entheogens
Created | Updated Jan 21, 2005
Drugs are more often than not seen as a menace to society, the social disease. Hopefully by the time you have read this article your mind will have been changed about such issues. In writing this I am not trying to encourage you to go out and do drugs, just to rethink you opinion.
The way that I see it the reason that drugs are viewed in this way, is because the only time drugs come into the media is when a drug baron has been arrested of if a 12 year old has died of an overdose.
History
For thousands of years drugs or entheogens as they are normally called in a religious context, have been used for spiritual exploration. Cannabis has been a part of Hindu Culture for over 3000 years. Psilocybin (magic) mushrooms were used by the Aztecs and other tribes from southern America well over 3000 years ago. peyote one of the most widely used entheogens by the indigenous people of south America, and is to this day consider one of the most powerful psychoactive, yet still remains completely legal until it is prepared. Tobacco was also widely used as an entheogens.
en•theo•gen [god within; god- or spirit-facilitating] a psychoactive sacramental; a plant or chemical substance taken to occasion primary religious
In to days pronominally Christian society, Christianity being in the minority of religions that doesn’t use ceremonial drugs. Many of these substances have been banned. It is only in the last century that most drugs have been banned. and it is only since then that drugs have become an issue. Similar to the Prohibition of alcohol in America, in the 20's. In Victorian times drugs were used by everyone from politions to paupers. Though was a problem then, it didn't mean that the users were social outcasts because of there habit and they could get on with there job.
The way that I see it the reason that drugs are viewed in this way, is because the only time drugs come into the media is when a drug baron has been arrested of if a 12 year old has died of an overdose.
History
For thousands of years drugs or entheogens as they are normally called in a religious context, have been used for spiritual exploration. Cannabis has been a part of Hindu Culture for over 3000 years. Psilocybin (magic) mushrooms were used by the Aztecs and other tribes from southern America well over 3000 years ago. peyote one of the most widely used entheogens by the indigenous people of south America, and is to this day consider one of the most powerful psychoactive, yet still remains completely legal until it is prepared. Tobacco was also widely used as an entheogens.
en•theo•gen [god within; god- or spirit-facilitating] a psychoactive sacramental; a plant or chemical substance taken to occasion primary religious
In to days pronominally Christian society, Christianity being in the minority of religions that doesn’t use ceremonial drugs. Many of these substances have been banned. It is only in the last century that most drugs have been banned. and it is only since then that drugs have become an issue. Similar to the Prohibition of alcohol in America, in the 20's. In Victorian times drugs were used by everyone from politions to paupers. Though was a problem then, it didn't mean that the users were social outcasts because of there habit and they could get on with there job.
