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:
(June 2010)

June 30, 2010: Work Place

    A medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister can work at any medical marijuana collective, dispensary, or cooperative.

    There is no requirement that the collective, dispensary, or cooperative be a church or be run by a church.

    There is a long tradition (predating the United States) of religious ministers serving in positions outside of their own religious organizations. The famous examples are chaplains. In the U.S. there are still religious chaplains working for the government in the military, the prisons, and even in Congress.

    In the ancient Egyptian religion it was typical for the vast majority of the priesthood to work eight months of the year for private businesses.

    In the 25th Dynasty of the ancient Egyptian religion the temples and the priesthood (priests and priestesses) worked the fields and businesses of private citizens, turning over a percentage of the gross income to the owners of the land or other properties. This is a well-established religious practice that is easily confirmed by Egyptologists, archaeologists, and historians.

    Working for a non-religious collective, dispensary, or cooperative, even a for-profit one, does not in any way diminish or disqualify the religious work of a medical cannabis minister or medical marijuana minister.

    Such religious ministry work actually may benefit the owners of the collective, dispensary, or cooperative, both by demonstrating clear charitable work being done and by providing the religious confidentiality of the religious clergy.

    The Day of Aestas [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs June 30, 2010. Pour ritual water for your ancestors.

    The Day of Mah [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs June 30, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and bay laurel.

June 29, 2010: Sincerity

    The three basic tests to qualify for protection under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) are: (1) the government burdens a (2) sincerely held (3) religious belief.

    While the government seems to normally challenge whether or not your beliefs are religious, they can also challenge the sincerity of your beliefs. There is a federal appeals court case (which the anti-immunization movement calls the Wexler Decision) involving two different people challenging (under completely different laws, not the RFRA) New York’s requirement to vaccinate their children. The federal appeals court protected one family because the court decided their religious beliefs were sincere and rejected the other family’s protection because the court decided that their religious beliefs were clearly faked.

    You have to sincerely believe that the divine has called you to be a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister.

    You can’t fake this to try to pull something over on the government.

    Your religious beliefs have to be sincere and real.

    This blog is about how to be a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister. Anyone with sincere religious beliefs that their religion requires them to minister to and help those who need medical marijuana can become a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister.

    I am emphasizing that your religious beliefs must be sicnere and real.

    I have already pointed out several easy ways to get written documentation (including my own religion [external link], Universal Life Church [external link], and The Hawai’i Cannabis Ministry (THC Ministry) [external link]).

    I can help you learn the details of being a minister. Come back and read this web page daily.

    And let me again emphasize that I am offering free in-person lessons that can apply to any religion.

    Free in-person medical cannabis minister lessons offered Monday nights near the border of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, California. Send a self addressed stamped envelope to Milo, PO Box 1361, Tustin, California, USA, 92781 if you plan to attend (I don’t show up if I don’t expect any students; I will reply to your letter with the exact time and location). I check the post office box once a month (late in the month). I checked the mail for the end of June 2010.

    The Ancestor Day [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 29, 2010. Pour ritual water for your ancestors.

    The Day of Khwarshed [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs June 29, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and cinnamon.

June 20, 2010: Lawyers

    It is best to obtain the services of a lawyer before you have any trouble with the government. but not everybody can afford a lawyer.

    If you are arrested you may be able to have a public defender appointed.

    The good news about public defenders is that they are often fairly bright lawyers.

    The bad news about public defenders is that they are way overworked.

    If you want quality work from a public defender, you have to somehow convince them that you are worth extra time and effort.

    It will greatly help, whether you have a public defender or pay for one yourself, to prepare as much as possible in advance and have your materials ready for your lawyer.

    Therefore, I am extending my offer of free lessons beyond just workers to also include lawyers.

    There are people who will pay a lawyer thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to learn the exact same information they could have learned for free from me.

    Of course, the lawyers will have to come to me on the only day I have available for teaching, Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. at an outdoor location near the border of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. That fits my work schedule (12-1/2 hours a day, six days a week) and my ability to easily walk (I don’t own a car). Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Milo, PO Box 1361, Tustin, California, and I will confirm the date, time, and exact location (I can’t afford either e-mail or phone).

