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On Easter, we have the cross, death, resurrection and salvation. In the lab, we have hand sanitizer, arms in ice water, relief of guilt and positive feelings. It is, on some level, the exact same thing!
I am not saying the Christian belief about all of this is wrong. I have no idea (and really, neither does anyone, from a scientific viewpoint at least). But, there are striking parellels between the story of the resurrection of Jesus and laboratory research on (perceived) moral purification.
Lest you get too angry at that suggestion, perhaps knowing that I think God is science (that is science could lead to God) will help? Probably not.
Ok, so the basic idea behind Easter is that Jesus died for everyone's sins. He was punished in order to purify people of their transgressions, dating back to the original transgression by Eve (that stinking apple!). By accepting this, you get into Heaven (in general), because Jesus took the fall for you. And, Jesus also was resurrected, so he doesn't die either! (a true win, win)
In other words, in this story, we have guilt/sin, punishment to rectify that sin, purification of the sin, and subsequent positive feelings and belief (salvation).
This is seriously just moral reasoning and punishment research on a broad, cosmic scale.
One study, for instance, found that when people were thinking of something bad they did, they were more likely to punish themselves (arm in ice water) and that, in turn, they had less guilt. This is just like Jesus punishing Himself to alleviate guilt (albeit for others in Jesus' case). At least, it becomes this way when people can identify with this act, hence in a way, making it self-punishment. For instance, studies have found that guilt can be alleviated by identifying with someone doing a good deed.
Another study found that when people do something immoral, they wish to cleanse that part of the body that "sinned," by using more hand sanitizer or mouthwash. As with the resurrection, the act of purification, the hand sanitizer/mouthwash, literally is perceived as "cleansing" people of the sin or immoral act. They literally want to remove/cleanse the "ick," or the "black stain" from their memory.
In a way, Easter is just laboratory research with hand sanitizer and ice water, but on a broad cosmic scale.
