Away back in the 19th Century Karl Marx once stated "Religion is the opium of the people", but we wonder how he would have responded to this 21st Century news item. "The sale of marijuana has been banned by authorities in Nepal during a popular Hindu festival at which holy men traditionally smoke the drug. About 500,000 people and thousands of holy men travelled to the Pashupatinath temple in Katmandu for the festival, which marks the end of winter. ... Police stopped people from dealing but did not prevent the holy men from smoking the drug." (Times, 4 March) Perhaps the Christian holy men should take a leaf out of the Hindu's book, it might help their falling church attendance figures. RD
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