Prophecy or insanity?
Let's start with language.
The underlying motivation(s) for the emergence of human language can be seen in the symbolism of the Jewish ritual known as Passover ... the exodus from Egypt ... slavery ... to the promised land of Israel ... freedom.
Apparently there is no archaeological evidence supporting this particular Biblical narrative ... a narrative that is 3,000 years old and counting.
Perhaps Jordan Petersen's recent ... and decently popular ... method of psycholgical examination of selective Biblical narratives is useful.
What archetypal symbolism might be nested in the Passover story?
The human brain's exodus ... from being enslaved within the damp dark cavity of our skull ... to the freedom of the promised land ... ergo ... consciousness.
Language and ritual facilitated the journey from slavery to freedom. Language as agency is self evident. Ritual as agency has recently graduated into the realm of science.
Gib recently nudged my thinking in this direction ... he wrote ...
"Roger Bacon, a medieval monk, dreamed of getting to know God better through science."
A summary of the recent scientific discovery ... only a decade or so ago is:
"Humans are born with most of the same neurons that they will keep throughout their entire life. If neurons die, they are generally not replaced. With few exceptions, once you lose neurons, they are gone!
Synaptic connections, however, can and do change. As you grow, mature, learn, and experience the world your brain is continually forming new connections (and possibly breaking old ones). It is this plasticity that allows you to learn new skills, adapt to new conditions, and change old habits. During this process, the axons and dendrites of neurons can grow and branch, or retract and reform elsewhere. In addition to forming new synapses, existing synapses can be strengthened or weakened. When you learn, your brain changes. You do not usually grow more neurons, but the ones you have rearrange themselves."
Gib also asked me a question to which I spontaneously replied:
"New neuron pathways and circuitry take time to reconfigure."
Where am I going with this?
Re-enacting rituals maintains neural pathways and circuitry across time and space ... for ions. Without rituals and language the human family would still be enveloped within the laws of the jungle.
While the ancients were not aware of the "science" embedded in ritual ... empirical evidence certainly confirms that at some point they became keenly aware of the utility of rituals. The Biblical Passover narrative being one example ... Confucius was also obviously intimately familiar with the utility of rituals and his familiarity is rooted in the study of his forefathers who lived millenniums before himself.
Conclusion:
Language creates the story ... ritual re-enactment keeps the story alive ... scientific discovery destroys both.
Let's look at language:
1) Martial arts experts have long known the human capacity to transcend human sensors.
2) Legitimate prophets, seers, shamans, psychics, sorcerers and so on have long demonstrated an ability to travel beyond human sensors.
3) The animal kingdom has long been considered an emissary serving the human family beyond the boundaries of human language in countless cultures across time and space.
4) Emerging technologies are preparing us and pushing us in this direction ... technology is diminishing the utility of language.
As ESP ... extra sensory perception ... moves into mainstream human culture the utility of language and ritual diminish.
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