What's the religious view on taking drugs?

Question

I don't mean your personal view, but a religious view on it.

It's really only to cure my curiosity. I don't see any reason why religious people would have a problem with them, for example smoking cannabis, as it is only a plant, put there by god himself (Assuming you're religious, which I'm not, but even still).

Cheers, oh, and also, what religion are you?

Answer 1

Christian philosopher Os Guinness has been writing about the physical and spiritual dangers of the over reliance on drugs since 1973, when InterVarsity Press published "The Dust of Death," his groundbreaking look at the youth counterculture; the book was just as relevant in 1994 when Crossway Books re-released it with a new introduction. "Drugs have attained an almost sacramental importance," wrote Guinness in a chapter entitled "The Counterfeit Infinity."



Guinness said psychoactive substances played a powerful role in spiritual lives of the young, serving as virtually the bread and wine of the new community. Through his work with the late Francis Schaeffer at the L'Abri community in Switzerland, Guinness saw how drugs promises of instant paradise turned into a demonic and destructive delusion for many people. He says, "These drugs pose so many dangers, and there are so many people I knew who totally blew their minds."



Guinness says drugs tell users far more about their perceptions of reality than they do about reality itself, and challenges the widely accepted idea that drug-induced states and traditional mystical states are the same. "It's like comparing a seasoned Alpine climber who scales the Matterhorn to someone who was lowered there by a helicopter. The view from the top might be much the same, but the routes to the top would be very different in terms of the discipline, skill and strength demanded."



After more than a year on the front lines of spiritual warfare, I'm convinced that drugs, or pharmakia, the form of sorcery spoken out in Revelation 21:8, are an open door to the demonization of partakers. To alter the mind's perception of reality by deliberate, rebellious sorcery affords evil spirits the opportunity to attack the mind. While many psychoactive inner journeys are chemically induced, others are a combination of physiology and demonology.



This is one explanation for the many horrible accounts people give of seeing hellish landscapes preternatural evil beings that continue to haunt drug devotees long after their trips are over. The only sure way to avoid such satanic encounters is to eschew all recreational drugs and bring one's thoughts into Christ's captivity, 2 Corinthians 10:5, by natural means.

Answer 2

Obviously they know not God's word for he gave No such permission , No christian in the bible ever recorded of doing any drugs and call themselves Christians or children of God. as far a being grown on earth and ok to consume... well so is poison but it wouldn't be smart to take it now would it>. 1 Corinthians 6:9,10. Shows what types of people to avoid. Taken from the Scripture above.......Now will these so called friends that are doing these things from Satan or God? I see your conscious is questioning these practices so make sure you Choose your friends wisely because certain people whether they call themselves christains or not will not inherit God's Kingdom According to the above scripture.

Answer 3

The main problem with recreational drugs comes from two effects:

1. they can become an addiction, which is a loss of voluntary responsibility , and 2. they distort perception and thought - two very important parts of human responsibility. A third reason, which would put them in the same category as a lot of past-times, is that they waste your precious time.

Answer 4

I try not to sit in judgment of others, after all, I myself have tried a few in my time.



Apart from the odd drink now and then, I'm not into doing drugs as such. I have on occasion used weed though, and only because my body doesn't tolerate chemical pain killers.



Atheist.

Answer 5

Quote from McGee: Today we have the advocates of the use of drugs in religion. My friend, God despises such an approach to Him. This is the same thing that Paul meant when he said, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:18). The believer is to draw his dynamic and his zeal from the Spirit of the Lord and not from frail and human props. What a lesson this is against drugs and alcohol for us today." —J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible

Answer 6

Having helped and housed many junkies I can tell you this: No junkie wakes up one day and decides for no good reason to stick a needle in their arm. Pot is a gateway drug. So is alcohol for that matter.



That said. Jesus made it clear 'It's not what goes into a man that defiles him, but it's what comes out of his mouth from his heart that defiles him.'



And he was a winemaker. Using alcohol to celebrate life, for relationship is ok. To escape life? NO. It becomes an anti relationship medium if abused.

Answer 7

NWT



(2 Corinthians 7:1) Therefore, since we have these promises, beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in God’s fear.



(Galatians 5:19-21) . . .Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, 20 idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, 21 envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these. As to these things I am forewarning YOU, the same way as I did forewarn YOU, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom.



The Greek word for “spiritism” is phar‧ma‧ki′a. "Getting high" under the influence of drugs can be classified as a form of spiritism.



I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Answer 8

because of some scripture(which i cant recall) there's a negative view to it. Some scripture says basically that whatever laws are on earth will be upheld in heaven. Since it's illegal to smoke marijuana(in my country anyway) it's against god. See the logic? trying to will make you go insane.

Answer 9

The issue of using "drugs" is not directly addressed in the Bible, but drunkeness is.

Scripture has much to say regarding the drinking of alcohol (Leviticus 10:9; Numbers 6:3; Deuteronomy 29:6; Judges 13:4, 7, 14; Proverbs 20:1; 31:4; Isaiah 5:11, 22; 24:9; 28:7; 29:9; 56:12). However, Scripture does not necessarily forbid a Christian from drinking beer, wine, or any other drink containing alcohol. In fact, some Scriptures discuss alcohol in positive terms. Ecclesiastes 9:7 instructs, “Drink your wine with a merry heart.” Psalm 104:14-15 states that God gives wine “that makes glad the heart of men.” Amos 9:14 discusses drinking wine from your own vineyard as a sign of God’s blessing. Isaiah 55:1 encourages, “Yes, come buy wine and milk…”



What God commands Christians regarding alcohol is to avoid drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18). The Bible condemns drunkenness and its effects (Proverbs 23:29-35). Christians are also commanded to not allow their bodies to be “mastered” by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19). Drinking alcohol in excess is undeniably addictive. Scripture also forbids a Christian from doing anything that might offend other Christians or encourage them to sin against their conscience (1 Corinthians 8:9-13). In light of these principles, it would be extremely difficult for any Christian to say he is drinking alcohol in excess to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).



