In his May 8 letter, Garry Gamble proposed that natural man “represses the evidence” that would lead to a true knowledge of God. No, instead it seems the religious man suppresses the need for evidence so he may comfortably continue to hold his belief as true.
Recent research from Aarhus University in Denmark compared brain scans of devout Christians with those of the nonreligious, looking for activity in the prefrontal cortex, the area that deals with vigilance for critical thinking. The Christians demonstrated normal, active prefrontal function, but when presented with issues of faith, belief in a divine power, the prefrontal area shut down, indicating repression of the brain’s prefrontal function.
The nonreligious person’s prefrontal brain activity remained active with all topics. A lapse in the brain’s critical function seems necessary to accept belief of a deity!
I was recently told of a wellrespected woman of our community who shared her story of the lifelong challenge living with her mother’s devaluation of women. Women were not only to remain uneducated, but were devalued if they became educated. The woman’s duty was to produce children and serve men. Hyla courageously liberated herself from this oppressive, antiquated idea, became highly educated and successful, and yet her mother never recanted from the traditional view, never acknowledged her daughter’s outstanding achievements. Hyla reminds us of how stubbornly resistant some cultural customs can be, and how difficult for persons to be free of it. Her experience helped to better understand others who struggle with religious traditions, which demean in order to control. Change is very difficult for both the oppressor and the oppressed as both are victims of indoctrination.
There is no need to feel inadequate and unhappy with one’s natural self.
Thesuperhero deity of Christianity attempts to instill guilt and shame simply for being human. Garry, even though I do not know you, I would be willing to bet that you are far more upstanding and of exemplary moral character than the God of the Bible. Now boot up your prefrontal cortex!
Lou Jenson
Grand Marais
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