Religion has been criticised for its zealotry, unyielding orthodoxy and blindness to reason.Of religious sins, especially religion-fuelled wars, we are by now desensitised. But there is one religious intransigence, one dogma so insidious, that we...
There is an originality and near indescribable authenticity to paganism. It reflects an instinctive and natural way of paying homage to the universal energy of which we are part, and echoes the wise words of Cicero: "Everything is alive; everything...
Good day, readers. This week, we respond to another reader's question.Hello, Mr Francis,I have been reading your articles in The Sunday Gleaner now for quite a while. I find it very informative and I have been able to learn a lot from it. Now I...
Most meditative postures are sourced from the East, the most popular being the lotus pose. The 'lotus', as it is popularly called, requires some degree of flexibility as the practitioner is required to sit on the...
“When you implore your God for help, be prepared to do the heavy lifting.” - Glenville Ashby The Lord’s Prayer is arguably the most recited supplication in Christianity. It is referred to by Marshall Connelly of Catholic Online...
Psychiatrist Frantz Fanon explored the conscious and unconscious forces behind colonialism.In his seminal works, Black Skin White Masks and Wretched of the Earth, Fanon describes the psychic brutality that racism unleashes...
You never know what the day brings. It is 7 a.m. and I am sharing a few photos with a trusted friend, photos I received from Ghana.He stared at them, intently. There was one photo that stood out, for good reason. It showed a white edifice...
There is nothing to fear beyond death because there is nothing there to fear, not even the consciousness of nothingness.- LucretiusThe living at least know that they will die, but the dead know...
"It is not only a matter of rooting out cruelty directed to those least able to defend themselves and most in need of compassion. It is a timely reminder that mass rallies and television and mail-order technology permit...
While Christian apologists are busy defending the historical, theological and evidential bases of their faith, the Church continues to crumble from within.Its moral failures have impeded its ability to ably address social problems without sounding...
Eddie Long, Pastor Haggard, Billy James Hargis, George Alan Rekers, and Lonnie Frisbee are just a few evangelical ministers who were forced to step down after their homosexual encounters were exposed. What makes these cases interesting is the...
It is a practice shrouded in mystery. It is called mourning, a rite of passage practised by the Shouter Baptist faith in Trinidad and Tobago. This period is marked by litany of prayers, chanting and rituals. The initiate is blindfolded (an optional...
"As planets move in orbit around stars so too electrons orbit the nuclei of atoms creating bioelectricity, the matter which makes up our bodies. We are electric beings, and when our circuitry is operating efficiently, our personal energy, health and...
As I approached the Kali Temple in Tacarigua, Trinidad, I was hesitant, mindful that I would be one of the few, if not the only, Afro-Trinidadian there.Maybe I was being self-conscious, but in my early 20s, I had heard enough canards of the seething...
Clinical psychologist Audeya Fuller recalls her childhood and adult years as an ardent Christian "dedicated to the tenets of faith".The resident of Kingston, Jamaica, candidly details her 'Eureka Moment', an encounter with God. In many ways, Fuller...
"We were not good but God had pity on us. ... So my brothers, we had no good works, for all our works were evil. Yet, although men's actions were such, God, in his mercy did not abandon them ..."- St Augustine of HippoJohn braved subzero degrees...
Called a universal genius, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) and other philosophers, such as Immanuel Kant, introduced an intriguing concept that influenced 17th century thought called 'The Principle of Sufficient Reason'.This concept argues...
"... I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me." (Exodus 20: 5)The notion that sins can be passed down through the bloodline has been challenged...
When Sigmund Freud coined the term 'penis envy', he did not fathom its far-reaching implications. While Freud's work has since been discounted in some circles, one cannot help but concede that he offered incredulous insight into the role of...
Death is an inevitable phenomenon that has touched, and will touch, us all. The young and old succumb alike to what many call a frightening phenomenon.Regrettably, we refrain from candidly discussing death until it unexpectedly befalls a loved one....
The scriptures are said to be the word of God, the very essence of truth. But are they?The validity of all scripture must be determined by knowledge. The follow-up question is obvious: How do we define knowledge? This is not a simple question.Let me...
“There is no guru (spiritual teacher). You have to believe in yourself. You’ve got to get down to your own God in your own temple. It’s all down to you.” -John Lennon With a Tikal (red mark) printed on their forehead...
The shaman moves with stealth and deliberation. His body twirls to the sound of the drums and percussion. His is a cosmic dance, a rhythmic dance that captures the imagination. Shamanism is the oldest religion on earth. Stripped of bureaucracy and...
Philosopher Alan Watts once said, "You did not come into this world. You came out of it, like a wave from the ocean. You are not a stranger here."Watts' words affirmed our connectedness to the universe by virtue of our very composition. We are...
As alternative healing modalities become increasingly popular in the west, the ancient art of qigong is emerging as the simplest but most effective method for combating mental, physical and physiological challenges.I was moved by the overwhelming...
