Mushrooms and entheogenics theory of Book of Mormon authorship

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Authorship	Joseph Smith listed as author and proprietor Spalding theory View of the Hebrews theory Late War theory Golden Pot theory Sidney Rigdon theory Mushrooms and entheogenics theory Creative fiction theories Possible 19th Century influences on Book of Mormon Theory of Book of Mormon place names from area around Joseph Smith's home Theory of Book of Mormon place names from Comoros Islands Understanding accusations of plagiarism
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Language and the Book of Mormon	Hebraisms Chiasmus Names in the Book of Mormon Hebrew and Native American languages Reformed Egyptian and the Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon as an ancient text
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Other	Population and demographics The Nephite calendar Biblical archaeology compared to the Book of Mormon Thomas Stuart Ferguson and Mormon archaeology Attempt to sell the Book of Mormon copyright in Canada Textual changes The Book of Mormon as history Legal codes in the Book of Mormon Lehi's ancestry and place of residence Three days of darkness The killing of Laban Human sacrifice Warfare in the Book of Mormon Events in Ether The death of Shiz

Mushrooms and entheogenics theory of Book of Mormon authorship

One theory about authorship of the Book of Mormon and the visions in the early days of the Church is the theory of mushrooms or entheogens. This theory is that Joseph Smith use entheogens—which are "psychoactive substances that induce alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior"—to induce an altered state of mind in order to translate the Book of Mormon and have others see visions. This theory became prominent when the article "The Entheogenic Origins of Mormonism: A Working Hypothesis" was published in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies.

Researcher Brian C. Hales wrote a lengthy article responding to the four authors above for Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship.

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, "Visions, Mushrooms, Fungi, Cacti, and Toads: Joseph Smith’s Reported Use of Entheogens"

Brian C. Hales,  Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, (July 31, 2020)

An article recently published in an online journal entitled “The Entheogenic Origins of Mormonism: A Working Hypothesis” posits that Joseph Smith used naturally occurring chemicals, called “entheogens,” to facilitate visionary experiences among his early followers. The entheogenic substances were reportedly derived from two mushrooms, a fungus, three plants (including one cactus), and the secretions from the parotid glands of the Sonoran Desert toad. Although it is an intriguing theory, the authors consistently fail to connect important dots regarding chemical and historical cause-and-effect issues. Documentation of entheogen acquisition and consumption by the early Saints is not provided, but consistently speculated. Equally, the visionary experiences recounted by early Latter-day Saints are highly dissimilar from the predictable psychedelic effects arising from entheogen ingestion. The likelihood that Joseph Smith would have condemned entheogenic influences as intoxication is unaddressed in the article.

Click here to view the complete article

Brian also did an interview with the Latter-day Saint YouTube talkshow "Saints Unscripted".

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