--- Erik Reuter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Andrew Crystall wrote: > > > I was scientically trained and it didn't affect my > religious beliefs one bit. > > Yes, many of the ~40% I have met are like that. > Those I have > discussed it with seem to keep their mind > compartmentalized, with the > rational/scientific part in charge most of the time, > but they keep the > irrational/religious part going in parallel, > although usually not in > dominance. In several of the cases, it seems likely > this behavior was > due to religious brainwashing when they were young > and impressionable, > and they never quite manage to expunge it, so it > just gets pushed into a corner.
<grin> So non-condescending of you... <serious> What about Chad's thought that there might be 'spirituality gene(s)'? I can see how that might have a survival advantage in small, close groups. How many here who consider themselves religious, spiritual, or otherwise somehow connected to the Divine have had that feeling of "universal connectedness" or "sacred presence" (drug experiences disqualified in my book) -- and how many here who consider themselves atheist or agnostic (or indifferent) have had such a feeling/sense? Is the sensation of "wonder" or "true awe" akin to "universal connectedness?" What evolutionary purpose does "wonder" serve? (Anger, fear and love all have clear survival advantages.) Is this related at all to how some people have sensitve music-evoked emotions/states? Or to empathy? Debbi who has had moments of absolute wonder and of profound "universal connectedness" (no visions, voices or anything hallucinatory); no typical time of day or situation, although more have occurred outdoors than in, began at least by age 5 (Oh, because it almost crosses over into prairie dog thread, I'll relate that one day in kindergarten I was delighted to discover gophers in the schoolyard: how cute, how clever with their quick dartings and the way they watched right back, how marvelous that they *built homes underground,* had families...how akin yet different we were, eying each other under the bright Califoria sun, me crouched on my "Charlie Browns,#" the gopher head&shoulders out of its dark hole.) #saddle oxford shoes __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM). http://calendar.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
