Adventist Woman Disfellowshiped for Medical Marijuana Use
by Jeff Boyd
By AT News Team, October 27, 2014
Faith Bodle, who is a life-long Adventist, was disfellowshiped from the Beaumont Seventh-day Adventist Church for using medicinal marijuana, reports KBMT 12News, the local ABC affiliate in Beaumont, TX. In the state of Texas, purchasing and consuming marijuana is not legal for either recreational or medical purposes. Bodle began using marijuana in early 2014 to relieve the pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a condition that affects the nerves of the face and head. Bodle told Adventist Today she never knew when the excruciating and debilitating pain would strike.
Despite being removed from the church's books, Bodle expresses ongoing commitment to both God and the Adventist Church. “I'm still an Adventist and I will be until the day I die. What they do on paper makes no difference to me because I know that my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Taking my name off the books is just something that they did with a human-made book; it's done by human judgment, which we know can be erroneous,” Bodle declared. “I pray for them. I pray every day for them. I love them. I know that Christ loves them and died for them. We are commanded to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. So I don't hate them, I don't have any ill will toward them.”
Adventist Today spoke with a representative of the Texas Conference and was told that neither conference nor congregational leadership could speak to the situation because of privacy concerns. The conference did share a general statement affirming the stance of the Adventist Church regarding personal health. The Church “has long taught and believes that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and as such, we are to care for them intelligently. Since the use of illicit drugs is harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from their use. This includes the sale, manufacture or advocacy for their use,” the statement read.
The conference statement concluded with what appears to be intended as a welcoming statement to Bodle: “The Beaumont Seventh-day Adventist Church also wishes to affirm that both members and non-members are always welcome to attend and participate in church services and activities.”
Bodle began suffering form trigeminal neuralgia in November 2013 but was not diagnosed until February 2014. When the pain would come, Bodle says she was only able to scream like Edvard Munch's famous painting. “I couldn't touch my face, talk or do anything. The pain was so excruciating. They also call it the suicide disease because it is so relentlessly excruciating that people have committed suicide to end the pain,” Bodle relates.
Working with a neurologist and a pain management specialist, Bodle took a prescribed cocktail of pharmaceuticals, but this proved ineffective at reducing the pain. When a close companion recommended trying marijuana to alleviate the pain, Bodle was doubtful but desperate. To her surprise, the marijuana helped dramatically, so she began to research the plant, settling on cannabis oil as her preferred method of consumption.
When church members became aware of her use and advocacy, Pastor Ben Guerrero and an elder visited Bodle, informing her of the need to stop using the illegal drug. Bodle consulted her physician and decided to continue using cannabis oil. Consequently, Bodle was told the church board would meet to review her situation. In her 10-minute defense at this meeting, Bodle read a letter from her physician indicating the efficacy of the cannabis oil. Her defense was not sufficient to influence the board, which voted to disfellowship Bodle.
Bodle has been on pain medications for a number of years because of a car accident, scoliosis and degenerative arthritis in her spine. While taking cannabis oil, she was pleased to discover that she was able to reduce her medications for these preexisting conditions.
Consistent with the statement by the Texas Conference, Bodle affirms the health stance of the Adventist Church. “There is a long-list of side effects for every one of my medications. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we're not supposed to be putting things in our bodies that are damaging to them. So when I think about what I'm doing to my body every time I take those pain medications, it bothers me that I'm damaging my kidneys, my liver and more,” she says. In contrast, Bodle believes that using marijuana is beneficial rather than harmful, with few negative side effects. She adds, “I know we can't just rely on cannabis oil to cure all of our diseases and continue with the lifestyle that caused the diseases in the first place. This is part of the health message that I feel God has given to us.”
Bodle returned to this theme repeatedly while speaking with Adventist Today. “If we don't eat a good healthy plant-based diet, and don't stay active, drink a lot of water, get fresh air and sunshine, and get plenty of rest, then even though we have a miracle cure, it's not going to help us because we're going to go back to the lifestyles that made us sick in the first place.”
