During the turbulent nineteen sixties, great promises were made by some in high places that mankind was on the threshold of a new age of experience and enlightenment. This was to be made possible by the use of drugs that could expand the mind to higher realms of thought and perception. The new enlightenment was even projected to have religious significance.
This promise of increased perception was not just the claim of the drug pusher on the streets of the city, but of the learned men in high places. Two psychology professors from the great Harvard University, Dr. Timothy Leary and Dr. Richard Alpert, were among those in learned places who were experimenting with what was thought to be a very promising, mind-expanding drug, LSD. Students exposed to this drug were experiencing more vivid perception of colors and sounds and sometimes what seemed to be an experience of religious significance. Some experiences appeared to be pleasant and enlightening and others were nightmarish and frightening.
In the winter of 1962-1963, President Pusey of Harvard fired Dr. Leary and Dr. Alpert for their dangerous experiments with drugs saving. "You may be making Buddhas out of everyone, but that's not what we're trying to do." However, Leary and Alpert continued their experimenting outside the university. The stories of so-called expanded-mind-drug experience became known to the public and many started experimenting with LSD in all sorts of ways that often led to disastrous results. The only legal manufacturer of the drug, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, stopped making it because of the many tragedies associated with its use. It had hoped that uses for it could be found in treating people with mental disorders. The harm caused to people by this drug is now well-known and its use has waned in recent years because of the violent side effects. However, the search goes on for the ideal drug that gives "expanded minds.” The use of mind-expanding ("hallucinogenic") and other drugs is not really new. Timothy Leary linked the LSD experience with that described in the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Drugs Used in Old Testament Times
The Greek word for sorcery in the New Testament is pharmakia and signifies the use of medicines, drugs and spells for evil purposes. Going back to Old Testament times, it is believed that the word “sorceries” also includes the use of drugs for evil purposes. In Ex. 7, Moses and Aaron had a confrontation with the sorcerers (magicians) of Egypt. In order to show the power of the Lord behind the request that Pharaoh let Israel go, the Lord gave Moses and Aaron the miraculous power to transform Aaron's rod into a serpent. The magicians responded by producing serpents from their own rods.
But Aaron's rod swallowed up the magicians' rods. The serpents produced by the magicians must not have been living as the magicians could not produce lice when Aaron brought forth lice in a later plague. The magicians could not produce life (lice) and acknowledged that this was the "finger of God." But they were imitating the miracles that the Lord gave Moses and Aaron to do. They were able to make it appear. at least, that they were doing the same miraculous deeds, but were powerless to create life. And then the magicians suffered pain under the next plague (boils) and could not stand before Moses. They were not able to protect themselves. In 2 Tim. 3:88Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (2 Timothy 3:8). these magicians are referred to and identified as Jannes and Jambres.
Occult Practices
It is stated that the truth will be resisted in the last days in the same manner that these withstood Moses. This is by imitation and often through occult practices. It is significant that the meanings of their names (perhaps titles) are the "foamy healer" and "the oppressor." The foamy healing and oppression are altogether the effects produced by drugs as well as other occult practices. Still men in our day are searching for and claiming to get religious experience through drugs. But the effects are "foamy" and "oppressive." Those who claim religious experience through drugs are thus fulfilling prophecy. Their minds are described as "corrupt" (2 Tim. 3:88Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (2 Timothy 3:8)). A current expression is "blown minds." On drugs, some users think they are so great they can step out of a ten-story building and then on another occasion so small that they cannot step up a curbing. Their minds have been corrupted.
The word "witchcraft" used in the Old Testament included drug usage and is severely condemned. "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Ex. 22:1818Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. (Exodus 22:18). In Nah. 3:4,4Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. (Nahum 3:4) the word "witchcraft" carries the same meaning and is given as the cause for the destruction of Nineveh. The ancients derived drugs from natural sources. Natural products and chemically modified, natural products are used in our day.
It may not be realized by all Christians now but drugs were a problem in the early Church. In A.D. 315, a council of churches was held in Ancyra to forbid the use of all "pharmakia” in the church. We are considering an old problem, one of the enticements of Satan to lead men to destruction.
