Comments on: Freedom of neuroreligion http://www.numenware.com/article/374 Religion. Brain. Dogen. Language. Japan. Fri, 16 May 2008 08:24:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: daksya http://www.numenware.com/article/374#comment-402 daksya Tue, 21 Mar 2006 05:25:08 +0000 http://www.numenware.com/article/374#comment-402 Just correcting some points.. <em>There is an enzyme in our bodies called <span class="caps">MOA</span> (Monoamine Oxidase), which serves to deactivate neurotransmitters.</em> Only monoamines, like serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline. <em>The vine contains chemicals which inhibit the functioning of this enzyme (<span class="caps">MOAI</span>s). That reduces the metabolization of serotonin, and lets the <span class="caps">DMT</span> reach receptors in the brain, with an entheogenic (religious inebriation) effect. </em> “..reduces the metabolization of <em><span class="caps">DMT</span></em>, and..” <em>then certainly practices causing the internal production of <span class="caps">DMT</span> are also dangerous and should be banned, right?</em> Wrong. Drugs, illegal or otherwise, are dangerous depending on context. Smoking cocaine base (crack) is a different ballgame than snorting powder cocaine, which is a different ballgame than chewing coca leaves or drinking coca tea, containing cocaine. A slippery slope is present only if the analysis is unnuanced. Which, unfortunately, seems to be the default case with the US government. Just correcting some points..

There is an enzyme in our bodies called MOA (Monoamine Oxidase), which serves to deactivate neurotransmitters.

Only monoamines, like serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline.

The vine contains chemicals which inhibit the functioning of this enzyme (MOAIs). That reduces the metabolization of serotonin, and lets the DMT reach receptors in the brain, with an entheogenic (religious inebriation) effect.

“..reduces the metabolization of DMT, and..”

then certainly practices causing the internal production of DMT are also dangerous and should be banned, right?

Wrong. Drugs, illegal or otherwise, are dangerous depending on context. Smoking cocaine base (crack) is a different ballgame than snorting powder cocaine, which is a different ballgame than chewing coca leaves or drinking coca tea, containing cocaine. A slippery slope is present only if the analysis is unnuanced. Which, unfortunately, seems to be the default case with the US government.

]]> By: Trish http://www.numenware.com/article/374#comment-270 Trish Mon, 31 Oct 2005 20:05:37 +0000 http://www.numenware.com/article/374#comment-270 Nice to know I’m not the only! Nice to know I’m not the only!

]]> By: winsailor http://www.numenware.com/article/374#comment-145 winsailor Fri, 22 Apr 2005 18:38:08 +0000 http://www.numenware.com/article/374#comment-145 Re: “descent down the slippery slope.” I’m assuming you’re referring to the “thought police?” Seems far-fetched, i.e., they may be able to ban hardware, but banning the publication of meditation techniques? It would seem hard to enforce, given the nooks and crannies of the Internet. Also, the idea of banning the technique itself as a way to prohibit natural production of <span class="caps">DMT</span> in your own head....hmmmm....the thought police would have be very sophisticated, unless one assumes that by the dawn of the TP, the implantation of electrodes in the brains of the public would no longer constitute illegal search and seizure. But even if it did, establishing the legal limit of <span class="caps">DMT</span> in the brain over natural background level might still pose a problem. Assumptions about the Supreme Court and the continued separation of church and state, I believe, are much more at risk of subversion by “the government,” which presently seems to consist of a relatively small circle of self-annointed overlords, and their puppet master and/or mistress, aka the one who speaks directly to the Big Guy and who many suspect is the Big Guy and anyway it never hurts to kiss up like you mean it. These are the folks who not only think the Big Guy is on their side, they believe they were hand-picked to implement His/Her strategic plan. The Plan goes something like, “Identify governmental means to constantly stimulate and grow the membership of your current and future power bases. Pay for the stimulation with whatever you can get away with stealing from the unwashed, i.e., anyone deemed unworthy of any attempt to buy their loyalty. And keep in mind the most important requirement for membership in the power base: <span class="caps">NEVER</span> look the gfift horse in the mouth. <span class="caps">ALWAYS</span> use and repeat the latest approved version of the Talking Points regardless of what the question is, or whether there even is a question. And lastly, and very important: DO <span class="caps">NOT</span> <span class="caps">NEGLECT</span> <span class="caps">THAT</span> <span class="caps">YOU</span> <span class="caps">MUST</span> kickback the required percentage of benefits received (sort of like a chain letter, you know, get the idea?). Translation: At the rate and depth of penetration that the current Dynasty is replacing non-Power Base members in the government with their trusty, obedient, Other-Peoples’-Money-addicted, Talking-Point parroting, Contribution-kickbacking minions, this Dynasty does not appear to be even remotely considering letting go the reins of reigning until God tells them to. Re: “descent down the slippery slope.” I’m assuming you’re referring to the “thought police?” Seems far-fetched, i.e., they may be able to ban hardware, but banning the publication of meditation techniques? It would seem hard to enforce, given the nooks and crannies of the Internet. Also, the idea of banning the technique itself as a way to prohibit natural production of DMT in your own head….hmmmm….the thought police would have be very sophisticated, unless one assumes that by the dawn of the TP, the implantation of electrodes in the brains of the public would no longer constitute illegal search and seizure. But even if it did, establishing the legal limit of DMT in the brain over natural background level might still pose a problem.

Assumptions about the Supreme Court and the continued separation of church and state, I believe, are much more at risk of subversion by “the government,” which presently seems to consist of a relatively small circle of self-annointed overlords, and their puppet master and/or mistress, aka the one who speaks directly to the Big Guy and who many suspect is the Big Guy and anyway it never hurts to kiss up like you mean it. These are the folks who not only think the Big Guy is on their side, they believe they were hand-picked to implement His/Her strategic plan.

The Plan goes something like, “Identify governmental means to constantly stimulate and grow the membership of your current and future power bases. Pay for the stimulation with whatever you can get away with stealing from the unwashed, i.e., anyone deemed unworthy of any attempt to buy their loyalty. And keep in mind the most important requirement for membership in the power base: NEVER look the gfift horse in the mouth. ALWAYS use and repeat the latest approved version of the Talking Points regardless of what the question is, or whether there even is a question. And lastly, and very important: DO NOT NEGLECT THAT YOU MUST kickback the required percentage of benefits received (sort of like a chain letter, you know, get the idea?).

Translation: At the rate and depth of penetration that the current Dynasty is replacing non-Power Base members in the government with their trusty, obedient, Other-Peoples’-Money-addicted, Talking-Point parroting, Contribution-kickbacking minions, this Dynasty does not appear to be even remotely considering letting go the reins of reigning until God tells them to.

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