James Tranmer
17547-050
P.O. Box 1000
Lewisburg, PA 17837

December 16, 1996

Hello Carl,
    I thank you for forwarding a copy of Brian's letter to me along with your newsletter.  As you suspected, I was and am amused with Brian's observations of life and his veiled hopes for something better to come.  His voice arising to me from the type renews and invigorates my personal pride in my own son whom I consider to be an unselfish and uncomplaining sufferer in this spiritual battle which has immersed us completely.
    I am encouraged ever so subtly when I hear from you that you preceive some of the concepts that are always in the forefront of my consciousness in a similar manner as I, myself, see them.  When you describe the folks who first told you about Ivy and his cosmic as being super-charged, I know that you fully understand the differentiation that I am making between that purity of purpose and thought and the ensuing smuggling debacle which evolved under the Coptic guise.  I know that you must have experienced some degree of this super-charged spirit yourself or you could never have recognized it as something unique and special.  I am also certain that others throughout history have manifest this storied Christ-like persona, but Ivy it the only one that I personally experienced.
    I know that it is very difficult to balance the seeming dichotomy between that purity of unfeigned selfless service and the unbridled vanity of the smuggling apparatus that chewed us up and spit us out along with our spiritual siblings, leaving the residue we now know.  I also know and feel the same conflict that you experience as my human nature wars against my quest for divinity, each staging victories, each suffering defeats.  I do not torment myself over these inevitable clashes.  I am confident that the spirit must and will prevail and that the final result can only be in our sincere glorification of that holy spirit.
    I do not know and I cannot say of a certainty that there will ever be any reunion or gathering of these scattered individuals we often refer to as the brothers and sisters.  I do, however, hold onto a sincere hope that such a cataclysmic revival of love could actually transpire and, because I know the joy and ecstasy that I have experienced, I maintain that glimmer of hope that this spirit can again resurrect itself among us despite the overwhelming odds that appear to prohibit such an event.
    We all have our experiences with the herb in every imaginable scenario.  The herb is our sacrament and we are the ministers and the mistresses of the herb and the civilization which is inherent to the spiritual use and understanding of the herb.  I know that you are one of the, if not the, foremost spokespersons and representatives of the "plant of renown."  Through your diligent and determined efforts you have achieved the respect of countless people who otherwise would not have heard of the compelling argument that cannot be logically resisted.  I understand the forum that you have created through your persistence.
    Many of our former colleagues have withdrawn or retracted from the forefront for various reasons.  Some because of the persecution, but mostly because of the penalty from the law enforcement tenacle of the political beast.  Many are not willing to stop partaking.  Some, as you suggest, refuse to stop the cultivation, or buying and selling, possibly importing the sweet smelling incense.  I cannot say anything about someone's choice in how they decide to either use or not use the ganja.  I loved every aspect of the herb culture.  The only element of everything that I have experienced with the herb that I now consider to be regrettable is the crass commercialization of a natural substance that should be free politically and free or of minimal monetary value commercially.  Ideally free, but I will not attempt to determine economics because of the elusive nature of people's private business.  I know you understand that I am merely saying that our motivation and our administration is not commercial.  Although this is far from the reality of today's social conditions.
    I do not feel as though I have transgressed in any of my endeavors in the herb culture.  I am being persecuted by the unjust political policies of a very corrupt and self-serving government.  I would gladly give up even my life and everything related to that life before I would ever allow the evil to speak their sinister lies about the herb without challenge.  As long as my alleged crime against society is related to the ganja, I am prepared to proudly bear whatevery the demons deem as my punishment.  I realize that wasting away in a federal dungeon can appear to be a frivolous and somewhat stupid way to end up, but since this is the consequence of my sincere pursuit of my belief that ganja is good, then I am determined to bear the consequence with as much dignity as I can muster.  I am honestly not remorseful because of this.  The only thing that grieves my soul in any continual manner is the suffering of my family being separated and, in the same vein, the estrangement of the sisters and brothers when I know the potential of the "perfect love" that we once shared for those fleeting moments of perfection.  As you have stated, I also feel that I have a unique and enlightening understanding of the herb and, although my forum is not nearly as vast or as productive as that which you have achieved through your inspired efforts, I am committed completely to defending the use of herb for spiritual communion.  I know that collectively we can move mountains.  I also realize that this eventually does not seem likely.  Yet I cannot release that hope which, for whatever reason, remains real to me.  I am not hoping to claim a reward before a work is completed.  I am simply relating to you that the reuniting of these old farts, no matter how cantankerous and contrary many of us have become, is also a great work, in my own mind at least, and I somehow can't shake the perception that this is an essential ingredient in the big picture that, perhaps, you foresee.  I also know that this almost seem vain.  But I do see that big set of nerds, regardless of how remotely they were touched by Ivy's "super-charged" aura of consciousness, as a spiritual body that must be revived.  This may be an illusion, but it is the illusion I cling to and will undoubtedly cling to until my final breath.  This in no way diminishes the monumental work that you are doing.  In fact, I see it as a natural progression of things.  However it works out, my love for you and all of the characters in my imaginary drama only increases.
