The first time I took mushrooms (over 20 years ago) I was walking home when they kicked in at 2 am on a winter night. Looking around me, I saw the snow, trees, grass, buildings very differently than normal; they were all exactly alike. When looking at grass, it looked, literally, like the same texture pasted all over the field. Same for snow, trees, houses. So I sat down with my friend and started talking how the world must be built up of a much lower resolution substance than we think and our minds add randomness to make it seem as if it's more diverse. Shrooms are great in that you remember everything of the trip and it is like you are awake and dreaming; I apparently am more susceptible to it than others; I actually see things which are not there which is more common with LSD. My friends usually saw only some vibrations on the wall and felt funny (and after that paranoid) while I was seeing the armada falling from the sky while hearing orchestra's play. I would recommend anyone at least trying a few times; it changes things long term, but like others said, I don't think you'll move to religious or something like that; if you're scientific, it is more likely to explain things to totally eradicate that last sliver of paranormal stuff in the world. As in; then you actually know what they ate before they saw the holy spirit descend.

I have a scientific + atheistic view of the world, and when I took psilocybes, those views grew stronger and more complex. I do not believe you will have a revelation that makes you believe in God. To the contrary, you'll explore things you think about deeper.

I can't speak for mushrooms, but from my experiences with LSD I'd say, "it's complicated." Psychedelics don't turn you into a different person, however they do remove the filters and barriers we've built up in our heads (to what extent depends on the dosage). If, on some level, you aren't sure about your world view it will probably be reassessed.

I, for example, was raised Mormon, but it was never all that convincing to me. By the time I decided that I wanted to start experimenting with psychedelics I had already stopped participating in the religion, though I had my doubts that this was the correct course of action. Taking LSD, and other psychedelics, helped me resolve those conflicts.

The idea that psychedelics tend to put into your head is that everything is connected, everything is one. That concept broke down my loosely held notion that God was some kind of supreme alien who liked telling us what to do, and led me to take on a rather Eastern world view that the universe is at once one thing, nothing, and infinite.

I agree with Carl Sagan on this one. It is more likely that you will attribute any awe or grandeur to something else than a religious construct. This is also why when surveyed a 'religious or spiritual event' is used rather loosely.

> I wonder if my highly scientific/atheist view of the world

As someone with a highly scientific/religious view of the world, I too wonder how I would be affected. Curiosity isn't enough to make me try them though.

Not necessarily, but it could if you are open to it.

You won't lose the ability to apply the scientific frame of mind when it's appropriate, but you may have a better understanding of its limitations.

If you are interested in the subject I'd reccommend reading some Carlos Castaneda. It takes an anthropological view of the issues and conveys his psychedelic experiences in reasonable detail. If you find it to be a bunch of bullshit, then you'll be ahead in the game. If it confirms your warm feelings then at least you will engage the risks better informed.

I've definitely shifted a little towards pantheism since the first time I took LSD. The thing is though, my views didn't really change much, it's more that I gained a greater sense of respect for the universe.