Posted on 12/13/2004 10:00:21 AM PST by Matchett-PI
TALKING: Author and behavioral geneticist Dean Hamer talks at his home in Washington. (Washington Post photo by Juana Arias)
Are humans programmed to worship? Author says people have genetic propensity toward religious belief
By Bill Broadway The Washington Post
WASHINGTON -- Dean Hamer has received much criticism for his new book, "The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired Into Our Genes."
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at hollandsentinel.com ...
The truth is that everyone has a God-shaped hole in their hearts.
((((Ping)))))
That's why when we try to fill it with things that aren't God, it's never filled.
Dean Hamer's impugned decade-long attempt to fabricate a "gay gene" doesn't inspire much confidence in his latest line of work....
Yes, and when we fill it with God, even the most painful events in life become reason to praise Him and rejoice in His goodness.
Exactly. Rush is talking about this right now. Of course the bottom line agenda is that nobody can be "blamed" for what they do or don't do since they are already pre-programmed to be that way, and they "can't help it".
Rush: "It's tatamount to taking away a value-system."
6. Q. Why did God make you?
A. God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him for ever in heaven.
Of course we're wired for religion...God made us that way.
Hard-wiring sure doesn't do much for the doctrine of free will..
Whatever the case, if anyone thinks that Dr. Hamer's work is designed to support or advance Christianity, then they don't know much about Hamer's background.
PS. I have no problem with the idea in the abstract. I have a problem with bad science, which is Hamer's middle name IMHO.
I never knew I was programmed to worship the article that Rush was looking for.....
Psalm 19
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
People just don't want to even consider that they are a beautiful accident that will not go on forever.
I couldn't pass this up. To a degree you are correct, but those who come to Christ seeking to fulfill that "hole" is seeking a lifestyle change.
Here is what I mean: The message of the Gospel has become watered down over the past century. Churches started teaching that turning to Christ would "fill" the hole in our heart. They started preaching of the fruits of the spirit, rather than convicting people of their sins.
One who comes to Christ for a life style change at best will become a back slider. Why? Because when they are confronted by difficulties (or persecution as Christ tells us will happen to believers), then they think "hey, where is the Love, joy, peace, etc that I was supposed to encounter by becoming a Christian?" As their life didn't get better, they will fall back into their old habits.
Jesus warned us of Hell. He showed us that no one could keep the law, in deed or in our hearts. That we are all guilty of sinning against our heavenly father and deserve eternity in Hell.
The real message of the gospel is that WE did the crime, and Jesus paid the fine. Because of his sacrifice, we are offered the free gift of grace, pardoned from Hell. People who turn to Christ for a lifestyle change will wither under persecution. Those who have come to the Jesus to repent of their sins will not wilt under persecution, but have the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, etc) because they know that the persecution they face here is temporary.
At least one gene, which goes by the name VMAT2, controls the flow to the brain of chemicals that play a key role in emotions and consciousness. This is the "God gene" of the book's title, and Hamer acknowledges that it's a misnomer. There probably are dozens or hundreds more genes, yet to be identified, involved in the universal propensity for transcendence, he said.
In other words, his title is deceptive. All Hamer is talking about are the various genes implicated in emotional responses that happen to coincide with spirituality. It's like tracking down foremost gene involved in dopamine or seratonin and calling it a "popsicle gene" (because eating popsicles makes most people happy, and those are the main chemicals involved in happiness).
It's a misleading characterization of the science and it's typical of Hamer's work..
I am cautious as a few years ago a "scientist" wrote that there was a gene but several months later it turned out that the guy was gay himself and the article was bogus.
I know for sure that a "gay gene" has not been proven to exist, and that if anything the current state of research strongly points against it in males at least.
There is strong evidence for the influence of prenatal hormones in ultimate sexuality, but that has nothing to do with a "gay gene"..
Okay - here is the scripture: "EVERYMAN has been given A MEASURE OF FAITH".
Why does everyman need "a measure of faith" - in order to believe Jesus is the Son of GOD, our Savior.
But .. in Deut. 28-29, GOD clearly says, "I've set before you blessing and cursing, NOW YOU CHOOSE".
That's for sure. The temptation to be "God" has always been irresistable. [Gen.3:5]
I could not agree more. Been thinking about this very point lately.
The more we feel grateful to God, on a daily or minute by minute basis, the happier we are in any circumstances.
Thank you. Since I posted I have found another thread on FR that is all about this subject. According to it there is no proof of a gay gene. Aloha
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