Winning life’s battles Posted in: Articles

The first question often asked about the Bhagavad-gita is why was it spoken on a battlefield? Despite a common view that religion is a major cause of war, the general view is that the two should remain separate. Religion or spirituality should result in peace not conflict. If one’s spiritual practises bring about the bloodthirsty desire to eliminate the followers of some other faith then they must be suspect. That would surely seem to make…

The greatest gift (Pause for Thought, BBC Radio 2, 21 May 2015) Posted in: Articles

When my children were small they pooled their resources one year to purchase for my birthday a fine looking tie pin in the shape of a golf bag and clubs. Actually I’ve never played golf in my life, and as far as ties go, since my schooldays when they were obligatory, I have made a point of avoiding them. Anyway, although the tiepin was of little use to me I was thrilled to receive it,…

Family breakdown brings societal collapse Posted in: Articles

Exactly echoing a message found in the Bhagavad-gita, a senior judge recently declared that “almost all of society’s social ills can be traced directly to the collapse of the family life.” In a speech in Brighton to lawyers from Resolution, formerly the Solicitors’ Family Law Association, Mr Justice Coleridge warned of a “cancerous” increase in broken families and said the government must take “comprehensive action”. He described his experience of handling increasing numbers of cases…

Who should be free to speak? Posted in: Articles

“It is by the goodness of God that we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practise either of them,” wrote Mark Twain. Wise words from the esteemed author, although it seems many of us may doubt their wisdom; especially in the wake of the terrible events just witnessed in Paris. Freedom of speech has never been more vigorously defended by so many. It is…

A moral madness Posted in: Articles

Every autumn for the last few years I have been subjected to a sad and harrowing experience. Living close to a livestock farm I have had to listen to the plaintive wails of distressed cows separated from their calves. Where the calves were taken does not bear mentioning, and the poor cattle respond by crying piteously day and night, exactly as any human mother would if she were to lose a child. It must be…

Merry Christmas? Posted in: Articles

At Christmas time the expectations for increased enjoyment are high, but how many of us actually experience more happiness during the holiday? Financial strain, endless shopping, the pressures of entertaining, and the general stress of the season can all contribute to a rather less than merry Christmas for many. Anyone who watches TV over the Christmas period will be used to seeing helpline details frequently flash across the screen. Depression is an all too common problem…

A Poverty of Spirit Posted in: Articles

Research figures just released reveal an alarming rise in the number of impoverished households in the UK. The Poverty and Social Exclusion project, based on interviews with more than 14,500 people in Britain and Northern Ireland has reported: • More than 500,000 children live in families who cannot afford to feed them properly • 18 million people cannot afford adequate housing conditions • 12 million people are too poor to engage in common social activities…

Feeding the real hunger Posted in: Articles

One of the main problems of life we all face is filling our bellies. We have to eat and this hard fact forces most of us out of bed and off to work every day. However, while almost a billion people worldwide are struggling to solve the eating problem and are suffering malnutrition, here in the affluent West many of us have found a new predicament in the shape of too much food. Eating disorders…

Grow food not factories Posted in: Articles

Recently Prince Charles, an avid advocate of organic farming, took his holistic message to India. On a visit to the Punjab he promoted his own “New Food Foundation” and inaugurated its Indian equivalent, the ‘Bhumi Vardaan Foundation”. Brightly garlanded with marigolds, and to the accompaniment of a cacophony of assorted instruments, he strolled about in the hot Punjabi sunshine sharing his thoughts on agriculture with local organic farmers. Some might see a certain irony…

Science and Religion Posted in: Articles, Blog

Original article from http://www.faradayschools.com/re-topics/re-year-10-11/an-interview-with-krishna-dharma/ My name is Krishna Dharma, a Hindu Priest and author, and I have been asked to explain how Hinduism sits with science. As some of you may know Hinduism has various branches and I personally belong to the branch known as Vaishnavism, which is essentially the monotheistic strand of the faith. My scriptures are called the Vedas, ancient Sanskrit writings comprising a wealth of both material and spiritual knowledge. You may…