Sunday 23 March 2008

The value of research

Posts: 71Location: UNITED KINGDOM

Medical research « on: Today at 10:37:35 AM »

As a person with a possible genetic propensity to nuerological disease I cannot condone the trans-genetic creation of life, both human and animal, to mutate and then destroy after 14 days - do we believe that?Yes the scientists have the tools but to use them breaks the Commandment about not killing and I would rather live an authentic life, i.e., that I was born to,than gain anything from this aboration of morality/society.Yes I know I stand to gain but let the medics etc spend the money for the majority now and not the Noble Prize later.
Report to moderator 79.68.82.35

Thursday 13 March 2008

How Many Quakers Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?

"That depends. If the lightbulb is in the meetinghouse, then it takes the whole Meeting, and 3-9 months.First, property committee has to notify clerk that a lightbulb is burned out. It will then be put on the agenda for the next monthly meeting for business. When it comes up on the agenda, clerk will ask how Friends respond to the notice from property committee. Then, clerk of property committee will be asked for that committee’s recommendation regarding the burned out bulb, and we will learn that property committee was merely notifying meeting of the state of the bulb, and it did not reach the point of trying to make a recommendation. The matter will then be referred back to property committee to come up with a recommendation regarding the bulb, and the matter will be put on the agenda for the next monthly meeting for business, four weeks later..."

From The Quaker Agitator blog, read the whole thing here.

Sunday 9 March 2008

Abuse

Whilst I am sure that no one would condone the abuse of a nurse in or out of uniform I fail to see how the Government and Opposition cannot see the implications of this and related events. There has been a major publicity drive which seems to imply that to show disrrespect to the uniform is to be unpatriotic however does it not show something deeper than this? Does it not possibly indicate that the current engagements in which the UK armed forces are involved increasingly lack public support?
Coupled with this is the growing body of legislation which is removing the right to voice such disapproval of policy. It appears from reading 'The Independent' yesterday that the coming planned peaceful protests at Aldermaston at Easter are now falling foul of the law. As the right to show dissent is removed discontent will find other outlets and is likely to provoke, rather than prevent, abuse and violence or could that be part of the agenda in order further erode civil liberties and the right to publically express dissent?
Why have I posted this on a Quaker site? I have done so because in 'Advices and Queries' we are told about our responsibilties with respect to peace and the law, with a strong emphasis on equality and justice, but what do we do when we feel that the law is being used to prevent justice. In effect what do we do when we feel our freedoms are effectively being undermined by the state?

Sunday 2 March 2008

Prince of Pieces(s)

So we now have a prince of peace. Why don't his family set a real example, consult The Archbishop of Canterbury about and have some lessons from the Ten Commandments and the New Testament, and then set an example by putting them into practice? Or is that too much to ask?