Texas Governor Greg Abbott just signed a bill designating $50 million to be spent on Psychedelic Plant Medicine. By psychedelic, I am referring to drugs that cause hallucinations. From a Biblical perspective, this is straight up witchcraft.
Abbott's legislation, for which the Texas legislature must also be held accountable, is an attempt to profit from the development and approval of Ibogaine, a schedule one drug that is currently illegal in this country.
Ibogaine is derived from the African Iboga shrub. Quack psychiatrists have been experimenting (illegally?) with using it to induce hallucinations as a form of psychiatric therapy. These witch doctors must be stopped (legally).
A similar psychedelic drug, Psilocybin, is being promoted by President Trump's pick for Surgeon General, Dr. Casey Means. Psilocybin is made from so-called magic mushrooms.
MDMA, more commonly known as Ecstasy, has also been part of the discussion. It comes from the oil of the sassafras tree and has apparently been used in clinical settings in combination with these other drugs.
Promoters of these drugs emphasize that they come from plants, as if that somehow makes them safe or good to use. Cocaine comes from plants. Opium comes from plants. Opioids such as Heroin are derived from plants. Many schedule one drugs come from plants. That does not make them any less dangerous. The designation as a schedule one drug means that a substance has no accepted medical usage and has a high potential for abuse, often due to its addictive properties.
Ibogaine has been known to cause serious heart damage and death. Psilocybin can cause psychotic episodes. MDMA causes brain damage. The long-term effects of Ibogaine and Psilocybin use are unknown. But even if those physical dangers were not present, there would still remain a serious spiritual danger.
Hallucinogenic drugs are not new. Pagans have used them in their religious practices for thousands of years. There were several such compounds known during the times when the Old Testament and New Testament were being written.
When Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal and Asherah, they were raving. It was common practice for them to lace wine with psychedelic drugs in order to enter an ecstatic state and prophesy. They used the drug to open themselves up to the spirits.
The central practice of the ancient fertility cult was to give a woman hallucinogenic drugs to allow their goddess to possess her body to participate in the sexual temple rites with the male worshippers.
The pagan rites of spring also involved psychedelics. The ancients would travel from as far north as Ninevah in Assyria, all the way south up the Nile to the temple of Bast in Ethiopia. They would flash people on the riverbank, get high, have visions/hallucinations, engage in debauched behavior, then get pagan symbols tattooed on themselves to commemorate the occasion. It was like ancient spring break. They even got piercings--but these were more like stab wounds than body art. The drugs allowed spirits to possess their bodies and they would rave.
A cult arose among Native Americans, using peyote to connect with spirit guides. Some jazz musicians used heroin to ascend to a "higher" spiritual plain.
In all of these situations, the spirits, goddesses, spirit guides and other entities that were being interacted with were evil spirits, DEMONS.
Hallucinogenic drugs like Ibogaine and Psilocybin are being used to deliberately take control of a person's mind away from them. This opens them up to demonic possession. Such drugs have always been used in this way. The ancients did it purposefully--though they often believed the demons to be gods.
The use of these psychedelic drugs by psychiatrists is an egregious malpractice. They are recklessly fecklessly toying with the human mind.
Paul ministered in pagan cities where such drugs had been used in pagan religious rituals. He also wrote letters to the believers in those cities which I believe touch on these issues and provide wisdom for us in our day.
In the letter to the Galatians, chapter 5 verses 20 and 21 warn against sorcery, idol worship, and drunkeness. The word translated as sorcery is the Greek word pharmakeia, from whence we get words like pharmacy and pharmaceuticals. In this case, I believe it is the very practice of using hallucinogens in pagan religious rituals that Paul is warning against. Any drug that puts a human being into an altered mental state where they are out of control of their mind is inherently dangerous. Self-Control is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
In the letter to the Ephesians chapter 5, verse 18, Paul contrasts an altered state of mind with a mind filled with the Holy Spirit.
Do not get drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.
Giving people suffering from mental difficulties dangerous drugs violates a doctor's oath to do no harm. They are demonstrating a pathological disregard for the patient's well-being by treating them as human guinea pigs for their experiments.
In no way am I downplaying the seriousness of mental illness, but these wicked drugs are not the answer. They will make things worse. It is only the Holy Spirit who can heal a wounded mind. Romans 12:12 promises that we can be transformed by the renewing of our mind. When we receive the Spirit of Christ into our lives, Our mind can be healed and renewed through peace from the Spirit of God as opposed to the dangerous and harmful spirits these drugs open people up to.
Demons come only to steal, kill, and destroy. These drugs allow them to do so. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. His Spirit is the opposite of them in every way.
For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. -2 Timothy 1:7
When we take our cares and worries to God, he protects our minds.
Don't worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7
Obviously, a blog post warning about hallucinogenic drugs cannot solve every mental or spiritual problem, but hopeful it can prevent new ones. I can, however, leave you with one good place to begin the journey toward mental peace, also from the letter to the Philippians:
Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable--if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy--dwell on these things.....and the God of peace will be with you.