Continued drug usage opens up the mind to demon possession. The man in Luke 8 had the characteristics of a man under the influence of drugs. He was driven into the wilderness as men on drugs are driven into a wilderness of mental confusion and living conditions. He lived among the tombs. They and their friends come to an early death. He broke the chains. Men on PCP ("angel dust." but what kind of angels?) break handcuffs. He was afraid of torment. Drug addicts are in torment until they get another dose to last a while. He wore no clothes, symbolizing the moral condition of these people.
The man in Luke 8 fell down at Jesus' feet and acknowledged Him to be the Son of God. This is the only hope for drug addicts, as well as anyone else. He begged Jesus not to torment him. So Jesus delivered him from the torment that he was in and then he sat at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.
The Only Hope for Drug Addicts
He wanted to be with Jesus. This will be his happy lot in eternity, but for that time Jesus told him to be a witness to his own house of the great things that Jesus had done unto him. He did this and, as a result, when Jesus returned (He will return soon) the people were all waiting for Him. The demoniac got the blessing for his repentance and acknowledgment of Jesus as the Son of God. But the "drugs-for-religion" promoters of our day think that they can rise to the heights and have an experience with God and in this position be "as God.” This was the promise that Satan made to Eve in Gen. 3. The experience, though, is with a demon, one of Satan's ministers, and not the true God.
Religious Experiences
The Late Aldous Huxley, the grandson of Thomas Huxley of evolutionary fame, wrote a book titled Doors of Perception in which he proposed that drugs may be the way for man to get superior perception, reality, and religious experience. A good drug trip is “heaven" and a bad one is “hell" to him. He rates marijuana as bad but the mescaline of the peyote plant that the American Indians used as more indicative of what might be achieved in the way of drug usage for religious experiences. He and others claim the side effects of mescaline are not too bad. But people who have lived around Indians who have used mescaline know very well the damage that it does to their thinking and the violent crimes that they commit under its influence.
Aldous Huxley tried to link the drug experience with descriptions given in the Bible. He cited Ezek. 28 as one description of the drug experience and claimed that it is a religious experience of Biblical content. He cited the precious stones For covering, the anointed cherub, the stones of lire, the brilliance mentioned in Ezek. 28 as the experience of one on drugs and thus "truly religious." But the true and faithful Christian scholar recognizes the description in Ezek. 28 to be descriptive of Satan. Huxley apparently did not recognize this, but supplied the information to connect the drug experience with satanic activity. Here Satan most precisely fits the description of an "angel of light.”
After the "light" the drug experience may become "dark" and filled with terror and lead to violent and destructive action, which is in the end Satan's object. So it is well known today that mental problems, murder, suicide and crime are often a result of drug taking.
The word “witchcraft” in Gal. 5:2020Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Galatians 5:20) definitely refers to the taking of drugs as one of the works of the flesh. The same is true of Rev. 9:2121Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. (Revelation 9:21). Even after one-third of the people of the earth arc killed, those who remain will not repent of the sorceries (pharmakia) nor of the fornication, nor their thefts, nor murders. The drug taking is very expensive and some engage in fornication, robbery, and sometimes murder to get the money to purchase the drugs. This is a well-known association in our day. Huxley, Leary and others have proclaimed that drugs will be the religion of the future in spite of the setbacks.
Search for the Ideal
They are hoping to find an ideal drug that will give them a "religious" experience without the negative effects produced by the presently known drugs. The field in which to search for this drug is indeed vast. There are over four million organic chemical compounds that have been cataloged. Only one is needed to give man this "religious" experience. It may be that God will allow this for a season in the apostate church after the Lord comes. For when the apostate church of Babylon is destroyed (in Rev. 18), the stated reason given is "for by thy sorceries (pharmakias) were all nations deceived.”
Eastern mystics have used drugs for centuries and have of late been introducing them into the Christian world. The door for this goes back to higher criticism. Higher criticism, denying inspiration and the supernatural content of the Scriptures, left man cold and in doubt. Rationalism did not give joy or hope, so men turned back to religion but would not admit their error and accept that the Bible was indeed the truth, inspired of God. They were looking for a religious experience, not just faith and hope and the witness of the Holy Spirit within. This search for experience opened up the door to the Eastern Mystics, who promised experiences through meditation, drugs, etc.
The "good" religious experience commonly reported under the influence of drugs causes a melting into unity of all difficulties and conflicts. The person thinks that all is well and there is no basic problem of the human race.
