Some of y'all are some real ignorant sons of bitches haha. And so many of you are hypocrits as well! Oh, the infallible irony. I love that youtube is a place where both Strict Scientific Nutjobs and Strict Religious Nutjobs can be openly hypocritical as they critiscize each other of action that they are committing at they very moment! Humans cause war. Humans suck. And so does everything else. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, and there is no hope for anyone on this planet. Just death.
@JohnSmith88823 On the other hand, just because actual evidence is not published does not mean the evidence in question is any less true. Just saying.
Now only thing people do forget. And they of course will blindly agree with this without doing any research into medicine.
The hippocampus is one of the easy things to damage. Too many factors can damage it. Damage to that part of the brain can steam from many things.
Also its only the memory center... just because you remember slighly less does not make you unlogical. I mean if dawkings started to forget about his door being open before he left each morning. Is he a moron? No
Not offensive at all! Very impressed! Religion is nothing but a breeding ground for hatred, prejudice, violence and alienation. It needs to be stripped from this planet in order for us to move forward. To those of who are afraid to speak out against religion or to give they're opinions know this, there are ALOT more people against religion now then there ever has been
So much hate in fact that the troubles in northern ireland ended due to a mans belief that god wanted the bloodshed to stop..
Just because something is not within your group, does not make it all bad. If you consider it to be. You are more likely the one to relay on prejudice.
@revron77 Religion is a sick disease, one that has done more damage, caused more war and created more hatred than any other thing on this planet 100x fold. Your opinion is irrelevant to me, and just because I am not “religious” does not mean I rely on prejudice. War’s end when people decide to act like adults and resolve a situation like adults. Not religion. That. Causes war. Your bullshit falls on deaf ears
i was forced to go Xmas mass, during the sermon the dude lol said children like stories, so from an early age its important to tell them stories of Catholicism, tell them enough when they are old enough they will not question their faith. because all they will know is that catholism is the truth and logic can not threaten their faith... :L somehow people accept this...
Religious 'huckster[s]' as you so call them should not be taken seriously and can be seen as possessors of the qualities which I have previously mentioned. However, that is irrelevant, and just as the religious extremists have the aforementioned qualities, so too does the uploader, and that was the purpose of my comment which you replied to. My intention was not to cast an objective assessment of the uploader's character, but rather to subject him to my derision.
For the most part, I would agree with you. I hold a master's degree in medicine and am currently studying engineering and advanced algebra, and have yet to meet a religious fundamentalist at the university in which I study. With that aside, I think that my grandiose statement is merely an expression of my stark dissent; however, it does hold some merit, and without the grandiosities, I can justify with some accuracy as to the uploader's 'naivety, prejudice, and irrationality'.
@JohnSmith88823 - I, on the other hand, live surrounded by people who not only identify as fundamentalist Christians, but consider everything they have come to believe through whichever splinter group they belong to as absolute truth. Many of them seem to believe that Jesus wouldn't mind stopping off to do a little gay bashing on the way to nuke Iran. That's why I felt you awarded the trophy to the wrong contestant. Not looking for a spat.
Bdwilson1000, I have to disagree with this video on several grounds. The whole video is based on a limited study of 536 people (268m&f) which is small sample in it's self. The articles you cited were an interesting read (the first more than the latter due to detail) but even what they specified stated that there is a lot more work to be done before you can make the conclusion you have jumped to.
@roadkill1001 In essence, yes your right religion can and does cause damage to the brain. So can a car crash so can a hammer to the head so can atheism. Atheists can be just as stressed as a religious person. As an atheist you have to face the idea that there is no meaning to your life other than what people make of it, that can be just as stressful as thinking of being tortured eternity depending on the person at hand.
I feel that this video is sensationalist, despite you claiming otherwise.
@roadkill1001 Not to condemn the video entirely, I do feel it has an important message such as brainwashing and mentally abusing children, however that was a side issue and your video is primarily focusing on the 'fact' of religion causing brain damage.
Fundamentalist beliefs are not only a mental disorder according DSM, but also physically damages the brain. It shrinks the brain and especially the hippocampus and damages the entire limbic system -- which is why these people love to hate and discriminate and are completely out of touch with reality. The hippocampus works closely with the medial prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that regulates our emotional response to fear and stress.
@Tyr5530 well there is a website. its "lds.org" i think you can read the book of mormon there or, if you ever meet a lds missionaries in real life, they will give you a copy for free. (btw the full name other wize used for the church is. "the church of jesus christ of later-day saints" later-day saint = lds.)
@chadro85 oh yeah and i almost forgot theres also a website called "mormon.org" if the book of mormon seems a little confusing at first. it can help you out with the basics and you can even request a missionary. to come give you a free copy and help you understand it as well :)
@Tyr5530 it was actually made by somone named joesph smith back in the 1800's. and it all started out when joesph was young around the age of 14. he wanted to find a true reilgion, but all the reilgions he was finding just didn't seem right. soon one day he prayed about it (long story short) he found out from his prayers that all the reilgions were some-what wrong, or the people teaching them were teaching wrong. so then god helped him to make a new religion. (tbc)
@Tyr5530 have you ever heard of the lds. we read "the book of mormon" (and some times the bible) but the book of mormon is different from the bible. and our teachings are too. (or at lest different from christains)
I must admit I am being an asshole hear I know when I am out of the box its just I am being held to such a truth boundary because I am an athirst, I have to speak the truth. I have to search my my mind logically which requires thinking about your side than my side an be objective I can not say with cert ency nor should I cause this is not my field of study cause I simply have none I have life experience I deal with people & there ability to perform my life ^ theirs depend on my accuracy
but I can not help seeing the crippling effects of mental stability, & decision making process from religion to ashiest. there always seams to be a block in there perceptive reasoning you must wonder what I do.I am a builder, designer, fabricator & teacher of all the trades. I deal with what do you want,then I make it.what ever it is.with 1 to 1500 people. who may or may not know what they are doing.I have to deal with there colorful short falls.my whole life i'm a GC since 14yo I know people
what constitute brain damage swelling of the brain, Think if you measure brain wave activity you would find the problem of connective reasoning damage & logical disorder all we nee is the case study and some with money or in the loop of decision making processes to call for the studied then you will find the proof of brain damage Prof. Louie Pasture
this is the best video that I have found that has cleared up what is going on. I can only say wow I always looked at that they where just absolutely and completely stupid I could never understand why this is still in existence.in today's time I have never found a clear explanation for this cancer. and you are so right thank you I have been ready to get the fuck out of this world cause I can not deal with this insanity any more.plus we just lost a great person Christopher Hitchens may he RIP
YOU SHOULD NEVER THINK INDEPENDELY BECAUSE HUMANS HAVE NO POWER
YOU MUST ATTACH YOURSELF TO SOMETHING, CREATOR IS A GOOD CHOICE
NO ALL RELIGION ARE THE SAME, SOME TEACH JUST TO LOVE THE CREATOR FOLLOW THE BIBLE (NO NORMAL HUMAN HAS THE MENTAL POWER TO HAVE WROTE THE BIBLE IT HAD COME FROM GOD)
RELIGION LIKE 7TH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH (THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH) IS AS NORMAL AS IT CAN GET, THEY FOLOW AS MUCH THEY KNOW, NOT JUST BECAUSE GOD DESERVE BUT BECAUSE WE NEED HELP FROM ABOVE
@THEHELENOHENZO you my friend .NOT. your an ass hole. you are the cancer of this world and the cause of what is wrong. you statement only shows you need to seek mental health from a professional. I am an atheist. I do not believe in bronze age in doctrine you are a liar, bully, a genocidal lunatic, you will hurt some one some day cause your fucking nuts. I am so feed up with your type of stupidly & ignorance, & women & children molesters like your POPE, & Priest etc the fuck you gang asshole
@THEHELENOHENZO again with your stupidly remarks again! oh I like this one ATHEISM CAUSES LOSS OF BODY AND SPIRIT. what the fuck does that mean exactly
spew some more rubbish instead of your ass it pules out your month, you only prove your weak, nimble close minded, and completely programed. what a waste of a deflective bio-logical unit. another one bytes the dust. Kill your self ass hole and go to your GOD if you believe so strongly, Get closer to your incompetent GOD who made you
Raised Christian, I remember the fear of sin, hell and eternal punishment. By age 30, I had freed myself from belief in the supernatural by following my instincts and my doubts about religion and educating myself about the origins and contradictions of religion. Putting belief in the supernatural in a child's head causes trauma and low self-esteem; and it makes the mind malleable to a Pandora’s Box of harmful influences, e.g. cults, conspiracy theories. Reality is much healthier!
