For this week’s “Thursday Question” we’ll be continuing with the email I received from “Bill.”

Several times I have seen the god’s representative become ‘possessed’ and speak a message for the god. In a moment, the man’s complexion changes, his eyes go blank, yet bug out in a creepy way, his movements either become eratic and flailing or slow and steady unhindered by the restraint of other people. His whole demeanor changes in a way that Hollywood, with all the fancy lighting, makeup and special effects fails to measure up to. In another moment, the god leaves and the man becomes just like before, although a bit tired and sore. I am just wondering, as an atheist, how do you explain that?

Superhuman strength, rapid changes of complexion, weird eye effects, and either a heightened control of or loss of control of the extremities, these are quite the manifestations you’re seeing. There are two possible explanations, one is that they are possessed by some supernatural agent, the alternative is that its a purely natural phenomena. Let’s look for natural explanations for each of the symptoms:

Superhuman strength – Adrenalin and drugs such as methamphetamine or cocaine can cause this. While I know anecdotes are the weakest form of evidence (such as the ones you have provided), there are plenty of stories of women who have run over their children, and in an adrenalin rush been able to lift the car of their child. I have also heard very memorable stories from a family member who is a police officer of it taking six officers to take down one meth addict.

From my own experience, I have been able to recreate a spiritual euphoria with alcohol and a cheep cigar. The woman I spoke with at the NDOP protest was able to completely replace her meth and coke highs with a spiritual high. Lamar from Chariots of Iron has been able to recreate an ecstatic Pentecostal experience as an atheist. These are clearly natural phenomena that drugs and religion can both tap into to create powerful experiences.

Rapid changes of complexion and weird eye effects – I have witnessed a fair number of hypotensive or vasovagal reactions. These are usually where someone who is nervous, especially if they haven’t eaten in a while, will experience a sudden drop in blood pressure; their complexion will very rapidly become extremely pale; their eyes will often look glassy with a blank stare, on occasion they may even roll back in their heads; they become sweaty; nausea and vomiting are relatively common; and they can loose consciousness. This is usually a completely psychosomatic reaction that causes very serious and dangerous physical effects. This is usually why people faint.

Rapid changes of complexion the other way can often be the result of stress, anger, drug use, or alcohol consumption. It wouldn’t be surprising for the body to be able to combine several of these complexion and eye effects.

I don’t see any reason to suspect anything other than very natural and relatively normal physical effects.

Heightened control or loss of control of the extremities – An adrenalin rush can cause heightened control and focus, some drugs can do this as well. Other drugs can cause a loss of control. Either way, I can pretend to flail about uncontrollably just fine.

I’m not suggesting that these people are on drugs while they’re “possessed,” but if the behavior can be caused by very natural means, then it’s clearly a natural behavior and there is no reason to ascribe it to the supernatural.

I think it would be fascinating to see an MRI of someone who is “possessed,” unfortunately they don’t seem to happen in areas where that technology is available.

EDIT–Thankfully my sister reminded me about schizophrenia. I’ve addressed this a few times before, but in the developed world, what was once thought to be demonic possession is identified and treated as schizophrenia, bipolar, epilepsy, and other neurological abnormalities. This would make the MRI, CT, FMRI, or other brain scan of a “possessed” person more interesting, since it would likely show the pattern of a known condition. The treatment wouldn’t be an exorcism, it would be medication.

Is there ANY spiritual world?

There isn’t any that has been empirically detected nor is there any empirical evidence to suggest the existence of one. While I can’t say with absolute certainty there isn’t one, I see no reason to suspect there is.