Conversations Beyond Science & Religion

Conventional medical science treats the body — including the mind — as a machine.  If parts of the machine fail or become diseased, the standard approach is to treat the malady with chemicals, operate on damaged parts, or destroy unwanted cells with intense radiation.  At times, in the instance of acute trauma, stabilization of bodily […] The post Sacred Psychiatry appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

We are all familiar with the concept of tuning, particularly in regard to musical instruments. We know that to "stay in tune" means to play with the right pitch and to harmonize with other instruments. Even the untutored ear knows when a piano is out-of-tune: something sounds out-of-balance and disjointed. Sounds that only roughly track […] The post Life in a Finely Tuned Universe with Luke Barnes appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

With the recent attack on Israel by Hamas and the horrors of war spread throughout the media, it might help to remember that Islam and Judaism pray to the same God. Judaism traditionally teaches that one connects with God through following the commandments, or the mitzvot.  In his new book, Transcendental Judaism: Enlivening the Eternal Within to […] The post Transcendental Judaism appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

In our current mechanical worldview, we view the brain as a biochemical machine consisting of intricate particles known as neurons. As an engineer’s design and technology limit the function of a machine, so the DNA molecule limits the function of the brain. Simply put, machines do not have visions, out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, spiritual awakenings, […] The post Breaking Through the Limits of the Brain with Joseph Selbie appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

In his groundbreaking 1993 book, The Self-Aware Universe: How Consciousness Creates the Material World, Amit Goswami used the findings of quantum theory to argue that consciousness creates what we perceive to be the material world.  This conclusion is in direct opposition to scientific materialism, which holds that consciousness — if it even exists — arises […] The post Amit Goswani and the Future of the Consciousness-First Movement appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

In his new book, Radical Loving: One God, One World, One People, Rabbi Wayne Dosick, PhD, combines inspiration with revelation, adds a few words of wisdom, and then splices in a series of enlightening tales exemplifying the point at hand.  He shines a light on the common ground to all religions, which are all rooted in one Source, and then compares the vision of religion to the deep problems of the current age. By laying one over the other the contrasts become vividly apparent, as evidenced by the multiple ailments of modern society, including crime, hatred, racism, and the battlefield we call politics.

Throughout history, humans have always had extraordinary experiences we often called miracles—events that fill us with wonder and bafflement.  The problem is that under our current scientific worldview, miracles are not supposed to occur because they constitute a violation of the laws of nature.  But suppose that what we call miracles actually reveal the true nature of the physical world, which is not limited by what science now classifies as the "laws of nature."  In his new book, The Smile of the Universe: Miracles in an Age of Disbelief, this week's guest, Dr. Michael Grosso, concludes that miracles are facts of the natural world that point to something super-natural.  These accounts take us beyond conventional religion and science to explore the outer reaches of human potential.

As the case against materialism builds, the credentials of the opponents to this pessimistic view of the world continue to increase.  This show's guest, Dr. Harald Walach, holds a double Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, and History and Theory of Science.  He is currently a professor with Poznan Medical University in Poznan, Poland, and author of more than 170 peer reviewed papers, 14 books, and 100 book chapters. He is also the main author of a special report issued by the Galileo Commission, entitled, Beyond a Materialistic Worldview: Towards an Expanded Science.  As Dr. Walach writes, the purpose of this enterprise is to "find ways to expand the scope of science so that it is no longer constrained by an outmoded view of matter and physical reality, and can explore and accommodate significant human experiences, especially evidence indicating that consciousness may go beyond the brain."  Indeed.  As Philip and Dr. Walach discuss on this show, eventually the tipping point will be reached and materialism, the doctrine that the world consists only of impersonal particles and forces, with no purpose, meaning, or goal, will pass away into history.

The Source with a capital S is a neutral, "new age" term referring to the ground of Being. But it has a richer meaning than the Big Bang of modern cosmology or Darwin's primordial swamp out of which life supposedly arose. This Source organizes life, gives it coherence, and injects it with meaning.   If all things came from the Source, then it would seem helpful if we "went home" and reconnected with it.  In fact, this might be the source of what we know as a religious experience.  In his forthcoming book, Reconnecting to the Source: The New Science of Spiritual Experience, How it Can Change You, and How it Can Transform the World, Ervin Laszlo, twice-nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, author of 90 books, and a pioneer of the "new age," presents the case for why we must move to a new paradigm the goes beyond science's current confining materialistic perspective.  In this show, Philip explores Dr. Laszlo's half-century quest to understand the world and what we are doing here.

