Response from CraigX of Temple 420

In yesterday's 3BT I wrote about 3 different "strange, but true" stories. One of them was about Temple 420 in LA and their use of marijuana during services. The minister of that church, Craig X Rubin, wrote me a response to my blog after a friend forwarded it to him. You can find Temple 420's website at temple420.org. Here is Craig's response, followed by my follow-up email to him.

Subject: Temple 420
This is Rev. Craig X Rubin of Temple 420 in Los Angeles. I just wrote Bob an email because I could not find the blog at first, but one of my friends tried pointing it out to me.

YOU SAID:
"These kind of stories give Christians a bad name."

-I feel as if I am defending the rights of Christians. I am suing because we are a Bible based Judeo-Christian fellowship teaching the Old Testament on Sat. and the New Testament on Sun...I am an ordained minister and under Cal. Penal Codes 1524 and 1525 have the right to be treated as such. We were told by police that our religion "was not a real religion."

YOU SAID:
A minister of an LA church sues the City police over possessing Marijuana because they "use the pot during services".

-That is not true. I am suing them because they have violated my civil rights.

YOU SAID:
Rev. Craig X Rubin is the founder of Temple 420 and states that pot is a "religious herb".

-I say that we use it in religious ceremonies...further, that it was a plant created by God in the Book of Genesis. Lastly, members of our congregation think that this plant is the Tree of Life mentioned in Genesis, Proverbs and Revelation.

YOU SAID:
He says, "Our congregation mandates members study the Bible, have faith in God and regularly burn the herb cannabis (The Tree of Life mentioned in the Bible) as sacrament," Remember that "religious" people are not always good Christian people.

-I CAN'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, BUT WHAT ARE YOU SAYING THAT I AM A BAD PERSON...OR THAT WE ARE NOT TEACHING THE SCRIPTURES CORRECTLY?

YOU SAID:
They do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

-Why would you say that Bob? Have you been to our web site? Attended our services? Know anyone who has? We teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people who don't normally hear the Word...so I am not sure how you can make that comment.

YOU SAID:
"This man is horrible and is more destructive to Christianity than any Atheist or ultra Liberal lobbyist could ever be."

-I may be a horrible man in your eyes Bob, but I am a brother in the body of Christ and what you are saying is hurtful and thoughtless and you should investigate before you blog in the future. Your aggressive words towards a brother in the faith can't be helpful. I know and teach that Jesus was who he said He was...further that a house divide can't stand...so please look into it for yourself and if cannabis is not the Biblical Tree of Life...then please tell me what plant you think is.

Thank you and God bless you and family's new addition,
Rev. CraigX
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My Response to his email:

CraigX,

First of all I thank-you for your kind words regarding my new addition. Children are great and need to be raised in a good Christian home. That is one thing we can agree on.

Ok, now on to your email you had said that "I feel as if I am defending the rights of Christians. I am suing because we are a Bible based Judeo-Christian fellowship teaching the Old Testament on Sat. and the New Testament on Sun...I am an ordained minister and under Cal. Penal Codes 1524 and 1525 have the right to be treated as such. We were told by police that our religion 'as not a real religion'."

I have no doubt that what you have is religion. I will agree with that, but what I disagree with is that you are stating that you are "defending the rights of Christians". Defending their rights for what? Prayer? Reading God's Word? Worshipping God through song? Testifying to His saving grace? If that is the case you do not have to defend these rights as they are defended by the constitution. I'm sorry, but defending your followers right to smoke marijuana is not a Christian right. It is illegal no matter what your religion is. Trying to cloak the lawsuit as "protecting your civil rights" is not being completely honest with your intentions.

