LONDON- Oxford University scientists are to torture people in laboratories to see whether a belief in God is effective at relieveing pain. The scientists will apply a chilli-based gel to the skin of volunteers and ask them to try different strategies to lessen the burning sensation, including asking strong believers in God to draw on their faith to cope with the pain, British newspaper The Guardian reported yesterday. "We can ask them to try different beliefs, whether spiritual or otherwise. People can cope with the pain in many different ways and what we'll be doing is looking at the acitvity of the brain," said neuro-scientist Lady Greensfield, who heads the study at the Oxford Centre for Science of the Mind. The experiment is one in a series that sees scientists join forces with philosophers, theologians and brain surgeons to tackle some of the most profound questions of the human condition: What is the nature of consciousness and how do religious beliefs manifest themselves in our brains? "The time is now right for scientific methods to come bear on some of these questions," Lady Greensfield said. With the advent of techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging which can take snapshots of brain activity, scientists believe meaningful answes are possible to questions such as what makes belief systems so resilient. ...... HAHAHAHAHA
I don't get why you're laughing. It sounds like a plausible theory to me. If some humans can block out pain and not feel pain, then why can't some humans belief in God or other supernatural deities allow them to block out pain? It seems very possible to me. But hey, whatever, I also believe in magic and The Easter Bunny, so what the fuck do I know.
I guess the laugh was more for if you just read the title without the article. THEN it sound very amusing.
I can see how belief in God(s) could ease pain. Who hasn't wished before that there would be a God who would make everything all right? I know I've wished at times there was a reason for the shitty things that happen. Does it make me believe? No. But it's like taking a sugar pill--if you believe there's a God taking care of you and helping you and protecting you, you could very easily convince yourself the pain is lessening.
Seems like the Placebo theory. They believe that some god is protecting them, therefore they block out the pain.
I've had too many experiences to know that there is a God. and i do believe in him, and that he guides me to where he wants me. but its not a fact of reducing physical pain but more of an emotional pain. but some ppl just block out the pain...and how do you explain the ppl who cut their wrists because they enjoy the pain? different ppl handle pain in different ways.
Read about this about a week ago and I just have to say... I used to like these types of experiements because somewhere in my mind I always thought this would disprove religion. I, however, have my own theories and what they are doing is what I believe myself. Everytime something hurts physically to me, I've learned how to channel my thoughts into something else rather than the pain. And all my life I've been told of such, you know, "The less you think about it, the less it'll hurt." But I do applaud that this is happening not because it is a possibility to disprove religion, but it should determine that humans have a stronger mental control than they lead themselves to believe. If someone has "faith," the chances that a difference will happen because not only is it a positive thought rather than a negative which thus conclude less pain, it also is "hidden" motivation to keep moving on because you feel that you have strong support. This is what I take away from religion and fatih and all that stuff. Just my opinion, though.
This sounds like an interesting theory i have to say. I'll be interested to see what the results in the end are.
This would never be legal in the US. I'm moving to the UK after I get my Psych doctorate so that I can torture people .