Along with Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin is one of the two leading scientists in our modern era.  The topic of evolution dominates biology and has permeated our thinking far beyond Darwin's original conception of the subject.  To believe in evolution is tantamount to being considered a civilized human being.  But a major problem presents itself:  how many people actually understand what Darwin said or what natural selection means?  How many people realize that according to modern Darwinians, such as Richard Dawkins, the entire living world arose through the mindless selection of random mutations?  Can a world with such obvious signs of design have arisen without a designer?  On today's show, Philip interviews Professor Michael Behe, the author of the best-selling book, Darwin's Black Box and the new book, Darwin Devolves:  The New Science About DNA That Challenges Evolution (https://www.amazon.com/Darwin-Devolves-Science-Challenges-Evolution/dp/0062842617%20).  These science books raise a difficult question for the Darwinian model: random, directionless mutations are much more likely to destroy a living organism than create a new one. If so, then how did random mutations create the living world?  Listen in for the answer to this question.

Perhaps no other-worldly phenomenon captures the mind more than near-death experiences.  We are all born with an innate hope that there is something beyond this physical world, and near-death experiences give us a glimpse that these hopes are real.  This show's guest P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D (http://pmhatwater.hypermart.net/)., had two near death experiences when young.  40 years and 18 books later, P.M.H. is one of the world leading authorities on this rich and fascinating topic. Are NDEs real?  Listening to P.M.H., there appears to be only one answer to that question.

The notion that we live in a hardened, physical material world, separated from mind, is ingrained into our consciousness.  It is a such a common thought that as some have said, to accept the independence of the material world is a test of sanity.  But it turns out that the question is not that straightforward after all.  And importantly, in our modern, free-thinking culture, the question is no longer off-limits.  Among the enigmas that bring the topic front and center, is the so-called hard problem of consciousness; this is the problem of explaining how something as ephemeral and quality-rich as consciousness arose from the gray matter of the brain.  The problem is so intractable, in fact, that it shifts us to think that maybe we have the picture upside down: perhaps consciousness is at the source of the physical world.  This radical-sounding thought, however, is not new but has its  source in the original writings of ancient Indian and Greek thinkers, among many other cultures.  Today, a number of writers are updating these ideas to confront the dominant materialistic paradigm, which holds that all that exists is matter in motion.  Among the leaders of this new movement is this week's guest, Dutch writer, Bernado Kastrup, author of a number of books in this area, including Dreamed-up Reality and The Idea of the World (https://www.amazon.com/Idea-World-Multi-Disciplinary-Argument-Reality-ebook/dp/B07PGQPV3R/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=idea+of+the+world&qid=1569182035&s=books&sr=1-2), that challenge the materialistic paradigm.  Prepare for a mind-opening conversation.

Is science really a religion?  Is religion a science? Modern science itself is based upon a set of unquestioned beliefs, such as the origins of matter, life, and consciousness.  We take the scientific theories about the origins of these phenomena as true, whether we understand the explanations or not.  Meanwhile, religious experiences, such as near-death experiences, have a lot in common; similarly situated people seem to have repeatable experiences.  That sounds a little like science.  In this new book, The Physics of God: Unifying Quantum Physics, Consciousness, M-Theory, Heaven, Neuroscience and Transcendence (//www.amazon.com/Physics-God-Consciousness-Neuroscience-Transcendence-ebook/dp/B07J1CGJTS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2N8WHIT02ZJ20&keywords=the+physics+of+god+joseph+selbie&qid=1565659574&s=gateway&sprefix=The+Physics+of+God%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1),  this week's guest, Joseph Selbie, builds a persuasive case that science and religion, as currently interpreted, each have logical flaws, which means of course that it is time to go beyond science and religion.

Crop circles are geometric, patterned formations mysteriously carved into farm fields.  In a way, they are farm-sized snowflakes.  They have been observed all around the world, but primarily in the United Kingdom.   To see a crop circle in person or in a color photograph (https://cropcircles.lucypringle.co.uk/) speaks a thousand words.  The natural inclination is to conclude they are fakes; an open-minded inquiry may lead us to ask more questions.  On this episode, Philip interviews Lucy Pringle, the author of the new book, The Energies of Crop Circles: The Science and Power of a Mysterious Intelligence, and one of the world's foremost photographers and experts on crop circles. The question faced on the show is a simple one: are they real or are they fake? Listen in and judge for yourself.

Although today science and angels stand on opposite ends of the credibility spectrum, this was not always the case. In the 16th Century, Dr. John Dee, court advisor and astrologer to Queen Elizabeth I, was considered the foremost scientific genius of his age. He helped lay the foundation for modern science and made pioneering advances in navigation and optics.His theoretical work extended to the concept of light speed and he made prototypes for telescopes and solar panels. He is also credited with inventing the concept of the "British Empire."  But showing how the distance between science and the occult was much closer 500 years ago, he spent the last half of his life developing a way to contact angels.Yes, angels.In this new book, John Dee and the Empire of Angels (https://www.amazon.com/John-Dee-Empire-Angels-Enochian/dp/1620555891/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535505692&sr=8-1&keywords=john+dee+and+the+empire+of+angels), this week's guest, Jason Louv, gives an engrossing account of the life of John Dee, while offering parallels and contrasts with our modern worldview.  At the end, an intriguing question is raised:  with the increasing evidence for near-death experiences, mediums, and parapsychology, and the often incredible theories of modern cosmology (see the multiverse, dark matter, and the inflationary Big Bang), are we entering a new age where the distance between science and the occult will grow closer? Is this good?Listen in as Philip and Jason explore this and other intriguing topics.

