Born Again Bad For Metal Health/ Preview

Preview for Sunday 052012

Hey folks,

Happy Sunday to. Welcome to the Big Sunday Edition of the OPNTalk2 Blog. I am of course your Provocateur of Thought himself, Peter Carlock. Glad you stopped by. Don't forget, if you want to be part of the OPNtalk2 Blog, you too can send in articles, comments, complaints, or even if you just want to say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com.


We have a lot to cover today. Including something that is not being reported anywhere. The US House approved Obama to use force against Iran. Yes. You read that correctly. More on that in just a few minutes.  Also, did you know that if you consider yourself "Born Again" you really will grow stupid. {Laughing} I kid you not. That is a new study out there. We'll get into that in a second.


Coming right up?

US Approves Force Against Iran

Obama Backed LightSquared Files Bankruptcy

Amazing Miso

DLA for Sunday 052012

IWA For Sunday 052012

OK, so if you are "Born Again" AKA Christian, you will become stupid. Those that have no faith? Well, you will become stupid as well. I guess. {Laughing} I know. But this is just too funny to me.

According to Health Day..

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.

According to the study, people who said they were a "born-again" Protestant or Catholic, 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.

So I'm not entirely sure here, but the only people that get or stay smart are, what Protestants?

As people age, a certain amount of brain atrophy is expected. Shrinkage of the hippocampus is also associated with depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

In the study, researchers asked 268 people aged 58 to 84 about their religious affiliation, spiritual practices and life-changing religious experiences. Over the course of two to eight years, changes to the hippocampus were monitored using MRI scans.

The researchers suggested that stress over holding religious beliefs that fall outside of the mainstream may help explain the findings.

"One interpretation of our finding -- that members of majority religious groups seem to have less atrophy compared with minority religious groups -- is that when you feel your beliefs and values are somewhat at odds with those of society as a whole, it may contribute to long-term stress that could have implications for the brain," Amy Owen, lead author of the study and a research associate at Duke University Medical Center, said in a Duke news release.

So are you following this? Did he not just say, that as long as you are good little drones, go out there and just accept what you are told, do whatever you are told, you will be fine? But if you think outside of what the majority think, you know, be an independent thinker, you will become stupid in the long run? So I guess what he is saying here is just know your role and do whatever you are told. 

The study authors also suggested that life-changing religious experiences could challenge a person's established religious beliefs, triggering stress.

"Other studies have led us to think that whether a new experience you consider spiritual is interpreted as comforting or stressful may depend on whether or not it fits in with your existing religious beliefs and those of the people around you," David Hayward, research associate at Duke University Medical Center, added. "Especially for older adults, these unexpected new experiences may lead to doubts about long-held religious beliefs, or to disagreements with friends and family."

The researchers noted other factors related to hippocampal atrophy, such as age, depression or brain size, as well as other religious factors such as prayer or meditation, could not explain the study's findings.

So there you have it folks. It has been scientifically proven. You "Born Again" Christians really are stupid hicks that cling to your Bible and guns whenever you feel uncomfortable,,,oh wait, that was our President calling you stupid. But I guess according to this, those who do not believe in anything are effected as well, as long as they do not go with whatever the majority says. 


So just be good little drones out there. You will live long and be smarter for it.


Be right back
Peter


Sources: 

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