James Arthur: Mushrooms & Mankind
JamesArthur.net / Mushrooms & Mankind Part 1
James Arthur --1958 - 2005
James Arthur was a renowned mycologist that researched the ties between religion and the psychedelic experience. Interesting reading, and he does raise quite a few important questions about how Europe's religions were originally conceived by the "Church". It seems those fun lovin' Pagans played the most important role in developing some of our most modern religious icons and festivals.
I believe the psychedelic experience IS the reason we have religion. Research has shown that most of the world's religions are tied back to annoiting oils, flying potions, fruits of knowledge etc.
The only explanation in my mind is that early man stumbled across these plants and "Saw God". This sacred experience was shared with others and organized in loose fashion. When the rulers started using relgion to control the people the psychedelic "sacrament" was removed from practice. It was said to be "of the devil" because people who "tripped" tended to be more open minded and have a closer association with their God and not the religion itself... and that is not what the Church wanted. I get the feeling that is exactly what is happening in today's churches.
I practiced in the Native American Church for several years during a post graduation walkabout to find myself. The church uses peyote as sacrament and many of my personal beliefs about the whys of life were formed while being in a shamanic state of mind. You see, I was raised Fundamentalsit Holiness Baptist, one of the most backward forms of Christanity praticed today. I was in the church from the time I was born until the age of 12. It seriously screwed my head up for many years. I left the church when it was found out my pastor was molesting his adopted son. The church also taught me of hypocrisy.
That incident crushed my belief in the Christian church, but not Christian beliefs in peace and love. If Christ was a real person he was a hippie that hung out with thieves and whores, not religious folk. I never particpated in organized religion again until I attended my first NAC (Native American Church) meeting while wandering around finding my native roots. Although I no longer practice in the NAC, due to my inability to incorporate Christian beliefs that the NAC has morphed into a unique Christian belief system, yet those meetings changed my life, and opened my eyes to new way of thinking and believing in spirituality.
Overview of The Native American Church
I believe that James' research is very viable due to my own personal psychedelic religious experiences. I can't explain how these "sacraments" open the portal into a understanding and insight, I just know they do.
James Arthur --1958 - 2005
James Arthur was a renowned mycologist that researched the ties between religion and the psychedelic experience. Interesting reading, and he does raise quite a few important questions about how Europe's religions were originally conceived by the "Church". It seems those fun lovin' Pagans played the most important role in developing some of our most modern religious icons and festivals.
I believe the psychedelic experience IS the reason we have religion. Research has shown that most of the world's religions are tied back to annoiting oils, flying potions, fruits of knowledge etc.
The only explanation in my mind is that early man stumbled across these plants and "Saw God". This sacred experience was shared with others and organized in loose fashion. When the rulers started using relgion to control the people the psychedelic "sacrament" was removed from practice. It was said to be "of the devil" because people who "tripped" tended to be more open minded and have a closer association with their God and not the religion itself... and that is not what the Church wanted. I get the feeling that is exactly what is happening in today's churches.
I practiced in the Native American Church for several years during a post graduation walkabout to find myself. The church uses peyote as sacrament and many of my personal beliefs about the whys of life were formed while being in a shamanic state of mind. You see, I was raised Fundamentalsit Holiness Baptist, one of the most backward forms of Christanity praticed today. I was in the church from the time I was born until the age of 12. It seriously screwed my head up for many years. I left the church when it was found out my pastor was molesting his adopted son. The church also taught me of hypocrisy.
That incident crushed my belief in the Christian church, but not Christian beliefs in peace and love. If Christ was a real person he was a hippie that hung out with thieves and whores, not religious folk. I never particpated in organized religion again until I attended my first NAC (Native American Church) meeting while wandering around finding my native roots. Although I no longer practice in the NAC, due to my inability to incorporate Christian beliefs that the NAC has morphed into a unique Christian belief system, yet those meetings changed my life, and opened my eyes to new way of thinking and believing in spirituality.
Overview of The Native American Church
I believe that James' research is very viable due to my own personal psychedelic religious experiences. I can't explain how these "sacraments" open the portal into a understanding and insight, I just know they do.
posted by Judy Gex @ 8:18 AM
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