Is God in Your Brain?

[karnautrahl]

I'm interested myself because I'd like to find out more of the biology behind experiences I've had and may well have more of.  Though the article mentions that just because an experience leaves a trace on the brain doesn't mean it's from the brain.

http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/neuro/neuronewswk.htm

It's a worthwhile browse.

A neuroscientist with too much time on his hands could  undoubtedly produce a PET scan of "your brain on apple pie." But that does not negate the reality of the pie. "The  fact that spiritual experiences can be associated with distinct neural activity does not necessarily mean that  such experiences are mere neurological illusions,"

a snippet

[Telos]

What an awesome website! Thanks, karnautrahl.

[Gandalf]

Yes. the obvious snippet you mention there is a very basic point that neuro-scientists who want to 'de-bunk' obes consistantly fail to take into account, although it seems kind of obvious to me!

Doug

[beavis]

More than "does not necessarily mean". It implies the opposite. For any type of event, brains should average more difference in activity in brain parts than if that event wasnt happening. Some experiences activate some parts of your brain more. If that experience wasnt real, your brain should be more like its normal state. Its true in dreams. If you dream you get stabbed, it doesnt hurt as much as really getting stabbed. Neuroscientists who try to use difference as evidence are unknowingly trying to prove their claim false.

[karnautrahl]

Well I watched most of the exorcism program last night on channel 4. Interestingly the stuff about the pariatal lobe came up on there along with hemispheric dysync.

Seems to me that the tools we use to interact with this world-our physical brains are setup for mystical experiences-regardless of faith.

Maybe this is a reason that religions should stop being in conflict and admit to each other that most of them have validity for their followers equally and leave out the evangelism of any kind? Throw out the evangilism  or at least what I'm calling evangilism- the need to convert and persuade people all the time, and just be there willing to wait for folks to come to them in their own time? That's what the Islamic Sufi do.. they are willing to share but not push it to anyone.

[beavis]

Maybe this is a reason that religions should stop being in conflict and admit to each other that most of them have validity for their followers equally

A brain thinking something is true does not make it true.

[recoverer]

Thank you for posting the article. I've been thinking about this sort of thing quite a lot the last few days (especially today), and it's helpful to find an article on the subject.

It is a good thing that they brought in the apple pie analogy.  Other wise it might seem too one sided.


P.S. I'm at work and so far have read just the first 5 pages. Therefore, I my opinion isn't based on the entire article.

[karnautrahl]

A brain showing a response to something doesn't say anything about the reality of said something necessarily. the debate is going to be with epiphany of the reality of the state. Is your brain reacting to something real, or is that an illusion?

Something else I've thought of, that i really need to sit and type out properly, is this.

If it's possible to induce epiphany-yes I've decided to use that word, because it's the best one that describes the state of mind I've had a few times now-is that also something anyone can induce or have induced? It seems likely given the amount of accounts on this subject I've seen.  So perhaps there are common factors? I feel that this state of mind could be also a highly suggestable vulnerable state of mind.  So if someone is evangelising/chanting/singing etc something religious in particular, you could become a complete and true believer in that "something".  

The brain will rationalise anything given enough motivation. This state of mind is an incredibly powerful motivation. For me it beat orgasm, drug highs and other stuff a thousand times over.  This could explain many many cults and other practices.

It doesn't however contain the evidence within it to settle any of the arguements about whether a God, Creator or something like it exists.
So it doesn't contain the evidence needed to tell any one religion that it's wrong either. Or right.  It seems almost, irrelevant to that arguement. If you think about it, if anyone of any faith  or of no faith-like me-can experience epiphany then this kind of experience cannot inform anyone of the validity or not of their faith.  Though experiencing within a faith will make someone a devout believer I am positive of that.

If I'd gone to a church service and felt this, yes i think I'd have become a believer.  The sensation is THAT powerful.

Now what do I do? I didn't get any "religion" by experiencing it.  Just a knowing of "something"