Allegro's Mushroom: A book that fascinated Philip K. Dick

by Tessa B. Dick

Were the early Christians using hallucinogenic potions to achieve visions of the divine? Did Jesus really exist? Was Christianity merely one of many ancient fertility cults? These and other questions are explored in this prolegomenon, this analysis of the most controversial volume ever written by Dead Sea scrolls scholar John Allegro, a book that inspired science fiction writer Philip K. Dick to attempt his own explication of scripture. Allegro clearly went too far afield with his mushroom theory. Although his scholarship is basically sound, his speculation is wild. Allegro might be onto something, and some ancient cults might have used the sacred mushroom, but he goes too far when he denies that the patriarchs and prophets of the Bible were not real people. As for Daniel and Jeremiah, secular history confirms their existence. The Babylonians did conquer the Holy Land and remove the Jews; the Persians did conquer Babylon and return the Jews to the Holy Land. As for Moses, an ancient wall carving in Egypt tells the story of how Pharaoh expelled the Israelites from his land.

154 pages, Paperback

First published March 21, 2012