Exercising one’s first amendment right to freedom of religion can be a tricky thing…especially when your form of worship consists of lighting up a joint in the name of God. Just ask Norman Hutchinson of Mexico, Maine.
Hutchinson is a member of the Religion of Jesus Church, a Hawaii based faith that not only encourages “cannabis sacraments” but mandates it.
Since joining the church, Hutchinson has served a 60-day stint in jail, then another 120 days for violating his probation after being caught “worshiping.” He has filed a lawsuit against the State of Maine, the local police department, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency to prevent future arrests.
“I use marijuana to open the endorphins of the mind so I can spiritually receive God,” Hutchinson told the Portland Press Herald. He meets with fellow worshippers every Saturday for their “last supper.”
The Religion of Jesus Church, hokey as is sounds, is a bona fide religion and has been recognized as such by the State of Hawaii. The church was founded in 1969 by Rev. James Kimmel and incorporates elements of a number of religious traditions including Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Their main religious text is the The Urantia Book
The church’s website lists 12 reasons why cannabis sacraments are vital to their worship:
- amplifies the worship of God
- Helps cultivate personal experience with religion
- Increases spiritual elevation
- Brings man to God
- Increases ability to feel the presence of God
- Helps consquer addiction to tobacco and alcohol
- Creates peace
- Helps evolve the soul
- Serves god as a means of healing
- Enhances spiritual receptivity
- Is an exercise in acquiring Godlike attributes by sharing
- Is a good thought stimulating neuro-hormone
Valid enough reasons, don’t you think? The problem the church faces is convincing authorities of the validity of using cannabis for worship. Authorities have dismissed past arguments as a bit weedy.
Regarding Hutchinson’s lawsuit, Maine Attorney General Janet Mills said, “You can have a religion that says, ‘I believe in getting drunk every morning at 10 a.m. and driving down the turnpike.’ But you know what? I think Maine law would prevent it.”
While unlikely that state and federal law will allow Hutchinson and his fellow Religion of Jesus Church members to freely practice their worship, they are sure to continue to practice in private, out of the eyes of the law. After all, isn’t that how the original Christians were forced to worship?