Religion a State of Mind?

Question

What do you think of this: http://www.dhushara.com/book/brainp/bmedit/gbrain.htm

Im an Atheist, just wondering how you see this article.

Please read article before answering. It's not long, so take a minute.

QUOTE "There is nothing spiritual about religion. It's purely psychological and social. It's a form of social control, man's first attempt at politics."

Whille this is true, it does not answer my original question. I was asking if you are religious or not depends on how your mind is... read article please.

Answer 1

I'm familiar with this work and it makes perfect sense. No matter what interaction a person is having there are going to be "changes" in brain chemistry. This goes for eating a steak, getting stressed over an exam or your income taxes, or having a religious experience. Everything we experience boils down to a chemical reaction in the brain.

That being said... This does not rule out a religious experience as being "real". Just as the steak and baked potato are real when I sit down to enjoy a black and blue steak; one cannot know that my religious experiences are any less real. Sure it is totally possible that one might be able to induce a religious experience by electrically stimulating regions of the brain, this however does nothing to invalidate other religious experiences that occur through other means. It just shows that there is a reaction in the brain that corresponds to a religious experience.

Also it is no great surprise that certain people are more predisposed to religion. Take something as simple as a Myers Briggs type analysis. I have taught a number of classes on meditation. Typically in these classes some 25 to 60 percent of the participants are INFPs. However in the general population INFPs are less then 1% of the total population. So it seems reasonable to deduce that INFP are much more interested in meditation then say ESTJs. So I’d bet that INFPs are also more interested in religion then say INTPs.

Again any of these findings do not invalidate religion or religious experiences. What they do show is that you might or might not find participation in religious/spiritual activities meaningful. If you don't enjoy them, that's cool, don't get involved. However that is not excuse for discounting or belittling someone who gains a great deal from religious activates.

Pax

Answer 2

There is nothing spiritual about religion. It's purely psychological and social. It's a form of social control, man's first attempt at politics.

Answer 3

I think it is just another piece of junk to try to bash Christianity.

The Bible is from God, there is not only proof of what took place historically but ask any practicing Christian about how God works in their lives in miraculous ways.

Since I was a child, I have known there was God, He isn't some big man with a white beard floating in the sky, He is real and only those who understand that fact know the truth.

Answer 4

G-- has revealed the anti-christ to me and I have verified it with my own two eyes and mind and heart.

G-- is more real than I even imagined. Find a good bible based church, doesn't matter which, just find one. Please. You have nothing to lose.

Answer 5

I think your mind is a state of religion.

Answer 6

Religion is all about faith...you should get some. God created you and I don't think He appreciates you denying He is your creator.

Answer 7

no... its a philosophy of thoughts to excell in humanity

Answer 8

a other one of satan lie