While discussing his efforts to spread the word of God to different groups of people, Jamal Bryant—the senior pastor at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church near Atlanta—unveiled a new idea: promoting cannabis cultivation.
Jamal Bryant: “I’m Looking For People That Smell Like Weed”
The pastor—who has appeared on The Real Housewives of Potomac alongside Gizelle Bryant, his ex-wife—made his revelation during an appearance on Cool Soror with Rashan Ali. In the podcast’s latest episode, which premiered on Wednesday, Jamal spoke on how he’s “leading in this effort to try to change the narrative” surrounding churches’ stances on social matters.
He proceeded to outright declare that he’s “after people who don’t go to church,” unlike some other religious leaders.
“I’m mindful that I’m not after Christians. I’m after people who don’t go to church. A lot of churches are just recycling people from other churches. That’s not who I’m after.”
He then elaborated on this by making quite the proclamation.
“I’m looking for people that smell like weed.”
In response to host Rashan Ali’s visible shock, the pastor explained his position.
“New Birth is the largest land-owning Black church in America, and so my position to my deacons is, ‘Why aren’t we not raising cannabis?'”
Bryant went on to list the different reasons why he thinks the church diving into this new area can be beneficial.
“I’ll be able to bring in Black males. They’re able to do it legally. I’m teaching them farming. I’m helping them to enhance the ecosystem. This is the kind of conversation. So if the guy, Black boy, in Bankhead said, ‘They growing weed at the church? Where do I join?’ I don’t need no pamphlet for him. He coming in! And that’s the group that I’m going after.”
Twitter Has Mixed Feelings About The Pastor’s Statements
People on social media jumped on the subject once word began spreading.
A lot of the reactions indicated that, while some found it funny, they also thought it was odd.
They growing weed at the church? https://t.co/oF9Ll7MoJy
— 🖤JuicyGenius🇺🇸 (@MsJuicyGenius) December 8, 2022
“I’M LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT SMELL LIKE WEED”’: PASTOR JAMAL BRYANT SHARES PLANS TO LAUNCH CANNABIS BUSINESS!
Just make sure there’s plenty of food options after church…folks gonna be hungry! 😂 #newbirth pic.twitter.com/WdmSF2NMA4
— JRE (@jreentertain) December 8, 2022
Jamal Bryant saying he wants to grow marijuana on the church grounds is legitimate the craziest thing I have ever heard in all my life.
— Adara Sherron, M.A. (@adarathexplorer) December 8, 2022
It’s very weird to me that out of ALL the things Pastor Jamal Bryant can do he wants to grow a cannabis farm. He can start a community garden, build a homeless shelter or food pantry, even private learning academies or daycares but you wanna grow weed? Huh?
— Britney (@creativebrit_) December 8, 2022
In fact, one user noted that Bryant should get a Boondocks episode to spoof his antics.
Jamal Bryant need a boondocks episode https://t.co/4Gh9XrPybA
— pimp c (@AyoCHELSSSSS) December 8, 2022
The pastor also caught some fierce backlash.
As a Christian, I say this in the nicest way possible – how is Jamal Bryant still in leadership? https://t.co/gjBmL1rZW7
— sim simma 🇨🇩 (@leizenomis) December 7, 2022
Jamal Bryant wants to produce weed to draw men to his church. Jesus Christ never drew men to him by drugs or earthly things but by the Holy Spirit. Jamal is led to preach by Satan, not Christ, therefore, he is no pastor of God. A blind man leading the blind pic.twitter.com/8NhpU7YNZP
— Hovermancop (@HovermanCop) December 8, 2022
However, others defended Jamal.
Why y’all mad at this? We need more black people in weed. Y’all constantly say “we need more black people in this and that” but when somebody tries to get into it it’s always a problem. https://t.co/tf3m0LJaLd
— skrap (@m_box15) December 8, 2022
Pastor Jamal Bryant wants to teach guys farming thru growing cannibus… church folk, predictably, are clutching their pearls… This kind of reaction is why I side-eye the church regularly…
— C Free (@blackthought73) December 8, 2022
Legally Growing Weed In Georgia Could Be An Uphill Battle
Before people get too excited over the subject, we should point out that marijuana laws in Georgia are much different than in other places, like California, Colorado, or other states where recreational cannabis use and cultivation are legalized.
In fact, even when it comes to medicinal cannabis, the Georgia Department of Public Health outright states, “Georgia’s law is much more limited than some other states’ medical marijuana laws.”
“[Georgia] does not legalize the sale or possession of marijuana in leaf form, and it does not authorize the production or sale of food products infused with low-THC oil or the ingestion of low-THC oil through vapor. It does not authorize physicians to prescribe marijuana for medical use. It is intended solely to protect qualified persons from criminal prosecution for possessing low-THC oil for medicinal purposes.”
What do you think about Jamal Bryant’s comments?
