Comments on: A Brief Rant On Religiosity And Ego http://www.ridingondragons.com/2010/02/20/a-brief-rant-on-religiosity-and-ego/ to fly among the realms of experience Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:46:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Dick R http://www.ridingondragons.com/2010/02/20/a-brief-rant-on-religiosity-and-ego/comment-page-1/#comment-914 Dick R Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:00:24 +0000 http://www.ridingondragons.com/?p=3707#comment-914 In an email, my friend Alan Zaklad reminded me, "Not to leave out the ultra-orthodox Jew who machine-gunned a bunch of Palestinians a few years ago while they were praying." He also pointed to the book, <em>God and the Brain</em>, by Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist. Newberg examined the effects of religious/spiritual practices on the physiology of the brain. He learned that, for any kind of belief or practice in a generous, compassionate God, brain function improves; however, belief in a vengeful, punishing God damages the brain. I haven't read the book myself, but Newberg's conclusions seem intuitively and experientially correct to me. In an email, my friend Alan Zaklad reminded me, “Not to leave out the ultra-orthodox Jew who machine-gunned a bunch of Palestinians a few years ago while they were praying.” He also pointed to the book, God and the Brain, by Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist. Newberg examined the effects of religious/spiritual practices on the physiology of the brain. He learned that, for any kind of belief or practice in a generous, compassionate God, brain function improves; however, belief in a vengeful, punishing God damages the brain.

I haven’t read the book myself, but Newberg’s conclusions seem intuitively and experientially correct to me.

]]> By: Rhonda Bobst http://www.ridingondragons.com/2010/02/20/a-brief-rant-on-religiosity-and-ego/comment-page-1/#comment-910 Rhonda Bobst Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:25:04 +0000 http://www.ridingondragons.com/?p=3707#comment-910 Amen brother. Amen brother.

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