ays “Excuse me brother, what we call drugs at 74th street Baptist Church, we call a sin” (Friday), representing the views of many Christians today. Only a short time later, however, he changes his mind, saying: “Why don’t you give me a little bit for my cataracts?” (Friday). This film makes a comment on the attitudes of U.S. society today towards marijuana, and re-legalization. By making a medical excuse for using marijuana in the film, Brother William conveys the worries of many Americans today about medical legalization of the drug. While it may be suggested that Friday is satirist comedy, and therefore not “real”, critics of the film and of legalization will point out that later in the movie, the characters make an outright plea for legalization. Religious figures in real life express stronger anti-legalization opinions than those in the movies. In 1986, “representatives of four Oregon church groups, representing a combined membership of tens of thousands, unveiled a plan to attack the proposed legalization of marijuana from the pulpit” (Danks). The representatives cited experiences like those Reverend John Jackson; Jackson spoke about how his son’s drug habit broke up the family. “‘It got to the point that I kept a weapon,’ Jackson said. ‘My son didn’t act like my son. I got to the point where I thought if he came into the room I would kill him” (Danks). Many would be quick t discount the reverend’s opinion, however, especially after hearing of his fatal mentality. It should also be noted that Jackson’s son, who is now in the army, “graduated to harder drugs after using marijuana as a 10-year-old” (Danks). Other religious groups have more extreme views on legalization. In an on-line publication entitled “Marijuana and Christians: Cure or Curse?”, a group for “Aggressive Christianity” writes...
