Neurotheology -- God and the Brain

[kojikun]

Some studies have shown that temporal lobe stimulation using magnetic
fields can cause a sensation identical to that of feeling the presence of god
or of ghosts, as well as hallucination if temporal lobe activity was great
enough (as in the case of people with temporal lobe epilepsy). Computer
aided tomographic scans using radioactive tracers showed increased
temporal lobe activity during deep Buddhist meditation and during deep
Catholic monastic-style prayers. It was also found that a sense of one-ness
with God was caused by the deactivation of the parietal lobes, which give a
sense of time and self-ness.

It's also funny to note that the location of the temporal lobes is right where
our "temples" are.

I'm tempted to return to school with a device that puts out the same
magnetic frequencies, and walk around making people think I'm God.
Atleast I would genuinely be God, atleast if you define God as the being
which causes temporal lobe activity.

It's also interesting to note, real quick, that when the same fields were
applied to a staunch atheist, he felt at ease, tingly, and twitched a bit, but
not one feeling of God. So it looks like you have to be religious before you
can feel God.

Links:

Experiences of spiritual visitation and impregnation: potential induction by
frequency-modulated transients from an adjacent clock

God on the Brain - questions and answers

Dr.Michael Persinger [experimented with articially induced spiritual experiences]

Tracing the Synapses of Our Spirituality

[Darth Wong]

It's also interesting to note, real quick, that when the same fields were applied to a staunch atheist, he felt at ease, tingly, and twitched a bit, but not one feeling of God. So it looks like you have to be religious before you can feel God.

Both the atheist and the theist feel the same sensation. The difference is the manner in which they interpret it. The atheist feels tingly and weird. The theist feels tingly and weird ... and says "IT'S GOD!!!!"

[kojikun]

Yeah but theists feel a presence, like their fucking paranoid schizophrenics. Oddly enough, this study, and this study, and this study establish a link between temporal lobe activity and schizophrenia. Funny that, huh?

[Pic-A_Card]

Heh. Interestin stuff. = )

[kojikun]

Pic, post more then that. It kind wastes space if everyone just says
"cool" or "yeah" or "Stupid fundies theyre just crazy!" or something.

BTW
If anyone here has TechTV, catch Secret, Strange, and True reruns this week,
on the subject of neurotheology.

http://www.techtv.com/secretstrangeandtrue/index.html/

[Pic-A_Card]

meh, I'm sorry I can't bullshit as much as you, Kojikun.

Anyway - Anyone know where I can acquire one of those magnetic frequency generators??

[Agent R]

Anyway - Anyone know where I can acquire one of those magnetic frequency generators??

You can get one wherever they do neurotheological research, or try to find a seller on the web.

Just a thought, but maybe that's how "God" gets messages to people: by fiddling around with their brains

[kojikun]

Agent R: One of the people in the BBC special, Ramachandran, said just that -- those parts of the brain might be god-antennas. But ofcourse the most logical conclusion is that they're not god antennas at all.

[Hethrir]

What possible use would an evolved brain have with such a function to 'feel God?'

[Darth Wong]

What possible use would an evolved brain have with such a function to 'feel God?'

It's not a function; it's a dysfunction. How does incorrect interpretation of a magnetic field as an otherworldly presence translate to a "function"?

[Durandal]

Well this is fairly simple. Any conditions which cause people to feel God are the conditions under which God wishes to communicate with them. And the circle is now complete ...

[kojikun]

I believe the correct purpose of "feeling god" is really the ability to calm oneself subconsciously or even consciously so that you can perform better without nervousness, etc. Remember, the only people who "felt god" were the ones who already believed he exists. The atheists set they felt at ease, which suggests the purpose of the circuitry is, if you exclude already existing religious beliefs, to put someones mind at ease and help them cope with stress.

[NapoleonGH]

hmm i think an interesting study would be to check to see the adrenochrome levels in thsoe people who "feel god". (adrenochrome is one of the substances epinepherine breaks down into and is a halucinegennic substance, basically if given to people it can cause temporary schizophrenia and schizophrenia research seems to indicate that it is one of the many components in causing schizophrenia, specifically when schizophrenics hear voices and see things)

[Solauren]

Hmmm....

this makes me wonder if you could build a device capable of generating fields that would calm a stressed subject

Or read minds or stuff.

Or possibly allow telepathic communication between minds using magnetic fields and devices (kinda like a 'brain modem')

[Eleas]

Well this is fairly simple. Any conditions which cause people to feel God are the conditions under which God wishes to communicate with them. And the circle is now complete ...

When I left you I was but deluded, now I have a Masters of Theology.