Global Christianity
The Monkey on Moses’s Back
by Clay Staggs
Deep down, I’ve always suspected that Moses was a stoner. Tell the truth, now - haven’t you? I mean, really, what else could possibly explain how he got the 10 Commandments? Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at Hebrew University in Jerusalem is now calling him out:
“As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don’t believe, or a legend, which I don’t believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics,” Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday. “Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the “burning bush,” suggested Shanon, who said he himself has dabbled with such substances.
I think that last line explains a lot.
Posted by Clay Staggs at March 4, 2008 03:28 PM
I love it. He discredits the first two explanations because he “doesnt believe it.” Guess validity is scrutinized under the microscope of said professor’s personal experience. Such objectivity! I love modern science, I really do, but you gotta wonder about some of the “scientist” and/or academicians sometimes.
As stupid as this sounds (and it is very stupid); it is no worse than the book Allen Powers referenced in his Sunday School series on “The Question of God.” Allen recounted how Freud re-wrote Moses in his book, “Moses and Monotheism”. He invented an alternate story to explain the historical presence of Moses. Both he and Professor Shanon shared the same motive: God doesn’t exist so an alternate explanation for Moses must be found.
And Dr. Timothy Leary was a prophet.