This is the eBook version of the printed book. This Element is an excerpt from Invisible Forces and Powerful Beliefs: Gravity, Gods, and Minds (9780137075454) by the Chicago Social Brain Network. Available in print and digital formats. How do people understand others’ minds…God’s, yours, anyone’s? Shortly after taking off from LaGuardia, the engines of US Airways Flight 1549 failed. The pilots glided onto the Hudson River, where all the passengers were rescued. Explained one passenger, “God was certainly looking out for us.” To psychologists, such statements reveal one of the social brain’s most impressive capacities--the ability to “see” what other minds see.
The hard work required to make God real, how it changes the people who do it, and why it helps explain the enduring power of faith How do gods and spirits come to feel vividly real to people—as if they were standing right next to them? Humans tend to see supernatural agents everywhere, as the cognitive science of religion has shown. But it isn’t easy to maintain a sense that there are invisible spirits who care about you. In How God Becomes Real, acclaimed anthropologist and scholar of religion T. M. Luhrmann argues that people must work incredibly hard to make gods real and that this effort—by changing the people who do it and giving them the benefits they seek from invisible others—helps to explain the enduring power of faith. Drawing on ethnographic studies of evangelical Christians, pagans, magicians, Zoroastrians, Black Catholics, Santeria initiates, and newly orthodox Jews, Luhrmann notes that none of these people behave as if gods and spirits are simply there. Rather, these worshippers make strenuous efforts to create a world in which invisible others matter and can become intensely present and real. The faithful accomplish this through detailed stories, absorption, the cultivation of inner senses, belief in a porous mind, strong sensory experiences, prayer, and other practices. Along the way, Luhrmann shows why faith is harder than belief, why prayer is a metacognitive activity like therapy, why becoming religious is like getting engrossed in a book, and much more. A fascinating account of why religious practices are more powerful than religious beliefs, How God Becomes Real suggests that faith is resilient not because it provides intuitions about gods and spirits—but because it changes the faithful in profound ways.
With cutting-edge research and provocative case studies, renowned behavioral neurologist provides insights to some of the most curious spiritual questions of mortality. For fans of When Breath Becomes Air and the work of Oliver Sacks.
We live in times of renewal, refl ection and recycling. There are energies and forces directing people in numerous ways. What is the driving force behind our worlds projects and systems of development? It is the hidden Sacred Mind of God present in creation. It is the mediating voice and the micro communication device in peoples minds around the globe and universe. It is the mind of God in Nature. It is Gods innovative and omnipotent mind, protecting and balancing our world for continuity and sustainability. In this book, I am delving a little into the thoughts assortment of Gods intellectual sanctuary, which intrigues us all contemporarily. This is partly experiencing, viewing, seeking and imagining God through watching TV, movies, listening to radio broadcasts, and reading newspapers, e.g. on tsunamis and climate change conferences, the debates on God by some ecumenical preachers, etc etc, informing us all about the awe that is permeating the atmosphere and the environment, not just adversely, but bringing hope and attention to the state of our world. The main inspiration in this work, is how does God think ? Is the pool of our mindsets, a reflection of Gods intellectual sanctuary? Does God reply to our prayers in a similar way to our way of responding to our childrens cries and wants? In Part 1, a discussion is attempted about the different connections and wealth of existing legal derivations about Gods Mind, since the beginning of time. (viz, RSV Bible). This affi rms the common view that a super pluralistic mind exists, belonging to God, beyond the collective of Nature and humankind. As well, I am sharing my hypothesis on a possible composition of YHWHs mind using the outcomes gathered from around, and evidence experienced daily. e.g. climate change, IT interference, spyware and viruses, literature and media. My hypothesis is simply a great pool of imagination tested daily, emerging to provide a theoretical basis for research. I feel that anyones perception of our universe is a legitimate entry to further discovery and research. Part 2 exposes some innovation on how the Sacred Mind of God manifests itself in the multi-religious isms of today. Religion indeed is only a part of Gods wisdom and mind which we use intensively daily, to explain our experiences of the Sacred and the Profane. What is paramount in modern times is the love of God for all creation, especially human beings. Why does Gods love and Mind operate so differently from human experiences? Part 3 looks at the future, with respect to secular