Can having sex bring you closer to God? According to a new study, the answer is yes. Hallelujah, yes!
Researchers from Duke University in North Carolina just carried an experiment where they boosted levels of oxytocin in middle-aged men. Oxytocin is a naturally-occurring hormone released in the brain during sex and believed to play a part in promoting empathy, trust, social bonding, and altruism.
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Researchers found that men, including Atheists, who received the increased levels of the hormone reported higher levels of spirituality compared to those who did not receive the boost.
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Participants who received the boost also responded more positively to statements like “all life is interconnected” and “there is a higher plane of consciousness or spirituality that binds all people,” and they reported more positive emotions, including awe, gratitude, hope, inspiration, interest, love, and serenity.
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“Spirituality and meditation have each been linked to health and well-being in previous research,” Patty Van Cappallen, a social psychologist and the lead author of the study, told the university’s newspaper Duke Today. “We were interested in understanding biological factors that may enhance those spiritual experiences. Oxytocin appears to be part of the way our bodies support spiritual beliefs.”
crowebobby
Talk about preaching to the converted.
bbg372
Nonsense. Define “spirituality” for the purposes of this study. Define the “levels of spirituality” for the purposes of this study. Demonstrate that all of the participants were operating with this set of definitions. Explain the controls. This is junk science.
Josh447
This is a drug study not a sex study. People on heroin and meth say the same things about connection and euphoria. They both stimulate ocytocin release in the brain. This study is doing nothing more than monitoring a typical weekend high, be it drugs or sex. One thing is for sure, it’s all temporary and fleeting at best. Bringing you “closer to God”? Any drug addict will make such claims. Staving off difficulties in life for a short spurt of time is more like it. Any relief from difficult sitches can feel like being “closer to god” or more aptly put, peaceful fun and happy.
ChrisK
@bbg372: @Josh447: Explains Spirituality perfectly well. Everything can be traced back to chemicals released in the brain.
Doughosier
So no sex means you become a terrorist, lots of sex you become spiritual.
Chris
Just because someone is saying “oh god!” during sex doesn’t mean that he is getting closer to the deity or even experiencing spirituality.
He BGB
So have too much sex and you’re about as close to God as you can get. In heaven. Dead.
ErikO
If you do it correctly yes this can happen I suppose?
JJinAus
Presuppositional BS. When did science discover that “god” exists. Never. NEXT!