By Eric Blauer
Evangelicals have only recently publicly made peace with Jesus turning water to wine. Now with the rise of legalization of marijuana, they are scrambling to figure out how to defend home brewing and theology pubs while prohibiting Bud & Bible nights.
The recreational use of pot is putting the squeeze on the rationale behind promoting the latest Pint & Non-profit fundraiser while preaching against the growing acceptance of weed use. There’s an odd dance of semantics going on as religious leaders, parents and teachers navigate how to lead responsibly in a culture of expanding normalization of previously prohibited behaviors.
According to recent statistical information released by the state of Washington, Spokanites are more fond of their Marijuana than bread, milk and wine. The exploding industry and the millions of dollars of tax revenue are making the issue of legalizing marijuana a major political and social debate across the country.
“Legal marijuana sales in Spokane County, Washington, were higher than sales of wine, beer, bread, and milk last year. Cannabis retailers in the county received slightly more than $43 million, or an average of $225.64 per household, in sales during 2015. According to the Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average Spokane household purchased $232.10 in beer and spent $154.85 on wine. Meanwhile, area families only spent $155.37 on milk and $109.71 on bread last year.”
The impact of this new threshold we’ve passed is finding its way into every day life as more states wrestle with legalization and other states navigate the cross state lines impact of legalization. The potential impact this will have on youth has Washington using some of its tax revenues to wage an anti-use campaign for young people at the same time as it reaps the profits from taxes.
Parents, pastors and teachers are being called upon to equip young people and adults on how to think about the use of recreational drugs like marijuana, on top of the use and abuse of alcohol. At the same time the epidemic of opiate abuse is out of control and local and national leaders are scrambling to address the criminal and cultural impact of prescription drugs.
“Opioids played a part in 28,648 deaths in the United States in 2014, a record number, according to the C.D.C., and opioid painkillers like OxyContin, Percocet and Vicodin generate nearly $2 billion a year in sales.”
“We are seeing more people killed because of opioid overdose than from traffic accidents — I mean, think about that,” -President Obama, National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit.
We are at an odd crossroads as we wrestle with the normalcy of dangerously addictive opiate drug use for health and the socialized acceptance of alcohol and the legalization of marijuana.
Many people who struggle with health problems are turning away from the addictive and health damaging effects of over the counter painkillers and opiate pain management for medical marijuana. While there is still a lot of controversy over the issue of marijuana legalization, most people in the U.S. are ok with the idea. An October Gallop poll found that 60 percent of Americans want to legalize recreational marijuana, while 81 percent believe cannabis for medical reasons should be allowed.
For Christians who look to the bible for guidance, we find the moderate middle upheld as the compass for navigating all things, especially the pleasures. Freedom is upheld as all are encouraged to enjoy but be wary of the propensity of enslavement or abuse across all matters of personal indulgence be it food, money, sex, entertainment or even sleep. Learning to use, but not abuse the gifts of pleasure in life is a critical part of becoming a healthy and responsible adult. Some people may use their freedom to abstain from many things they may have history or tendency to abuse, others enjoy with moderation and many are addicts or abusers.
“You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use. You allow them to produce food from the earth, wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin,and bread to give them strength.” -Psalm 104:14-15
“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” -Eph 5:18
“In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money.” -1 Timothy 3:8
The impact on lives from drunkenness, addiction and irresponsible use has a long history of pain and suffering, from the impact on families from addiction, to deaths through driving intoxicated, to the rape epidemic on campuses or the influence in domestic violence. We’ve yet to see the long term impact of legalization of marijuana but the opiate epidemic is felt in many terrible ways in our communities.
I grow uncomfortable when people fixate on abuse or abstaining in religious or political circles, instead of teaching people how to live lives of freedom, responsibility and wisdom. Life is full of potential pitfalls and learning to avoid personal cataclysms is critical in a culture that is making adult freedoms more accessible and normative for younger people. Part of creating a cultural of sanity about use and abuse is modeling good behavior and being examples of how to live controlled and manageable lives at the table, the office, in the bedroom or at the bar. We are called to heed the warnings of scripture about use and abuse, while equipping one another to live lives of moderation in the spirit of freedom, celebration and feasting without falling into the sins of greed, drunkenness or gluttony,
“What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine and boast about all the alcohol they can hold.” -Isaiah 5:22
“What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk. They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties— lyre and harp, tambourine and flute— but they never think about the LORD or notice what he is doing.”
Isaiah 5:11-12
“Now, however, Israel is led by drunks who reel with wine and stagger with alcohol. The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol and lose themselves in wine. They reel when they see visions and stagger as they render decisions. Their tables are covered with vomit; filth is everywhere.”
Isaiah 28:7-8
“My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course. Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons, for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags.”
Proverbs 23:19-21
The due North on the moral compass for the Christian is always:
“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
-1 Cor. 10:31
If someone can’t accomplish that, than whatever they are using has become a freedom that is no longer profitable for them and requires abstaining for the good of themselves and others.
