Dalek Supreme
Well-Known Member
Theism is an addiction of thoughts via the "Holy Dopamine Ghost". Theists mistake cocktails of attention getting, motivational, and learning for reward neurochemicals (evolved for energy gathering, and species perpetuation) as a paranormal event/contact (Holy Spirit, Divine Spark, Nirvana and many other superstitious names labeled by cultures through the millennias). These neurological processes reinforce neural pathways (bridging literal gaps) in the brain in order to repeat thoughts, and behaviours (building a cognitive wall). Dopamine in varying levels is also related to creativity, patternicity, making nonsense make sense, and hallucinations (involuntary movements, tactile/feeling embraced, and speaking in tongues are also forms of hallucinations). Also see "Dopamine Hypothesis". Note that Paul was schizophrenic (2 Cor. 12:9), the early church was encouraged to hallucinate (Gal. 3:1), and perform glossolalia (1 Cor. 12:10).
What would the average person experience if they believed they won a million dollar scratch-off ticket? That same feeling through thoughts (like believing outlandish conspiracy theories, or some other information above the masses to feel as if one is clever to believe it) is also achieved by drugs like alcohol, nicotine, and cocaine (Dopamergic release). Now imagine that same person refusing to look at the back of the ticket that reads "Redeem at 123 fake st Anywhere USA". Now apply this analogy to someone believing John 3:16 with a multitude support group reaffirming, and hand holding for the belief. Basically it's the ancient Mesolimbic System (base instincts/emotions) overriding the modern (rationalizing) Frontal Cortex (notice how some people are more driven by pleasures, or fears, or anger as if a constant need to take things to the next level?). Also keep in mind how anorexics actually perceive themselves visually as being obese despite being a walking skeleton, or chronic hoarders being completely oblivious of the situation they put themselves in with safety, and health hazards. I knew an alcoholic who refused to see the yellow of urea in the whites of his eyes due to his organs shutting down (he took his protests of "I don't have a problem" to the urn that keeps his ashes).
Note that emotional, and, or physical stresses release the Holy Dopamine Ghost (fervent prayer/intense rituals/tragic loss, and parent to newborn, or mate bonding/falling in love). I had an experience after 48 hours of sleep deprivation working intently on a project (no drugs involved). Long story short I thought a divine presence interacted with me. Everything good/bad in the world made sense, and served a purpose (patternicity from flooded learning/reward centers). Everything had an aura like sheen around things when I went outside (The sun's light saturated my sense of sight that was dealing with a traffic jam of neurochemicals trying to find the right place to go hence the hallucination). Luckily for me being criticality thinking (truth matters more than fantasy) made me realise it was internally induced (for one I realized the experience was very simular to the time I tried Valium over a decade earlier) which led me to research what happened, and answer a lot of questions I had for holders of irrational beliefs (especially their immunity to reason, and flies to honey like behavior to nonsensical word salads, or empty feel good statements that supports in their own minds what they want to believe).
The Holy Dopamine Ghost is one hell of a drug, but it boils down to instincts. The bugs that fly into a bug zapper cannot help it. Long ago their ancestors in a thick dark canopied forest flew towards a leak of light. There they found more nutrients to gather, and more opportunity to pass their genes than the darker zone provided. So that instinct of following the light was beneficial to pass on as well (not that bugs are cognizant of what the sun is). When one believes that the universe was made for them with a reward waiting for them? Then as far as the brain is concerned, it's that ape like ancestor of ours that found that valley with all the food it can eat, and a bunch of willing females with little, or no challenging males to contend with. Thoughts are just as addictive as drugs while some can rationalise from addiction, but others are ensnared.
Think how some religious texts commands death for nonbelievers (artificial selection at it's worse). Just imagine being on Easter island long ago. When the people were chopping all the trees down (to use as rollers for transport) for their obsessive stone statue ancestor worship. Imagine only you saying "Hey. We got here by canoe, but you're using up all the material to make more conoes. What if we need to get out of here?". Would they have thrown you off a cliff for insulting the ancestors? Easter island is a microcosm for our planet, so remember that European explorers found the remaining inhabitants a mess on a treeless island. Theism just induces slow thinking (thoughts are filtered to uphold belief) in which a placebo of comfort turns minds away from reality (an ever increasing reality that needs notice).
Test to see how people push what they find pleasurable onto others. Try eating leftovers cold in front of people when there's a microwave, or stove nearby. If you sometimes have drinks with friends? Try refraining one time with just an indifference attitude to drinking when confronted, and watch their reaction. Find other creative ways to be the odd one out in not partaking in what others find pleasurable. There's psychological factors as well, but that's soft science compared to evidenced neurology.
Check out the science with some history in the playlist below (also the description area for links, or future ones). If you find it sound after your own research, and worth spreading? Please do so. Help educate people not yet in this cognitive pitfall inherent in our evolution (an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure). I see very very few people making this connection, and there's others I get fighting against it (red herrings/strawmans/poisoning the well) that are not even Theists (find out for yourself). One common rebuttal by Theists is "Then that's how God interacts with us". I counteract with "Then God is also responsible for porn addiction, drug addiction, and all other debaucheries". Help fight "Imaginationism" addiction via the "Holy Dopamine Ghost", or at least help coin the two previously paraphrased words (note "Imaginationism" was a response to Theist that accused me of "Materialism". Thanks for the interest.
