693: You're Your Parents' Fault

This book, written by John M. Allegro, argues that Christianity originated from an Essene clandestine cult centered around the use of psychedelic mushrooms. Allegro suggests that the stories of early Christianity and the New Testament are coded records of this shamanistic cult, and that the authors of the Christian gospels misunderstood the Essene thought. The book explores the role of ancient fertility cults, cultic rites and symbols, and the sacred mushroom as an emblem of divinity. The 40th anniversary edition includes a 30-page addendum by Carl Ruck.

Dune, written by Frank Herbert, is set in a feudal interstellar society where noble houses control planetary fiefs. The story follows Paul Atreides, whose family is tasked with ruling the inhospitable desert planet Arrakis, the sole source of melange, a substance crucial for extending life and enhancing mental abilities. The novel delves into the intricate politics, religion, ecology, and technology of this futuristic world, as various factions vie for control of Arrakis and its valuable spice. Paul, with his unique abilities and training by the Bene Gesserit, becomes a key figure in this struggle and eventually assumes the role of a messianic leader among the native Fremen people[2][5][4].