A Brazilian Christian congregation in Oregon is fighting for its right to drink hoasca, a tea with hallucinogenic properties made from the bark of tropical vines. According to ABC News, "Believers say the tea allows them to have visions and enables talks with God and communications with spirits." The Justice Department classifies hoasca as a banned substance, but a federal judge is considering whether the church should be allowed to use the tea in its services through the religious freedom restoration act. For example, some Native American tribes are allowed to use peyote (a cactus with similar properties) as part of their ceremonies.
I'm not sure how I feel about hallucinogenic tea. What if these believers saw a vision of God telling them to kill somebody? Religious folks are crazy enough without visions. I do like the possibilities for a marketing campaign, though: "Drink tea. See God."
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