Reaction to post on Speaking tongues and Near Death Experience

I completely agree with your view, and I think that if more people were exposed to religion through the way that Professor Lane is teaching, then we would be more open and tolerant of others when it comes to the topic. I think that people need to be more educated and logical when it comes down to the entire concept of religion, and I think that many individuals are happy to accept what they are told at a young age rather that really considering alternative viewpoints.
Personally, I agree with Professor Lane that theology can be incorporated into almost every sphere and discipline of life, but I think that the way we are brought up plays a major role in our underlying beliefs. I also think that our exposure to certain images has a profound impact on our experience through life, and I think that our mind is primarily influenced through socialization at a young age. In this sense, I think we create our deepest beliefs at a young age, and I think that these can be both intentionally and unintentionally forced on us.

With regards to near death experiences and speaking tongues, I think that at certain states of consciousness we can see a reflection of our true belief systems. I think that what we see at points near to death are our deepest beliefs and thoughts, and they are released at the most desperate times as a protection mechanism that can give us hope and make us stronger. With regards to tongues, I believe that some individuals are far more easily influenced that others and that the brain state of certain individuals can be changed very quickly and very easily. In this sense I personally would therefore attribute the concept of tongues to psychological and sociological factors rather than biology. I think that some of us are more easily influenced than others and I think that this plays out in certain situations. I totally agree that speaking tongues is from a brain state rather than due to a religious force, and I think that in this globalized world that we live today, people should realize that others are experiencing the same things as them and therefore not just close off their minds to others and be convinced that it is only in their religion that these things occur.