On 19 November 2001 The New Yorker carried an interview by Nasra Hassan of another failed suicide bomber, a polite young Palestinian aged twenty-seven known as ‘S’. It is so poetically eloquent of the lure of paradise, as preached by moderate religious leaders and teachers, that I think it is worth giving at some length: … Read more
‘Irreducible complexity’ is not a new idea, but the phrase itself was invented by the creationist Michael Behe in 1996.62 He is credited (if credited is the word) with moving creationism into a new area of biology: biochemistry and cell biology, which he saw as perhaps a happier hunting ground for gaps than eyes or … Read more
Hoyle said that the probability of life originating on Earth is no greater than the chance that a hurricane, sweeping through a scrapyard, would have the luck to assemble a Boeing 747. Others have borrowed the metaphor to refer to the later evolution of complex living bodies, where it has a spurious plausibility. The odds … Read more
In 1968, I was traveling with Thich Nhat Hanh on a Fellowship [of Reconciliation] tour during which there were meetings with church and student groups, senators, journalists, professors, business people, and (blessed relief) a few poets. Almost everywhere he went, this brown-robed Buddhist monk from Vietnam (looking many years younger than the man in his … Read more
Every day and every hour, one should practice mindfulness. That’s easy to say, but to carry it out in practice is not. That’s why I suggest to those who come to the meditation sessions that each person should try hard to reserve one day out of the week to devote entirely to their practice of … Read more
I suggest to beginners the method of “Following the length of the breath.” The student lies, back down, on the floor. Then I invite all of the participants to gather around so I can show them a few simple points: 1) Although inhaling and exhaling are the work of the lungs, and take place in … Read more
You should know how to breathe to maintain mindfulness, as breathing is a natural and extremely effective tool which can prevent dispersion. Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind … Read more
What does it mean, to be subject to physical limitations? In the light of invincible thinking, it simply means that there are limits to the sphere of your activities, so it is important to use wisdom. When you come up against limitations at work, for example, first consider whether there is some part of your … Read more
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) was the well-known President of the United States who was confined to a wheelchair. Usually people who have to depend on a wheelchair to move around find it difficult to be socially active, but despite his disability he was able to carry out his presidential duties. He was a great man … Read more
I have already argued that private enterprise in a so-called advanced society derives very large benefits from the infrastructure – both visible and invisible – which such a society has built up through public expenditure. But the public hand, although it defrays a considerable part of the cost of private enterprise, does not directly participate … Read more
Copyright © 2022 Bulls Eye - All rights reserved