Can a psychedelic mushroom ritual qualify as a legally protected religious practice?

NPR explores the Zide Door, an Oakland-based organization that centers its worship on psilocybin. The episode examines how this group navigates legal boundaries and the criteria authorities use to determine the legitimacy of a faith.

Pastor Dave Hodges leads a congregation that views entheogenic plants as essential to their spiritual life. With a membership exceeding 130,000, the organization operates in a complex legal landscape where leaders must balance their religious tenets against government regulations.

The program investigates the intersection of law and belief, featuring legal experts who defend such groups. It highlights the challenge of defining what constitutes a sincere religious system in the eyes of the state.

Source: A trip to the magic mushroom megachurch | Planet Money