Praise the Lord and pass the dope

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that a small congregation in New Mexico may use hallucinogenic tea as part of a four-hour ritual intended to connect with God. The Supreme Court, in their first religious freedom decision under Chief Justice John Roberts, moved decisively to keep the government out of a church's religious practice. Federal drug agents should have been barred from confiscating the hoasca tea of the Brazil-based church, Roberts wrote in the decision. New Justice Samuel Alito did not take part in the case.

The tea, which contains an illegal drug known as DMT, is considered sacred to members of O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao do Vegetal, which has a blend of Christian beliefs and South American traditions. Members believe they can understand God only by drinking the tea, which is consumed twice a month at four-hour ceremonies.

So I am building a small bell tower in my house and ringing it three times a day. That will be the first step to declaring my newly formed Church of the Curmudgeon. I will then become a tax-free entity and begin spreading the gospel of curmudgeoness. It will involve drugs, gambling and other assorted illegal activities now protected by my religious status and the Supreme Court. So welcome one and all to the newly formed Church of the Curmudgeon. Some religious organizations use dopes, some are led by them. Praise the Lord and pass the joint.