I am having a spot of bother with parables – nothing serious, you understand; nothing to worry about. Some of them, however, do seem just a little dated. There is that famous puzzle about the workers in the vineyard, for example – enough to spark a general strike. And what about the story of the … Continue reading Quibbling about Parables
The origin of the spirit of Christmas is the historical birth of Christ. Religious teachings can be expressed in a dogmatic manner so that any universal relevance or spiritual depth is lost. And so many people today are not Christian believers. However although they do not worship Jesus Christ, this doesn’t stop them appreciating the Christmas … Continue reading Spirit of Christmas for the non-believer?
The following video tells of several readers of Swedenborg’s books who have included Goethre, Blake, Emerson, Thomas Carlysle, John Ruskin, as well as the leaders of several social movements such as the antislavery cause, women’s rights, and the interfaith movement. [youtube_sc url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbexO5dGKq0]
In this video psychologist Dr Leon James answers this question using attribution theory focusing on Swedenborg’s concept of ‘as of self’ and gives a reason why not thinking about God makes what he says is the main aim of individual human life more difficult to accomplish. You might want to skip the first half minute … Continue reading Does it matter if I don’t think about God?
More people in the West are becoming interested in the concept of reincarnation. They are attracted to the idea that the human spirit lives on beyond death. I suspect they have lost patience with two specific doctrines of traditional Christian religion. Instead of reincarnation, final destiny according to actions in one life The first of … Continue reading Reincarnation – How plausible is it?
Swedenborg lived in the eighteenth century but many of the readers of his books think he has something to tell us today. This short video shows his experience of dying and what, according to Swedenborg, is in store for each of us after the death of the body. The speakers are some of the foremost scholars … Continue reading What is it like to die?
Starring Shakespearian actor John Barrymore, and directed by John S Robertson, this silent movie version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was made in 1920 at Paramount’s Astoria studios New York and is the fourth of over 120 film versions of Robert Louis Stephenson’s macabre novel. It proved a tremendous success at the box office. The … Continue reading Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
I recently started reading Hymn of the Universe by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin whose words are said to be part of the treasury of mystical literature. I sensed here a heavenly perception of the warmth and light of the creative Spirit
“Over there, on the horizon, the sun has just touched with light, the outermost fringe of the eastern sky. Once again,
beneath this moving sheet of fire, the living surface of the earth wakes and trembles”
Review of The Sun and the Serpentine by Paul Broadhurst and Hamish Miller.
Some matters talked about in new age circles are attractive for those who have a sense that there is a mystery to life. Two examples of topics that resonate are ley lines and dowsing – and they come together in this book. But do ley lines exist and does dowsing work?
Ley lines are alleged alignments of such places as ancient monuments and megaliths, ridge-tops and water-fords. It is claimed that these lines have spiritual power and that their intersection points resonate a special psychic or mystical energy.
Ever gone travelling off the beaten track? Young people may do this before they embark on a new career and those recently retired from an old one can also seek somewhere different. They go off to exotic locations to discover what is there and at the same time find out something about themselves. Perhaps we all need a thrilling time occasionally, to get away from the hum-drum aspects of everyday life. Travelling is not an option for everyone. However, the journey can be found in other ways.