Christian Beer and the Question of Weed

John Anthony Dunne

This week I’m in Amsterdam for the International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Yes, that’s right, a Bible conference in Amsterdam. I can already say that this city is one of my favorites. It is absolutely wonderful. The canals and architecture are picturesque and make me wish I intended to stay longer. Of course, there are some sketchy bits to Amsterdam as well. The infamous “Coffee Shops” house copious amounts of weed that can be smelled all throughout the town, and within the Red Light District (where my Christian hostel is located) prostitution couldn’t possibly be made more accessible (or commercialized). Now, I’m from Las Vegas — Sin City — so the dark side of Amsterdam is not too startling (it’s sad, but I’m hardly shocked).

After this conference I’ll be studying French at the Catholic Institute of Paris for the month of August, so my travels from Amsterdam will lead me through Belgium: the land of delicious chocolate, waffles, and (most importantly) beer! Within Belgium there is a rich tradition of beer-brewing monasteries. The monks who make the delicious brews are known as Trappists. Their mission within the Catholic church is to brew beer to support various charities. The six famous Belgian monasteries known for brewing exceptional beers are Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, Achel, and — the very best — Westvleteren (which I’ll visit on the 28th!).

As I reflect upon the Christian tradition of making beer in Belgium, I’m curious about the integral nature of Marijuana in the culture of Amsterdam. Since it’s legal, there isn’t the same cultural aversion to it as there is in the States. I’ve wondered how local Dutch churches respond to this. Do they participate? Would this be an opportunity to be ‘all things to all people’? Or does the local Church become unflinchingly strict? I’m not sure what the answers would be to these questions, but I’m quite curious to know.

Personally, I have no interest in trying Marijuana. I’ve never once used drugs nor have I ever smoked anything (and I don’t intend to). But of course, it’s legal here. In the States, we’re in a position where the legalization of Marijuana plays a substantial role in political discourse and so naturally I’ve been reflecting on these issues both in an Amsterdam context and an American context. I can remember having dorm-room discussions around the question, “If it’s legal, would you try it?” It’s an interesting question, but I’ve often wondered if the legality of Marijuana is really the key issue. If so, then smoking Marijuana in the US is just a matter of being disobedient to the State. But is there more to this issue?

So, beer and weed. As I reflect on it, I don’t think there is an analogous relationship between the two. In the Trappist tradition we have an example of “Christian Beer,” but could it ever be possible to speak of “Christian Weed”? What’s the difference? Is there one? Obviously the Bible never addresses drugs, but there is indeed a principle of sober-mindedness that applies to drugs. With beer I appreciate the subtle craft and the artisanship involved in each individual brew. I love the variety and nuance of the beer world. However, because I value my mental health and a good functioning liver, I do not over-indulge in beer consumption. I certainly don’t enjoy beer for the effects of alcohol but simply for the taste. As a former professor of mine once said, “I like it too much to abuse it.” Now as far as weed is concerned I’m unsure. Is it possible to enjoy the craft of weed and avoid getting “high”? It seems to me that one does not smoke weed for any other purpose than to actually get “high.” Maybe I’m wrong. I simply don’t know. Frankly, I don’t care to know from personal experience. But I do think we should approach the issue of weed the same way we approach alcohol. As I outlined in earlier blog posts on both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Bible does not prohibit the consumption of alcohol for all people at all times. Negatively, it prohibits drunkenness, but positively, it commends sober-mindedness. Thus, the same principle must apply to weed and in my opinion it fails the biblical test.

But let me ask you, can one smoke weed without getting “high”? I’m completely skeptical. But I want to open the discussion to the comments now and read your thoughts on this issue from whatever angle.

John Anthony Dunne
John Anthony Dunne
John holds a PhD from the University of St Andrews, where he studied under Professor N. T. Wright. He currently serves as Associate Professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary (St. Paul, MN).

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21 responses to “Christian Beer and the Question of Weed”

  1. Nathaniel Warne

    When my wife and I visited a (non-christian) friend in Amsterdam a few years ago, he attributed the vast depravity of the city to the fact that weed and prostitution are legal. He believed that people naturally want to push the boundaries of the laws and customs of the culture around them, thus the more you make legal, the more deeply depraved people will become in order to push those boundaries. Amsterdam has a huge issue with child pornography and heroin. This was an interestingly poignant observation into the human condition coming from someone without a developed doctrine of original sin.

