Mike,

Why do you think God created hallucinogens like the peyote cactus? Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a naturally- occurring tryptamine and potent psychedelic drug, found not only in many plants, but also in trace amounts in the human body where its natural function is undetermined. From what I have read these things are not toxic, don’t kill brain cells or harm the brain or the body but is specifically detrimental to people who are unstable in their mind. I can’t help but ask if God created (DMT) in thousands of plants and animals and in our human peneal gland (brain), and it’s not harmful to take, how do we know that God didn’t create this for us to take. Much like sitting back and drinking wine responsibly.

J____

Hi J____,
Thank you for your question.
You say:

I can’t help but ask if God created (DMT) in thousands of plants and animals and in our human peneal gland (brain), and it’s not harmful to take, how do we know that God didn’t create this for us to take. Much like sitting back and drinking wine responsibly.

The answer to this question is within a proper understanding of this verse of scripture:

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

The very opposite of “whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God,” is what the scriptures call serving our belly.”

Php 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [ that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

The word “belly” in verse 19 has much more to do with all the desires of the flesh, than it has to do with gluttony, although gluttony certainly is included. For example, Christ made this statement:

Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

It is out of the desire God has given me to help you and those who come to this page that I take the time to answer your e- mails. That is what “out of his belly” means in Joh 7:38. This, of course, has nothing to do with me, and I have no such desire of myself. It is all of God who is “working all things after the counsel of His own will.”

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

But God’s Word is a “two edged sword,” and “all things” means ALL things. It does not mean just all good things. God is also working the desire to make hallucinations in those who have that desire. They are no more responsible for their sins than I am for answering this letter. But no one who wants to have the experience of being completely out of his mind and subject to hallucinogens can honestly claim they want to do so simply to please God and serve their fellow man. Generally speaking, while it is all being worked by God, the Truth nevertheless is that…

Php 3:19  [ Their] end is destruction, [ their] God is their belly, and [ their] glory is in their shame, [ they] mind earthly things.)

I have never been a smoker, and I have always realized that smokers are more concerned about satisfying their own desire for a smoke than they are concerned with the fact that their smoke is contaminating the air of those around them who may not choose to breath their smoke. Such an attitude is certainly not one that is seeking to “glorify God in all he is doing.” Rather that person’s “God is his belly,” and he is showing no love for either God or his neighbor, when he forces his neighbor to breath his unwanted smoke. Smoking is an option in this life. Breathing is not optional. We all must breath, and it is nothing less than inconsiderate to force others to breath your smoke.
Christ tells us that the greatest commandment in the law is to “love God and keep His commandments,” and the second and subordinate law is to love our neighbors as ourselves. Knowing that there would be those who later would attempt to make the first commandment subject to the second, John adds this as a means of keeping you and me from making that mistake.

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

So there are many times in this life when our service to God will be misconstrued to make us appear to be unloving of our neighbor because we put our service to God ahead of pleasing our neighbor. Refusing military service is an example of how a Christian will be called unloving because He places Christ’s Words and Christ’s actions above the words and actions of those who claim to love and serve God while ignoring His commandment to “love thine enemies.”
Getting drunk on alcohol, smoking, gluttony or taking hallucinogens are not examples of serving God when it is unpopular to do so. They are, one and all, examples of addictions which are not “subject to the prophets” and they are examples of those “whose God is their belly.”

Psa 44:20  If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
Psa 44:21  Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

So search your heart as God does, and ask yourself why you would want to take DMT or any drug that would cause you to lose your self control. This is what the scriptures teach about that.

1Co 14:32  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

Anything that contradicts or attempts to undermine that Truth is to be avoided, whether it is chemically or doctrinally induced.
I am not a chemist or a botanist or a biologist, so I cannot comment on why God has placed DMT in nature as He has, but I show you these verses of scripture which reveal what is the mind of God concerning what should be our mind and how we are to think and live our lives. I hope this is of some edification to you.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike