Mar 30 2009
RP) Brain Imaging Finds Proof of the Stupor-Natural Realm
One weekend, while reading the New York Times online, I came across an article titled, “A Neuroscientific Look at Speaking in Tongues” (Benedict Carey, November 7, 2006). Minus the mind-numbing bias, I would have been plainly interested in the piece. Instead, I was irked by the blatant favoritism shown toward all things religious. A favoritism that helps keep anachronistic dogma on its own beloved shelf.
The article reported on a study showing that different brain areas became active/inactive while women “spoke in tongues” (vs. singing a gospel song). I learned, Researchers could pinpoint blood-flow peaks and valleys unique to speaking in tongues.
How was the report biased? First, throughout the article the activity was always referred to by the words, “speaking in tongues.” Not once was the neutral, modern term for it, “glossolalia,” employed. Why not use the more scientific term?
Second, check out this ludicrous passage:
“The amazing thing was how the images supported people’s interpretation of what was happening,” said Dr. Andrew B. Newberg, leader of the study team, which included Donna Morgan, Nancy Wintering and Mark Waldman. “The way they describe it, and what they believe, is that God is talking through them,” he said.
Yes, the images supported people’s interpretation of what was happening-that “God is talking through them.” Wow. That’s good science and reporting.
Not.
What is glossolalia? Perhaps the article should have at least briefly addressed that question. Here are some concluding remarks from an online version of an article published by the Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation (subtitle: Science in Christian Perspective-a source not likely to be biased against religion):
The following seem to be reasonable conclusions from the linguistic studies. Glossolalia, in at least English-speaking subjects, is composed of the basic speech elements of English. The major difference consisting of lack of organization of the basic phenomes into the syntactical elements necessary for intelligible speech. The para-linguistic elements of speech, pauses, breaths, intonations, etc. are markedly reduced and modified. Thus glossolalic speech tends to resemble the early speech qualities of young children prior to the organization of all the variables associated with adult language. Further, there is a reduction in the distribution of phenomes, i.e. a limited phonemic catalogue is utilized by the glossolalists. The conclusions of the linguists cited is that glossolalia presents the characteristics of partially formed language without the formal characteristics of language.
In other words, when an English speaking person engages in glossolalia, they emit strings of meaningless speech sounds FROM THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE.
I think I am justified in calling the strings meaningless because, as scientists know, information can only be transmitted via patterns. Otherwise we enter the realm of the random.
When Christians “speak in tongues” they believe that the spirit of their god has moved them, via a supernatural gift, to communicate in a foreign/mystical language. Which turns out to be un-patterned language-which makes it not a language-that, coincidentally, has the same speech sounds as the speaker’s native language.
Third, the article reports, The scans also showed a dip in the activity of a region called the left caudate.
This little tidbit sets up the author’s dramatic final paragraph:
The caudate area is also involved in motor and emotional control, Dr. Newberg said, so it may be that practitioners, while mindful of their circumstances, nonetheless cede some control over their bodies and emotions.
Did you catch that? An area of the brain doesn’t simply become less active. Instead, the practitioners cede (give up) some control. Over to what, or better yet, whom?
The entire tone of the piece, I believe, reflects the attitude that a phenomenon is either “A” entirely predictable and boring, hence scientific, or “B,” special. And where something special is going on, you’ve potentially got a god working in his signature, mysterious ways.
In my own lexicon, “supernatural” is synonymous for “stupornatural.” In other words, only a god can cause our jaws to drop. Or, in this case, rattle with nonsensical sounds.
Breaking news: Multiple studies have shown that different brain areas become active/inactive while you watch television. Amazing! Something really is happening when you watch television.
At least, that’s my interpretation.
–
[First posted 11/2007 on a previous incarnation of this blog.]
