wiredmaker18 said:Everyone’s gonna come for me after this, but honestly? I don't give a damn. Anyway.
How is nobody talking about the one obvious fact staring us in the face? Smoking, using any kind of chemical, weed (let's be real, it's just inhaling chemical compounds), whatever—it all messes with your brain. The brain reacts, either fighting back or just riding the wave of the chemical reaction between the substance and your brain chemistry. It changes how your neurotransmitters work, shifts your thought patterns, alters your perception. There’s nothing inherently wise or spiritual about it. It’s just basic chemistry. You get drunk and the room spins because your brain is reacting to the alcohol hitting your system. You overeat and get sleepy because your blood rushes to your stomach to handle digestion. It’s the exact same deal with marijuana or any other drug, hard or soft. Sure, the subjective experience might feel good or spark some "new" ideas, but calling it universal spiritual wisdom? Give me a break...
I won't berate you; I'm just going to talk this through with you, son. 😉
I’m going to take this apart piece by piece, paragraph by paragraph, until your whole theory falls apart. A tripod has more stability than that.
First off, marijuana isn't some synthetic chemical, though it does contain THC. No one invented THC or cooked it up in a lab; it’s been around just as long as humanity itself, if not longer.
Everything we eat contains various substances, like lycopene, and each one plays its own specific role in how our bodies function. 😍That’s exactly how it should be. God doesn't make mistakes.
Your theory—which seems to be the current consensus among governments worldwide and, unfortunately, most people—is that substances affecting the physical body are useful and necessary (not all of them, obviously), while anything that touches the psyche, the soul, or the spirit is considered harmful and should be banned, destroyed, and the users arrested or even beaten.
What else can I say besides, forgive them God, for they know not what they do? If you take even a moment to look closer, you'll see how upside down everything in this world really is. It’s all backwards.
I figured that out back when I was fifteen. It cost me quite a few gray hairs before I finally realized that on a global scale, our spiritual evolution has only just begun—up until now, it’s mostly been about physical progress. It’s really just a matter of time before everything falls into place.
A little something.
I'm as certain about what I'm saying as I am that I have five fingers on my left (and right) hands. And I'm just as sure that you're wrong.
I’m not trying to talk myself up here—don't get me wrong—it's just the reality of it. I think I might just be an old soul compared to you, that's all.
Look, you’re starting to build this argument based on some pretty narrow, old-school conservative scientific viewpoint.
I have several different sources of information on this topic, but I trust my own experience above all else—which mostly involved a lot of trial and error through self-experimentation.
THC definitely has a specific effect, and one of its main manifestations is heightened sensory perception—unless, of course, you’ve never actually tried it. My logic is that by sharpening the senses, we're taking in more information and sensations, which essentially trains the brain to handle atypical situations. It's like a workout where you aren't building biceps, but rather strengthening the brain itself.
Bodybuilders can obviously lift heavier weights than non-bodybuilders, so there’s really nothing negative about that.
Then you have religions, like the Rastafarians, who use marijuana as a tool to reach truth or enlightenment, or whatever you want to call it. Bob Marley was probably the most famous representative of the Rastafarian movement, and I think it’s pretty redundant to comment on what kind of man he was.
Indian hemp originates from India. Indian religion—or philosophy, if you prefer—is perhaps the closest thing to the truth; it’s also quite psychedelic, which makes me wonder if they leaned into it a little too hard. 😛
I heard somewhere (though I don't know if it's true) that even the Bible mentions marijuana as a plant that boosts intelligence. Personally, I think Jesus smoked.
Native Americans, who mastered many disciplines that we still respect today, used herbs as frequently as an average American smoker uses cigarettes nowadays.
Not to mention the Mayans, or maybe even earlier civilizations.
What were Native Americans like? I don't know everything, but I know they were at least peaceful, and I believe they followed ethical codes at least three times more strictly than we do today.
And the Rastafarians? They are "Peace Brothers." Just take it easy. Isn't that enough?
As for the "India" crowd, I won't even go there. Deep meditation. Maybe they were the ones who invented skanking?! 😁
Finally, I know what I become when I get high. In an era where mere existence has taken priority over the meaning of life, weed, by its very nature, isn't just a "friend"—it can be a savior, provided you are incredibly strong.
Weed, "likely" due to heightened senses, made me a more sensitive being,
which implies empathy and many other naturally good qualities, though from a superficial modern perspective, weed made me a weaker being. That is why
I say it's all a paradox. You need the strength to avoid blindly following the "masses" and instead remain true to your own critically acquired knowledge.
That's when the whole "me against the world" thing starts; whoever pulls that off, more power to them.
Humanity has made great progress, but regarding consciousness and awareness, it feels like we've been walking a path of reverse evolution.
I'm inviting everyone to learn, or if they can't, to trust those who actually know, rather than everyone making up their own stories and creating confusion that produces nothing new, leaving the status quo unchanged. I believe this is for the ultimate benefit of everyone on this planet.