    The Festival of Jubilation of Asar [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 20, 2010.

    The Festival of Thorablottar [external link], an Asatru or ancient Norse holy day occurs June 20, 2010.

    The Going Forth of Anpu [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 20, 2010.

    The Day of the Kitchen God [external link], an ancient Chinese holy day occurs June 20, 2010.

    The Agnes’ Eve [external link], a Christian holy day occurs June 20, 2010.

    The Day of Hordad [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs June 20, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and lavender.

June 19, 2010: Shabbos House

    On June 17, 2010, the village of Suffern, New York, a suburb of New York City, settled a civil rights lawsuit filed by the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.

    Orthodox Jews are not allowed to drive a motor vehicle on the Jewish Sabbath (also called Shabbos). The Orthodox Jew service agency Bikur Cholim Inc. opened a special house (called Shabbos House) near the Good Samaritan Hospital with the intent that devout Orthodox Jews could drive there on Friday, sleep overnight, and walk to the hospital. Also, Orthodox Jews discharged from the hospital on the Sabbath could stay at the house until the day after. Room and board was free, because Orthodox Jews are also forbidden to exchange money on the Sabbath.

    In 2005 the village of Suffern denied a zoning variance from strict zoning limits of single family dwellings.

    In 2006, the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The Shabbos House operated while the lawsuit moved slowly through the courts.

    On June 17, 2010 the village of Suffern settled the case and allowed the Shabbos House to apply for a site plan approval rather than using zoning laws. The village will allow as many as 14 persons to stay overnight. The village will also teach members of its planning board, zoning board and building department about the requirements of the land use act.

    “Governments cannot unreasonably impose their zoning laws in a manner that deprives people of the right to practice their religion freely,” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said. “We are pleased that the Village of Suffern has finally agreed to allow the Shabbos House to continue to provide such important service.”

    Medical marijuana collectives, dispensaries, and cooperatives facing unreasonable local regulations might be able to organize as churches and gain this same basic religious freedom.

    My own religion, the ancient Egyptian or Kemetic religion (see Pr Ntr Kmt [external link]), might be an easy way to meet the requirements of the law. The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing originally denied that my religion was a legally valid religion, but now accepts that my religion is a legally valid religion. The evidence was so overwhelming that I got them to change their ruling even though I can’t afford a lawyer.

    The Kemetic religion is one of the three oldest religions still practiced (along with the aboriginal Australian and the Asain Indian religion, which is currently called Hinduism). Because of its age and location, the Kemetic (or ancient Egyptian) religion is the only religion in the world to include all four kinds of religion in its beliefs and practices. The four kinds of world religion are: shamanic or tribal; archtypes (such as the Greek religion), modern Western religion (such as Christianity and Islam), and modern Eastern religion (such as Buddhism and Confucianism). There are evn distinctly Egyptian modern versions of Christianity (Coptic) and Islam.

    The Kemetic religion has a verifiable history of cannabis use that goes back at least 5,000 years.

    The Kemetic religion has a verifiable history of allowing persons of any religion to attend its temple activities and a verifiable history of incorporating deities and beliefs rom other religions, allowing each medical cannabis minister and all persons obtaining medical marijuana the right to hold to previously existing religious beliefs and deity or deities without having to convert or change religious beliefs.

    The Kemetic religion even has a verifiable history of having temples operate businesses on behalf of private citizens and share a percentage of the profits with the private citizen who provided the land or other resources. This dates to the 21st through 25th Dynasties. I’ll write more about this topic in the future.

    Have your lawyer talk to me about the Kemetic religion if you are considering using religious protection for your entire collective, dispensary, or cooperative (as contrasted with religious protection for individual ministers, the normal topic of this blog).

    The Day of transporting the Rejuvenated One [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 19, 2010.

    The Day of all Heras [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs June 19, 2010.

    The Day of Ohrmazd [external link], the first day of the Fasli month of Tir, a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs June 19, 2010.

June 18, 2010: Confidentiality

    People have an expectation that whatever they tell a minister in privacy will remain between the person, the minister, and the divine.

    As a medical cannabis minister or medical marijuana minister, you will be expected to maintain the confidentiality of the clergy.

    Some religions believe that the confidence can also be shared with higher ranking and/or other members of the clergy. Some religions with this belief inform the person of this possibility and some don’t.

    Usually the confidentiality ends if the original person either reveals the information him or herself or the original person grants the minister permission to break the confidence.

    Some religions believe that the confidentiality ends with death. Some don’t.

    Some governments place limits and restrictions and exceptions to the confidentiality of the clergy and might even have different standards for different religions.

    In California the law requires a member of the clergy to break the confidence if there is imminent danger.

    In California the law requires a member of clergy to report allegations of child molestation. This law was passed to prevent Roman Catholic priests from keeping secret cases of other Roman Catholic priests raping little boys.

    Judges have been known to order members of clergy to break the confidence.

    Religions disagree about whether to obery or disobey government orders to break the confidence. Those that disobey government orders (especially from judges) can and are imprisoned. In the U.S., the imprisonment generally only lasts until the end of the case. It is possible to be tried and convicted of refusing to obey a judicial order.

    There have been many cases of clergy from many different religions going to jail or prison for refusing to break the confidence.

    You should consider your beliefs in advance.

    If you are pressured or tortured into breaking a confidence against your will, let go of the past and hold firm to your sincerely held religious beliefs for remaining confidences.

    Do not let torture break your faith even if it breaks all of your confidences. That’s just the unfortunate nature of torture. You can always shout out your innocence at your execution. Many Witches and Jews have recanted their confessions immediately before their deaths. And Witches were often burned at the stake, the most painful of all deaths.

    In the U.S. (federal DEA prosecutions), a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister should have confidentiality for all discussions with the owners and other workers at medical cannabis collectives, cooperatives, or dispensaries. And a medical cannabis minister or medical marijuana minister has less incentive to break the confidence because of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

    The Festival of Min [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 18, 2010.

    The Feasts of Aphrodite and Hermes [external link], a Hellenist or ancient Greek holy day occurs June 18, 2010.

    The Festival of Anna [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs June 18, 2010.

    The Day of Anagran [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs June 18, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and rose.

June 17, 2010: Support Group

    People with life-threatening diseases (such as cancer and AIDS) need human companionship to have any chance at healing.

    Talk to those you are ministering to and help them figure out who is really important in their lives and help them build better relationships. Strong friendships and strong relations with family are essential for healing.

    In addition to their relationships with friends and family, it is very useful to have a support group where they can openly talk with others who are going through a similar experience.

    Having one or more support groups at your medical marijuana ministry or medical cannabis ministry will greatly increase the usefulness and effectiveness of your ministry.

    I believe it is important to accept people of all different religions and avoid trying to force anyone to join any particular religion in order to receive help.

    The Procession of Sopdu [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 17, 2010.

    The Feast of Athena [external link], an ancient Greek holy day occurs June 17, 2010.

    The Day of Mahraspand [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs June 17, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and nutmeg.

June 16, 2010: Marriage

    To quote from a blog entry criticizing Roger Christie’s THC Ministry:

    “If you’re going to hang your hat on the religious or medical justification, understand that puts you in a particular frame in the public’s mind. Religion invokes ritual, ceremony, temples, and spiritual authorities. Medical invokes science, serious illness, hospitals, and prescriptions. So when the public reads of temples selling sacrament and “Get Out Of Jail Free” Cards or roller-skating models in naughty nurse outfits on the Venice boardwalk shilling for medical marijuana recommendations, they begin to feel hoodwinked and a bit offended that you’re mocking their concepts of religion and medicine.”

    One of the near universal religious rituals is marriage.

    “5. e. Ceremonies and Rituals: Most religions include some form of ceremony, ritual, liturgy, sacrament, or protocol. These acts, statements, and movements are prescribed by the religion and are imbued with transcendent significance.” —United States of America v David Meyers

    Both the Universal Life Church [external link] and Pr Ntr Kmt [external link] ministries specifically authorize their ministers to perform marriage ceremonies.

    Performing marriages helps clearly establish religious credentials recognizable by any jury.

    In the state of California the only requirements to perform a legal marriage are (1) to obey all applicable California marriage laws [external link], (2) be a member of the clergy ordained or invested with authority by the “denomination” to perform marriages, and (3) be 18 years of age or older. See the ULC marriage law web page [external link] for state by state requirements.

    Marriage first appeared in the ancient Egyptian religion more than 6,000 years ago. The first known marriages in history were performed in ancient Egypt by the clergy (hemu) of Pr Ntr Kmt (the ancient Egyptian religion). There had been human mating, similar to English common law marriage, long before there were official weddings. Most of the modern Western wedding traditions are from ancient Egypt.

    An ancient Egyptian wedding vow: “I Prince Yami, son of Pharaoh Akunadmun, take thee Nyla, to be my wife, and my queen, to share the good times and hard times side by side. I humbly give you my hand and my heart as I pledge my faith and love to you. Just as this ring I give you today is a circle without end, my love for you is eternal. Just as it is made of incorruptible substance, my commitment to you will never fail. With this ring, I thee wed.”

    The wedding ring was originally made by weaving hemp into a circle. The wedding ring represented that the combination of the couple and the divine made a complete circle. Hemp was related to such important ancient Egyptian deities as Isis, Bast, Seshat, and Osiris. Because hemp wedding rings wore out and had to be replaced every few years the Romans switched to iron rings. Europeans switched from iron rings to gold rings. Around 3,000 B.C.E. the Egyptian phrase “without beginning, without end” came into common usage for describing the wedding ring.

    Bridemaids and brides wore similiar dresses in order to confuse evil spirits. The original wedding bouquets were made of thyme and garlic to keep evil spirits away.

    The first marriages were public religious ceremonies commemorating the union of the Egyptian Goddesses Bast and Sekhmet in the creation myth of the Cosmic Orgasm. The high priestess of Bast and the high priestess of Sekhmet took on the roles of their respective Goddesses for the public festivities.

    This first marriage ceremony was widely popular.

    Other temples in ancient Egypt quickly copied the idea, with grand public marriage ceremonies for their favoried deities (most commonly male/female couples).

    It wasn’t long before the wedding ceremony spread from a religious celebration of divine unions to a religious celebration of human unions sanctified by the divine.

    This was the origin of marriage and weddings.

    And the first version was specifically lesbian.

    While heterosexual marriage was the most common form in ancient Egypt, gay and lesbian marriages continued until outlawed by Christians.

    The Going Forth of Her Majesty [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 16, 2010.

    The Festival of Ludi Piscatari [external link], a Roman holy day occurs June 16, 2010.

    The Day of Zam [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs June 16, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and lavender.

June 15, 2010: Documentation

    There is no actual requirement or any documentation of being a medical cannabis minister or medical marijuana minister.

    But government officals have an infatutation with documents. So having documents can possibly make them happy.

    The most obvious document is a degree from an accredited college or university combined with a letter from high church officialas.

    Obtaining a degree takes years and many legitimate ministers never attend college (or attended college for some other subject matter).

    Not all religions have a formal body or official in charge of ministers.

    There are some low cost places on the internet to obtain minister certificates.

    The Universal Life Church [external link] has been issuing religious certificates for decades, with more than 20 million persons ordained, first by mail order and now over the internet. Becoming an online ordained minister is free, but a certificate and other services costs money. The ULC won a court case with the IRS proving they were a religion. A ULC minister in Utah won a court case throwing out a Utah state law that forbid ULC ministers from performing marriages. Unfortunately for medica cannabis ministers, the Utah case highlighted that the minister had to challenge the law in court rather than disobey it because the ULC requires obedience to all laws.

    The Hawai’i Cannabis Ministry [external link] (THC Ministry) provides a Sanctuary Kit for $250. In March of 2010 the DEA and IRS raided Roger Christie’s church. it has not yet been proven in court that THC Ministry is an actual religion.

    Pr Ntr Kmt [external link] is the ancient Egyptian religion. Pr Ntr Kmt is involved in many religious rights activities, not just medical marijuana ministries. [disclosure -- I belong to this religion] Certificates cost $25 and are available with a wide range of titles, icnluding medical cannabis minister and medical marijuana minister. Although it isn’t a court decision, I personally have had a California state Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) decision that my religion is a legally valid religion. They originally claimed my religion wasn’t a religion, but there is so much historical and archaeological evidence that they had to accept it, even though I couldn’t afford a lawyer.

