Voting to protect animal life

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…)

Religion, Politics & Spirituality

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…)

Does power corrupt?

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…)

Barack Obama & The New Dawn

Today saw the election of Barack Obama as the next President of the United States. A remarkable victory for this amazing man, not least because within his lifetime racial segregation was widespread.

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Is Capitalism Dead?

There's no doubting the success of the capitalist free market approach in delivering material growth. Indeed the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, unable to keep pace in the cold war, signaled its victory over communism, its main rival for much if the 20th century.

Yet capitalism is not utopia. Its greatest achievements are overshadowed by vast inequality. The greed is good philosophy espoused by Michael Douglas's character in the movie Wall Street is responsible for much human misery, including among its own advocates who bypass the very purpose of living. (more…)

Government, Politics and Spirituality

As speculation over the 2008 Presidential election intensifies it is an opportune moment to reflect on the relationship between government, politics, and Spirituality.

Origins

All life emanates from the single source (God, Spirit...). On taking physical form we become distant from that unity and adopt a distinct individuality. The purpose of physical incarnation is to experience that disconnection from source and those things that can only be experienced through interaction with other incarnate entities. As such the knowledge of our origin is hidden. (more…)

Embryos, Religon, Science - and government

Recent days have seen intense debate in the UK concerning the proposed Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Among other things, the Bill will allow the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos for purpose of scientific research, and also sanction the artificial creation of babies without need for a named father. I believe it also provides for the creation of babies to act as donors for sick siblings.

It does however offer a glimmer of hope that the abortion time limit will be reduced, though it stops short of criminalizing the slaughter of unborn children on anything but the strongest justification. (more…)

Freakin' with nature - embryo research

The Human Tissue and Embryos Bill, currently on it way to becoming English law, could pose a serious threat to the concept of sanctity of life. Among other things it allows babies to be created that have the right characteristics to serve as donors in order to aid sick siblings. It may also permit the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos. All in the name of "research".

Of course anyone who has seen a loved one endure pain and suffering would welcome any efforts to cure disease or alleviate its effects. But is there some limit that should apply to such research?

Scientists naturally wish to push the frontiers of knowledge ever further. But scientists do not always consider the moral implications of their work, eg it was scientists that created nuclear weapons.

From a Spiritual perspective it could be argued that anything we do is part of God's will, else we wouldn't be able to do it. We possess free will, and if we have developed sufficient knowledge and skill to pursue a particular pathway then who can say such pathway is "wrong"?

But in possessing free will we also possess the capacity for error. And some errors are less reversible and more catastrophic than others.

Alongside our free will we are also blessed with a sense of morality, the ability to consider the potential benefits and costs, opportunities and risks, of a proposed action.

We must engage this moral capacity carefully lest we embark upon a slippery slope towards a Hitleresque future where only the physically and mentally perfect have the right to live. And who would decide what was perfect. Would they be the blue-eyed Aryan blonds, or would they have some other characteristic?

Stephen Hawking and Helen Keller would have been denied the right to life to name but two. And anyone who has cared for the disabled will know how much they can still enjoy life and give pleasure to those around them. What right has one living being to deny the existence of another?

A further nightmarish scenario is where a "lower" form of being is bred to carry out the drudgery of manual labor leaving the "superior" master race to enjoy a life of luxury.

Too many countries already de-value life with their overly liberal attitude to abortion in which countless viable babies are legally and routinely slaughtered.

The bottom line must be the absolute recognition of the rights of the potential life forms being proposed for experiment.

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Live Earth - Planetary Crisis or Global Con

Yesterday's Live Earth concerts aimed at raising awareness of the impending environmental crisis were seen by some 2 billion people around the planet.

There is near unanimity amongst leading scientists that the future of the world hangs in the balance unless mankind starts to take action now. There has recently been major and growing publicity over the issue and few of the people that matter can plead ignorance after yesterday's concerts.

And yet still cynicism / doubts remain:

• Is there really a crisis or is it being exaggerated. If we don nothing it'll just go away / come to nothing - a bit like the millennium bug that was supposed to crash the worlds computers at midnight on Jan 31st 1999...
• It's simply a bandwagon for power-hungry politicos to jump on, let's not fuel their ego trips...
• Maybe there's a crisis, but I'll be long dead and gone by the time the sh!t hits the fan...
• Maybe there's a crisis, but it's the megacorporations causing it, recycling my garbage ain't gonna make much difference...
• Live Earth is just a gimmick - the music was good but how much pollution did it cost shipping in all those artists & fans and powering all the sound systems, lighting...

All valid arguments of course. But the facts are:

• Planet earth is a marvellous creation - perhaps not the only life supporting planet in the cosmos, but the only one we've so far found despite all our high-powered technology...
• The way everything all fits together to support life is little short of miraculous. Isn't that worth making some sacrifice to keep...
• Maybe we can't save the planet on our own, bt if we each do our bit, that's a lot of individuals contributing to one gynormous group effort...
• Through lobbying and simply in the choices we make in spending our money even the little people (or enough of them together) can influence the megacorporations...

At a time when we seem more at conflict than ever, doesn't it give us a chance to show the benefits of working together for a common purpose.

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hypocrites in suits

The US and UK governments invaded and wrecked Iraq because they wrongly thought it had "weapons of mass destruction" (WMDs). They now accuse Iraq also of building WMDs.

Today the UK government voted to spend a vast sum of money £20billion ($40billion) on replacing its Trident submarine nuclear deterrent. Despite the cold war having ended nearly two decades ago. Despite WMDs being utterly useless against so-called terrorism. Despite a large rebellion from Blair's own party.

Well pardon me, but how come it's alright for the US and UK to have WMDS, but not for anyone else who they might deem a threat?

No individual, no nation, has the monopoly on righteousness. We are all engaged upon a journey of learning. And economic success is a poor indicator of real progress.

Now to a degree once the first atom bomb was built the cat was out the bag and could never be put back in. Mankind had the knowledge to create these terrible means of destruction and inevitably will one day use them. But it's worrying to see the leaders of the supposeldy leading nations bringing that day closer. The blind leading the hopefully not so blind.

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