Was YHVH a Drug Induced Vision?

[Recusant]

I did a search for this subject here, but couldn't find anything on it, which surprises me.  It's kind of hard to come up with the right search terms for something like this, so my apologies if it's already been posted...

Benny Shanon, professor of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, writes about his hypothesis that Moses was partaking of entheogenic (read "sacramental hallucinogen") drugs when he "met" YHVH.  OK, professor Shanon has been conducting an in-depth investigation by taking ayahuasca himself "over 160 times," so he might not be the best source.   

You can read about it here, or if you would like to go to the source, you can read a PDF of the original article.

The abstract of the original Time and Mind article I link to above:

A speculative hypothesis is presented according to which the ancient Israelite religion was associated with the use of entheogens (mind-altering plants used in sacramental contexts). The hypothesis is based on a new look at texts of the Old Testament pertaining to the life of Moses. The ideas entertained here were primarily based on the fact that in the arid areas of the Sinai peninsula and Southern Israel there grow two plants containing the same psychoactive molecules found in the plants from which the powerful Amazonian hallucinogenic brew Ayahuasca is prepared. The two plants are species of Acacia tree and the bush Peganum harmala. The hypothesis is corroborated by comparative experiential-phenomenological observations, linguistic considerations, exegesis of old Jewish texts and other ancient Mideastern traditions, anthropological lore, and ethnobotanical data.

There will never be conclusive (or perhaps any) proof for this idea, but I dig it man.

[Renegnicat]

Well, what can I say? It's an interesting proposition.

[BruceMegan]

It's ignorant to think that drugs haven't played and are still playing important parts in main-stream relgion. There are certain rituals in Islam that involves drugs, can't think of them right now

[Recusant]

Though I recall a more extensive thread on entheogens, it appears to have disappeared (at least from the site search results). Thus the revival of this dusty relic. 

"Study confirms Egyptians drank hallucinogenic cocktails in ancient rituals" | Phys.org

A University of South Florida professor found the first-ever physical evidence of hallucinogens in an Egyptian mug, validating written records and centuries-old myths of ancient Egyptian rituals and practices. Through advanced chemical analyses, Davide Tanasi examined one of the world's few remaining Egyptian Bes mugs.

Such mugs, including the one donated to the Tampa Museum of Art in 1984, are decorated with the head of Bes, an ancient Egyptian god or guardian demon worshiped for protection, fertility, medicinal healing and magical purification. Published in Scientific Reports, the study sheds light on an ancient Egyptian mystery: The secret of how Bes mugs were used about 2,000 years ago.

"There's no research out there that has ever found what we found in this study," Tanasi said. "For the first time, we were able to identify all the chemical signatures of the components of the liquid concoction contained in the Tampa Museum of Art's Bes mug, including the plants used by Egyptians, all of which have psychotropic and medicinal properties."

The presence of Bes mugs in different contexts over a long period of time made it extremely difficult to speculate on their contents or roles in ancient Egyptian culture.

[Continues . . .]

The paper is open access:

"Multianalytical investigation reveals psychotropic substances in a ptolemaic Egyptian vase" | Scientific Reports

Abstract:

This study presents a comprehensive multimodal analytical study of an Egyptian ritual Bes-vase, of the 2nd century BCE employing cutting-edge proteomics, metabolomics, genetics techniques, and synchrotron radiation-based Fourier Transformed Infrared microSpectroscopy (SR µ-FTIR) to characterize organic residues of its content.

We successfully identified the presence of various functional, bioactive, psychotropic, and medicinal substances, shedding light on the diverse components of a liquid concoction used for ritual practices in Ptolemaic Egypt. Using LC-MS/MS with a new methodological approach, we identified key proteins and metabolites, enabling the identification of botanical sources, confirmed by genetic sequences.

Our analyses revealed traces of Peganum harmala, Nimphaea nouchali var. caerulea, and a plant of the Cleome genus, all of which are traditionally proven to have psychotropic and medicinal properties. Additionally, the identification of human fluids suggests their direct involvement in these rituals.

Furthermore, metabolomics and SR µ-FTIR analyses also revealed the presence of fermented fruit-based liquid and other ingredients such as honey or royal jelly. The identification of specific chemical compounds, such as alkaloids and flavonoids, provides insight into the psychoactive and therapeutic uses of these in ancient ritual practices.

This multidisciplinary study highlights the complexity of ancient cultures and their interactions with psychoactive, medicinal, and bioactive substances. These findings contribute to our understanding of ancient belief systems, cultural practices, and the utilization of natural resources, ultimately enhancing our knowledge of past societies and their connection to the natural world.

[Tank]

Bruce could tell us all about this first hand

[Icarus]

If we speculate about the ancients use of happy time weeds, leaves, or minerals, then that opens up a whole other conversation.   

Moses and his stone tablets, burning bushes, and other remarkable phenomena are real when in a drug induced state of euphoria. 

[Asmodean]

Shroomin' Totally shroomin'