Miraculously, Bodle believes marijuana cured her of trigeminal neuralgia. “I believe using for 3 months, I've been cured of TN. I've had no other attacks since the end of April. I've been told that once the myelin sheath is gone, it doesn't grow back, but I believe God has the power to grow it back. He made it in the first place, why can't he grow it back?” Bodle would like to continue using cannabis oil in order to limit the use of drugs for her prior conditions relating to spinal pain.
While she does not support using marijuana as a recreational drug merely to get high, Bodle does fear that merely approving marijuana for medicinal reasons will still leave many people without proper access. “With the legalization for medical use only, they're going to say that only people dying with cancer or terminal diseases are entitled to getting a prescription for it. She continues, “I'm not an advocate of recreational marijuana, and I have let people know that, because I don't believe we should be using it just to get high. I think we should use it for the good that it can do. I don't get high. I use it for pain relief.”
Bodle hopes that her situation will be of use to others. “I'm glad I got TN if I'm able to help someone else who suffers from that horrific pain.” She emphasizes this point, “If it can cure my TN, it can cure someone else's TN. And if it can take care of my back pain, it can help someone else with their back pain. For me to keep silent and not share that with someone who is suffering is an atrocity.”
Between 1985 and 1996, the Seventh-day Adventist Church released five statements regarding drugs and temperance.* None of these refer directly to the use of marijuana for medical purposes, indicating the need for the Church to consider this topic as Adventists across the North American Division wrestle with the complexities of healthful living when formerly illegal drugs can now be prescribed by physicians in certain locations. (For additional viewpoints, see this previous Adventist Today report, link.)
*Drugs (June 1985) – https://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/0/drugs/54/
Chemical Use, Abuse, and Dependency (July 5, 1990) – https://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/0/chemical-use-abuse-and-dependency/36/
Historic Stand for Temperance Principles and Acceptance of Donations Statement Impacts Social Change (October 11, 1992) – https://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/0/historic-stand-for-temperance-principles-and-acceptance-of-donations-statement-impacts-social-change/48/
Smoking and Tobacco (June 29-July 8, 1995) – https://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/0/smoking-and-tobacco/36/
Smoking and Ethics (October 1-10, 1996) – https://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/0/smoking-and-ethics/24/
Trigeminal Neuralgia is a terrible disease. A light touch like a gentle kiss on the cheek of someone with this can send them into excruciating spasms of pain. Brushing teeth, chewing food, drinking water that is too cold is enough to put the jaw into spasm. Electric shocks go through the face from behind the ear to the eye, lips, nose. I have had patients who have tried everything including nerve injections, surgery on the trigeminal ganglion, and Gamma Knife radiation to get relief. This is the only patient in 43 years of medical practice that I have ever prescribed tablets of pharmaceutical marijuana for. And it did help.
Even if you are not a medical person you should know what to to just by reading your Bible. May I ask if that church board considered these three texts?
John 19:29-30 "Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hysop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head He gave up His spirit." So will Texas next disfellowship Jesus?
Proverbs 31:4-9 "Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter of heart. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy." Who will plead the cause of this poor and needy woman? Are we to disfellowship all the cancer patients on hospice care using narcotics in high doses? Where is the leadership to help guide this church board?
Matthew 12:7 "But if you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless."
Brothers and Sisters, please call your board back, pray about these texts, rescind this action and humbly ask your sister to forgive you, for you clearly didn't know what you were doing.
Amen, Jack! Amen!
But… didn't the hypocrites always disagree with Jesus?
This has always been the rhetorics of the of the "saints" (aka little gods) in church. Until their own sins are exposed, sooner or later!
Amen Jack, well said. How profoundly ignorant some church boards can be as they play god on earth. This decision is simply utter hypocrisy. Recognise it people, SDA church endorses all sorts of 'drugs' as therapy. Medicinal cannabis is no exception. Jack's final text says it all.
