http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/30/indiana-marijuana-church_n_6970028.html
Church Of Marijuana Gets Boost From Indiana’s Anti-Gay ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill
Indiana’s new “religious freedom” law has been widely criticized and condemned by many, but an innovative marijuana activist in the state is using the bill’s legal protections as a means to set up a new religious sect — the First Church of Cannabis, where members would aim to use marijuana freely as a sacrament in a state where the substance remains banned.
“It’s a new religion for people who happen to live in our day and age,” Bill Levin, the church’s founder, told The Huffington Post in an interview Monday. “All these old religions, guys walking across the desert without Dr. Scholls inserts, drinking wine out of goat bladders, no compass, speaking Latin and Hebrew — I cannot relate to that shit. I drive by Burger Kings, bars and corn fields. I cannot relate to an antique magic book.” …
“I fought this bill tooth and nail,” Levin said. “And because of our brave and brilliant governor,” he continued, his voice brimming with sarcasm, “he opened up the door for me to take my campaign to religion. The state will not interfere with religious belief — well buddy, my religious belief is green with red hairs, and boy do I like to smoke it.” …
But Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, an Indiana attorney and political commentator, told RawStory that if Levin can convince the state that, under the RFRA, smoking marijuana is part of his religion’s practices, he may have “a pretty good shot of getting off scot-free.”
I believe that some Indian nations have legalized certain drugs as part of their religious practices.
Levin says the announcement of the church has created a firestorm of interest and support. He set up a crowdfunding account last week when the church first received notice that its registration was approved by the state, and as of Monday morning, the church had already raised close to $2,000. He also says that he has personally received thousands of messages of support, and hundreds of people ready to volunteer to help him with his mission. The church’s Facebook page, set up just days ago, already has more than 5,000 likes…
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