The Monopoly of Knowledge

Have you ever thought was is the biblical story of the "Tree of Knowledge"?

Which tree was forbidden so much that the story needed to frighten the reads not to try it, as it gives conciseness and knowledge, that isn't meant for the crowd to have access to.

Let's go back first, The Agricultural Revolution marked a turning point in human history, radically altering our relationship with the natural world and each other. 

This seismic shift wasn't merely agricultural; it was also the dawn of a new epoch where knowledge became a central currency of power. 

The journey from the hunter-gatherer nomadic tribes who's core principles were total equality and freedom, as well as access to mind-expending substances (psychoactive compounds), towards the religious-controlled world.

As societies grew more complex, with granaries and temples overshadowing the wild, untamed landscapes, so too did the systems that governed human consciousness and conscience. Central to these systems was the rise of organized religions, which played a pivotal role in the distribution and restriction of knowledge.

The Biblical Tree of Knowledge

The story of the Tree of Knowledge (פרי עץ הדעת) in the Book of Genesis is a foundational myth that encapsulates the theme of forbidden knowledge. The narrative describes how Adam and Eve, upon eating the forbidden fruit, became aware of their nakedness and were subsequently expelled from Eden.

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’” (Genesis 2:16-17)

"וַיְצַו יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים עַל-הָאָדָם לֵאמֹר, מִכֹּל עֵץ-הַגָּן אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל. וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע, לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ: כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ, מוֹת תָּמוּת."

This story vividly illustrates the control of knowledge as a form of power. 

The fruit, often theorized to be a psychoactive substance, symbolizes enlightenment—the awakening to divine or hidden truths which the earthly custodians of religion sought to monopolize.

The Power of Religious Gatekeeping: Leveraging Ignorance

In the nascent stages of religious development, knowledge was not a universal right but a strategic resource, concentrated in the hands of a select few. This elite cadre of religious leaders recognized the power of exclusive knowledge, particularly in written language and scientific understanding.

By controlling these critical channels of information, they could shape worldviews and dictate societal norms with little opposition.

One could argue that the suppression of certain types of knowledge was also tactical. For instance, many ancient texts and traditions reference natural substances with psychoactive properties, capable of expanding one’s consciousness. Such substances, often symbolized as mythical elements like the Tree of Knowledge, suggest that access to transformative experiences was heavily regulated, reserved for the spiritual elite or completely forbidden, thus maintaining a status quo beneficial to those in power.

Furthermore, the intentional cultivation of ignorance among the general populace served as an additional layer of control. By keeping the masses uninformed or misinformed, dictators and religious leaders could more easily manage and manipulate societal dynamics.

This strategy ensured that power remained unchecked and unchallenged, similar to tactics seen in totalitarian regimes throughout history.

From Moses to Saul: How Leaders Used Psychoactive Compounds for Divine Guidance

Historically, the use of psychoactive compounds was often confined to religious or political elites, serving as tools for spiritual experiences, divination, and decision-making. Ancient texts and traditions indicate that these substances were integral to rituals that connected leaders with divine forces. This exclusivity helped maintain the elites' spiritual authority and control over mystical experiences.

One notable biblical example is the encounter of Moses with the burning bush. Some scholars speculate that the bush could have been an Acacia tree, known to contain DMT, a powerful psychoactive compound. This event, where Moses received divine commandments, illustrates how leaders might have used such substances to facilitate profound spiritual experiences and receive guidance for pivotal decisions, such as laws and warfare strategies.

Another significant biblical example is the story of King Saul consulting the Witch of Endor before a battle against the Philistines. In 1 Samuel 28, Saul, desperate for guidance, seeks out a medium to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel. The medium, often thought to use psychoactive substances to enter a trance state, brings forth Samuel's spirit, which provides Saul with a grim prophecy about the upcoming battle.

"וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לַעֲבָדָיו, בַּקְּשׁוּ-לִי אֵשֶׁת בַּעֲלַת-אוֹב, וְאֵלְכָה אֵלֶיהָ, וְאֶדְרְשָׁה-בָּהּ; וַיֹּאמְרוּ עֲבָדָיו אֵלָיו, הִנֵּה אֵשֶׁת בַּעֲלַת-אוֹב בְּעֵין דּוֹר." (שמואל א' כ"ח:ז)

"Then Saul said to his servants, 'Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.' And his servants said to him, 'Behold, there is a medium at Endor.'" (1 Samuel 28:7)

Another example can be found in the practices of the ancient Oracle of Delphi in Greece. The Pythia, the high priestess at the Temple of Apollo, would inhale ethylene gas or chew laurel leaves—both believed to have psychoactive properties—to enter a trance state. In this state, she would provide prophecies and guidance to leaders on matters of war and statecraft.

This use of psychoactive substances to seek divine counsel underscores the importance of such rituals in making crucial decisions, reinforcing the power and influence of those who had exclusive access to these mystical experiences.

Religious Rituals - Echoes of Ancient Wisdom

Despite the rigorous controls, vestiges of pre-agricultural knowledge persisted through stories and rituals embedded within these religions. These traces offer a glimpse into a past where humanity lived in closer harmony with nature.

Prohibiting pork- Take, for instance, the widespread religious prohibitions against consuming pork. This taboo, shared across several religions and ancient cultures, may derive from a deeper, perhaps shamanistic understanding of the animal's high intelligence and emotional sensitivity. Indigenous beliefs held that stress and fear experienced by an animal at death are transferred to those who consumed its meat, impacting their spirit and well-being—a concept reflected in the ritualistic and humane slaughter practices found in Judaism and other religious traditions.

Blessing on the food- Blessing food before meals is a practice found across various cultures and religions, reflecting deep historical and spiritual connections to ancient customs. Traditionally, many cultures viewed eating as an act that required acknowledging the spirits of the plants or animals consumed. This ritual, rooted in respect for nature, involved asking for permission or forgiveness and emphasized minimal waste, reflecting an understanding of ecological balance.

With the Agricultural Revolution, human relationships with the environment shifted from symbiosis to control. However, the practice of blessing food before meals persists, serving as a link to our past. Though now more ritualized, it retains elements of ancient wisdom, reminding us of our enduring spiritual and environmental consciousness. This tradition highlights our continued, albeit modified, connection to ancient practices, inviting reflection on how we might integrate old wisdom into our modern relationship with food and the environment.

God as the Boundary of Scientific Discovery

As societies transitioned from intimate connections with nature to more structured civilizations, our primal understanding of the universe became shrouded in mystery. This shift ushered in the concept of a singular, all-encompassing deity—a divine placeholder for the unexplained phenomena and lost ancient knowledge. In these early structured societies, the notion of "God" filled the gaps in human understanding, simplifying the complexities of the natural world into more digestible religious narratives.

Over time, however, the boundaries of divine intervention have been continuously pushed back by the advancing frontiers of scientific discovery. Phenomena that were once attributed to the actions of deities have been re-examined through the lens of science. For instance, natural disasters, once seen as expressions of divine wrath or pleasure, are now understood through geological and meteorological science. Diseases that were thought to be curses or blessings from the gods are now addressed with medical science.

This trend shows that as scientific knowledge expands, the domain of the divine recedes, situating deities at the edges of our current knowledge—the frontiers of the unknown.

Literacy Over Time: The Power of Elites

Throughout history, literacy has often been a privilege reserved for the elite, closely guarded by religious institutions. This strategic control over reading and writing served to consolidate power, influencing social structures and access to knowledge.

Historical Data on Literacy Rates

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/estimated-historical-literacy-rates

• Ancient Civilizations: In ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, literacy rates were estimated to be around 1% or less, primarily among priests and government officials who used writing for administrative and religious purposes.

• Medieval Europe: During the Middle Ages, it is estimated that less than 10% of Europe’s population could read or write, with literacy mostly confined to the clergy and the nobility. Monasteries and churches were the primary centers of learning.

• The Islamic Golden Age: Contrasting with Europe, the Islamic world saw higher literacy rates due to the religious emphasis on studying the Quran. This led to a flourishing of science, philosophy, and literature, particularly between the 8th and 14th centuries.

• The Reformation: The Protestant Reformation in the 16th century emphasized individual Bible reading, which spurred a significant increase in literacy rates in parts of Europe, as translating the Bible into vernacular languages made reading accessible to a broader audience.

The Jewish Diaspora and Literacy

Following the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the subsequent Jewish exile around 70 CE, there was a pivotal shift in the approach to literacy within the Jewish community. The dispersion of the Jewish people across various regions posed significant challenges to maintaining cultural and religious cohesion.

Strategic Emphasis on Literacy

In response to these challenges, Jewish religious leaders made a revolutionary decision: to democratize knowledge by making literacy and education foundational aspects of Jewish life. This shift was not merely educational but strategic, ensuring the survival and continuity of Jewish traditions and laws through the generations, irrespective of geographical location.

This widespread emphasis on literacy had profound implications. By the Middle Ages, Jewish communities were often among the few literate groups in many parts of Europe and the Middle East. Their ability to read and write, coupled with fluency in multiple languages, made them indispensable in trade, finance, and administration.

1. Talmudic Emphasis on Education: The Talmud, written and compiled between the 3rd and 6th centuries CE, mandates that Jewish fathers teach their sons to read and understand the Torah. This religious directive strongly influenced Jewish communities to prioritize education.

2. Medieval Jewish Communities: In medieval Europe, Jewish communities were often among the few segments of the population that maintained consistent literacy. This was partly due to religious practices that included reading the Torah and other texts. Jewish boys were typically taught to read Hebrew from a young age for religious reasons.

3. Jewish Autonomy and Schools: From the medieval period through the modern era, many Jewish communities operated their own schools. For instance, the Jewish community in medieval Spain was known for its schools where children learned not only religious texts but also subjects like mathematics and philosophy.

4. Comparative Literacy Rates: Historical studies often show that literacy rates in Jewish communities were significantly higher than those in surrounding populations. For example, a study by Botticini and Eckstein in their book “The Chosen Few: How Education Shaped Jewish History, 70-1492” argues that the Jewish focus on literacy as a religious imperative had profound economic and social ramifications, leading to a higher literacy rate compared to non-Jewish populations in the same regions.

5. Modern Literacy Studies: Moving towards the modern era, literacy rates among Jews have remained high. According to the Pew Research Center and various educational studies, Jewish literacy rates in the 20th and 21st centuries continue to be among the highest globally, largely due to cultural and religious values that emphasize education.

Conclusion

The monopoly of knowledge established in the wake of the Agricultural Revolution has had profound implications on how we interact with the world and each other. By examining the remnants of ancient practices within modern religions, we can uncover the strategies used to control knowledge and power. As we continue to explore our past, we might find keys to understanding not just the origins of religious power but also the ways in which our ancestors interacted with the world in a more integrated, respectful manner. This exploration is not just academic; it holds the potential to inform how we might rebuild a more connected and holistic understanding of our place in the universe.