CannabisClergy.com

    Workers at medical marijuana and medical cannabis collectives, dispensaries, and cooperatives may protect themselves from imprisonment by the U.S. government by being medical cannabis ministers (or medical marijuana ministers). See worker summary and owner summary.

    This legal protection from inprisonment is easiest applied to the DEA and other federal agencies because of explicit Congressional law (RFRA) and related Supreme Court ayahuasca decision. A skilled lawyer should also be able to mount a religious defense in California state courts using the 1964 and 1965 peyote cases. The federal government recently used the federal Religious Land Use and Institutalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) to block the use of local zoning laws that interferred with religious beliefs.

    Los Angeles, California, is currently sending out eight man teams of undercover narcotics agents, backed by SWAT and other police officers, to arrest owners and workers at medical marijuana collectives, dispensaries, and cooperatives.

worker summary owner summary lawyer summary
today’s topic
Guide for medical marijuana ministers

    This blog-like web page discusses the religious aspects of being a medical cannabis minister (medical marijuana minister). This is not legal advice. This is religious advice.

    I attempt to make the information as useful to as many different religions as possible.

archive of previous daily postings:
(August 2010)

special topic: Ministering to those of multiple religions

    As a medical cannabis minister or medical marijuana minister, you will be ministering to many who do not belong to your religion.

    Limiting your ministry to only those of your own religion is a legitimate religious belief, but may limit your usefulness in most medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives, or dispensaries.

    You should be willing to minister to those of any religion, much like a hospital chaplain.

    There may be rites or rituals that you can only perform for those who are members of your own religion. Be clear about the limits of your religious beliefs and practices.

    You should make referrals to clergy of other religion when needed for specific rites or rituals or for answers to religious questions. Keep a list of contacts of medical marijuana ministers or medical cannabis ministers of other religions in your area.

    It is rude to attempt to force your religion or beliefs on anyone. Attempting to force your religion on others will greatly limit your usefulness in most medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives, or dispensaries.

    Some religions expect their ministers to evangelize as the price or cost of providing essential life services. Attempting to recruit anyone into your own religion will greatly limit your usefulness in most medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives, or dispensaries.

    Of course, if anyone voluntarily asks about your religion or asks about joining your religion, you may freely discuss these matters as long as they desire to hear your answers.

August 11, 2010: Strict Scrutiny

    You need to prepare your defense long before you are ever arrested.

    U.S. District Chief Judge Vaugh R. Walker struck down Proposition 8 using two standards of the law.

    One standard Judge Walker used was that the law was based on so many unfounded claims that there was no rational basis for the law. This could be used against the federal law placing cannabis as a Schedule I drug. Francis Young, a DEA administrative law judge, ruled in 1988 that cannabis had no known danger (Docket # 86-22).

    The other standard that Judge Walker used to strike down Poposition 8 was strict scrutiny.

    Strict scrutiny is a test in discrimination cases holding laws to a higher standard when they adversely affect certain minority groups.

    To meet strict scrutiny a law must be justified by a “compelling government interest” and must be “narrowly tailored” to meet that interest.

    The tests for whether a minority is within a “suspect classification” are: (1) been historically targeted by discrimination; (2) a “discrete” and “insular” community; (3) be a minority for an unchangeable characteristic; and (4) lack the power to protect themselves using the political process. A qualifying group does not have to meet all four standards and other factors may be considered.

    This obviously doesn’t apply to Christian medical marijuana ministers, but it certainly applies to Pagan and Witch medical marijuana ministers (including my own religion).

    The Peaceful Wind [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 11, 2010.

    The Ramadan begins [external link], an Irish holy day occurs August 11, 2010.

    The Puck Fair [external link], an Islamic holy day occurs August 11, 2010.

    The Day of Den [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs August 11, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and bay laurel.

August 8, 2010: Proposition 8

    One of the court tests for a religious defense in the Meyers’ Test is the requirement for “Ritual”, including marriage and weddings.

