No, because of their methodology. They did not do the same experiment at all. In the article by Jack Hitt trained scientists stimulated a certain part of his brain electronically. This caused sensations similar to those described by people who have near death experiences. Hitt's experience was not as dramatic as some people experienced who went through the experiment.

The experiment described in your post comes at it from the opposite direction. It asks nuns to describe experiences while hooked up to machinery that shows which parts of the brain are stimulated while they have mystical experiences. Thus, in Hitt's case, the machine caused the response in the human. In the nuns' cases the humans caused the response in the machine. Not the same thing at all.

Maybe it proves that different parts of the brain are used for different mystical and religious feelings and thoughts, just like different parts of the brain are used for different parts of the body, and its sensations, thoughts, and movements. That would make sense, but we would still have religion/God beginning and ending in the human psyche. Not that it matters either way to me...except that I hate putting out ideas that seem false to me.

I don't agree. If God made our brains (to put it very simply!) then surely it makes sense that there is a 'connecting' point or points in there? It's a chicken-and-egg thing, really.

Marti

Sure, you can argue that way if you want to. In that case, I guess you're saying you totally disagree with the premises on which this thread is based.

The type of argument you are making would come mainly from fundamentalist Christians. My question to you would be: If you are a fundamentalist Christian, how can you question whether or not God created the human body, including the brain?

You say "If God made our brains (to put it very simply!) then surely it makes sense that there is a 'connecting' point or points in there?" You say "if" and you put no redeeming clauses in there to undo the "if." Thus, you are questioning whether God actually made our brains. That does not sound like a good fundamentalist Christian. How do you defend such a position?

That God is a figment of our imagination? It's possible, I suppose. I don't totally disagree, because we can never know, in the sense of being able to provide evidence. It's also possible that there is a 'God who is there' (as opposed to an experience happening in the brain) and IF so, that God - the Ground of all Being (can't remember whose phrase that is) would be very much in connection with our psyche. I think.



You think I'm a Fundamentalist Christian -- really?? Because I disagree with you?
Surely not! Isn't that a somewhat paranoid reaction, considering the fact that this is a debate forum?


Marti

I think Paul Tillich talked about God being the Ground of All Being but it seems to me I read it in an earlier theologian, too. Maybe Freidrich Schleiermacher. I'm not sure.