JACQUES GAUVIN, RELIGION

Have Dominion Over Marijuana

Genesis 1:26–28 (NKJV)
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

What are man's responsibilities? What does have 'dominion over' mean?

Having dominion over connotes controlling, managing and it also conveys protecting and taking care of. Man is commanded by God to take care of all living things and the earth itself. So he is responsible for preventing disruption of the high quality air supply. This was not considered much in the old days but is now, in this industrialized world, of paramount importance.

Let's look at perhaps the most fundamental human requirement and right, breathing. From the individual breather's perspective perhaps no regulation need be enacted. It is a basic fundamental universal right. Allewishious Cornhusker can breathe all the air he wants. But from the perspective of the air being breathed much regulation is required. Industry must be prevented or at least regulated from polluting the air and making it harmful for human and animal use. Certain individuals, like Elon Musk, must be prevented from taking large quantities of our atmosphere to another planet.

Air, water and food are the most basic things required for life and the same fundamental principles apply to all three.

Now let's look at arguably a thing least required for life, marijuana. Some people love it, some people have no use for it whatsoever and some may even hate it. Because of its widespread use it is the subject of much controversy. This is cause for responsible addressing of the problems that surround marijuana by the ruling class.

Is it simply a matter of legalizing or not? Far from it.

Most conversations about marijuana circle around recreational use. Let's look at this briefly.

The main cause of diabetes is excessive consumption of white sugar. Should we ban sugar? No. Sugar in moderate use is not harmful and very useful and desirable in flavouring bread, pastry and many other things and is also used as a preservative.

Legalizing the growing, selling and buying of marijuana takes money away from unscrupulous types, decreases dangerous police work, keeps people out of jail for minor offenses reducing the cost to the justice system thereby reducing taxes, increases tax revenue and makes child rearing easier. What is wrong with that?

Is it easier to deal with a child going through the justice system for an infraction or to teach a child to develop good habits and to avoid bad habits?

Of course people shouldn't binge on sugar. Of course people shouldn't smoke. These things are health hazards. Your soul, your body, is not your own, it is on loan from God, take care of it. Besides, bad health is a strain on the healthcare system.

Is it simply a question of legalizing or not legalizing? The legalization of marijuana is really quite a minor thing to responsible people. Or is it rather a question of how to legalize, that is writing and implementing proper, appropriate laws. All things should be regulated but not micro managed necessarily. To ignore things is often very irresponsible.

Righteousness will someday prevail thanks be to God and His coming kingdom through His appointed and beloved Son Jesus who will rule with a rod of iron together with His chosen ones and have ultimate dominion over life on earth.

2018 Jacques Gauvin

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