@GunningRage oh I so love your comment rotflmao that was really good. am expecting (THEHELENOHENZO) to attack me they always do. piss them off all the time just to show them you do not push this Atheist around I will destroy there punk ass, they just do not get it all they have to do is take there head out of there ass and read a fucking book on science and do not fuck with the atheist any more cause you will get your ass kicked.& guess what God won't be there to help. he is delusional
All ideas, including atheism, bear an intrinsic opposition to another belief system. If one person holds any one of these beliefs, it will affect that individual and therefore society. Ideas mean something, you know. Also, atheists shove their beliefs down others throats ALL of the time. People are people.
As for the video, just because you had a negative experience with certain Christian doctrines or expressions, doesn't mean atheism is therefore accurate.
I need to believe so I get saved? Save me from what? Countries with a high percentage of atheists are happier and have less crime than very religious countries.
Religion does three things quite effectively: Divides people, controls people, deludes people."
You should completely disregarded what was said in the article that you cited. Im an atheist too but damn stop bullshiting people. The articles says hippocampus atrophy with people who have had a life-changing religious experience or are born again. People who are more unsure. Also all the information you gave was non existent in the article.
you should also realise that anyone can submit papers onto that website. it is not a legitimate scientific journal. i probably would stop posting comments, it's evident that he's a troll
@MAZ1N00 ok I have a question for you how many people have to die from religion minded people before you see that there is something seriously & medically wrong here.
if a study exist, my first thought would be in the prisons for the criminally insane, I am sure there are professional who at best have done a case by case study & if there where such a study what would your guess be it turned conclusive that it would make a difference.I was raised christian at 7 I knew it was total crap
I went there and it is vague so I have to retract my statement as far as the facts state 10.1371/journal.pone.0017006 and it only covered articipants were 268 men and women aged 58 and over. no children. but I can see his point we need to research this problem in length. it does effect the child brain damage I personnel believe it, it now has to be proven
@AngstromJohnny What the hell does that have to do with the validity of the information given here? Don't be a moron.The claim here is outrageous, You can't make up claims to support your ideas and try to pass them as true because you want it to be that's exactly what religious people do.
@MAZ1N00 yea I was I did more studying & I have to apologize here. I was being a moron.It sounded so good and I so wanted for it to be true. but bull shit is bullshit in my book & I talked some bullshit. I can not argue with you here the more I look into it the more a shame I feel. plus the hell of my foot broke a dental cap on removal. again I am sorry to have been on the attack. please except my apologia.when I am wrong I am wrong
Secular societies are so much more refreshing. I'm glad to see CHILDREN thinking for themselves when a majority of adults in the U.S. continue to persist in delusion.
Religions equal intolerance, paranoia, xenophobia, misogyny, hypocrisy, barbarism, cruelty and mass hysteria. Just listen to the Christian conservatives in the USA.They sound a lot like the Taliban.
Did he read the article? "they found significantly greater hippocampal atrophy among born-again Protestants, Catholics, AND those with no religious affiliation." The hypothesis was that stress inflicted on people in a minority group causes the problem. So even if the paltry sample size can be defended, the point is that persecution of religious minorities (including those with no religious belief) is stressful which can affect the brain.
@thordurinn It is , he completely used the article to mean what he wanted it to mean and used no scientific evidence. Also the article only speaks of hypothesis and the scientist even give reasons why there study wasn't even conclusive.
I don't know of the validity of any of the articles that claim research has proven it causes brain damage, but I think it's child abuse to condition and force children to live a life of fear. Fear of that which does not even exist. Shame on the parents who do this to their children. Just teach your children compassion and to know right from wrong, to respect others and for they themselves to be respectable individuals. I feel it's more mental illness brought on by conditioning than brain damage
As an atheist myself, this video is, in many ways, ironic, in that the video creator himself references a study which is not authoritative nor published in any accredited scientific journal. Well done sir, you've managed to defame atheists even more and have in my opinion, epitomized naivety, prejudice, and irrationality to the greatest extent possible.
Thanks for the criticism. I agree that I should not have posted the study uncritically. It's results are not definitive. I uploaded the vid is because the point about conditioning people to not question their beliefs seemed very accurate to me. Many denominations of Christianity teach people that to doubt is a tremendous threat to their eternal well-being, and I see this as a form of mental abuse, even if it doesn't cause literal (physical) brain damage.
Lol. My brain must be very damaged! My belief has so severely damaged my brain that if I hadn't found Jesus I would have been a super genius on my way to hell.
The damage to the hippocampus is probably due to the abandonment of reasoning, which I have seen prevalent in both Atheists and Christians. Nonetheless, Christianity does tend to assert that logic be abandoned, while atheists are usually more apt to believe in something that can be logically proven.
I personally try my best to look at all angles of an argument and make the most logical choice from there. I can't say that all atheists make that same effort.
Though I am an atheist, I think that this video has been oversimplified such that you are making near-universal assumptions. There are atheists, who, because of their disbelief, are vehement in their preaching, as there are religious people who would do the same thing. There are atheist geniuses as well as religious geniuses; and more importantly, there are brain-damaged atheists as well as brain-damaged religious people.
My friend is a Christian and is averaging A's. I know atheists who are barely passing. There may be a correlation between religious people and lower intelligence, but ascribing such intelligence to religion is preposterous.
@JohnSmith88823 Your second sentence is understandable to me, but your first sentence does nothing to help you make your point in the second sentence; you can't take a sample of a small percentage of the population in your immediate vicinity to prove anything. The scientific studies would have to be examined to see how accurately they were isolating religious belief as a unique factor, but I (like you) question how, with humans being so unique, religion could be directly tied to brain damage
The study which he referred to in the video is flawed in many respects and was only conducted "on a sample of 268 older adults", according to the abstract, so already, any grandiose conclusion that religion causes brain damage is void of any credibility.
I'm not a religious apologist (as you can see from my other videos). But the paper says "Significantly greater hippocampal atrophy was also observed from baseline to final assessment among born-again Protestants, Catholics, and those with no religious affiliation, compared with Protestants not identifying as born-again." So some types of protestants have less atrophy than non-believers. But religion (or lack of) can affect stress, which probably is more important than thought.
The actual paper says those of "no religion" experience higher rates of brain atrophy than mainstream protestants, catholics, and those of "other" religion.
How much is the brain damaged and if you leave a religion, does that reactivate areas of the brain? (Due to the fact that they are now being used more.)
You don't have to take the Bible literally to be a Christian. You just have to believe the core truth of the story and yes it requires faith, because it's only by faith that we can be able to start removing the scales from our eyes thae devil has placed there to hide the thruth from us.
I know in my experience, the amount of mental energy it took to fight the cognitive dissonance and thus maintain a belief in the unreasonable Christianity of my youth, was very significant. It was not until I stopped spending effort to believe the unbelievable (Faith), that thinking became easy.
When I was a Christian, it was always an effort to try to defend Christianity, because the proofs require lots of fallacies to work, and fallacies to the logical person take lots of effort to maintain.
I think that what really causes hypocampal atrophy is what's called habitual "magical thinking" which can occur in many types of people. Also a constant underlying state of fear can do this.
@phenomenon91 But by submitting to this conclusion are you any better than they are, who say the same things about those who do not have faith?
I don't think that we should replace unquestioned faith in an imaginary supreme being with unquestioned faith in science. Such would be a complete disregard of what science is all about: questioning.
But yes, I agree that this behavior is destructive to society and unacceptable. I don't agree that we have the right to kill them off.
