So what did you give up on? For me it was gymnastics during my elementary school days. The idea of walking on my hands and doing flips sounded rad (80's slang is still the best). But after the first few practices, I realized gymnastics was work! I just wanted to know it and do it.
Well thanks to scientists at MIT, you may have this very opportunity. After years of research into "memory surgery", scientists were able to implant a false memory into a mouse, making him familiar with a place he had never been before. So like Neo in The Matrix, perhaps one day you could simply have the knowledge of Fung Ku downloaded straight into your noggin.
The real-life application being considered by these researchers is to treat people dealing with a painful past. Instead of working them through their issues, patients could have the memory removed or replaced by something less traumatic. While on its face this seems a noble goal, is ignorance truly the path to healing?
"Oh, make it a happy memory!" -Agent K
Are you dealing with the pain of your past? Memory surgery isn't the answer. Repentance brings refreshing directly from the presence of the Lord. He comes near to us as we draw near to Him through confession. So repent and turn back, knowing that God can always do something new with you!
I presume you're referring to normal memories of normal behaviors, some which may be ill advised. One great application of this research is discussed here, where those suffering from PTSD can be treated to still remember the incidents but without the crippling emotional response: http://www.wired.com/2012/02/ff_forgettingpill/all/
ReplyDeleteSelectively removing or inserting memories isn't generally something we should encourage, though it will happen anyway, to varying degrees, naturally.
Trials and tribulations produce endurance and greater faith according to James 1. So if we remove the memory of the trial, can we have a greater faith? Can we ever trust any of our memories ever again.
DeleteThe bigger spiritual connection is that often people try to forget their sin, instead of repenting and asking forgiveness. The idea that our sin and mistakes could simply be removed from our memories doesn't truly eliminate those moments from our lives. The consequences remain.