God Works In Mysterious Ways

Stumbled across a couple of stories about church and state today on the NORML site. In Vermont, Roman Catholic Bishop Kenneth Angell -- supports the Senate-passed medical marijuana bill while state Rep. David Zuckerman proposed adding medical marijuana to the list of medications that would be studied for "pain management" in "the medical school, residency programs and nursing schools in Vermont."

And in Ohio, The Rev. Richard Arko pleaded guilty to growing marijuana in the church rectory. He was given a suspended sentence and placed on probation for two years. Police searched his church based on an informant's tip and found 35 plants. Talk Left has more of the story.

Although probation would be the norm for a first offense in Ohio, prosecutors asked for a prison sentence, arguing that a priest should be held to a higher standard than others. Fortunately, Judge Patricia Cosgrove declined to make an example of Rev. Arko, citing letters she received from parishoners attesting to Rev. Arko's positive contributions to their lives.

The Reverend loses his calling, the parishioners lose a good pastor and the informant, who ruined the peaceful existence of this church, is accused of stealing credit cards and checks from Rev. Arko and the parish.

Is civil society served here? It seems a harsh sentence for a gardener and and his flock, not to mention it could not have occurred if cannabis were legal.