Times can blind us to certain truths and later generations can see that laws once thought necessary and proper in fact serve only to oppress. - U.S. Supreme Court
 

The Temple has partnered with SpreadShirt to provide our members and supporters with an exceptional line of clothing and apparel. Click Here

February 23rd Bangor City Council Meeting - Read Speech
December Bangor City Council Meeting - Read Speech

Temple Founder, Rev. Kevin Loring reaches out to Politicians
Monday, March 16th 2009 - Rev. Loring called Washington D.C. to schedule a meeting with Senator Susan Collins. Understandably, Susan Collins is extremely busy and could not meet but did set up a meeting with Carol Woodcock, State Office Representative. Also on hand for this meeting was Intergovernmental Liaison for Michael Michaud, Rosemary Winslow.
"I had a pleasant conversation with both Mrs. Woodcock and Mrs. Winslow. They seemed to listen and I have great faith that they will look into the matters discussed further", Rev. Loring stated. Of chief concern to Rev. Loring is the improper scheduling of cannabis in the CSA as well as the constitutionally guaranteed equal protection of his temple and congregation. Rev. Loring said, "I tried to stick mostly to the long overdue rescheduling of cannabis. This is something that will have the most impact and do the most good. I didn't ask for favors or have any specific requests other than they take a serious and close look at the CSA."

Associated Content - Read full Article written by Sarah Barton
In 1999 Mainers voted to legalize marijuana for medicinal use. Persons receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer, as well as those suffering from HIV, glaucoma, seizures, and multiple sclerosis, are allowed to possess or cultivate a small amount of marijuana for personal use.

Erin's Testimony Of Intolerance - A Letter to the Editor written by Erin Kiem in response to the above article in the Bangor Daily News and publicly posted comments on the Bangor Daily News Web site. A MUST READ!! Read Now!

The Maine Campus - Read Full Article! Written by Bryan Stackpole Nov 24th 2008 www.mainecampus.com
"It's a beautiful, beautiful book and an excellent discussion. She brings up a lot of excellent points that people really need to stop and think about when it comes down to it. The issue isn't punks out in alleyways causing crime because they're smoking. This is old people that need our help, that we promised we would be there for," Loring said.  Read Full Article

The Maine Campus - Read Full Article! Written by Aislinn Sarnacki Oct 30th 2008 www.mainecampus.com
"The Temple of Advanced Enlightenment is a group advocating for responsible spiritual use of marijuana. The group was founded by the Rev. Kevin Loring in 2005. The highly organized group, with beliefs and practices that include a written creation story, is striving to be recognized as a religion." Read Full Article

DRUG DEALERS SCARED OF TEMPLE! Fears of losing market share causing concern amongst dealers. GOOD! Fines and imprisonment haven't worked in 35 years. If we take responsible cannabis users out of the market, especially during a recession, the drug dealers will either be forced out of business or resort to selling harder drugs. Which bring with them, harder addicts, who are way easier to spot. This increases the visibility of the dealers, leading to more arrests. Since they were "forced" to sell harder drugs, they will get harder sentences. Less dealers, less crime, safer medicines and safer streets, FREE to Maine.

Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish. - Euripides

"And though the Government may strip me of every freedom and liberty afforded, the can never strip away my faith. They will never take away Truth. I will always teach what I know to be the Truth. I will always live according to my beliefs. I will not waver, because I am not as important as the message. Faith, Responsibility, Family, Community, these are the virtues I choose to hold sacred. I will protect them, love them and honor them in my heart and mind each and every day of my life. "
Rev. Kevin Loring

"Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted;
the indifference of those who should have known better;
the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most;
that has made it possible for evil to triumph."
-Haile Selassie I

It is utopian to think that everyone will take to or fully appreciate such a splendid fruit, as it is foolishness to expect common men to know the worth of a diamond, or swine to appreciate pearls.

The tendency for immature, uneducated and narrow minded persons is to think so ethnocentrically. Children do it all the time, "My father is better than yours!"
But looking maturely at the big picture with the use of the analogy of the Sun, one may get a more conclusive understanding. The one Sun that we see in our skies is universally appreciated and beneficial to all. In our individual or particular lands we call the Sun by different names according to our particular culture, and language of that place. In Australia the Aboriginals call it Rakumba; the Maori of New Zealand call the same Sun Ra; in England the Sun is referred to as Sun; in France Sole; in India either Ravi or Surya and so on. Is it not the same Sun???

