Religion and Science

Would you enjoy a relaxed evening with fellow Science Fiction and Fantasy fans? If so, we’d love to meet you. Our next gathering takes place on **Saturday 25th April from 6pm** at **The Mad Hatter**, just by Blackfriars Bridge. Drop in, say hello, and join us for a drink. We’re a long‑running group that’s been meeting since **1998**—long before meetup sites existed. Over the years we’ve hosted celebrity meet‑and‑greets, attended conventions together, run role‑playing games, organised cinema trips, LARPs, and plenty more. These pub meetups are all about socialising and connecting with other Sci‑Fi and Fantasy enthusiasts. To help break the ice, we’ll be running a fun **team quiz at 8.30pm**. There’s no fee to attend—just pay for whatever food or drink you order at the venue.

Join us on **Saturday 25 April, from 11 am till 4 pm,** for a joyful celebration of **International Mother Earth Day** in **Compton Terrace Gardens**, in front of Union Chapel. Discover the trees, plants, animals and insects that share our space, and learn about their usefulness, symbolism and medicinal properties. Enjoy homemade cakes, tea and coffee while supporting the wonderful work of the gardening team. With games and activities for children, this is a relaxed, family-friendly event connecting with nature and community.

This July, Swami Probuddhananda visits London to share the teachings of Vedanta, an ancient philosophy that helps us understand ourselves, find inner peace, and live with clarity in uncertain times. We're raising funds to make this visit possible. Every donation, big or small, helps. Join us for an evening of music and singing from Pergolesi to James Taylor, alongside sacred texts, poetry, and food. Donate via Stripe (link below), or in person. Lots of love https://buy.stripe.com/3cI5kE1CnboseFE6HxeQM02

**Saturday Badminton 11-1pm @ Science Centre (Morning Session)** **£11 for 2 hours \*24H ADVANCE PAYMENT REQUIRED\*** **6 courts in the Science Centre.** Feather shuttlecocks will be supplied. Please bring your own racquets. **Payment details:** **\*\*\*Please pay in advance upon booking or at least 24h in advance before the session. Unpaid bookings will be removed from the list.\*\*\*** \*\*NEW REVOLUT BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS\*\* **Name: LM BADMINTON LTD** **Account Number: 19226405** **Sort Code: 23-01-20** **Reference: \*YOUR MEETUP NAME & DATE ie 270126\*** \*No cash\* Please use your profile name and date of session as payment reference, so that it can be identified. To ensure fair access to the session, anyone who signs up but does not make payment 24h in advance will have their places cancelled and offered to other players. **Waiting List Update:** When the event is full, there will be a waiting list for players to put their names on. Once a spot becomes available, i.e. another member cancels, the first person on the waiting list will be added to RSVP automatically. As such, the person will be sent an automated email confirming so. For those who do not wish to be added automatically, please remove your name from the waiting list. Please cancel waitlist 24 hours before the event if made other plans, as meetup will push you to attending list if spot opens up. We charge on spot basis. **Late Cancellations Penalty:** If you cancel with less than 24 hours notice it is your responsibility to liaise with those on the waiting list and find a replacement. If you do then no penalty but if you don’t find a replacement you pay 50% of the session fee, raising to 100% on the second late cancellation. You MUST also inform the organisers who your replacement is. **No Show Fees:** Full fee will be added to the profile on the next visit. **Team training:** On this session, 1 or 2 courts, will be reserved for team training for the up and coming season. The court ratio has not changed, still a max of 6 per court, some players might be invited to play on the team training courts. **Contacts:** The best way to get in touch is through meetup as your message will get picked up by the designated organiser for the chosen event. Otherwise please use WhatsApp to message us. Email: badmclub@gmail.com uni_badm1nton@yahoo.co.uk Primary: Vinh 07974 177707 Secondary: Nikita 07585 954797 **Disclaimer:** Organisers or LondonMet University can accept no liability for any loss or injury, however sustained, while taking part in club activities. If you want to cover yourself against injury to yourself or others, please make sure you have the appropriate insurance. In the interest of health and safety, proper footwear is a must in this club which means no casual footwear and no barefoot on the court.

