Religion is, indeed, human
Yes, Religion is, indeed, human. Last week, a famous portuguese magazine published a translation of an article by Nicolas Revory (Science & Vie), originally called “Dieu: pourquoi il ne disparaîtra jamais” (”God: why he won’t ever disappear”), published with “Science et Vie”, in August 2005. The article speaks about the emerging “science” of neurotheology, and “blames” serotonin for creating the illusion of mystical experience in the human brain. Scientific studies revealed that there’s a visible relation between the level of neurotransmitters present in one’s brain, and his/her tendence to believe. So, now it seems logical that believers suffer less from depressive disorders than non-believers. As it seems, the direction of this interaction has not been yet estabilished. “Am I not depressive because I’m religious, or am I religious because I’m always in a good mood, and I’m more prone to it?” Or can there be a symbiosis between good mood and belief?
Recalling some observations from my religious past, it seems very logical to me. A “fanatic” religious experience begins by making someone believe in an ethereal presence (Jesus, for instance…), and making him/her believe that he/she is not the only one noticing that “presence” (group experiences). As the serotonin levels are increased, the subject’s “faith” grows to the point of feeling completely in harmony with that misterious presence. After that, we have to make sure those levels remain stable.
I do not agree with some of the methods that certain groups inside christianity use, when it comes to “convert” people. We’re not talking about reflex conditioning or brain washing: we’re talking about mystical experiences and stuff like that… they can induce people into believing the unbelievable. If religion was, in the past, an obligation for some, now, some people look to it as something similar to a drug, capable of removing the “weight of the universe” from our shoulders… is religion really a human need, is it a human creation? I believe that those who today claim that science and religion live in different areas, will regret it, in the future.