Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Your brain on religion

What if it was discovered that belief in gods was caused by virus? And what if there was a cure?

If you're focused on the negatives of religion, it's easy to see that as a good thing. It's harder to see from the viewpoint of someone who has found great solace and meaning in their religion, of someone who quietly and joyfully practices, never pushing their beliefs on anyone. Would you have wanted to inform Mother Teresa that her religious beliefs were the side effect of a bug?

What if a side effect of the virus is not just belief in gods? What if it's also responsible for artistic creativity? What if it's responsible for creativity *and* war?

What if it was discovered that belief in gods was caused by an odd-looking growth in the brain? And what if a drug could cause it to shrink? How does that change what unfolds?

It needn't be modern religion. It can be in a fantasy world. It can be several hundred years in the future. What ever sparks you.

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