Follow Which (WITCH) Path?                  

                                     General James Green                                      

"Make me to go in the PATH of THY COMMANDMENTS; for therein do I delight."- Psalm 119:35

I WANT TO ADDRESS THIS ARTICLE to those who call themselves "Christians," who are also in relation to the Native American Culture, even those Natives who belong to the Native American Church (NAC) who practice Native American "traditions," WITCHCRAFT/SORCERY (the use of drugs, spells, curses, etc.).

First off, I am a believer in God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and God's Word. In God's Word, which I know is TRUE/TRUTH, I find both good and evil side by side; I find what pleases God and what displeases. Therefore, I write from the promise and perspective of His revealed Word, not from anthropologists'/ ethnographers' points of view although on some points they do offer good and valid information about this subject, offering information about "essential/remarkable

commonalities spanning across North American groups." I will avoid political scientists' points of view their legislations that have contributed to the "making and remaking of policy towards the Peyote Cult that has blossomed ever since that drug became legal among the Native Americans."

Putting all that aside, HOW DOES GOD FEEL ABOUT DRUGS (SORCERY), WITCHCRAFT, MAGIC, ETC.? May I point out to those who delve into such things (especially peyote ritualism) that FIGHTING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE TO USE PEYOTE, TO MAKE SOCIETY ACCEPT ITS USE ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT HAS BEEN A "WAR WON" BY THE NATIVE AMERICANS LEGALLY AND LEGITIMATELY, DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD HAS APPROVED IT. The same can be said of the homosexual advancement towards changing the law from man-woman marriage, to man-man, woman-woman marriage...from (homosexuality) being UNLAWFUL to becoming "lawful"; from being REJECTED by MOST Christian churches to being "accepted," even promoted as "normal"...even "superior" to that of heterosexuality. BUT God's Word still CONDEMNS IT (along with adultery, fornication, etc.)!!

Having governmental approval of what the Sacred Scriptures call SIN/SINFUL does not, nor ever will, make something right in GOD'S sight. This includes things like the use of psilocybin/mescaline (which I used in my pre-Christian days, along with Pot, LSD and Peyote).

While Native Americans and sympathetic wannabees see nothing harmful with such usage of these substances (note: the joint Federal-Indian efforts limit peyote use to members of Federally recognized tribes), it begs a question for us all: "Is GOD pleased with it?"

Defenders of peyote eating, for some strange reason, believe that peyote is NOT hallucinogenic and does NOT tend to produce visions. May I ask, "Why eat peyote, anyway?" | took psilocybin, mescaline (principal active component of the peyote buttons), smoked MJ (Pot)...in order to GET "HIGH," "SEE VISIONS," "COMMUNICATE WITH "GOD"/THE "SPIRIT-WORLD" (or so I thought), etc. My question to the Native American Church (NAC) is this: "Why do you need a drug in order to communicate with the 'Great Spirit,' to get a vision, or heal the sick?" I don't find, in the entire Holy Bible, where this is ever done-, however, I DO find where such things were and are CONNECTED WITH SORCERY/WITCHCRAFT, which are completely FORBIDDEN. Is drug-taking GOD'S path?

One critic of what I'm saying offers this: "...Native American Peyote Church's ritual settings provide a set and setting conductive to positive outcomes with the substance..." What we see is that the peyote becomes the medium to reach "God," to "heal" and see "visions"-but I tell you, NOT the SPIRIT OF GOD itself. We pray for thousands of Indians every year at the Gallup, NM, Outdoor Indian Market; we see many, many MIRACLES of every sort; prayers answered all without drug usage or $$ exchanged. We believe in the "God Way," the "Holy Spirit Way."

You're Right. I believe the Native Americans have just as much right to use peyote as anyone else in the world. However, IS IT OK WITH GOD? This is the most important question. If one searches the Sacred Scriptures, as I have, ONE WON'T FIND GOD APPROVING DRUG USAGE, WITCHCRAFT, PAGAN IDOLATRY OR OTHER THINGS THAT "PAGANS" DO. I challenge our Native friends to find this out by searching the Scriptures. Just as I have challenged the homosexuals for years now to prove, out of the Bible, where the LORD/Lord sanctions their activities, I now challenge the Natives on this issue of peyote. We're yet to get a reply that is Biblical from the homosexuals or the Peyote Cult people.

We challenged the homosexuals, as we now do the peyote/medicine people, to show us where GOD blesses their SIN/SINS in the Scriptures: we challenged them to PROVE to us where it says God created man for man, woman for woman; or where it says He "made them that way." And we challenge you Natives to show us, in the Holy Word, where God blesses, honors, approves etc. the use of SORCERY in any form. Since most all Native Americans believe that our God (of the Holy Scriptures) and their "Great Spirit" are one-in-the- same, we want to know where their proof is (other than so-called Native "tradition"/culture) that they have a God-given right to use substances that cloud the mind? The Holy Word (given by our GOD) tells us that God abhors certain things, and drug usage is one of them. I'm not speaking of certain homeopathic-type herbs for healing, I'm speaking of heavy drug-stuff that alters the mind.

