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Spiritual Encephalograph (TM)

Ethic cleansing
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"We can make double-sure they're heretics before we burn 'em", I heard Bubba shout above the clamor of the angry mob. The Spiritual Encephalograph (TM)is a device and system that is a godsend to congregations and clergy of all persuasions to help separate those with faith from those with little or no faith. The Spiritual Encephalograph (TM) is a light-weight, skullcap-like device that tests brain activity when a subject is asked questions of a "spiritual" nature. Once the brain wave activity is established for both true and false responses, the comparative brain activity can reveal whether or not the subject actually "believes" a given doctrine or spiritual event or is just trying to "get by". It has an AC and mobile, battery-operated version -one that can be used while lying in green pastures or valleys, besides flowing streams, or on remote mountain tops. The S E (TM) has a wide range of applications. Under development are models which can be color-coordinated and attractively styled for matrimonial, political and business/boardroom environments. We have a scaled-down, bare-bones version well-suited to academic settings where large numbers of students can be measured simultaeously. The truth shall set us free.
biff, Oct 11 2006

original control group. http://www.geocitie...ab/050131224946.JPG
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 11 2006]

Scientology: E-Meter http://www.cs.cmu.e...st/Secrets/E-Meter/
You mean you've never heard of this? [jutta, Oct 11 2006]

[link]






       Not sure I believe this would work. But then, I'm not the religious type. This is basically a lie detector, yes?
moomintroll, Oct 11 2006
  

       Does it interface with the duck scales?
ConsulFlaminicus, Oct 11 2006
  

       Yah, moomintroll, it's a lie-detector in sheep's clothing.
biff, Oct 11 2006
  

       Actually, I think you'll find Bubba is on the side of the agnostics. But lie detectors are Widely Baked, and I'm really not sure using them to weed out the infidel counts as a new half-baked idea.
DrCurry, Oct 11 2006
  

       Lie detectors would work just fine for this application. At least as well as they work at detecting lies.
Galbinus_Caeli, Oct 11 2006
  

       Lie detectors, as I understand them, do not actually work. The mechanical impartiality of the machine is a fiction, the operator makes a decision based on his gut feeling about the person being tested. The proposed device could work the same way, with the decision based on how much money the person gives to the church . . . oh, wait, that's how it's done already.
baconbrain, Oct 11 2006
  

       You have definitely confused the concepts of “spiritual” and “faithful”. You can test whether a person is faithful to some theology. You can even test whether a person if faithful to the theology of spirituality. But you can’t test for spirituality by physiological effects evoked by questioning. A person that is truly spiritual can create their own physiological effects.   

       You would likely find that if this were applied to most rabbis, priests, imams etc., a large percentage of them would fail belief in their own theology. And while you might think that exposing and removing these would be an improvement those remaining might do just as poor job advancing people spiritually.   

       Given an accurate test for spirituality, many people would probably go into hiding.
cjacks, Oct 11 2006
  
      
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