    Reply
    1. John Anthony Dunne
      John Anthony Dunne

      Yeah I wonder about the underground scene when more and more is brought up to the surface. There does seem to be a gnarlier black market.

      Reply
  2. Ryan

    A close friend and I got into a heated discussion over this, but he convinced me of his opinion.

    It all came down to the fact that weed is basically the same as cocaine except a quantitavely weaker dosage. If that’s true it becomes a slippery slope for what should be acceptable.

    However, there does seem to be a double standard when comparing weed to alcohol since we know alcohol can be a harmless communal activity even though it causes drunkenness. Is weed not the same way?

    Reply
    1. John Anthony Dunne
      John Anthony Dunne

      Yeah that’s the thing. I’m just not sure if it is the same way because I’ve never tried it (and never intend to). If it’s the exact same as beer, and can be consumed moderately, then I’d theoretically be open to discussing proper uses of it (though I myself would abstain). I’m just skeptical that they should be compared.

      Reply
  3. Ned Funnell

    John,
    I am glad you came down on the ‘no’ side on this issue. I was worried because of the tendency to greenlight ‘issues of question’ I’ve seen in recent posts (e.g. F-bombs in P.O.D.). My sentiment towards beer and weed is, I think, similar to yours. The issue isn’t of the substance, it’s of the effect: drunkenness rather than drinking, and getting high rather than… who knows. Like you say, I don’t think there is a ‘clean’ side to weed like there is to beer: beer is to taste as weed is to… nothing. Whether drunk or high, using a mind-altering substance to reach an altered state of mind is at best inadvisable and at worst sinful. An altered state of mind removes from one the capacity to defend oneself from evil influences, and is so a failure to choose God over Satan. I always enjoy reading your posts, so keep it up.

    Reply
    1. John Anthony Dunne
      John Anthony Dunne

      Thanks for your comment! I’m sorry I’ve given the impression that I’m merely giving green lights to debauchery! That’s not my intention. Just trying to be critical of “givens” within Christian culture. Anyways, thanks for reading!

      Reply
  4. Sean McLaughlin

    I grew up in Huntington Beach around a lot of potheads and it seems that weed can be appreciated along similar lines that beer is, but I have to say that there is still an incredible difference. ‘Good weed’ is pretty much always very close in comparison to other ‘good weed.’ The differences can be vast, but they usually entail a different kind of high rather than what goes into making it, how it’s made etc. This makes taste and the subtlety of it’s form hardly what people go to when smoking it. You would have to ask someone who really believes that weed is a good thing to get there opinion, but from my standpoint there is no way that there could ever be a ‘Christian weed.’

    Reply
    1. John Anthony Dunne
      John Anthony Dunne

      Thanks for this comment Sean!

      Reply
  5. Amy

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but when I was in the Netherlands my Dutch friends informed me that marijuana and prostitution are not actually “legal” but rather “decriminalized”. As in, whatever happens inside those coffee shops and booths that line the streets of the red light districts is not actually sanctioned by the government, but won’t be prosecuted because it’s happening on private property. Just wanted to point out that even if legality were the only issue, that marijuana is still not on the same level as beer, even in Amsterdam.

    Reply
    1. John Anthony Dunne
      John Anthony Dunne

      Thanks for the clarification!

      Reply
  6. T.j. Bernstein

    John,

    By setting up taste as a specific kind of enjoyment that separates beer from marijuana you seem to be suggesting that the “mind altering” (as some would put it) alcohol contained in beer is an unfortunate side effect of the “Christian” enjoyment of taste rather than an integral part of the enjoyment of beer. It’s as though you enjoy beer despite the alcohol and if your favorite monastery developed a way to Brew alcohol free beer that tasted identical your position would have to recognize this as a much more Christian alternative. Since I don’t think you would take this position in the extreme I’d like to hear what you think.