    You need to prepare your defense long before you are ever arrested.

    First, I want to offer proper respect for those medical marijuana ministers (especially those who are Roman Catholic, Mormon, and Southern Baptist) who sincerely believe that anyone who is gay or lesbian should be stoned to death. That is, burying gays and lesbians in the sand up to the neck and having everyone in the village throw stones at their heads until they die from a painful and tortureous death in the name of Jesus.

    I respectfully disagree with your religious beliefs, but support your right to advocate them.

    U.S. District Judge Vaugh Walker ruled that California Proposition 8 was unconstitutional, writing “Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license.”

    California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger filed a motion with the federal court asking for the immediate resumption of gay and lesbian marriages, saying ”The Administration believes the public interest is best served by permitting the Court’s judgment to go into effect, thereby restoring the right of same-sex couples to marry in California… Doing so is consistent with California’s long history of treating all people and their relationships with equal dignity and respect.”

    California Attorney General Jerry Brown also filed a motion with the federal court, writing “As this Court has concluded that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, the public interest weighs against its continued enforcement.”

    Republican candidate Meg Whitman (for California governor) and Carly Fiorina (for senator from California) both came out against allowing gays and lesbians to have the same religious right to marriage as others.

    Using my own religion as an example (please gather similar presentation for your own religion), I remind everyone that the first recorded marriages in history were in ancient Egypt and they were lesbian marriages honoring Bast and Sekhmet creating the universe with the Cosmic Orgasm.

    Royal marriages came later in history.

    Even though I am a straight man, I am reminded of the words of Pastor Martin Niemöllers January 6, 1946, speech:

    They [the Nazis] came first for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.

    Then they came first for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

    Then they came first for the homosexuals,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a homosexual.

    Then they came first for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.

    Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

    I want to strongly speak up for the religious rights of gay and lesbians to marry.

    See: marriage and weddings for more information.

    The Offerings to Ra [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 8, 2010.

    The Lughnasadh (Festival of Light) [external link], a Druidic or ancient Celtic holy day occurs August 8, 2010.

    The Eve of the Festival of Venus [external link], n ancient Roman holy day occurs August 8, 2010.

    The Hecate Moon [external link], a Hellenistic or ancient Greek holy day occurs August 8, 2010.

    The Day of Ram [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs August 8, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and frankincense.

August 7, 2010: Copyright

    It can be difficult maintaining religious purity when surrounded by corruption. Unfortunately, many of the owners of collectives, dispensaries, and cooperatives are actually businesspersons who are only pretending to be operating a non-profit organization whose real intent is to use medical marijuana laws as a blatant sham to sell marijuana to healthy people pretending to be sick. It’s a scam. These are not nice people.

    But their corruption can not be allowed to interfere with your real ministry.

    These kinds of criminals (and that is what they are, pure and simple) will also ignore copyright laws.

    Copyright laws were initially intended to give the king control over the printing press. By the time copyright law was added to the U.S. Constitution (at the request of Benjamin Franklin), the intent had changed to protecting the rights of artists, musicians, writers, and other creative people, so as to encourage them to create great new works for the benefit of all of society.

    It has come to my attention that many of the cannabis collectives, dispensaries, and cooperatives in southern California (and probably elsewhere) are using famous cannabis and medical marijuana artwork without paying for it.

    This is blatant theft. The police could potentially use this theft as evidence in a trial to show a pattern of law breaking.

    As a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister you have a moral and ethical obligation to not participate in any crimes committed by the owners of the collective, dispensary, or cooperative that you work at. Do not participate in the hanging of signs, posters, or other items that include stolen artwork.

    You have to decide for yourself whether or not you have the additional obligation to report the copyright violation to the artist.

    You have no control over any one else. You are only responsible for your own actions.

    It is important that you maintain the high personal standards of a minister. Your patients won’t be able to trust you with their lives if you aren’t trustworthy.

