God and the 'Shared Experience'

**~~removeduser_426582376423734~~** · February 20, 2008, 01:48 PM

Can religion be explained by the brain? I saw somewhere about the lobes changing in evolution into homo sapiens sapiens, and the growth of the 'religion area', for lack of other words. Anyone know anything on this topic? Do we humans share this religious area in our brain?

**gambit** · February 20, 2008, 01:58 PM

I doubt it, I'm no expert on the brain but I believe religion is just the hope that there is some guiding force and that we have something to live for that is 'bigger than all of us'.

**Tankbuster** · February 20, 2008, 02:15 PM

Certain areas of the brain occupy themselves with maths, others with language, other parts with social skills,...
It is very well possible that there is special area that occupies itself with... imaginary business

Or simply anything that requires more abstract thinking.

**~~removeduser_426582376423734~~** · February 20, 2008, 02:29 PM

There was an experiment done on a variety of people where the temporal lobe was stimulated and many had near-death or religious experiences of the likes that convert people. I was just wondering if there were any knowledgable people here who had researched it.

**So Much Fire** · February 21, 2008, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by Shyam Popat

There was an experiment done on a variety of people where the temporal lobe was stimulated and many had near-death or religious experiences of the likes that convert people. I was just wondering if there were any knowledgable people here who had researched it.

I haven't heard of this study, but that is true. The thought of being a good religious person or just experiencing something that reaffirms your faith most likely does trigger the release of a high level of serotonin. There most likely is a "religion" part of the brain, probably shared with reasoning and logic (I'm too tired at the moment to recall the exact part of the brain that deals with it which would in theory be your answer).

**Jack of Clubs** · February 20, 2008, 03:46 PM

I think religion is a need to believe there is something beyond life to try and give it meaning. Whats the point of living if u just think: i hav about 70 years but no matter what i acheive i am ultimately going to get no reward, will be forgotten and decay. Whereas if u beleive in religion u hav a goal: work hard be a good christian/muslim/(insert religion) in my life and i can live forever in some kind of eternal paradise.

**Chaigidel** · February 20, 2008, 08:56 PM

religion and spirituality are most definitely in the brain; that makes them no more and no less, the same way mathematics and history are no more or less because the human brain developed them for the human being.

**Sadreddine** · February 21, 2008, 04:16 AM

This is an interesting issue.

I see the matter as follows. Man is probably the animal more afraid of death, the one who is more conscious of his own final, unavoidable demise. Since the beginning of time man has always tried to find ways to overcome this primal fear. That is where the afterlife and the existence of the unseen, the basis of religion, comes from. The need for religiosity is part of the cerebral evolution of man, an evolutive mechanism of self defense against the unknown and the perception of self-limitation, the fear of being conscious of our future cease to exist. Matter and spirit, politics and religion, the two defining aspects of our social structure.

So, the unseen is part of our imaginery. I am one to consider this kind of issues set to a purpose inside the greater plan which is existence. As a rational believer, I have come to add God into the equation. Or better, to consider the equation set by God. That's best reflected by the Inspiration "And We have created you but to worship Me", which is true for any thing or creature in existence as far as I'm concerned.

**Caudex Maximus** · February 21, 2008, 01:40 PM

My Philosophy of Religion professor mentioned that there have been studies to show that there is a particular area of the brain concerned with religion. I think opinion is probably split opinion on the issue. Here is a link to an article on the topic:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5296728.stm

The article seems to state there is no one area of the brain responsible for feelings of spiritual union, but it is a number of areas working together. In class discussion, some tried to argue that it proved that religious feeling is simply the result of some weird area of the brain, and nothing more. To which others retorted by asking why we would evolve such an area in the first place. This led back to a point of uncertainty, which of course is why religion is such a fun topic.

**Maverick** · February 21, 2008, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Caudex Maximus

The article seems to state there is no one area of the brain responsible for feelings of spiritual union, but it is a number of areas working together. In class discussion, some tried to argue that it proved that religious feeling is simply the result of some weird area of the brain, and nothing more. To which others retorted by asking why we would evolve such an area in the first place. This led back to a point of uncertainty, which of course is why religion is such a fun topic.

The article doesn't say much. Religious ideas could evolve out of natural curiosity or the need to deal with loss especially considering the high infant mortality and dangers earlier hominids experienced. Psychadelics and other natural intoxicants could also evolve a capacity for religious ideas in people through surreal, mystic experiences or simply because they show there is more to existence than what can normally be percieved.

Anyways, I think religion can be better understood through psychology and anthropology than biology.