An open participation philosophical discussion. No previous philosophical experience necessary Please follow the stated guidelines This is a Philosophical Discussion hosted by Joel Janiurek. We shall be discussing The Paradox of Fiction. This event is open to all. No previous philosophical experience necessary. The aim is to have fun, meet new people, generate interesting and thought-provoking conversations, have your horizons expanded, challenge your preconceptions and who knows - you might even learn something? Philosophy is about conceptual analysis. It's thinking about thinking. It's not about empiricism or the real world. It's about abstractions, concepts and ideas. In order to make the conversations as fun, interesting and productive for everyone as possible please follow these simple guidelines: 1. Keep it Philosophical (No Science, no History, no Sociology, no Evolutionary Psychology, no contestable facts, no personal anecdotes). 2. Think for Yourself (No phones, no looking up definitions, no name dropping Philosophers / books you've read). 3. Tangents are Cool (Don't worry too much if the subject drifts and you don't answer the question). 4. Keep it Succinct (Like this). 5. Be Excellent to Each Other (But of course). We hope to see you there

**Saturday Badminton 1-3pm @ Science Centre (Afternoon Session)** **£11 for 2 hours \*24H ADVANCE PAYMENT REQUIRED\*** **6 courts in the Science Centre.** Feather shuttlecocks will be supplied. Please bring your own racquets. **Payment details:** **\*\*\*Please pay in advance upon booking or at least 24h in advance before the session. Unpaid bookings will be removed from the list.\*\*\*** \*\*NEW REVOLUT BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS\*\* **Name: LM BADMINTON LTD** **Account Number: 19226405** **Sort Code: 23-01-20** **Reference: \*YOUR MEETUP NAME & DATE ie 270126\*** \*No cash\* Please use your profile name and date of session as payment reference, so that it can be identified. To ensure fair access to the session, anyone who signs up but does not make payment 24h in advance will have their places cancelled and offered to other players. **Waiting List Update:** When the event is full, there will be a waiting list for players to put their names on. Once a spot becomes available, i.e. another member cancels, the first person on the waiting list will be added to RSVP automatically. As such, the person will be sent an automated email confirming so. For those who do not wish to be added automatically, please remove your name from the waiting list. Please cancel waitlist 24 hours before the event if made other plans, as meetup will push you to attending list if spot opens up. We charge on spot basis. **Late Cancellations Penalty:** If you cancel with less than 24 hours notice it is your responsibility to liaise with those on the waiting list and find a replacement. If you do then no penalty but if you don’t find a replacement you pay 50% of the session fee, raising to 100% on the second late cancellation. You MUST also inform the organisers who your replacement is. **No Show Fees:** Full fee will be added to the profile on the next visit. **Team training:** On this session, 1 or 2 courts, will be reserved for team training for the up and coming season. The court ratio has not changed, still a max of 6 per court, some players might be invited to play on the team training courts. **Contacts:** The best way to get in touch is through meetup as your message will get picked up by the designated organiser for the chosen event. Otherwise please use WhatsApp to message us. Email: badmclub@gmail.com uni_badm1nton@yahoo.co.uk Primary: Vinh 07974 177707 Secondary: Nikita 07585 954797 **Disclaimer:** Organisers or LondonMet University can accept no liability for any loss or injury, however sustained, while taking part in club activities. If you want to cover yourself against injury to yourself or others, please make sure you have the appropriate insurance. In the interest of health and safety, proper footwear is a must in this club which means no casual footwear and no barefoot on the court.

Within the last century, society and technology have changed rapidly. We have built tools to expand our reach, to build connections face to face and virtually, as well as tools to destroy each other. Technology is being built to engage needs we don't fully understand, often before the consequences of doing so are known. Examples could be the making and consumption of social media and pornographic content, or the rapid development of AI tools and companion at the detriment of work and social wellbeing. Who benefits when you don't know what normal looks like? If everyone does whatever feels right, is that freedom or just chaos with good PR? If you get to choose your own values, are you really choosing, or just rationalising what you already wanted? Is the real problem the speed of change, or that we never had great norms to begin with? As family, religion, and work weaken as institutions, what fills the normative vacuum, and is it enough? You may like this short video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICRECGVsaRo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICRECGVsaRo) \*Please do your own research and share resources related to this topic in the comment section\* #======# Donation! Thank you for being a member. I have made a donation page for those who want to help with the costs. [https://examinedlife.uk/donation/](https://examinedlife.uk/donation/) #======# Group chat We have a telegram group chat and here is a link for the front door: [https://t.me/+o9T9DL5u6AcwMmRk](https://t.me/+o9T9DL5u6AcwMmRk) #======# The Examined Life, "Let's Discuss..." session is an open discussion. The format of this event will be: 13:15 - Free flow group discussion about the topic. 14:00 ish - We will be splitting into smaller groups for more engaging discussion about what interests each of you. 16:00 - End of the official meetup. Most often attendees stay and continue discussing up to around 18:00. #======# Please RSVP if you can commit to attending and change your RSVP if something comes up. Inaccurate RSVPs can keep potential attendees on the waiting list and makes it difficult to plan for room sizes and bookings. Art work: View of the Venetian Lagoon with the Tower of Malghera 1770s by Francesco Guardi

Time is precious. Here we value non-boring valuable chats and interactions that are fully engaging, soulfully enriching, inspiring, and leave you a bit wiser than when you arrived. In that spirit (mind the pun!), today’s fully hosted laid back social coffee chat will offer a perfect haven for the inquisitive & curious - those drawn to the mysteries of the universe, life and everything in between. A tasty caffeine infused fun afternoon of thought-provoking causal chats exploring spirituality/consciousness and related interconnected topics spanning **philosophy,** **neuroscience**, **parapsychology,** **paranormal.** **cosmology** and **noetic sciences** over a mug of sweet coffee (or amazin value Chardonnay!) Chaired by me - a former Reuters journalist & published empirical researcher exploring spirituality topics in pursuant of the "truth" since a teenager, there'll be no strict structure - a relaxed friendly space to openly chat, exchange ideas & experiences without judgement, but I'll preside to promote inclusivity and zone in on specifics to avoid people digressing onto unrelated tangents to ensure like all of our events - particpants derive maximum utlity and engagement from attending. We’ll touch on everything from the limits of scientific understanding to exploring the unexplained using practical fun exploratory divination practices drawing on elements of **psychology, metaphysics, epistemology** and **statistical** **probability** of rare events as we do so. Whether you're a practicing "spiritualist", a curious skeptic, or just someone who loves deep conversation on **life’s big questions**, you’ll hopefully walk away more enlightened with some practical tips you can start applying and inspired to explore more! As well as illuminating chats to guide self-reflection, obviously no sprituality event woul be complete without practical tools so there'll be FREE Tarot & I-Ching readings, demonstrations of meditation method to activate super powerful gamma brain waves, and pyschic tests for a bit of fun, laughter & intrigue! **Sample of conversational threads** might include: Are we mere organisms pursuing biological survival or does consciousness exist beyond neurons firing in our brains? What explains peoples' paranormal experiences? What would reality look like If our brains were limitless? Declassified CIA files show that as as well as mind control experiments, the US govt employed mediums and remote viewers. If all mumbo jumbo then why? Is Nirvana just a fantasy of deluded people? Does everything happen for a reason? To clarify - we define spirituality here as an exploration of consciousness, Donald Rumsfeld's unknown unknowns and undiscovered aspects of reality, NOT religion. After all, as my philosophy professor once rightly postulated to me: "If God created Adam, who created God Lucas?" Yep - that inconvenient flaw **debunks every fairytale religion** out there including the oldest religion of them all - paganism - so why is witchcraft still practised outside of **Hogwarts** today? I may also share the latest peer reviewed empirical evidence surrounding **paranormal** and **consciousness** phenomena. **=== POTENTIAL CONVERSATION STARTERS ===** 1. Does consciousness survive death or is Cambridge Astrophysics Professor Brian Cox right in asserting if **ghosts** existed then particle accelerators at CERN would have already detected ghost molecules making Ouija boards kids play? Are Poltergiests 100% hoax? Brain scans indicate thalamocortical circuits in our brain (pathways in the parietal cortex & central lateral thalamus) drive **consciousness -** so how can spirit/mind live on after **brain death**? 2. Is **synchronicity/coincidence** simply randomness disguised in the eye of the beholder or can what Einstein called “spooky action at a distance" (quantum entanglement) explain it? Molecular Biologists have shown that just like plants - our cells give off resonant frequencies between 10 & 180 kilohertz - could this be a source of non-verbal communication like telepathy? 3. Given **neuroscience**'s infancy with much yet undiscovered - could mediation help access functions outside of our BAU alpha & beta brain wave states? Can **Kundalini yoga** boost **DMT** (dimethyltryptamine) naturally vs drugs like ayahuasca, mushrooms, LSDand if so by what mechanism? Do the artifically created neural signatures using magnetic stimulation observed during mystical experiences debunk them? Is the Maharishi Effect real? 4. Are clairvoyants and mediums just good people readers or are they really able to access time and space in non-linear ways? Is Tyler Henry the real deal or just faking it? Was **Abraham Lincolm** precognizant when he dreamt his own fatal assignation? 5. The laws of statistical probability, Drake Equation & common sense tells us there is other non-microbial life out there. So what explains the Fermi Paradox? Was that 1976 WOW signal aliens? How about the recent strange bahaviour of Boyajian's star or Oumuamua/Atlas interstella object that has just entered our solar system? 6. Could metaverse explain deja vu & reincarnation vs theories from the **psychology** literature (Mandela Effect?) or do we just live in a **simulation** as **Elon Musk** proposes? 7. **Stephen Hawking** once said: "The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities" If matter only manifests when observed as the double slit experiments shows, does that mean everything is consciousness? Does the discovery of *quantum superposition /* disappearing neutrons imply **parallel universes**? 8. Do NDEs suggest something beyond physicality? Were Steve Jobs final words "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow" before he died (New York Times) visions of an afterlife or just neurochemical changes / drugs playing tricks? 9. Can photons omitted by our bodies explain auras that people see? 10. Could limits in our understanding of quantum physics, space and time explain paranormal experiences? 11. What existed before the **big bang** \- how do you get something from "nothing"? I believe our reality is the product of a black hole\. What you reckon? ***So how do we get to the "truth"?*** Both in my journalism days and applying the most advanced empirical research techniques in my client consulting work - it becomes clear the truth is often elusive. No matter how much we triangulate evidence - we can only provide part answers. "All models are wrong, but some are useful" George Box What we think we know and reality diverge leading to that great **paradox of knowledge.** And as the boundary between knowns and unknown converge, we end up with cognitive dissonance and more questions. In that spirit - every credible philosopher & scientist acknowledges - we'll never get to the complete truth but could **experimental methods** get us closer to it? A balanced approach guided by Immanuel Kant's pragmatism and Aristotle's deductive reasoning seems the most rationale framework here but are there any other methodologies? How about the **"spirituality"** toolkit? **=== RENDEZVOUS POINT ===** We will meet inside the pub upstairs - located in Islington, 4 seconds walk from Highbury & Islington station or 12 mins from Angel station. l I'll be wearing a **Starwars identifier** and will share mobile hotline just before event start and table number/location. For stargazing we will walk to park 5 mins away around 7.30pm Lucas - The Unenlightened Desperately Seeking Answer