Each of us is free to interpret the physical world however we want.  At some point, experience and reason show one interpretation to be better than another.  (This may be called the scientific method.)  Then, that interpretation gains adherents, builds support, and dominates.  But few play the long game, or wait for the disfavored interpretation to work itself through modern culture.This week's guest, Kate Jegede, author of the mind-opening new book, Infinite Possibility, is one of them.  To Kate, God is the human imagination and we can therefore create our world, change our lives, and even affect the past.  Where books like The Secret suggest a connection between intention and the physical world, Infinite Possibility makes this connection a scientific truth. She writes: "God is not man.  God actually became man, so that man can reawaken as God."  This possibly radical position may seem familiar, for it is echoed in Eastern philosophy and underlies much of what we call the "new age."  So listen in as Philip and Kate discuss this new interpretation which is in fact an old interpretation that we have somehow forgotten.

What if someone studied the paranormal not as fringe events or untrustworthy occurrences but instead as providing insight into the sacred?  What if someone dispensed with the notions of "real" and "unreal," "natural" and "supernatural," and instead viewed all human experiences as providing keys to understanding the world we inhabit?This is how this week's guest, Professor Jeffrey Kripal of Rice University, thinks and writes. His books and thought push the envelope of understanding and seek to broaden our worldview by treating what we call the "paranormal" as part of the fabric of reality.  His books, from Authors of the Impossible: The Paranormal and the Sacred to Secret Body: Erotic and Esoteric Currents in the History of Religion, show an original and engaging mind at work.  Join us as Philip talks with the real Author of the Impossible.

Over 200,000 books on Amazon have "dream" in the title.  And there is something about dreams that have always captivated the mind.  How many times do we read about athletes, artists, lovers, and the person on street talk about how their dreams have come true?  We "live the dream;" and at times, it all feels like a dream.  The dream permeates culture from music (e.g., the Dream Weaver, Dream On) and movies (e.g., Inception), to car commercials (Honda Civic) and virtually everything else.  Unfortunately, most of our lives are spent in a culture that marginalizes the dream; we are limited mortal creatures; machines destined to rust away and die.  Dreams are fantasies.  Do not bother.  But this week's guest, Brent Feinberg, has an idea.  In this new book, Freeing Freddie - The Dream Weaver, he weaves a simple tale for kids of all ages. The story is simple: start believing in the dream when young, and never give up the quest.

Over 200,000 books on Amazon have "dream" in the title.  And there is something about dreams that have always captivated the mind.  How many times do we read about athletes, artists, lovers, and the person on street talk about how their dreams have come true?  We "live the dream;" and at times, it all feels like a dream.  The dream permeates culture from music (e.g., the Dream Weaver, Dream On) and movies (e.g., Inception), to car commercials (Honda Civic) and virtually everything else.  Unfortunately, most of our lives are spent in a culture that marginalizes the dream; we are limited mortal creatures; machines destined to rust away and die.  Dreams are fantasies.  Do not bother.  But this week's guest, Brent Feinberg, has an idea.  In this new book, Freeing Freddie - The Dream Weaver, he weaves a simple tale for kids of all ages. The story is simple: start believing in the dream when young, and never give up the quest. 

The standard interpretation of the meaning and purpose of life is that we are mortal creatures who have evolved from bacteria through the mindless, directionless process of Darwinian evolution.  According to Darwin's leading modern-day advocate, Richard Dawkins, we are "survival machines – robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes."  The standard interpretation carries the day and is accepted by almost all orthodox biologists.  But this fact does not mean the interpretation is true.  One way to find out is to compare it to other perspectives, many of which may seem radical and "out-there."  On this show, Philip interviews one of the world's most original thinkers and best-selling author, Tim Freke, about  his new book, Soul Story: Evolution and the Purpose of Life (https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Story-Evolution-Purpose-Life/dp/1780289847).  To Tim Freke, Darwin's theory, if not wrong, is incomplete: evolution does not stop with the physical body, but continues to the realization that we are an emerging spiritual being in a never-ending process of creativity.  So you may just go along with Darwin and move on; or you might consider a different, and more uplifting perspective.  Listen in as Philip and Tim discuss what Tim calls the new worldview of "emergent spirituality."