REPTILE BRAIN?

OR THE COMPLEX SEAT OF GODLY PASSION?

As the story goes–the “primitive” passion brain developed first and then the bizarrely complex layers of the cortex later.

So why are we attempting artificial logic but not artificial emotions. I’ll tell you. Passion is essential, and even more complex than thinking.

We are born with the lymbic system at full blast. Every mother will attest to the powerful emotions of a two year old. The purpose of this passion is to get us to pay attention and take it seriously and identify what type of opportunity or danger do we face.

How does it function?: A.Raw data is drawn in through our eyes and ears and goes to the nor-epinephrine cortex to answer the simple question, “what’s up?” Then this is forwarded to the lymbic system. It is received by the amygdala for the even more complex, mysterious, crucial addition of: anger, sadness, love, fear, guilt, hate etc;

B. it throws the passion into a circle to maintain motivation till the life situation that triggered it is addressed;

C.it sends commands to the body to dump out adrenaline and cortisol and thyroid for energy and stamina;

D. alerts the immune system to prepare for defending the body;

E.signals the gut to keep us focused on the problem and motivated to deal with it;

F.signals the cortex that we are upset and should do something radical about the issue at hand;

G.it then responds to moderating signals from the cortex to calm down a bit but maintains just the right amount of passion until the life problem has been addressed;

H. it then records whether the whole thing was fun or not and programs itself to remember the passion and either want to repeat the response or avoid it.

Passion is the essence of godliness: The beginning of all wisdom is to fear God, hunger and thirst for righteousness, shun evil, hunger to do God’s will, flee lust, follow after righteousness/while hating: the looking at evil things, the works of evil people, every false way, empty pointless thoughts, pride/meanwhile loving God’s law, and most of all love the God who says “I would that you were hot or cold.” God loves passion!

Unlike God, the whole world is trying to find happiness by turning off the amygdala and the lymbic system. They try to not see and not care, to drown passion in marijuana, alcohol, video games, or just meditate their passion away.

Passion is a God-given gift. Just like physical emotions (only much more complex). They scream, “Hey there is a nail in your foot, a problem in your life!” The problem in not the pain it is the nail in the foot.

As if a reptile’s brain could duplicate this wondrous function!