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Below we explore spiritual questions about the meaning of life.
These tend to look at the ‘why’ questions. What is meaningful in why innocent people suffer? Why is there social evil? The posts look at these and other issues in terms of deeper principles applied to science, personal relationships, the experience of being human, and a religious meaning of divine presence.
It seems that the meaning of life depends on who you are and what you want. See Meaning of Life – What do we live for?
We speak of mental health as a desirable state. Is the concept of spiritual health any different?
Is virtue really achievable? Are some people just bad through and through? How does one consider how good or bad one is? How can one change one’s character?
Where does what is good in human beings come from? What about the origin of cruelty, pride, laziness and other vices?
Is there such a thing as the soul? Does my pet have one? Or is the Buddhist idea of ‘no self’ correct?
What about immortal life? Living for ever sounds a bit daunting.
Are there any deep differences between male and female? Posts look at the idea of gender as a universal idea as opposed to one simply made up by our culture.
Given the widespread incidence of human misery the question arises as to whether people are victims of circumstance. One alternative view is that we are responsible for our lives in some way. Which is correct?
One view is that suffering can be good for the development of character. If so is disappointment really a blessing in disguise? How one might face personal tragedy?
It is sometimes thought that the symbols found in various ancient traditions like astrology or religion have some relevance today. What about the western esoteric traditions? Are myths and legends anything more than superstitious beliefs? Do biblical images like light, pathways, battles, help communicate a higher awareness of spiritual matters?
Does the world of nature symbolise anything meaningful in human terms? Articles address what we can learn from animal behaviour. What plants can teach us. Whether food and colour have meaning for us.
Trap of contemporary values. Why do people differ in their beliefs? Does it matter what one believes? Is conviction or doubt more healthy? What might be an enlightened view of truth. How to think of enlightenment?
Religious superstition. On what can we pin our hopes on? Is the Divine only a matter of subjective and not objective truth? Blind faith. Has religion anything to offer? Atheism. Is being spiritual but not religious a good thing? Religious education. Is there really any higher power to put one’s hope in? Where is Providence in turbulent times? How to think of the Divine Source? What use is theology? Who was Jesus Christ? Value of prayer.
Is materialistic thinking rational. Does science invalidate religion? What findings of weird science true? Does evolution theory explain our origins? Does the brain fully explain consciousness? What is the relation between science and religion?
When we are on our inner journey, beginning to be healed of negative states, perhaps starting to experience enlightened understanding, and a sense of meaning and purpose to our lives. Here you will find posts about more positive inner states of mind. Well-being, happiness, joy, humility, fulfillment of fatherhood, delight in effective communication of ideas we cherish.
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. 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?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. One of the most popular kinds of website these days are those providing genealogy records. They help people searching for their ancestral roots. We are uncertain about who we are. We seek identity. Where do we come from? What are our human origins? Religious view of human origins Up to about two … Continue reading Human origins – Is science right?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. In the book The Face of God, Roger Scruton discusses the atheistic world-view that has been gaining ground in Western culture. The atheist says that the laws of nature determine everything that is real, including human thought and action. Consequently, because of scientific theory, there can be no supernatural explanation for existence. Nothing … Continue reading Scruton, Roger: The Face of God – Review
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. When the best telescope focuses on even a small patch of the night sky it sees countless galaxies of stars. They are receding away from us and from each other at incredible speed. Into what are they receding? We wonder if the space in the physical universe goes on for … Continue reading Infinity – How to understand it?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. There are lots of cultural and individual differences between people, but do humans have something innately in common? According to philosopher John Locke, there is no such thing as human nature. In his view, the mind is at birth a “blank slate” without rules, so data are added, and rules for processing … Continue reading Human nature – Does it exist?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. Are you old enough to believe, that for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows? Or, that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows? What about the notion that for everyone that goes astray, someone will come to show the way? Even when they were written some people … Continue reading Belief – Must it make sense?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. Question – How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb? Answer – one, but the light bulb has got to want to change. According to award winning professor of psychiatry Irvin Yalom, this idea of free choice (also called free-will) presents a problem to many psychological therapists. Their goal … Continue reading Free choice – An illusion?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. ‘Dick head’ was what I thought when I indignantly watched a driver ahead of me at the traffic lights not moving forward when the signal changed to green. As a consequence of this, I and other drivers behind were held up and couldn’t get through before the red light came on again. … Continue reading Judging people – Why so hard to stop?
