This is a study done at the University of Chicago and the writeup here is pretty enjoyable. An excerpt:
spiritual sockpuppetry I love it! of course now I'm going to mentally picture little sock puppets in the minds of known theists next time they tsk-tsk something on behalf of jebus. - - - Updated - - - spiritual sockpuppetry I love it! of course now I'm going to mentally picture little sock puppets in the minds of known theists next time they tsk-tsk something on behalf of jebus.
What I loved was the part where God changed His mind in exact lockstep with the Believer changing HIS mind. The brain scan pictures were pretty neat, too.
he truly is the ideal invisible friend, no? he's always available for a chinwag, or to share a sunset with. he likes the same music, and food (except for that French triple Brie, he's wary of too much right before bed .... dreams, etc), heck, he even approves of your passing lusts and fancies! he's good with all the things you disapprove of, more importantly, and this is where he exceeds the standard model.
I didn't need a study to know that. Every christian sees God in a slightly different way. I've observed that over the years. Some very minor differences but their own life experiences have shaped their view of God. One of the reasons you can ask 10 christians to discuss a bible verse and get 12 different views.
LOL... Well as long as they aren't psychotic I see no big problem. In effect this says what I have always thought---- religion is not bad, some religious people are though. At least they are ascribing imaginary thoughts to an imaginary being. Far too many people these days really believe they know what people they have never met think.
but that's the problem. I think that the current post-faith era will actually see this stuff become potentially dangerous, medically speaking. the questioning of the status quo has only JUST started, in bigger scheme of things, so we don't know yet what effect this will have on those who've had two thousand years of community support of, and actual obliviousness to, the craziness.
I had always thought that no two people believed in the same god. I hadn't realized that no one person believes in the same god from one week to the next.
He can't disagree with you. He already knows what you will change your mind to. You are just conforming to what is expected of you.