I am also a fellow Atheist but I do have one problem with this video. You kept saying you had evidence that it causes "literal brain damage" but then showed a grainy picture with lines so blue they had basically been redacted. You put no subtext nore did you read the actual words. You just said that it shuts off part of the brain but never gave us any specific studies. Was this from a medical university? This is an interesting topic and I want to do some more research on it.
I am a person with brain injuries, raised fundy. I don't know how/why I've escaped being totally obedient, but I'm here. This is a fascinating argument and I sincerely believe you've found something very important. When ppl call zealots "crazy," they may be intuiting what u describe here. This is all so sad. But it may lead to further understanding of brain research and also substantiates the arguments against religiosity & its socially-prefered position in society. THANK you
This causes a release of stress hormones that are known to depress the volume of the hippocampus over time. This might also explain the fact that both non-religious as well as some religious individuals have smaller hippocampal volumes.
this video is pretty much biased bullshit
and no i'm not religious i just can't stand when people twist things in their favour
The author of the video cites a scientific article for religion and brain damage in the video. The paper is titled: Religious Factors and Hippocampal Atrophy in Late Life. Funny thing is if you look at the results (regression analyses) of this article it will note that those participants who are not affiliated with a religion have equal amounts of hippocampal atrophy as those who are affiliated with a religion. Flashing an article without going into the results means nothing. Im alsoan Atheist
can you please consider not using dramatic music? if you have a point then it doesn't need emotional propping up. If you don't want fear tactics then not using them yourself would be a great start.
@PornographicSoul I did not feel any fear from the music. I feel as though he knows what he is talking about. I was brought up in to many different beliefs with having to go into different foster families and such. I feel that religion should be up to the child and parents should not dogmatic their kids into what they want them to. I gave my boys a chose what church or if they wanted to go or not. Both of my sons prefer two different church's.
@wildidspud76 my point is that if he has a point then he doesn't need to get dramatic. I'm not saying I don't recommend his message because I do, but mixing it with music (fantasy) isn't the best of ideas.
"the causal relationship between brain findings and religion is difficult to clearly establish. Is it possible, for example, that those people with smaller hippocampal volumes are more likely to have specific religious attributes, drawing the causal arrow in the other direction?"
@pathmusicwriting Because the findings specifically targeted people who were "born again", which also makes up a small portion of the test group. Which means they may have had this life altering religious experience BECAUSE of a deflated hippocampus. Moreover the study clearly states that they are studying why a persons hippocampus could experience atrophy, and that it was targeting people with high stress and not specifically people of faith.
AND that the test was to conclude a hypothesis that stated that people that experience high amounts of stress could atrophy their hippocampus which could very well still be wrong.
Not to mention the article sites more examples for religion and meditation increasing the effectiveness of your brain more times than it mentions the harmful effects.
In short, it didn't say any of that really, it's like someone saying "what if air is actually poisonous and it just takes 80 years to kill us!?!?!?!?"
"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken" Niether does using the word hippocampus make you a neurologist...
I find this to be absolutely true. I believed in God for 27 years, then I moved out of the Bible Belt into one of the country's largest cities where I was finally exposed to different forms of belief. 3 years later my indoctrination had been broken and I finally began to think critically.
@Gewath Atrophy of the Hippocampus isn't 'brain change'. It's damage. It can help cause schizophrenia and severe depression. This section of the brain also suffers atrophy as a result of PTSD.
Look into the video description or rewatch the video again (and pay attention to the end. Where he justifies how this is damage, not change).
@ThePitofSidLord Has there been shown a correlation between religiousness and schizophrenia or severe depression?
If so, then that'd be why it can be classified as brain damage (and is a vital part of the argument; the absence of presentation of relevant such studies make the video worthless). If you don't use a part of the brain, there's a good chance you don't need it (hence why it shuts down in the first place), or are even better off without it (hence why it shuts down in the first place).
@Gewath Sir... your brain works with logic, if a belief that you must cling to faith over logic causes something in your brain to shut down then what do you think your shutting down that is unnecessary? Probably something involving how your brain's logic works, in which case is the MOST horrible thing to shut down >.>
@Gewath Yes. Schizophrenia and severe depression have been shown to be caused by, or the onset has been aided by an shrunken Hippocampus. A religious upbringing has been show to shrink the Hippocampus. One causes shrinkage, which, in turn, causes the emergence of schizophrenia and severe depression in later life.
Diagnosis dominoes.
I see the IronicAtheist took the liberty of answering with quite a well crafted response. And he was flagged as spam. Interestingly quaint.
that would explain why older christians are impossible to talk to about anything that is inconsistent with their belief system. Though i know many christians or people of other religions that are younger, in some cases much younger than i was when i broke free from it (18) that behave in the same manner. I have even known people who saw the logic of my argument but still cling to their Deities.
Conjecture with a soundtrack. I bet I could find a correlation between the loudest NASCAR fans and brain damage, too. The most vocal Star Trek fans don't seem very cognitively open minded about who was the best captain, I bet their logic centers are all fried up. This video is counterproductive and silly. Not only is it simply preaching to the crowd, it's insulting anyone who was raised in a moderately religious environment calling their parents child abusers.
@Sanitycult No it doesn't say anything about moderates, because this is a video pointing out the problems, they don't have the same problems thus this doesn't apply to them.
Also yes you could find such a correlation, that wouldn't make it incorrect.
BD - are you are aware of any other research currently being pursued on this hypothesis? Has anyone yet tried to replicate the results of the existing studies?
The hypothesis and proposed mechanisms explained in the video certainly seem sound. If true, I'm sure this would apply not just to religion, but any belief system, be it cultural or political, that uses the same kind of indoctrination. We should also see a correlation between the degree of dogmatism and the degree of damage. It will be interesting to see if further study supports the hypothesis.
I am a theist myself, and I do agree with the video. Though, not in the same sense. For example, the misuse of religion can absolutely cause brain damage, which is what it seems that you're mostly addressing here, and I completely agree. As well as those who are taught to believe it without any evidence, proof, or thinking of any kind, I also believe that can cause brain damage in a way of course. And, I have much more to say but sadly I have no where near enough characters to do so. :/
@IFUCKINGLOVEYOUTOO If you have come to accept reality on its own terms rather than the dogma of religion then yes, you should have overcome any damage it would have done to your thought process. When someone is young it is much easier to forge new ways of thinking in their mind than someone who is old. You are still young so it will be easy for you to undo whatever flawed logic religion had wired into you.
@IFUCKINGLOVEYOUTOO 15 is probably fine. The brain is still developing at that age. Though not explicitly stated in the video, the concept here is that of "use it or lose it". By consistently shutting down certain types of thought, those areas of the brain over time become so disused that they atrophy in the way that he muscles of a bed bound person do. It takes a very long time for this to happen.
1. Correlation does not imply causation, that was the first thing I learned in high school, and they I've heard it repeatedly reinforced throughout high school and college science classes.
2. This is only one study, science never accecpts theories as fact after only one test, there's too much room for unaccounted variables.
3. The referanced article itself does not actually suggest that being religious itself causes this change in the hippocampus.
@Freedomcaged The hippocampus is a part of your brain, I would think that damage to any part of your brain is undesireable. Correlation does not imply causation, but it does not rule it out either. This video gives reasoned evidence for the correlation. There have been several tests, millions in fact- every devoutly religious person on earth can be viewed as a test in this experiment. What the video is saying is telling a young child that talking snakes, miracles, and hell are real is damaging
@kilroy055 "but it does not rule it out either" That's a logical fallacy, as are most of the arguments in this video. No it doesn't rule it out, but to be considered scienctific fact there must be a burden of proof, otherwise you're accecpting everything said here on faith, which is a little hypocritical. I have nothing agaisnt athesim or science, but the "evidence" posted here is emotional, biased, and individual. Dang 500 character word limit.
@Freedomcaged Give reasons for it being "emotional, biased, and individual". I don't see that at all, I see logical arguments presented with scientific backing. It is not a logical fallacy to say that correlation MAY imply causation if there is evidence to supplement that causation. It is only fallacious if the only reason given for the causation is the correlation.
