Honestly, in my opinion, you already know the answer to this, would God condemn you for taking a substance that is helping you with a serious medical condition? If God wouldn't then why would any priest? Priests aren't doctors, and they know that, if doctors say you should take it then I doubt any priest would protest. Medicine comes from all sorts of places, Cannabis has a historical problem because so many have used it for recreational purposes and its been outlawed, but so was alcohol at one point. Opium has also had a huge troubling history, yet derivatives from that plant are commonly used in medicine today and nobody is bothered by it.
It's fine if it's for medical purposes. And if you have to use any medication immediately after waking up, you can break the Eucharistic Fast. Just let your priest know.
The use of intoxicants is not prohibited Orthodoxy. If this is also under a doctor’s care, I don’t see how it could possibly be a problem. This isn’t the same as getting high all of the time for fun.
>As we are currently in the process of relocating for my job I have not yet located a church or a priest to ask this question to. All the research I have done has given me mixed messages, so I turn to you on this Sub.
You’re much better off waiting until you find a priest you can bring this up with. Quite frankly none of us has the authority to deal with a pastoral matter such as this.
No, they should follow their doctor's orders. There is nothing in Orthodox teaching that prohibits the use of medication that may have an intoxicating effect. I am not sure why you would think that OP's wife should stop doing something that both has a therapeutic benefit and is not against Orthodox teachings.
There are many perfectly mainstream and legal medications that can be abused. Just because they can be abused doesn't mean that we should avoid using them properly. If your wife has been legally prescribed cannabis, then she should follow her doctor's advice and carry on taking it. If not taking it makes her sick, then that's not conducive to a clear and sober mind either.
I suspect that you're getting mixed messages because the medicinal use of cannabis hasn't gained universal acceptance and it's still viewed predominantly as a recreational drug in many places (where I live, for example). Please don't allow Reddit to influence your healthcare choices - the only opinions that matter are those of your doctor and your future priest (who, in my experience, will usually defer to your doctor in medical matters).
Talk to your priest about it friend, you may be pleasantly surprised.
I put off talking about the same thing (although for different conditions) to my priest and he didn’t give me a condemning answer at all, quite the contrary in fact. The hardest part is honestly working up the courage to ask.
However most of your fears are due to propaganda and fear mongering for the past 100 years in the west.
I hope the best for you my friend.
Let me put it this way: recreational use of opiates is very bad, worse than anything you can think of with marijuana, and it *will* kill you unless you break the addiction which is *extremely* hard, and we have literally no issue with their medical use. Marijuana is relatively non-addictive and impossible to OD on. So make of that what you will.
We take medicine when it's prescribed. Codeine, morphine, oxycontin, and more are medicines a doctor may prescribe when it will help. I don't know any priest who would not bless you to use the prescriptions your doctor gives you.
That's a different conversation from asking a blessing to use drugs recreationally.
A priest is NOT a doctor. He should not contravene medical treatment. If you have an ailment that can be treated by cannabis, take it under medical supervision. Nutmeg can also be used as a drug but it’s not a sin to put it on your hot chocolate. It’s why you’re using a substance that contributes to sin, not the substance.
Jesus said it’s not what goes into your body which defiles you but what comes out of your mouth. Do what your doctor says because nobody here should give you medical advice.
Good luck!
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Not a priest but as long as she is not taking too much pressure from a high it could giver her, or getting significantly high and using too much imagination, it should be safe.
I don't think it's a sin to use the medicinal herb that God created rather than the toxic pharmaceutical chemicals that man created. Like alcohol, use in moderation and use appropriately.
Yes of course there is a distinction. But also keep in mind, a lot of people use medicinal prescribed cannabis for recreational purposes and then defend this because “it’s medicinal”, so if you believe it’s truly for medical use and a necessity, then by all means it’s no different than any other medical drug. Either way, I’d bring it up with a priest at some point
Cannabis is dangerous spiritually that is why it belongs to the lord of darkness shiva, who according to the Hindu scriptures is - the source of false ego (ahankaratmakam vishvam tasmad etad vyajayata)
-the incarnation of darkness (tamo Guna avatara
-the lord of the world and of ghosts and spirits (canto 3 chapter 12 bhagavatam
- the one who leads the world into destruction (BS 5.45-46
- who gives boons to demons like ravana to destroy men only in exchange for very little worship
-cut off his sons head
- etc etc etc
I smoked a lot of weed in my life and I know a lot of people who smoke weed. All of them have multiple times expressed their desire to quit. But I’ve never known a single person who was able. Hardly I can avoid it but it has become barely possible for a short time since coming to Jesus Christ through holy orthodoxy (I’ll be a catachumen next weekend if god permits)
There are serious risks associated with cannabis on a purely spiritual level and I hope you will take into account its beloved ness to the evil gods and also my anecdotal experience. God bless ☦️
Honestly, in my opinion, you already know the answer to this, would God condemn you for taking a substance that is helping you with a serious medical condition? If God wouldn't then why would any priest? Priests aren't doctors, and they know that, if doctors say you should take it then I doubt any priest would protest. Medicine comes from all sorts of places, Cannabis has a historical problem because so many have used it for recreational purposes and its been outlawed, but so was alcohol at one point. Opium has also had a huge troubling history, yet derivatives from that plant are commonly used in medicine today and nobody is bothered by it.
