Texas Church Bans Woman for Medical Marijuana

The Beaumont Seventh Day Adventist Church which Faith Bodle was banned from.

Faith Bodle, a Texas mother who uses medical cannabis to treat symptoms of degenerative spine disease and congestive heart failure, has been banned from her church for her cannabis support and use.

All of this began when Faith offered her opinion on medical cannabis on a televised news segment reporting on the arraignment of a man on trial for cannabis use. Bodle’s assent and support of the accused (and cannabis) was included in the segment.

Initially, her pastor sent her a letter calling for her to stop using and promoting cannabis. Six weeks later, the church revoked her membership and banned her from the congregation on the grounds that they don’t support addictive drugs, legal or not. (At this point I had to pick my eyes up off the floor after they rolled clean out of my head). Alcohol is waaay more addictive than cannabis and I’ll bet the pastor doesn’t even bat an eye while he pours himself a nice glass of Jesus Blood.

I am immediately reminded of a meme I saw a while back that said “Smoking weed doesn’t make me a bad person, just like going to church doesn’t make you a good person.”

I was raised Catholic and studied religions extensively in college. While I certainly won’t use this venue to spark religious debate, I do have to wonder why many Christians are the first and loudest critics of those who don’t seem to fit the mold in their eyes. Are all these exemplars of Christian living so without fault that they cast their stones without hesitation?

I am also reminded of my favorite Ghandi quote: “I like your Christ, but your Christians are so unlike him.”

I, in no way, intend to cast a pall of derision upon the entire Christian community. To be sure, there are some truly enlightened and benevolent spirits among this crowd. I just wish they would stop letting the tiny-souled group-thinkers stand as their spokespeople.

Whatever your faith (or lack thereof), can anyone imagine Jesus at the pearly gates saying, “Whoa… I smell weed. HELL NO!” as he pulls the lever to send the stoney-souled sinner plummeting to the sulfuric pools of hell? The figure credited with turning the other cheek, asking for the meek and outcast to join him, and even saying (as the centurion’s spear pierced his side on the cross), “Forgive them, Father, they know not what they do,” is now drawing a line in the sand over weed? I don’t buy it.

As is often the problem, this Texas church has reversed the paradigm. Rather than acting as if humanity was created in God’s image, they have warped God into something far more human and ascribed to Him their own petty fears and prejudices.

Faith Bodle, for her part, seems to be a much more enlightened Christian than the Pharisee’s who cast her from her church. Faith says she’s not angry, “It’s about bringing relief from pain and suffering, and that’s what’s Jesus wants, he doesn’t want to see his children suffer and that’s why he created this awesome plant.”

Humans have done countless, terrible things in the name of God. I think Ms. Bodle is going to be all right. It sounds like a good thing that she is no longer welcome among a crowd of fearful followers and a pastor high on his own image and power. I promise you, his small-minded influence poses a far greater risk to spiritual health than cannabis. Perhaps she should consider joining the Rastafari Movement.

For my own part, I’m not entirely certain what I believe regarding spirtuality. But I do know that any God, priest, or pastor worthy of my affection is benevolent enough to see that a faith that doesn’t include everyone is just as bad as a faith that excludes everyone.