Original Sin Sex, Drugs, and the Church

This excerpt from Original Sin: Sex, Drugs, and the Church by D.C.A. Hillman presents a controversial argument that the early Christian church's rise to power was deeply intertwined with a deliberate campaign to dismantle classical pagan culture. The author contends that Christian priests intentionally demonized sexuality, particularly feminine allure and homosexual practices, and outlawed the use of drugs prevalent in pagan religious rites. This opposition was a strategic move to weaken competing pagan cults and establish Christian dogma and authority, ultimately leading to the institutionalization of ritual child rape within the early Church as a means of controlling initiates and separating them from pagan influences and values. The text highlights the stark contrast between the Christian emphasis on a rigid, exclusive doctrine and the diverse, nature-venerating, and sometimes drug-assisted practices of the pagan world.