some "church" to say you're legal. There is more to it than just possessing it, ya gotta get it.

 

[MJPassion]

What's the point of joining a church just to exercise the Rights of existence?

It's part of my pursuit to happiness!

 

[Jellyfish]

I wish them the best of luck. Indiana needs all the help they can get to smoke more cannabis.

We smoke plenty here.

 

[Robrites]

Official Website:http://www.cannaterian.org/

Official Website:http://www.cannaterian.org/

The First Church of Cannabis is a registered church in the U.S. state of Indiana. It was founded in March 2015 by Bill Levin, who attended Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, a Reform Judaism synagogue, as a child, and titles himself Grand Poobah of the church.[1] He said it was a direct response to the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).[2][3] Monthly dues are $4.20.[4][5] Levin said that the church was granted IRS tax-exempt status in under 30 days after he applied.[1][4]

Bill Levin - the self appointed "Grand Poobah" or highest holy official of the church, claimed that he had the idea to found the church while watching the popular television series: The Flintstones. Grand Poobah is a term derived from The Flintstones as the name of a high ranking elected position in a secret society, the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes.

Media interest in the church is high, with thousands of reported print articles and features on CNN and Fox News.[1] The group planned to test RFRA on July 1, 2015, with a service in Indiana including the use of cannabis.[6][7] However, legal threats from the city forced the first service to not use marijuana at all. The service went without any arrests, even with a heavy police presence, although there were protesters from a nearby Christian church.[8] Parking was restricted, as the police argued that they were enforcing a city law on parking on a street less than 24 feet wide. Nearby residents also restricted parking on their property, although at least one person allowed parking for a small fee. The service featured a comedian, live music, and dancing. Food trucks were outside along with a merchandise table selling t-shirts and stickers.[9]

A security camera was installed outside of the church on the first day of service. City officials argued that the camera was installed to ensure public safety. Levin retorted by saying "I find it flattering. If you think we are important enough to install a camera so you can have a guy watch us 24 hours a day, good! Good! You’re spending our Hoosier tax money proper."[10]

The church has a list of twelve commandments called the "Deity Dozen", which includes abstention from Internet trolling.[1][5][6]

 

[stoned-trout]

my church is my greenhouse....yeehaw

 

[Payaso]

We called my grandfather the "Grand Poohbah" back in the '50s...

A Grand Poo Bah is any overbearing and pompous authority, often claiming numerous titles, roles or distinctions and frequently overplaying their hand...From a character in the 1885 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Mikado.

 

[Payaso]

Not to be disrespectful, I hope and pray this works for some folks someday and then it will be a legal precedent.

 

[Genghis Kush]

!

 

[MicroRoy]

Church not to be taken lightly.

I follow my owne beliefs.

 

[noyd666]

local pubs my church.

 

[corky1968]

You can't arrest me copper.

This is Holy Weed Land. LOLZ

 

[ImFuct]

If it meant that I could replace pills for a natural medicine I would join in a second!

 

[7DZ]

I'd like to petition for the establishment of the First Church of the Best Guess.