Since the dawn of religion, man has searched the heavens and Earth for God. In his search, many have claim to have found God in their minds. New scientific data may show that these people may have been right…
When we say we experience a feeling that God is near us, or that we feel a presence around us, it is because part of our brain is triggered to allow us to feel this. Scientists are baffled as to what could trigger the brain naturally to cause this feeling; however, scientists have discovered a way to reenact that feeling in the lab. Scientists developed a helmet that causes the left temporal lobe(part of the brain) to react differently, causing us to think we are feeling the presence of the lord. When worn, it changes the electromagnetic field in this part of the brain, and induces the feeling. The helmet was tested over and over again, on patients of all types. The patients were not told what the helmet would do; in fact, they were told that if nothing else, the helmet would allow them to better relax.
When activated, after roughly a minute or so, the majority of patients claimed to feel an other-worldly presence, claiming that they saw light figures standing all around them. Then they were again tested with a different type of electromagnetic pulse, and instead of angelic visions, the patients claimed to see a more demonic presence, and feeling the sensation of fire all around them. Then, after the experiments were done, subjects were told what the helmet was supposed to induce, and they were startled that the feelings they would feel in a church, while deep in prayer,was also being felt through a scientific medium. Many of the subjects tested did not have any religious associations at all, making this study even more interesting.
This experiment showed that the human mind was made with religion already programmed at birth. The scientists were at first curious as to why we would have religion pre-programmed in the first place. The answer to them: humanity felt it needed something to hold to, something to push them forward, and something to explain the reasons of the Universe. That’s all fine and dandy to some, but others seem to think that maybe God truly does live in our minds, and not our hearts. Since the experiment was done in a lab, scientists have no idea why this change in electromagnetic force would occur naturally in the brain to induce the feeling of religion. Perhaps there is more to the brain than we currently know. Or perhaps God truly does exist, and when he enters you, you experience the feeling. Science does not have all the answers to the questions at hand. They know they can give the religious experience, but can not explain WHY we can experience it today. Thanks for reading.
interesting article! I come from a somewhat religious background and my parents brought me up to believe in God and all that, but I really find this article very interesting! I’m looking forward to reading more of your work!
I think you are referring to the work of Michael Persinger of LaValle University. Indeed he and other scientists are ‘mystified’ by this discovery but neuroscientists frequently induce many emotions and experiences in people artificially. It should come as no surprise that ’spiritual experiences’ can be induced as well. What these experiments don’t show is how this phenomenon is produced naturally. To shamelessly plug my own work see ‘Touched by God: Spiritual Experiences and the Modern Mind’.
Good article. Thank you
I will go ahead and post your link for you: http://relijournal.com/religion/touched-by-god-spiritual-experiences-and-the-modern-mind/
When I wrote this article, while doing research, for some reason I could not find the man’s name who found out how to induce the feeling of religion in the mind. I guess when I think about it, science can basically induce whatever it wants in the human mind, but you are right, science has no idea how it could occur naturally. As your article stated, that part of the brain HAS to be there for a reason. Thank you for the input! 
Your article is really interesting, much better than mine heh
Brian
Sorry for the late reply to your reply to me. You certainly are a humble man! thank you so much for all your kind remarks and for posting the link to my article. It did indeed improve readership.
As for being unable to take a ‘philisophical approach’ you are probably partly right about your age BUT philosophy is a learned skill like any other. I minored in it in university and probably would not be able to write it had I not had this training. I highly recommend a few courses if you are in or headed for college or university. It greatly improves your ability to think and write. You clearly have a wonderful intelligence that ought to be nurtured.
There is a highly useful book I often used in university entitled “Philosophy Made Simple” by Popkin and Stroll. An updated version is still in print and I’m sure most libraries carry it. Have a look.
Thanks again for your very kind remarks about my article!