Psychedelic Church offers free magic mushrooms to its 500-strong congregation
EXCLUSIVE: The founder of the Psychedelic Church has revealed the institute is aimed at battling 'rising fascism' caused by a pair he calls 'Orange Hitler and his apartheid lapdog cheering him on'
A man who had a "chemically induced vision" in which he came “face to face” with his ancestors in a "forest in Mexico" now leads a "psychedelic church" where he and his congregation scoff down magic mushrooms.
Following the encounter, Dez, as he's known, was shaken and was trying to seek a scientific explanation for the phenomenon and revealed the ordeal later led to him having a panic attack. “I had the answer – when I was freaking out about the question," he said.
The experience urged him to start the church, funding the entire project out of his own pocket – offering magic mushrooms to his 550-strong congregation called communal offerings and running the operation out of his own residence. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Star, Dez revealed his intention behind starting the church and noted he and the church strives to “creative divinity that is community”. He said his mission was "to stand against the hate and bigotry and rising fascism in the US" and create a community in spite of these challenges.
Dez revealed through the church's work he aims to combat the chaos across America which he states has been brought about by a pair he calls "Orange Hitler and his apartheid lapdog cheering him on.”
He added: “When America sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold.” He adds: “It’s no surprise fascism is rising across the world.”
The church has grown to a size of more than 550 total members and currently has over 100 active members attending weekly sessions. Dez explained the church runs two different types of services. The first are sermons which occur every Tuesday and other more social sessions including movie nights, growing classes and support groups.
Dez told the Star the church also offers food to its congregation to those who need it. This line of thinking is also why Dez does not charge any of his members for the magic mushrooms he supplies to them – instead he gives these "communal offerings" completely free of charge to all his members.
He breaks down the process of ingesting DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) and what he believes it does to the human experience. “DMT is the universe’s last little gift to us.”
He urges people to reshape how they think about their existence and to think about their bodies as a “who inside a what”.
“DMT allows for you to step outside your body since your soul isn’t linked to the constraints of your senses and for you to look through that portal," he said.
Some have branded the work Dez does "cultish," however Dez said he believes his community is far from that. “When people gather on spiritually that is a church” and he has highlighted: “Church is not a place.”
Dez told the Star he tells his congregation the community they share together is not his solely and exclaimed: “This is not mine – this is ours.”
He added his community is not a cult or a drug den because what he does is not about power, control or any form of manipulation. Dez says the church has had an immense impact on many of the members' lives.
“People have said to me without the support of the church they wouldn’t be alive today.”
Now he has ambitions to grow the church globally.