By Stephen Russell-Lacy. Science and religion sometimes have one thing in common – blindness! There are people who have a blind faith in their religion. Like the fundamental Christians who believe in creationism, saying that the earth was made in just seven days. A point of view held in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence to … Continue reading Science and religion – Compatible?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. A report of a comprehensive study of poverty in the UK in 2012, was edited by Esther Dermott and Gill Main (Universities of Bristol and Leeds respectively.) It was not about spiritual poverty but social exclusion. They found that those surveyed thought poverty is not being able to afford to live an ordinary … Continue reading Spiritual poverty – What does it mean?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. There are numerous examples of well recorded amazing things that we do not understand. These include spontaneous healing, incredible visions, and so-called poltergeist activity. One study in the British Medical Journal December 1983 on ‘inexplicable spontaneous healing’ found staggering examples of unexpected improvement or cure in patients suffering disease. Dr Rex Gardner … Continue reading Amazing things – Revealing higher reality?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. According to mindfulness meditation we should adopt the outlook of ‘non-striving’ to deal with stress. But how can non-striving be a goal if we are encouraged not to strive for it? Stress and non-striving A part of my body might feel uncomfortable. For example churning in the stomach, a tense forehead, or … Continue reading Non-striving in mindfulness – A paradox?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. Some say nothing we do is absolutely right or wrong. It is more a matter of personal subjective feeling. What is right for you may not be right for me. We don’t want rigid inflexible rules. The idea of right and wrong sounds like being judgmentally moralistic. Yet others maintain that there … Continue reading Right and wrong – Polarised thinking?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. There is something about association football (soccer) that is very appealing. The game is played by over 250 million players in over 200 nations and has the highest television audience in sport. What is it that makes football so popular? Has it still got its sporting spirit? Unfair play I’m familiar with … Continue reading Football – Losing its sporting spirit?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. Brain-scientists have discovered that during dreams, the brain is electrically active like when we are awake. However, it is active in a chemically different way. Certain chemicals present during waking are reduced by half during non-dream sleep and are absent altogether during dream sleep. And so, science explains dreaming as just a … Continue reading Dreams – Showing the real me?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. ‘Who am I? Where am I going? What sort of person will I end up being?’ These are questions about self-identity. Genealogy websites help people trace their ancestors. This is an extremely popular hobby. It shows the importance of one aspect of self-identity as we each ask ‘Where do I come from’. … Continue reading Self-identity – Who am I?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. There is something that puts many people off religion. It is the notion that God is male. Feminism has alerted us to the way culture tends to prioritise the male point of view. Traditional society has been organised around male authority figures resulting in injustice for women. Translation involves interpretation In the … Continue reading Is God male or female?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. This question about the meaning of life might strike you first of all as a bit silly. After all, the world is just what it is. ‘We live and then we die. When we’re dead, we’re dead.’ I might be fascinated by what things go on in my life, but not see … Continue reading Meaning of Life – What do we live for?