From a conversation about drugs, and whether or not they should be legal.
Have you seen the effects of regular drug use?
Yes. It's not good to abuse drugs, but there is no Scriptural basis for prohibiting them in general. People abuse themselves with whatever they can.
They alter your mind.
Yes, so? It's not wrong to alter your mind. Drinking a little booze alters the mind, and Scripture encourages this. i
You are no longer sober on drugs. Your mind is being altered. Even so slightly.
It is possible to use drugs and still be sober minded. It's not wrong to alter your mind, as I have said.
That’s not being sober minded if your mind is altered.
Show me with Scripture.
I don't disagree that sober-mindedness is good. But where does Scripture define sober minded the way you have? I see no description of what sober minded even is in these passages.
When has the Bible given description of words? We know what sober means. We know what being FULLY sober means and FULLY relying on God.
Scripture says it's okay to drink alcohol. This "fully" sober thing you are pushing is not Biblical. Scripture isn't silent on describing sobriety. It's wrong to be "lead astray" by alcohol. iv It will cause you to "see strange things" and "utter perverse things." v You will be "like one who lies at the top of the mast." vi
Cannabis dampens your synapse connections in your brain.
I'm not interested in your personal opinions about what should and shouldn't be done to the brain. I care only about what Scripture says is right. I have more than enough personal experience with cannabis to know it is much more helpful than it is harmful. What's more, even if something can harm, that doesn't mean it should be illegal. It's harmful to drink bleach, and yet bleach is legal to buy and possess. The government should not be acting like the parent of adults. It should be working only as a terror to evil men; vii to prevent and punish those things which are actually bad.
I whole heartily disagree with you that drugs are not bad. They ruin lives, and I have seen with my own eyes the effects of regular drug use on people close to me -- who I loved deeply. Many horrible choices stemmed from drugs.
You disagree with Scripture. I too have seen the abuse. But I have also seen the positives, and I have seen the abuse of the police who enforce these unbiblical prohibitions. What's more, what you have seen isn't Scripture. And what's even more, I'm sure your loved ones were abusing illegal drugs! So much for prohibition!
Illegal drugs you say should be legal.
Despite them being illegal, people still abuse them. The prohibition does more harm than good. Let people who will abuse them abuse them. Let the rest of us use them legally.
They will become more available.
So? I want them to be more available to the people who don't abuse them. The people who will abuse are already abusing.
They will become more available to your daughters.
I don't have any children or wives; if I did, I would not forbid them from doing any drugs. Of course I would teach them to not get drunk or abuse drugs. And I think for growing children they shouldn't use these things if it can be avoided, with exceptions for medical reasons.
What about the things out of control like the people around you and your daughters? Should they be introduced more often to extremely addictive drugs that destroy their mind?
Here in Oklahoma, there is a meth problem. Meth is illegal and yet it is easy to find. I do not think making meth legal would make it a bigger problem.
Regardless if your kids take them, they are forced to be with people who do? If drugs are legalized, the chance happens more and more.
We don't hang out with people who abuse drugs. Anyway, you are making your argument not from Scripture but from the basic principles of this world. viii
- Ecclesiastes 9:
Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works. - 1 Peter 5:
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
- 1 Peter 1:
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
- Proverbs 20:
Wine is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. - Proverbs 23:
29 Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it swirls around smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things. - Proverbs 23:
34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35 “They have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?” - Romans 13:
1 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. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
- Colossians 2:
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.