philosophy and human piety, critical thinking, new discoveries, and prophecies currently affecting us all. For example, Heaven is here with us on earth, just as much as the Spirit God abides in humans on earth. The fi nal opinion at the rear of the book is about the word mind as a simple construction currently used to describe the awesome intellectual sanctuary of God. On its own, the word seems not pious enough to describe the power and divinity of Gods super-brain-network. Am I trying to equate Gods Intellectual Sanctuary with our simple human minds?. No, just using our minds as the best resource to understand God and its Mind. We need a better word(s), to describe the plurality but solitude of Gods thinking realm. I have given it the phrases, the Sacred Mind of God, or the Intellectual Sanctuary of God. The phrases imply defi nitive tapu boundaries which are self-explanatory. God did put a mind into every form of creation, humans as well as other forms of animals, fi shes, and vegetation. Creation includes the mountains, the oceans, the seas, winds, rivers and all that we can see and perceive, even the minutest creations like the ants, pests, germs and viruses. The Intellectual Sanctuary of God is not the same as the human mind, and it affi rms the notion that God exists, with a mind beyond our understanding. It is not a singular entity like
You know the battle is raging--but are you fighting the right enemy? Just as enemies fought Joshua in the Promised Land, and Nehemiah faced opposition as he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, our enemy will fight us as we approach the spiritual terrain God has promised us. Most Christians retreat at the first sign of conflict because they fail to recognize the true nature of the battle. But you can prevail in freedom and joy. Sharing his deeply personal story of demonic bondage, torment and ultimate deliverance, pastor and bestselling author Kris Vallotton turns the idea of spiritual warfare as we know it on its head. He reveals the diabolical lies and strategies of the enemy--attacks and traps so subtle and deceptive that we may find our souls and hearts imprisoned without even knowing it. No more! Now you can win the invisible battle against sin and the enemy. Victory is within your grasp. Will you take hold? "It is with great excitement that I recommend this book to you, knowing that fruit will increase until Jesus gets His full reward."--Bill Johnson, author, When Heaven Invades Earth and The Essential Guide to Healing, senior pastor, Bethel Church, Redding, California
Author Philip Yancey asks the question: How does a relationship with God work? And then he answers it with an investigation that turns up surprising and satisfying answers about life and communication with an invisible God.
Everything done by Dr. Roberts has the personal touch of his great love and care for God's people. Now, in the sunset of a life that has touched millions around the world, he passionately reveals the truths that have altered his life and awakened the church. From the presence of the invisible God, he brings to you the hidden keys that will unlock God's power as it releases His compassion.
Some Christians believe strongly in the existence of demons and spiritual warfare. Others downplay or even ignore the idea. With such divergent views, how are Christians supposed to know the truth about demonic forces at work in this world? The Invisible War examines what every believer needs to know about Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare, offering a balanced look at this controversial subject. This provocative book will help Christians understand what the Bible says about these threats and will show them how they can safeguard themselves and their families through prayer. Now repackaged for a new generation, The Invisible War offers a balanced look at what is going on in the spiritual realm and what believers can do to defend themselves.
*Foreword written by Nancy Pearcey* "Parents are the most important apologists our kids will ever know. Mama Bear Apologetics will help you navigate your kids’ questions and prepare them to become committed Christ followers.” —J. Warner Wallace "If every Christian mom would apply this book in her parenting, it would profoundly transform the next generation." —Natasha Crain #RoarLikeAMother The problem with lies is they don’t often sound like lies. They seem harmless, and even sound right. So what’s a Mama Bear to do when her kids seem to be absorbing the culture’s lies uncritically? Mama Bear Apologetics™ is the book you’ve been looking for. This mom-to-mom guide will equip you to teach your kids how to form their own biblical beliefs about what is true and what is false. Through transparent life stories and clear, practical applications—including prayer strategies—this band of Mama Bears offers you tools to train yourself, so you can turn around and train your kids. Are you ready to answer the rallying cry, “Mess with our kids and we will demolish your arguments”? Join the Mama Bears and raise your voice to protect your kids—by teaching them how to think through and address the issues head-on, yet with gentleness and respect.