Not only is this an egregious violation of Matthew 12:7. There are also some serious process questions here. Not to mention the question of the wisdom of the pastor and the local leaders.
Disfellowshipping is NOT a private matter contrary to the claims of the conference spokesperson. It is a public process unless the person voluntarily decides to withdraw from memership rather than go through the process. In that case they have withdrawn from membership rather than being disfellowshipped. There is no such thing as "private disfellowshipping" in the Church Manual.
Church board meetings are generally not private meetings. And a church board can only recommend disfellowshipping someone. The final action can only be taken by the congregation in a duly called business meeting. And the person being disfellowshipped must be afforded an oppottunity to speak on his or her own behalf. And other members must also be afforded an opportunity to speak for or against the motion to disfellowship before any vote is taken.
Church leaders are NOT called to act as "sin police" for others. Chruch leaders are called to act in the best interests of the mision and ministry of the church, and to protect their congregations from "ravenous wolves" who prey on the flock in various ways. In the rare cases where formal church discipline processes come into play, there must be a balanced assessment of the extent to which the person may be harming his/her self and also harming others. Where was the harm in this case, other than to the spiritual pride and arrogance and need for control on the part of some local church leaders? If there is no evidence of harm there is no reason for disfellowshipping. If the secular authorities have not prosecuted her for "breaking the law" then there is no basis for the church to prosecute her for using an "illegal drug".
Probably this sister does not wish to make further ado regarding how she was mistreated. But the fact that this story is in the press probably will cause more harm to the church's mission and ministry than would her private use of medical cannabis as prescribed by her doctor. I do not see how this action could possibly benefit either the person or the work of the church in that city.
Abuses of spiritual authority do not just occur in conference offices and institutions. They also occur in local churches and schools. I know of another church in another conference where a local pastor set-out to cleanse the congregation of members who were "sinning". Needless to say, by the time he moved-on there were a lot fewer people in that church and those who were left were demoralized. It took a decade and the efforts of subsequent pastors before that church began to recover from the damage.
Please do not conclude from the foregoing that I am opposed to intervention by pastors and elders, in situations where a member is causing serious harm to themselves or those around them. I have been involved in such interventions during my many years as a local elder in a large church. But the goal must alwasy be redemption for the person and building-up the work of God, as opposed to trying to enforce behavioral conformance.
It is easy to forget two important elements in Paul's counsel to the Corinthian Church to cast-out the man who had his father's wife: the sin involved sexual immorality and it was of a nature that did not occur even among the pagans. I saw neither of those elements or anything close to them in the story.
May God be more merciful to those in that church who voted to disfellowship the sister than they have been to her.
May God be more merciful to those in that church who voted to disfellowship the sister than they have been to her.
Fortunately for all of us God is far more merciful than they were.
This is such a sad story and is totally unbiblical and unloving. It is legalism at its worst. The Bible makes it clear that people are separated from the body in only the most extreme circumstances. Paul in 1 Cor 5 counsels the church to separate from a man who is sleeping with his father's wife. Jesus told a story of a farmer who had weeds among his wheat and when the servants wanted to pluck out the weeds he said no. Let them grow together. In the churches that I pastored this was my philosophy. A church is like a hospital. It cares for sin sick people. Separation is only when the health of the body of believers is at stake. If a person's behavior is so divisive that it threatens the unity of the congregation then action needs to be taken. Just as in a hospital we would spearate a patient who refuses to cooperate with the doctors and nurses or has a highly infectious disease. And the spirit of this lady is so admirable. She is not rebellious. She is forgiving the church. She is the kind of person you WANT as a member of your congregation. The church needs to stludy again the words of Jesus "By this will everyone know that you are my discipeles by how you love one another" (John 13:35).
Unfortunately some people still think the way to "love" someone is with a whip.
Rather than write a bunch more stuff, let me just add my voice to yours . . . AMEN Brother Newman!
