How do you think various drugs have influenced various religions?

[Barebonejoe]

This is just something I'm curious about. Some say wine and maybe shrooms played a role in influencing early Christian beliefs, but what about other religions?

Does anyone have theories that match the varying effects of drugs with varying religious beliefs? Have the geography of psycho-active plants significantly effected the georgraphy of early religious beliefs, do you think?

How about religions that historically show no influence from drugs? How might they differ from religions that historically show signs of being influence by drugs?

Do you see varying importance with the conceptions of morality, love, hate, good, evil, etc.. to match the effects of certain drugs?

Am I over-estimating the power of drugs?

Anything you want to ad?

[Pinkavvy]

I think Coke has had a huge influence on the Scientology church.... ya know, it gives them a reason to manipulate power over all the money of their rich members

[Richard_smoker]

Somewhere, I read a pretty long description of how that some people believe that Moses was actually burning something more like MJ when he talked to the "burning bush."

[Barebonejoe]

I'm sure many of you have read this article, but it seems appropriate for this thread...

"SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (Wireless Flash) -- Chew on this: An ethnobotanist in Santa Cruz, California, thinks Jesus was munching magic mushrooms at the Last Supper. Clark Heinrich says man has enjoyed the psychedelic effects of mushrooms since thousands of years before Christ -- and figured the King of Kings probably turned on as well.
In fact, he thinks Jesus was high on a psychedelic 'shroom known as "fly agaric" which was hailed for its taste as well as its trips.

Heinrich says the mushroom resembles pita bread and when soaked with water it feels exactly like human skin. He figures that's the bread that Jesus was referring to at the last supper when he said "eat this bread, this is my body."

But that's not the only way Jesus might have doled out psychedelics. Heinrich says people who eat lots of shrooms have a reddish-orange urine that's even more hallucinogenic -- and figures the almighty turned water into wine by whizzing into a five-gallon jug of H20.

Heinrich is the author of a new book, "Magic Mushrooms In Religion And Alchemy" (Park Street Press)."

http://www.psychedelics.com/psilocybe/holyjesus.html

[Richard_smoker]

OMG! Are you SERIOUS!!?? Jesus pissed into a 5gallon jug and turned water into wine!???

that's too funny... easier to believe than he just swiped his hand over a jug of water--but harder to believe than it was just a magic trick or something... I mean who would drink his piss in the first place?? Wasnt that his very first miracle? I don't think I'd drink somebody's piss unless they'd already risen somebody from the dead!

[FrankenChrist]

The Greeks and Romans were fond of wine.

Maybe hash had some influence on Islam. It's tolerated, but looked down upon.

[Barebonejoe]

Originally Posted by Richard_smoker

I mean who would drink his piss in the first place?? Wasnt that his very first miracle? I don't think I'd drink somebody's piss unless they'd already risen somebody from the dead!

I read somewhere that most of the goodies from shrooms pass through with your urine, and in some cultures it isn't unheard of for to people drink frequent-mushroom-using-shaman's urine because it's psycho-active.

I'm not sure how legit my sources are with that, but, it sure as hell is interesting, huh?

[Barebonejoe]

Plus, the Bible sounds like a bunch of short stories about people tripping their eyes out in a way. P

[fatmanstan]

There is alot of evidence that the amanita's have factored into quite a few early religions. It is claimed by Wasson to be "soma" in the ancient Rig-Veda, which has been described as the foundation of modern Hinduism. Check out Chapter nine of The Psychedelics Encyclopedia, by Peter Stafford. Also check out Mushrooms and Mankind, by Jame Arthur, for more theories of the impact of mushrooms on early consciousness and religion.

I have also read that nearly all religions have a base in psychedelics, and have been used by nearly all cultures worldwide with the exceptions of the Inuit and (I believe) some polynesian tribes.

[psyche]

Amanita muscaria really does remain active thoroug the body and after. Shamans in northern finland and russia used them long before they were introduced to alcohol and they drunk their piss. I've noticed that when I piss on amanitas, it smells exactly like them. Never tried drinking it though...

[Nagognog2]

Yep. Pissing and Amanita Muscaria go together. Regards the bible and short stories, it sounds like chapters from Homer's Odessy. Like nightmare trips induced from Datura. Very common in those parts - and used as a poison in those times (still is).

Put it this way: If someone walked up to you and said that God spoke unto them and told them you would burn in Hell if thou did not follow them - would you convert and follow them? Or would you....?

