Did entheogens give rise to religious belief?

[Zhade]

"The relentless march of civilization is ever increasing in speed and intensity, reaching even the most remote and hidden peoples. Acculturation inevitably spells the doom of native lore and leads to the disappearance of knowledge built up through the ages. It is, therefore, urgent that we step up the tempo of research before this knowledge will forever be entombed with the cultures that gave it birth." - Albert Hoffman

"We are an ape with a symbiotic relationship to a mushroom, and that has given us self-reflection, language, religion, and all the spectrum of effects that flow from these things." - Terrance McKenna

Entheogens, better known as "teaching plants" (or "drugs" to those unfamiliar with these terms), have existed for millenia. Animals and humans alike have ingested them probably since they've existed.

Entheogens are amazing things. They give one a wildly different perspective of reality, life, and its nature. Salvia Divinorum, a member of the sage family and a legal entheogen, is a recently-rediscovered rare plant that causes shamanistic inner voyaging and radical reinterpretation of realities. Some speak of communicating with a "plant goddess" that teaches about the makeup of reality. Others describe a universe in which realities are like shards of glass that can be seen, with glimpses of each reality visible as they pass through the well of existence. (More experiences available at Erowid.org).

Likewise, other entheogens such as psilocybin mushrooms cause a reshuffling of sensory experiences and mental activities. The web, and medical research, abound on these topics.

With that in mind, and the ease with which these things could be acquired in ancient times, is it not possible that entheogens and the pursuit of same, even to plant worship, might have had something to do with the development of religion in humanity?

This is a serious question, and a theory I feel holds at least as much weight as the idea that any number of gods dictated books to humans. I welcome discussion on this subject, and please understand this is not aimed at anyone's faith, but instead offered for serious discussion.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Sacred plants have played a part

but there are other things that can bring about a mystical experience. Anyone who has done a humblechia knows that a combination of ceremony, total fasting,etc, is helpful when one desires a vision. Other times, visions and mystical experiences just happen. Take it from someone who has had them, and who has never done drugs or injested the plants described above.

[ret5hd]

3. and epilepsy can also cause religious experiences...

which are just as valid (or invalid) as the others.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. definition,please

what is your definition of a religious experience? I don't think it is the same as a mystical experience. I had a religious experience when I sang "Handel's Messiah" as part of a hundred person chorus; a feeling that could be explained and defined in religious terms. A mystical experience is one that goes outside one's regular way of thinking and viewing and perceiving the world, something very 'other' than one is used to, and something that is not predictable.

[Sporadicus]

2. I've Been Aware of This Theory for Some Time

through the writings of Terence and Dennis McKenna.

http://www.erowid.org/culture/characters/mckenna_terence/mckenna_terence.shtml

[Zhade]

6. Yep, thanks for sharing the link!

NT!

[48pan]

5. Religion Comes From...

playing Black Sabbath backwards.

"Wow... Did you see that?"
"See what?"
"What was I talking about, man?"
"Huh?"
"Want another toke?"

[MatrixEscape]

7. Most likely, yes!

In a materialistic society, there is an arbitrary demarcation that tends to see entheogens as artificial, phony, cheating, etc., when it comes to the experiences and insights they induce.

Historically, and in light of other cultures, that prejudice is based on context and perceived value. The prohibitions on various substances should be curious and telling. The hysteria and fear about their dangers is not justified when you consider "set and setting" and compare formalized, ritualistic traditions in comparison to haphazard, recreational motivations.

I recall reading, (probably Mckenna)a theory that postulates the possibility that, thousands of years ago, our simian ancestors grazed for food in fields and may have occasionally ingested certain fungi, (growing in droppings left by other beasts) If one is familiar with the effects, patterns, and states of what used to be called "psychotropics" it is plausible to entertain the dramatic impact this could have on a proto-human consciousness with the right structures in place.

There are also speculations about various mystery cults, (including Christianity) that may have used enthogens as a core catalyst for initiation, understanding, and revelation. The esotericism that surrounds these subjects and movements, in the West, is noteworthy. In the tribal context of course, Sacred Plants are an implicit part of the cultural paradigm and administered expertly within a validated model.

The last wave of modern resurgence concerning bio-chemical keys yielded a spectrum of results and experiences. For the most part, the informal usage, (and exaggerated accounts of negative or fatal results) became a justification for a virtual banning of all serious research, especially into psychotropics, both natural and synthetic.

There appears to be a new cyclic recurrence of interest and some doors opening up to the possibility of serious research into what may be an important subject in consciousness research and understanding on a clinical level.

As a Negative Utilitarian, I tend to think of chemical keys as tantamount to further evolution of consciousness and insight into our existence. NU's see the potential for growing precision in isolating and understanding "cleaner" versions of the particular chemicals that elicit responses and states in the brain. The encouragement of research and lifting of draconian taboos would allow that process to continue. Imagine, if you will, experiencing life as if for the first time and having full feedback and control of states -- a psychic graphic-equalizer, if you will.

Now that the "war on some drugs" is being challenged intelligently, and in light of the Brave New World-style infusion of mood altering and psychotropic money-makers by the drug industry, one would hope that the paranoia and fear of societal control-structure breakdown would subside in respect to more potent catalysts. Well, that would be a rational expectation, at least.

It seems that the freedom of conciousness is really the final frontier and this seems to be a given judging by the response of hierarchical, political control pyramids. It seems fair to think that research, development, and discoveries will continue, (even accelerate rapidly) in respects to modifaction of experience states. The question is, who will control and administer them, and under what circumstances. Open-source alteration on an intimate level is the essential contrast to large-scale manipulation and managment on the macro level. Either way, our species will be subject to chemcial keys. What doors we open, or close, with them, and who holds the keys are the crux of what we face.