If we take the story at face value, it sounds like the church board was offering Ms. Bodle the choice between using medicinal cannabis and keen suffering. Sounds like they were far more comfortable with her suffering. What does that say?
Has anyone heard any word from the GC about it? Are the "guys upstairs in black suits" going to support this abuse, are they going to denounce it, or are they just going to remain quiet while the boat sinks (as they often do)?
Normally the GC does not meddle in the affairs of a local conference (unless they mis-appropriate funds or elect a woman as President).
The more apposite questions is why is the local conference hiding rather than counseling htis pastor re how to minister redemptively to his members who are hurting.
I know, the GC prefers to stay quiet on many issues. But sooner or later they have to be called on it. Aren't they the highest authority on earth? So, what's their position on some current issues that are becoming crucial these days?
Staying quiet is of course more comfortable. If they think so, they should resign and give the opportunity to people who want (and are able) to deal with these issues.
I feel sad for my church and that they would be so harsh and misunderstanding for a situation they have no comprehension of the pain and suffering this lady has experienced. I wonder if this is the whole story? Our people use drugs and other medications all the time, sometimes to their own damage and detriment, and the church says nothing. Why be so damning with this? As I understand the Bible, plants and herbs are for the healing of out bodies, and today we are learning more and more about this.
She sounds like a very sincere Christian and I hope this experience will not hurt her Christian experience. The news will likely do damage to the PR of the church however. God forgive us of our ignorance.The whole "|body" is hurt when such happens and I feel badly for her and the Texas church as a whole.
Simple Believer
My father had lung cancer, and the doctor prescribed pills for him to take prior to the chemotherapy treatments that were essentially marijuana. As a result, Daddy didn't lose any of the side effects generally associated with chemo treatments, and once Daddy went into remission and went off of the pills, there were no side effects. I guess the church board and membership is basing their decision to disfellowship Ms. Bodie based on the legality and not the actual drug itself because my sister had two discs that had degenerated and stayed in excruciating pain. Added to her pain was the fact that a nerve kept rubbing against a third disc in her back and she had sciatica. Her doctor prescribed morphine for her pain. The morpine worked, but 9 months later when she had the surgery and the pain was gone they are now slowly withdrawing her from the highly addictive pain killer. In addition, the morphine caused many negative side effects that her doctor is now treating. Obviously, marijuana would have been the better medication.
We just have to pray for the church and Pastor Guerrero.
The problem may be that she revealed her situation to other members of the church. It's a lesson for everyone else: Do no trust the members of your church on this issue, much less your pastor, or anyone else. Keep the secret to yourself, thus avoiding both physical and spiritual suffering…
Maybe someone neds to ring this church pastor and ask if any members there drink tea or coffee? They may need to go as well….
"He that is wounded in the stones (gonades), or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord." Deut. 23:1 (KJV)
Who is going to do that job at this church to check all the men entering the sanctuary?
Hyperbole at its best.
I guess it's the pastors' responsibility to do the "checking."
May be this is why the pastors opposing women ordination are so adamant about their cause. They want to do the "checking" themselves…
Anyone taking "Excedrin Migrane?" Must go as well.
What about Anacin? Same destiny!
Our Church cannot tolerate this kind of sin!!!
There is another spin to this story making the rounds. This version says there was much more going-on here than just medical use of marijuana.
There is also a claim that church leadership has tried to contact KBMT to issue a correction to the story, with no success. This is at odds with the totally uninformative "no comment – trust us" response issued to Atoday by the local conference.
I maintain that disfellowshipping is not entirely a private action. On the other hand once this action is taken it is indeed not appropriate for the church to publicize it and unilaterally "spill all the beans". But when the person(s) who were disfellowshipped go public in the media, the church cannot simply issue a blanket "trust us" response.
There is a case to be made that an individual who takes their personal story to the public media has voluntarily forfeited at least some of their privacy rights.
I would also point out that when Vernon Howell (aka David Koresh) attained public notoriety, the Adventist church did not hesistate to announce to the press that he had been disfellowshipped years earlier for adultery.