In the same way The Absolute Truth (Brahman), The Supreme Being, The Infinite Intelligence, The Almighty Lord (YAHWEH, Jehovah), The Great One (Allah), The Enlightened or Learned One (Buddha), The Reservoir Of All Pleasure (Rama), The All Attractive One (Krishna) etc., etc., are all descriptive names for the same Supreme Being - God. What then is the difference if I say Sun or Surya? The distinctiveness of the name is only applicable to the region in which it is used, and the individual function attributed by it or to it. Are we not talking of the same? Is not our attention and appreciation attracted to the same qualities?

Still there will always be those who will not accept what we say, as there will always be those who will not accept me, as there will be those that will not accept you.

In Chris Bennett’s book Green Gold: Marijuana in Magic and Religion he says, “there is some very good physical evidence that indicates cannabis played a part in some of the native cultures prior to the arrival of Columbus.”

In 1985, Bill Fitzgerald discovered resin scrapings of 500-year-old pipes in Morriston, Ontario containing “traces of hemp and tobacco that is five times stronger than the cigarettes smoked today.” Other archaeological evidence includes stone and wooden pipes and hemp fiber pouches that were found in the Ohio Valley from about 800 A.D.

Elders of some North American native tribes can also remember their ancestors using cannabis in a ritual manner. According to Richard L. Lingeman in his book Drugs from A to Z, a 79 year old member of the Cinco Putas tribe in California recalls his grandmother’s daily ritual when he was a small child. She took some cannabis flower tops out of an intricately carved box then rolled it in handmade corn paper. She held the resulting ‘joint’ upright in front of her and, watching the rising swirled smoke, prayed: “Oh thank-you Great Mother!” for each of the gifts the day had brought, as well as thanks for her present relaxation.

If North American natives had been using cannabis prior to White man’s arrival “unfortunately much of the religion and culture of the aboriginal peoples of the western hemisphere was destroyed or driven underground by the European invaders."
 

KopBusters - Ex cop Barry Cooper creates KopBusters, a reality TV program that aims to sink crooked officers.
"It is not illegal to grow plants under a light in your home but it is illegal to lie on an affidavit and plant drugs on a citizen. This operation was the first of its kind in the history of America. Police sometimes have other police investigating their crimes but the American court system has never dealt with a group of citizens stinging the police. Will the police file charges on the team who took down the corrupt cops? We will keep you posted."

After researching the questions and debating their importance, we have come to the inevitable conclusion that:

1. Cannabis (Marijuana) is the Divine Inheritance given to all people by Mother Earth so that we may unlock the mystery of the many and varied messages of the Pure One (God/Great Spirit etc..). All manner of plant and creature are undeniably sacred and of neutral intent and were provided to us for their use.

2. That the Pure One, in His ultimate wisdom would send the messages of our salvation through many messengers and with what would seem conflicting messages at times so that we, His People would learn and understand the true meaning of Patience, Tolerance and Unconditional Love.

3. Cannabis has a 5,000 year tradition and history as a spiritual and medicinal tool. Marijuana transcends all known boundaries of prejudice to bring people of all faiths and nations together in a common communion of uncommon people.

4. The only outcome of intolerance and use without spiritual guidance is abuse and the inevitable destruction of ones physical, emotional and spiritual self. This is made evident by the large numbers of drug addicts, the rise in crime, and many of our social ills.

5. We must be cautious of any religious view that makes it allowable to persecute another because they do not believe the same ideals or values. We must stand united by our uncommon differences, side by side with those who believe and live vastly different ways. We must help people to understand that the simple truth that we are on the same side. Their freedom to disagree with us is the very freedom we fight to protect.

The government also provides other exemptions for marijuana for medicinal use and scientific research. Since these exemptions for medical use exist, it is proof that Cannabis is also incorrectly identified as a scheduled 1 narcotic. The cannabis plant itself is also viewed as an endangered species due to unrelenting governmental eradication programs. We must protect what may very well be the most important spiritual and medicinal plant ever known on this Earth. There are important genetic differences that carry unlimited potential in treating a much wider variety of illnesses than we may know. Some studies have shown different plants work better for different illnesses, if we destroy these strains, we lose critically important genetic material that may never be found again. The government though well intentioned, (The road to hell is paved with good intentions) may inadvertently rob us not only of our quality of life, but the promise of a better tomorrow.

____________________________

Even today, there are some North American tribes, especially those from Mexico, who have used cannabis as sacred gift under the name Rosa Maria or Santa Rosa, and continue to use it today.

Indians in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Puebla practice a communal curing ceremony with a plant called Santa Rosa, identified as cannabis sativa, which is considered both a plant and a sacred intercessor with the Virgin. Although the ceremony is based mainly on Christian elements, the plant is worshipped as an earth deity and is thought to be alive and to represent a part of the heart of God.