    I liked the three basic issue that interest Neil Montgomery.  His inquiries seem to be sincere and, really, they do provoke wonderful thoughts.
    (1) How best does the EZCC fit into the definitions of religion?
    As you know, the term religion invokes a somewhat negative reaction because of the malicious and murderous behaviors that have been and are being performed under the guise of religion and in the name of God.  Almost every religion in this world today seems to condemn me, imprison me, and even (in their thoughts) to kill me because I proclaim that the cannabis (marijuana, ganja, herb, hemp, etc.,...) is the only substance provided by nature (God) that heightens the perceptions of human beings, thus enabling the lowly creatures to more readily exhibit divine qualities such as love, equality, unity, and charity and to actually commune more consciously with the purity of that holy spirit which dwells within our consciousness.  Because humanity is so inextricably committed to fulfilling their own wicked lusts and vanities it has become increasingly more difficult for this potentially divine species to cease from their sinful ways because, honestly, the vast majority prefer sin and corruption above anything that even suggests godliness.
    I am a bit reluctant to tout the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church banner as the harbinger of the sacramental civilization that is inherent within these people that I will introduce as the possessors of this civilization because that Coptic Era represented a commercial diversion for us as a spiritual body and must be cast aside as simply a stage in the inevitable metamorphosis of these divine people who are uniquely aware of the ganja mystery.  Call us what you will.  A true religion deals with the worship of God as a result of the faith and belief of its adherents in the infallibility and goodness of God's relationship to mankind and to all creation, thus manifesting in perfect love, one toward another; not just in words alone -- in the indisputability or our deeds and our actions.
    By this definition, or by any definition, we qualify!
    (2) What is a sacrament?
    My only personal understanding of these religious rites or functions of faith has to do with Christian doctrines whose origins stem from the Bible and the life of the man-Christ who is the focus of our meditations.  The understanding that we, as humans, have been able to grasp has come to fruition primarily as a result of the mediations and interpretations of this man's teachings through what has been purportedly recorded of his various messages.  I am not concerned with the controversy about the divine authority of this messianic messenger.  I will only deal at this juncture with the sacrament that was established by this Christ and commonly known as the Eucharist.  I know the tired and stale rituals of various Christian dogmas that show the people a piece of bread or a flour wafer and a cup of wine as the representation spoken of in the eucharistic parables about the "body and blood" of Christ.
    Now, obviously we are not eating a man's flesh nor are we drinking a man's blood.  This is a symbolism for partaking of a spirit or a spiritual food that would instill in those who share this Eucharist a more Christlike perception and, therefore, a more Christlike behavior.
    Let us examine for a moment these substances, bread and wine.  Whether blessed or not, the reaction to them does not change.  Bread does absolutely nothing to the spiritual consciousness of a man or a woman.  Wine, on the other hand, will cause any human to become drunken and manifest various spiritually unconscious behaviors when imbibed in excessive quantities.  If memory serves me, and I'm sure that it does, the scripture says something like "As often as you partake of this, do it in remembrance of me (Christ)."  Even if someone should begin partaking of the fermented fruit juice with the intention of a spiritual meditation to coincide with the drinking, they would invariably lose sight of the "blood of Christ" concept as the alcohol level increases in their own bloodstream.  And then what?  They cannot locate the moral integrity that is required to enter into the heavenly places.
