cannabisnews.com: Religious Leaders Unite on Marijuana Initiative





Religious Leaders Unite on Marijuana Initiative
Posted by CN Staff on October 03, 2006 at 06:24:59 PT
By Geralda Miller, Reno Gazette-Journal
Source: Reno Gazette-Journal
Nevada -- A dozen Northern Nevada religious leaders plan to announce today they support the initiative to legalize marijuana."I know of no place else in the country where a group of religious leaders is coming together to speak with a unified voice with regulating marijuana," said Troy Dayton, associate director of the Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative.
The Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative addresses drug policies issues nationwide and is working with the Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana. Dayton said he called many religious leaders to get their support on the initiative.The list of 32 churches, mostly in Las Vegas and Reno, includes Christians and Jews, mainline denominations and several black churches.Question 7 on the November ballot would allow those 21 and older to legally possess, use and transfer 1 ounce or less of marijuana. It also would regulate the sale of marijuana and increase criminal penalties for causing death or substantial bodily harm when driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.The marijuana ballot question has drawn support and opposition by religious leaders."General moral concern about drugs plays in the hands of those opposed to this question," said Rabbi Myra Soifer of Temple Sinai. "But we're also morally concerned about justice and we believe that Question 7 is an appropriate way to regulate a small amount use of marijuana by adults."Marijuana should join alcohol and tobacco as a drug that the government regulates to prevent excess, Soifer said. Snipped:Complete Article: http://tinyurl.com/ndcuyNewshawk: Global_WarmingSource: Reno Gazette-Journal (NV)Author: Geralda Miller, Reno Gazette-JournalPublished: October 3, 2006Copyright: 2006 Reno Gazette-JournalWebsite: http://www.rgj.com/Contact: http://tinyurl.com/34bny Related Articles & Web Site:Regulate and Control Marijuanahttp://www.regulatemarijuana.org/Are Pot Opponents Using Smoke & Mirrors?http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22219.shtmlAll The Right Reasonshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22213.shtmlBallot Initiative: Internal Poll Finds Support http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22190.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #10 posted by global_warming on October 04, 2006 at 03:18:22 PT
thanks
Whig, very nicely done.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by whig on October 03, 2006 at 18:29:07 PT
gw 
Here's the first revision, by Whig: http://tinyurl.com/oy9ycGod bless every one of those who stand with us.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by mayan on October 03, 2006 at 17:46:51 PT
This Is Huge!
This will seal the fate of the Nevada initiative. When the organized religious community merges with our cause the war on cannabis is over. The prohibitionists have absolutely no moral leg to stand on. All they have left is lies and that leg is getting very,very weak!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by global_warming on October 03, 2006 at 15:03:36 PT
curious
comment 5, what is your contribution to the good wiki article?To add further to the above article, there is a list of names of real people of Faith who are getting behind Question 7...The following Nevada religious leaders support marijuana regulation:Rev. Jerry Smith - District Superintendent, United Methodist Church, RenoRev. William C. Webb -- senior pastor, Second Baptist Church, Southern Baptist/Missionary Baptist, RenoRev. Jerry Pruess -- retired Missouri Synod Lutheran minister, LaughlinRev. Emmanuel Wasson III -- senior pastor, Holy Trinity AME, Las VegasRev. Paul Hansen -- senior pastor, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Las VegasRev. Peter Courtney -- retired Episcopal priest, Las VegasRev. Sylvester Tanner -- Faith Chapel, Church of God in Christ, Las VegasRev. Gene Savoy -- International Community of Christ Church, RenoRev. William G. Chrystal -- senior pastor, First Congregational Church, RenoRev. Ivan Gunderman -- senior pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Las VegasRabbi Myra Soifer -- Temple Sinai, RenoRev. John Auer -- senior pastor, First United Methodist, RenoRev. John Emerson -- pastor emeritus, First United Methodist, RenoRev. Richard Van Hoosen -- retired Disciples of Christ minister, Las VegasRev. Leonard Jackson -- recent former associate pastor, Holy Trinity AME, Las Vegas, former president of the Los Angeles Council of Churches, current senior advisor to the Mayor of Los Angeles and Associate Pastor, First AME Church, Los AngelesSister Toni Woodson -- Roman Catholic nun, Community of the Holy Spirit, Las VegasRev. Carol Rudisill -- interim minister, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada, RenoRev. Deborah Grundman -- former Minister of Music, Sparks United Methodist Church, current executive assistant to the Bishop of the California-Nevada Conference, and DeaconRabbi Oren Postrel -- North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation, North TahoeRev. Kurt Sortland -- senior pastor, Lakes Lutheran Church, Las VegasRabbi Jonathan Freirich -- Temple Bat Yam, StatelineRev. Ruth Hanusa -- ELCA chaplain, Campus Christian Association, UNR, RenoRabbi ElizaBeth Webb Beyer, R.N., J.D. -- ethics professor, UNR, RenoSister Timothy Malone -- Roman Catholic nun, Community of the Holy Spirit, Las VegasRabbi Craig Rosenstein -- hospice chaplain, Harbor House, Las VegasRev. Greg Stewart -- recent former senior minister, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada, RenoRev. Paul Daniel -- recent former senior minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Las VegasRev. David Scheuneman -- Unitarian Universalist community minister, Las VegasRev. Abigail Aft -- Las VegasRev. J. Stuart Wells -- recent former co-minister, First Congregational United Church of Christ, Las Vegas Rev. Gail Wells -- recent former co-minister, First Congregational United Church of Christ, Las VegasPaula Povilaitis, MTS -- masters in theological studies, former teacher, Evangelical Lutheran, RenoRabbi Richard Schachet -- Rabbi Emeritus, Valley Outreach Synagogue, Las Vegas (recently deceased)http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5491830&nav=menu102_2May God Bless Them To Eternity.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by whig on October 03, 2006 at 11:22:23 PT
er...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_use_of_cannabis
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by whig on October 03, 2006 at 11:21:46 PT
This is why
I've been working on promoting the religious use of cannabis and its recognition for the same, we are going to get recognition from the good churches. We are going to reestablish our communion with them.I just made sure to rename the Wikipedia article from  to  now. It is correct.Thank you Stan and everyone else who does this too. And thank you everyone who does things in their own ways, it is not one or the other but all together that make this work.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by Hope on October 03, 2006 at 10:11:24 PT
Looking for something good.
It's excellent, in fact.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by The GCW on October 03, 2006 at 09:42:39 PT
Know
One reason that wasn’t written in the article to support re-legalizing cannabis (kaneh bosm / marijuana) that doesn’t get mentioned is because it is Biblically correct since Christ God Our Father, indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants saying they are all good, on literally the very first page (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only Biblical restriction place on cannabis is that it be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5). It’s time to stop caging humans for using what God says is good.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by Storm Crow on October 03, 2006 at 09:25:20 PT
Well, bless their hearts!
Was that the sound of dominos are beginning to fall?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by Truth on October 03, 2006 at 08:59:25 PT
Yahoo
Good for them.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment