Posts Tagged ‘nature’

Blessings without words

Thursday, May 13th, 2021
love and fear

A friend sent me some photos of a spectacular sunrise over Wellington. The crimson glow on the sky and harbour progressed to orange and deep purple before it faded to a promise of rain. That sunrise was my prayer for the morning. It perfectly described the fire of Pentecost that, paradoxically, sets us alight and Read more

Study: Fear of gods may have sparked human cooperation

Friday, February 12th, 2016

Scientists have found an explanation for the rise of widespread co-operation among humans in societies – the fear of an angry god. International researchers, including the University of Auckland’s Associate Professor Quentin Atkinson, have published the results of their study in the journal Nature. They found people who believe their god is more punitive and Read more

Babies know right from wrong

Friday, November 22nd, 2013

Several years ago, an energetic young mother, Tia, was out and about with her infant Aimee when disaster struck: a group of men, accompanied by vicious dogs, surrounded the pair, snatched up Aimee, and brutalised Tia. They left her helpless and without her daughter. Aimee was eventually rescued. But Tia was too battered to look Read more