Friday 23 October 2009

Are all views and beliefs equally valid or should we be able to say, 'You are wrong'?

Moral Relativism has long been a popular view; appealing as it is tolerant, does not preach and avoids us having to argue why our view is better than someone else's.
However, what should we do when we are faced with something that we really do feel is absolutely wrong?



Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, has controversial views on immigration, religion and sexuality. Are these views just as valid as anyone else's, as Relativism may suggest, or is he actually wrong?

Read more here.

Commedian Frank Skinner reveals his concerns about the challenges facing modern Catholicism




'I really feel there is a God. I know atheism is extremely fashionable nowadays but I just can’t kick this believing thing. I must say that I have a lot of time for atheists. I respect anyone who gives this most momentous question a good deal of thought, whatever conclusion they finally arrive at.
I’m less keen on the glut of bandwagon atheists who’ve just unquestioningly joined in because they think the atheist label makes them sound clever and grown-up.'


Frank Skinner


Read more here.

Science that sounds like science fiction with a bit of God thrown in!

The Hadron Collider has been beset by difficulties and accidents. Some of those involved have made the extraordinary suggestion that something is stopping the Hadron Collider from being successful - something from the future... or maybe something from somewhere entirely different.



Read the full article here.

Thursday 15 October 2009

Interpreting The Bible


How the Bible is to be read and understood is by no means a simple matter.

There are a number of different ways of approaching the Bible and different Christian denominations will advocate one method over another.

This matter is further complicated by the huge variety of types of literature in the Bible, the different authors and the huge timescale over which the different books were written.


Some propose the Bible must be taken literally. This creates problems however as there are apparant contradictions and it also, for example, is very difficult to make this compatible with a scientific view of the world.


Others will suggest that many of the Biblical books should be read as myths that still, however, contain truths about God's relationship with humanity. While this may explain some of the contradictions and be compatible with science it does mean that the meaning of these myths is based on human judgement and could vary from person to person or denomination to denomination.


Read more here and here.


Thursday 1 October 2009

Is religious experience a link to the Divine or a trick of the mind?


The University of Wales in Lampeter houses the Religious Experience Research Centre that has records of thousands of spiritual, religious or unexplained experiences.


Many claim these experiences have rational explanations connected to brain activity while others believe they may be a genuine experience of the spiritual or divine.


Find out more in a short article from the Metro here.


Visit the Religious Experince Research Centre here to take their survey.