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The Exorcism
Ken Hollings
February 2005
The exorcism | Religion on the brain | Fields of vision | All in the mind? | Find out more
Find out more
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Websites
Andrew Newberg
www.andrewnewberg.com/qna.asp
Official site of the MD who has carried out neuroimaging on meditating monks. He maintains that neuroscience can explain the nature of mystical experiences, their importance in human evolution, and why the need for a concept of god is imperative for the survival of the human species. The site has a useful Q&A section.
Demonic possession, demonic oppression and exorcism
www.religioustolerance.org/chr_exor.htm
A reference page on exorcism from the Religious Tolerance website.
Doubt cast on theory that magnetic fields spark religious feelings
www.nature.com/news/2004/041206/pf/041206-10_pf.html
In the past, scientists like Michael Persinger have claimed that religious or out-of-body experiences result from excessive bursts of electrical activity in the brain. Swedish researchers tried to replicate these experiments but when they introduced a 'double-blind' protocol, they found no discernible effect.
Exorcism
www.religionnewsblog.com/category/385
Page of articles about exorcism on Religion News Blog.
Kirk plans to tackle taboo of possession by evil spirits
www.religionnewsblog.com/2561
Article that looks at a new study launched by the Church of Scotland.
Meditation mapped in monks
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/
nature/1847442.stm
Scientists investigating the effect of the meditative state on Buddhist monk's brains have found that portions of the organ previously active become quiet, whilst pacified areas become stimulated.
A mystical union
www.economist.com/printedition/
displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=2478148
Article that looks at the pioneers currently investigating the neurology of religious experience.
Out-of-body experience and autoscopy of neurological origin
http://brain.oupjournals.org/cgi/
content/abstract/127/2/243
Olaf Blanke of the University Hospital of Geneva in Switzerland describes how the brain generates out-of-body experiences.
Professor argues that shamanism is the original neurotheology
www.cognitiveliberty.org/neuro/winkelman1.htm
Interesting article that compares the new concept of neurotheology with the ancient healing practice of Shamanism.
Your brain on religion – mystic visions or brain circuits at work?
www.cognitiveliberty.org/neuro/neuronewswk.htm
Newsweek article that looks at the new field of neurotheology where scientists seek the biological basis of spirituality.
Books
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Consciousness, Emotional Self-regulation and the Brain edited by Mario Beauregard (John Benjamin's Publishing, 2003)
Presents theoretical and developmental perspectives about emotional self-regulation and provides cutting-edge information with regard to the neural basis of conscious emotional experience.
Get this book |
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Creation of the Sacred by Walter Burkert (Harvard University Press, 1998)
Burkert makes a serious attempt to extract valid evolutionary roots for religious ideas.
Get this book |
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The God Gene: How faith is hardwired into our genes by Dean Hamer (Doubleday, 2004)
The author, a geneticist, argues that the human inclination toward religious faith is no accident; spiritual belief may offer an evolutionary advantage by providing humans with a sense of purpose and also increase chances of reproductive survival by helping to reduce stress, prevent disease, and extend life.
Get this book |
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Hostage to the Devil: The possession and exorcism of five contemporary Americans by Malachi Martin (Harper San Francisco, 1999)
Chilling and highly convincing account of possession and exorcism in modern America.
Get this book |
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The Meme Machine by Susan Blackmore (Oxford Paperbacks, 2000)
Memes, cultural elements successfully replicating and diffusing through human society much in the same way as genes, are the subject of this book. Blackmore makes a case for the theory that the inner self is merely an illusion created by our memes, which affect our belief systems.
Get this book |
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Possessed: The true story of an exorcism by Thomas B Allen (iUniverse.com, 2000)
The story of two priests who fervently believed that they had driven a demon from a tormented 13-year-old boy. The priests' experience was the inspiration for the 1973 film The Exorcist.
Get this book |
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Religion Explained: The human instincts that fashion gods, spirits and ancestors by Pascal Boyer (Vintage, 2002)
Anthropologist Boyer uses findings from anthropology, cognitive science, linguistics, and evolutionary biology to offer a coherent, naturalistic explanation of religion.
Get this book |
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Why God Won't Go Away: Brain science and the biology of belief by Andrew Newberg, Eugene D'Aquill and Vince Rause (Ballantine Books, 2002)
Using high-tech imaging devices to peer into the brains of meditating Buddhists and Franciscan nuns, the authors attempted to reveal why human beings have a seemingly irrational attraction to god and religious experiences. They conclude that humans seek god because their brains are biologically programmed to do so.
Get this book |
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