LA Church Leader Convicted of Selling Marijuana As Sacrament

Rev. Craig X Rubin, leader of the 420 Temple in Los Angeles, has been convicted of selling marijuana as part of his church's services. (See prior postings 1, 2, 3.) Sunday's New York Daily News reported that Rubin, who faces up to 4 years and 8 months in prison, will be sentenced Aug. 17. Yesterday Rubin issued a long statement to the press saying that he has no remorse for his actions. He continued: "My only crime is wanting to reach people of my community ... with the Word of God.... I taught them that God created this wonderful plant and that they should study the Word of God as known through the Bible to know the will of God. I am now going to be taken from our society and my seven children, all of whom live at home, for many years for my faith that cannabis is the Tree of Life."