    Reply
    1. John Anthony Dunne
      John Anthony Dunne

      Thanks T.J.
      I should say that I’m not a fan of the side-effects of alcohol. You’re right, the alcohol does add to the experience and enjoyment of alcohol. Though I would say that the flavor on Dogfish Head’s 120min IPA is so wonderful, but I wish it wasn’t 15-20% so I could have more of it in a given setting! I know there are alcohol free beers (and some are quite popular in Germany), but these are not very flavorful. The alcoholic side-effects are something I put up with rather than enjoy. For instance, I never aim to get drunk and I don’t like feeling tipsy. So the effects of alcohol has causes me to be moderate in my consumption of beer.
      So to turn it back to you (and I’m merely curious for the sake of the argument), would you leave more of an open door on this issue as it relates to Weed?

      Reply
      1. T.j. Bernstein

        John,
        I’m not sure if this would open the door for marijuana. I, like you am not a smoker, nor does the idea appeal at all so it’s difficult for the two of us to have a conversation about nuances in “flavor” when it comes to smoking. I understand that non-alcoholic beer exists and that it’s not very good, however there’s new beers being brewed every day. It’s not so far off to imagine that one day you will have to condemn beer as unchristian because there are so many great tasting non-alcoholic options. Based on your response you seem to be willing to take step eventually since the alcohol in beer is merely an unfortunate necessity for great taste. I just don’t agree that taste is the one redeeming element of beer that can allow chistians to ignore the alcoholic side effects in good conscience. The person with a high stress job who comes home to relax with a beer or two and enjoys the relaxing effects of alcohol seems to me to be a different case than an alcoholic who is dependent on it. Admittedly this is a blurry line (we’ve all known the Christian who drunkenly insists they are only “tipsy” or some other synonym because drunkenness is a charged word forbidden by the bible) but I think it’s not inherently unchristian to enjoy the alcohol in beer. Does this open the door to marijuana use? Maybe. I don’t know. It just seems problematic to me to draw black and white ethical conclusions on issues like these

        Reply
        1. John Anthony Dunne
          John Anthony Dunne

          Hey man, I hear you. I’m all about relaxing with a beer. And trust me, I’ll never get to the point of prohibiting beer with alcohol! Such would be neither biblical nor delicious : )

          Reply
  7. Andy

    John, am I correct in assuming that you’re talking about marijuana for recreational purposes? I won’t speak to the rampant abuse of medical marijuana dispensaries, but I do know at least one pot smoker who legitimately uses it solely for pain relief. I therefore think it’s important to differentiate between medical and recreational marijuana. (Someone may, of course, disagree with me. In which case I’d also like to hear their opinions on Vicodin.)

    Reply
    1. John Anthony Dunne
      John Anthony Dunne

      Yes I’m just speaking of recreational use. But thanks for bringing this up.

      Reply
  8. Theodora Mitchell

    It is alright for a Christian to enjoy the alcohol in beer to relax. But it is not alright for a Christian to enjoy weed to relax because it gets you high. This might not be your opinion exactly, however from reading your responses to T.J. this is what I understood your stance to be. My childhood was filled with functioning alcoholics. People that went to church but justified their consumption of alcohol by saying “Well I am trying to get drunk”. Yet whenever their was a stressful day at work or etc those one or two glasses turn to a much more. I am not saying this is your situation, but I feel that if smoking weed is wrong alcohol should be wrong too. People are killed every year because of drunk driving and alcohol related incidents and probably some of those happen because a person though I just had one or two drinks. Some people like yourself can handle one beer or two and not feel anything. Unfortunately their are some who can feel tipsy behind one glass of anything alcoholic, like myself. So should I not be able to enjoy a glass of alcohol after work to relax because I get tipsy? I mean my mind is being alter. This article and some of your comments in my opinion are hypocritical. Marijuana can be enjoyed in moderation just like alcohol. There are many different grades of marijuana that offer the same decompression effects like alcohol. Alcohol is no different than marijuana because both users are working toward the same goal. The motive behind the use is the sin. I choose to smoke weed because I dislike alcohol yet I do not judge those who drink it. I do have a problem when alcohol drinkers tell me smoking pot is wrong. But lets get completely honest, if a Christian wants to relax after a long day why not curl up with your Bible, go to church, tune into your local Christian radio, workout or etc. If you like the taste of alcohol like T.J. said why not go for a good quality non-alcohol beer and search for one that does offer the taste you crave. (Sparking Apple Cinder rocks!) The taste being bad is not a good point to make in my opinion. In the end a person actions need to be judged not their consumption. I know some so-called Christians that do not smoke, drink, or cuss and go to church every Sunday but they gossip, backbite, cheat, and are down right liars. A Christian to me is someone who loves the Lord with all their heart that seeks not to offend his plan to save a dying world. If any Christian should feel that marijuana or alcohol hinders Christ influence on themselves than yes it should be prohibited from their consumption. I am done and I do understand this was written some time ago. This is just my opinion I could be wrong but that is alright because I have been wrong before. God Bless!