    Note that there is no reason that you are required to have a certificate to be a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister, although some states do require a letter, certificate, or other document before allowing you to perform legal marriages.

    There are many religions that do not have a central authority granting certificates or letters. A famous example would be the Religious Society of Friends, better known as the Quakers, who do not have any formal leadership of any kind.

    The Day of Ma’at [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 15, 2010.

    The Women’s Festival of Vestalia [external link], a Roman holy day occurs June 15, 2010.

    The Skirophorion Noumenia [external link], a Hellenist or ancient Greek holy day occurs June 15, 2010.

    The Day of Asman [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs June 15, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and cedar.

June 14, 2010: Science

    It is common for defendants to enthusiastically include scientific information on the benefits of cannabis hemp mixed in to support their religious beliefs.

    The courts have repeatedly used the introduction of scientific information to rule that the beliefs are secular rather than religious.

    From the Meyers’ case:

    “However, in accord with Yoder, the court noted that “[p]urely personal, political, ideological, or secular beliefs probably would not satisfy enough criteria for inclusion.” Id. at 1504. See Yoder, 406 U.S. at 216, 92 S.Ct. at 1533-34 (philosophical and personal beliefs are secular beliefs); Africa, 662 F.2d at 1036 (finding beliefs are secular not religious); Berman, 156 F.2d at 380-81 (beliefs which are moral and social are not religious); Church of the Chosen People, 548 F.Supp. at 1253 (beliefs which are sexual and secular are not religious).
    “After carefully examining Meyers’ beliefs derived from his testimony, the district court concluded that his beliefs were secular and, thus, did not constitute a “religion” for RFRApurposes. Meyers, 906 F.Supp. at 1509. The court concluded that:
    “Marijuana’s medical, therapeutic, and social effects are secular, not religious…. Here, the Court cannot give Meyers’ “religious” beliefs much weight because those beliefs appearto be derived entirely from his secular beliefs. In other words, Meyers’ secular and religious beliefs overlap only in the sense that Meyers holds secular beliefs which he believesso deeply that he has transformed them into a “religion.”
    “While Meyers may sincerely believe that his beliefs are religious, this Court cannot rely on his sincerity to conclude that his beliefs rise to the level of a “religion” and therefore trigger RFRA’s protections. Meyers is, of course, absolutely free to think or believe what he wants. If he thinks that his beliefs are a religion, then so be it. No one can restrict his beliefs, and no one should begrudge him those beliefs. None of this, however, changes the fact that his beliefs do not constitute a “religion” as that term is uneasily defined by law. Were the Court to recognize Meyers’ beliefs as religious, it might soon find itself on a slippery slope where anyone who was cured of an ailment by a “medicine” that had pleasant side-effects could claim that they had founded a constitutionally or statutorily protected religion based on the beneficial “medicine.”
    “Id. at 1508. Finally, the court noted that “Meyers’ professed beliefs have an ad hoc quality that neatly justify his desire to smoke marijuana.” Id. at 1509
    “We agree with the district court. Under the district court’s thorough analysis of the indicia of religion, which we adopt, we hold that Meyers’ beliefs more accurately espouse a philosophy and/or way of life rather than a “religion.” The district court did not err in prohibiting Meyers’ religious freedom defense.” —United States of America v David Meyers

    Note that the Kemetic or ancient Egyptian religion is one of the few religions in the world where the scientific is specifically an essential part of the religion.

    The separation of science and religion was introduced by the Christian church in order to give access to valuable information from the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) and Hellenist (ancient Greek) religions without including those religions’ deities and beliefs.

    Imhotep, a Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) priest of Ptah, created the scientific method as a religious tool. Imhotep also created trigonometry, triage, and was the chief architect of the first successful stone pyramid in history.

    Strato of Lampsacus, a Greek mathematician who studied at the Library and Museum at Alexandria, a temple to the Egyptian deity Serapis, proposed that all things natural could be observed, measured, and experimented without reference to the divine.