As with many other stories, whichever side first gets media attention generally wins the "spin" battle.
Really bad PR (witnessing) for the church; almost as bad as denying women's ordination.
In my experience, the church conferences only cite "privacy concerns" when they want the issue and the publicity to go away, certainly not to protect the individual.
When the weak are under attack, it is the duty of the strong to defend the weak.
We need to give the TX Conference the opportunity to enter into counsel with this pastor and the decision makers. The conference has no “power” over the church board. The conference does have the responsibility to labor with this church and if the church does not take corrective action the matter should be brought before the conference church family at the next Triannual session.
After ministering to this pastor and congregation to educate it about the gospel in everyday life, the conference and the sisterhood of churches needs to vote to support the actions of this church or vote to censure the church as a whole and suspend its use of the name of the SDA Church until the gospel is upheld.
Silence is not an option.
When we allow the weak to be attacked and say or do nothing WE are responsible. If the Conference does not take action, the Union must labor with the conference, etc….
This is a teaching moment. How do we deal with conflict?
Allen,
How much impact the conference could have in such a situation is a good question where such legalism and lack of mercy appear to abound. This situation may just be the most public of a list of problems.
When the weak are under attack, it is the duty of the strong to defend the weak.
We need to give the TX Conference the opportunity to enter into counsel with this pastor and the decision makers. The conference has no “power” over the church board. The conference does have the responsibility to labor with this church and if the church does not take corrective action the matter should be brought before the conference church family at the next Triannual session.
After ministering to this pastor and congregation to educate it about the gospel in everyday life, the conference and the sisterhood of churches needs to vote to support the actions of this church or vote to censure the church as a whole and suspend its use of the name of the SDA Church until the gospel is upheld.
Silence is not an option.
When we allow the weak to be attacked and say or do nothing WE are responsible. If the Conference does not take action, the Union must labor with the conference, etc….
This is a teaching moment. How do we deal with conflict?
When the weak are under attack, it is the duty of the strong to defend the weak.
We need to give the TX Conference the opportunity to enter into counsel with this pastor and the decision makers. The conference has no “power” over the church board. The conference does have the responsibility to labor with this church and if the church does not take corrective action the matter should be brought before the conference church family at the next Triannual session.
After ministering to this pastor and congregation to educate it about the gospel in everyday life, the conference and the sisterhood of churches needs to vote to support the actions of this church or vote to censure the church as a whole and suspend its use of the name of the SDA Church until the gospel is upheld.
Silence is not an option.
When we allow the weak to be attacked and say or do nothing WE are responsible. If the Conference does not take action, the Union must labor with the conference, etc….
This is a teaching moment. How do we deal with conflict?
Sorry about the triple post. The system seemd to hang. I hit the "add comment" button three times. Finally all three worked at the same moment.
please forgive
thanks
Is marijuana a synthetic or a plant? Is it a chemical process by human agency or is it of natural origin? (Is this a case study in legalism?) We may have, at long last, found an issue upon which we all agree.
I wouldn’t have been surprised had this story been a hoax—it’s that stupid. If this is a true story, and if this sister is indeed quoted accurately, and if all that the church/conference has/had to say has indeed being reported correctly; this is among the silliest things that I’ve ever heard of ‘serious’ adults doing.
It’d represent ignorance on a grand scale. They say everything is bigger in Texas. Why would a church assume responsibility for demonstrating this with reference to such nonsense?
This sister evidences a wonderfully charitable attitude. She expresses a level of maturity and emotional intelligence to which we all aspire. Let’s pray that she receives divine healing.
But I agree with Jim in that, if there is another side of this story (that might mitigate this apparent stupidity), in fairness to everyone the church now has an obligation to get it out; and that since Sister Bodle has ‘gone public,’ privacy is less of a concern.
