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September 26, 2005
What If God Is A Placebo?
My third Alpha meeting. Topic was on prayers. When it came to group discussion, those of us who are Christians were asked to share their experiences praying to God.
Tim described it as a dialogue...a two-way communication. But the question is: "how do you really know it's two-way?" At one point, someone mentioned that it doesn't matter whether God heard her prayers because she already felt better after praying.
It reminded me of the placebo effect.
Proponents of the placebo effect say it doesn't matter that the placebo itself does not actually have any healing effect. As long as the patient believes that the placebo works and that this belief leads to a higher chance of recovery, the placebo has served its purpose and there's nothing objectionable about it.
Opponents are dismayed at the use of a placebo because it perpetuates ignorance and deception. Time and effort should be productively spent finding a real cure.
...I'm a proponent.
So coming back to God. And I'm using God in the broadest sense. Higher intelligence, as some people may call Him/Her/It. What if God doesn't exist but the belief that God exists and the act of praying affect us psychologically in a positive manner that leads to an improvement in some, or all aspects of our life?
If I'm a proponent of the placebo effect, doesn't it mean that having a religious faith is good regardless of whether God exists?
Looking at it from this angle, doesn't that make the age-old debate on the existence of God a non-issue?
But then again, there's the whole part about the afterlife. That opens another can of worms.
I need to ponder more...
Posted by loganw at September 26, 2005 03:27 AM
Comments
Well, ponder on my friend! Here's a thought : God is just a name personified, given by man to represent their faith/belief in the events or "spirit within" that they are not able to do ordinarily (miracle in other words). In Hindu texts, there isn't a God per se, but rather a collective of consciousness in the vast Universe which is where your "soul"/consciousness goes when you are Enlightened. Hence eternal peace as phrased by Western men since your consciousness is "floating" around, not unhappy, not wanting, not anything - Peace! Many stories abound, documented and undocumented of practising Hindu gurus who have performed "miracles" in the Western sense. The power of the mind and will have also seen miracles performed by seemingly ordinary people in desperate situations - mother lifts car from the ground to save her injured child under etc.
So what's in a name then? :o)
Posted by: Lee at September 29, 2005 06:06 AM
