Kaneh Bosm: The Hidden Story of Cannabis in the Old Testament

Chris Bennett takes a look at the fascinating references to cannabis, under the Hebrew name ‘kaneh bosm’ (spelling – qoph nun he’ – bet shim mem) in the Old Testament text that have been suggested by anthropologist Sula Benet and other researchers, with interviews from Prof Carl Ruck, Dr. Ethan Russo, David Hillman PhD., as well as drug historians and authors Chris Conrad, Michael Horowitz, Martin Lee, and Michael Aldrich. Included is a discussion of the linguistics behind the theory as well as a look at the references in context of the Biblical story line and the use of cannabis by the surrounding cultures who influenced the Jewish cosmology, such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Canaanites and Scythians.

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For more information check out
www.forbiddenfruitpublishing.com
http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/1090.html
http://www.cannabisculture.com/blogs/2009/11/16/Great-Keneh-Bosem-Debate-Part-1
http://www.cannabisculture.com/node/20803
http://www.thepotbook.com/potbook/additional_chapters_files/bennett.pdf
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  1. Great video.
    The implications of this are astounding, as today we demonize drugs. In
    fact, some call pot the “DEVIL’S WEED…” which could be seen as heresy if
    cannabis was indeed sacred. Which it is.
    But hearing people say that pot smokers cloud their mind, and cannot
    connect with god, is a common theme. I use psychedelics, and have heard
    christians tell me they are evil, etc.
    But I have connected to my version of ‘god’ through them. IF the ancients
    were indeed taking psychoactive substances, which they were, who is to say
    that my version of god is not the exact same one as them? It’s
    funny…these ancients still had it together. Today’s religious are just
    confused and following mistranslated theories.
    Peace-

    Reply
  2. too much use of the word sacred in this. cannabis is no more sacred than
    anything else. i see that people must still have this ideal that cannabis
    is sacred. i recall an ominous video i saw on the internet circa 2003 where
    a preeminent canadian cannabis activist claimed he was going to try to
    steal it from the people who had it, on the grounds that it was a mistake
    that they got it. absolutely disgusting.
    for what its worth i enjoy learning about the importance of cannabis in
    the past, thanks.
    the part of the equation that is missing, is being able to use that
    knowledge of the past to better my present situation and to better the
    future of cannabis, not as a sacred thing, but a thing as is anything else.
    and here i find myself, against something i could not hope to challenge,
    let alone defeat. a dismal situation where i must conform or become no more
    than liquidity.

    Reply
  3. The Scythians were the Israelites, Northern 10 tribes. LOOK UP
    E. RAYOND CAPT and WILLIAM FINCK and PASTOR ELI JAMES some Romans
    and Greeks were Israelites..

    Reply
  4. If you look at the Bible they talk about the fallen angels and the devil
    was cast down to earth with his angels they had rebellion against God the
    Almighty. They made reference that only the high priest were to use these
    things back in the day. It seem to be that man got a hold of the these
    psychoactive plants and began to talk to false Gods. Also known as the
    fallen angels in the Bible and they began worshipping them. There is an
    account in the book of Jeremiah that talks about how they were worshipping
    the queen of heaven. Basically a false god and they made idols of her. God
    warned them not to do this and to come back to him, or he would let them
    fall to their enemies, and they did just that. They ignored his warning and
    they fell victim to their own demise, as I watch this it starts of as the
    Holy use of Cannabis by the high priests. Then the use and perversion of it
    by mankind. It seems like it was a way in the old testament for God to talk
    to his people using a priest selected by him, and anyone else using it
    could fall into a deception or delusion of sorts. I have had very scary
    spiritual encounters practicing meditations and not staying anchored to
    Jesus and being strong in the Word. That’s why it seems that God came to
    die for us that mankind has been so deceived by these things that Jesus was
    the only way he could save his creation, so now instead of veneration using
    a high priest and kaneh Bosem. It’s now based on Faith that God came and
    died for all our sins. For all who Believe in his sacrifice for us. You
    just can’t focus on just one part of the Bible. Look at the whole thing.
    God talks about mankind talking to deceiving sprits and that the devil
    himself is an Angel of light. The devil told Adam and Eve that they would
    never die and are like Gods, same thing as Guruism. There is only one
    Christ, and Jesus said this would happen. That many would come saying they
    are The Christ. All these Yogi, Hindu, New Age “Gods” say this. Jesus
    Christ stands alone. He is the only one salvation is offered through. God
    Bless.

    Reply
  5. I know cannabis does not cause any mental illness see recent Harvard study,
    I can attest it can heal mental illness. My point; politicians are saying
    cannabis causes mental illness (regardless of true studies that show the
    benefits of cannabis)… the church is going along with that with many
    religious people calling cannabis the devils weed et al… so they are all
    calling the writers of the bible insane? No shit, funny in it.

    Reply
  6. I have believed this for years. I am a Christian and have been trying to
    explain this to my church, .I want to send this to them but you won’t get
    many Christians behind you with the shirt with the skull on it though!
    just saying. Thanks for all the info put together in one place!

    Reply
  7. how to explain Ex.30:32 upon man’s flesh shall it NOT be poured, neither
    shall ye make any other like it,after the composition of it:it is holy,and
    it shall be holy unto you. any thoughts on this?

    Reply
  8. God’s reference to the herb was the tree of life the tree of knowledge and
    wished for mankind to burn it eat it wear it trade with it and use it as a
    sacriment while worshipping the lord our God YAWEH, Jehovah

    Reply
  9. a nice looking set of hypotheses polished with a thin veneer of known fact,
    an interesting paradigm drawing a lot from the likes of Robert Wright,
    however like Mr. Wright, this perception of history is a house of cards
    built on little archaeology, and much guesswork, and abstract
    interpretation of ancient symbolism. interesting, but sketchy.

    Reply
  10. I’m going to need to know the name of the instrumental track played
    throughout this video.

    Edit: Sorry it’s Hidria Spacefolk. Says so in the credits.

    Just listening to them on Youtube. Damn that’s a great band. Will have to
    buy some of their albums.

    Reply
  11. I found this very interesting, but I would strongly disagree with the
    assertion that the spiritual experiences were caused by the cannabis. I am
    a devout Christian, and have been a smoker, and my personal experience is
    that my relationship with God is very real, and completely independent from
    my experiences with cannabis. And lest you think that I merely caught a
    buzz and thought I saw God, allow me to clarify… I have had what I
    consider to be supernatural encounters with God when I was not smoking AT
    ALL. Not for months or years beforehand. And there have been times (at
    least a dozen) when I have been stoned OUT OF MY MIND… I mean way out in
    outer space stoned, and while I found it intensely pleasant, none of them
    were religious to me in any way. My belief in God is in NO way based on or
    caused by any of those experiences. I can understand the speculation by
    those who are not believers themselves, but as one, I offer my personal
    experience as evidence to the contrary. Aside from that, I found this very
    interesting, and find the thought of cannabis in Heaven completely logical
    and pleasant! :)

    Reply
  12. This documentary is full of good information. The only problem I see with
    it, is that, the “average” christian will see Chris Bennet as a
    non-believer, which I’m pretty sure he is… This would be MUCH, MUCH,
    better done by a real christian pastor…

    Reply
  13. Great info in this video. No need for the bad house/techno music. Just gets
    in the way of all the history being passed. Thanks for uploading it!
    Spreading the Truth!

    Reply
  14. Mithra, Marijuana and the Myths of the Messiah Cannabis Historian Chris
    Bennett takes a look at the potential references to cannabis use among the
    ancient worshipers of the Persian God Mithra, who became popular in ancient
    Rome and throughout a large portion of ancient Europe. Mithra was involved
    with the Haoma cult of ancient Persia, and as Dr.Michael Aldrich discusses,
    recent archeological evidence this ancient world sacrament was a beverage
    made from cannabis and ephedra. Prof Carl Ruck and Dr. David Hillman
    suggest by the time the God reached Rome, cannabis was being used as a
    entheogenic incense to fumigate the cave like temples in which the worship
    of Mithra took place. Mithra worship is believed to have deeply influenced
    emerging Christianity in a variety of ways, particularly in regards to the
    adoption of the God’s birthday December 25th in the 4th century by the
    Roman Catholic Church. 

    Reply
  15. The funny thing is that calamus is also a hallucinagen. So the argument
    isn’t whether the high priests used a mind opening substance, but which one
    they used. The other argument is that they used galangal which is another
    psycho-active substance. What were they on? At different times they used
    all of them depending what aspect of God they were trying to contact at the
    time.

    Reply
  16. The “plant of renown” , mentioned in (Ezekiel 34:29- And I will raise up
    for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger
    in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.) Later more
    modern translations other than the KJV use the phrase “land of renown”.
    Notice how this one particular verse of Ezekiel mentions a plant of renown
    which means a famous plant followed by mentioning never bearing the shame
    of the heathen anymore. If you look at some of the old articles of Harry
    Anslinger, he certainly associated cannabis use with “heathen” activities.
    Others also see this verse as being a reference to cannabis. I ask this,
    what other plant on this globe is famous, has multiple food uses, as well
    as shame associated with it ? One needs to remember that the book of
    Ezekiel is a prophetical book and chapter 38 mentions the war of Gog and
    Magog which has not happened yet. I see Ezekiel 34:29 in the process of
    being fulfilled now with legalization as this plant of renown is being
    raised up. No other plant could fit this verse. Look how the shame of being
    associated with using it is being wiped away.

    Reply
  17. why does this speaker guy say that Saul must be tripping and not actually
    prophesying from God…can’t you leave out the atheism vibe and just go with
    your research?

    Reply
  18. interesting views… explained like this everything makes sense. So
    besically all our modern believes are based on trips stoners made in the
    past.
    Maybe I should start smoking again and write new laws for the future people
    to worship :)

    Reply

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