Religion as Cognitive Malfunction

[beso]

Scientific research using functional MRI has shown that religious experiences mainly involve the temporal lobes of the brain.

Epileptic seizures in the temporal lobes have also been shown to be associated with hyper-religious experiences. Some researches consider that the religious revelations of "prophets" such as Abraham and Mohammed are nothing more than epileptic seizures in this area of the brain.

Epilepsy can be induced in some people by repeated, rhythmic sensory input such as flashing lights.

Religious rituals often involve repetitive movements, repeated chants and actions. For example the nodding of the Jews at the Wailing Wall and those who study the Qu'ran, the repeated phrases and the swinging incense burners of other churches.

The parallels with hypnosis are obvious. Hypnosis is also capable of inducing the patterns imprinted during the hypnosis at other times given the right stimulus being imprinted during the hypnosis.

Is religion really about trying to reproduce some of the cognitive dysfunctionality of temporal lobe epilepsy that caused the hyper-religious experiences of the founders of their sects? Does it also imprint the triggers for those mental patterns to reemerge during otherwise normal behaviour?

Does this patterning fit what we see in the religious where they can barely string two sentences together without launching into copious quoting from their religious texts, while clearly oblivious to the irrationality of what they are saying?

Is it right that the religious should be allowed to expose children to these practices, knowing that it is specifically aimed at causing profound cognitive dysfunction?

[goodlife]

A diabetic must submit to a program of treatment that may include taking insulin injections. Is this a sign of failure? Hardly! It is simply a means of balancing the body’s nutrients so that the sufferer can remain healthy.

It is much the same with taking medication for depressive and bipolar disorders. Although many people have been helped by a program of counseling that has enabled them to understand their illness, a caution is in order. When a chemical imbalance is involved, the illness cannot be simply reasoned away with logic.

A bipolar patient, relates: “The medical professional who treated me illustrated it this way: You can give a person all the driving lessons in the world, but if you give that person a car with no steering wheel or brakes, then those lessons won’t do much good. In the same way, giving only cognitive counseling to a depressed person may not attain the desired results. Balancing the brain’s chemistry is a valuable first step.”


So with religion many people are indifferent about religion. It is difficult for them to think about religious or spiritual matters. They may still observe the rituals and customs handed down from generations past, but they really have no religious belief to speak of.

As in any relationship, we draw close to God by two-way communication. God “speaks” to us through the pages of the Bible—his written Word—wherein he reveals his activities, personality, and purpose for us. (2 Timothy 3:16) In turn, we speak to God by means of prayer, or worshipful address. Such prayer should, of course, be sincere and intimate, not formal and ritualistic, Simple.

[jomifl]

There you go Beso, your question answered, concisely and comprehensively with no biblical quotes. We can hope can't we?

[RATTER15]

beso, sounds about right to me, we need to protect children from this type of harm.

They could end up like goodlife, totally weird!!

[goodlife]

My mother told me that Jehovah’s Witnesses were weird. From the little I knew of them, I thought they were too conservative and didn’t know how to have fun. I considered pretending not to be there when they called. But I changed my mind when the time came. I invited them in, and we immediately began studying the Bible.

[DTCwordfan]

me thinks not, jomifl, do not let goodlife deceive you by pulling the Jehovah's wool over your eyes:

http://www.watchtower...00811a/article_01.htm

Yes goodlife is still pontificating without giving reference to where he quotes from - but what do you expect from a JH clone who has been brainwashed.

[goodlife]

IN one Central American country, 15 armed men took two of Jehovah’s Witnesses from their home by force and brought them to a group of 75 men armed with clubs and machetes. They insulted the Witnesses with obscenities and turned them over to another group of about 350 similarly armed men. They expected that the two brothers would become fearful and would compromise their Christian neutrality by joining their patrol. (Isaiah 2:4) But the Witnesses stood fast and refused to join the military operation. So they were thrown into prison, while members of many of the churches compromised and went off to the hills with the patrol.

