High on Mount Sinai

While the academic sometimes goes to great extremes to “prove” the obvious, there is something endearing about professors bucking trends and putting forth new ideas — even if many of us knew the reality of the situation. Such is the case of Hebrew University professor Benny Shanon, when he put forth the idea that Moses was tripping on some serious drink when he declared the Torah while standing high on Mount Sinai. All we can ask academia is: What took you so long to realize that?

While journalists label the theory “provocative” after its publication surfaced in the philosophy journal Time and Mind, the realization that the father of three major world religious traditions was under the influence while reciting what would become the most quoted passages in history is not groundbreaking to those of us who’ve tasted similar fruit. In fact, it was Shanon’s own experiences with ayahuasca and a drink made from the bark of the acacia tree -- a hallucinogenic mixture based on a tree often mentioned in the Bible -- that led him to his conclusions.

It remains to be seen how Shanon’s theories will be greeted. He is honest in saying that there is no direct proof of his interpretation, but given the evidence, is it that far a stretch? The reality is that no one has direct proof that Moses even existed, much less that he was completely sober or “God inspired” off plant mixtures during his thundering evenings.

Peering back into the religious texts, there are generally two major characteristics that define our prophets: those serene and poised in meditation, and wild, raving lunatics. The West has been consistent in providing the latter. One contemplates the world, the other transforms it; one dreams existence into being, the other recreates through an unwillingness to conform. Both are deservedly heralded, but we have to recognize the root of their discontent. In fact, we need look no further than our own planet, at this moment, to get into the minds and hearts of our prophets. We are them deconstructing and rebuilding anew.

The dead are easy to misconstrue, for they no longer fend for themselves. What is alive on our planet now is entwined with the same consciousness as three thousand or so years past, which from an evolutionary standpoint is just the blink of an eye. If we access new and bold realities through plant and drink today, then it is of no shock that the man behind the Western religious soul might have dabbled freely. Remember, Moses was a pagan nomad, and such men see much on their journeys. Perhaps we just need more men willing to walk that path today, and not need the safety of history to realize their visions.

Creative Commons Image: "Moses" by Mickelodeon on Flickr.