My Wife's Christian Co-worker

[Angrboda]

[Mystical]

I've used meditation as a way to in essence escape the pain in my body. I really think that it's a natural evolutionary tool for survival that can be harnessed for many uses. I too have never experienced a oneness with anything besides myself; but timelessness and feeling the past and present coalesce I have felt. I understand why someone would feel that's 'bigger than ourselves'. Its powerful to think about, really. All matter that we react with and are formed from, have been in existence for a very very long time.

[Rampant.A.I.]

The only belief that actually posits nothing greater than the self exists is solipsism.

I would say the kind of Creationists who can only dream up a 6,000 year old earth, in comparison to the massive size and age we know the universe to be are the ones who do not believe in anything more powerful than themselves. They merely believe in a slightly more powerful anthropomorphized force that thinks the same way they do, and hashtag it omnipotent and omniscient to feel good about their own small minds and the prejudices they were raised with.

[StuW]

Nice use of the word "hashtag" to draw the youngsters in

[Mystical]

[Michael Schubert]

So basically she just came home and told me this guy she works with was talking about Christianity. My wife told him that she doesn't believe in god. She doesn't believe, but she hasn't researched anything about it or whatever. She just thinks the idea of a god is stupid. So this guy told her that she's not a whole person because she doesn't believe in something higher than herself. He also told her that there is a part of the brain scientifically proven to be "set aside" for god. Not to mention that people who believe in god are happier than people who don't.

So am I missing something, or is that absolutely ridiculous? I don't recall any "scientific" study saying we have a part of the brain for god. Or that Christians are happier. But I'm the first to admit that I'm no where near as educated on any of this as most of the people here, which is why I'm bringing it to you guys and gals.

I listened to a similar story from a stupid bitch in one of my college classes. She said that we can't have an Atheist for president because our country was supposedly founded on a belief in god. She argued this because apparently the original European settlers came here for religious purposes. In other words, they came here to escape religious persecution in Europe. Like most Christians, this woman views atheists as amoral people who do not tolerate theists, so she would never vote for one. That, of course, makes no sense. She is also anti-American, for she requires a political candidate to pass a religious test in order to win her vote, and the U.S. Constitution forbids religious tests for government offices.

As for your original situation, I would advise your wife to just ignore this ignorant fool. He has, as psychologist Darrell Ray would say, caught the God Virus. There is no use in debating people like this. It's like reasoning with a wall.

[Clueless Morgan]

I don't recall any "scientific" study saying we have a part of the brain for god. Or that Christians are happier. But I'm the first to admit that I'm no where near as educated on any of this as most of the people here, which is why I'm bringing it to you guys and gals.

I have read studies that seem to imply that the human brain is hardwired to believe in the supernatural. Never heard of a part of the brain that only processes that sort of thing. The guy is talking out of his ass.

I haven't heard of a God Center in the brain personally but that's not surprising as I don't work in the field of neuroscience, nor indeed in any scientific field, and I don't study it.

I did recently read The Believing Brain by Michael Shermer which talks about the phenomenon of patternicity and agenticity which might have a lot to do with why humans interpret otherwise mindless natural phenomenon as being caused by a being and how we're really really good at picking up on patterns that may or may not have any actual meaning - but we see them because seeing them has saved our lives in the past so evolution has selected for it. Perhaps this is what he means by the brain being hardwired to believe in the supernatural?

That's my two cents, someone smarter needs to start talking now.

[Rampant.A.I.]

[Severan]

I am happier after finding the truth.

[Cinjin]

Ok so my wife just got off work and dropped this story on me. And seeing I already have something of a history of posting work conversations, this isn't a departure.

So basically she just came home and told me this guy she works with was talking about Christianity. My wife told him that she doesn't believe in god. She doesn't believe, but she hasn't researched anything about it or whatever. She just thinks the idea of a god is stupid. So this guy told her that she's not a whole person because she doesn't believe in something higher than herself. He also told her that there is a part of the brain scientifically proven to be "set aside" for god. Not to mention that people who believe in god are happier than people who don't.

So am I missing something, or is that absolutely ridiculous? I don't recall any "scientific" study saying we have a part of the brain for god. Or that Christians are happier. But I'm the first to admit that I'm no where near as educated on any of this as most of the people here, which is why I'm bringing it to you guys and gals.