MERIDIAN, IDAHO --

Reverend Shawn Fluewelling is scheduled to be in an Ada County courtroom Thursday, on drug charges. 

He faces one felony count of possession with the intent to deliver, and a misdemeanor count of possessing paraphernalia after police allegedly found nine grams of pot in plastic baggies inside his Meridian home.

But Fluewelling wants the case thrown out.

Why?  Because he's a member of the Hawaii Cannabis Ministry.

Fluewelling says marijuana is a religious sacrament.  According to police reports, he hands it out to others.

According to his religion, God bestowed upon the masses the recipe for a Holy anointing oil made of cannabis.  But he says it's confused as "calimus" in the King James Bible.

"Calimus is actually the poisonous root of a plant.  So Cannabis makes more sense, thus we use it to make Holy anointing oil," Fluewelling says.

The reverend says he applies the oil to his body every day, and smokes pot each morning to offer thanks.  He says its provides spirirtual and physical healing.

"I had depression issues when I was younger.  Doctors tried a few prescription drugs on me and a lot of those turned me into more or less of a zombie.  This made me feel more in touch with everything around me.  I'm more accepting of others, less judgmental, an all around better person" he said.

Fluewelling says its also his First Amendment right.  The ministry website offers a $250 "Sanctuary Kit", it claims will protect your use of cannabis sacrament.

Meridian Police say Fluewelling has the right to practice whatever religion he chooses to, but that he must also obey all state and federal laws which prohibit marijuana use and possession.

"We hear a lot of excuses for illegal possession of marijuana.  This is just one of them," said Lt. Bob Stowe.