Being 'Born-Again' Linked to More Brain Atrophy: Study

philly.com ^ | 2012-03-20 | Mary Elizabeth Dallas

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults who say they've had a life-changing religious experience are more likely to have a greater decrease in size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain critical to learning and memory, new research finds.

...or conversely, those who had no religious affiliation, had more hippocampal shrinkage (or "atrophy") compared to people who identified themselves as Protestants, but not born-again.

...SOURCE: Duke University, news release, May 19, 2011

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Notice how even though this "study" implicates both religious and non-religious, the headline writer chooses only the part about the "born again" having "brain atrophy".

[TigersEye]

Both groups had "more" shrinkage. More than who it doesn't say.

No one had as much hippocampal shrinkage as the authors of this study.

[F15Eagle]

That’s alright. John 3:17-18 addresses this clearly.

[RightOnline]

Translation: If you’re born again, you’re stooooooopid.

God save us from these a**holes.

[F15Eagle]

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+4:10&version=KJV

1 Corinthians 4:10 King James Version (KJV)

10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%201:18,21;3:19&version=KJV

1 Corinthians 1:18

King James Version (KJV)

18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:21

King James Version (KJV)

21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

1 Corinthians 3:19

King James Version (KJV)

19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

[BigSkyFreeper]

IOW, if you’re “born again”, you’re brain dead. There’s no low these God-hating leftist won’t stoop to.

[mosesdapoet]

Our tax money at work against US Investigate this grant

[bkopto]

Hardy-har-har!

(We’ll see if the secular leftists are still laughing when the Day of the Lord arrives.)

[piytar]

I pity and would save them if I could, for their tears will last FOREVER.

[Seeing More Clearly Now]

Did you know there’s a National Lesbian and Gay Journalists’ Association with chapters all over the country? Once you understand this, you’ll better understand what is deemed news in today’s media. http://www.nlgja.org/

[knarf]

"Older adults who say they've had a life-changing religious experience are more likely to have a greater decrease in size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain critical to learning and memory, new research finds."

This is delicious;

First, an "older adult" generally has the time to think and reflect about his or her life and quite often concludes a percentage of it was not necesarilly conducive to good living, but to living (the) good (life).

We chase dreams which cost money which requires a job or skill which in turn is not always in harmony with good living but needed to accomplish the 'living good'

Empirically, I find within myself the sloughing off of excess mental baggage for the more intimate and meaningful thought patterns of a relationship with God .. sometimes a not so very easy excersize.

Consider Romans, chapter 6.

No, I won't quote it it, nor will I expound on it.

I'm not even going to say any more in this reply.

Consider Romans, chapter 6

[FairWitness]

Modern phrenology at work.

[BigCinBigD]

Im not surprised.

[skr]

The authors left out the financial status in their demographics, which is interesting since another study at PLoS ONE indicated that poorer people have more hippcampal atrophy than richer people, also due to stress. The results could easily be skewed if the born-again group were also the generally poorer of all the others.

[skr]

hippocampal, not hippcampal

[mountn man]

I'm not adoctor, but I do know that neural pathways can grow with usage. I also know that certain parts of the brain control certain motor functions, or memories or thought processes.

I remember hearing something years back that gays had an enlarged area of the brain, ie thats why they were the way they were.

Whats not to say that this area of the brain for gays or the area mentioned in this article are not areas where certain types of thought patterns are located. The more one dwells on a subject, the stronger ones thoughts get, the more those neural pathways grow, enlarging that area.

The Bible tells us that man has a sin nature, and the more we satisfy that nature, the easier sin becomes for us. It only makes sense that certain areas of our brain responds to certain types of thoughts or actions. As Christians view certain thoughts or actions as Sin, and try to change their behavior, its only natural that certain areas would grow with more usage and other areas atrophy.

[aruanan]

Both groups had "more" shrinkage. More than who it doesn't say.

Let's look at the excerpt below and see what it tells us about who is relative to whom in hippocampal shrinkage:

...or conversely, those who had no religious affiliation, had more hippocampal shrinkage (or "atrophy") compared to people who identified themselves as Protestants, but not born-again.

More hippocampal shrinkage <----> less hippocampal shrinkage

"born again" had more shrinkage than "no religious affiliation" that had at least the same or less shrinkage than "born again," but more shrinkage than self-identified "Protestants"

[Pat4ever]

Whoever paid for this study should demand their funding back. It is either lousy reporting, junk research or both.

[The_Media_never_lie]

In order to create a study such as this, first the author started with a premise, and then he looked for scientific evidence to back it up.

Pseudoscience.

[mikec256]

I think the scriptures teach “the flesh profiteth nothing, it is the spirit that quickeneth or make alive”. The flesh is never changed (which I think would include the brain), but when we hear and believe and are saved, God’s Holy Spirit comes and dwells in us.

[the invisib1e hand]

Saw this coming decades ago. The potential for abuse is incalculable. However, do I find my born again friends can’t be bothered to reason too vigorously? Sadly, it does seem that way. Why would you need to think about anything, if all the answers are written down?

[mo]

This is trying to make out believers as something less than human......it’s what all tyrants try todo to justifyntheirmgenocidal plans for a certain group.

[mo]

“to justify their genocidal plans...”. Not enough coffee I guess!

[newfreep]

Shrinkage?

