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Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments:
An Entheogen Chrestomathy
Thomas B. Roberts, Ph.D. and Paula Jo Hruby, Ed.D.
Author Index | Title Index
The Dream Sellers: Perspectives on Drug Dealers.
Blum, Richard, and associates. (1972).
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
ISBN: 0-87589-119-5
Description: Hardcover, first edition, xx + 384 pages.
Contents: preface, associates (co-authors), 28 chapters divided into 4
parts: 1. Perspective on the Dealer, 2.Comparing Dealers, 3. Comparing
settings, 4. College Dealers, 5. High School and Junior High Dealers, 6.
Drug Dissemination and the Professional, epilogue, bibliography, index.
Contributors: Desmond Banks, Noel W. Barker, Eva Maria Blum, Gail A.
Crawford, Emily Garfield, mark Garfield, David Garvin, Patrick H.
Hughes, Jerome H. Jaffe, Peggy Joseph, Edward Lewis, Thomas
Martinez, Nicholas Munson, Lee Ross, Suzanne Schumann, Jean Paul
Smith, Robert Spaan, Alan Sutter, Jonathan Wolfe.
Note: Chapter 21 "Holy Rock Bible College," co-authored with Jonathan
Wolfe, will interest readers of this guide.
Excerpt(s): At the gate of Holy Rock Bible College, located in
California's beautiful wooded hills, a sign proclaims, "The end of the
world is nearer than you think! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!" The
religious character of the college is pervasive. In order to be
admitted, a student not only must meet academic standards but "a
definite experience of Christian conversion is also essential." ... The
college's strict discipline is exemplified by this statement from the
Student Handbook: The following are not permitted: Participation or
involvement in gatherings where dancing, social or otherwise, is
exercised. Possession and/or use of any forms of alcoholic beverages,
tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs. Attendance at public theatres."
(page 259)
Twenty students described themselves as exdealers. Ten indicted
that they had used illicit drugs (most regularly) but had not sold them
regularly and for profit. The remainder 70 percent of our sample denied
any experimentation or use with any illicit psychoactive substance. At
the time of the interview no student was either selling or using any
illicit drug. Our evangelical group, then, contains within it a 30 per
cent sector who are "reformed" users, 20 per cent of whom are
exdealers. Their reformation, in our opinion, contains two elements: one, a very
dramatic shift in values and in conduct in the direction of Christian
salvation (as they see it); the other, a continuation of conduct which,
at an inner level, is an expression of when went on before. (page 260)
As with alcohol, the majority of [ex]dealers and [ex]users state that
they quit the use of illegal drugs for religious reasons.
I found a better high in Jesus. Jesus can't even be compared to
drugs. Jesus is reality. I'd have to come down to light up a joint.
Grass was a substitute for real joy and peace that can only be
found through Jesus Christ and at best it is a poor substitute. Grass is
temporary and illusionary, but Jesus is real and satisfies the inner
longings of my heart.
Heroin was destroying my mind mentally and my body physically, and
God cured me of that habit. (page 262)
At Holy Rock we do see their next step on the path of changing life,
which is, after drug peddling, conversion to the living Christ and
denunciation of Satan's tools and counterfeit coin, illicit drugs, and
the drug life. (page 262)
Compilation copyright © 1995 – 2001 CSP
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