Jesus changed water into wine. It even seems that Jesus drank wine on occasion (John 2:1-11; Matthew 26:29). In New Testament times, the water was not very clean. Without modern sanitation, the water was often filled with bacteria, viruses, and all kinds of contaminants. The same is true in many third-world countries today. As a result, people often drank wine (or grape juice) because it was far less likely to be contaminated. In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul was instructing Timothy to stop drinking the water (which was probably causing his stomach problems) and instead drink wine. In that day, wine was fermented (containing alcohol), but not necessarily to the degree it is today. It is incorrect to say that it was grape juice, but it is also incorrect to say that it was the same thing as the wine commonly used today. Again, Scripture does not forbid Christians from drinking beer, wine, or any other drink containing alcohol. Alcohol is not, in and of itself, tainted by sin. It is drunkenness and addiction to alcohol that a Christian must absolutely refrain from (Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 6:12).



Alcohol, consumed in small quantities, is neither harmful nor addictive. In fact, some doctors advocate drinking small amounts of red wine for its health benefits, especially for the heart. Consumption of small quantities of alcohol is a matter of Christian freedom. Drunkenness and addiction are sin. However, due to the biblical concerns regarding alcohol and its effects, due to the easy temptation to consume alcohol in excess, and due to the possibility of causing offense and/or stumbling of others, it is usually best for a Christian to abstain entirely from drinking alcohol.



I would suspect that various drugs of abuse would fall into this same catagory. It is not the use, but the ABuse that is a problem. Cocaine can be very addictive psychologically and physically, leading to a serious Dopamine deficency with severe depressioin. Sometimes this can lead to suicide. Other times a person will do bad things to get their drug. ....Not good! On the other hand, some cocaine derivatives are used for medical purposes and are very helpful. (Use vs. ABuse).

The medical field considers a medications benifits when administered properly against various side effects and problems. Some substances have very little medicinal qualities, but are extreamly addictive and harmful.

In summary, I would find it difficult to endorse drug use for the use of getting a "buzz" as it is similar to "drunkeness" mentioned in the Bible.

I am a conservative Christian. I am also a state certified alcohol and drug abuse counselor. The opinions given are my own and not necessarily those of the state in which I am certified.

ADDED: "It's natural man..." Yes, but so is dog poop and hemlock, but I wouldn't recommend consuming either.

Answer 10

Allah Ta’ala states in the Holy Qur’aan: -



O You who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones and (divination by) arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. Avoid (such abominations) that you may prosper. (5:90)



Allah Ta’ala has described intoxicants amongst other things as being appalling, despicable and hateful acts of Satan and he has commanded us to abstain from them, Allah thereafter states in the next verse: -



Satan’s plan is to sow hatred and enmity amongst you with intoxicants and gambling, and to hamper you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not give up? (5:91)



This Aayah tells us how it is a detestable act of Satan, because intoxicants apart from sowing the seeds of enmity also stop you from the sole purpose of having been sent to the world, namely the remembrance of Allah.

Answer 11

The bible advises to be in control of your body at all times. At no point does it say that alcohol is wrong. Not being in control of your body, however, is.



If you smoke cannabis, or drink excess alcohol it's safe to say you are not in control of your body, and leaving yourself open to sinning or commiting acts which aside from displeasing God, may also be regrettable for yourself in the morning..

Answer 12

Some religions encourage the use of hallucinogens, like mushrooms, hash, opium, weed

and some religions are totally against it on a moral level because they think it will mess with your head and you wont act 'appropriately'

Answer 13

in islam if you are on drugs thats between you and god.but if you selling drugs to others you have to be killed.that goes for muslims and non-muslims.those muslims who do or sell drugs are regarded as disbelievers in the aspect of not taking intoxicants like ALLAH forbids.but in terms of faith we CANNOT kill that is between the person and god

Answer 14

Many religions not only allow drug use, but encourage it.



I'm pagan. What an adult does with their mind and body is their business.

Answer 15

god can't help people when they have altered their mind,a little wine is fine just don't be drunk on it, that is what weed does alters your mind.

Answer 16

we dont dictate that to our members. If its illegal it wouldnt be right unless its cancer. My mom took morphine for that. Bone cancer is very painful.

Methodist

Answer 17

catholic...and it don't matter there are plenty of all types of religions doing drugs...if god rolled weed instead of breaking bread then i guess that would be handed out during sunday mass...

Answer 18

They're all different. Everything from, "you will suffer incalculably for all eternity for doing it", to "it is your sacred duty to do drugs".



Religion is ridiculous.

Answer 19

Friend. You err in your reasoning that because God put it there, it is to be used how you see fit. Consider the curse of sin, man's fall.



Genesis 3:14: And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

15: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

16: Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

17: And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18: Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.



All of creation was changed due to sin. The world we see today is not in the original state of creation. Sin has a price .... death.



Also, we read of addiction later in Romans 1:28: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29: Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30: Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31: Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.



God gives us over to our addictions, drugs, alcohol, sex, gluttony, etc.



Better to believe Him. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.



Trust in the Lord!