[ExI] scientific american article on sacred vs secular in the brain

[Mike Dougherty]

2010/3/9 spike <spike66 at att.net>:
> I am seeing more articles regarding which parts of the brain are active when
> doing various activities.  This article claims the same parts of the brain
> are working during thoughts about secular and sacred.  Does this surprise
> you?  Does me.  The two sure feel different to me:
>
> http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=belief-in-the-brain

I have a similar experiment:  Hook up heart monitors to athletes
practicing their sport.  Also hook up heart monitors to couch potatoes
watching racy TV programs.  Compare each to their baseline heart
rates.  I conclude that a 30% increase in heart rate in both
populations indicates they are both "exercising."

If "thinking" lights up the fMRI, then secular and religious thoughts
will light up the machine by the fact of "thought" to say nothing of
the content. :)