But still they are wonderful ways to calm the mind. They can allow us to feel closer to God. If you are worried about being programmed, you can chant and sing in a foreign language. Chanting and singing act on the soul in ways we do not really understand. According to the Sufis, the sounds of certain words, their harmonics, resonate one of seven energy centers of the body called chakras.
Drugs can influence our thinking and our belief system in subtle ways.
Marihuana, for example, enhances our feelings. A mark on the wall can become significant and beautiful. Addictive drugs, cause continuous focus on how to get high with the next fix. Happiness becomes merely a pill, smoke or injection. Influence from these forces is more effective when we are tired, sick or bored.