Religion and Ethics Forum

Sriram,

It is important to note that...

1. Prana and other such phenomena are not religious  beliefs....even though some religions may talk about them.

I don’t know why you think it’s important to note that. Whether you call gibberish religious or not doesn’t stop it from being gibberish, but ok. And it’s not a phenomenon at all – it’s just a speculation you’ve written down, albeit an incoherent one.

These are not 'supernatural' matters. They are just natural matters that we have not yet understood or investigated.

Again you just assume your premise with that “not yet”. So far at least, you haven’t demonstrated that there’s anything to be understood. Why not start there before overreaching? 

2. Science has taken so many decades to detect gravitational waves even though we live in gravity everyday. So, merely because we have not detected something yet does not mean it does not exist.

No-one says otherwise. That though tells you nothing at all about whether your speculation (“Prana”) and mine (leprechauns) exist at all.   

3. If Life exists everywhere on earth, it stands to reason that something is causing it.

Yes, biochemistry. So?

The same resilience and determination as above should be shown to detect it instead of taking the easy way of considering mechanisms as the cause.

Have you spilled your alphabet soup or something? Why do you even think you’re trying to say here?

4. Subjective experiences should not be disregarded as irrelevant to reality. Subjectivity is the ultimate reality. It is our subjective experience that makes possible what we consider as objective truth. Life and death are only our experiences.

But as you should know by now, subjective experiences are often very poor explanations for the phenomena we experience. Our subjective experience tells us that the Earth is flat, that objects touch, that the blood in our veins is blue etc. Before the application of reason and evidence subjective experiences were all we had for explanations, but now we have better methods and tools to do that. Much, much better ones.     

5. People who doubt the relevance of subjective experiences of Prana and so on, should take up advanced Yoga and meditations and  see for themselves what conclusions they arrive at, instead of sitting on the fringes and throwing questions.

And people who ignore rebuttals, refutations and falsifications so as to repeat their unqualified woo should have a look at themselves and try a little intellectual honesty for a change.

Yes. Clearly the backstop is essential until some alternative has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of both the UK and Ireland/EU.

I can understand that the DUP don't care for the GFA or if there is a border or not. However the Tory brexiter's objections just show how irrational and misconceived their thinking on brexit has been all along.
 
 

Hi Susan,

There are still some empty squares and I was going to leave them, but that goes against the grain! So a few hints would  be much appreciated to help fill them in.

4 down: Person responsible for notes in tango decided to interrupt final section (9)
T - E - S - R – R

Think of the person responsible for bank notes…you'll kick yourself!

23 across: Groupof motorists keeping small lead in the main (2,1,4)
ATA - - - -   RACE? Probaby not

You need a synonym for “in the main”, as in on the whole or usually…

19 down : Country person wasting no time in conversation? (6)
- - - S - A
   I keep thinking RUSSIA - 'rusher'! but the second letter here is fifth letter of 23 across.

You’ve got it. RUSSIA is the “country”, and the “in conversation” tells you that the answer sounds like a “person wasting no time”, ie a “rusher”.

20 down: Amid first set, Edberg, going head over heels, can't stand (6)
- - - E - D
Second letter of this is seventh of 23 across.

That D is wrong. The answer is a portmanteau word – it’s right there in the clue, only backwards (“going head over heels”) and it means “can’t stand” as in hates.

I think I've copid them correctly. I've thought and thought but as it is Thursday, I doubt if I'll think of them before Saturday.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Always a pleasure!

There are still some empty squares and I was going to leave them, but that goes against the grain! So a few hints would  be much appreciated to help fill them in.

4 down: Person responsible for notes in tango decided to interrupt final section (9)
T - E - S - R - R

23 across: Groupof motorists keeping small lead in the main (2,1,4)
ATA - - - -   RACE? Probaby not

19 down : Country person wasting no time in conversation? (6)
- - - S - A
   I keep thinking RUSSIA - 'rusher'! but the second letter here is fifth letter of 23 across.

20 down: Amid first set, Edberg, going head over heels, can't stand (6)
- - - E - D
Second letter of this is seventh of 23 across.

I think I've copid them correctly. I've thought and thought but as it is Thursday, I doubt if I'll think of them before Saturday.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Spud,

People can pick out one or two details accurately, however much more they miss.
If there are multiple witnesses who notice different details you can build up a more composite picture, and that's what we get with the gospels.

Just like you do at a magic show then.