Cruelty is seen at the cinema and on the television. We read about it in newspapers. There is probably an element of cruelty in your self which you have no wish to have Although you may not always recognise this cruelty in yourself, you probably do notice many forms of the shadowy side of human … Continue reading Cruelty – What is its source?
Ask parents what is deeply important for their children to learn in life and they will often say things like being a decent human being, having meaningful relationships, leaving the world a better place, and being freed from personal hang-ups. How can children be helped to form their own personal and spiritual goals? Religious education … Continue reading Religious education – What should children learn?
A basic teaching of Christianity is that there is only one God but in three distinct divine persons, the Father, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit: each said to be God. Many Christian theologians themselves admit they have found it impossible to come up with a persuasive and rational explanation for three Gods … Continue reading Son of God — How to make sense of Christ’s claim?
People have random eye movements under closed eyelids (REM) from time to time when they are asleep and if wakened at these times they report dreaming. In this way sleep researchers found that most people dream for about a fifth of their sleeping time. A person of age seventy-five will not only have slept twenty-five … Continue reading Dream sleep — How to understand it?
Religious superstition is associated with places like Sicily. This is the setting for the television series featuring Inspector Salvo Montabalno, played by Lucia Zingarent. The episodes are based on a series of novels by author Andrea Camilleri, one of Italy’s famous contemporary writers. According to the Sunday Telegraph newspaper: “The charm lies in the vivid … Continue reading Religious superstition — Is that all religion is?
When you are young prolonging life seems a great idea. But when you get old things seem a bit different. Emily aged 85 went into hospital. Her home is a nursing care home. She cannot support her own weight and needs a hoist and wheelchair to get her to the toilet and dining room. She … Continue reading Prolonging life — How far should we go?
Many people believe there is a higher spiritual energy they call God that transcends the mundane material world. This for them is not a personal God but rather a higher power that ensures there is order in nature the laws of which can be discovered by science. Idea of a personal God Another view is … Continue reading A personal God for thinking about
Festival screenings: Friday 30 November 2012 | 6 – 9 pm | Swedenborg Hall Admission to the festival is free but capacity is limited. Advance booking is highly recommended via nora@swedenborg.org.uk. Selected submissions (listed below) will be screened to a public audience at Swedenborg Hall, ‘one of London’s most atmospheric venues’ (The Guardian); at the … Continue reading Swedenborg International Short Film Festival 2012
When it comes to the question of whether you will go to heaven, like Woody Allen, you might want to keep your options open. “I don’t believe in an afterlife, although I am bringing a change of underwear.” (Woody Allen) And you may wonder if there really is a heaven, is religion of any relevance? … Continue reading To go to heaven do I have to be religious?
In the eighteenth century it was still possible to be knowledgeable in many branches of science. Thus an eminent scientist, such as Emanuel Swedenborg, was able to write books in various subjects including theoretical physics, physiology, and psychology. His scientific study was actually done in his spare time. Day job for Swedenborg Swedenborg’s day job, … Continue reading Swedenborg – Who was he?