@kilroy055 The only true peice of evidence presented her, The Study, is taken largely out of context, and he makes assumptions about it that weren't made in the study itself. Please go read the actual study, it talks about how this change was diffrent depending on diffrent denominations, and the actual researchers who did the actual study associate the change with the stress involved in being in a religion which makes the subjects a minority. For the record I don't approve of the kind of ...
Fire and Brimstone preaching that was discussed here, nor do I belive in forcing my religion on others, but I get tired of people assuming that all religious people belive in blackmailing people into religion. I understand why some people choose Atheism, but honestly, I'm tired of anti-theists. Yes some churches are over the top, but don't associate that with all religious people, if you think you are right, good for you, put don't try to be the counter to that crazy guy with the foghorn.
We all kw the emotion of paranoia. It can highly control our thoughts making us lose clear perspective on reality. Living in fear can damage the brain over time. Yes.
BUT fear is an emotion that vanishes over time, if not permanently supported. And then logic comes through again.
Fear is not explanation enough for existence of religion. It simply stabilizes ppl psychological. It simply feels good to believe. Some ppl need that.
Most wouldn't "need that" if they weren't brainwashed into "needing it" from birth. Almost everybody is a atheist or moderate in Japan, and yet they do just fine. Are you suggesting that the japanese are intrinsically stronger human beings who do not "need" religion, whereas we are weak?
"Fear vanishes over time if not permanently supported", yes, and if childhood indoctrination causes it to be permanent, THEN IT DOESN'T VANISH.
Hey, I agree with you. Childhood indoctination is a great, problem. I alos agree that "most" wouldn't need it, but there is a subtainable minority who do.
I know that the majority of mentally stable ppl do not need religion and there's definitely nobody who needs to harass other ppl to believe their shit. Not only in JP but also in my nation 55% r non-believers and the rest r mostly moderate. In Sweden only 2% go to church.
But the explanation Christians live in a permanent state of fear blocking their braing is too simple. That wouldn't explain y they harass others (At least those in America in other nations they dont). Ppl (ard the world, mostly in USA) who tried to convince me of Christianity never appealed to hell or fear. They usually just said the belief comforts them.
If they just kept that beliefe for themselves and wouldnt vote GOP, spreading war and deregulate the financial markets...
The study doesn't say religion in general causes brain damage, just certain types -- the born again experience seems to be a cause.
"The results showed significantly greater hippocampal atrophy in individuals reporting a life-changing religious experience. In addition, they found significantly greater hippocampal atrophy among born-again Protestants, Catholics, and those with no religious affiliation, compared with Protestants not identifying as born-again."
Scientific evidence?? But since when do Theists listen to facts? I can hear them now. "There is no brain in the skull, it's God telling us what to do. So you do surgery on the skull and we see a bunch of stuff. So what. "
Child abuse is well documented as causing much damage to the developing brain.
@peteq1972 Depending on how you look at it, there is no correlation between God and religion. It is a particular thought pattern of thinking that is potentially detrimental to themselves.
Some of y'all are some real ignorant sons of bitches haha. And so many of you are hypocrits as well! Oh, the infallible irony. I love that youtube is a place where both Strict Scientific Nutjobs and Strict Religious Nutjobs can be openly hypocritical as they critiscize each other of action that they are committing at they very moment! Humans cause war. Humans suck. And so does everything else. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, and there is no hope for anyone on this planet. Just death.
kristjandee 4 minutes ago
@JohnSmith88823 On the other hand, just because actual evidence is not published does not mean the evidence in question is any less true. Just saying.
LastNineBreaker 1 week ago
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777kcm 1 week ago
Now only thing people do forget. And they of course will blindly agree with this without doing any research into medicine.
The hippocampus is one of the easy things to damage. Too many factors can damage it. Damage to that part of the brain can steam from many things.
Also its only the memory center... just because you remember slighly less does not make you unlogical. I mean if dawkings started to forget about his door being open before he left each morning. Is he a moron? No
revron77 1 week ago
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revron77 1 week ago
'Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man'
AndyCielecki 3 weeks ago
Science changes its view based on whats observed
Religion is the DENIAL of observation so that faith can be preserved.
Its as funny as its as sad that this religion teaches that you can never lose your faith or you burn for eternity.
stonetemplepilot420 4 weeks ago
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ROTFL.
Unbridled lifestyles cause more brain damage though.... from all the gun shot wounds, drug abuse, syphilis and such.
So I'm gonna take my chances with religion
Taught77 4 weeks ago
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Taught77 4 weeks ago
Not offensive at all! Very impressed! Religion is nothing but a breeding ground for hatred, prejudice, violence and alienation. It needs to be stripped from this planet in order for us to move forward. To those of who are afraid to speak out against religion or to give they're opinions know this, there are ALOT more people against religion now then there ever has been
777kcm 1 month ago
@777kcm
So much hate in fact that the troubles in northern ireland ended due to a mans belief that god wanted the bloodshed to stop..
Just because something is not within your group, does not make it all bad. If you consider it to be. You are more likely the one to relay on prejudice.
revron77 1 week ago
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@revron77 Religion is a sick disease, one that has done more damage, caused more war and created more hatred than any other thing on this planet 100x fold. Your opinion is irrelevant to me, and just because I am not “religious” does not mean I rely on prejudice. War’s end when people decide to act like adults and resolve a situation like adults. Not religion. That. Causes war. Your bullshit falls on deaf ears
777kcm 1 week ago
will i get brain damage if i decide to worship you as a being of logic and rationality?
sinfulblood 1 month ago
@sinfulblood No but asking the question shows u most likely already have brain damage.
The1VoiceOfReason 2 weeks ago
sseing the children like that is beyond words, it soooo wrong, just think what kind of mind numbed, ignorant adults they will be.
wirikuta14 1 month ago 2
i was forced to go Xmas mass, during the sermon the dude lol said children like stories, so from an early age its important to tell them stories of Catholicism, tell them enough when they are old enough they will not question their faith. because all they will know is that catholism is the truth and logic can not threaten their faith... :L somehow people accept this...
ThePossibleOstrich 1 month ago in playlist More videos from bdwilson1000
CRAAAAAAP ha ha
DaJokern 1 month ago
@KarenLeFemme
Religious 'huckster[s]' as you so call them should not be taken seriously and can be seen as possessors of the qualities which I have previously mentioned. However, that is irrelevant, and just as the religious extremists have the aforementioned qualities, so too does the uploader, and that was the purpose of my comment which you replied to. My intention was not to cast an objective assessment of the uploader's character, but rather to subject him to my derision.
JohnSmith88823 1 month ago
@KarenLeFemme
For the most part, I would agree with you. I hold a master's degree in medicine and am currently studying engineering and advanced algebra, and have yet to meet a religious fundamentalist at the university in which I study. With that aside, I think that my grandiose statement is merely an expression of my stark dissent; however, it does hold some merit, and without the grandiosities, I can justify with some accuracy as to the uploader's 'naivety, prejudice, and irrationality'.
JohnSmith88823 1 month ago
@JohnSmith88823 - I, on the other hand, live surrounded by people who not only identify as fundamentalist Christians, but consider everything they have come to believe through whichever splinter group they belong to as absolute truth. Many of them seem to believe that Jesus wouldn't mind stopping off to do a little gay bashing on the way to nuke Iran. That's why I felt you awarded the trophy to the wrong contestant. Not looking for a spat.
KarenLeFemme 1 month ago in playlist Liked videos
Bdwilson1000, I have to disagree with this video on several grounds. The whole video is based on a limited study of 536 people (268m&f) which is small sample in it's self. The articles you cited were an interesting read (the first more than the latter due to detail) but even what they specified stated that there is a lot more work to be done before you can make the conclusion you have jumped to.
roadkill1001 1 month ago
@roadkill1001 In essence, yes your right religion can and does cause damage to the brain. So can a car crash so can a hammer to the head so can atheism. Atheists can be just as stressed as a religious person. As an atheist you have to face the idea that there is no meaning to your life other than what people make of it, that can be just as stressful as thinking of being tortured eternity depending on the person at hand.
I feel that this video is sensationalist, despite you claiming otherwise.
roadkill1001 1 month ago
@roadkill1001 Not to condemn the video entirely, I do feel it has an important message such as brainwashing and mentally abusing children, however that was a side issue and your video is primarily focusing on the 'fact' of religion causing brain damage.
roadkill1001 1 month ago
look up george kavassilas thats all i have to say
GGGG761 1 month ago
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Fundamentalist beliefs are not only a mental disorder according DSM, but also physically damages the brain. It shrinks the brain and especially the hippocampus and damages the entire limbic system -- which is why these people love to hate and discriminate and are completely out of touch with reality. The hippocampus works closely with the medial prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that regulates our emotional response to fear and stress.
saburius 2 months ago
C4N 1 H4Z SC13NC3 PL0X?
GunningRage 2 months ago
Ok I just found out the best religion "googlisiam" it is just true. But I still am a atheist
steelwolf411 2 months ago
@Tyr5530 well there is a website. its "lds.org" i think you can read the book of mormon there or, if you ever meet a lds missionaries in real life, they will give you a copy for free. (btw the full name other wize used for the church is. "the church of jesus christ of later-day saints" later-day saint = lds.)
chadro85 2 months ago
@chadro85 oh yeah and i almost forgot theres also a website called "mormon.org" if the book of mormon seems a little confusing at first. it can help you out with the basics and you can even request a missionary. to come give you a free copy and help you understand it as well :)
chadro85 2 months ago
@Tyr5530 it was actually made by somone named joesph smith back in the 1800's. and it all started out when joesph was young around the age of 14. he wanted to find a true reilgion, but all the reilgions he was finding just didn't seem right. soon one day he prayed about it (long story short) he found out from his prayers that all the reilgions were some-what wrong, or the people teaching them were teaching wrong. so then god helped him to make a new religion. (tbc)
chadro85 2 months ago
@Tyr5530 have you ever heard of the lds. we read "the book of mormon" (and some times the bible) but the book of mormon is different from the bible. and our teachings are too. (or at lest different from christains)
chadro85 2 months ago
so was this study done by satan. lol
chadro85 2 months ago 2
@Tyr5530 have you ever tryed / or be around anyother reilgions?
chadro85 2 months ago
I must admit I am being an asshole hear I know when I am out of the box its just I am being held to such a truth boundary because I am an athirst, I have to speak the truth. I have to search my my mind logically which requires thinking about your side than my side an be objective I can not say with cert ency nor should I cause this is not my field of study cause I simply have none I have life experience I deal with people & there ability to perform my life ^ theirs depend on my accuracy
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
but I can not help seeing the crippling effects of mental stability, & decision making process from religion to ashiest. there always seams to be a block in there perceptive reasoning you must wonder what I do.I am a builder, designer, fabricator & teacher of all the trades. I deal with what do you want,then I make it.what ever it is.with 1 to 1500 people. who may or may not know what they are doing.I have to deal with there colorful short falls.my whole life i'm a GC since 14yo I know people
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
what constitute brain damage swelling of the brain, Think if you measure brain wave activity you would find the problem of connective reasoning damage & logical disorder all we nee is the case study and some with money or in the loop of decision making processes to call for the studied then you will find the proof of brain damage Prof. Louie Pasture
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
this is the best video that I have found that has cleared up what is going on. I can only say wow I always looked at that they where just absolutely and completely stupid I could never understand why this is still in existence.in today's time I have never found a clear explanation for this cancer. and you are so right thank you I have been ready to get the fuck out of this world cause I can not deal with this insanity any more.plus we just lost a great person Christopher Hitchens may he RIP
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
YOU SHOULD NEVER THINK INDEPENDELY BECAUSE HUMANS HAVE NO POWER
YOU MUST ATTACH YOURSELF TO SOMETHING, CREATOR IS A GOOD CHOICE
NO ALL RELIGION ARE THE SAME, SOME TEACH JUST TO LOVE THE CREATOR FOLLOW THE BIBLE (NO NORMAL HUMAN HAS THE MENTAL POWER TO HAVE WROTE THE BIBLE IT HAD COME FROM GOD)
RELIGION LIKE 7TH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH (THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH) IS AS NORMAL AS IT CAN GET, THEY FOLOW AS MUCH THEY KNOW, NOT JUST BECAUSE GOD DESERVE BUT BECAUSE WE NEED HELP FROM ABOVE
THEHELENOHENZO 2 months ago
@THEHELENOHENZO you my friend .NOT. your an ass hole. you are the cancer of this world and the cause of what is wrong. you statement only shows you need to seek mental health from a professional. I am an atheist. I do not believe in bronze age in doctrine you are a liar, bully, a genocidal lunatic, you will hurt some one some day cause your fucking nuts. I am so feed up with your type of stupidly & ignorance, & women & children molesters like your POPE, & Priest etc the fuck you gang asshole
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
RELIGION CAUSES BRAIN DAMAGE, ATHEISM CAUSES LOSS OF BODY AND SPIRIT
THE CHOISE IS YOURS? I am riding from MA-FL to promote my book
Buy the book at lulu.com (just type on search bar - Heleno Henzo)
THEHELENOHENZO 2 months ago
@THEHELENOHENZO again with your stupidly remarks again! oh I like this one ATHEISM CAUSES LOSS OF BODY AND SPIRIT. what the fuck does that mean exactly
spew some more rubbish instead of your ass it pules out your month, you only prove your weak, nimble close minded, and completely programed. what a waste of a deflective bio-logical unit. another one bytes the dust. Kill your self ass hole and go to your GOD if you believe so strongly, Get closer to your incompetent GOD who made you
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
Raised Christian, I remember the fear of sin, hell and eternal punishment. By age 30, I had freed myself from belief in the supernatural by following my instincts and my doubts about religion and educating myself about the origins and contradictions of religion. Putting belief in the supernatural in a child's head causes trauma and low self-esteem; and it makes the mind malleable to a Pandora’s Box of harmful influences, e.g. cults, conspiracy theories. Reality is much healthier!
lc237 2 months ago
Religion is like a penis.
it's fine to have one.
it's fine to be proud of it.
But please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around, and PLEASE don't try to shove it down our throats.
GunningRage 2 months ago
@GunningRage oh I so love your comment rotflmao that was really good. am expecting (THEHELENOHENZO) to attack me they always do. piss them off all the time just to show them you do not push this Atheist around I will destroy there punk ass, they just do not get it all they have to do is take there head out of there ass and read a fucking book on science and do not fuck with the atheist any more cause you will get your ass kicked.& guess what God won't be there to help. he is delusional
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
@GunningRage
All ideas, including atheism, bear an intrinsic opposition to another belief system. If one person holds any one of these beliefs, it will affect that individual and therefore society. Ideas mean something, you know. Also, atheists shove their beliefs down others throats ALL of the time. People are people.
As for the video, just because you had a negative experience with certain Christian doctrines or expressions, doesn't mean atheism is therefore accurate.
v01741r31 1 month ago
I need to believe so I get saved? Save me from what? Countries with a high percentage of atheists are happier and have less crime than very religious countries.
Religion does three things quite effectively: Divides people, controls people, deludes people."
LOGICandREAS0N 2 months ago
You should completely disregarded what was said in the article that you cited. Im an atheist too but damn stop bullshiting people. The articles says hippocampus atrophy with people who have had a life-changing religious experience or are born again. People who are more unsure. Also all the information you gave was non existent in the article.
MAZ1N00 2 months ago
@MAZ1N00
you should also realise that anyone can submit papers onto that website. it is not a legitimate scientific journal. i probably would stop posting comments, it's evident that he's a troll
JohnSmith88823 2 months ago
@MAZ1N00
correct
Andytheantiathiest 2 months ago
@MAZ1N00 ok I have a question for you how many people have to die from religion minded people before you see that there is something seriously & medically wrong here.
if a study exist, my first thought would be in the prisons for the criminally insane, I am sure there are professional who at best have done a case by case study & if there where such a study what would your guess be it turned conclusive that it would make a difference.I was raised christian at 7 I knew it was total crap
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
I went there and it is vague so I have to retract my statement as far as the facts state 10.1371/journal.pone.0017006 and it only covered articipants were 268 men and women aged 58 and over. no children. but I can see his point we need to research this problem in length. it does effect the child brain damage I personnel believe it, it now has to be proven
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
@AngstromJohnny What the hell does that have to do with the validity of the information given here? Don't be a moron.The claim here is outrageous, You can't make up claims to support your ideas and try to pass them as true because you want it to be that's exactly what religious people do.
