Scientists investigate if atheists' brains are missing a ‘God Spot’

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   elayne001posted 14 years ago

   This is an interesting article. It infers that atheists are more intellectual than believers. What do you think?

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      Mark Knowlesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      What article is this?
      Although - I already agree with it.

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         marinealways24posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Imagine that. Quick to assume anything that agrees with your faith and pride.

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         elayne001posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Hereis the story:http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/scientists-investigate-if-atheists-brains-are-missing-a-god-spot/article1521557/

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      Obscurely Diverseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hmm, I thought the agnostic folks were the most dazzling when it comes to overall cognitive function! 

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      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      There are a few articles around positing the existence of a "God spot" in the brain of believers. 
      
      If there is one, then it doesn't imply atheists are more intellectual - because that would mean they had a God spot but were rationalizing it away.
      
      What it would mean is that if someone has a "God spot", they're powerless - they don't get a choice, their brain is wired to believe in God.  And if someone doesn't have a "God spot", it's impossible for them to believe in one.

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         humagaiaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Good logic!
         However, I do take issue with your presumption that there is a single God (viz "believe in God"). But that is probably just semantics.
         Can we postulate that if a "God spot" is proven to exist that there must have been a God that made it exist?
         Also, if there are more atheists now (in percentage terms) does that mean that evolution is removing the "God spot"?
         If so, does it follow that the God that made it exist is now no more, as "It" is not ensuing that the "God spot" is not evolved away?

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      Brenda Durhamposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Oh grief.
      'Twasn't too long ago that some men believed the g-spot was in a woman's throat too.
      What a crock!
      
      On a lighter note, coolbreeze---have you been listening to Mark?  'Cuz he dunno how to spell Christian either.

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         sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Zoinks! lol Brenda, do you believe everything you hear or do lack a sense of satire.  I am laughing at the g-spot thing in the throat. lolololol

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         Maddie Ruudposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         If you're trying to allude to the 70's porn "Deep Throat,"  it was actually her clit, not her g-spot, that was down her throat.  And she was an anomaly, even in that film--never made out to be the norm.

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            Brenda Durhamposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I stand corrected.  (My post was mostly a sarcastic comparison anyway).   I think the rumor was that her clit was in her throat....
            And she supposedly was pressured at gunpoint to perform in the porn films, and later became a fervent advocate against pornography.
            
            Do you reckon maybe a better comparison woulda been if I'd said I have ocean-front property in Arizona to sell to those who believe there's a "God Spot"?
            

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            earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I saw deep throat in New York. The heckler was priceless!

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      rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      without reading the article, maybe because some people actually think on their own, asking questions, pondering, reasoning... instead of simply accepting?

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      Rochelle Frankposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      If they're missing something in their brain how can they infer they are more intellectual.

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         Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         As in missing a tumor.

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         SummerStewardposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         It's not that they are missing something in their brain, it's to study if there is any PART that differentiates believers vs non-believers. It's that while studied under times of prayer and meditation no "special spot" lit up, only expected areas of memory and emotion. Depending on what side your on, it's either functioning correctly or malfunctioning.
         
         another example:
         In Rorschach ink-blot studies, for instance, believers tended to see images that weren't there and non-believers tended to miss images that were present.
         
         make of that what you will, I have yet to form an opinion.

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      wyanjenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think...
      
      An article can't infer anything. Infer means to draw a conclusion.
      An article can imply something, though.
      
      If the article is implying that atheists are more intellectual, I won't disagree. I've read several recently that draw the same conclusion.
      It's a question of cause and effect. Are intellectual people more likely to question things in general? Or, do atheists become more intellectual by way of study?
      
      Chrishtans analyze the bible from cover to cover, and that is a lot of reading.
      But, atheists analyze all the other books. That's REALLY a lot of reading.
      
      

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         rmcrayneposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Good post Jen, but I was thinking....
         
         Christians rationalize the Bible from cover to cover. 
         
         I know many incredibly smart people who are devout in their faith (which always beat the hell out of me). 
         
         I think nonbelievers have a common need for logic present in our brains.

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   skyfireposted 14 years ago

   Well where is the link to article ? 

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      elayne001posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/tec … le1521557/

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   cally2posted 14 years ago

   show me the link. I know I'm smarter than the god botherers.

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   tantrumposted 14 years ago

   
   We don't need a link. We know !!

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   Dame Scribeposted 14 years ago

   geezz, lol

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   aka-djposted 14 years ago

   The missing "God spot" is not in the brain but the heart.
   They do have one of those don't they.
   (Oh, fyi, I do not refer to the blood pump!)
   
   
   

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      SummerStewardposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, that's the most god-like statement I've heard all day. Where's the smiley for sarcasm?

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         aka-djposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Yea, a little. Many atheists don't believe they have one. (I mean ARE one).
         

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            SummerStewardposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            have what? A god-spot? Obviously not, otherwise that would make being an atheist counter-productive. I looked into some of these articles and the retort to "god-spot", was called a "gullibility spot".. I'm not judging, and don't want to step on toes here but I just wanted to point that out.

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   coolbreezeposted 14 years ago

   The whole thing is sort of impertinent, if there is or there isn't is an individual choice that is probably contingent on your level of consciousness. On that note in my life I have found many atheists to be more spiritual and more aware than many Christens. I had a guy not to long ago tell me he didn't believe in God and would never lie cheat or steal from anyone. On the other hand I have been around Christens that never walk the walk. If you know what I mean. Smart Dumb? Its over rated folks!
   
   The ability to receive and give love unconditionally might be something that would be more pertinent. The if there is of if there isn't is so well droll. Aloha

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   awareposted 14 years ago

   wtf ? no way  believers  invent sht . atheists  are a stagnate pond

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   Beelzedadposted 14 years ago

   I think this is the most important piece of the article:
   
   "Dr. Zuckerman says, the research on atheism is just getting started. “We'll never fully understand religion until we can understand secularity,” he observes. “There are intellectual questions needing to be answered, because they have real-life, political consequences.”
   
   

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    ralwusposted 14 years ago

    Our dear Habee has two humongous God spots on her chest and she is very intelligent. I adore her god spots.

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    pisean282311posted 14 years ago

    “There is a lot of evidence that religious beliefs flow very naturally from the way the mind is designed,” Dr. Shackelford says. It has long been believed, he says, that atheism is a harder position to maintain because it goes against the natural instinct to want to attach some kind of meaning to phenomena we can't explain. “Perhaps religion is natural, but not inevitable.”
    
    interesting...

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       Jewelsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I would say being spiritual is more natural and doesn't imply being religious.  Depends on your take on religion as dogma.

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          pisean282311posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          @jewels...yes u r right...being spiritual is natural...

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       alternate poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Maybe this is why religion started to collapse with the Industrial revolution - the science that fired it provides an alternative to attach meaning to phenomena with the advantage that it can also explain some of them.

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    Beelzedadposted 14 years ago

    Yes, it is true, atheists are missing a 'God Spot' - it has been replaced with a brain.

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       Will Apseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Which, unfortunately, many use to distance themselves from their own humanity.

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          Beelzedadposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I thought they used it to distance themselves from having to spend an eternity in damnation and hellfire.
          
          I know it's been working for me. 

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          SummerStewardposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          from their humanity?!? haha, that's hilarious. I think the people who are distancing themselves from their "humanity" are the people who aren't trying to be better people. Are you telling me that just because an atheist doesn't buy the outdated stories in a book means they are living their lives in a way that brings them further from their humanity? Ever notice that atheists supply less that 1% of the prison population?Christians supply 81%. Think about that and then lets talk about "humanity".

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