I've worked with folks with head injuries for 20 years and have research many common problems associated with trauma to the brain. One these conditions results from damage to the second sulcus of the left temporal lobe, which is located right above your left ear. The damage can be caused by blunt trauma, stroke, or epilepsy and usually results in Broca's aphasia - a language problem. Like all people with brain injury, fatigue is common.
One of the more perculiar and rare symptoms includes a god complex, prophet complex or a special religious fixation. Mary Baker Eddy - the founder of Christian science suffered from a form of epilepsy that fits the symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy. The prophetess of Seventh Day Adventists, Ellen White received a mass head injury from being hit with rocks from school mates on her way home from school - soon after a 6 to 8 month recovery, she began having visions form God and writing her prophecies. I suspect Jim Jones might have suffered from this condition based on the story of his life and conversion from a social-activist minister to infamous cult leader - of course his drug use needs to be taken into consideration, but it may have simply given him the energy to carry out his god complex.
All though this condition is somewhat rare, I have treated 2 patients who believed they were special agents of God, who also have damage to their left temporal lobe. Both patients behaved normally, but complained of blinding headaches, which they associated with visions from God, yet produced information that seemed foreign to all religions I am aware of, but rooted in pseudo-Biblical scholarship.
Unlike schizophrenia and other thought disorders, patients with this type of damage to their brains have organized thoughts - they appear rational and many have a certain charisma about them. People of character before their injury still retain their character, but take on a belief that they have been chosen by God to impart a special message to humanity. Like people with thought disorders, many have a manifesto that they have written that they want the world to see - but following the pattern, their manifestos appear rational and convincing.
I bring this information to you all because I think it is interesting, but also as a possible discernment tool - for example, it is always in the back of my mind when I read mystic literature or encounter strange doctrine or ideas that appear rational and well researched, yet fall outside the bounds of orthodoxy. Anyway, I do not mind discussing this further if anyone is interested.
One of the more perculiar and rare symptoms includes a god complex, prophet complex or a special religious fixation. Mary Baker Eddy - the founder of Christian science suffered from a form of epilepsy that fits the symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy. The prophetess of Seventh Day Adventists, Ellen White received a mass head injury from being hit with rocks from school mates on her way home from school - soon after a 6 to 8 month recovery, she began having visions form God and writing her prophecies. I suspect Jim Jones might have suffered from this condition based on the story of his life and conversion from a social-activist minister to infamous cult leader - of course his drug use needs to be taken into consideration, but it may have simply given him the energy to carry out his god complex.
All though this condition is somewhat rare, I have treated 2 patients who believed they were special agents of God, who also have damage to their left temporal lobe. Both patients behaved normally, but complained of blinding headaches, which they associated with visions from God, yet produced information that seemed foreign to all religions I am aware of, but rooted in pseudo-Biblical scholarship.
Unlike schizophrenia and other thought disorders, patients with this type of damage to their brains have organized thoughts - they appear rational and many have a certain charisma about them. People of character before their injury still retain their character, but take on a belief that they have been chosen by God to impart a special message to humanity. Like people with thought disorders, many have a manifesto that they have written that they want the world to see - but following the pattern, their manifestos appear rational and convincing.
I bring this information to you all because I think it is interesting, but also as a possible discernment tool - for example, it is always in the back of my mind when I read mystic literature or encounter strange doctrine or ideas that appear rational and well researched, yet fall outside the bounds of orthodoxy. Anyway, I do not mind discussing this further if anyone is interested.