Irenaeus, Siteadmin, Check users, oversight, Administrators
351,796
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Religiosity and larger frontal lobes (view source)
Revision as of 21:17, November 2, 2015
, 21:17, November 2, 2015Created page with "thumbnail|200px|right|Animation. [[Frontal lobe (red) of left cerebral hemisphere.]] According to ''Scientific American'': {{cquote|Several..."
[[File:Frontal lobe animation.gif|thumbnail|200px|right|Animation. [[Frontal lobe]] (red) of left cerebral hemisphere.]]
According to ''Scientific American'':
{{cquote|Several studies have revealed that people who practice meditation or have prayed for many years exhibit increased activity and have more brain tissue in their [[frontal lobe]]s, regions associated with attention and reward, as compared with people who do not meditate or pray.<ref>[http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/askthebrains/ Ask the Brains, Scientific American, Dec 23, 2011]</ref>}}
Atheist [[Greta Christina]] wrote at the website Humananist.com:
{{cquote|A lot of atheists, humanists, and other nonbelievers are leery or dismissive of meditation and mindfulness. Some see it as an irretrievably religious or spiritual practice, and want no part in it. Others are put off by the faddish, overused, buzzword quality of the practice and the terminology. And I can understand that. For years, I stayed away from trying this stuff out, for exactly those reasons. I was interested in the practice—I had friends who did it, and who seemed to get a lot out of it. But I couldn’t find anyplace to learn that didn’t base their teaching on [[Buddhism]] or some other religion. And I’m too ardent an anti-religionist to “take what you need and leave the rest,” the way many nonbelievers do with religion. After all, I literally wrote the book on [[Atheism and anger|angry atheism]]. For me, trying to learn meditation in a Buddhist center would be like trying to learn meditation in a room full of fingernails scraping on blackboards.<ref>[http://thehumanist.com/magazine/november-december-2013/fierce-humanism/mind-is-matter-2 Mind is Matter], Greta Christina, The Humanist.com</ref>}}
Although many atheists in the [[Western World]] are reluctant to meditate, in the East nontheist Buddhists often practice meditation.<ref>''Christians Talk about Buddhist Meditation, Buddhists Talk About Christian Prayer'', edited by Rita M. Gross, Terry C. Muck, page 89</ref>
=== Functions of the frontal lobe ===
Healthline.com declares about the frontal lobe:
{{cquote|The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that controls important cognitive skills in humans, such as emotional expression, problem solving, memory, language, judgment, and sexual behavior. It is, in essence, the “control panel” of our personality and our ability to communicate.
It is also responsible for primary motor function, or our ability to consciously move our muscles, and the two key areas related to speech, including Broca’s area.
The frontal lobe is larger and more developed in humans than in any other organism.<ref>[http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/frontal-lobe/male Frontal lobe], Healthline.com</ref>}}
=== Religious, frontal lobe and sexuality ===
[[File:2404429188 ea8f1fc48b.jpg|thumbnail|left|255px|Research indicates that religious women (especially [[evangelicalism|evangelical]]/[[low church]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]] women) are more sexually satisfied than irreligious women.<ref>
*The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 115
*[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2008/11/25/the-christian-sexual-awakening.html Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?] by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008
*[http://blog.getrelationshiphelp.com/2009/07/christian-women-have-more-sexual-fun.html Christian Women Have More Sexual Fun], Relationship Center in Springfield Missouri</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and sexuality]]
As noted above, the frontal lobe controls sexuality.<ref>[http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/frontal-lobe/male Frontal lobe], Healthline.com</ref>
Research indicates that religious women (especially [[evangelicalism|evangelical]]/[[low church]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]] women) are more sexually satisfied than irreligious women.<ref>The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 115</ref><ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2008/11/25/the-christian-sexual-awakening.html Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?] by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008</ref><ref>[http://blog.getrelationshiphelp.com/2009/07/christian-women-have-more-sexual-fun.html Christian Women Have More Sexual Fun], Relationship Center in Springfield Missouri</ref> See also: [[Atheism and women]]
In 2011, ''The Daily Beast'' conceded in an article entitled ''Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?'', "The devout are actually having better sex than the rest of us."<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2008/11/25/the-christian-sexual-awakening.html Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?] by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008</ref>
Demographic data indicates that atheists have a sub-replacement level of fertility and religious conservatives have high fertility rates ([[Global atheism#Sub-replacement fertility of atheist populations. High fertility rate of religious conservatives|Sub-replacement fertility of atheist populations. High fertility rate of religious conservatives]]).
On December 23, 2012, Professor [[Eric Kaufmann]] who teaches at Birbeck College, University of London wrote:
{{cquote|I argue that 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious.
On the other hand, the secular West and East Asia has very low fertility and a rapidly aging population... In the coming decades, the developed world's demand for workers to pay its pensions and work in its service sector will soar alongside the booming supply of young people in the third world. Ergo, we can expect significant immigration to the secular West which will import religious revival on the back of ethnic change. In addition, those with religious beliefs tend to have higher birth rates than the secular population, with fundamentalists having far larger families. The epicentre of these trends will be in immigration gateway cities like New York (a third white), Amsterdam (half Dutch), Los Angeles (28% white), and London, 45% white British.