Correction: If this is a true story, and if this sister is indeed quoted accurately, and if all that the church/conference has/had to say has indeed been reported…
Stephen,
I think at this point we can disregard the possibility of a hoax. My understanding is that both the conference and the pastor have admitted in other venues that this woman was disfellowshipped (or possibly asked to leave without completing the formal process).
Beyond this single apparent fact the rumors diverge about the specifics. And the conference's opaque response to the Atoday reporter, only serves to legitimize the claims in the TV report.
"Saved by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ is My Saviour and the Head of His Body" He is judge in the final analysis.
It is all in Gods hands.
Actually, the church took it out of God's hands and assumed His responsibility.
No, Elaine, you are sadly mistaken. God is ALWAYS in control. Men may think they have snatched control from God, but they are wrong. Our heavenly Father knows every thought and every intent of everyone, and he keeps a record of each one. Each thought and each act will have to be faced on judgment day.
But God doesn't assume control NOW; judgment day has not yet arrived and He has not given it into our hands; let God be God.
There are times to make a statement. Any time she wants back into the church, we will welcome on profession of faith.
Pastor Jim Brauer
If God is truly in control, the evidence is certainly not convincing. Why are there many who believe that God has allowed Satan to have almost free rein? Which one is actually controlling nations or humans? Where is the evidence? Oh, it's all based on faith, no evidence required.
Jim, your faith is strong, but don't wait for that day as it will not come. There is absolutely no need that I have to be a member of any organized religious institution (a perfect oxymoron).
I'm assuming the church would have disfellowshipped Mrs. Bodle at a duly called church business meeting as opposed to a board meeting – as per church manual guidelines on church discipline. I do however support the church’s decision in this matter as Mrs Bodle wasn’t just disfellowshipped for using the drug for medicinal use but that she was openly advocating the legalisation of marijuana as an activist in public protests which resulted her being in the news.
I believe that the church manual allows for a local congregation the right to exercise authority in matters of church discipline which includes following due processes which are in line with the Bible. I also believe the church followed these processes and even sought to be discreet in handling this matter. One has to take into account the fact that Mrs. Bodle was interviewed at a protest during the arraignment of a Jeremy Bourque who was arrested for growing and being in possession of marijuana which is against the law in Texas. So I think it is within the right of the local church (or conference for that matter) to remove her from membership for not only promoting and supporting the use of illegal drugs, as per state laws, but in so doing bringing the Seventh-day Adventist into disrepute by her actions, which is also valid grounds for removal from membership. It is the authority of the local church to do so and that should be respected and supported. I therefore fully support the actions of the pastor, the elder, the board, church and conference in this regard. A difficult decision which won't go down well with many but one that is fully within the right of the local church. I do however hope that Mrs. Bodle will be healed of her ailments by God’s grace just the same as we wish for all those who are ill and fighting debilitating diseases. The disease mentioned in the article is not mentioned in the news report but perhaps that was an oversight.
Mrs. Bodle is an openly declares herself an activist who claims to have come out of her closet as a cannabis user and one who now advocates legalising it. It should also be noted that even though Mrs. Bodle is so terribly ill, she somehow manages to be very actively involved in the support of the manufacture of hemp products like Kannaway and even uses Bible verses to further support her call for the legalization marijuana. She also can be seeing wearing an activist T-Shirt when interviewed by news reporters. Whilst the FDA is open to scientific studies that seek to find cures and treatment for diseases, they haven’t as yet given the go ahead for marijuana “as a safe and effective drug for any indication” thus far.
