Hallucinogenic Tea anyone?

[Dixie_Peach 1]

This was a big HUH? for me... *slaps forehead*

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that a small congregation in New Mexico may use hallucinogenic tea as part of a four-hour ritual intended to connect with God.

Justices, in their first religious freedom decision under Chief Justice John Roberts, moved decisively to keep the government out of a church’s religious practice. Federal drug agents should have been barred from confiscating the hoasca tea of the Brazil-based church, Roberts wrote in the decision.

The tea, which contains an illegal drug known as DMT, is considered sacred to members of O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao do Vegetal, which has a blend of Christian beliefs and South American traditions. Members believe they can understand God only by drinking the tea, which is consumed twice a month at four-hour ceremonies.

New Justice Samuel Alito did not take part in the case, which was argued last fall before Justice Sandra Day O’Connor before her retirement. Alito was on the bench for the first time on Tuesday.

Roberts said that the Bush administration had not met its burden under a federal religious freedom law to show that it could ban “the sect’s sincere religious practice.”

The chief justice had also been skeptical of the government’s position in the case last fall, suggesting that the administration was demanding too much, a “zero tolerance approach.”

The Bush administration had argued that the drug in the tea not only violates a federal narcotics law, but a treaty in which the United States promised to block the importation of drugs including dimethyltryptamine, also known as DMT.

“The government did not even submit evidence addressing the international consequences of granting an exemption for the (church),” Roberts wrote.

The justices sent the case back to a federal appeals court, which could consider more evidence.

Roberts, writing his second opinion since joining the court, said that religious freedom cases can be difficult “but Congress has determined that courts should strike sensible balances.”

The case is Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao Do Vegetal, 04-1084.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11188277/?GT1=7756

[Jasman0717 9]

Didn't Timothy Leary try this with LSD back in the 60s?

The Church of Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out

Edited February 21, 2006 by jasman0717

[almaty 19]

never had the tea..but was invited to the american native church on the navajo reservation.....peyote ritual was used in the treatment of chemical dependency...been there more than once..in my past of course and only for the interests of scientific research.........

Edited February 21, 2006 by almaty2004

[Dixie_Peach 1]

I believe you.......

never had the tea..but was invited to the american native church on the navajo reservation.....peyote ritual was used in the treatment of chemical dependency...been there more than once..in my past of course and only for the interests of scientific research.........

[Peter Miami 0]

Is that what Ricky Williams from the Miami Dolphins drank when he failed the drug test.

[almaty 19]

Is that what Ricky Williams from the Miami Dolphins drank when he failed the drug test.

peter, maybe he has tried everything else...

I believe you.......

never had the tea..but was invited to the american native church on the navajo reservation.....peyote ritual was used in the treatment of chemical dependency...been there more than once..in my past of course and only for the interests of scientific research.........

lynee....it was for my master thesis.."treatment strategies for the native american substance abuser"..i needed to do allot of research there..i kept forgetting and seeing ..well a.a.. a... never mind./..

[ceriserose 1]

Other cultures do this type of thing as well. For years I've been using tiny doses of kava kava (herbal supplement in tincture form) for helping control anxiety attacks. The FDA as well as the similar administrations in Canada and the UK have gone back and forth on its legality and safety, mainly because certain tribes in the South Pacific use huge quantities of it in their spritual practice because it has hallucanogenic properties. (In small doses it acts as a very effective calamative on the nervous system.)

If you watch/remember last season's Survivor, you saw the Palau ceremony with it on the first episode.

When it's legal I stock up.

[mikeize 0]

That's a rare spot of good news. BUT, how come you need to have a named church just to freely avail yourself of the spiritual effects of various naturally occurring substances. I learned a lot from my many experiences with various psychotropic substances, and they definitely contributed to my spirituality and beliefs. I never hurt myself or anyone else as a result. Isn't this a case of "freedom of religion as long as the government preapproves your religion"?

-mike

[Satisfaction 1]

I don’t know anything about this Church.

Coming from Guyana, I cannot completely disagree. Herbal concoctions have been used for centuries in rituals and ceremonies by the Shamans of the indigenous tribes. Whoever has ever made a journey into the tropical rainforest knows about the healing and sometimes deadly powers of trees, flowers and shrubs. I can perfectly understand why indigenous people of Guyana have used hyptonic remedies to "connect", heal and survive. But in New Mexico?

[almaty 19]

Other cultures do this type of thing as well. For years I've been using tiny doses of kava kava (herbal supplement in tincture form) for helping control anxiety attacks. The FDA as well as the similar administrations in Canada and the UK have gone back and forth on its legality and safety, mainly because certain tribes in the South Pacific use huge quantities of it in their spritual practice because it has hallucanogenic properties. (In small doses it acts as a very effective calamative on the nervous system.)

If you watch/remember last season's Survivor, you saw the Palau ceremony with it on the first episode.

When it's legal I stock up.

right on sister ceCrise

I don’t know anything about this Church.

Coming from Guyana, I cannot completely disagree. Herbal concoctions have been used for centuries in rituals and ceremonies by the Shamans of the indigenous tribes. Whoever has ever made a journey into the tropical rainforest knows about the healing and sometimes deadly powers of trees, flowers and shrubs. I can perfectly understand why indigenous people of Guyana have used hyptonic remedies to "connect", heal and survive. But in New Mexico?

it is part of the religion..the american native church is based on the use of peyote as spiritual channel....use to go on a vision quest for 4 days, now use of peyote is accepted by some indian tribes..it has to be recognized and go all the way to the supreme court before the usa will allow it....and then there are rules on peyote harvesting and delivering..need a agricultural permit...etc....

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Who are they (potentially) hurting? Themselves. It's their business. Let them be. The current drug laws are bad. Just like the laws that made blacks and women second class citizens.

[Dixie_Peach 1]

I can understand herbs for health purposes... but I can't get into the "connecting" with God part. But I am open to listening to explanation.

Thanks!

Lynne

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I can understand herbs for health purposes... but I can't get into the "connecting" with God part. But I am open to listening to explanation.

Thanks!

Lynne

eplanation... they are not hurting anyone.

[ceriserose 1]

I can understand herbs for health purposes... but I can't get into the "connecting" with God part. But I am open to listening to explanation.

Thanks!

Lynne

Here's my layperson view of it, which might possibly help explain.

Some spirituality and practices of such are based on changing your consciousness, in effect taking yourself out of your own 'self' for a time. If you know anything about typically Eastern religions and some of the practices there (Buddhism, yoga, meditation in many forms) that is part of it.

So while some spiritual practices use meditation (in a long stretch, prayer could even fall into this category, but that's digressing), others use means such as herbs etc. Many cultures (especially those not Westernized) use nature in ways that seem strange/foreign to those not used to it.

As for why not in New Mexico, well, why not New Mexico? If one believes that we're connected the earth in a spiritual way, using the tools the earth provides to connect to the larger consciousness/spirituality, then it doesn't matter where one practices. And with the recent revival of ancient 'pagan' earth-worshipping type religions, it doesn't surprise me at all that it's there. Neo-pagan practice has been big on the West Coast for a couple of decades now. It had to move elsewhere eventually.

I hope that helps a bit on the concept. If not, well I got to type lots of blather.

[Melo 1]

I am glad someone is standing firm against this administration