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Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 1:32 am
I was interested to see if any fellow atheists have, allegedly, had any psychedelic experiences... And how do you interpret such experiences?
I used to be into psychedelics a few years ago. And while I was never like a new age hippy/raver type, I did always have access to mushrooms, LSD and DMT and I was pretty well known for always having one or the other for sale at any given time.
With that being said I have had quite a few psychedelic experiences in my day. Now a lot of the hippy/raver types I did know were usually deists or had some new-age spiritual type views where "god is everything" or "god is the heartbeat of the universe." I am not completely against these types of views, though I don't personally agree with them, but I do have an issue with believing that a psychedelic experience is showing you other dimensions and that you can contact deities and things like that.
I have seen some crazy things, but they are hallucinations to me and nothing more, though said hallucinations CAN teach you valuable lessons if you're in the right state of mind, one where you're willing to learn about yourself and your psyche.
I am just wondering how other atheists have interpreted psychedelic experiences that they've had? Do you see them as spiritual? Or more therapeutic? Give me your thoughts!
"Bake the children in the pies, sip the tea, watch your demise, tip your hat, don't be ashamed, we're all afraid"
"[God] sounds like an abusive lover, 'But dear, I wouldn't beat you if you didn't make me angry'" - Nope
My problem with religious people is not the fact that they hold the beliefs they do, my problem is when they claim that those beliefs make logical sense. If you wish to hold beliefs in fairy tales, that is fine with me. I still think you're silly, but that is fine. But the moment you claim that your views concerning those subjects can safely operate in any realm other than the realm of faith and/or fiction is the moment you deserve to be called on your bullshit.
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RE: Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 1:35 am
I just see them as fun. I had a friend once claim he could read my mind, but I can't, for the life of me, remember if anything he told me I was thinking was actually true. I just remember laughing my ass off on that camping "trip".
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RE: Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 1:49 am
I've had fantastic experiences with acid, peyote and shrooms. I would not trade them for anything. But what I mostly learned is that the mind is one amazingly deep mystery. I never expected to get big answers. Just the opposite. What I learned is that there isn't any left brain answer for what it all means. It all means much more than my poor powers of communication would ever be able to tie down. Realizing there is no 'advantage' to be had to make your ego more powerful, the thing to do is just let it all pass. You can't go where you want to go if you try to carry it all back with you. Keep the space clear and there is much to see and learn. It will never be yours, but there is something in you that knows it all and can feed it back to you - not on demand, but as a gift when you are receptive.
Was that too trippy?
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RE: Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 1:54 am
Mine were the result of head injury and I was lucky to survive without serious deficits.
I've been very protective of my brain since.
Not interested in self applied pharmaceutical experimentation.
It boggles my mind that woo merchants will rage against a part per billion of lead in their water yet happily self medicate with substances of proven or unknown toxicities in order to have an experience with unreliable and unrepeatable utility.
So how, exactly, does God know that She's NOT a brain in a vat? 
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RE: Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 2:00 am
Control freak.
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RE: Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 2:06 am
(This post was last modified: March 8, 2015 at 2:09 am by JuliaL.)
(March 8, 2015 at 2:00 am)whateverist Wrote:
Control freak.
As much as possible.
That's what the big forebrain is there for:
Model reality.
Predict future events.
Act in the present to optimize expected future payout.
Control.
(You have a great avatar. Your dog?)
So how, exactly, does God know that She's NOT a brain in a vat?
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RE: Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 3:08 am
I'm not sure. It is just something that followed me back from a hallucination a long time ago. So you see it too? Huh..
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RE: Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 7:31 am
I'd love to have an LSD trip in order to get new perspectives on how the mind works. I don't dare to, however, out of fear to do damage to my thinky brain.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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RE: Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 7:43 am
I had a few trips during my younger days. I don't remember much anymore. But I am pretty sure I didn't see them as religious experiences. However, had I been under the influence of some preacher, things might have been pretty differnt. I think anyone could have me believe whatever they wanted those days.
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RE: Psychedelic Experiences as an Atheist
March 8, 2015 at 10:17 am
(This post was last modified: March 8, 2015 at 10:23 am by Faith No More.)
Psychedelic experiences showed me just how dependent our perceptions are on our current state of mind and how our consciousness is just a chemical soup that can be drastically altered by one tiny dose of chemicals. It cemented in my mind the idea that that our brains are not the rational information processors we like to think them as and that it takes very little for us to be deceived by by reality and our perceptions of it. If psychedelics weren't so powerful, I would say they should be mandatory for anyone that relies so heavily on personal experience to develop their beliefs.
(March 8, 2015 at 7:31 am)Alex K Wrote: I'd love to have an LSD trip in order to get new perspectives on how the mind works. I don't dare to, however, out of fear to do damage to my thinky brain.
You won't do any real damage with just a few trips, as long as you take a proper dose and make sure you have a safe environment to do it in, that is. I would recommend psychedelic mushrooms over LSD, though. It's a much smoother trip and it doesn't have the rough feeling afterwards.
The key to doing psychedelics safely is preparation. Know what dose you should take and create a comfortable and calm environment to do it in.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
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