Posted by OddipusRex on July 8, 2002, at 21:03:50
In reply to .......the god spot, posted by CtrlAlt n Del on June 9, 2002, at 19:07:13
I just read a novel which touched on these things.
Lying Awake by Mark Salzman- A contemplative nun living in isolation from the world begins to experience ecstasy and write popular poetry based on her visions. A diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy caused by a brain tumor causes her to confront the idea that her experiences have been caused by her brain and not by God. There is a long tradition in the Catholic church of not allowing people with epilepsy to enter religous orders for that very reason. How do you discern what is really a genuine religous experience?
It was an interesting book and well written. A decade or 2 ago there was something of a fad for diagnosing as temporal lobe epilepsy what would probably be called BPII these days. I wonder if diagnostics for temporal lobe epilepsy has improved? I know a lot of antiepileptic drugs are used for BPII also. I rarely hear of temporal lobe epilepsy these days though.
I believe in God, but having a god spot in my brain wouldn't threaten my beliefs at all.
poster:OddipusRex
thread:116
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20020527/msgs/402.html