Religious Leaders Rebuked for Taking Drugs to Enhance Spiritual Experience

The Bible says in the Last Days that people will be using drugs to worship their gods.

This, of course, will be nothing new on planet earth.  Lots of folks have used hallucinogenic drugs in an attempt to connect with the spirit realm.  Of course the ONLY spirits they are reaching are demonic.

And of course this goes against what the Bible would tell us to do...."Love the Lord with all your MIND"...which you can't do if you mind is stoned

Also, it is a fact that demonic forces can be given an entrance into someone's life who is willfully stoned.

“Religious leaders,” including Christian pastors and Catholic and Orthodox priests, are participating in a study in which they take psilocybin, the ingredient in so-called “magic mushrooms,” to see whether it “makes the leaders more effective and confident in their work.”

The very existence of the study, taking place at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, implies drug use is a legitimate part of the spiritual experience.

But Carl Gallups, a former law-enforcement official with decades of experience, a pastor and the author of several books including his most recent, “When the Lion Roars,” says he believes the scientists and religious leaders are meddling with dark forces.

“I firmly believe that drug abuse can be a gateway to the demonic,” Gallups told WND. “I have spent many combined decades in law enforcement and ministry. I have seen the demonic side that is directly connected to the use of mind-altering drugs. In those decades, I have spoken to a myriad of drug users who give almost the very same stories of ‘voices’ and ‘seeing things,’ and ‘contacting beings from the other side,’ and demonic urging to commit heinous crimes or even suicide.”

William Richards, a psychologist at Johns Hopkins University who is taking part in the study, told the left-leaning British publication the Guardian it was a “no-brainer” these drug-fueled “profound mystical experiences” “might be of interest, if not valuable, to clergy.”

Two-dozen religious leaders are involved, including Christians, Jews and a Buddhist. However, no Hindus or Muslims agreed to participate. All participants are anonymous.
Though the study will not be completed for a year, Richards reported in the Guardian that the experience does not appear to be weakening the religious beliefs of participants. Indeed, he is quoted as saying they “seem to be getting a deeper appreciation of their own religious heritage … they discover they really believe this stuff they’re talking about.”

However, Richards also claims many of the religious leaders’ concept of faith becomes less sectarian and “more universal.”

Gallups suggests such experiments, if they can even be given that term, present spiritual dangers, including some described in the Bible itself.

“Historical sources are replete with the evidence of pharmaceutical substances being used in satanic/pagan rituals – for the purpose of ‘contacting the other side,'” the pastor told WND. “The word we often translate as ‘sorcery’ in the scriptures comes from the Greek word farmakeío – the same word from which we derive the English word pharmacy. I am also deeply connected to professionals in the fields of drug counseling and rehabilitation, and they often give the same testimonies and insight. So, no, I am not a fan of these ‘experiments’ in mind-altering drug use to enhance or explore one’s ‘religious experience.’ The Bible specifically warns against the practice of witchcraft and sorcery – which is exactly what this is.”

Here;  http://www.wnd.com/2017/07/religious-leaders-rebuked-for-taking-psychedelics-to-be-more-effective/

This would appear to be one more sign that mankind is on a collision course with the Last Days spoken of in Revelation.

How much longer can the mankind and the world keep coasting downhill before we go over the edge?

We don't know for sure....but the convergence of signs coming from all different areas would lead us to believe that the edge can't be too far away.