<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/04/97-of-worlds-population-growth-is.html 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious], Tuesday, April 30, 2013</ref>}}
Michael Blume, a researcher at the University of Jena in Germany, wrote "Most societies or communities that have espoused atheistic beliefs have not survived more than a century."<ref>[http://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/biology-of-religion/2011-01-06/atheists-a-dying-breed-as-nature-favours-faithful-sunday-times-jan-02-2011-jonathan-leake-full-draft-version Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful]</ref> Blume also indicated concerning concerning his research on this matter: "What I found was the complete lack of a single case of a secular population, community or movement that would just manage to retain replacement level."<ref>[http://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/biology-of-religion/2011-01-06/atheists-a-dying-breed-as-nature-favours-faithful-sunday-times-jan-02-2011-jonathan-leake-full-draft-version Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and sexuality]]
According to ''Scientific American'':
{{cquote|Several studies have revealed that people who practice meditation or have prayed for many years exhibit increased activity and have more brain tissue in their [[frontal lobe]]s, regions associated with attention and reward, as compared with people who do not meditate or pray.<ref>[http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/askthebrains/ Ask the Brains, Scientific American, Dec 23, 2011]</ref>}}
Atheist [[Greta Christina]] wrote at the website Humananist.com:
{{cquote|A lot of atheists, humanists, and other nonbelievers are leery or dismissive of meditation and mindfulness. Some see it as an irretrievably religious or spiritual practice, and want no part in it. Others are put off by the faddish, overused, buzzword quality of the practice and the terminology. And I can understand that. For years, I stayed away from trying this stuff out, for exactly those reasons. I was interested in the practice—I had friends who did it, and who seemed to get a lot out of it. But I couldn’t find anyplace to learn that didn’t base their teaching on [[Buddhism]] or some other religion. And I’m too ardent an anti-religionist to “take what you need and leave the rest,” the way many nonbelievers do with religion. After all, I literally wrote the book on [[Atheism and anger|angry atheism]]. For me, trying to learn meditation in a Buddhist center would be like trying to learn meditation in a room full of fingernails scraping on blackboards.<ref>[http://thehumanist.com/magazine/november-december-2013/fierce-humanism/mind-is-matter-2 Mind is Matter], Greta Christina, The Humanist.com</ref>}}
Although many atheists in the [[Western World]] are reluctant to meditate, in the East nontheist Buddhists often practice meditation.<ref>''Christians Talk about Buddhist Meditation, Buddhists Talk About Christian Prayer'', edited by Rita M. Gross, Terry C. Muck, page 89</ref>
=== Functions of the frontal lobe ===
Healthline.com declares about the frontal lobe:
{{cquote|The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that controls important cognitive skills in humans, such as emotional expression, problem solving, memory, language, judgment, and sexual behavior. It is, in essence, the “control panel” of our personality and our ability to communicate.
It is also responsible for primary motor function, or our ability to consciously move our muscles, and the two key areas related to speech, including Broca’s area.
The frontal lobe is larger and more developed in humans than in any other organism.<ref>[http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/frontal-lobe/male Frontal lobe], Healthline.com</ref>}}
=== Religious, frontal lobe and sexuality ===
[[File:2404429188 ea8f1fc48b.jpg|thumbnail|left|255px|Research indicates that religious women (especially [[evangelicalism|evangelical]]/[[low church]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]] women) are more sexually satisfied than irreligious women.<ref>
*The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 115
*[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2008/11/25/the-christian-sexual-awakening.html Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?] by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008
*[http://blog.getrelationshiphelp.com/2009/07/christian-women-have-more-sexual-fun.html Christian Women Have More Sexual Fun], Relationship Center in Springfield Missouri</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and sexuality]]
As noted above, the frontal lobe controls sexuality.<ref>[http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/frontal-lobe/male Frontal lobe], Healthline.com</ref>
Research indicates that religious women (especially [[evangelicalism|evangelical]]/[[low church]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]] women) are more sexually satisfied than irreligious women.<ref>The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 115</ref><ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2008/11/25/the-christian-sexual-awakening.html Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?] by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008</ref><ref>[http://blog.getrelationshiphelp.com/2009/07/christian-women-have-more-sexual-fun.html Christian Women Have More Sexual Fun], Relationship Center in Springfield Missouri</ref> See also: [[Atheism and women]]
In 2011, ''The Daily Beast'' conceded in an article entitled ''Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?'', "The devout are actually having better sex than the rest of us."<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2008/11/25/the-christian-sexual-awakening.html Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?] by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008</ref>
Demographic data indicates that atheists have a sub-replacement level of fertility and religious conservatives have high fertility rates ([[Global atheism#Sub-replacement fertility of atheist populations. High fertility rate of religious conservatives|Sub-replacement fertility of atheist populations. High fertility rate of religious conservatives]]).
On December 23, 2012, Professor [[Eric Kaufmann]] who teaches at Birbeck College, University of London wrote:
{{cquote|I argue that 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious.
On the other hand, the secular West and East Asia has very low fertility and a rapidly aging population... In the coming decades, the developed world's demand for workers to pay its pensions and work in its service sector will soar alongside the booming supply of young people in the third world. Ergo, we can expect significant immigration to the secular West which will import religious revival on the back of ethnic change. In addition, those with religious beliefs tend to have higher birth rates than the secular population, with fundamentalists having far larger families. The epicentre of these trends will be in immigration gateway cities like New York (a third white), Amsterdam (half Dutch), Los Angeles (28% white), and London, 45% white British.
<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/04/97-of-worlds-population-growth-is.html 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious], Tuesday, April 30, 2013</ref>}}
Michael Blume, a researcher at the University of Jena in Germany, wrote "Most societies or communities that have espoused atheistic beliefs have not survived more than a century."<ref>[http://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/biology-of-religion/2011-01-06/atheists-a-dying-breed-as-nature-favours-faithful-sunday-times-jan-02-2011-jonathan-leake-full-draft-version Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful]</ref> Blume also indicated concerning concerning his research on this matter: "What I found was the complete lack of a single case of a secular population, community or movement that would just manage to retain replacement level."<ref>[http://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/biology-of-religion/2011-01-06/atheists-a-dying-breed-as-nature-favours-faithful-sunday-times-jan-02-2011-jonathan-leake-full-draft-version Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and sexuality]]