    There is a certain irony in the fact that the more corrupt an owner the greater the owner’s need for real medical marijuana ministers to cover up the owner’s illegal activity. If you are in that situation, stay focused on a positive and meaningful ministry and stay out of all illegal and corrupt activity.

    The good news is that the more real a collective, dispensary, or cooperative, the greater the real need for a real medical marijuana minister.

    The Festival to Thoth [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 7, 2010.

    The Gaea Consciousness Day [external link], a modern Pagan holy day occurs August 7, 2010.

    The Day of Conflict [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 7, 2010.

    The Adonia [external link], a Hellenistic or ancient Greek holy day occurs August 7, 2010.

    The Day of Warharan [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs August 7, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and ivy.

August 6, 2010: Fasting

    One of the court tests for a religious defense in the Meyers’ Test is the requirement for “Diet and Fasting”.

    You need to prepare your defense long before you are ever arrested.

    Fasting is the religious practice of not eating. This may be a complete or partial stop in eating.

    In a few more days (August 11) the Islamic holy month of Ramadan will start. During the daytime devout Muslims will not eat any food. There are exemptions to this religious requirement for the sick, elderly, and young. After sunset and before sunrise, Muslims can eat during the holy month of Ramadan. The fast is normally broken each evening by eating fresh dates, especially medjool dates.

    Partial fasts typically include the continued eating of fruits and/or drinking of fruit juices. This allows for longer fasting.

    Most religious fasts last a day or a few days. Two weeks is the maximum safety limit for a full fast. After two weeks body processes start to break down. When body systems break down enough there will be certain death, even if food is reintroduced.

    It is best to break a long fast with soft fruits or even fruit juices before moving to solid foods. This allows the digestive system to safely restart.

    Fasting is used primarily for cleansing the soul and bringing one closer to the divine.

    Fasting is not at all easy. When we start to feel hunger pains, we immediately eat because we don’t like the feeling. Wait a little longer and the hunger will be painful. It is a pain that can be tolerated with religious devotion, but it is a physical pain. The pain tests a person’s devotion.

    After a few days the feeling of hunger will go away, but the physical effects will become more noticeable. In particular, there will be a loss of energy and possible dizziness with sudden movement or standing.

    I am personally going to fast starting after the New Moon (11:08 p.m. Eastern Time (EST) or 8:08 p.m. Pacific Time (PST) on August 9) and invite other medical marijuana ministers and medical cannabis ministers to join in the fast, at least for a day.

    The Feast of Thoth [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 6, 2010.

    The Elihino and Igaehindvo [external link], a Cherokee holy day occurs August 6, 2010.

    The Ennead Festival [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 6, 2010.

    The Panathenaea [external link], a Hellenistic or ancient Greek holy day occurs August 6, 2010.

    The Wag Festival [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 6, 2010.

    The Day of Frawardin [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs August 6, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and mint.

    The Venus enters Libra [external link] at 11:47 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT) or 8:47 p.m. Pacific Daylight Savings Time (PDT) August 6, 2010.

August 5, 2010: Prohibition

    Updated today: the after life.

    Most of the material on this website assumes that the judge is going to claim that the cannabis prohibition laws are neutral laws of general applicability.

    This is not true. The prohibition laws, like the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), are specifically and unambigiously religious laws enforcing a particular brand of Christianity (note that not all Christians share those beliefs — there are Christians who sincerely use cannabis in sacred worship of their deity Jesus).

    In June 1903 then President Theodore Roosevelt overruled the Philippines Commission and cancelled the licensing of opium for use by the local Chinese population. He did this purely for religious reasons at the request of Christian missionaries who believed that opium, alcohol, and cannabis use were against the Christian religion and interferred with their ability to convert Chinese to Christianity.