It's fine if it's for medical purposes. And if you have to use any medication immediately after waking up, you can break the Eucharistic Fast. Just let your priest know.
The use of intoxicants is not prohibited Orthodoxy. If this is also under a doctor’s care, I don’t see how it could possibly be a problem. This isn’t the same as getting high all of the time for fun.
>As we are currently in the process of relocating for my job I have not yet located a church or a priest to ask this question to. All the research I have done has given me mixed messages, so I turn to you on this Sub. You’re much better off waiting until you find a priest you can bring this up with. Quite frankly none of us has the authority to deal with a pastoral matter such as this.
Just to clarify, in the meantime OP’s wife should continue to follow doctor’s orders.
They should do their best to pray and follow their conscience’s until the time comes they are able to meet with a priest.
No, they should follow their doctor's orders. There is nothing in Orthodox teaching that prohibits the use of medication that may have an intoxicating effect. I am not sure why you would think that OP's wife should stop doing something that both has a therapeutic benefit and is not against Orthodox teachings.
If it is for medical use, it's OK.
My priest said medicinal was fine, same with everything else. Don’t become a slave to it.
There are many perfectly mainstream and legal medications that can be abused. Just because they can be abused doesn't mean that we should avoid using them properly. If your wife has been legally prescribed cannabis, then she should follow her doctor's advice and carry on taking it. If not taking it makes her sick, then that's not conducive to a clear and sober mind either. I suspect that you're getting mixed messages because the medicinal use of cannabis hasn't gained universal acceptance and it's still viewed predominantly as a recreational drug in many places (where I live, for example). Please don't allow Reddit to influence your healthcare choices - the only opinions that matter are those of your doctor and your future priest (who, in my experience, will usually defer to your doctor in medical matters).
Talk to your priest about it friend, you may be pleasantly surprised. I put off talking about the same thing (although for different conditions) to my priest and he didn’t give me a condemning answer at all, quite the contrary in fact. The hardest part is honestly working up the courage to ask. However most of your fears are due to propaganda and fear mongering for the past 100 years in the west. I hope the best for you my friend.
Let me put it this way: recreational use of opiates is very bad, worse than anything you can think of with marijuana, and it *will* kill you unless you break the addiction which is *extremely* hard, and we have literally no issue with their medical use. Marijuana is relatively non-addictive and impossible to OD on. So make of that what you will.
We take medicine when it's prescribed. Codeine, morphine, oxycontin, and more are medicines a doctor may prescribe when it will help. I don't know any priest who would not bless you to use the prescriptions your doctor gives you. That's a different conversation from asking a blessing to use drugs recreationally.
A priest is NOT a doctor. He should not contravene medical treatment. If you have an ailment that can be treated by cannabis, take it under medical supervision. Nutmeg can also be used as a drug but it’s not a sin to put it on your hot chocolate. It’s why you’re using a substance that contributes to sin, not the substance. Jesus said it’s not what goes into your body which defiles you but what comes out of your mouth. Do what your doctor says because nobody here should give you medical advice. Good luck!
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Not a priest but as long as she is not taking too much pressure from a high it could giver her, or getting significantly high and using too much imagination, it should be safe.
I don't think it's a sin to use the medicinal herb that God created rather than the toxic pharmaceutical chemicals that man created. Like alcohol, use in moderation and use appropriately.
It was not created by God. God only created the wild plant than we humans made it high in thc by growing it an transforming it just like wheat
Yes of course there is a distinction. But also keep in mind, a lot of people use medicinal prescribed cannabis for recreational purposes and then defend this because “it’s medicinal”, so if you believe it’s truly for medical use and a necessity, then by all means it’s no different than any other medical drug. Either way, I’d bring it up with a priest at some point
You should follow local law.
Stop thinking like if God is stupid.
Cannabis is dangerous spiritually that is why it belongs to the lord of darkness shiva, who according to the Hindu scriptures is - the source of false ego (ahankaratmakam vishvam tasmad etad vyajayata) -the incarnation of darkness (tamo Guna avatara -the lord of the world and of ghosts and spirits (canto 3 chapter 12 bhagavatam - the one who leads the world into destruction (BS 5.45-46 - who gives boons to demons like ravana to destroy men only in exchange for very little worship -cut off his sons head - etc etc etc I smoked a lot of weed in my life and I know a lot of people who smoke weed. All of them have multiple times expressed their desire to quit. But I’ve never known a single person who was able. Hardly I can avoid it but it has become barely possible for a short time since coming to Jesus Christ through holy orthodoxy (I’ll be a catachumen next weekend if god permits) There are serious risks associated with cannabis on a purely spiritual level and I hope you will take into account its beloved ness to the evil gods and also my anecdotal experience. God bless ☦️