    Reply
    1. John Anthony Dunne
      John Anthony Dunne

      Thanks for your response Theodora. This is an open forum to engage ideas and I appreciate your openness. Frankly, I opened this question because I don’t know whether weed is comparable to alcohol. I don’t know because I’ve never tried weed (and never will). I’m interested in the question even though it won’t have any personal application for me. I’m not trying to be hypocritical, I’m just trying to determine if weed and alcohol are on different plains. I don’t know where you’re from, but obviously weed is illegal in the States. So there is a civil obedience issue here besides the question of morality. But even if you lived in Amsterdam, for instance, I’d still wonder whether or not ‘moderate’ weed smoking can be done without getting ‘high.’ It’s an interesting discussion and thanks for chiming in.

      Reply
  9. Paige

    I don’t know if this discussion is still open, but I feel as if marijuana use cannot be used in the same way as a drink can be. You can have a cut off limit with alcohol, with weed, it’s a little different. The effects take over very rapidly and even when you don’t want to hit it anymore, you catch yourself taking a puff because you are already stoned and aren’t truly in control of your actions any longer. I say this from experience. I used to love smoking, I still want some and am struggling to quit again. I feel in my heart that God wants me to discontinue this habit as much as I enjoy it, I need to listen. I’ve been marijuana free 2 days now, not saying much but hey, it’s a start. This post is from a few years ago, if you see this, did you ever try it in amsterdam? What was your experience? Do you still feel this way? Hope all is well. God speed .

    Reply
  10. Matthew A Baer

    Hello all, I am new to reading the Bible and I must admit, to my surprise, it is indeed capturing my attention and heart. With that said, I do smoke weed fairly often and it does not clog my mind in the sense that I lose control of myself. In fact, my smoking helps me and my mind to slow down. This allows me to think of things or possibilities I otherwise wouldn’t. Additionally, the sleep I am able to achieve after smoking/vaping weed allows me to sleep much deeper and comfortably. Just the same as beer or wine, one can become buzzed to being completely drunk. Smoking weed does achieve a “high” affect but there’s certainly different levels of being high. Without refencing scripter, as I can but would rather keep this casual, after I enjoy smoking I am still in control of myself and for the most part function the exact same with a more relaxed mind. I do not smoke myself silly compared to a drunkard of sorts. I retied from the United States Army as a SFC. My career involves three major deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. My family is very dysfunctional and abusive on the home front. I have earned my own masculinity and manhood through a series of well though out decisions leaving me alone to myself 95% of the time. In the Bible God says that too much time alone is not healthy but I ask, if you’re company surrounding you is not pleasant aren’t you already alone?

    Finally, my conclusion to the question, is smoking weed a sin in the eyes of God? I, with confidence believe whole heartedly no. Because I smoke often, I have a way to relax that is safe and allows me to maintain control of myself. Self control is the big push here. I exercise regularly, eat healthy, and read often. The day to day stress is enough to engulf ones sanity to the core as it is already. Last but not least, because I have a way to slow down my thoughts, over time I have stumbled onto my journey with God and I haven’t looked back yet. Before I started smoking (its only been two years that I started) I was angary, constantly stressed out, and siemi suicidal. Finding peace within ones self is not the same journey from one to another. I hope this helps.

    Reply
    1. John Anthony Dunne
      John Anthony Dunne

      Thanks for this, Matthew! I appreciate your comments here and I want to thank you for sharing. I do think there’s probably a lot more to say about smoking weed than my post lets on. I still don’t have any experience in this area, so I will defer to your experience, but my only real concern is the principle of drunkenness, as I call it. If it’s possible to smoke weed without getting “drunk,” then theoretically I would be open to the legitimacy of it from a recreational standpoint (medicinally I think it’s obviously very helpful in many respects). But again, I would have to defer to others, like yourself, about the enjoyment of it without crossing the line since I have no experience in that regard and don’t point to try it. Again, thanks for commenting!

      Reply

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