What is the God Gene?

"The God gene hypothesis/ theory proposes that a specific gene (VMAT2) predisposes humans towards spiritual or mystic experiences. The idea has been postulated by geneticist Dean Hamer, the director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the U.S. National Cancer Institute, and author of the 2005 book The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes.

hypothesis is based on a combination of behavioral genetic, neurobiological and psychological studies. The major arguments of the hypothesis are:  spirituality can be quantified by psychometric measurements;  the underlying tendency to spirituality is partially heritable; part of this heritability can be attributed to the gene VMAT2; this gene acts by altering monoamine levels; and  spiritual individuals are favored by natural selection because they are provided with an innate sense of optimism, the latter producing positive effects at either a physical or psychological level.
See more @ Wikipedia

More Info...

1. Buy
2. Geneticist claims to have found ‘God gene’ in humans
3. Experimenting with Spirituality: Analyzing The God Gene in a Nonmajors Laboratory Course
4. The Brain Chemistry of the Buddha
5. A provocative study asks whether religion is a product of evolution. Inside a quest for the roots of faith
6. THE GOD GENE CONSPIRACY: