Magic Beings or Magic Mushrooms?

[steamer]

One wonders what sort of mushrooms might have been found in Jesus's time and place.

http://www.freedomdomain.com/religion/fabbro.htm

http://www.freedomdomain.com/religion/fabbro.htm

The presence of mosaic illustrations in the basilica of Aquileia representing mushrooms with psychotropic properties indicates that some religious rites of early Christianity, which were probably linked to mysterial cults meant to be kept secret, were related to the ingestion of hallucinogenic substances facilitating mystic ecstasy. It still remains to be seen, however, whether these ecstatic techniques were a common heritage of all early Christian churches or whether they were known and practiced only within some heretic groups of Christians. Roman authorities repeatedly accused early Christians of practicing sorcery by using hallucinogenic substances (Origen, Contra Celsum, I,68; VI,38) [16]. However, Irenaeus (130-200 A.D.) bishop of Lyon, maintained that only heretic churches, thus also the gnostic churches, made use of hallucinogens within magic rites (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, I,13-15; I,24-25) [17].
The identification of pictures reproducing hallucinogenic mushrooms in the premises of an ancient Christian church may help us to understand some aspects of those mysterious rites or of the so-called "discipline of the arcanum" [18] characterizing the most ancient Christian liturgy that, by definition, had to be kept secret and handed down orally to initiated disciples only.

© source where applicable

[Ray Fletcher]

Ever read John's Revelation? Now that dude was totally tripping on some shrooms!

"take the book from my hand and eat it"!

[steamer]

Ever read John's Revelation? Now that dude was totally tripping on some shrooms!

"take the book from my hand and eat it"!

Right after that he says "it will be sour in his belly". This is the reason for the snails in the story. Eating the shrooms gives you a stomach ache. If you feed the shrooms to the snails first you can eat the snails, get high, and not get a belly ache. Interesting.

[jpholding]

It's been done. See item 4 in his bibliography. That book by Allegro was such a disgrace that a group of Allegro's fellow scholars put a huge advertisement in the newspaper dismissing it as a fantasy.

But it's spot on as far as what the gullible find credible, eh, steamer?

[wfaber]

What? Now we're attributing Christian origins to toadstools?

There's a fungus among us!

[steamer]

It's been done. See item 4 in his bibliography. That book by Allegro was such a disgrace that a group of Allegro's fellow scholars put a huge advertisement in the newspaper dismissing it as a fantasy.

But it's spot on as far as what the gullible find credible, eh, steamer?

Why were mushrooms and snails in a basket found in the mosaic tiles of an ancient church? I'm sure it's not impossible that some sects of early Christians did use hallucinogens. To dismiss reality is the fantasy, is it not?

[Richbee]

One wonders what sort of mushrooms might have been found in Jesus's time and place.

How do you explain your warped view of Reality?

[steamer]

Here the pictures

[jpholding]

Why were mushrooms and snails in a basket found in the mosaic tiles of an ancient church?

Because the priests enjoyed a fine escargot dish. Next question?

As an aside, are there tiles with any other pictures of anything else? Maybe there's tiles with depictions of pot, needles, and crack pipes. You think?

[anthrogirl]

How do you explain your warped view of Reality?

Is it really warped to recognize that hallucinegenic mushrooms existed during Jesus's time?

ag

[steamer]

Because the priests enjoyed a fine escargot dish. Next question?

I'm not sure why you are so defensive about this. All it suggests is that some sects of Christianity, possibly heretical, may have used hallucinogens in their sacred rites.

[Jedidiah]

I'm not sure why you are so defensive about this. All it suggests is that some sects of Christianity, possibly heretical, may have used hallucinogens in their sacred rites.

Your pictures look like generic mushrooms. They could be any of several varieties. No reason, from looking at the tiles, to see these as "hallucinogic."


Oh, and AG, that reveals the "warped" in steamys view of reality.

[steamer]

Oh, and AG, that reveals the "warped" in steamys view of reality.

Yes, Beeman here believes an invisible skydaddy approves of his being a mindless parrot, yet I have some sort of warped view of reality.

http://www.freedomdomain.com/religion/fabbro.htm

In the basket full of mushrooms there are at least eight exemplars with dark red caps scattered with pale orange mosaic tesserae and white radiating gill-shaped lamellae in the undersurface of the caps. On the basis of the colour and the form of these mushrooms, it is reasonable to suggest that these are fungi of the type Amanita muscaria.

© source where applicable

[anthrogirl]

Your pictures look like generic mushrooms. They could be any of several varieties. No reason, from looking at the tiles, to see these as "hallucinogic."

Wow, Beeman!

I didn't know that you were a specialized archaeologist, qualified to make such a conclusion based on a couple of thumbnail pics. Great work!!!

Thanks for attaching the article, steamer.

ag

[steamer]

The mushroom in question