Posted on 03/04/2008 6:46:14 AM PST by crusty old prospector
High on Mount Sinai, Moses was on psychedelic drugs when he heard God deliver the Ten Commandments, an Israeli researcher claimed in a study published this week. Such mind-altering substances formed an integral part of the religious rites of Israelites in biblical times, Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote in the Time and Mind journal of philosophy.
"As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics," Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday.
Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the "burning bush," suggested Shanon, who said he himself has dabbled with such substances.
"The Bible says people see sounds, and that is a classic phenomenon," he said citing the example of religious ceremonies in the Amazon in which drugs are used that induce people to "see music."
He mentioned his own experience when he used ayahuasca, a powerful psychotropic plant, during a religious ceremony in Brazil's Amazon forest in 1991. "I experienced visions that had spiritual-religious connotations," Shanon said.
He said the psychedelic effects of ayahuasca were comparable to those produced by concoctions based on bark of the acacia tree, that is frequently mentioned in the Bible.
And I suppose when he parted the Red Sea, he was on Steroids?
******What’s with the Asterisk for the letter ‘a’?******
Elsie, when I read that thread, I also wondered about the “a” omitted in Easter.
Also, I wonder why others omit the letter “o” in God.
Yep, happens all the time.
I was walking among the street derelicts myself a few weeks ago, and had this strange compulsion to leave everything and follow this one greasy, wild-eyed gent to the promised refrigerator boxes under the overpass.
I attribute it to the Ripple effect.
/sarc.
You have streets?
Not out here in the countryside, but we’d ridden our mules to a major metropolitan area.
“The words God and Lord (Adonai) are often written by many Jews as G-d and L-rd as a way of avoiding writing a name of God, as to avoid the risk of the sin of erasing or defacing the name.
If you want to avoid using the name of God by dropping the vowels, then you'd have to say J_s_s.
God's name is not "God." Nor is his name "Lord." The Name given to God at the incarnation was Jesus. At that Name every knee shall bow. There is none other given among men whereby we must be saved.
The name he gave to Moses at Mt. Siani is Hebrew and contains no vowels and nobody is really sure at this point how it is pronounced.
They didn't seem to mind using his name in the New Testament, did they?
I think that was the point of the incarnation.
Usually a week after, sometimes a month after (three out of nineteen years), occasionally on the same day. This year the dates are 3/23 and 4/27. Next year the dates are 4/12 and 4/19. The year after that both days fall on 4/4 (which is the Julian 3/22, the earliest day on which e*ster can fall).
Someone had just asked why they had seen it printed that way and I was giving an explanation. Because of reverence to God, I believe it is a Jewish custom not to say his name. At least, so I have heard.
And no, "Tune in, turn on, and drop out!" does not count.
(Not that we've managed to do very well on the "Thou Shalt Not Covet" even today. Our entire advertising industry is based on encouraging people to break this commandment.)
Cheers!
And no, "Tune in, turn on, and drop out!" does not count.
(Not that we've managed to do very well on the "Thou Shalt Not Covet" even today. Our entire advertising industry is based on encouraging people to break this commandment.)
Cheers!
Deuteronomy 13
1. If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder,
2. and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them,"
3. you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
4. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
Deuteronomy 12:32
See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.
More writing fingers...
John 8:8
Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
Probably a 'penumbra' type of thing.
Well...
...if it keeps the Mad Dogs away...
I’ve been out walkin’ the streets of Laredo.
(Nuevo Laredo; too.)
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