Why God Won't Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief

Andrew Newburg, M.D., Eugene D'Aquili, M.D., Ph.D., and Vince Rause

Why God Won't Go Away: Brain Science & The Biology of Belief, by Andrew Newberg, M.D., Eugene D'Aquili, M.D., Ph.D., and Vince Rause is an exceptional book which I very highly recommend.

This is very fascinating exposition of the relationship between religious experience and brain functioning. Topics like "The Science of Perception," "How the Brain Makes the Mind," and "The Biology of Transcendence" are among the fascinating topics explored and explained in a manner that is very comprehensible by the layperson. You don't need to be a doctor, scientist, or a yogi to understand this book.

The authors get into some very profound issues. These guys are scientists who buy the whole "materialistic science" viewpoint, which encompasses a strict belief in evolution and that consciousness comes from matter; the brain. However, they are open enough to include data and thoughts that maybe there are other possible explanations. Ultimately, the book is straightforward, honest, and I found it to be a "must read".

They conclude that science and religion do not have to be incompatible. They conclude that our brain is structured to include "mystical experiences" which, from the point of view of a neurophysiologist, are just as "real" as non-mystical experiences. What I liked about the book was that the authors were very clear about laying out the limitations of science and the scientific method.