The next day the brothers were taken to the main town for another hearing. As they walked along, the guards told them they were brainwashed. The brothers replied: “It is certainly true that we have been brainwashed! Now we do not do harm to anyone; we are not thieves, drunkards, adulterers.” When the official gave them a hearing, he showed kindness and congratulated them, saying, “If everyone was like you, things would be different.

[jake-the-peg]

You are being a bit naughty aren't you beso?

Aristotle would be cross with that sylogistic "error"

Religion is in the temporal lobe
Epilepsy is in the temporal lobe
Epilepsy is a brain malfunction
Therefore religion is a brain malfunction

I agree that there are a number of aesthetic religious practices ,sufism jumps to mind, that seek to introduce trance like states but that is by no means harmful and indeed is a form of therapy.

If prayer or meditation produces a brain state that is conducive to an individuals mental well being I don't see why you should take surch a hard line against it


I do wish we could get some better quality theists in here - I can't believe I'm having to play devils advocate.

[jomifl]

DT, sometimes my irony, goes un-noticed :-(

[DTCwordfan]

true when you are knackered after taking on an awful kitchen of one's Alzheimer's mother today to advance the clean-up that psychological one yard forward in a 200 yard race.....!

[jomifl]

Jake, I am afraid that theism and intellectual quality are mutally exclusive. Theists seem to be incapable of rational discussion as they always cop out by resorting to 'belief' rather than thinking.

[DTCwordfan]

Very interesting goodlife. Isn't that what virtually every mad dictator has wanted, his nation brainwashed to the point of being intellectually supine and submissive - and what the leaders of the JH's have managed to achieve with most of their stooges.

[naomi24]

Jake, //I do wish we could get some better quality theists in here //

So do I.

[wildwood]

goodlife //Now we do not do harm to anyone; we are not thieves, drunkards, adulterers//

but you would let your child die if it meant it could be saved by a blood transfusion. That equates to murder by purposely withholding necessary medical treatment.

[birdie1971]

Goodlife - “... As in any relationship, we draw close to God by two-way communication. God “speaks” to us through the pages of the Bible—his written Word—wherein he reveals his activities, personality, and purpose for us...”


If I were to tell you of a relationship in which one partner threatened the other one with real physical harm if they didn't do precisely what they were told, I suspect that you would call that relationship abusive.

The courts in this country certainly would and do so on a daily basis.

The fact that you think that God loves you while standing over you, threatening you with eternal damnation should you disobey Him in either thought or deed, shows that your ability to recognise a truly loving relationship has been severely compromised by your religious belief.

If God has a relationship with mankind then it is an intolerant and abusive one.

[jomifl]

No Aynhoe, I don't remember god, never met him, never been aware of his existence, nice chap is he?

[goodlife]

wildwood @ Wrong, bloodless treatment methods are alternatives to blood transfusions. Given the dangers associated with blood transfusions, bloodless medicine and bloodless surgery are gaining popularity throughout the world.
The same with every one else on here who don’t know what go on in the world

[FredPuli43]

So, goodlife, is it proper to leave a child to die rather than give it a blood transfusion at all? We have had cases where the Courts have had to intervene to save a child because the parents, convinced by their religious beliefs, refused a transfusion. Which was God's will in those cases?

[beso]

Does goodlife believe all the propaganda supplied by their church without the slightest question? Oh yes that is right, of course he does. Anything less would be a sin.

I am quite sure the church of Jehovah's Witless hasn't a clue of what is going on in the world. Nor do they care because they wouldn't want the truth to get in the way their myths.

We have debated the relative dangers of blood transfusions before and as usual godlife's position is exposed as nonsense.

Moreover when child's blood is all over the road in a motor vehicle accident there is no substitute for a transfusion. But then God's will is obviously that the child is meant to die (with His merciful contrition of course) so I guess the parents are bound by their faith regardless of the child's desire to live.

Fcukwit.

[naomi24]

Ha ha! So I assume you disagree with Goodlife then, Beso. ;o)