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from the "number-of-the-beast"-is-natural,-whole,-rational,-real,-AND-imaginary dept.
Religious beliefs are not linked to intuition or rational thinking, according to new research by the universities of Coventry and Oxford. Previous studies have suggested people who hold strong religious beliefs are more intuitive and less analytical, and when they think more analytically their religious beliefs decrease.
But new research, by academics from Coventry University's Centre for Advances in Behavioural Science and neuroscientists and philosophers at Oxford University, suggests that is not the case, and that people are not 'born believers'. The study -- which included tests on pilgrims taking part in the famous Camino de Santiago and a brain stimulation experiment -- found no link between intuitive/analytical thinking, or cognitive inhibition (an ability to suppress unwanted thoughts and actions), and supernatural beliefs.
Instead, the academics conclude that other factors, such as upbringing and socio-cultural processes, are more likely to play a greater role in religious beliefs.
[Abstract]: Supernatural Belief Is Not Modulated by Intuitive Thinking Style or Cognitive Inhibition
Would you agree with this conclusion or do you believe that there is something else that influences people's religious beliefs ?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Thursday November 09 2017, @07:15PM (1 child)
It's become even harder since the War on Drugs: materialist society has decided to do its best to eradicate utterly any deviation in consciousness from the supposedly "good and proper" rational problem-solving state.
Notice it's the religious leaders and people who are most strongly against drug use (including alcohol), and want laws passed to prohibit it. It isn't the rational materialists who want to ban this stuff. They don't always like it, but they're rational, and they saw what happened in the US under Prohibition, so they know that punishing laws don't work.
So why do the religious leaders really want this stuff prohibited? They don't want competition. They want to be the only ones to give you that "spiritual" experience.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 09 2017, @11:19PM
That's how you indicate that you're quoting someone else.