Seeker

The more I learn about World War I the less I understand it and the harder rituals of commemoration become. I have very mixed feelings about marking today 4 August as the centenary of the day Britain declared war on Germany and dragged the British Empire into the conflict whether its individual colonies and dominions wanted to be part of it or not. Yes on one level I know what led up to that and why Britain joined in to support France against German aggression and to attempt to support Belgium neutrality. But the more I read the more complex the European situation of the time seems.  Certainly the 1914 - 18 war was and continues to be hugely significant. Its affects are still being felt for good and ill. We should remember and we'll be doing a lot of that over the next 4 years. I spent part of this morning watching the televised service from Glasgow Cathedral attended by representatives from all over the Commonwealth. It was emotionally moving. At the same time it felt like an ...

Why do people engage in actions based on superstition like throwing coins in fountains, salt over shoulders etc.? Why does superstition persist even in places that have experienced 2000 years of Christianity? Why do some atheists do things like touch wood - 'just in case'? Why do all religions, including Christianity have some form of ritual actions? Do ritual actions meet some fundamental human need? Whether those actions are based on superstition or religion or apparent absence of either? To cope with what we fear? To acknowledge something greater than ourselves? To express joy, sorrow, regret, hope etc.? I'm a Christian. I like to think I'm free of the need of superstitious actions, (though I find some Christian rituals helpful). Then I remembered what I did when our dog Holly died. We'd asked the vet who'd hastened Holly's death to remove her body for a doggy cremation. He did. Home bereft of dog. No body to bury in the garden. After fam...