Are We Just Contentious? The Sacred Scriptures tell us to "Go...teach all nations...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I (Jesus) have commanded..." (Matt 28:19-20). It is the Christian's obligation to teach what Jesus (and the N.T. writers) taught. Jesus taught one of the most needed messages in the entire Bible: "...except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God" (Jn 3:3). He repeats this again in verse 5. We enter into God's Kingdom by repenting of our sins, inviting Him into our lives to be our personal Savior, Lord, King, Priest, Prophet, Healer, Baptizer, Teacher, and Redeemer. WHY DO WE NEED A DRUG OR DRUGS TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM OR HIS FATHER IF THEY ARE WITHIN US?

So, we're not just being contentious when we present you with WHO Jesus is, WHAT He is, WHY He wants you to be SAVED, not just be "religious".

Our motive for warning someone, anyone about missing Heaven is because of HIS LOVE-He loved us, therefore we want to share and spread His GREAT SAVING LOVE to any and all. We know that the Lord loves Native Americans, He has told us this; therefore we make ourselves available to you for Christ's sake.

We must warn you who are of the NAC that God is not pleased in your peyote usage-that offends Him, for we're not to alter/cloud our minds or pollute our bodies, for our bodies are to be clean and pure of such things. Smoking defiles the body, too. I realize Peyote Cultists avoid alcohol, but taking a drug is HYPOCRISY!

The apostle Paul "...by the space of three years ceased not to WARN every one night and day with tears" (Acts 20:31). True overseers of God's people must always be sensitive to and watching out for those within their congregations (churches/tribes/ nations) who are NOT earnestly committed to the TRUE/ORIGINAL message of Christ and the apostles (and the NAC claims to use the Holy Bible; it invokes the name of Jesus; etc.).

Here we have a bad situation: the elders in the Native American Church are teaching the usage of peyote. I realize that peyote and its use by Indians is a very old practice. However, its incorporation into a specific ceremony for gaining "religious insight" in a communal way is fairly new. I also realize that Indians of old did not have Biblical revelation like the modern ones of today.

The Peyote Chief, Fire Chief, Drum Chief, Cedar Man, etc., claim both portions of Christianity and Indian Culture; therefore, all these leaders ought to know what the Holy Bible says about drug usage (SORCERY).

Walkin' in the RIGHT Path. Which road are you on today?...the Peyote Road, the Marijuana/Rasta Road, the Alcohol Road, the (Drug- Induced) Vision Road, the Sun Dance Road, the Black Rap Road...OR GOD'S ROAD?

The Bible connects the avoidance of idolatry/pagan ritualism/etc. with the idea of walking in the RIGHT path, on the RIGHT road.

What too many modern religions do, especially the Native American religion, is take the "best parts" of other religions and add those parts to theirs, which = syncretism. Polytheism, having more than one god/goddess, is very confusing: which god/goddess comes first in worship...and who's really to decide?

Having been to India three times, I've seen how Hindus can and do accept Christ as another of their MILLIONS of gods and goddesses. It really troubled me to see such devotion to such a multitude of gods/goddesses; such pouring out of love, with even sacrifices of food (while most live in sheer poverty already), given to these DEMONS that do NOTHING for them. I have also seen devotees, throw themselves under moving trains because their lives were so empty. We saw one male's head severed from his body lying in the blazing sun; no one seemed to care enough to pick up the pieces. I've seen small children walk behind their "sacred" cows, waiting for their "god" to defecate in their small hands-this was considered an "offering" to them from their cow "god."

I have walked "The Avenue of the Dead" (1 mile in length) in old Mexico where, on both sides of the avenue (path/road), there were stone altars where thousands of Central American Indians were sacrificed (by their own people) to their gods/goddesses. I've climbed both "The Pyramid of the Sun" (the largest) and "The Pyramid of the Moon" which were used for sacrificing virgins...SOULS SACRIFICED TO DEMONS!!

I don't have the time or space to relate to my readers about Africa (we've been in many African countries, some 6 times each). The fear, the violence, the death, the WITCHCRAFT, the curses/spells, etc....all part of their "CULTURE" and "pagan religions."

Now we find syncretism in today's "Church." Universalism (the belief that all will eventually be saved!) contends with God's Holy Word, the latter declaring that the unrepentant sinners will spend eternity in Hellfire...where the fire is never quenched, and the worm never dies. Jesus stated this about Hellfire three times on record in His earthly days. Keeping alert to syncretistic teachings is a real challenge to the real Christian. We would remind our Native American readers of this, particularly those of the NAC.

We wish you the BEST – Jesus Christ the Lord IS THE BEST!