The Seduction of Sacred Substances

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

One of the differences between science and religion is that the former learns from experience and the latter suffers from petrifaction in the sense that it refuses to learn. The prohibition of sacred substances is one of the areas where religion falls down again and again. It is also an area where science has a great deal yet to learn. White smocked clinicians continue to narrow their gaze on the biochemical aspects of substance use without considering a whole host of cultural aspects. In their effort to get at the essence of the problem, they have boiled away its vitality. (In the Roman tradition, the only time a substance is considered sacred is when an official magician has spoken authoritative mumbo-jumbo over it.)

When the distinct cultures of ancient Europe and pre-Columbian America began to mingle, they exchanged the products of their respective societies. Europeans obtained tobacco from America and Native Americans obtained alcohol from Europeans. The earliest American trade laws on record relate to the tobacco trade. Likewise, Jesuits made an attempt to regulate the brandy trade with Natives. These were not the only objects of commerce, but they were at the top of the heap. Animal fur was almost as important as tobacco to Europeans and gun powder was almost as important as liquor to Natives. (Jesuits were notoriously fond of chocolate.)

England and France fell into a vicious competition to establish a trade monopoly with America. English merchants lured commerce away from French channels with a product far more potent and significantly less costly than the French were selling. At one event, twenty braves died of alcohol poisoning for lack of prior experience with the English brew. This prompted the French to accuse the English of deliberately poisoning the Natives to death.

A similar accusation of deliberate destruction arose when crack cocaine replaced cannabis in the pockets of ghetto street pharmacists. I recall the occasion when the change was made. It was as harsh as the transition to a new, more seductive LJ interface. Suddenly, a trip to the street retailers for herbal delights became a fruitless pursuit. Crack was the only thing available. A switch had been thrown behind Adam Smith's invisible hand that was as pernicious as the switch from the French grape to the English sugar cane.

What do you think of sacred substances and the public policy of control?

Comments

[telemann.livejournal.com]

I think that incense used at Mass on Christmas Day has crack in it. I can't get enough of that stuff. They say it's Frankincense and Myrrh, but I picked up some florals up in there. I think NYC subway should have incensors in every station; you know, to get rid of that nasty piss smell.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

I probably miss the smells of church more than anything else about religion.

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

In my university years in Sofia I liked visiting the St. Alexander Nevsky cathedral, just opposite the Sofia University. I'm not religious, but it's a gorgeous place with a very calm atmosphere. I liked sitting inside and emptying my head and just... meditating maybe. The smell of candles helped a lot too. Those guys knew how to build churches...

[telemann.livejournal.com]

There's a cologne that smells EXACTLY the incense at Mass, I've been wearing it a lot this week, and thank god it's been so cold because it's just too heavy in warmer weather.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it would help to think of urine as a sort of subterranean sacrament.

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

I refer to incense as a Pythagorean sacrifice. He recommended it over animal sacrifice.

As for the smell of urine, it would take trainloads of the stuff to mask the aroma.

[paedraggaidin.livejournal.com]

It's funny...I generally loathe incense, primarily because it makes my asthma go six kinds of nuts (and don't get me started on potpourri) but for some reason the incense at Mass has never bothered me. I've been hit with a cloud of the stuff full in the face (hint: don't sit in the first pew on Easter) and it didn't bother me. Love it. Mmm.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Look at how big this dog is yo.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

Yay you win one Internet. Or something.

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

Which reminds me of cultures where dog is considered a delicacy. Francis Parkman tells a story about being offered puppy stew by a host group.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

"I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos. "

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

Is that a quote by one of our steamed community members?

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

I have no idea what this is about so....

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

There are rabbits in my yard, but they aren't eating my weeds, sadly enough. A coworker wants to trap them and cook them.

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

Bunny!

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

The prohibition of sacred substances is one of the areas where religion falls down again and again. It is also an area where science has a great deal yet to learn. White smocked clinicians continue to narrow their gaze on the biochemical aspects of substance use without considering a whole host of cultural aspects. In their effort to get at the essence of the problem, they have boiled away its vitality. (In the Roman tradition, the only time a substance is considered sacred is when an official magician has spoken authoritative mumbo-jumbo over it.)

Exactly how much sense did this make to you when you wrote it?

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

It still makes plenty of sense. Mull it over a bit. You may be able to get some value from it after all.

[paedraggaidin.livejournal.com]

Well, I was watching some Japanese tentacle porn a little while ago here at work, and at that particular point in time I found it rather difficult to control my sacred substances. Thank God for Kleenex.

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

Annnndddd......scene.

[kardashev.livejournal.com]

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

Is that something like this (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Tako_to_ama_retouched.jpg)?

[telemann.livejournal.com]

TIME for SNL J-Pop ,) (http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/j-pop-talk-show/1372898)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

If you don't already get yourself a copy if "In the Devil's Garden: A Sinful History of Forbidden Food" by Stewart Allen. You'll love it.

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recommendation.

[peamasii.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to self-medicate with herbals, got this 4.5 gram flower today, it tastes totally sacred if ya ask me