christianity

God & ganja: Travel pro Rick Steves says marijuana laws not 'Christlike'

Submitted by Jacob Hunter on Thu, 02/18/2010 - 2:34pm

Travel guru Rick Steves has been flying higher than we might have thought all these years. He's gone public his use of marijuana and support for legalizating the drug. And he makes his case, in part, as a faithful Lutheran who finds activism more "Christlike" than conforming.

Amy Frykholm recently interviewed Steves, prolific guidebook author and Public Television travel show host, about his book, Travel as a Political Act, and his faith for Christian Century. But she saved the dope news for one of blogs that CC hosts, Theolog.

Steves tells her that people should take a "courageous" stand against drug laws that don't work. In the blog, Steves says,

For me, marijuana is not a harmful substance. I consider using it to be a civil liberty and have used it responsibly as an adult for creative purposes. I used to write a popular monthly column in World Concern Magazine, (a great Christian relief organization here in Seattle) and just for fun, I would write the article high. It helped me see things differently.

Harper appoints Evangelical Pastor to "Study" Marijuana and Schizophrenia

Submitted by Jacob Hunter on Fri, 08/21/2009 - 11:38am

The new Canadian Mental Health Commission is "a wonderful opportunity" for Christians to be involved in dealing with one of the most pressing issues in our society, according to one of its members.

Chris Summerville is one of 11 non-government members of the new Commission's board of directors. Besides struggling with mental health issues himself, he is the interim CEO of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, executive director of the Manitoba Schizophrenia Society, and a certified Psychosocial Rehabilitation Practitioner. He is also a committed Christian and an ordained pastor with the Associated Gospel Churches of Canada.

Summerville said he hopes to bring a holistic approach to the issue that addresses body, mind, soul and spirit.

According to the Associated Gospel Church website, history section: "The AGC traces its beginnings to the early 1890s when a group of independent evangelical churches became known as the Christian Workers' Church of Canada"

UPDATE: The Canadian Schizophrenia Society Board of Directors contain no apparent Medical Doctors or PhD's, and the first name of the list appears to be a police officer from Toronto.

Update 2: Pam Forsythe is a practising Psychiatrist