    Congress followed up on March 3, 1905, by outlawing opium commerce in the Philippines, the first federal Christian prohibition law in U.S. history. Congress specifically passed the law because of advocacy by Christian missionaries to the Philippines.

    Similarly, Christians pushed Congress to outlaw other drugs and alcohol, including the famous Constitutional amendment enforcing a Prohibition against alcohol.

    On the evening of January 16, 1920, Christian evangelist Billy Sunday proclaimed to 10,000 Christians gathered in celebration “The reign of tears is over. The slums will soon be only a memory.”

    Instead of mass conversion to a right wing conservative version of Christianity, Prohibition created the American mob and widespread gang violence that continues to this day, long after the repeal of Prohibition.

    Another massive and lasting change is the existence of federal income tax. The income tax, enacted with the 16th Amendment, was necesary to make up for the loss of federal income from the alcohol taxes, which in 1910 accounted for 30% of the federal income.

    The Heru Judged Greater [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 5, 2010.

    The Sacrifice Day for Salus [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs August 5, 2010.

    The the Nones of August [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs August 5, 2010.

    The First Day of the Month of Coll (hazel) [external link], a Druidic or ancient Celtic holy day occurs August 5, 2010.

    The Day of Rashnu [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs August 5, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and balsam.

August 4, 2010: Prayer

    One of the court tests for a religious defense in the Meyers’ Test is the requirement for “Ritual”, a topic that includes prayer.

    You need to prepare your defense long before you are ever arrested.

    The following is a prayer in ancient Egyptian. This prayer is to Bast, Goddess of cannabis, and specifically mentions the divine breath of the Goddess, translated as the word “incense”.

Ntr Sentra poem

Mau Bast! Mau Bast!
A Basti, per em setat,
erta-na chu em asui
neter sentra semu hena net'emmit,
hetep ab em asui tau heqt.

Translation:
Hail Bast! Hail Bast!
Hail Bast, coming forth from the secret place,
may there be given to me splendor in the place
of incense (cannabis smoke), herbs, and love-joys,
peace of heart in the place of bread and beer.

    The Sobek Offering Stolen [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 4, 2010.

    The Loch-mo-Naire [external link], a Scottish holy day occurs August 4, 2010.

    The Vigil of St. Oswald [external link], an Anglo-Saxon holy day occurs August 4, 2010.

    The Day of Srosh [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs August 4, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and honeysuckle.

August 3, 2010: Herodotus

    The Great Temple at Bubastis had the largest signle rock used as a foundation of any temple in antiquity. Four times a year hundreds of thousands gathered at the temple.

    A central and essential required part of the worship at the temple was the use of cannabis and cinnamon as incense.

Herodotus, Histories, Book II, Chapter 60

    When the people are on their way to Bubastis, they go by river, a great number in every boat, men and women together. Some of the women make a noise with rattles, others play flutes all the way, while the rest of the women, and the men, sing and clap their hands. As they travel by river to Bubastis, whenever they come near any other town they bring their boat near the bank; then some of the women do as I have said, while some shout mockery of the women of the town; others dance, and others stand up and lift their skirts. They do this whenever they come alongside any riverside town. But when they have reached Bubastis, they make a festival with great sacrifices, and more wine is drunk at this feast than in the whole year besides. It is customary for men and women (but not children) to assemble there to the number of seven hundred thousand, as the people of the place say.

    The Festival of Amen and Hapi [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 3, 2010.

    The Day of Mihr [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs August 3, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and bayberry.

August 2, 2010: Customers

    A medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister working at a medical marijuana collective, dispensary, or cooperative does not have any customers (although the collective, dispensary, or cooperative might).

    As a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister, you minister to the needs of real people. They are not your customers.

    It might help to understand the word customer.

    A customer is a person who owes customs.

    The customs a customer owed were the customary obligations of a serf to the lord of the land.

    I might also add that the first non-feudal use of the word customer was as the person who owed a prostitute money or goods in trade for her services.

