THE BRAIN and Religion, Mysticism & Spirituality

Have you ever had a born again experience? Or thought your “astral body” projected out of your physical form? How about psychic or “near death” experiences?  Are these experiences indicative of a soul or invisible self, or are they simply physical experiences that are the product of our brains and biological evolution?

Joining us to share their studies about the role of the brain and the subjective, religious/spiritual experiences are Matthew Facciani, Cognitive Neuroscience PhD Candidate and public speaker, and Christopher Loren, author of unSpirituality:  Permission to be Human.

Matt is a PhD candidate in cognitive neuroscience at the University of South Carolina. He completed his undergraduate education at Westminster College, PA receiving a B.A. in Psychology with honors. Het has presented his research at various scientific venues, and has given talks for general public audiences  on topics including neuroscience, psychology, religion, and feminism. He recently gave presentations about the psychology and neuroscience of religious belief to the University of South Carolina, Illinois State University, and the Freethought Society of the Midlands.

Christopher’s interests lie in the subjective area of human experience as a natural phenomenon. He argues against the definitions handed down through esoteric traditions and his book, unSpirituality, is a reminder of our biological, evolutionary progress in the natural world. Robert Mark, Ph.D, tells us, “Christopher’s treatise is a battering ram against the doors of illusion, repression, subjugation and subservience to the religious conspirators, religious mega-corporations, and religious power-seekers of our time.”

Due to space limits here, please visit our show page for links and more.