Rating: 
Summary: Wide-ranging, informal, suggestive
Review: The visionary James Arthur is the opposite of the careful and straightlaced Dan Merkur in the field of the entheogen theory of the origins of religion. This book is so wide-ranging, it's hard to form a clear mental picture of its scope. Arthur has innovative coverage speculating about entheogens in Egyptian and Asian as well as Christian religion. This subject is just getting started so there are few books and what few there are are speculative. The entheogen theory of the origin of religions *makes sense*, particularly when focusing on the specifically religious aspect of religion rather than other aspects such as political, ethical, or sociological aspects. Scholars, including esoteric and Literalist Christian scholars, agree that entheogenic plants are basically reliable triggers for religious experiencing. Historians of religion are trying to use "psychology", "anthropology", and "sociology" to explain the origin of religions. These explanatory threads point to entheogens at the fountainhead of religion, religious experiencing, and religious myth. This book provides some evidence but most of all provides the all-important *perspective* from which we can see how well it makes good sense to look to entheogens for the origin of mystic experiencing at the root of religion. There's really no reasonable argument against the entheogen theory of the origin of religion -- it enables a full-spectrum, integral-theory explanation of religion to finally come together.
Rating:
Summary: Wide-ranging, informal, suggestive
Review: The visionary James Arthur is the opposite of the careful and straightlaced Dan Merkur in the field of the entheogen theory of the origins of religion. This book is so wide-ranging, it's hard to form a clear mental picture of its scope. Arthur has innovative coverage speculating about entheogens in Egyptian and Asian as well as Christian religion. This subject is just getting started so there are few books and what few there are are speculative. The entheogen theory of the origin of religions *makes sense*, particularly when focusing on the specifically religious aspect of religion rather than other aspects such as political, ethical, or sociological aspects. Scholars, including esoteric and Literalist Christian scholars, agree that entheogenic plants are basically reliable triggers for religious experiencing. Historians of religion are trying to use "psychology", "anthropology", and "sociology" to explain the origin of religions. These explanatory threads point to entheogens at the fountainhead of religion, religious experiencing, and religious myth. This book provides some evidence but most of all provides the all-important *perspective* from which we can see how well it makes good sense to look to entheogens for the origin of mystic experiencing at the root of religion. There's really no reasonable argument against the entheogen theory of the origin of religion -- it enables a full-spectrum, integral-theory explanation of religion to finally come together.
Rating: 
Summary: A most intriguing read with a lasting impact.
Review: There are enough ties among the various world traditions in this book to make a solid case that the mushrooms (Amanitas and Psilocybin) are foundational to religious origins. It makes a lot of sense that the plants (drugs) of the old world received a status of renoun around the world when you consider the trade value these plants have and still engender. I agree that the future of mankind does not embrace a continuing prohibition of these incredible plants but, rather, humanity will once again respect and use these plants as they were meant to be used, as tools for enlightenment. Having been a Bible studier for most of my life I am gratified to report that understanding the Bible is greatly enhansed by reading Mushrooms and Mankind. The esoteric symbolism is unveiled and I now understand much that was previously a mystery to me. This is the greatest impact I could never have imagined coming from a book about Psychedelic mushrooms. On another note, the reviewer Derick Pillion misrepresented what this book actually says I've read his review and whether it is a misunderstanding or an intentional fabrication, his review is not factual. This book is packed with connections between mushrooms, myth and religion and I can now see even more of them that were not in the book. I found it to be a valuable stepping-stone in my own research and quest for understanding.
Rating: 
Summary: Mushrooms and Mankind.
Review: _Mushrooms and Mankind_ posits that the origin of human religious experience comes from consumption of hallucinogenic mushrooms and a variety of other plants, such as poppy flowers and marijuana. The most notable type of mushroom is the amanita muscaria mushroom. The author, James Arthur, says that the altered state of consciousness coming from this type of `shroom creates the life-to-death-resurrection which is central to world religion, especially Christianity. Arthur's book is full of pop-culture New Age speculation, conspiracy theories (it's those sex-hating fascists again), the standard liberal social-political diatribe, etc. He claims that Freemasonry created Christianity and used it for population control. Many of these things I disagree with, especially Arthur's notion of a conspiratorial theory of Christianity's origins. Arthur argues that some drugs be legalized. I agree that SOME drugs that are today illegal should be made legal for legitimate purposes, either medicinal or recreational. The primary function of the drug alcohol is to make people stupid, but it is legal for those over twenty-one. I absolutely do not advocate hallucinogenic use, but making them illegal causes more problems than are solved (for instance, alcohol became more popular AFTER Prohibition made it illegal than before it). I enjoyed the book's layout. The cover has an icon of Jesus from an 11th century Psalter. Jesus is shown as "Lord of magickal plants," presiding over four mushrooms and poppy flowers with a vine of marijuana beneath. The book is full of grainy photographs of the most bizarre scenes: gnomes in Christmas art, ancient pottery and statues, pyramids, Asian temples, mushrooms, religious symbols, etc. What really interested me was the connection between the `shroom and the bomb. Michael Hoffman in _Secret Societies and Psychological Warfare_ makes the enigmatic statement that the mushroom represents hyper-rationality taken to dangerous and deadly levels. Therefore a mushroom shaped cloud that appears when a nuclear device is detonated. Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last." If Arthur is correct (and it's highly questionable that he is) about religious experience beginning with psychedelic mushrooms, then mushroom clouds carry the seeds of human death. But I can see the connection more clearly now... If you like goofy and offbeat theories (even when you don't agree) than _Mushrooms and Mankind_ is worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: Mushrooms and Mankind.
Review: _Mushrooms and Mankind_ posits that the origin of human religious experience comes from consumption of hallucinogenic mushrooms and a variety of other plants, such as poppy flowers and marijuana. The most notable type of mushroom is the amanita muscaria mushroom. The author, James Arthur, says that the altered state of consciousness coming from this type of 'shroom creates the life-to-death-resurrection which is central to world religion, especially Christianity. Arthur's book is full of pop-culture New Age speculation, conspiracy theories (it's those sex-hating fascists again), the standard liberal social-political diatribe, etc. He claims that Freemasonry created Christianity and used it for population control. Many of these things I disagree with, especially Arthur's notion of a conspiratorial theory of Christianity's origins. Arthur argues that some drugs be legalized. I agree that SOME drugs that are today illegal should be made legal for legitimate purposes, either medicinal or recreational. The primary function of the drug alcohol is to make people stupid, but it is legal for those over twenty-one. I absolutely do not advocate hallucinogenic use, but making them illegal causes more problems than are solved (for instance, alcohol became more popular AFTER Prohibition made it illegal than before it). I enjoyed the book's layout. The cover has an icon of Jesus from an 11th century Psalter. Jesus is shown as "Lord of magickal plants," presiding over four mushrooms and poppy flowers with a vine of marijuana beneath. The book is full of grainy photographs of the most bizarre scenes: gnomes in Christmas art, ancient pottery and statues, pyramids, Asian temples, mushrooms, religious symbols, etc. What really interested me was the connection between the 'shroom and the bomb. Michael Hoffman in _Secret Societies and Psychological Warfare_ makes the enigmatic statement that the mushroom represents hyper-rationality taken to dangerous and deadly levels. Therefore a mushroom shaped cloud that appears when a nuclear device is detonated. Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last." If Arthur is correct (and it's highly questionable that he is) about religious experience beginning with psychedelic mushrooms, then mushroom clouds carry the seeds of human death. But I can see the connection more clearly now... If you like goofy and offbeat theories (even when you don't agree) than _Mushrooms and Mankind_ is worth a look.
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