Controversial “Smoking Jesus” Ad Draws Attention to Marijuana Churches in California
Currently, two marijuana churches located in San Jose, California, are embroiled in a serious conflict with local authorities. Both organizations are accused of illegally distributing marijuana, which has not yet been fully legalized, to their congregants. One of the churches has attracted even more attention due to an advertising campaign featuring an image of Jesus smoking a bong and encouraging marijuana use. Authorities are now seeking to declare both organizations as “illegal fronts for underground marijuana sales” and to shut them down, potentially sending the organizers to jail.
The Conflict Surrounding the Marijuana Church
The Coachella Valley Rastafarian Church has drawn the ire of San Jose city officials, not only for airing ads depicting a smoking Christian Messiah but also for suspicions that the organization is illegally selling marijuana for profit. Church representatives admit that joining the church requires a $10 fee, which allows new members to purchase certain souvenirs in the church shop. However, the church denies any commercial sale of marijuana, stating that members are encouraged to bring their own marijuana to services, where its use is combined with meditation and prayer.
“In the Rastafarian faith, meditation with marijuana is used to gain spiritual wisdom and unity with the world,” claims the religious community’s website. “Before smoking, we bless the plant, then burn it as part of our rituals. We treat marijuana with the utmost respect, as its sacred smoke allows a person to reconnect with the universal life force, which some call ‘Jah.’”
Community members believe that authorities are simply trying to oppress the church because its rituals involve a plant that is not yet legalized in the state.
“The Rastafarian Church is not a political organization or a commercial enterprise,” the church’s website states. “We also have no ties to other political or business organizations. In fact, we are not a hierarchical religious organization, as the Rastafarian faith teaches that dividing believers into ranks and classes separates us from divine truth, just as worldly political squabbles and the pursuit of material gain do.”
Other Churches Involved
In addition to the Rastafarians, the Oklevueha Native American Church has also come into conflict with city authorities for using marijuana in its religious ceremonies. According to the organization’s website, the church uses marijuana and peyote strictly for religious, not recreational, purposes.
Legal Risks and Authorities’ Response
The court notes that, due to the criminalization of marijuana distribution, both organizations could face serious problems if police can prove intentional distribution of the psychoactive plant among congregants. Under current laws, only religious communities with special temporary permits from state authorities are allowed to use such substances in their rituals.
“Essentially, it doesn’t matter whether church visitors used marijuana or not,” says San Jose city prosecutor Rick Doyle. “However, if the organizations are found to have intentionally distributed the plant among members, the organizers can be prosecuted for distributing prohibited substances without proper authorization.”
The prosecution believes both organizations are trying to bypass the city’s limit of 16 marijuana dispensaries by disguising their business as religious communities. On these grounds, authorities may shut down both churches for exceeding legal limits. However, prosecutors and police must prove commercial marijuana sales, as both organizations are currently registered as recognized religious groups in city records. This classification may have allowed them to distribute cannabis to anyone while avoiding taxes and standard state fees on marijuana sales.
The fate of these cannabis churches will be decided in just 10 days, when the court is expected to issue a formal verdict on the case.