“May you live in interesting times” is purported to be a traditional Chinese curse. While seemingly a blessing, the expression is always used ironically, with the clear implication that ‘uninteresting times’, of peace and tranquillity, are more life-enhancing than ‘interesting’ ones, which from historical perspective usually include disorder and conflict. It is more of an … Continue reading Turbulent times around us
Do you feel your life is missing something? Are you interested in higher states of awareness? For example the awe and wonder you might have once felt when contemplating the world of nature. Or the sense of peace, contentment, and even joy that perhaps you had as an infant or you fleetingly glimpse in the … Continue reading Divine Source – How to think of it?
Personal Revelation: A guide to a personal interpretation of the Book of Revelation by Michael Stanley published by The Swedenborg Open Learning Centre, Manchester Exposure of our individual shadows Traditionally the last book of the Bible has been understood to be a symbolic prophecy of momentous events to come at the end of the world. This … Continue reading Personal Revelation – A book review
“Tuesday will be the start of Advent ” said our daughter to Sam, aged four, as we were enjoying a leisurely brunch the other day. “You can start opening your Advent Calendar”. There were gasps of excitement from Sam and Harry his younger brother. “What is Advent?” I asked Sam. “It means it’s only so … Continue reading Christmas for kids these days
You might look at our troubled world feeling that life is overwhelming at times and wonder what God is doing about it. Where is he when we need him? Does he have a plan for the planet’s environment, for tackling terrorism, for curtailing run away population growth? Alternatively is he not in control? Does he … Continue reading Theology – What use is it?
Here are some different views about who Jesus Christ was. Which one(s) do you think are correct? 1. Jesus Christ was only a mythical figure Although part of the Bible story, virtually all modern scholars studying antiquity say that Jesus did exist historically. Most of them agree that Jesus was a Galilean, Jewish rabbi who … Continue reading Jesus Christ – Who was he?
By Stephen Russell-Lacy. The word ‘supernatural’ implies miracles can happen and supernatural beings can intervene to break the laws of nature. Supernatural belief goes back centuries e.g. the worship of Neptune and Apollo by the ancient Greeks. Most scientists regard it delusional to think that the rules of nature can be violated by supernatural … Continue reading Supernatural reality: Does it exist?
Turn on the television news, look at your bank statement, listen to your friend’s woes. Faced with the basic problems of living who hasn’t despaired of things ever turning out okay? How are you to be delivered from all that is going wrong with the world – the hate and violence, crime, stress, family breakdown, … Continue reading Hope – But what to pin it on?
Self-named IS (Islamic State) fighters partly formed out of al-Qaeda in 2013. They were responsible for a humanitarian crisis: an estimated 1.2 million terrified and homeless Iraqis, having fled from them to the mountains, were exposed to soaring heat, often without anything to eat or drink. Most Muslims are completely blameless. But the extremists behave … Continue reading IS – How to see Islamic State fighters?
Some school governors in Birmingham England have been accused of attempting to impose and promote a narrow faith-based ideology in secular schools. Should we be encouraging spiritual rather than religious education? What does spiritual mean? The word spiritual is something to do with individual issues of human identity and personal development: hence seeking the sacred … Continue reading Spiritual but not religious – Good or bad?