The herbal hoasca brew is used in communion by the church, which has a blend of Christian beliefs and South American traditions. Members believe they can understand God only by drinking the tea, which is consumed twice a month at four-hour ceremonies.”One wonders if the Supreme Court will attempt to find some “middle ground” on this issue as they have muddled through so many other decisions regarding the free exercise of religion. Will they decide that if the tea is only mildly hallucinogenic (making God only partly understandable) and if the religious group surrounds the tea with enough secular and ecumenical symbols, the religious community will be allowed to sip their tea in peace? Are scones sufficient, or will Rudolph, Santa Claus and a Menorah need to be present? What if the Rudolph, Santa Claus and the Menorah are hallucinations?
Will the members of the Court have to test the tea (and various strengths of the tea), or will it be left to the clerks? Will former Supreme Court nominee Douglas Ginsburg be invited to the party? If one of the Justices sees God will it violate the separation of Church and State? What kinds of penumbra are visible in a hallucinogenic tea high?
And, finally, is the Associated Press allowed to capitalize God and avoid the use of quotation marks? Or, we ask only partly in jest, were the editors away at teatime when this article slipped through?
