From LiveScience:
The human brain does not contain a single "God spot" responsible for mystical and religious experiences, a new study finds.
Instead, the sense of union with God or something greater than the self often described by those who have undergone such experiences involves the recruitment and activation of a variety brain regions normally implicated in different functions such as self-consciousness, emotion and body representation.
The finding, detailed in the current issue of Neuroscience Letters, contradicts previous suggestions by other researchers that the there might be a specific region in the brain designed for communication with God.
What it means
"The main goal of the study was to identify the neural correlates of a mystical experience," said study leader Mario Beauregard of the University of Montreal in Canada. "This does not diminish the meaning and value of such an experience, and neither does it confirm or disconfirm the existence of God."
I'm unqualified to talk about neurological issues, but suffice it to say: I would find it suprising if a spiritual reality could be tracked down by any material methods, whether it's an effort to find the God Spot or a swarming of regions in the brain.
I wish I had time to track down better-informed commentary on this issue, but I'm simply pressed for time this morning. If anyone sees any good articles/commentary on this, please let me know (emai link on left).
