Getting high with the most high: Entheogens in the Old Testament
Journal of Psychedelic Studies March 7, 2019 Danny Nemu 10 citations
Evidence from psychopharmacology, scripture, and archaeology suggests that several preparations described in the Old Testament—Manna, Showbread, the Holy Ointment, and the Tabernacle Incense—contained psychoactive components, including GABA-receptor agonists and modulators, opioid receptor agonists, and other agents. The Holy Ointment included enzyme inhibitors that prevented the breakdown of these compounds, making them orally active. The preparations indicate that the ancient Israelites had a profound understanding of synergism, and the way they were consumed, along with associated taboos, suggests their use as psychoactive agents to facilitate a direct experience of the Israelite God.