Mass drug use and the origins of Christianity

[Mighara Sovmadhi]

I have been compiling evidence for a while now that the early Christian movement involved the substantial use of drugs as part of its overwhelmingly convincing presentation.

First, a number of Bible passages can be plausibly read as describing drug use. Both Ezekiel and John of Patmos report eating scrolls before having certain of their visions. At Pentecost, a circle of believers experience pneumatic and fiery effects before being accused of "drinking too much new [emphasis added] wine." Christ turns water into wine to inaugurate His campaign of self-proclamation, an act suspiciously similar to making a psychedelic tea. He makes the superficially revolting claim that eating and drinking His flesh and blood are requirements for salvation--or the perhaps to some people more deeply revolting claim that using certain perhaps psychedelic drugs is required in order for one to know the truth that sets us free.

Also, Ezekiel and John of Patmos report incredible visions similar in form and content to those spoken of by users of e.g. DMT. Gnostic Christianity also contains DMT-esque imagery in its early accounts. Some of the other miracles in the stories might be mutated oral traditions transcribed far from an original psychoactive truth.

Another piece of evidence for this thesis--albeit far from confirmed by my studies as of yet--is the apparent role of drugs in the early rise of the Mormon movement. I read an online book that seemed well-cited in which it was said that at some early LDS sacrament services, for instance, psychedelic mushrooms were used in the sacramental "wine." There is also in the general Judeo-Christian tradition reference to incense that pleases the Lord when burned, one with seemingly psychoactive properties; and there are strong Rastafarian kinds of arguments for the use of THC in place of alcohol in the Eucharist.

All in all, a politically charged group of people, living in a country suffering from malnutrition (presumably), dosing on drugs repeatedly, convinced that they follow a morally perfect leader, could easily have resulted in the zealous hurricane that conquered Rome.

EDIT: Just think of the 1960s, the political-moral-religious-w/e changes around then, and their relationship with the rampant psychedelia of the era. Transpose that onto people living in a time like Christ's.

[Hobbes]

An interesting, if rather provocative, analysis. Well done.

To expand on the parallel you cite in the added last paragraph, surely you know that many in that time and circumstance saw themselves in that same Light.

Why, then, did we fail? Was the flaw in the movement, or was the intent co-opted and subverted?

Recent grass-roots swellings of similar revolutionary potential have fared even more poorly...possibly from the same undermining forces, but possibly from an even more vision-anemic foundation.

How do we reach critical mass / critical momentum that leads to true and lasting change?

[Mighara Sovmadhi]

I think the Church was supposed to be just such a global movement, and in fact it has believed itself to be this for all its ages. Even so, it has deplorably held the world back in many ways at many times, whatever the good it has elsewise done also. Yet what if the revolutionary spirit of the early Christians could be recaptured? That would be a parousia of sorts.

OTOH, as a product of human free will, maybe the global revolution could never be predicted, and when it comes it will be as a thief in the night.