    The Day of Sending Abet-Offerings [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 14, 2010.

    The Mesut-Ra [external link], first day of the month of Mesori, a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 14, 2010.

    The Day of Ashtad [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs June 14, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and clary sage.

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.

June 13, 2010: Listening

    Your greatest tool as a minister is listening.

    In the United States, with its heavy exposure to Christian sermons, Sunday schools, and other lectures, it is common to associate a minister with talking.

    But the true value of a minister is not in the talking but rather in the listening.

    You want to listen so that you really understand the experience, wants, needs, and desires of the people you minister to.

    People want to be heard. People want to be understood.

    You can’t understand someone if you’re doing all the talking.

    This may sound simplistic, but this really is one of your most important roles.

    Be willing to listen. Be willing to hold your tongue. Be willing to withhold advice. Be willing to listen.

    The House of Ra [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 13, 2010.

    The House of Asar [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 13, 2010. Asar was also known by the Greek name Osiris.

    The House of Heru [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 13, 2010. Heru was also known by the Greek name Horus.

    The Feast of Het Heret [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 13, 2010. Het Heret was also known by the Greek name Hathor.

    The Lesser Quinquartrus of Minerva [external link], a Roman holy day occurs June 13, 2010.

    The Ides of June [external link], a Roman holy day occurs June 13, 2010. Known as Id. Ivn. or Ides Ivnivs.

    The Day of Ard [external link], a Zoroastrian or Persian holy day occurs June 13, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and frankincense.

June 12, 2010: Diet

    One of the legal tests for a legally valid religion is the use of special clothing.

    A key question asked during the case United States of America v David Meyers 95 F.3d 1475 regarding David Meyers’ Church of Religion (a religion he claimed to have founded) was “whether his sincerely held beliefs are “religious beliefs,” rather than a philosophy or way of life.”

    The judge in David Meyers’ case set a series of tests specifically based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roman Catholic Church. These tests have become known as the Meyers’ Test.

    One of the items in this list is special religious clothing.

    “5. h. Diet or Fasting: Religions often prescribe or prohibit the eating of certain foods and the drinking of certain liquids on particular days or during particular times.” —United States of America v David Meyers

    Some famous religious diets include the Jewish and Islamic (which are similar). Vegan, vegetarian, and semi-vegetarian diets appeear in many religions, including Buddhism, Rastafari, Hinduism, Shinto, Kemetic (ancient Egyptian), Witchcraft, and Wicca. Some Christians and Jews (especially those who are part of The Hawai’i Cannabis Ministry) include holy annointing oil made with cannabis hemp.

    There is a Goddess Diet located on this website.

    The Festival of Maat [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs June 12, 2010.

    The Amavasya [external link], a Hindu holy day occurs June 12, 2010.

    The New Moon [external link], a Wiccan holy day occurs June 12, 2010.

June 11, 2010: Clothing

    One of the legal tests for a legally valid religion is the use of special clothing.

    A key question asked during the case United States of America v David Meyers 95 F.3d 1475 were whether or not David Meyers’ Church of Religion (a religion he claimed to have founded) was a “real” religion or merely a “sham” to avoid prosecution.

    This is a question that repeatedly comes up in cases regarding religious cannabis. You must expect the government to blindly use this attack on any religion other than the Roman Catholic Church, the religion of the six judge majority of the U.S. Supreme Court.

    The judge in David Meyers’ case set a series of tests specifically based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roman Catholic Church. These tests have become known as the Meyers’ Test.

    One of the items in this list is special religious clothing.

    “5. i. Appearance and Clothing: Some religions prescribe the manner in which believers should maintain their physical appearance, and other religions prescribe the type of clothing that believers should wear.” —United States of America v David Meyers

    In Western society there are the Christian examples of special collars designating priests or ministers.

    In the ancient Egyptian religion there is the famous example of very large, well-attended processions to Isis (whom the Egytpians called Aset). The participants (mostly women) wore all white clothing as a symbol of purity. The idea of white clothing as a symbol of religious purity strongly influenced Roman religion in general and survives to this day in Christianity.

    Another famous ancient Egyptian religious example (which originated in the Congo River valley) is the clothing of the belly dancer.

