Linus’ unwavering and evangelical belief in the Great Pumpkin seemed kind of inspirational. His faith never wavered after so many disappointments. Yet the reader knew he was on a fools errand.

I do deny the existence of any spiritual experience independent of whatever altered brain state one achieves. You can take a bunch of drugs or pray all night or meditate or be saved, but in the end we are just exercising our neurons.

You can get pretty revved up waiting all night in the pumpkin patch but that doesn’t mean any spirits touched you.