MAZ1N00 2 months ago
@MAZ1N00 yea I was I did more studying & I have to apologize here. I was being a moron.It sounded so good and I so wanted for it to be true. but bull shit is bullshit in my book & I talked some bullshit. I can not argue with you here the more I look into it the more a shame I feel. plus the hell of my foot broke a dental cap on removal. again I am sorry to have been on the attack. please except my apologia.when I am wrong I am wrong
AngstromJohnny 2 months ago
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Too stupid for science? Try religion.
Secular societies are so much more refreshing. I'm glad to see CHILDREN thinking for themselves when a majority of adults in the U.S. continue to persist in delusion.
Religions equal intolerance, paranoia, xenophobia, misogyny, hypocrisy, barbarism, cruelty and mass hysteria. Just listen to the Christian conservatives in the USA.They sound a lot like the Taliban.
kriss299 2 months ago
Did he read the article? "they found significantly greater hippocampal atrophy among born-again Protestants, Catholics, AND those with no religious affiliation." The hypothesis was that stress inflicted on people in a minority group causes the problem. So even if the paltry sample size can be defended, the point is that persecution of religious minorities (including those with no religious belief) is stressful which can affect the brain.
JDKromkowski 2 months ago
I'm an atheist and all that, but without researching this any further I will say that the brain damage thing sounds like absolute bullshit.
thordurinn 2 months ago
@thordurinn It is , he completely used the article to mean what he wanted it to mean and used no scientific evidence. Also the article only speaks of hypothesis and the scientist even give reasons why there study wasn't even conclusive.
MAZ1N00 2 months ago
I don't know of the validity of any of the articles that claim research has proven it causes brain damage, but I think it's child abuse to condition and force children to live a life of fear. Fear of that which does not even exist. Shame on the parents who do this to their children. Just teach your children compassion and to know right from wrong, to respect others and for they themselves to be respectable individuals. I feel it's more mental illness brought on by conditioning than brain damage
vjhunny66 2 months ago
As an atheist myself, this video is, in many ways, ironic, in that the video creator himself references a study which is not authoritative nor published in any accredited scientific journal. Well done sir, you've managed to defame atheists even more and have in my opinion, epitomized naivety, prejudice, and irrationality to the greatest extent possible.
JohnSmith88823 2 months ago 4
@JohnSmith88823
Thanks for the criticism. I agree that I should not have posted the study uncritically. It's results are not definitive. I uploaded the vid is because the point about conditioning people to not question their beliefs seemed very accurate to me. Many denominations of Christianity teach people that to doubt is a tremendous threat to their eternal well-being, and I see this as a form of mental abuse, even if it doesn't cause literal (physical) brain damage.
bdwilson1000 1 month ago 12
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rahulbale1 1 week ago
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@JohnSmith88823
Looks like the the speaker in the video is referring to a paper published in PLoS one, which is a peer reviewed scientific journal.
Here is the paper the speaker was referring to : Religious Factors and Hippocampal Atrophy in Late Life.
The paper is available on plosone.org and can be downloaded for free.
rahulbale1 1 week ago
Lol. My brain must be very damaged! My belief has so severely damaged my brain that if I hadn't found Jesus I would have been a super genius on my way to hell.
heyheycaroline 2 months ago
@heyheycaroline nah, you would have just had average intelligence :P
VideoMaster2560 2 months ago
this is stupuid as fuck
GrandWizad 2 months ago
people, this is what life is. let's just accept the existence of what is there. in fact, the real purpose of life is to be happy.
nekif820 2 months ago
The damage to the hippocampus is probably due to the abandonment of reasoning, which I have seen prevalent in both Atheists and Christians. Nonetheless, Christianity does tend to assert that logic be abandoned, while atheists are usually more apt to believe in something that can be logically proven.
I personally try my best to look at all angles of an argument and make the most logical choice from there. I can't say that all atheists make that same effort.
TheSinisterScourge 2 months ago
Though I am an atheist, I think that this video has been oversimplified such that you are making near-universal assumptions. There are atheists, who, because of their disbelief, are vehement in their preaching, as there are religious people who would do the same thing. There are atheist geniuses as well as religious geniuses; and more importantly, there are brain-damaged atheists as well as brain-damaged religious people.
JohnSmith88823 2 months ago
My friend is a Christian and is averaging A's. I know atheists who are barely passing. There may be a correlation between religious people and lower intelligence, but ascribing such intelligence to religion is preposterous.
JohnSmith88823 2 months ago
@JohnSmith88823 Your second sentence is understandable to me, but your first sentence does nothing to help you make your point in the second sentence; you can't take a sample of a small percentage of the population in your immediate vicinity to prove anything. The scientific studies would have to be examined to see how accurately they were isolating religious belief as a unique factor, but I (like you) question how, with humans being so unique, religion could be directly tied to brain damage
lilrichbig18 2 months ago
@lilrichbig18
The study which he referred to in the video is flawed in many respects and was only conducted "on a sample of 268 older adults", according to the abstract, so already, any grandiose conclusion that religion causes brain damage is void of any credibility.
JohnSmith88823 2 months ago
@JohnSmith88823 Yeah, I guess this is pretty much bogus. Shame, I kind of wanted to believe it lol
lilrichbig18 2 months ago
@lilrichbig18
:-)
JohnSmith88823 2 months ago
I'm not a religious apologist (as you can see from my other videos). But the paper says "Significantly greater hippocampal atrophy was also observed from baseline to final assessment among born-again Protestants, Catholics, and those with no religious affiliation, compared with Protestants not identifying as born-again." So some types of protestants have less atrophy than non-believers. But religion (or lack of) can affect stress, which probably is more important than thought.
Golkarian 2 months ago
As great as this is.. One can only laugh at him mispronouncing "hippocampus" and saying instead: "hypocampus".
chickendip13 2 months ago
I logged in just to like this. Thank you, sir.
tturner1337 2 months ago
Dude ! I must have major brain damage.
imaga75 2 months ago
What's the song?
WhimsicalAphorist 2 months ago
@WhimsicalAphorist Mozart's Lacrimosa,the funeral march he made for himself lol
FreeeeS 2 months ago
The actual paper says those of "no religion" experience higher rates of brain atrophy than mainstream protestants, catholics, and those of "other" religion.
nopaniers 2 months ago
How much is the brain damaged and if you leave a religion, does that reactivate areas of the brain? (Due to the fact that they are now being used more.)
Nverdis 2 months ago
There is a word to define blind faith as opposed to logical thinking: stupidity.
richardpweiss 2 months ago
the man is correct... can you imagine the longitudinal effect on the formation of synapse and neural pathway...
TheWisemonkey8 2 months ago
Perfecto!
atomiclydia 2 months ago
You don't have to take the Bible literally to be a Christian. You just have to believe the core truth of the story and yes it requires faith, because it's only by faith that we can be able to start removing the scales from our eyes thae devil has placed there to hide the thruth from us.
GoogleVideoMan 2 months ago
@GoogleVideoMan Already brain damaged I see.
Catp00p 2 months ago
I know in my experience, the amount of mental energy it took to fight the cognitive dissonance and thus maintain a belief in the unreasonable Christianity of my youth, was very significant. It was not until I stopped spending effort to believe the unbelievable (Faith), that thinking became easy.
When I was a Christian, it was always an effort to try to defend Christianity, because the proofs require lots of fallacies to work, and fallacies to the logical person take lots of effort to maintain.
gamotter 2 months ago in playlist More videos from bdwilson1000 30
thank god, I'm christian. :)
Pyrodefence101 2 months ago
The parents *ARE* evil, they just don't know it!
MexSanukk 2 months ago
I think that what really causes hypocampal atrophy is what's called habitual "magical thinking" which can occur in many types of people. Also a constant underlying state of fear can do this.
tbrenner123 2 months ago
Religious nuts should not be allower to reproduce. We do not need this in human gene pool.
phenomenon91 2 months ago in playlist More videos from bdwilson1000 13
@phenomenon91 But by submitting to this conclusion are you any better than they are, who say the same things about those who do not have faith?