    A business or corporation views a person as a customer because the business or corporation views that person as owing an obligation (money) to the business or corporation. This is the heart of the reason why so many (but not all) businesses and corporations treat their customers so poorly, blatantly manipulating their customers, sometimes to the point of breaking the law and more often to the point of being unethical.

    Viewing a person as owing you the obligations owed to a feudal lord is completely antithetical to being a minister. Instead, a minister has a divine obligation to minister to the needs (help) people.

    The Day of Rage [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 2, 2010.

    The Day of Day-pa-Mihr [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs August 2, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and hyssop.

August 1, 2010: Music

    Added today: Rastafari Bible verses.

    One of the court tests for a religious defense in the Meyers’ Test is the requirement for “Ritual”.

    You need to prepare your defense long before you are ever arrested.

    Music is an important religious ritual.

    Music is powerful, able to heal and transform.

    In most religions, music comes from the divine. In my religion, the Kemetic, music is a gift from Goddess. Musicians are inspired by Goddess breathing musical inspiration directly into humans. In my religion, this is best done with cannabis (but can be done other ways).

    Music has been shown to have healing powers.

    As a medical marijuana minister consider what kind of music is played at your collective, dispensary, or cooperative. Does the music uplift the spirit and help heal?

    The Day of Offerings [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs August 1, 2010.

    The Lammas [external link], a modern Wiccan holy day occurs August 1, 2010.

    The Lughnassadh [external link], a Druidic or ancient Celtic holy day occurs August 1, 2010.

    The Feast of Spes [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs August 1, 2010.

    The Day of Goshorum [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs August 1, 2010.

    The Kalends Avgvstvs (Kalends of August) [external link], an ancient Toman holy day occurs August 1, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and eucalyptus.

 

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warning:

    The courts have already ruled in multiple cases that a person who starts preparing a religious defense (including gathering certificates and other paperwork) after arrest loses all chance to use the late religious defense. It is essential that you prepare your defense before you are arrested. Adequate preparation may even prevent arrest.

    This website is concerned with religious matters and only obliquely discusses the law. I strongly recommend that medical marijuana ministers rely on a high quality lawyer.

    I (Milo) use my own religion as an example, because this is the religion I know well. I strongly urge people to get together with their lawyer and prepare a similar discussion for their own religion. Again, my religion is only an example.

    Good news: Many people over the years have successfully used Pr Ntr Kmt religious cannabis certificates. The author of this website has personally several times over more than a decade shown various police Pr Ntr Kmt documentation and the police have politely returned the religious cannabis. There are at least two Pr Ntr Kmt cannabis ministers who have been released after the police discovered several pounds of religious cannabis (although the police kept the cannabis). There are numerous real world successes.

    Reality: If the government decides it wants to “get you”, then your only chance is if you can afford a really, really good lawyer.

    The law is whatever the government decides the law is.

    The rights you heard about in grade school only apply if you can afford a great lawyer. Public defenders are under-budgeted and only want to process paperwork for plea bargains. They simply don’t have the time or money for trials.

    We don’t want to discourage anyone from worshiping with cannabis, but we do want to strongly warn everyone that you have a significant risk of long term imprisonment or worse, especially outside of major industrialized nations.

    Please act responsibly. Please hire a lawyer if you can possibly afford to do so.

 

    These web pages contain religious advice. These web pages are not professional legal or medical advice. Nothing on this website should be considered as a substitute or replacement for professional medical, health, or legal advice. All persons should seek the advice of qualified medical, health, or legal providers.

    If you spot an error in fact, grammar, syntax, or spelling, or a broken link, or have additional information, commentary, or constructive criticism, please contact Milo at PO Box 1361, Tustin, Calif, 92781, USA.

 
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Copyright © 2010 Milo.

Created: August 1, 2010

Last Updated: August 11, 2010

May Goddess Bast grant YOU love, peace, joy, bounty, and wisdom.