I wasn't surprised when I read this article that cited a study revealing that, "when we fall under the spell of a charismatic figure, areas of the brain responsible for scepticism and vigilance become less active."
The research used MRIs to examine the brains of believers and non-believers as they listened to pre-recorded prayers from someone posing as a faith healer. "Parts of the prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices, which play key roles in vigilance and scepticism when judging the truth and importance of what people say, were deactivated when the subjects listened to a supposed healer," the study noted.
This research is just the tip of the iceberg. Imagine if scientists were to explore the effects of certain subtle keywords and phrases, musical stimuli or hearing someone speaking in tongues. From experience I can say I have sat through Christian events and accepted things being said—only to later evaluate them in a more neutral (and biblical) light and realize that I had been completely hoodwinked.
Often in these settings, music was being played in the background, statements were prefaced with phrases such as "The Bible says ..." and "The Lord told me ..." or the speaker was introduced as "a pastor of a great church" or "a man used mightily by God." Of course, these are subtle—and mostly unintentional—cues that have become part of religious subcultures. However, in some settings, the manipulation is anything but subtle, as audiences are instructed to "shut down your mind" or "don't question what God is doing."
I've learned--sometimes the hard way--that any religious system that openly discourages discernment, critical thought or reflection and instead encourages us to evaluate truth based on our feelings and emotional responses should be avoided.
I would point out that this phenomena is not exclusive to flakey Christians. Have you ever sat through a visually-stunning film or listened to a moving musical performance, only to realize after the fact that you were manipulated into accepting the artist's worldview by the aesthetic appeal of their art?