I don't think that we should replace unquestioned faith in an imaginary supreme being with unquestioned faith in science. Such would be a complete disregard of what science is all about: questioning.
But yes, I agree that this behavior is destructive to society and unacceptable. I don't agree that we have the right to kill them off.
TheSinisterScourge 2 months ago
@phenomenon91
Well it seemed to come along with our evolution just fine, but I suppose it's not needed to survive any more
Edge0fPain 2 months ago
@phenomenon91
But in reality those religious nuts also are against contraception and proper sex education, thus end up reproducing much more.
futureorreligion 1 day ago
I am also a fellow Atheist but I do have one problem with this video. You kept saying you had evidence that it causes "literal brain damage" but then showed a grainy picture with lines so blue they had basically been redacted. You put no subtext nore did you read the actual words. You just said that it shuts off part of the brain but never gave us any specific studies. Was this from a medical university? This is an interesting topic and I want to do some more research on it.
locohammerhead 2 months ago 2
Why do so many people say "why" instead of "how"? How is appropriate, why is not.
degenret01 2 months ago 2
I am a person with brain injuries, raised fundy. I don't know how/why I've escaped being totally obedient, but I'm here. This is a fascinating argument and I sincerely believe you've found something very important. When ppl call zealots "crazy," they may be intuiting what u describe here. This is all so sad. But it may lead to further understanding of brain research and also substantiates the arguments against religiosity & its socially-prefered position in society. THANK you
rriverstone1 2 months ago
This causes a release of stress hormones that are known to depress the volume of the hippocampus over time. This might also explain the fact that both non-religious as well as some religious individuals have smaller hippocampal volumes.
this video is pretty much biased bullshit
and no i'm not religious i just can't stand when people twist things in their favour
philjk9372 3 months ago 2
The author of the video cites a scientific article for religion and brain damage in the video. The paper is titled: Religious Factors and Hippocampal Atrophy in Late Life. Funny thing is if you look at the results (regression analyses) of this article it will note that those participants who are not affiliated with a religion have equal amounts of hippocampal atrophy as those who are affiliated with a religion. Flashing an article without going into the results means nothing. Im alsoan Atheist
Dogorain 3 months ago
can you please consider not using dramatic music? if you have a point then it doesn't need emotional propping up. If you don't want fear tactics then not using them yourself would be a great start.
apart from that, thanks.
PornographicSoul 3 months ago
@PornographicSoul I did not feel any fear from the music. I feel as though he knows what he is talking about. I was brought up in to many different beliefs with having to go into different foster families and such. I feel that religion should be up to the child and parents should not dogmatic their kids into what they want them to. I gave my boys a chose what church or if they wanted to go or not. Both of my sons prefer two different church's.
wildidspud76 2 months ago
@wildidspud76 my point is that if he has a point then he doesn't need to get dramatic. I'm not saying I don't recommend his message because I do, but mixing it with music (fantasy) isn't the best of ideas.
PornographicSoul 2 months ago
Weapons grade bologna...the study itself says
"the causal relationship between brain findings and religion is difficult to clearly establish. Is it possible, for example, that those people with smaller hippocampal volumes are more likely to have specific religious attributes, drawing the causal arrow in the other direction?"
pathmusicwriting 3 months ago
@pathmusicwriting Because the findings specifically targeted people who were "born again", which also makes up a small portion of the test group. Which means they may have had this life altering religious experience BECAUSE of a deflated hippocampus. Moreover the study clearly states that they are studying why a persons hippocampus could experience atrophy, and that it was targeting people with high stress and not specifically people of faith.
pathmusicwriting 3 months ago
AND that the test was to conclude a hypothesis that stated that people that experience high amounts of stress could atrophy their hippocampus which could very well still be wrong.
Not to mention the article sites more examples for religion and meditation increasing the effectiveness of your brain more times than it mentions the harmful effects.
pathmusicwriting 3 months ago
In short, it didn't say any of that really, it's like someone saying "what if air is actually poisonous and it just takes 80 years to kill us!?!?!?!?"
"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken" Niether does using the word hippocampus make you a neurologist...
pathmusicwriting 3 months ago
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@pathmusicwriting "Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken"'
Yes it does.
sybite 3 months ago
@noelle2344 I could vomit when I see some idiot say this, you are religious or you wouldnt love an imaginary being.
demonorse 3 months ago
Anyone know the second song in this video?
1redheaded007 3 months ago
@1redheaded007 I dont know the name but the second song comes from 28 days later
demonorse 3 months ago
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This is one of the many, many reasons why I trust in God with all my heart, but am in no way shape or form associated with religion.
AvatarRoku1 3 months ago
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You have to be brain damaged to be religious. I don't know how the religious deal with cognitive dissonance.
sybite 3 months ago
lol, wonder if we will evolve away from religious people...
mosainagant 3 months ago
I find this to be absolutely true. I believed in God for 27 years, then I moved out of the Bible Belt into one of the country's largest cities where I was finally exposed to different forms of belief. 3 years later my indoctrination had been broken and I finally began to think critically.
bagobonez 3 months ago
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westt44 3 months ago
That's brain changes. Not brain damage per se - not any more than an irreligious person becoming less inclined to religion is 'brain damage'.
Gewath 3 months ago
@Gewath Atrophy of the Hippocampus isn't 'brain change'. It's damage. It can help cause schizophrenia and severe depression. This section of the brain also suffers atrophy as a result of PTSD.
Look into the video description or rewatch the video again (and pay attention to the end. Where he justifies how this is damage, not change).
ThePitofSidLord 3 months ago
@ThePitofSidLord Has there been shown a correlation between religiousness and schizophrenia or severe depression?
If so, then that'd be why it can be classified as brain damage (and is a vital part of the argument; the absence of presentation of relevant such studies make the video worthless). If you don't use a part of the brain, there's a good chance you don't need it (hence why it shuts down in the first place), or are even better off without it (hence why it shuts down in the first place).
Gewath 3 months ago
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@Gewath Sir... your brain works with logic, if a belief that you must cling to faith over logic causes something in your brain to shut down then what do you think your shutting down that is unnecessary? Probably something involving how your brain's logic works, in which case is the MOST horrible thing to shut down >.>
IronicAtheist 3 months ago in playlist Religion causes damage! 2
@Gewath Yes. Schizophrenia and severe depression have been shown to be caused by, or the onset has been aided by an shrunken Hippocampus. A religious upbringing has been show to shrink the Hippocampus. One causes shrinkage, which, in turn, causes the emergence of schizophrenia and severe depression in later life.
Diagnosis dominoes.
I see the IronicAtheist took the liberty of answering with quite a well crafted response. And he was flagged as spam. Interestingly quaint.
ThePitofSidLord 3 months ago
@Gewath Anything that is harm can also be described as damage.
Nifrayu 3 months ago
that would explain why older christians are impossible to talk to about anything that is inconsistent with their belief system. Though i know many christians or people of other religions that are younger, in some cases much younger than i was when i broke free from it (18) that behave in the same manner. I have even known people who saw the logic of my argument but still cling to their Deities.
naturalistmind 3 months ago
Conjecture with a soundtrack. I bet I could find a correlation between the loudest NASCAR fans and brain damage, too. The most vocal Star Trek fans don't seem very cognitively open minded about who was the best captain, I bet their logic centers are all fried up. This video is counterproductive and silly. Not only is it simply preaching to the crowd, it's insulting anyone who was raised in a moderately religious environment calling their parents child abusers.
Sanitycult 3 months ago
@Sanitycult I think a theist is going to be offended by most anything an atheist says in an argument against religion, don't you think?
modnarbnoj 3 months ago
@Sanitycult No it doesn't say anything about moderates, because this is a video pointing out the problems, they don't have the same problems thus this doesn't apply to them.
Also yes you could find such a correlation, that wouldn't make it incorrect.
Alexc3217 3 months ago
@bdwilson1000
We have the same initials and same last name. Creepy.
SplinterInYourEye 3 months ago
Was that the music from 28 Days Later?
