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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 05/04/2010 : 06:42:20
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Prayer shuts down the brains of the fundies. We already knew that just from hanging around here, but it's very good to have it supported scientifically.
Brain shuts off in response to healer's prayer
27 April 2010 by Andy Coghlan
WHEN we fall under the spell of a charismatic figure, areas of the brain responsible for scepticism and vigilance become less active. That's the finding of a study which looked at people's response to prayers spoken by someone purportedly possessing divine healing powers.
To identify the brain processes underlying the influence of charismatic individuals, Uffe Schjødt of Aarhus University in Denmark and colleagues turned to Pentecostal Christians, who believe that some people have divinely inspired powers of healing, wisdom and prophecy.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Schjødt and his colleagues scanned the brains of 20 Pentecostalists and 20 non-believers while playing them recorded prayers. The volunteers were told that six of the prayers were read by a non-Christian, six by an ordinary Christian and six by a healer. In fact, all were read by ordinary Christians.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2010 : 08:03:13 [Permalink]
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I suspect that the phenomenon described doesn’t only occur in people who have a strong religious conviction. Take those who are inclined to believe in psychics, or really any belief that includes trusting a charismatic authority figure, including political leaders, and the same observation will be made.
This is an interesting area of research. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 05/04/2010 : 08:47:56 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
I suspect that the phenomenon described doesn’t only occur in people who have a strong religious conviction. Take those who are inclined to believe in psychics, or really any belief that includes trusting a charismatic authority figure, including political leaders, and the same observation will be made.
This is an interesting area of research.
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Yes indeed! I met the renown herpetologist Laurence Klauber back in the early '60s. I had been transferred to the West Coast and was visiting the Reptile House at the San Diego Zoo. For the whole time we talked, I was all but a zombie. Which was a good thing, as I learned quite a bit by just keeping my ignorant mouth pretty much shut.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Suspicions confirmed!