    Belly dancing came to the Nile Valley from the Pygmies and was originally intended to honor the Pygmy deity Bes. Bes became one of the most important of Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) deities and belly dancing spread throughout the Middle East.

    The main myth told in belly dancing was the myth of the Garden of Eden. The reason the garden was tropically rich and jungle-like was because the myth originally came from the Pygmy people living in the jungles of the Congo River valley.

    The original judge in the Meyers’ case constructed the famous Meyers’ Test specifically from the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church (the religion of the six judge majority of the U.S. Supreme Court).

    The special clothing requirement was a specific and unambigious reference to the special costumes of the Roman Catholic Church.

    Ironically, the costume of the Roman Catholic Pope is a slight modification fothe divine clothing of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh! This clothing was adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in its early days specifically for the purpose of claiming that the Pope had inherited the divine authority of the Egyptian Pharaoh. Whithout this clothing (espeically the Pope’ss hat, which is a slight modification of the Pharonic crown) the Roman Catholic Pope would not have the authority to issue Papal Bulls, proclamations of the will of the divine!

    Beyond the legal matters, the wearing of special clothing helps to distinguish the clergy. It gives instant visual recognition of who is the minister.

    If you have some special clothing (such as a white robe) or even just a single special religious item (such as a conspicious necklace or collar), it will be easier for thse in need to quickly identify who is the minister, even if they have never previously met you.

    Further, as Joseph Campbell pointed out, special religious clothing can have a mind altering effect. Joseph Campbell points out that the special clothing worn by American and British judges (along with other ritualistic elements) are specifically designed to cause most in attendance to give special weight and authority to the words and commands of the judge.

    Special clothing can cause a religious or spiritual change in the mind of the person you are helping, greatly increasing the effectiveness of your ministry. The person you are helping will feel greater comfort if you have special religious clothing.

June 10, 2010: Circumambulate

    Circumambulation is the sacred practice of walking in circles. The oldest known versions occur in ancient Egypt, ancient Babylon, and ancient India. Modern versions include Vedic Circumabulation (the Parikrama of Hinduism), Jainist Circumambulation (called Pradakshina), Islamic Circumambulation (around selected sacred sites), Buddhist Circumabulation, and Masonic Circumambulation.

    Circumambulation is usually done around sacred objects or locations and typically the sacred is kept on the right of those walking.

    There is deep cosmic symbology, with the walking often representing the path of particular celestial bodies (such as the Earth, Sun, Saturn, or Mercury).

    Circumambulation is often done with incense, and as mentioned elsewhere one of the saced incenses is cannabis smoke.

    Circumambulation can be very calming and help a person enter a balanced state.

    If there is space within the building where you work as a medical cannabis minister (or space in an adjoining sacred garden), some of the persons you are ministering to may find circumambulation very enriching.

    And regular circumambulation will help demonstrate to a court of law the sincerity and depth of the religious beliefs carried out in your personal medical cannabis ministry.

    For a detailed Masonic view of circumambualtion see the article We’re All Dancing in a Ring Around the Sun [external link].

June 9, 2010: Smile

    A big hearty smile is the kindest thing you can give to those you minister to.

    As a medical marijuana minister you are dealing with various levels of physical ailment, from mild to terminal. Most of your people are in physical and emotional pain.

    A friendly smile helps cheer up anyone.

    You will find that some of your people will be very grumpy. Stay with your smile. Always greet event he grumpiest with a warm friendly smile.

    At first it may seem to be a waste of your energy, but even the grumpiest will come around and depend on your friendly welcoming smile.

    Your people will know they can always depend on you for a friendly smile. That smile will make their day. They will look forward to that smile. That smile will be important to them.

    Your smile will be as life transforming as the divine gift of cannabis.

    If you aren’t the kind of person who naturally greets everyone with a smile, you may have trouble believing this.

    But give it a try. And stick with it over time. Be consistent.

    Within a few weeks you will see amazing results.

    Your people will light up with smiles when they see you. Grumpier ones will take longer. But even the grumpiest will come around to your smile.

    This really works!

    Smile!

 

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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: June 4, 2010

Last Updated: July 21, 2010

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