Your God Spot
How the Brain Makes and the Mind Shapes All Forms of Faith
by
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This book doesn't just turn a new leaf onf belief, but plants a new tree in reason, deep and evergreen. You will see that faith is a rainbow, not just some black-and-white bit like, "God said it, I believe it, that's it." You will learn why the Christian dictum that "man was created in the image of God" is more soundly stated the other way, that "God is the product of man."
For the first time anywhere, based on scientific findings, you will find answers to the most perplexing questions about God, spirit, and religion.
What is God, and why does He seem to be everywhere?
What is the real source of all forms of faith?
What is good and bad about religion, and how does yours rate?
How can nonbelievers be more godly than the faithful?
How do you fulfill spiritual potential, no matter your state of belief?
Norman Vincent Peale published his breakthrough book in this field fifty years ago. "The Power of Positive Thinking" found the essence of Christianity to be in positive thinking and humane relating--the glass half full and the Golden Rule.
"Your God Spot" goes deeper, pinpointing hardwiring in the brain that is the source of all this and more. Yet I share Dr. Peale's goal, which is to write "a practical, direct-action, personal improvement manual wiritten with the sole objective of helping the reader achieve a happy, satisfying, and worthwhile life"
My effort rests on three foundations: Professional and personal experience. Evidence from evolutionary psychology. And findings in the new field of neurotheology. All obey the Law of Parsimony, which states that the best explanation is the simplest, one that adds nothing not needed, especially no dogmatic tales wagging preconceived belief...
You will find here no religious dribble or psycho babble to insult your common sense or IQ.
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About the Book
"Your God Spot" is based on scientific findings about God, spirit, and religion. Spiritual hardwiring in the brain is the source of all deity and belief, from which the mind projects all forms of faith everywhere.
This new view sheds light on the most basic and perplexing questions about belief. Subtitled "How the Brain Makes and the Mind Shapes All Forms of Faith," this book consists of three tight fitting parts. Part I, "In the Mirror of Spirit" directs your attention to the God Spot within. Part I, "Through a Prism of Religion," describes the forms of faith projected by the mind, including their pros and cons. And Part III, "Out the Window of Belief," focuses on some faiths that measures up, and how you can fulfill your spirituality, no matter your state of belief.
Seven chapters brim with reader-friendly information and application. There are opening questions and closing statements.emphasized text, table highlights, quotes from experts, and a "Mirror into Me" vignette from the author's clinical experience.
"Your God Spot" adds a new choice--free-ist--to the old categories of atheist, atheist, and agnostic. This means that we are now free to tailor make our own belief, and to alter it to fit as we grow.
An extensive bibliography anchors this new view, and guides the reader who wants to dive deeper yet.
About the Author
Dr. Gerald Schmeling is a retired clinical psychologist who has helped patients fulfill spiritual potential, in and out of organized belief. But always in the context of sound mental health and relating.
Dr. Schmeling's history and quest has been quite a trip: North African and Near Eastern roots in Islam and Judaism. Baptism as a Roman Catholic. Shinto and Buddhist playmates in Hawaii. Protestant chapels on military bases. Agnosticism in college. Lutheran Church member with family. Unitarian-Universalism in retirement.
The discovery of God Spot hardwiring is the final page of Dr. Schmeling's spiritual history, the destination of his lifelong quest.