In my (American) experience, there is a world of difference between the parishioner and the theologian. I don't know any theologian who could resist an offer of

In my (American) experience, there is a world of difference between the parishioner and the theologian. I don't know any theologian who could resist an offer of an experience that might give them insight into the mind of their creator. Also, this took place in the 1960s. Post-"War on Drugs" indoctrination wasn't in effect, and consciousness expansion - the understanding that reality is greater than our limited and incomplete human senses can perceive, but that they can be enhanced - was popular. If you're interested in the range (and similarity) of entheogen experiences, there are many accounts from people across the world recorded on the web going back decades. It makes for very interesting history. There's a very modern fear at play here, but it's fear of the state, not of gods. Substance use as a ritual aid aligns with both religious-historic accounts and evidence found in early Abrahamic temples. For example: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cannabis-found-altar-ancient-israeli-shrine-180975016/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cannabis-found-alt...