[SaraJohnson]

It’s all manipulative bull. It has nothing to do with science. It is conducted in the spirit of eugenics - separating out and dehumanizing those the Left wants to kill from the ones they tolerate. They hope it will lead to Christians denying Jesus for fear of being labeled retarded. In the new deathcare rationing system, retarded people won’t fair too well.

[NavyCanDo]

Straight out of the mouth of Lucifer himself.

[jacknhoo]

Does this mean they’re qualified for disability?

[MikeSteelBe]

“It is conducted in the spirit of eugenics...retarded people won’t fair too well.”

Eugenics, the “science” used by Margaret Sanger and Adolph Hitler.

Just like today’s Godless leftists, Nazis were all about demonizing the innocent (racist, terrorist TEA party) and euthanizing the unwanted (abortion).

It does not surprise me they try to label Christians as retarded, because Nazis had them exterminated for the “greater good”.

[Caipirabob]

Nothing like some good old fashion Nazi propaganda by our resident leftist elitist media in the morning.

[cloudmountain]

hippocampal, not hippcampal

Dang, I thought there was a new word to learn. I am having serious hip problems and though that "hippcampal" might be for ME this time. :o)

[susannah59]

Well, 268 subjects isn't a lot of people to study for much of anything. Also, they hypothesize that the "stress" of being "outside the mainstream" as far as religious beliefs causes the shrinkage. I didn't see any mention in the article where they looked at other sources of stress in the subjects' lives. As someone else mentioned, financial status or problems could be a source of stress, but so could a lot of things (such as being a caregiver for an ill family member, having losses in one's life, and so on and so forth).

There are an awful lot of variables to control for to make this sort of study meaningful and I'm not reading where they did that.

[SaraJohnson]

The modern Left wants to pull a Hitler on Christians. They can’t go after all Christians in America - the number is too large. Polarization is the name of leftist the power game.

They can select a clearly defined group of Christians and demonize them - small brained nothings. Being secular herd followers, most Chrisitans not demonized will happily yell “kill him” (not us!.) Jewish “leaders” (communists and bigots) will yell for the deaths, too.

It’s coming. I plan, that if this happens in my lifetime, to be murdered even though I am not of a particular Christian church. I am a Christian of whatever the elitists contemplate murdering. F them; they will go to hell.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Translation: If you’re born again, you’re stooooooopid.

Good thing for the liberals no African-Americans have ever been "born again!" [/sarc]

[Zionist Conspirator]

They can select a clearly defined group of Christians and demonize them - small brained nothings.

That's exactly what some chr*stian FReepers do to other chr*stian FReepers.

[Zionist Conspirator]

However, do I find my born again friends can’t be bothered to reason too vigorously? Sadly, it does seem that way. Why would you need to think about anything, if all the answers are written down?

See what I mean?

[F15Eagle]

Yeah it’s just another Satan-inspired attack on the Faith. That those who have been born-again are dumber than the rest of the folks.

Wide is the path ...

[hoagy62]

I’d rather be ‘stupid’ for Jesus than whatever fate awaits godless ‘geniuses’.

[F15Eagle]

All leading up to the time when they will assist the Antichrist in cutting off the heads of those who refuse to take the Mark of the Beast.

No doubt they will be turning in “fundamentalists” for food credits on their 666-authorized financial system where they *can* buy and sell with the Mark of the Beast.

Those who refuse the Mark of the Beast will be the subjects of ridicule, scorn, hate, violence, etc.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation%2013:11-18&version=KJV

Revelation 13:11-18 King James Version (KJV)

11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

[F15Eagle]

Amen to that. Those who are wise in their own eyes will accept the Mark of the Beast and reject the Gospel.

The world is getting ready for a holocaust against the Christian (and the Jews again) under the Antichrist. The day is approaching.

Heaven and Earth may pass away but the Word of God abides.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21:33&version=KJV

Luke 21:33

King James Version (KJV)

33Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away.

[nonsporting]

All of 1 Corinthians addresses this topic, but I give the heart:

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

[nonsporting]

Excellent. Sorry I repeated.

[JustSayNoToNannies]

SOURCE: Duke University, news release, May 19, 2011

Why is this "news" to philly.com a year later?

[JustSayNoToNannies]

"Psychosocial and demographic covariates were included in these analyses, as well as baseline total cerebral volumes as a proxy for head size. Psychosocial factors assessed included stress (global self-reported stress experienced over the past 6 months), social support (a composite variable, primarily level of satisfaction with personal relationships [55], [56]), and depression status (membership in depressed or non-depressed group). Demographic factors assessed included age, sex, self-reported race (dichotomized as white and non-white), years of education, and duration in the study." - http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0017006

[TigersEye]

...or conversely, those who had no religious affiliation, had more hippocampal shrinkage (or "atrophy") compared to people who identified themselves as Protestants, but not born-again.

That was a very tortured sentence. But it was written by a PHD so it's not strange that it's difficult to sort out the intended causal relationships.

[TigersEye]

Shrinkage. It’s a horrible thing.

[skr]

Lol!

[skr]

Thanks, but I read that section more than once before posting, trying to find something to indicate income, finances, bank account or salary. One could assume that demographics include that automatically, but I do not.

[SoFloFreeper]

oh look...media and “science” working together to diminish Christianity. What a shock.