AN Alabama woman had difficulty connecting with the Almighty – until she smoked dope.

Then, a judge heard, Brenda Williams Shoop, 44, discovered that a disassociative side effect of marijuana enabled her to make contact with the Lord.

It also brought her into contact with the law – and she found herself this week in the dock before Baldwin County Circuit Court Judge Robert Wilters, who heard that weed was an integral part of her religion.

According to ReligiousNewsBlog, Shoop told the judge she found a textbook that discussed a marijuana side effect, and later discovered a church that regards the illegal drug as a key ingredient to a sacrament essential to becoming a Christian, she said. (See Freethinker report here).

It opens up someone’s mind and helps apply (Christian) missions.

Shoop said that she grew up in a Southern Baptist church, but In recent years, she struggled to find the spiritual fulfillment she has been looking for while exploring other denominations.

Her religious belief and understanding, however, hit a turning point in nursing school when she read about marijuana’s disassociation side effect, she said.

That side effect, she said, helped her get closer to God as it quieted all the voices in her head and helped her “rise above the mundane and see that you are part of a bigger picture.”

Both Shoop, and her husband, Bruce, argued that their drug-related charges should be dismissed because marijuana had become part of their religion.

The Shoops argued that since their arrest they had started a ministry in their Robertsdale home and serve as missionaries for Universal Orthodox Church, which is based in Atlanta. The Christian denomination believes marijuana has biblical origins and was a key ingredient in holy anointing oil of Moses and the christening oil of Jesus Christ, according to testimony and court documents.

The Shoops’ attorneys also argued that they were protected by the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Alabama Religious Freedom Amendment because their religion mandates the cultivation and consumption of cannabis.

But Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney Christopher Murray argued that while the Shoops may have believed marijuana was a key part of their relationship with God, they didn’t get involved with the church until after they were arrested.

After more than three hours of testimony, Judge Wilters rejected their defence and sent the couple back to the Baldwin County Corrections Centre.

Meanwhile, in Florida, a man called God has been arrested for selling cocaine in the vicinity of a Tampa church.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, authorities began investigating God Lucky Howard in April, and he was arrested last Saturday.

Police said he sold the cocaine to undercover detectives in his neighborhood. When officers searched his home, they reported finding another 22 grams of cocaine and a scale.

Howard was charged with several counts drug possession and distribution, which include increased charges for being within 1,000 feet of a church, a school and public housing.

He is being held on a bond of $86,500.