What religion does to your brain

[closed for business 23,257]

So I came across this and thought I would put it up for discussion, personally I came away with the feeling that it is a process of focus not dependent on there actually being a god.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322539#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

Whether or not a divine power truly does exist might be a matter of opinion, but the neurophysiological effects of religious belief are scientific facts that can be accurately measured. Here, we take a look at some of these effects, as shown by the latest research.

 

[Dreamer screamer 728]

of course the brain can register GOD if it is all you think about, the brain will build it in the brain.   Why they repeat everything on TV because we get used to and watch it again and again.  Mobile phones are so addictive, they're god to some and can't do without it.    Addiction is horrible!!

[closed for business 23,257]

1 minute ago, Dreamer screamer said:

of course the brain can register GOD if it is all you think about, the brain will build it in the brain.   Why they repeat everything on TV because we get used to and watch it again and again.  Mobile phones are so addictive, they're god to some and can't do without it.    Addiction is horrible!!

Thanks Dreamer

I hope that is all you need to say on the subject 

jmccr8

[Xeno-Fish 111,608]

It's that magical placebo effect rewiring the brain. 

Probably explains why my happiness level was higher back in my occultist day. All those neurochemical hits.

Edited January 25 by XenoFish

[spartan max2 20,002]

This is interesting 

Quote

Namely, different religions activate brain regions differently.

The researcher, who literally “wrote the book” on neurotheology, draws from his numerous studies to show that both meditating Buddhists and praying Catholic nuns, for instance, have increased activity in the frontal lobes of the brain.

These areas are linked with increased focus and attention, planning skills, the ability to project into the future, and the ability to construct complex arguments.

Also, both prayer and meditation correlate with a decreased activity in the parietal lobes, which are responsible for processing temporal and spatial orientation.

Nuns, however — who pray using words rather than relying on visualization techniques used in meditation — show increased activity in the language-processing brain areas of the subparietal lobes.

But, other religious practices can have the opposite effect on the same brain areas. For instance, one of the most recent studies co-authored by Dr. Newberg shows that intense Islamic prayer — “which has, as its most fundamental concept, the surrendering of one’s self to God” — reduces the activity in the prefrontal cortex and the frontal lobes connected with it, as well as the activity in the parietal lobes.

The prefrontal cortex is traditionally thought to be involved in executive control, or willful behavior, as well as decision-making. So, the researchers hypothesize, it would make sense that a practice that centers on relinquishing control would result in decreased activity in this brain area.

 

[closed for business 23,257]

8 minutes ago, spartan max2 said:

This is interesting 

 

Hi Spartan

Yes I read that when I read the whole article so not sure why you have quoted this bit, care to expand on it?

Edited to add

yes vocalization would stimulate the brain differently as one would be using their body with their mind not sure it would not be any different than martial arts in some sense

Did not see your comment at the head of the post so my apologies.

jmccr8

Edited January 25 by jmccr8
added context

[Hammerclaw 30,336]

12 minutes ago, spartan max2 said:

Quote

The prefrontal cortex is traditionally thought to be involved in executive control, or willful behavior, as well as decision-making. So, the researchers hypothesize, it would make sense that a practice that centers on relinquishing control would result in decreased activity in this brain area.

 

Sounds like marriage.

[closed for business 23,257]

2 minutes ago, Hammerclaw said:

Sounds like marriage.

Hi Hammer

Thank goodness someone with a sense of humor dropped in 

jmccr8

[Hammerclaw 30,336]

27 minutes ago, jmccr8 said:

Hi Hammer

Thank goodness someone with a sense of humor dropped in 

jmccr8

Wasn't joking. In marriage devotion, the concept of the individual is subordinated by the concept of we.

Edited January 25 by Hammerclaw

[closed for business 23,257]

12 minutes ago, Hammerclaw said:

Wasn't joking. In marriage devotion, the concept of the individual is subordinated by the concept of we.

Hi Hammer

Guess I've been single to long I thought it was funny but on the serious side agreed.

jmccr8

[Hammerclaw 30,336]

It would seem to me that any repetitive behavior requiring no thought, such as standing in a production line for hours doing the same task, over and over again, would render similar results.

[Mr Walker 6,821]

1 hour ago, jmccr8 said:

So I came across this and thought I would put it up for discussion, personally I came away with the feeling that it is a process of focus not dependent on there actually being a god.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322539#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

Whether or not a divine power truly does exist might be a matter of opinion, but the neurophysiological effects of religious belief are scientific facts that can be accurately measured. Here, we take a look at some of these effects, as shown by the latest research.

 

What I' ve been saying for over a decade  

The question of the existence and power of real gods is entirely separate from  the question of the effects of the power of belief.

  One just has to avoid the trap of coming to believe that ALL encounters with"gods" are the same ie that all are a form of hallucination /imaginary construct   in the brain  

Edited January 25 by Mr Walker

[closed for business 23,257]

9 minutes ago, Mr Walker said:

What I' ve been saying for over a decade  

The question of the existence and power of real gods is entirely separate from  the question of the effects of the power of belief.

  One just has to avoid the trap of coming to believe that ALL encounters with"gods" are the same ie that all are a form of hallucination /imaginary construct   in the brain  

Hi Walker

Unfortunately some take offence so will n longer respond to your posts as I have no inclination to lure Habitat out by speaking to you.

Edited to add

deleted edit

jmccr8

Edited January 25 by jmccr8

[Mr Walker 6,821]

2 minutes ago, jmccr8 said:

Hi Walker

Unfortunately some take offence so will n longer respond to your posts as I have no inclination to lure Habitat out by speaking to you.

jmccr8

Sad, but understandable. but its not really Hab.  who is the problem.  

The propensity to argue with me, for arguments sake, has now seen a few  threads closed down.

I'll just keep posting  as normal     

 

Edited January 25 by Mr Walker

[psyche101 44,990]

Hi Jay

 Interestingly, meditation is claimed to develop certain aspects of grey matter. As I understand, focus on a certain area develops the area like any exercise develops a muscle. Made me wonder of the vocalisation Spartan mentioned might be a factor. 

[closed for business 23,257]

14 minutes ago, psyche101 said:

Hi Jay

 Interestingly, meditation is claimed to develop certain aspects of grey matter. As I understand, focus on a certain area develops the area like any exercise develops a muscle. Made me wonder of the vocalisation Spartan mentioned might be a factor. 

Hi Psyche

Yes that was in part the reason for bringing it here because it seemed just like us interacting on ourselves using a tool god, religion as a means of focusing but that does not exclude that the same effect could be developed by a none religious/god thinker using a different tool to focus with.

jmccr8

[psyche101 44,990]

8 minutes ago, jmccr8 said:

Hi Psyche

Yes that was in part the reason for bringing it here because it seemed just like us interacting on ourselves using a tool god, religion as a means of focusing but that does not exclude that the same effect could be developed by a none religious/god thinker using a different tool to focus with.

jmccr8

The god helmet by Persinger mentioned in the article already pretty much shows just that doesn't it?

[joc 19,847]

3 hours ago, jmccr8 said:

Whether or not a divine power truly does exist might be a matter of opinion, but the neurophysiological effects of religious belief are scientific facts that can be accurately measured.

The premise is wrong.  I would gather that it is wholly wrong...neurophysiological effects are not scientific facts and nothing neurological in that sense can be accurately measured.

But it is wrong also because it states...Religious Belief.  Belief is belief.  There is virtually no difference between Religious Belief, Political Belief, or Societal Belief. None.

[Mr Walker 6,821]

2 hours ago, joc said:

The premise is wrong.  I would gather that it is wholly wrong...neurophysiological effects are not scientific facts and nothing neurological in that sense can be accurately measured.

But it is wrong also because it states...Religious Belief.  Belief is belief.  There is virtually no difference between Religious Belief, Political Belief, or Societal Belief. None.

I believe you are dead right in your second point, but wrong in your first.

 Science and technology has now advanced enough for us to observe the neurological /physiological processes and connections,  including thoughts and emotions, inside a  human brain,  under laboratory conditions 

[qxcontinuum 1,122]

What religion does to your brain? It certainly makes you a better man it shows you values which can help you living a healthy and better life, happy with yourself as well with your beloved Neighbors. Problem is when man does bad things in the name of the religion, it's actions in the name of religion becomes a religion within itself and this is how perception is being skewed.

[Hammerclaw 30,336]

Thinking is hard; that's why most people judge.   Carl Jung

[Nuclear Wessel 7,475]

40 minutes ago, qxcontinuum said:

What religion does to your brain? It certainly makes you a better man it shows you values which can help you living a healthy and better life, happy with yourself as well with your beloved Neighbors. 

IDK about you but simply just living by the philosophy of "not being too much of a dick" has worked wonders for me, as an atheist.

[closed for business 23,257]

4 hours ago, joc said:

The premise is wrong.  I would gather that it is wholly wrong...neurophysiological effects are not scientific facts and nothing neurological in that sense can be accurately measured.

But it is wrong also because it states...Religious Belief.  Belief is belief.  There is virtually no difference between Religious Belief, Political Belief, or Societal Belief. None.

Hi Joc

Thanks who's premise mine or the article?

jmccr8

[closed for business 23,257]

47 minutes ago, qxcontinuum said:

What religion does to your brain? It certainly makes you a better man it shows you values which can help you living a healthy and better life, happy with yourself as well with your beloved Neighbors. Problem is when man does bad things in the name of the religion, it's actions in the name of religion becomes a religion within itself and this is how perception is being skewed.

H Qx

That is debatable the majority of people in prisons are religious so I don't see much value in your position.

jmccr8

[Arbenol 4,632]

5 hours ago, Hammerclaw said:

Wasn't joking. In marriage devotion, the concept of the individual is subordinated by the concept of we.

Not to mention:

"decreased activity in this brain area".