You stated that "we use it in religious ceremonies...further, that it was a plant created by God in the Book of Genesis. Lastly, members of our congregation think that this plant is the Tree of Life mentioned in Genesis, Proverbs and Revelation". I honestly feel that you are translating the Bible to say what you want it to say. I can say that the "Tree of Life" for me is a Fuji apple tree and that those apples are manna from God. Although I do love a good apple - that tree is not the tree of life - and neither is cannabis. Other groups or religions have made a similar claim to the "Tree of Life", but all were a guise of freedom to use hallucinogenic drugs.

In response to me saying that some people are "religious, but not good Christians" you said,
"I CAN'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, BUT WHAT ARE YOU SAYING THAT I AM A BAD PERSON...OR THAT WE ARE NOT TEACHING THE SCRIPTURES CORRECTLY? "

I am merely trying to point out the err in your judgment. People look up to you to provide them with guidance. They want to meet Jesus and they don't need pot to do that. I am not judging you, but I am your fruit inspector. The Bible says that we'll know people are Christians by the fruit they produce. If I told someone that I use marijuana, for non-medicinal purposes, they can assume that I am not a follower of Jesus Christ. So, yes, I am saying that you are not teaching the scriptures correctly.

I stated that "They do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ" to which you said, "Why would you say that Bob? Have you been to our web site? Attended our services? Know anyone who has? We teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people who don't normally hear the Word...so I am not sure how you can make that comment".

I do admit that I cannot know the heart of every person that attends your church or any other church. I have been to your website. I have read it through. I understand that you have pictures of cannabis prominently displayed everywhere. I read in the very first paragraph on the website about cannabis. I went to your FAQ and you had stated the following:

"I have dedicated my entire life to ending the prohibition of marijuana in the United States, now I can finally accomplish that goal and at the same time spread the loving message of the Bible and the Lion of Judah, the prince of peace, Lord of Lords, the King of King, the Mashiach Nagid".

It sounds like to me and anyone else who reads this that your goal in life is to FIRST end the prohibition of marijuana. Your "religious" goals are secondary. I don't have to attend your church to know what you and your members believe - you did a good enough job of that on your website.

You further said, "I may be a horrible man in your eyes Bob, but I am a brother in the body of Christ and what you are saying is hurtful and thoughtless and you should investigate before you blog in the future. Your aggressive words towards a brother in the faith can't be helpful".

I made the statement in my blog to the effect of Craig being "horrible" and "destructive". Let me clarify. Craig, you are not horrible, but your mission is. I read a small story - it said you smoke pot in services. Then I went to your website - which said you smoke pot in services. What more investigation did I need. I'm sure my being too aggressive can hurt my testimony. How can you judge my action as bad, but I have to accept you smoking weed as ok?

"I know and teach that Jesus was who He said He was...further that a house divide can't stand...so please look into it for yourself and if cannabis is not the Biblical Tree of Life...then please tell me what plant you think is".

Your website tells me all I need to know on what you think of Jesus. His name is used once on your website - and I quote - "We know that Jesus smokes weed". If I didn't know Jesus before as my personal savior, is this supposed to help me do that? Your entire website tells me one thing. If a person wants to freely smoke marijuana, they can do so at your church. Every other "religious" message is just secondary.

I agree that a house divided cannot stand. If we hold ourselves as Bible believing churches then we need to teach the Bible as God intended it, not to meet our own needs. Your message is destructive. The world saw your story and they laughed at Christians everywhere. Not because you're being persecuted, but because of your hypocrisy. What you are doing in your church is destructive.

Two trees were mentioned in the Garden of Eden. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. What happened when Adam and Eve ate the fruit form the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? They developed a knowledge of good and evil. They realized their nakedness, they felt shame for the first time, and sin entered the world. The name of the tree was very literal and they found that out. Why would the Tree of Life be anything other than Eternal Life itself? God did not allow them near it, not because it was His good weed, but because they were no longer entitled to eternal fellowship with Him. They were still eternal beings, but now they were separated from God. That is why Jesus came, not to pass the pot, but to save the world. Jesus became the Tree of Life to us so that we may have eternal fellowship with Him and our creator God.

God Bless,
Bob Speakman