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#1 | |
ONE
love, blood, life Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The Wild West
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Biological Predisposition To Faith?
Very interesting article from a few years ago
__________________Quote:
The criteria and evaluations could be a weakness but I find the predisposition of a mind to transcendental experiences possibly linking to the activity of serotonin receptors stimulating to say the least, that the feelings of profound truth and significance in thought shown by the devout, the insane and the drugged can be traced back to a material cause. Valuable for unraveling the workings of the mind and bringing the subjective personal transcendental experience into an empirical domain. If there is a significant element of biological determinism in the capacity for faith would that have any significant effect on you? If you could one day find out if your neurology was a bad fit for faith would it justify agnosticism or atheism? (I feel yes, I was lucky enough never to have any compulsion to religion and whatever exposure there was didn't fit and by now I am quite confident never will - I would be interested to know the role of my brain in it versus environment; I think that it has the potential to undercut charges that atheism is simply another belief on par with any other faith - I am not saying it is special, merely that it is an absence of faith, which is a different beast altogether; most people take it to be true that other people think and feel like they do, that they would believe the same thing if given the same chance - showing if that is true or not and why could help understanding). Lastly if the capacity for faith is a biological character is it heritable and if so why would it exist in human populations. I suspect that this need some pondering with some targeted 5-HT2A action. |
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#2 |
ONE
love, blood, life Join Date: Oct 2000
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I think that "low serotonin" is incidental, frankly. As a measure of balance in biology, lower serotonin seemingly corresponds to higher dopamine (and vice versa). I believe it is the higher dopamine levels and the subsequent serotonin releases that go along with it that triggers higher levels of religiosity.
__________________Thus, it is not coincidental that drug use and religious experiences (as often seen in aboriginal religious practices) often go hand-in-hand. These drugs quite clearly alter the serotonin-dopamine balance. Frankly, all it takes is alternating supplementation of the amino acids, tryptophan (serotonin-producing) and phenylalanine/tyrosine (dopamine-producing), to trigger this. I've certainly noticed it myself, having taken both before. |
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#3 |
ONE
love, blood, life Join Date: May 2002
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u guys will contiue to change your mind as wisdom of the world and science progreesess at a snail's pace and eventually be enlightened in next life, look for me there.
in the meantime, i would encorage you to continue to love your fellowmen. <> |
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#4 | |
ONE
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Quote:
Since these neurotransmitters help determine whether we are happy or sad, it stands to reason that they could contribute far more to our personality, as well. |
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#5 |
ONE
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Are neurotransmitters the part of our organic system that cause
"warm and fuzzies" or "goose bumps"? Serious question here. <> |
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#6 | |
ONE
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Quote:
It stands to reason, as such, since they are involved with everything in our nervous system, that, yes, those two things would be included. |
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#7 | |
ONE
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![]() Quote:
It happens frequently in meditation and prayer. This is a barometer on how I measure a lot of my decisions in life. I have this phenomonen happen when listening to polictical speechs by either a Republican or Democrat-as long as the words are heartfelt, sincere and are in tune with light or goodness. Winston Churchill's "Never Surrender" speech comes to mind. It happens while listening to a sermon regardless of which church it hails from. If I listen to music, good music-from the good side: it feels like I'm being joyfully electrocuted, somtimes I don't know whether to laugh or cry. This happens at good movies, I can go on and on here, but I won't. Do any of you guys have this? Ok lock me up. ![]() dbs |
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#8 | |
Blue Crack Supplier
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#9 |
ONE
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BVS-
Has anybody told you that they loved you today? If not may I be the first? I love you mr bvs. <> |
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#10 | |
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But I hope you realize what I was getting at, I wasn't trying to attack you, just clarify... |
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#11 | |
ONE
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#12 |
ONE
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Argeed.
I believe God's children, us ppl on earth are at various different levels of spiritual growth; so what may ring true and give one person warm goose bumps won't give another. I feel my sweet wife get goose bumps at the encore of an opera show applause and is almost frigid while Bono is screaming Miss Sarajevo. What gives? That said maybe we wage some intervention and watch her melt at an unplugged BVS musical set, what do you say? ![]() <> |
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#13 |
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Sweet...
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#14 | |
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Quote:
I agree with what melon seems to be saying, though; the author of the study appears to be suggesting connections more to particular worship styles (as the article puts it, "certain religious and spiritual practices") than to the more baseline yes-or-no supposition as to whether there's any'thing' beyond material reality or not. Plenty of people who'd say 'yes' to that have zero interest in following any kind of "spiritual practice," and plenty of people who'd say 'no' are still interested in trying meditation for example. Also 15 is a very small sample. |
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#15 |
ONE
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Yolland-
Do you too sometimes get the warm fuzzy goosebumps, or is this relegated to those that occupy the diamond sphere, just a stone's throw a way from and- east of Shoel? <> |
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#16 |
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Oh sure, I think everyone gets goosebumps. Seldom if ever from speeches in my case, but when hiking in really sublime surroundings, occasionally from music, occasionally while meditating...
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#17 |
ONE
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Actually there are some that do not, which leads to other questions, like their belief system, if they're in harmony with their universe etc etc.
The better news is that we're not alone in this kid. ![]() For political speeches try on Jesse Jackson or MLK. <> |
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#18 | |
ONE
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Quote:
Understanding how the brain work has as little to do with the existence of God as evolutionary biology. |
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#19 | |
ONE
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Quote:
If somebody is dull to oratory and deaf to music that doesn't raise questions about their belief system or how their living their life. |
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#20 | |
ONE
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![]() Quote:
So you can: a) question why and then look how the ppl regardless of their senses all functioning properly -why they get these warm fuzzy db9goosebumps (deaf ppl feel the beat to music and even dance I hear shock!) and look at their lives and if they are good ppl with a good value system-try connecting the dots that way. or b) arbitrarily start picking on them for having warm and fuzzie feelings with goosebumps when you think they shouldn't. <> |
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