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AP, via the International Herald Tribune, USA
Aug. 2, 2007
www.iht.com

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ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 18920 • Posted: Friday August 3, 2007  

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LOS ANGELES: A minister with mail order credentials was found guilty Thursday of distributing marijuana through his Hollywood church.

The Rev. Craig X Rubin, 41, the leader of the 420 Temple faces up to four years, eight months in prison for possessing marijuana for sale, said Jane Robison, a district attorney’s spokeswoman.

Rubin, who has appeared in the marijuana-themed TV show “Weeds,” and some 400 members of his church say they believe marijuana is a religious sacrament and burn and smoke pot during services.

He said he will not appeal his conviction.

“If my society believes I’m a danger and a threat, it’s better off without me,” Rubin said in a telephone interview. “Hopefully people will be nice to me inside. I barely ever had a ticket before.”

Rubin, who represented himself, is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 17.

He said he feels less worried about himself than his seven children.

“I go hiking with them every weekend. I read the Bible to them every night,” he said.

Rubin was ordained in 1990 by the Universal Life Church — which, for a fee, will ordain anyone. He was arrested last fall and freed after posting $20,000 (€14,600) bail.

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