[Internet: http://www.12newsnow.com/story/26836376/marijuana-advocate-ousted-from-church%5D
This issue certainly has struct a nerve with a few, including myself! As Christians I think we all need to be careful we do not bring dishouner to Christ and the church in our actions of life. Does that mean we should just passively support everything that the law says, or is it appropriate to on occasion support that which is unjust, wrong and may need changing in law? It appears that Mrs Bodle came to a dramatic and powerfull conclusion from her own experiece of what marihuana oil can do for a debilitating medical condition of hers. (her testimony) Would she also advocate its use for recreational purposes? I would hope not. Any use of drugs, including marihuana, has long term consequences and is not what God would have us do, as H wants us to thrive at all times. He has given us plants and herbs for our healing. In both Canada where I am and the US, the authorities are struggling with many pressures on what and how to deal with these matters in a way which will work for the best of society or at least work in an orderly way for the various pressures and demands which are being brought foreward.(As an aside it is too bad that just when smoking is becoming unpopular and in many places and venues illegal, now marihuana smoking is being advocated–for many just as a way of getting high and as a mind altering drug) In my own neighbourhood until recently there were some 20 pot growing places. This creates multiple problems in a residential neighborhood and has to be delt with.
Is she showing good judgement to become a public advocate for this? Possibly not. Is her church showing Christlike actione in what it has done? Likely not , but we are not on the local scene, so maybe don't know the whole story.
What I am coming to increasingly realize, is that as sinners and disfunctional humans we only know and act in part, so make many mistakes.We need to walk gently and circumspectly at all times. None of us lives in a vacuume. We all are our brother and sisters keeper. What the Texas conference churches do does affect you and me, and what Mrs Bodle does also affects you and me. We ARE OUR BROTHERS KEEPER. I think Dr Jack Hoehn tried to do this in prescribing her meds in the first place
God accepts us as we are and where we are when we come to him. How can we, as sinners saved by grace, be so condemnatory with someone else. Church is supposed to be a hospital for sin-sick people, and people who are dying from the sins they have really have a lot of nerve trying to judge someone else. I am so very glad that Jesus is my Savior and Advocate, and Sr. Bodie's also. To if the marijuana relieves her pain and helps her condition, let her use it. She isn't smoking it to get high, people. She uses the oil to help her medical condition. Marijuana is a natural herb. When I was stationed in Texas it grew in the wild, acres and acres of it. And, unlike most of the man-made medications, it does not destroy your liver, kidneys, cause strokes, increase chances of diabetes. These are just a few of the side effect attributed to many of today's medications.
Stephen Foster: 'I wouldn’t have been surprised had this story been a hoax—it’s that stupid. If this is a true story, and if this sister is indeed quoted accurately, and if all that the church/conference has/had to say has indeed being reported correctly; this is among the silliest things that I’ve ever heard of ‘serious’ adults doing.'
I have to admit my first reaction is the same as Stephen's. If this story is true, the people down there in Texas must be about the dumbest people on the face of the earth. I agree it is that simple. Then again there is Trevor's comment:
Trevor: 'I do however support the church’s decision in this matter as Mrs Bodle wasn’t just disfellowshipped for using the drug for medicinal use but that she was openly advocating the legalisation of marijuana as an activist in public protests which resulted her being in the news… I therefore fully support the actions of the pastor, the elder, the board, church and conference in this regard.'
Trevor are you from Texas by chance?
You do realise a lot of drugs come from plants right? Morphine is from the poppy plant which also makes heroine. So if morphine was illegal, and a member of your church advocated for its legalisation for medical use and palative care, as opposed to recreational use, would you seek to have that advocate disfellowshipped?
Trevor: 'Mrs. Bodle is an openly declares herself an activist who claims to have come out of her closet as a cannabis user and one who now advocates legalising it.'
The problem being? Adventism is a 'big tent' and the fact this woman is involved in politics over a contentious issue makes her disfellowshipment worse, not better, as it arguably crosses the line on the historic Adventism position about the separation of Church and State.
Should we ask for the disfellowshippment of Dr Ben Carson, for airing views that one could argue (adopting your sort of partisanship) might be seen as anti-poor and anti-health? He seems an 'advocate' for a range of ideas, which it seems at least half the Adventist membership disagrees with, so should he be disfellowshipped also?
You are basically saying this woman was rightly disfellowshipped for taking a political advocacy role about the legalisation of a plant as potential medicine. Whether you agree with her or not is not the issue. The issue is a local SDA Church getting involved in politics.