Subj : Drugs Rant To : Moebius From : Rachel L. Akers Date : Tue Jul 10 2001 12:35 am Gidday Goodlooking, > ... [How does anyone/everyone feel about drug use in ritual] LE>> There are some cultures that still use drugs (mostly special LE>> occasion) in some of their rituals...vision quests, etc. M> I'd have to agree that it depends entirely upon the circumstances M> over whether the drug is part of the ritual. If it is, and it's M> well controlled, it's along the lines of personal privacy, IOW none M> of an outsider's business. Hey we're all agreeing on something... Is that allowed?? M> If it's not, that splits into two - prescription or recreational. I'd be inclunded to add a few other catagories. To include social drugs, & even then I'd say that these three groups still alter mental perception. I know some friends on anti-depressants who were not able to do anything creative for several years after taking themselves off the stuff. But exactly where is the line drawn? Some cultures accept some drugs Ozzie/North American culture would consider "evil" (or whatever) & then there are some cultures who consider coffee & the like "evil". I know one chemical that _every_ body needs & shows "classical" withdrawl symptoms if it's not available in sufficient quanties and yet tooo much is known to cause equally devistating problems. & in both extremes can cause mind-altering experiences... Yet I've yet seen a Government willing to try & legislate against Oxgygen... M> In this scenario, I'd have to say no way in eternal punishment> I'd want to work with anyone who wasn't M> completely punishment focussed. there's just too much at stake to M> be impaired in any way. M> After the ritual, obviously, is another story, but then we get M> involved with law enforcement, which is another reason not to be M> involved with this person. We have enough problems without being M> busted for drugs, right? I've had this debate with other locals a while ago. The "Social Responsibility" of maintaining a positive public image of Paganism needs to be considered also... M> I'd have to say they'd have to leave until they got themselves M> straightened out, in whatever instance. Impairment - in some M> circumstances - can kill. Read the papers, and you'll get an M> indication. Oh yeh. M> ...Witches heal! Witches speak! Witches roll over! Good Witches... Ohy are you calling me a heel ?!?!? );-) Rai --- Msged/2 4.00 * Origin: Elfwhere - The POINTy eared POINT (3:640/531.2379) .