finding purpose in infinite reality
In a new documentary for the Discovery Channel leading Cambridge astrophysicist Professor Stephen Hawking says aliens almost certainly exist but warns that humans should avoid making contact.
Though Hawking believes most extraterrestrial life would be simple microbes he fears that superior life forms would be hostile, seeking to exploit earth for its resources. (more…)
This forum doesn't generally involve itself in party politics, however, there is one issue on which we feel we ought to appeal from a Spiritual perspective to our friends in Great Britain who are currently in the process of choosing a new government.
Though we have many issues with the current administration we congratulate it for introducing a ban on the hunting of wild animals with dogs, effectively outlawing the barbaric practice of fox hunting. Sadly, the Conservative Party - which is widely tipped to win the election - is committed to repealing this ban and re-introducing blood "sports". (more…)
The BBC Big Personality Test gives you the chance to contribute to scientific research as well as to get your own full personality fingerprint - for free.
The test was designed by two Cambridge University professors and the results will feature in the next instalment of the BBCs major documatary study Child of Our Time following 25 youngsters born in 2000 presented by Professor Robert Winston. The anonymized data will form part of research by Michael Lamb Jason Rentfrow at Cambridge.
Take the test at https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/personality
Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the Anglican church, recently accused government of treating religious faith as an "eccentricity" practiced by "oddities". But should religion and Spirituality have a role to play in the way human society is governed? (more…)
Dreams can give us a glimpse of the future, according to the Daily Mail article Yes, we do have a sixth sense: The in-depth study of our intriguing dreams that convinced one doctor.
Referring to The Power of Premonitions: How Knowing the Future Can Shape Our Lives by Larry Dossey MD, Sarah Chalmers describes how major disasters such as the 1966 Aberfan coal slip and 9/11 were foretold in dreams. (more…)
Today's UK Daily Mail carries a fascinating article Reincarnated! Our son is a World War II pilot come back to life. It concerns a two-year old boy, James Leininger, who began having recurring nightmares of being trapped in a burning plane. He appeared to be re-living the horror of being shot down in WWII. (more…)
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely - John Dalberg-Acton
British politics has recently been rocked by a scandal over the abuse of expense payments by Members of Parliament. It's a scandal that may prematurely see Prime Minister Gordon Brown leaving office. Particularly disappointing is the sheer number involved.
The cynical might say that the usual motives for seeking power are less than pure, that politicians seek office for their own ends. It's more likely that those entering politics do so from a genuine desire to effect change for the better, but does power corrupt? (more…)
A recent report Four in ten people believe in ghosts by UK public theology think tank Theos revealed that even in these days of technology and rationality there remains substantial belief in a wide range of supernatural phenomena. Across the United Kingdom 53% stated a belief in life after death, 55% in "heaven", 22% in astrology/horoscopes, 39% in ghosts, 15% in fortune telling/tarot, 27% in reincarnation, and a massive 70% in the human soul. (more…)
2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, author of On the Origin of Species and creator of the theory of evolution by natural selection. Although the scientific theories of relativity and quantum physics suggest the underlying nature of reality is very different than what we perceive through our senses, and thus have immense philosophical significance, they actually have virtually no impact upon our daily lives. In contrast, Darwin's widely accepted, but highly controversial, theory of evolution by natural selection has far reaching implications upon human society. (more…)
Vote Earth For Earth Hour
In December 2009 world leaders meet in Copenhagen to agree on a post-Kyoto policy for tackling climate change. One billion people voting with their light switch during Earth Hour on March 28 will create a powerful mandate for our leaders to take strong and decisive action on climate change in Copenhagen. (more…)
