Oklevueha Native American Church of Inner Light CEO Christopher Rushing says his congregation is the only federally registered church granted permission to use the drugs as ritual.
Rushing justified the drug use to al.com: “These plants are in no way toxic or deadly. They have been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes, long before pharmaceutical companies began making synthetic versions of them.”
He tells al.com the church mixes Native American teachings with the words of Christ.
The Bible commands believers to be sober-minded in 2 Timothy 4, 1 Corinthians 6:12 and other passages. Members share Scriptures and devotionals on their Facebook page. They post photos of mushrooms sandwiched between Oswald Chambers quotes.
On a GoFundMe page, the church says, “We at ONAC of Inner Light have an interest in keeping the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ, love for our neighbor as we love ourselves and love for the Father, Most High God, by enriching the lives of the people of the human race. We have a vision of accomplishing this by creating a holistic medicine/spiritual wellness retreat that offers a short and long term (environment) for those suffering from a number of ailments including depression, PTSD, (alcoholism), drug addiction, and any other issue that we feel our church can provide guidance.”
Rushing told al.com he believes the drugs allow people to draw closer to God.
“Our prayer is that the earth gives us things for our health,” he said. “Too many people need this help. We believe these medicines unlock and show people the true nature of God.”
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