Be Reconciled to God
This is deceiving and causes the person to forget the Biblical truth that man is a sinner and an enemy of God, in need of repentance and reconciliation to God through the atoning sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ. The drug taker thinks that he is part of that great unity of which God is part.
He has no felt need of repentance. The Bible teaches that the repentant sinner is reconciled to God by His grace and then He blesses him with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places (Eph. 1:33Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3)). But we are then told that we are in a conflict with "wicked spirits in heavenly places" (Eph. 6:1212For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12) marginal reading). The "religious" drug taker too thinks that he is in heavenly places. But his experience is really with a demon (wicked spirit) in heavenly places. Often the experience of a drug taker is with an evil, fearful, destructive demon. He goes into this state to join with the wicked spirits that the Bible tells the Christian that he is In conflict with. So the drug taker or transcendental meditator has put himself in a dangerous position. The mental problems and suicide, murders, etc., committed by people on drugs are ample proof of the influence of the "wicked spirits in heavenly places." So the claims of "religious experience" by the drug taker may be true, but it is a bad one with destructive demons with which the Christian is warned that he is in conflict. There may be limes when the religious experience is pleasant, but this is Satan's way of luring one into deeper involvement. There are two masters, two ways, two destinies. The Devil would fool people to make them think that all is merged into one great unity which is God. But we must make a choice.
Two Destinies
The Scripture tells us that Satan and his followers will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity.
So far, our subject of discussion has been drugs that affect the mind (and soul and spirit in the end).
Drugs as Mercies
On the other hand there are legitimate drugs for the healing of many bodily pains (i.e. aspirin) and ailments (antibiotics).
The point of contention is not with these. Their usage is regulated by government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration of the Federal Government and can be accepted as a mercy of the Lord to alleviate the suffering of mankind. It is those drugs that are claimed to be superior stimulants, depressants or are claimed to give an expanded mind or a religious experience that are dangerous and should be firmly rejected by the Christian.
The use of tranquilizers has greatly increased in late years. Great quantities of these are prescribed by doctors and some are sold over the counter. In small, regulated dosages these are perhaps not harmful, but the Christian needs to be careful not to become dependent upon them, for a condition of such dependence interferes with the appreciation of spiritual things. The Christian needs to live in the conscious appreciation of the Scriptures such as the 23rd Psalm:
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. J. Wilhelm
Sorcery—Drugs
In the Acts we find a damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, or Python. This was the prophetic oracle at Delphi, held to be the center and focus of Gentile divination. An evil spirit connected with that oracle possessed this young woman.
The testimony of the evil spirit to the servants of the most high God is remarkable. It may have been compelled to speak thus when brought face to face with the power of Gad (as the demons owned Christ), but the apostle could not tolerate commendation from such a source—the spirit was cast out by a superior power. Her soothsaying or divination was stopped, and her master lost the source of his evil gains. (Acts 16:16-1916And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. 18And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, (Acts 16:16‑19).)
In the New Testament, besides the case referred to of the damsel possessed by a spirit of Python, we read of others: Simon who used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria for a long time (Acts 8:9-119But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 10To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 11And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. (Acts 8:9‑11)): Elymas, the sorcerer, a Jew whom they met in Cyprus, perverted the right ways of the Lord. (Acts 13:6-116And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: 7Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 9Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. (Acts 13:6‑11).) These used magical arts (called curious arts in Acts 19:1919Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. (Acts 19:19)) and bewitched the people. Another word is used in the Greek for sorceries in Revelation which refers to drugs (to stupefy with drugs) and then for any system of sorcery by incantations. (Rev. 9:21: 18:23: 21:8: 22:15.) Sorcery is classed with the grossest of sins, and is also applied to the professing church in mystical Babylon. The same word is translated "witchcraft" in Gal. 5:2020Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Galatians 5:20).
The above is a brief glance at the subtle power of Satan in the unseen world, by which he deludes mankind, at least where man is the willing victim. Is it not clear that divination should not be confounded with mere jugglery? However much that may be associated with it, the real power of Satan is behind it. Some sorcerers converted in modern times in various parts of the world have confessed that they were controlled by a power beyond their own, but that it ceased entirely on their believing and confessing Christ.
It is important to see that this power is of Satan because of the great increase in the present day of attempting to have communications with the spirits of the dead to which even Christians may be and have been drawn, out of mere curiosity. "Let no man beguile you of your reward... intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." Col. 2:1818Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, (Colossians 2:18).