The Holy Dopamine Ghost (Thoughts gets you high):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQATeZAnm87BaJjBtM1vMIq_gHRmBq3ie
What would the average person experience if they believed they won a million dollar scratch-off ticket? That same feeling through thoughts (like believing outlandish conspiracy theories, or some other information above the masses to feel as if one is clever to believe it) is also achieved by drugs like alcohol, nicotine, and cocaine (Dopamergic release). Now imagine that same person refusing to look at the back of the ticket that reads "Redeem at 123 fake st Anywhere USA". Now apply this analogy to someone believing John 3:16 with a multitude support group reaffirming, and hand holding for the belief. Basically it's the ancient Mesolimbic System (base instincts/emotions) overriding the modern (rationalizing) Frontal Cortex (notice how some people are more driven by pleasures, or fears, or anger as if a constant need to take things to the next level?). Also keep in mind how anorexics actually perceive themselves visually as being obese despite being a walking skeleton, or chronic hoarders being completely oblivious of the situation they put themselves in with safety, and health hazards. I knew an alcoholic who refused to see the yellow of urea in the whites of his eyes due to his organs shutting down (he took his protests of "I don't have a problem" to the urn that keeps his ashes).
Note that emotional, and, or physical stresses release the Holy Dopamine Ghost (fervent prayer/intense rituals/tragic loss, and parent to newborn, or mate bonding/falling in love). I had an experience after 48 hours of sleep deprivation working intently on a project (no drugs involved). Long story short I thought a divine presence interacted with me. Everything good/bad in the world made sense, and served a purpose (patternicity from flooded learning/reward centers). Everything had an aura like sheen around things when I went outside (The sun's light saturated my sense of sight that was dealing with a traffic jam of neurochemicals trying to find the right place to go hence the hallucination). Luckily for me being criticality thinking (truth matters more than fantasy) made me realise it was internally induced (for one I realized the experience was very simular to the time I tried Valium over a decade earlier) which led me to research what happened, and answer a lot of questions I had for holders of irrational beliefs (especially their immunity to reason, and flies to honey like behavior to nonsensical word salads, or empty feel good statements that supports in their own minds what they want to believe).
The Holy Dopamine Ghost is one hell of a drug, but it boils down to instincts. The bugs that fly into a bug zapper cannot help it. Long ago their ancestors in a thick dark canopied forest flew towards a leak of light. There they found more nutrients to gather, and more opportunity to pass their genes than the darker zone provided. So that instinct of following the light was beneficial to pass on as well (not that bugs are cognizant of what the sun is). When one believes that the universe was made for them with a reward waiting for them? Then as far as the brain is concerned, it's that ape like ancestor of ours that found that valley with all the food it can eat, and a bunch of willing females with little, or no challenging males to contend with. Thoughts are just as addictive as drugs while some can rationalise from addiction, but others are ensnared.
Think how some religious texts commands death for nonbelievers (artificial selection at it's worse). Just imagine being on Easter island long ago. When the people were chopping all the trees down (to use as rollers for transport) for their obsessive stone statue ancestor worship. Imagine only you saying "Hey. We got here by canoe, but you're using up all the material to make more conoes. What if we need to get out of here?". Would they have thrown you off a cliff for insulting the ancestors? Easter island is a microcosm for our planet, so remember that European explorers found the remaining inhabitants a mess on a treeless island. Theism just induces slow thinking (thoughts are filtered to uphold belief) in which a placebo of comfort turns minds away from reality (an ever increasing reality that needs notice).
Test to see how people push what they find pleasurable onto others. Try eating leftovers cold in front of people when there's a microwave, or stove nearby. If you sometimes have drinks with friends? Try refraining one time with just an indifference attitude to drinking when confronted, and watch their reaction. Find other creative ways to be the odd one out in not partaking in what others find pleasurable. There's psychological factors as well, but that's soft science compared to evidenced neurology.
Check out the science with some history in the playlist below (also the description area for links, or future ones). If you find it sound after your own research, and worth spreading? Please do so. Help educate people not yet in this cognitive pitfall inherent in our evolution (an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure). I see very very few people making this connection, and there's others I get fighting against it (red herrings/strawmans/poisoning the well) that are not even Theists (find out for yourself). One common rebuttal by Theists is "Then that's how God interacts with us". I counteract with "Then God is also responsible for porn addiction, drug addiction, and all other debaucheries". Help fight "Imaginationism" addiction via the "Holy Dopamine Ghost", or at least help coin the two previously paraphrased words (note "Imaginationism" was a response to Theist that accused me of "Materialism". Thanks for the interest.
The Holy Dopamine Ghost (Thoughts gets you high):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQATeZAnm87BaJjBtM1vMIq_gHRmBq3ie
