Inspired by the movie 'A Field in England'. If someone in the past accidentally ate a magic mushroom, did they put the experience down to contact with God or another spiritual being? Is there documentation of this?
There is an entire book about this very subject called "Shroom: A Cultural History of the Magic Mushroom" by Andy Letcher. I highly recommend.
His ultimate thesis is that except for southern North America and Siberia, where there is definite evidence that magic mushrooms were part of religion, there is no convincing evidence that any religion was influenced in this way. He even dedicates large sections of the book to examining and debunking specific claims to the contrary, for example the "bee-man" cave painting, which is commonly argued to be about mushrooms, but Letcher argues is not.
On a side note, it's a pleasure to read; without question the most eloquent book I've ever read.
