DOD presentation on eliminating the “God gene” VMAT2
The God gene hypothesis proposes that human spirituality is influenced by heredity and that a specific gene, called vesicular monoamine transporter 2, predisposes humans towards spiritual or mystic experiences. The idea has been proposed by geneticist Dean Hamer in the 2004 book called The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes. The God gene 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 spirituality provides an evolutionary advantage by providing individuals with an innate sense of optimism.
https://www.wanttoknow.info/health/funvax070601.pdf
Short video and pdf describing the project