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What does the Bible say about drugs?

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by semamiyth, Jun 21, 2004.

  1. semamiyth

    semamiyth New Member

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    I was wondering what the word of God says about drugs and drug abuse? Not whether it is right or wrong(I know it is wrong), but rather, what are good verses to use against drug abuse. Also some information on how drugs were used during Old testement times. I've heard some say that witches, spiritualist, etc. used them to come closer to the "spirt world" or talk to devils? If that is the case than drug abuse would be in most? all? or some? cases very wrong or satanic(however sin is sin no matter how "small" or "great")?

    Any thoughts or knowledge on this subject would be much appreciated.
     
  2. amixedupmom

    amixedupmom Guest

    My first thought would be that it's "witchcraft" seeing as it inspires halluciantions. But, I'm curious on this topic as well. Could it be put in the same catagory as drunkedness since both dull the senses. I'm sorry semamiyth I seem to be opening more questions. [​IMG]
     
  3. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Drug use? The Bible is silent. Drug abuse? The Bible tells us not to defile the temples of the Holy Spirit, which is our body. In at least one example, the Bible gives us an example. That example is the drug of alcohol. Simple consumption of alcohol is not forbidden, However, abuse of alcohol (which results in drunkenness) is forbidden. On that same note, taking alcohol for medicinal purposes (settling the stomach, in the scriptural example) is allowable. On top of that, we're told to adhere to governmental authority, we're morally bound to follow governmental guidelines and restriction on drug use. In other words, we can't serve alcohol for consumption to minors, even though there's no biblical ban on such (the exception is alcohol in certain over the counter medications).

    It stands to discernable reason that other drugs woould follow this same pattern. Vicodin can be respnsibly used if prescribed, and taken in acordance with the doctor's instruction. Taking of the drug for recreational use, however, is illegal, and a sin. Consumption of caffiene is allowable, but when we become dependent on the drug and refuse to overcome the addiction, it's a sin (on the I myself have been guilty of numerous times in my life.. eek!!!). Use of cocaine is forbidden by the government, so it's a sin to use it, even if we have a medicinal need.
     
  4. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    Revelation 9:21
    Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

    and Revelation 18:23
    And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

    The word sorceries is pharmakeion in Koine.

    Also witchcraft in Galatians 5:20
    Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

    Strong's 5331 pharmakeia
    1) the use or the administering of drugs
    2) poisoning
    3) sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it
    4) metaph. the deceptions and seductions of idolatry

    Also Thayer's: The use or administering of drugs.

    HankD
     
  5. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    The use of the word "pharmakeion" and "pharmakeia" in connection with witchcraft and sorceries seems to suggest the use of drugs or drug-derived potions used for magic and perhaps for spirit contact (and sometimes for poisoning). This kind of practice is found throughout the world in occult practices and in what is commonly called shamanism where hallucinogens or special herbs and plants are ingested to produce visions, contact with the spirit world, and out of body travel (or at least the illusion of it). This is done in with peyote in some Native American traditions and also in Rastafarianism where marijuana is considered sacred.

    Occult books and sites promote and sell various herbs to use for potions to be used in magical rites.

    Drugs can be used in a medicinal way for healing, but the abuse of them is obviously against the Bible since it harms the body (and sometimes mind) and using them for occult practices is clearly wrong.

    LSD was promoted for "spiritual" explorations by Timothy Leary at Harvard and is still promoted that way by certain people and groups. I see this connected to the use of drugs for shamanistic and occult purposes.

    So though there is no explicit instruction on drugs, there is an implicit prohibiton on the use of druglike substances for occult use or for poisoning.

    One more comment: There is a movement in some Christian circles to teach that using all drugs is wrong, even as medicine, because the word for drugs is being used in passages such as those referred to by HankD above. This ignores the context of those verses where the word for drugs is translated as "sorceries" or "witchcraft" because it is clearly the use of drugs for occult puposes that is being forbidden. This also ignores the fact that many herbs, which these same groups promote in lieu of medicine, are themselves drugs.
     
  6. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    Yes, I thought the passages were sufficiently clear even out of context that "pharmakeia" in these passages were directly related to evil and not the legitimate use of drugs as medicine.

    The Greek mystery religions probably used a fungus which grows on certain rye-like grains called ergot (the forerunner of modern lysergic acid diethylamide - LSD) in a concoction called kykeon to be imbibed in order to "meet the gods".

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleusinian_mysteries#LSA_theory

    http://www.csp.org/nicholas/eleusis.html

    HankD
     
  7. Ben W

    Ben W Active Member
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    Wasnt Jesus offered a sponge soaked in a drug on the cross and He refused it?
     
  8. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    One account says sour wine, and another says vinegar. In either case, that situation wasn't a drug issue.
     
  9. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    Mark 15:23
    And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

    In a piece by John MacAurthur The Wickedness of the Crucifixion he says that the text indicates that they gave Jesus wine to drink mingled with myrrh (a bitter gum resin that was put into the wine as a way of calming a person (cf. Psalm 69:21)) and that in the 1st century AD it was thought to have narcotic properties citing (Dioscorides Pedanius, Materia Medica, I.lxiv.3).

    http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/sg2395.htm

    HankD
     
  10. Jamal5000

    Jamal5000 New Member

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    From a Bible scholar's point of view, most of these verse examples make dead-on logical sense, but aside from Johnv's example of contaminating the Holy Temple, the other verses (especially the one about witchcraft) may fly over the head of most Christians and non-Christians that I know.

    Do we know any more immediately understandible verses (without the need to break out the concordance) that we can use for druge abusers?

    Thanks so very much for all of the good info. [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  11. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    What? Why NOT break out a concordance and show the paucity of the 1611 word compared to how it would be translated in modern language.

    Sorcery and witchcraft seem very limited definitions compared to "drug use" (or maybe "drug-induced witchcraft"). I like to go back to the original. It truly can clarify.
     
  12. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    It's against the law.

    NKJV Romans 13:1-2
    Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
    Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

    That doesn't require a concordance.

    HankD
     
  13. Jamal5000

    Jamal5000 New Member

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    Dr. Griffin, I agree that showing the somewhat shortcomings in understanding of the 1611 words using a concordance would intrigue a certain set of Christians (like me for instance [​IMG] ).

    On the other hand,another set (espeically unbelievers) may not possess the patience for such an academic-type analysis and explanation. Something more immediate may hook them better.

    (I need to get me a copy of the original 1611 KJV word, too.) [​IMG]
     
  14. Jamal5000

    Jamal5000 New Member

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    It's against the law.

    NKJV Romans 13:1-2
    Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
    Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

    That doesn't require a concordance.

    HankD
    </font>[/QUOTE]That one sounds pretty good, HankD.

    Thanks [​IMG] ,
    J5Grand
     
  15. RaptureReady

    RaptureReady New Member

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    So if it were up to you, a 2 month old could drink alcohol. This drinking in moderation is a lie from the pits of hell. How can you drink not to get drunk if you've never been drunk? And what is your purpose/reason of drinking? Do you think it's okay for a recovering alcoholic to drink, but not get drunk? I will be the first to say, DRINKING ANY ALCOHOLIC DRINK IS SIN. It defiles the temple of God and that is what makes it sin.

    So according to you, any drug is okay if don't abuse it. I DON'T THINK SO.
     
  16. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    Sure it's OK HB. Under the direction of a doctor.
    Have you had Novocain at the dentist?
    It's a cocaine derivative and if you've had a Novocain shot you are a cocaine user.

    There are several other cocaine derivatives used by dentists and oral surgeons.

    BTW HomeBound there are some Baptist Christians who are offended by the grape juice used in communion because they believe it's only proper to use alcoholic wine as in the first occasion.

    HankD
     
  17. RaptureReady

    RaptureReady New Member

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    I agree.
    But it is administered in a controlled amount that a doctor that has had intense training, not some guy from the back alley.
    Here's the problem with that(besides them being wrong), any saved person that understands communion should partake. That means children, are you going to give them fermented wine?
     
  18. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    I believe those who use real wine allow they’re saved children to have it. At our Church grape juice is used and I personally don't have a problem with that but if I had a choice, I would use real natural kosher wine and matzo as the Lord did on the first occasion.

    Being from an Italian background, I have had wine since a child, as is the custom all over Europe as well as in the Jewish culture. In fact, wine-phobia seems to be a recent American taboo in terms of Christianity.

    Mark 7
    18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
    19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
    20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
    21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
    22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
    23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

    1 Timothy 5
    23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

    Presently, I abstain from alcoholic beverage not because it is intrinsically evil but because of the sensitivity of the brethren at my local church.

    HankD
     
  19. RaptureReady

    RaptureReady New Member

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    If this is what you believe, then so be it. I however do not believe fermented wine was used by our Lord.
    This does not make it right.
    This was used as a form of medicine not pleasure. Also see the word in front of wine, little. I take Nyquil, but I take it because I'm sick. In a way, I want to believe that the passage is talking about unfermented wine, because if you go to a doctor today for a stomach problem, he will advise you to not drink any alcohol beverages.
    Thank you.
     
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