Category Archives: Religion

How do we know what true Christianity is?

Posted on July 3, 2015 by

or, Whose orthodoxy is the right one? There’s been a lot of talk recently about whether Islamic State militants are truly Islamic. They of course claim to be the true representatives of Islam, but mainstream Muslims argue that I.S. absolutely … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism/agnosticism, Fundamentalism, Heresy/blasphemy, Liberalism, Orthodoxy, Religion | Tagged , , , , , | 28 Comments

Religion = 2. Relationship and Redemption

Posted on June 19, 2015 by

So I was saying that the heart of true religion for me is the pursuit of reality. It seems to me that the world we experience bears the marks (however damaged and disguised) of reason, goodness, beauty and love. These … Continue reading →

Posted in Religion, Salvation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Religion = Reality + Relationship + Redemption

Posted on June 12, 2015 by

So what’s the nub of religion (or faith, or spirituality) for you – what’s it all about? Is it  about religious observance and believing the right things, or leading a decent life, or getting to heaven and avoiding hell, saving … Continue reading →

Posted in Religion, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , , | 24 Comments

Authenticity vs obedience?

Posted on June 24, 2014 by

Should we do good, serve God and love others as a duty because we owe it to God? Or should we only do it if we can do it gladly, authentically and ungrudgingly, out of genuine love and gratitude? Should … Continue reading →

Posted in Love of God, Religion, The faith journey | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

What use is the Bible?

Posted on June 11, 2014 by

Of what real, practical use is Christianity and the Bible? This question arose a little while ago at a small group I attend. A very good friend expressed the view that the Bible isn’t really a practical book, and by … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Religion | Tagged , | 35 Comments

Why fundamentalism is not the true expression of religion

Posted on June 3, 2014 by

Many people view fundamentalists as the real representatives of religious belief. That’s certainly what Richard Dawkins seems to think, along with some of my good New Atheist friends. I can see the reasoning. Fundamentalists are the ones who apparently take … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism, Liberalism, Religion | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments

Religion, addiction and obsessional neurosis

Posted on June 12, 2013 by

Sigmund Freud apparently described religion as a ‘universal obsessional neurosis’. As someone who’s struggled with both Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and religion all my life, I feel I’m in a good position to comment on that analysis. It’s one I both … Continue reading →

Posted in Mental health, Psychology, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Did Jesus have a wife – and does it matter?

Posted on October 4, 2012 by

Short answers: probably not, and not hugely. Now for the longer answers if you’re interested… So we’ve probably all heard about the recent discovery of a papyrus fragment that’s being called the ‘Gospel of Jesus’s wife’, based on its inclusion … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Controversies, Heresy/blasphemy, Liberalism, Religion, Theology | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Why blasphemy shouldn’t be a crime

Posted on September 27, 2012 by

‘You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God’ (Exodus 20:7) Blasphemy’s been in the news a fair bit recently. But what actually is blasphemy, and should it be a crime under national or international law? The word … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Controversies, Heresy/blasphemy, Politics and faith, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment