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Title: Mushrooms and Mankind: The Impact of Mushrooms on Human Consciousness and Religion by James Arthur, Arthur James ISBN: 1-58509-151-0 Publisher: Book Tree Pub. Date: March, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.2 (10 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: Mushrooms and Mankind.
Comment: _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: 5
Summary: Hardcover Edition?
Comment: I rate this book 5*s exclusively based upon the information contained therein. The formatting could use some polishing and it would be nice to have a hardcover available (color pictures etc.) I did manage to find Arthurs website which has many of the same images in color.
I have not seen as broad a look at the subject of Ethnomycology, as far as Amanita muscaria goes, either in contemporary writings or the classics, but I would like to see this author explore more information on Psilocybe sp. My only beef is; I would like more. I hope he has an aim to comment further in future works in regards to some of the subjects only briefly touched upon in this book. I also enjoyed the writing style and will comment that sometimes things just need to be said no matter who doesnt agree with it. Arthur says a lot, about a lot, in this book..
This is a welcomed addition to my library and I find myself commenting on the book and showing it to my friends quite often. The seemingly unrelated areas tend to grow on you and as an example understanding certain connections continues to dawn on me still. Also it is refreshing to see so many new ideas I have seen presented nowhere else. In a world becoming increasingly redundant and robotic I can see the unique combination of ideas and Philosophical viewpoints contained in this book to be revolutionary!
Rating: 5
Summary: Sometimes things are not always what they seem.
Comment: The book is very dense in information. I've now read it three times and I think that the author is truly inspired. It is amazing how many ideas in one small book could expose the foundations of society, government and religion as fraudulent. The tome shreds reality as most people in the western world believe it to be. I look at things differently now and the world would be a much different place if everybody were to read this book. This book just might change your perceptions of the world in a positive way, it did mine. Certainly an underground classic.
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