Treating Religiosity

[Suave]

Interesting.

Further support for a neural basis for religion comes from the fact that there are atheogenic as well as entheogenic drugs. In at least some psychoses characterized by extreme religious delusions, antipsychotic drugs can dispel the religious delirium. Can anyone doubt that, in exorcising the gods from such patients, the drugs are acting on particular neuronal receptors and affecting neuronal firing? Is it too much to hope that someday that a drug cure will be available for religious addiction? Won’t it be a great world when a doctor can say, “Take two Thorazines and call me in a month if you still feel the urge to tithe.”

We must remember too that temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is often accompanied by hyperreligiosity, and it is likely that St. Paul - arguably the creator of Christianity - suffered from epilepsy of some kind. Dr. Vilayanur Ramachandran, director of the Center for Brain and Cognition at the University of California, has studied TLE patients and has found that their Galvanic Skin Responses are disproportionately aroused by presentation of religious words. The word Jesus will make their palms sweat as much as those of normal people do when presented by sexual terms. Once again it appears that brain processes (and pathological ones at that!) are the cause of religious experience. For good measure, the argument would seem to be settled by recent experiments that demonstrate that “religious experiences,” “numinous perceptions,” and the like can be triggered by electrical stimulation of certain parts of the brain.

[AVRO1]

It would be a much better world if every religious idiot was forced to take anti-religious pills.

But then I'm biased since I think religion is useless.

[Suave]

Originally posted by AVRO1
It would be a much better world if every religious idiot was forced to take anti-religious pills.

But then I'm biased since I think religion is useless.

Very rude. Intelligence is not a factor in being disposed to religiosity.

[capt. apathy]

not sure what the point was supposed to be.  so they have drugs that can 'cure' you of your religious beliefs?  there are also many drugs and other compounds that can 'cure' you of your sight, your sense of touch,  pretty much any function we have can be 'cured' and shut down.  

For good measure, the argument would seem to be settled by recent experiments that demonstrate that “religious experiences,” “numinous perceptions,” and the like can be triggered by electrical stimulation of certain parts of the brain.

electrical impulses can also trigger muscle movement separate from your own reflex or desire.  it can also stimulate false readings in most any of your senses if the right current is applied to the right spot.  this doesn't make your natural movements or sensations any less real.

  all any of this really proves is that, like all of your other natural body functions, we can tweak the system if we try.

[AKIron]

There are drugs that can supress the sex drive or incapacitate the smallest agressiveness or even ambition. Perhaps we should all be freed from all of our base instincts?


What capt apathy said.

[Shuckins]

Religiosity is a product of brain dysfunction!?

Bwaahahahahahahahahahaha!   Ohhh Myyy!  What Rubbish!

While the article states that extreme forms of psychoses are often accompanied by religious delusions, which can be treated by antipsychotic drugs, dispelling the religious DELIRIUM, the rest of its conclusions are spurious at best.


Aren't you rather cavalierly dismissing much of humanity as "psychotic" because they are "religious" and presenting non-religious people, such as yourself, as being the only "sane" members of society?

[Suave]

Shuckings I asume you're responding to me, but if you'll look carefully you'll notice that what you are responding to is actually a quote from an article copied from a different web address. Not something that I wrote.

Religiosity in temporal lobe epileptics is a fact. And now people are able to replicate this with temporal lobe disruption. I find it very fascinating, particularly Dr.Ramachandran's work. Don't you want to know what causes religion?

[AKIron]

I'd be very interested to know what "causes religiosity". That article is far from revealing it though. Consider also that if there is an aspect to humans that is not purely physical, a study of only the physical nature will be unlikely to observe it.

[Shuckins]

Suave,

When you post such an article the reader can only assume that you agree with it.

I interpret the article as an attempt by some scientists to explain religion as a mental aberration.  

It appears to me that they had the answer and went looking for the question...if you get my drift.

Regards, Shuckins/Leggern

[Boroda]

Suave, very intreresting article!

It explains a lot. I know many people who suddenly became religious after serious stress or some tragic accidents. Looks like it's a result of a nervous disease...

Soviet high education system included "scientific atheism", that was really taken seriously in places that supplied most of highly-proffesional young fundamental sciences, like Phys-Tech institute or MSU Mech-Math department. It was noticed that people who study there turn to religion much more often then others. Hard studies can damage your brain...

Russian proverb says: "Make a fool pray - and he'll break his forehead".

Shukins, what's wrong? Yes, some of the religious people are sick, and religious fanatism is a symptome of their disease.  It doesn't say that  all religious people are ill. I think that some fanatic atheists share the same disease.

Sounds very religious: denying scientific facts when they are found offencive or contradict with faith...

[vorticon]

wait, so does this cure the leader,ned flanders, or marge?

[Gunslinger]

You guys are sick!  Talk about fascism!  This whole thread screams of it.  Why not just re-enact the "final solution" why your at it.  

[TweetyBird]

>>Is it too much to hope that someday that a drug cure will be available for religious addiction? <<

This is a grand example of junk science. Yes there is a neuro basis for religion, and duh, a neuro basis for inteligence. What there isn't, is evidence of religious addiction (I guess that just kinda slipped in unproven eh?).

[AVRO1]

Originally posted by Suave
Very rude. Intelligence is not a factor in being disposed to religiosity.

How is it rude to say it would be nice to get rid of people who justify horrible things with religion?

I never said all religious people were dumb.

Just take a deep breath and relax.

[Suave]

Wow such objective responses
I've allways been fascinated by fanatacism of all kinds, because I don't understand it. It is a species specific trait. Here's some more "junk science"

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mind/textindex.html

The show was fascinating, it showed how phantom limb pain can be cured instantly with mirrors. It showed a man who suffered head trauma and as a result he remains convinced that his parents are exact look alike imposters when ever he sees them, although when he talks with them on the phone he knows it's them. Some part of his visual/emotional associative part of his brain was damaged. It also discussed the phenomenon called blindsight.  And it also showed some epileptics falling in love with god. Also compared various imagery exams of religious peoples temporal lobe activity campared to irreligous. I'm very tempted to buy Dr. Ramachandran book.