    I am more than just aware of the propaganda and the outright lies that have been formulated and spread in the minds of people everywhere concerning the herb.  I will not at this moment argue inane malarkey that has been used to malign the most wonderful organic substance that mankind has available in abundance at their fingertips.  I will simply declare that the herb known as cannabis is the only substance in all of creation that even remotely resembles the properties of this "holy Eucharist."  No other substance, either natural or synthetic, can break down the barriers of selfish pride, of racial hatred and strife, of greed and malice like a few tokes of good (not the commercial crap) ganja weed.  There is no other substance on earth that enhances the equality concept like a few more pulls on the pipe that is packed with the aromatic blend of ganja buds.  There is no quicker way to journey to the prophetic Mt. Zion, a choice and happy place that is adorned with wonderous grace, than by inhaling deeply of the "holy smoke" emanating from the ember of the "burning bush" that our forefather Moses was wont to burn.  The greatest comforter to the human soul on all the face of all the earth is the sweet, sweet essence of good, ripe ganja.  It cannot be made by men in their laboratories and it cannot be dethroned as the king and the queen, the alpha and the omega, in the beginning and in the end, the delightfully delicious Eucharist provided absolutely free by our great and merciful God.  We thank you!  And the smoke arises in every corner of this earth in spite of the most fearsome and barbaric persecution by the wicked and barbaric religious-political-commercial governments.  I do not wish to argue the validity of whether or not smoking the ganja is this spirit of consciousness which I have briefly described as a sacrament.  I am formally and explicitly announcing that it is a sacrament, has been a sacrament for at least two millenia and is my eucharistic vehicle which allows me to journey in the spirit to the realms of Christlike understanding.
    (3) What is the proof of claim to the sacrament?
    In answer to this question, volumes could easily be written stating the historical use of ganja in every era and spiritual advent throughout man's and woman's development from the time when recorded documents first appeared.  A very convincing argument can be made by us concerning the use of this herb by all of the prophets, priests, and apostles of scriptural lore and innumerable references through mystical symbols and parables to the use of this sweet smelling incense by all of these holy men and women of old as told in the Bible.  This only engenders controversy and accusations and, quite probably, not a little vexation from the bible-thumpers everywhere.  The surest proof and absolutely indisputable evidence can only be obtained by allowing the sisters and the brothers whom I have previously made reference about to gather in one location without the ominous threat of reprisal from these legions of governmental functionaries and permit us to conduct our religious services and partake of our sacramental herb.  Keep these devious lawmakers and their henchmen from interfering with our practice of our faith in the manner that we know has been passed to us from Abraham and Isaac, Felix and Elijah, Moses, Joshua, and Daniel from his lion's den.  Peter, Paul, and Barnabas all going to this great spiritual feast.  And so many more that we cannot say.  Stop persecuting us for this moment and cease from terrorizing our religious activities.  Allow us to smoke our ganja and we will surely manifest proof to the whole world that we are a spiritual people, that ganja is our vehicle to the spiritual realms of Zion, and that we, collectively, hold the keys to the mysteries which have eluded humanity until this blessed dispensation.  What possible threat do we pose to these powers that be in this wicked and degenerate kingdom that has led mankind to the very brink of destruction?  What possible threat can be posed by a totally non-violent group of ganja smokers except that we can expose the demons who lead the people into their corrupt devices and hold them in a diabolical economic servitude.
    They fight the ganja and the ganja people because we are the only ones who can truly liberate the human soul from the bondage of sin and lead the march away from oppression, lust, and crime unto the promised paradise that the sould longs for.  This is why they wage a war that they cannot win, not against cocaine and heroin and the illicit prescription drugs which they manufacture and control, but against nature and against God in the form of the ganja.  This is why they refuse to allow us the basic liberty of practicing our religion with our sacrament.  They actually do not want proof because it is proof they would get.
    Okay, Carl.  I've babbled on enough for now, but I know that you can grasp what it is that I am babbling about.  We do hold this mystery among us.  And this is undoubtedly why I continue to babble.  This is only the tip of the iceberg.
    Jim