Religion from Evolution?

[Enlightenment]

Guardian article

A fascinating article about the latest research involving the human brain and religion.

It's kind of scary to think of the drugs that can target these receptors to give people a more spiritual experience. It's also funny at the same time, that science is just now discovering what medicine men and shaman have known since ancient history.

Thoughts?

[Ashley-Star*Child]

That's artificial. Humans can make many artificial things, including other humans. Does that mean humans didn't originate the way they have since the beginning of time (i.e. natural reproduction)? No, it does not.

[ChariotInTheSky]

I've seen this before... I think. Errr, rather I think I saw something sort of similar in this article.

http://www.atheistempire.com/reference/brain/

Found this when research Timothy Leary who of course is responsible for the theory on the eight stages of consciousness and also has a book sort or related to this topic called "Your Brain is God". Try to ignore the inherent bias that resides from this source and instead take the findings instead as the important part.

A "god spot" of the brain... A place where when simulated mystical hallucinations are created that invoke spiritual overtones in an individual... Could this be true? Could it be that god is merely a manifestation of the mind? Of course, the sources all downplay such a severe leak from their findings, and with good reasoning. It doesn't necessarily prove anything. All it does is show that there is a place in the brain that may be more geared towards thinking of a god, whether or not it is a true or false being. Surely believers will use this as proof that god created man for him, while non-believers will use it to show how we propagated our own ruler into existence.

Of your article however, this is the most interesting line:

"Intriguingly, many scientists, while stressing that they have set out to explore religion rather than disprove its basis, say that no matter what they uncover about the nature of spiritual experiences, mass religious belief will continue."

Regardless of whether or not we disprove god, people will ALWAYS find something to believe in. We seem to on the whole need it, it gives us meaning for this world. Not me however, I don't. I find meaning in the tangible humanity, that I know I can focus on and still recieve something from. Perhaps one day this will be the "goal" regardless of belief...