Can drugs and/or alcohol lead us to greater spirituality?

[kreeden]

As I said earlier , personally I wouldn't trust a Spiritual journey brough on by drugs . However , I believe that most of you are missing something here . I believe that the " trip " is only a part of the journey . Just as important is " opening " the mind to a different state of awareness . Which is why I would not trust it , as it is a drug induced awareness . However , our brains , or glands within our brains , also produce drugs , which often act in the same way these other drugs act .

Now , I don't think that the idea is to get stoned for a week , or every week . Mmmm , I'm not sure how to say this , as it is only a theory on my part . But I believe what happens is that the drug interduces the mind to the altered state of awareness , then the mind can take over for it's self , producing it's own chemicals when needed . As I said , this is just a theory as I have never had any Shamanic guidance while talking any drugs . Nor have I really looked into that deep . However , the gland that produces chemicals that is believed to cause dreams , produce the same type of chemicals often used for these " journeys ".

 

[ayani]

Can drugs and/or alcohol lead us to greater spirituality? If so, under what circumstances can they do this? If not, do they actually decrease our spirituality or are they neutral? What do you think?

i don't feel that stimulants in any form are appropriate means of trying to increase spiritual awareness. we should rely on our relationship with the Divine for spiritual experiences, not on chemicals.

 

[SoliDeoGloria]

As a Christian, I do believe that drugs and alcohol can lead one to spirituality. The question then becomes, what kind of spirituality could it lead to? From a Biblical prospective, an interesting point is raised when looked at the word translated in most modern english translations as "sorcery". Take for instance in Revelations 21:8 it states "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral person and sorcerers and idolators and all liars, their part wil be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." The greek word for sorcery is the word "Pharmekia" from which we get the word pharmacy. It is known that drug use was actually a big part of sorcery at that time.

There was a Harvard Professor by the name of Timothy Leary who was a very strong supporter of psychodelic drug use. He also supported the idea that humans are their own gods and told his followers on his website to wait for his reurrection shortly before he died.

Other noted people like Aliester Crowely, Aldious Huxley, and Anton Levey were also known to be supproters of drug use. These people were also known to be very anti christian, have been dubbed by the press as things like "the most evil man ever",and have started and been major influences of groups like Satanism, WICCA, etc.

With that being stated, while I do believe that drug and alcohol use can lead one to spirituality, the kind of spirituality that users and promoters these drugs exemplify is not the Godly one that is promoted in the Bible. So then, the question becomes, what kind of spirituality does it lead to. I'm going to assume that most people in here know the answer to that question.

Sincerely,
SoliDeoGloria

 

[martha]

I don't think that drugs or alcohol can lead to a greater spirituality.

When I was in my late teens some 32 years ago I smoked pot. The funny thing is that when me and my friends would be up all hours talking about God and life, inevitably the same thing would happen. Suddenly I would jump up and say " Oh my god, I know the answer!" " I know the meaning of life!" As soon as I started to explain life to my friends I promptly forgot what the heck the answer was!! I guess that is why I say I am a seeker, I had it once but I lost it and I am still trying to retreive it.

On another occasion I did LSD, but only once in my life. Frankly, once was quite enough for me. It was mind boggling that this little piece of acid could totally alter my mind and I had no way to stop it; had to wait til it wore off. Anyway the colors began and then the physical distortions started. I was walking down the street with friends and every step I took my legs would sink into the earth up to my knees. Everything looked like I was looking through a keliedescope. These two fellows came up to us and as I looked at one of them, it was Richard Nixon! The former president of the united states was talking to me. No, not really of course. I gotta say meeting Nixon was far from a spiritual experience! I was so afraid to go home to see what my father was going to look like and I freaked out so much I saw snakes around me and started to sweat. Then I promptly hurled on my front porch. " Oooh, look at the pretty colors, wow." That was all for me brother. Drugs and spirituality don't go together IMHO. I would much rather meet God when I am in my right mind.

I am in my right mind, right you guys? I mean..I mean you all aren't just in my mind are you? Some of you are pretty freaky sometimes. There's this one guy, ...looks like a scarecrow. You've seen him haven't you?

 

[Yerda]

we should rely on our relationship with the Divine for spiritual experiences, not on chemicals.

Although I have no idea what a spiritual experience is, what is the basis of this divine relationship and why are chemicals disqualified?

Spirituality may well be the release and uptake of chemicals by different cellular receptors.

 

[iaminterface]

Well, when it comes to drugs, i would have to say that marijuana has actually enhanced my spirituality. I dont believe that it will work for everyone though, I think you have to want to search for answers when you use these mind altering drugs. If you don't really care, you arent going to get anything out of the experiance. I use the altered mindstate to my advantage to think of ideas i would normally never think of. So, for my opinion i think they can help, and its a shame that people are afraid of these substances on the basis that they are illegal. But i suppose that is another issue.

 

[benjamin]

I don't think that drugs or alcohol can lead to a greater spirituality.

When I was in my late teens some 32 years ago I smoked pot. The funny thing is that when me and my friends would be up all hours talking about God and life, inevitably the same thing would happen. Suddenly I would jump up and say " Oh my god, I know the answer!" " I know the meaning of life!" As soon as I started to explain life to my friends I promptly forgot what the heck the answer was!! I guess that is why I say I am a seeker, I had it once but I lost it and I am still trying to retreive it.

On another occasion I did LSD, but only once in my life. Frankly, once was quite enough for me. It was mind boggling that this little piece of acid could totally alter my mind and I had no way to stop it; had to wait til it wore off. Anyway the colors began and then the physical distortions started. I was walking down the street with friends and every step I took my legs would sink into the earth up to my knees. Everything looked like I was looking through a keliedescope. These two fellows came up to us and as I looked at one of them, it was Richard Nixon! The former president of the united states was talking to me. No, not really of course. I gotta say meeting Nixon was far from a spiritual experience! I was so afraid to go home to see what my father was going to look like and I freaked out so much I saw snakes around me and started to sweat. Then I promptly hurled on my front porch. " Oooh, look at the pretty colors, wow." That was all for me brother. Drugs and spirituality don't go together IMHO. I would much rather meet God when I am in my right mind.

I am in my right mind, right you guys? I mean..I mean you all aren't just in my mind are you? Some of you are pretty freaky sometimes. There's this one guy, ...looks like a scarecrow. You've seen him haven't you?

Since you mention Nixon, I've a letter signed by him sent to my grandpa.:jiggy:

 

[benjamin]

Since you mention Nixon, I've a letter signed by him sent to my grandpa.:jiggy:

And I myself shook hands with him too. Yes, at the Oval Office.

 

[martha]

Benjamin, was that handshake a spiritual experience for you? By the way welcome to the forum. Is that you in the avatar or Elivis?

Please take no offence to my irreverent comment of Mr. Nixon. I am sure he had his good points too. I don't wish to offend you, and it seems to me that you have a good sense of humor.

 

[CaptainXeroid]

Believe it or not, except for some alcohol before I was 21 , I have never used an illegal drug. It might work for some people, but personally I would never use one even if I thought it would 'enhance' a spiritual experience.

 

[Druidus]

Believe it or not, except for some alcohol before I was 21

, I have never used an illegal drug. It might work for some people, but personally I would never use one even if I thought it would 'enhance' a spiritual experience.

Why not?

 

[CaptainXeroid]

Why not?

I've just never felt a desire to try 'mind-altering substances'. It may be fine for others, but not for me.