Please help me respond to this in a loving and educated way

jwag · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 16 Feb 2006 Posts: 29

I have a space on the web where I write blogs. I posted some information from this site that talks about the use of marijuana in all different religions for many centuries. I received this comment from one person who I would like to help enlighten. My problem is that I have not been approached in such a way about my beliefs so I need some opinions on how to respond to this. Here is the comment:

"I ask the simple question: What does your pothead church do to help others? Looking inward and seeking personal enlightenment and personal this and personal that is called SELFISHNESS. Get a clue and realize that you are just quick to accept a religion that allows you to be the lazy, selfish, poor excuse of a man that you are. Justify your actions with lies, It's obviously what you do best. The validator of sin, strikes again. Idolatry. That's right. You set up your idol. Are you aware that Rastafarians believe that an Ethiopian man was God. All he did was give some land to some people and all of the sudden he must be the Divine Creator. Potheads will believe anything, I suppose. Or maybe it's just the uneducated. I figure you fit in both categories anyway."

Now this does not upset me at all since I feel that this person is so deceived in this matter that they are just ignorant to the truth. I want to respond in the most loving and educated way possible. Any opinions on how to handle this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Light and love to all!

Rev.DonEstebonGoneCMA

Johnny J · Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 2:13 am Post subject:

jwag:

This individual may not be worth wasting your time with. What good will it do if he replies to your thoughtful answer in an abusive manner a second, third, fourth (etc.) time? You'll be just spinning your wheels. He accuses you of being uneducated, yet he never gave you the chance to explain yourself or defend your position. That tells me he's the one lacking intellect. He's an ignoramus.

If you decide to engage him, at the very least you MUST get him to listen to you in a courteous and respectful manner. Tell him that he's entitled to his opinion, but could he at least give you a listen in a serious way? If he's willing to do that, then you will have to have a running dialogue with him, breaking down his general argument into a number of smaller, more manageable points. (You will not be able to rebut him convincingly in one fell swoop.)

In my heart and in my mind I know his so-called 'argument' is very weak in many different ways. I would not be a Sacrament Minister if I didn't. Its just a matter of being patient and exposing the flaws of his thinking, point by point.

His main theme is that smoking Cannabis is a matter of Selfishness. I would emphasize the feeling of sisterhood/brotherhood that Sacrament practitioners experience. How can he deny that?

Contemplation, introspection, mind expansion and thoughtfulness -- characteristics that support community, and which are greatly lacking in this day and age, should challenge his notion of selfishness.

If the ignoramus finds these points too nebulous for his comprehension, then I would give him real life examples of the pain relief qualities of Cannabis. These are very concrete and practical proofs of Cannabis' gift. If he still denies it, then he's essentially sociopathic and beyond hope.

Hope this helps.

Cheers --

!!joHnNY J!!

IntrepidEZJ · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 381

Tell him to prove to you that a "self-sacrifice" actually exists.

I contend there never was such a thing.

All men do only that in which serves our inside master (conscious-soul-however word you want to define it)

Human beings will do nothing for anyone that doesn't first convey a benefit upon themselves. Man will do anything, at any cost, to secure his personal comfort.

You never feel anyone's pain until you are made to feel it.

You do not have an opinion in the world, that you can change yourself, without some form of outside influence, ie, book, TV, friend, music, etc,
changing it for you.

You are a ghost in the machine.

zero · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:42 am Post subject:

I get tons of emails every day from some section of the population I pissed off.

Just do what I do, simply do not answer them.
_________________
www.shoutwire.com
www.spikedhumor.com

"I understand that fear is my friend, but not always. Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."

**Mystic Power** · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:51 pm Post subject:

prntrkmt · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:20 pm Post subject:

zero · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:46 am Post subject:

The best response is "Thank you for reading and offering your feedback."
_________________
www.shoutwire.com
www.spikedhumor.com

"I understand that fear is my friend, but not always. Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."

Torogmjølner · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:04 am Post subject:

##

I would send him this link. It should get him wondering.

http://www.thc-ministry.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6378

Kind regards.

##

Stokes · Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:34 pm Post subject:

That is one hell of a link you've got there ... nice work.

Stokes
_________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Where love is, there God is also.

-Mahatma Gandhi