AcoraZ3RO 3 months ago in playlist More videos from bdwilson1000 2
BD - are you are aware of any other research currently being pursued on this hypothesis? Has anyone yet tried to replicate the results of the existing studies?
apostatexp 3 months ago
The hypothesis and proposed mechanisms explained in the video certainly seem sound. If true, I'm sure this would apply not just to religion, but any belief system, be it cultural or political, that uses the same kind of indoctrination. We should also see a correlation between the degree of dogmatism and the degree of damage. It will be interesting to see if further study supports the hypothesis.
apostatexp 3 months ago
I am a theist myself, and I do agree with the video. Though, not in the same sense. For example, the misuse of religion can absolutely cause brain damage, which is what it seems that you're mostly addressing here, and I completely agree. As well as those who are taught to believe it without any evidence, proof, or thinking of any kind, I also believe that can cause brain damage in a way of course. And, I have much more to say but sadly I have no where near enough characters to do so. :/
DemonHunter767 3 months ago
Is 15 too old to have escaped most of the brain damage(serious question)? :/
IFUCKINGLOVEYOUTOO 3 months ago
@IFUCKINGLOVEYOUTOO If you have come to accept reality on its own terms rather than the dogma of religion then yes, you should have overcome any damage it would have done to your thought process. When someone is young it is much easier to forge new ways of thinking in their mind than someone who is old. You are still young so it will be easy for you to undo whatever flawed logic religion had wired into you.
kilroy055 3 months ago
@IFUCKINGLOVEYOUTOO 15 is probably fine. The brain is still developing at that age. Though not explicitly stated in the video, the concept here is that of "use it or lose it". By consistently shutting down certain types of thought, those areas of the brain over time become so disused that they atrophy in the way that he muscles of a bed bound person do. It takes a very long time for this to happen.
apostatexp 3 months ago
Damn religion does more to your brain than crack!
JoelB3783 3 months ago
There might really be some scientific issues in what you said.Great vid
71Plastico 3 months ago
luckily I have leaved religion when they only start to indoctrinate me. Phew!
gothicfan51 3 months ago
1. Correlation does not imply causation, that was the first thing I learned in high school, and they I've heard it repeatedly reinforced throughout high school and college science classes.
2. This is only one study, science never accecpts theories as fact after only one test, there's too much room for unaccounted variables.
3. The referanced article itself does not actually suggest that being religious itself causes this change in the hippocampus.
4. The hippocampus isn't responsible for logic.
Freedomcaged 3 months ago
@Freedomcaged The hippocampus is a part of your brain, I would think that damage to any part of your brain is undesireable. Correlation does not imply causation, but it does not rule it out either. This video gives reasoned evidence for the correlation. There have been several tests, millions in fact- every devoutly religious person on earth can be viewed as a test in this experiment. What the video is saying is telling a young child that talking snakes, miracles, and hell are real is damaging
kilroy055 3 months ago
@kilroy055 "but it does not rule it out either" That's a logical fallacy, as are most of the arguments in this video. No it doesn't rule it out, but to be considered scienctific fact there must be a burden of proof, otherwise you're accecpting everything said here on faith, which is a little hypocritical. I have nothing agaisnt athesim or science, but the "evidence" posted here is emotional, biased, and individual. Dang 500 character word limit.
Freedomcaged 3 months ago
@Freedomcaged Give reasons for it being "emotional, biased, and individual". I don't see that at all, I see logical arguments presented with scientific backing. It is not a logical fallacy to say that correlation MAY imply causation if there is evidence to supplement that causation. It is only fallacious if the only reason given for the causation is the correlation.
kilroy055 3 months ago
@kilroy055 The only true peice of evidence presented her, The Study, is taken largely out of context, and he makes assumptions about it that weren't made in the study itself. Please go read the actual study, it talks about how this change was diffrent depending on diffrent denominations, and the actual researchers who did the actual study associate the change with the stress involved in being in a religion which makes the subjects a minority. For the record I don't approve of the kind of ...
Freedomcaged 3 months ago
Fire and Brimstone preaching that was discussed here, nor do I belive in forcing my religion on others, but I get tired of people assuming that all religious people belive in blackmailing people into religion. I understand why some people choose Atheism, but honestly, I'm tired of anti-theists. Yes some churches are over the top, but don't associate that with all religious people, if you think you are right, good for you, put don't try to be the counter to that crazy guy with the foghorn.
Freedomcaged 3 months ago
This video is absolutely correct.
oeo1977 3 months ago
Im an atheist, but I dont totally agree.
We all kw the emotion of paranoia. It can highly control our thoughts making us lose clear perspective on reality. Living in fear can damage the brain over time. Yes.
BUT fear is an emotion that vanishes over time, if not permanently supported. And then logic comes through again.
Fear is not explanation enough for existence of religion. It simply stabilizes ppl psychological. It simply feels good to believe. Some ppl need that.
Cockriders 3 months ago
Most wouldn't "need that" if they weren't brainwashed into "needing it" from birth. Almost everybody is a atheist or moderate in Japan, and yet they do just fine. Are you suggesting that the japanese are intrinsically stronger human beings who do not "need" religion, whereas we are weak?
"Fear vanishes over time if not permanently supported", yes, and if childhood indoctrination causes it to be permanent, THEN IT DOESN'T VANISH.
Get off your "some people need it" high horse.
UseYerEFFINBrain 3 months ago
@UseYerEFFINBrain
Hey, I agree with you. Childhood indoctination is a great, problem. I alos agree that "most" wouldn't need it, but there is a subtainable minority who do.
I know that the majority of mentally stable ppl do not need religion and there's definitely nobody who needs to harass other ppl to believe their shit. Not only in JP but also in my nation 55% r non-believers and the rest r mostly moderate. In Sweden only 2% go to church.
Cockriders 3 months ago
@UseYerEFFINBrain
But the explanation Christians live in a permanent state of fear blocking their braing is too simple. That wouldn't explain y they harass others (At least those in America in other nations they dont). Ppl (ard the world, mostly in USA) who tried to convince me of Christianity never appealed to hell or fear. They usually just said the belief comforts them.
If they just kept that beliefe for themselves and wouldnt vote GOP, spreading war and deregulate the financial markets...
Cockriders 3 months ago
Brain atrophy, that's really scary!
TheAtheistFuture 3 months ago
The study doesn't say religion in general causes brain damage, just certain types -- the born again experience seems to be a cause.
"The results showed significantly greater hippocampal atrophy in individuals reporting a life-changing religious experience. In addition, they found significantly greater hippocampal atrophy among born-again Protestants, Catholics, and those with no religious affiliation, compared with Protestants not identifying as born-again."
zarkoff45 3 months ago
Scientific evidence?? But since when do Theists listen to facts? I can hear them now. "There is no brain in the skull, it's God telling us what to do. So you do surgery on the skull and we see a bunch of stuff. So what. "
Child abuse is well documented as causing much damage to the developing brain.
saxmanchiro 3 months ago
Great video. Thank god I'm an atheist.
LsBaba 3 months ago 10
Evanescence.
PyreOfFate 3 months ago
I'm an Atheist. Phew!
peteq1972 3 months ago 36
This has been flagged as spam show
@peteq1972 See you in hell.
KriokBoy 3 months ago
@peteq1972 Depending on how you look at it, there is no correlation between God and religion. It is a particular thought pattern of thinking that is potentially detrimental to themselves.
TheIGPD 3 months ago
thank you. this is amazing and sad.
genext7 3 months ago
well said !
flexbrat 3 months ago
Somehow, the 28 days later soundtrack seems to come up a lot in atheist videos on religion. ;-)
betlamed 3 months ago
watch "Dave Allen on Religion" if you want a funny yet sad take on religious indoctrination.
excellent vid btw mr wilson.
fourbabies1 3 months ago
the exorcist movie made me believe even more when i was a kid :(
tyrantcodex002 3 months ago
Crystal clear and brilliant.
An0maly777 3 months ago
this is your brain
this is your brain on religion
any questions?
coltsrule5150 3 months ago 33
Oh wow...
BeRad117 3 months ago
Awesome work!
HelloCaille 3 months ago