Freethought & Rationalism Archive

everettf · 01-10-2005, 05:16 AM

Would anybody care to reflect on the use of opium in the mideast?? It seems to me that the stories in the bible were written by people on drugs.

http://www.poppies.org/news/99501860170894.shtml

Toto · 01-10-2005, 10:44 AM

Please read through this thread: Jesus used cannabis for prior discussions of drugs in the Bible.

It is generally only the Revelation of John that strikes most commentators as having been written under the influence.

The Opium timeline confirms that opium was cultivated and used in the early history of the Biblical areas. It is not clear if it takes modern manufacturing methods to produce a really addictive mind altering drug, as opposed to something that is best used for medicinal properties.

easychair · 01-10-2005, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Please read through this thread: Jesus used cannabis for prior discussions of drugs in the Bible.

It is generally only the Revelation of John that strikes most commentators as having been written under the influence.

The Opium timeline confirms that opium was cultivated and used in the early history of the Biblical areas. It is not clear if it takes modern manufacturing methods to produce a really addictive mind altering drug, as opposed to something that is best used for medicinal properties.

I believe that the wine and gall soaked sponge that Jesus was offered (to wet his lips) on the cross could have been laced with tincture of opium to relieve his excruciating pain.

Whether it happened with Jesus is not my point but given how common a punishment crucifixion was I can see how the use of opium could have become a medicinal treatment before the ordeal.

Epinoia · 01-10-2005, 11:16 PM

If opiates were all that hallucingenic, cancer patients the world over would be claiming to see Jesus or Yahweh or Attila the Hun in 3-D and Technicolor. As it is, though, they don't tend to get any crazier than Rush Limbaugh, and that itself is admittedly extreme.

My guess would be moldy rye.

epepke · 01-10-2005, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epinoia

If opiates were all that hallucingenic, cancer patients the world over would be claiming to see Jesus or Yahweh or Attila the Hun in 3-D and Technicolor. As it is, though, they don't tend to get any crazier than Rush Limbaugh, and that itself is admittedly extreme.

Heh. I'm guessing mushrooms. You're wandering in the desert. What else are you going to eat?

Lucretius · 01-11-2005, 05:19 AM

I always thought (without a scrap of evidence I might add

) that Ergot from mouldy grain was a possible reason for the Book of Revelations being as it is.
Certainly there are records of monasteries and nunneries in the Middle Ages having spates of religious "visions" which are now thought to have come about as a result of hallucinations from that source

CX · 01-11-2005, 02:51 PM

I'll soon be writing a monograph for the SBL on my "John the Seer was fucking with us" interpretation of the Apocalypse. Of course drug use would certainly fit into that theory.

Dave Roberts · 01-13-2005, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epepke

Heh. I'm guessing mushrooms. You're wandering in the desert. What else are you going to eat?

Yeah... I'm betting mushrooms too.

http://leda.lycaeum.org/?ID=10494

01-10-2005, 05:16 AM	#1
everettf Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: orange county,ca Posts: 630	Poppies?? Would anybody care to reflect on the use of opium in the mideast?? It seems to me that the stories in the bible were written by people on drugs. http://www.poppies.org/news/99501860170894.shtml

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

01-10-2005, 10:44 AM	#2
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Please read through this thread: Jesus used cannabis for prior discussions of drugs in the Bible. It is generally only the Revelation of John that strikes most commentators as having been written under the influence. The Opium timeline confirms that opium was cultivated and used in the early history of the Biblical areas. It is not clear if it takes modern manufacturing methods to produce a really addictive mind altering drug, as opposed to something that is best used for medicinal properties.

01-10-2005, 11:16 PM	#4
Epinoia Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Sodom, USA Posts: 200	If opiates were all that hallucingenic, cancer patients the world over would be claiming to see Jesus or Yahweh or Attila the Hun in 3-D and Technicolor. As it is, though, they don't tend to get any crazier than Rush Limbaugh, and that itself is admittedly extreme. My guess would be moldy rye.

01-11-2005, 05:19 AM	#6
Lucretius Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: . Posts: 1,014	I always thought (without a scrap of evidence I might add ) that Ergot from mouldy grain was a possible reason for the Book of Revelations being as it is. Certainly there are records of monasteries and nunneries in the Middle Ages having spates of religious "visions" which are now thought to have come about as a result of hallucinations from that source

01-11-2005, 02:51 PM	#7
CX Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Portlandish Posts: 2,829	I'll soon be writing a monograph for the SBL on my "John the Seer was fucking with us" interpretation of the Apocalypse. Of course drug use would certainly fit into that theory.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.