A Brief History of Cannabis use in World Religions.

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Cannabis in Taoism
One of the oldest examples of cannabis use in religion is Taoism, an ancient Chinese creed that dates back to the 4th century BC. C. The basic philosophy of Taoism is the harmony and balance of everything in the universe represented by yin and yang. Ancient Taoist literature mentions the use of cannabis as incense in ceremonies, in which case cannabis was used to remove selfish desires and achieve a natural state. Marijuana was also believed to promote divination. Taoist priests and shamans used this herb to communicate with spirits, for better or for worse.

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Cannabis in Hinduism
The Atharva Veda is one of the Vedic scriptures of Hinduism and dates back at least 3,000 years. According to the Vedas, marijuana is one of the 5 sacred plants and is believed to have a guardian angel on its leaves. The Vedas refer to the herb as a source of happiness, joy, and liberation that has been sympathetically given to people to please the senses and remove fear.
According to one description, Shiva used his own body to make marijuana and purify the elixir of life, resulting in the adjective "Angaja", which means "born of the body". The term "ganja" is believed to derive from this concept.

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Hindu spiritual customs use three formulas of cannabis: "bhang" a dairy drink containing cannabis leaves and buds, "Charas", a kind of resin hashish, and "ganja", which are, of course, the smoking buds. Consuming bhang to cleanse and purify the body during religious holidays is considered sacred.

 

Cannabis in Buddhism
Like their Hindu neighbors in the southern Himalayas, Buddhist practitioners in Tibet have a long tradition of using this herb for religious purposes. Gautama Buddha is said to have been a sage who established a Buddhist religion in the 5th century BC. C., and lived on hemp seeds every day during enlightenment. Buddha is sometimes depicted with marijuana leaves. It has been believed that consuming the plant can raise awareness during ceremonies and prayers, and support meditation.

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CANNABIS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
While cannabis use was widespread in the ancient eastern religions, there is little evidence of marijuana use in early Christianity until the 20th century. In 1936, the Polish etymologist Sula Benet published a new interpretation of the old text of the Old Testament. He claimed that the Greek version of the original text had translation errors, which would give many religious texts a whole new meaning. According to his theory, the Hebrew word for cannabis, "kaneh bosm", was confused with "calamus", a plant from which fragrances were made. If his theory is correct, the Old Testament books, including Exodus, the Song of Solomon, or the book of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, refer to cannabis multiple times.

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Cannabis in the ancient Greek religion
The Greek historian Herodotus (484-425 BC) documents the use of cannabis in ancient Greek religious ceremonies. He described how the Scythians used temporary containers or tripods to burn cannabis incense in an open flame. The partici Panthers will gather in the tent to inhale smoke for the ceremony. The ancient Assyrians are believed to have also used cannabis incense at funerals to ward off demons.

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Cannabis in paganism
According to Scandinavian mythology, the marijuana plant contained the feminine energy of Freya, the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. By eating the plant, its essence could enter the body itself. There is evidence of the use of hemp and cannabis at different stages in ancient Germanic pagan cultures. The plant was used for spiritual or fertility rituals and was given such an important position that hemp seeds and clothing became sacrifices for the dead. Even the marijuana harvest was cause for celebration.

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Cannabis in the Rastafarian religion
The Rastafarian religion originated in Jamaica in the 1930s and involved the spiritual use of cannabis in various ceremonies. In the belief of Rastafarians who reject all materialism and oppression, cannabis can raise awareness, increase the joy of life, relax the body and mind, and eliminate bad energy. Rastafaris believes that this plant will bring humans closer to its creator, Jah.

In the late 20th century, people discussed the use of cannabis by Rastafarians. After a lengthy legal process, it finally ended with the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" of 1993. Under US law, it is legal to consume cannabis for spiritual or religious purposes.

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Cannabis in other religious movements
Although cannabis has been used for spiritual and religious purposes for thousands of years, in the past century, many modern movements and "new age" factions have emerged that took cannabis as a sacrament.
Some of these modern movements include THC Ministry, Temple 420, the Ministry of the Green Faith, Cantheism, the Cannabis Assembly, The Church of the Universe, the Church of Free Marijuana in Honolulu, and the First Church of Cannabis. The Elevation Ministries, a religious non-profit organization, opened its official headquarters on April 20, 2017 in Denver and is known as the International Church of Cannabis.

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Edited by KANNAPEDIA