[indigobusiness]

14. The tools of the Earth...

are no less significant to human development than the opposable thumb.

[Zhade]

16. Fantastic post. Thanks for your thoughts!

NT!

[slay]

8. A very interesting theory. Here is a link to a good Terrance McKenna site

It seems to me that "God" is the life force of our planet and every living thing on it, and as such, we are actively at war with "God". I wonder which of these "God" hates more - the massive amount of pollution that is going on, or the massive amount of killing in the name of God.

Anyways, here's the link:
http://deoxy.org/mckenna.htm

also check out:

http://deoxy.org/8circuit.htm

[catbert836]

9. Maybe, but I think not.

They probably contributed to religion once it already was firmly in place. Religion has been around nearly forever, and would have risen with or without ethanogens.

[Zhade]

17. I pretty much disagree, but I am very open to discussion.

Can you elaborate further, especially on why you believe religion may have been around longer than any psychotropic experiences due to ingestion of plants like I described in the OP?

To me, it would pretty much be impossible for religion to have been developed prior to a single case of psychotropic ingestion. But I'm willing to hear your thoughts.

[sam sarrha]

10. Actually Religion is such a great method of controlling people and keeping

them ignorant of Effective methods of living that dont allow slavery to the "Man".. that it has been utilized thought out the development of our species and cultures.

[Stunster]

11. Yes. And no.

Apparently, if you eat certain plants, and ingest animal and fish products, sometimes called 'food', you can harness a cosmic force which some people known as 'physicists' call 'electromagnetism'. There is, when you eat 'food', a series of experiences that can lead you to hypothesize an invisible 'electromagnetic field' which can oscillate or vibrate in some way at the speed of light, and if you keep on eating 'food', it's possible that you will have thoughts about this 'electromagnetic field' and can use those thoughts to harness the force in such a way that you can communicate with conscious beings or 'minds' who are thousands of miles away and whom you've never met or seen, by means of other things called 'computer codes' and 'telephone systems' which are used to organize the 'electromagnetic field' in the right way.

On the other hand, I've known plenty of people who have had mystical, religious experiences who have never taken entheogens.

[Zhade]

18. Nice, but I didn't say one must consume entheogens to have experiences.

Only that the developing human mind may have formed organized religion around the interpretation of entheogenic experiences.

[indigobusiness]

12. Other threads and links on this---

Santa Claus, Christmas, and Mushrooms.


"Mellow is the man who knows what he's been missing
Many many men can't see the open road.
Many is a word that only leaves you guessing
Guessing 'bout a thing you really ought to know, ooh!
You really ought to know"
-- Led Zeppelin


Figure 3. The Little People
Often associated with Gnomes, Fairies and ‘little people’, the beauty of this mushroom makes it a favorite for artists. Certain artists also reveal deeper symbolic information. The mystical aspect is generally reserved for those that happen to be ‘in the know.

---

The information on this website is for everyone. Humanity's connection with the gifts of the Gods and the myths surrounding them is as ancient as it is universal. This website offers you gifts, some of them can be found under Pine trees in nature. Just as presents are placed under trees and exchanged during Winter Solstice (Christmas) there is a present waiting for you under the trees if you have the understanding of where to look and what exactly to look for. These pages will offer explanations for this and many other mysterious things.

Mankind's connection with other life forms on this planet, including those in the plant kingdom, is often dismissed with ambivalence or ignored as unimportant. Plants that produce altered states of consciousness are similarly dismissed, or even reviled as something at odds with normal human consciousness. However, knowledge and usage of these plants may be the most important thing man has ever known. In an evolutionary sense the consciousness expanding substances incorporated into human diet are responsible for unique contributions to our genetic makeup and heritage. Make no mistake about it; these plants manipulated human DNA over the course of millions of years. The reality is that the plants that expand (multidimensionalize) consciousness are truly the bounty of the Gods. We are talking about substances that have played a role in the evolutionary genetic and chemical libraries of the human brain as well as the cosmology of the mind (Myth and Religion).

In a larger picture these earthly and heavenly gifts have contributed to humanity's ability to transcend the body. Consciousness based journeys within the vibratory fields (dimensions) generated by these plants are reportedly filled with beings, places and a myriad of indescribable things. Some of these things have become a part of human cosmology having manifested themselves into human myth and imagination. Either that or these real things have manifested themselves into our cosmology via our journeys within the realms of consciousness provided by these plants and/or chemicals. These plants are crucial to who humans really are and according to many ancient world traditions have been responsible for transforming primitive humanity, possessor of limited life, into beings capable of transcending the physical body and living forever. This is what many of the myths and religious stories are actually about.

These plants are very likely to have been instrumental in evolving human brain structure and chemical makeup and even consciousness to the point that remnants of the states achieved through their usage have remained as elements of what we call regular consciousness. We owe the advancement of consciousness and capacity for higher thinking to our plant allies. Still today the usage of these plants is beneficial to the mind in the extreme, thus we can recognize this recurring theme from the worldwide myths detailing the finding or receiving these gifts of the gods.

Mankind's connection with spiritual and physical beings considered beyond the veil of vision and time is an extremely complex and rewarding study. We can call it Philosophy, Mythology or even Theology but whatever you want to call it, it is a part of every human being's life journey in one way or the other.




http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=2190475
http://www.jamesarthur.net/mushroom.html
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1036753

[Zhade]

19. Awesome, many thanks for sharing!

NT!

[indigobusiness]

13. Much info at this link-

http://www.egodeath.com/

[InvisibleBallots]

15. I think dreams gave rise to religion

in a way, I think that the "spirit world" was probably an idea that came from dreams - the fact that people do, in a sense, "visit the spirit world" every night, where all sorts of miracles and irrational things happen.

Drugs too, of course.