Neo-American Church

What it is

The Neo-American Church, often called the Original Kleptonian Neo-American Church, was a religious group formed in the United States during the 1960s. Its central practice involved using psychedelic drugs like LSD and cannabis as sacred sacraments. The group viewed these substances as tools for transcendental experience and spiritual understanding. Members believed that consuming these chemicals was essential for grasping the nature of life and improving human existence on Earth. The organization operated as a distinct entity within the broader landscape of American counterculture movements.

Where it comes from

Arthur Kleps established the church around 1965 or 1966 at Cranberry Lake in New York. Kleps was connected to Timothy Leary’s circle at the Hitchcock Estate in Millbrook. He created the group with multiple goals: as an absurdist joke, as a voice for the psychedelic movement, and as a legal strategy to bypass federal drug prohibitions. The initial text was The Boo Hoo Bible, published in 1967. This book mixed comics, news clippings, and political rants to outline their unique cosmology.

How it is done

Practitioners gathered to consume specific substances they termed the True Host. These included LSD, cannabis, and nitrous oxide. The rituals were not formalized in traditional liturgical terms but focused on the ingestion of these materials as acts of worship. The group also incorporated whimsical elements into their gatherings, such as singing popular children's songs like Puff the Magic Dragon. These actions were intended to demonstrate that all religious structures are invented constructs.

Tools and materials

The primary tools were psychoactive substances. LSD served as the main sacrament for clergy known as Boo Hoos. Cannabis and nitrous oxide were considered lesser sacraments used to prepare individuals for stronger substances. Mescaline was also mentioned as a greater sacrament. The group relied on written texts, specifically The Boo Hoo Bible and later works by Kleps, to define their doctrine and guide their philosophical reasoning.

What it is for

The church aimed to secure legal rights for drug use under the guise of religious freedom. By framing substance consumption as a sacrament, members hoped to gain exemptions similar to those won by the Native American Church for peyote use. They also sought to promote a worldview based on solipsistic nihilism, where life is seen as a dream and external relations as illusions. This perspective was meant to challenge conventional societal norms and legal frameworks.

Who does it

Leadership included ministers like Judith H. Kuch, who faced federal narcotics charges in 1968. Members were defined loosely by their agreement to three core principles. These principles affirmed psychedelics as sacraments, claimed their use as a basic human right, and required familiarity with lesser substances before attempting greater ones. The group did not have a rigid hierarchy but relied on shared ideological assent.

Peoples and places

The organization was rooted in the United States, particularly in New York state. It emerged from the specific cultural context of the 1960s American psychedelic scene. While it drew inspiration from other indigenous religious groups seeking drug exemptions, it remained a distinct American creation. The group attracted individuals interested in both the spiritual and legal implications of drug culture during that era.

What people believe

The theology centered on solipsistic nihilism and the idea that reality is a collective dream. Kleps argued that meaning-making is entirely associative and that transcending the self is key to psychedelic experience. The ultimate goal of mankind, according to the original text, was the destruction of Saturn, a concept depicted on the book cover. This absurd cosmic aim underscored the group's view that serious religious intent could coexist with playful, invented forms.

When it is done

The timing of practices seems tied to the availability of substances and the personal readiness of members rather than a fixed liturgical calendar. Preparations involved becoming familiar with lesser sacraments before engaging with more potent ones.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Legal scholars note the case of United States vs. Kuch as a rare instance where a judge found a defendant did not genuinely hold professed religious views. The court ruled that the church lacked genuine ritual discipline or tenets guiding daily life. The judge determined the group existed primarily for tactical drug enjoyment rather than sincere religious devotion. This decision highlighted the tension between free exercise claims and state interests in drug control.

Compare and confuse

The Neo-American Church is related to the broader category of psychedelic churches. It differs from the Native American Church, which successfully secured peyote exemptions through recognized indigenous traditions. Unlike those older faiths, the Neo-American Church was a modern invention designed to test legal boundaries. It shares similarities with other counterculture experiments but stands apart due to its explicit focus on legal exemption strategies.

Law and persecution

The group operated during a period of strict federal drug prohibition. Its primary legal battle occurred in the 1968 case United States vs. Kuch. The court rejected the church's defense, stating it mocked established institutions and asserted religious attributes only for tactical purposes. This ruling set a precedent for how such groups would be viewed under constitutional jurisprudence regarding religious freedom and drug laws.

Questions people ask about Neo-American Church

Good reading and sources

• Neo-American Church on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data