Tag Archives: Church of the Universe

Church of the Universe for Potheads

Posted on by
Reply

From here:

Shahrooz Kharaghani, who was found guilty this year for trafficking marijuana and hashish in Toronto, has been sentenced to three months in jail.

The case has had two unusual twists: Mr. Kharaghani, and his co-accused, Peter Styrsky, claimed through the trial that they were part of a religion in which marijuana was the main sacrament. The judge rejected the idea of a religious defense and an expert witness in 2010 said that the Church of the Universe in no way resembles a religious group.

Here is what the Church of the Universe believes:

The Assembly of the Church of the Universe is open to all of God’s Creatures who believe God is God.

The Assembly of the Church of the Universe is a modern expression of a Religious Culture “Cult” more commonly known as the “Agriculture” which has existed since the very beginning of time. God put us in the midst of The Garden of Eden and instructed us “to dress it and to keep it” for them.  Genesis, Chapter 2 Verse 15. God, our Father, God our Mother.

Be well and prosper.
In peace, bless you, bless you.
The Assembly of 69

That sounds admirably inclusive.

If a judge can conclude that the Church of the Universe “in no way resembles a religious group”, look out Anglican Church of Canada.

Getting stoned as a religious right

Posted on by
1

From the National Post:

Mother Teresa, Pierre Berton and “the tree of life” were all invoked Wednesday as spiritual guideposts by a senior member of a Toronto church seeking a religious exemption to the country’s marijuana laws.

The references were part of testimony by Brother Peter Styrsky in Ontario Superior Court, as he explained his transformation from agitated delivery driver to a more spiritually content person as a minister within the Church of the Universe.

“I used to be very angry,” Mr. Styrsky said. The affable witness explained that his life changes were due in part to marijuana use. “It is a high. But it is not just recreational. It’s like a connection to God.”

For the first time, a court in Canada is being asked to set out a framework to decide whether a group and its practices qualify for Charter protection on religious grounds.

Apparently, the Church of the Universe has about 4,000 members in Canada; it could overtake the Anglican Church of Canada in the near future.