Jeanne Posted October 25, 2018 Posted October 25, 2018 (edited) I have not had a chance to read through all of this..some..but no all. As far as moral/religious teachings, I see the Savior having us use our own intelligence and reliance on education and information. That all being said, it is after all we can do that sustains and supports life. I cannot see that there would be any collusion in WOW and science in the sustaining a quality of life..especially for children and whatever we can learn from the painful world of cancer. Even after many studies, we can only rely on good judgement, common sense., and prayer. I do not feel that it is necessary to take away choice...for if we don't have it..we can't do anything and that means..no growth...no understanding...and patients are still in pain. Edited October 25, 2018 by Jeanne 1
Robert F. Smith Posted October 25, 2018 Posted October 25, 2018 35 minutes ago, RevTestament said: Hello Robert. I always welcome your thoughtful arguments. However, comparing the democratic governments of the United States to Stalin and Hitler is silly, and you know it. The reason we are having this discussion is because THE people have put Prop 2 up for a vote in Utah - hardly the result of a state government controlled by some Hitler-type fascism. Come now. The people control their own regulation through their state democratic bodies. That is far from changing to some type of totalitarian-controlled government. Many states have now legalized medical use of Cannabis and some have legalized recreational use. That is hardly the result one would find in the totalitarian fear-mongering world you say exists. However, I do agree with you and Pogi that states which keep recreational use illegal are facing an uphill battle. They need to change their tactics. Throwing non-violent MJ dealers in jail for 10 years is counter-productive, and further harms their employability. States need a new approach. I propose changing their laws so that non-violent users and dealers are not jailed for years on end. Rather, either a relatively short jail sentence, or a substantial fine based on the amount they are dealing or work program would I think provide more sensible results. In other words if a dealer can't pay the fine, they do the time or work program. Most will pay the fine probably, but at least that will get some of the money in the coffers, and make dealing less profitable. I welcome any debate about this and better ideas than mine I'm sure states can come up with. Cigarette use has fallen dramatically in the states because of regulation and education efforts teaching of its very real ill health effects. I believe all such substances should be taught about in high school with pictures of cancer cases - the works. Just making recreational MJ legal and throwing it to the wind is ill advised for any society based on all currently available evidence. The nanny state always has high-minded, public reasons for authoritarian controls, and that is mixed with vast corruption in which the rich actually control govt so that they can make more money. The pragmatism which you use to speak about an intelligent approach to cigarettes is welcome, but needs to be applied across the board. We gain nothing as a society by pretending that some dangers are greater than the facts indicate, or in ignoring the greater danger of govt hypocrisy. The OP quoted a beloved prophet who was actually hostage to false cultural assumptions about the nature of drugs and recreational drug use. Preaching against recreational drug use is certainly called for, but it would have been far more productive to have discussed such "sin" in a pragmatic way, with pragmatic solutions (some of which you discuss above). Millions of lives could have been saved. Instead, we revel in one failed scheme after another. I mention Prohibition again and again, yet no one seems to learn a lesson from that failed experience. There are consistently better ways of handling recreational drug use, and (as Kevin Christensen has pointed out to us on this board) the LDS Church is one of the best in helping people overcome their addictions. Let us apply the lessons we already know to the larger problem. This is what we have not done.
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