Problem with Datura poisoning is that people have no anchor in reality anymore. They sincerely believe the hallucination. If you were in such an altered state, you might think the only way to communicate your dilemna is to write a book about it. Especially after everyone you knew ended up laughing in your face and finally telling you to take a long walk.

I have met people who tripped out wild on Datura. They, too, decided the bible was the ONLY book to read. It had all the Hidden Meanings that ONLY a TRUE believer could understand. It happens. They never came back.

[Barebonejoe]

Originally Posted by Nagognog2

I have met people who tripped out wild on Datura. They, too, decided the bible was the ONLY book to read. It had all the Hidden Meanings that ONLY a TRUE believer could understand. It happens. They never came back.

Wow... so after they tripped on Datura a few times, they were able to identify with the Bible better?

If you have anything more specific to share about that, I'd be interested to hear it.

[bewilderment]

I just stumbled upon this on wikipedia regarding the subject:

"Drug-induced religious experiences

See main article entheogen on the use of psychoactive substances in a religious or shamanic context.

The drugs used by religious communities for their hallucinogenic effects were adopted for explicit and implicit religious functions and purposes. The drugs were and are reported to enhance religious experience through visions and a distortion of the sensory perception (like in dreams in a state of sleep).

* Cannabis sativa, which grows all over the world except in very cold climates, is used in religious practices in Indian and African communities
* Certain Hallucinogenic Mushrooms are used by cultists among the Indians in Latin America, especially in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. The chief species is Psilocybe mexicana, of which the active principles are psilocybin and its derivative psilocin, in their chemical composition and activity not unlike LSD (D-lysergic acid diethylamide); the latter is synthesised from the alkaloids (principally ergotamine and ergonovine) that are constituents of ergot, a growth present in grasses affected by the disease also called ergot. Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) is another mushroom having hallucinogenic properties that has not been thoroughly studied. It may be extremely important, since it may have been the natural source of the ritual soma drink of the ancient Hindus and the comparable haoma used by the Zoroastrians. Fly agaric is mildly toxic at high dosages and is said to have, in addition to its hallucinogenic properties, the ability to increase strength and endurance. It is said also to be a soporific.
* Peyote used by some Indian communities of Mexico. The chief active principle of peyote is an alkaloid called mescaline. Like psilocin and psilocybin, mescaline is reputed to produce visions and other evidences of a mystical nature. Despite claims of missionaries and some government agents that peyote – from the Nahuatl word peyotl ("divine messenger") – is a degenerative and dangerous drug, there appears to be no evidence of this among the members of the Native American Church, a North American Indian cult that uses peyote in its chief religious ceremony. Peyote, like most other hallucinogenic drugs, is not considered to be addictive and, far from being a destructive influence, is reputed by cultists and some observers to promote morality and ethical behaviour among the Indians who use it ritually.
* Ayahuasca, caapi, or yajé, is produced from the stem bark of the vines Banisteriopsis caapi and B. inebrians. Indians who use it claim that its virtues include healing powers and the power to induce clairvoyance, among others. This drink has been certified by investigators to produce remarkable effects, often involving the sensation of flying. The effects are thought to be attributable to the action of harmine, a very stable indole that is the active principle in the plant. While the Indians themselves attribute the properties of the drink Ayahuasca to B. caapi, this is not the common scientific view; the MAOIs present in the B. caapi instead allow the extremely psychedelic ingredients in other plants added to the brew, noticeably plants containing DMT, to be activated and produce an intense experience.
* Kava drink, prepared from the roots of Piper methysticum, a species of pepper, and seemingly more of a hypnotic-narcotic than a hallucinogen, is used both socially and ritually in the South Pacific, especially in Polynesia.
* Iboga, or ibogaine, a powerful stimulant and hallucinogen derived from the root of the African shrub Tabernanthe iboga (and, like psilocybin and harmine, a chemical relative of LSD) is used by the Bwiti cult in Central Africa.
* Coca, source of cocaine, has had both ritual and social use chiefly in Peru.
* Datura, one species of which is the jimsonweed, is used by native peoples in North and South America; the active principle, however, is highly toxic and dangerous. A drink prepared from the shrub Mimosa hostilis, which is said to produce glorious visions in warriors before battle, is used ritually in the ajuca ceremony of the Jurema cult in eastern Brazil.
* Salvia divinorum, a member of the sage family of plants, is a hallucinogen used by Mazatec shamans for "spiritual journeys" during healing."

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology_of_religion

Reputation Comments on this post:

good info