Being 'Born Again" linked to brain atrophy

[juliekins]

For what it's worth folks:Link to article

[tekla]

Life-changing experiences rarely change your life for the better.

[Just Kate]

"One interpretation of our finding -- that members of majority religious groups seem to have less atrophy compared with minority religious groups -- is that when you feel your beliefs and values are somewhat at odds with those of society as a whole, it may contribute to long-term stress that could have implications for the brain,"

If this is so, then gender variants are royally screwed.  I think I can feel my hippocampus shrinking!  Oh God I'm not better than someone who claimed to be "born-again"!  Dang, all those years looking down at those religious kooks just to end up in the same nursing home.

Oh, btw this was entirely sarcastic.  I love my born-again relatives.

[Mika]

This study was kind of mediocre...comparing only those who are not religiously affiliated, born-again Protestants and Catholics, and Protestants who don't identify as being born again. None of these are "outside of the mainstream." This study would have been more interesting if it had a better sample representation, including atheism and non-Western religions.

Maybe subscribing to a pre-formed dogma in elementary school and never questioning it again led to brain atrophy. I'm not anti-religious, but I think religion is best served individually, not filtered down through an institution that requires unthinking, whole-sale and lifelong acceptance, and that describes doubt/lack of faith grounds for everlasting torment. If you have your world view handed to you, and forsake a critical analysis of the world you live in, you aren't going to learn too much new.

[tekla]

I'd start with: Do you have an imaginary friend who you think created and rules the world?

[Lisbeth]

The problem I see with this article is that it takes a bit of data, people in minority religions have smaller hippocampuses than those in mainstream religions, and posits a single cause. They may or may not be right, but I suspect it to be not. They may in fact have the causality backwards. "Shrinkage of the hippocampus is also associated with depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease." They posit that being in a born-again religion leads to stress that results in hippocampal shrinkage. But couldn't it also be that depressed people are drawn to born-again religions? That would make both the choice of religion and the hippocampal shrinkage to be results of their depression.

[Beth Andrea]

I'd start with: Do you have an imaginary friend who you think created and rules the world?

That's not an open-ended, unbiased question, tekla.

[Robyn]

btw, does anyone have a list of which religions/political views/social values/gender orientation are "mainstream"?

Um, the Westboro Baptist Church, "Rev' Fred Phelps, pastor???

Robyn
Tongue planted firmly in cheek

[tekla]

Do you have an imaginary invisible friend who you think created and rules the world?

[Anatta]

Kia Ora,
  Well I must say, it's blown my beliefs right out the window...There I was thinking it was elephants who had good memories-only to be told it's "Hippos"!

Metta Zenda

[tekla]

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"

Carl Sagan, among others.

[V M]

I'd start with: Do you have an imaginary friend who you think created and rules the world?

No, my imaginary friend just likes to make rather tasty sandwiches or pizza

Yes, I am being a bit silly with my analogy, But do you not imagine who may be making your food when you order something for delivery?

How many folks imagine what their god or goddess may look like?

Much of life is delegated to what we imagine it should be and we judge it by what arrives... Someone looking for a sack of kine then going to the store to pick up some tasty brew to go with it may imagine what that combination should be

When I croak, I expect my god and goddess to be standing in a cloud with a sandwich, a pizza,  some tasty brew and some kine

[Joelene9]

  I had a good Grace Brethern pastor in Hilltop, VA.  After I got up in front to declare that I was born again at a service I attended while I was in the Navy, he ushered me into his office and he told me not to take this born again portion too seriously or you'll never get your work done!    I heeded his advice and I still can do some complex calculations in my head and did well at my place of employment.   It all depends on your attitude and the preacher you had.  I seen a lot of very smart people do a 180 in personality and job performance because of deep religious experience taken too seriously. 
  Joelene

[Julie Marie]

Being a child and sibling of family members who were born again...

Oh, there's no use going there.  It's a other-worldly experience.

As for me, I had a life changing experience when I transitioned and... 

Oh there's no use going there.  It's a real world experience.

[tekla]

But do you not imagine who may be making your food when you order something for delivery?

Actually its a guy named Jesus, but not because he's god, he's only Hispanic, though he makes me a heavenly chimichanga.