Church of the Universe seeks exemption to pot laws

Devotees ‘find God through cannabis’

Canadians are as good at religious tolerance as they are at hockey, a lawyer for members of a branch of The Church of the Universe argued Tuesday.

Lawyer Paul Lewin said based on that Canadian tolerance, if marijuana is religious to some — as he feels the defence has proven — Toronto’s G-13 Mission of God should be shut out of Canada’s marijuana laws.

It isn’t clear yet if that argument has scored with the judge presiding over the charter challenge by two members of the Church of the Universe busted for drug charges back in 2006.

Lewin kicked off four days of closing submissions Tuesday by arguing the defence has proven the belief of the church members is sincere and based on a nexus with religion.

“They really do find God through cannabis,” he told court. “Canada has a long history of religious tolerance.

“It’s like hockey, we are good at it. We’re world leaders.”

Peter Styrsky, 53, and Shahrooz Kharaghani, 31, both minister-members of the Beaches Mission of God-Assembly of The Church of the Universe, on Queen St. E., were charged with trafficking marijuana after they allegedly sold pot to two undercover cops who infiltrated their church in 2006.
[...]

Lawyers for the church — which claims weed as a holy sacrament that allows them to connect to God — are seeking an exemption to the country’s marijuana laws from Justice Thea Herman, saying their religious rights are being infringed.

It is believed to be the first time a Canadian court has been asked to define what is a religion and whether its illegal practices are protected by the Charter of Rights.
[...more...]

See Also

• This church’s creed is weed

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