For this walk we'll be talking about **Religion for Atheists** by Alain de Botton and walking along the Thames from Putney up to Hammersmith and Chiswick. *"All of us, whether religious, agnostic or atheist, are searching for meaning. And in this wise and life-affirming book, non-believer Alain de Botton both rejects the supernatural claims of the major religions and points out just how many good ideas they sometimes have about how we should live.* *And he suggests that non-believers can learn and steal from them."* (from book cover description) You don't have to read the book to attend but if you would like to here's a link: **Religion for Atheists** https://www.amazon.co.uk/Religion-Atheists-non-believers-guide-religion/dp/0141046317 **Alain de Botton giving a talk about his book** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br8m2S98HU4 **Please read the following notes carefully and check the meeting point location details before attending!** This is a walking discussion group with handouts with quotes and questions provided as a starting point. The only rule is to keep all discussion friendly and constructive and be respectful of other attendees. No dogs please because they are distracting for group discussion. **Please arrive early: we wait a maximum of 15 minutes at the meeting location and once we have left it will be very difficult to find us.** The walk will go ahead no matter the weather so do dress appropriately and bring an umbrella if needed. There is a £5 fee for this walk to contribute towards the meetup.com fees and other costs. If you are a student, unemployed or retired then you can attend for free. You can pay in cash or card on the walk or online with this link: [https://pay.tide.co/products/philosophy-kfDyHrXZ](https://pay.tide.co/products/philosophy-kfDyHrXZ)

Join us for guided meditation, movement and stillness intersperse with relaxing piano music. This is a donation event. Suggested donation £5. Give what you can. All are welcome.

All we want is for someone to love us unconditionally. But is this even right? Is this even fair? If not, why do so many of us believe in it?

Join us for a vibrant spring walk for Soil! Wear Save Soil T-shirt (or green thing) and be part of a powerful movement across 25+ EU cities Why it matters Over 52% of the world’s soil is degraded. This decade is critical—let’s raise our voices and protect the future of our food and planet. About Save Soil A global movement by Conscious Planet, founded by Sadhguru, focused on reversing soil degradation through policy advocacy, farmer support, and public awareness. It has reached over 4.1 billion people and supports regenerative agriculture initiatives worldwide. Save Soil is backed by the UNEP, UNFAO, UNCCD, WFP and IUCN amongst others.

Our 43rd Spiritual Creatives gathering - in person! Come and join us for a lovely walk and talk around Hampstead Heath. We are meeting just outside Hampstead Heath station (London Overground train) at 11.00 on Sunday the 26th of April. Please note: This is NOT Hampstead Station on the Northern Line! It is the Hampstead HEATH station. The Google link is here: [https://goo.gl/maps/AJCNoxkKNj6K9Gp77](https://goo.gl/maps/AJCNoxkKNj6K9Gp77) We will wait for people to arrive until 11.15am and then we will begin walking. If you arrive later, you will only be able to catch up with us at Kenwood House approximately between 12 and 12.30pm. You should be able to find us sitting around as a group having a drink. If the weather permits, you'll find us outside the main café, towards the back. Look for the guy with the multicoloured scarf... that's me! After a short break of 20-30 minutes, we then walk back through the Heath, taking the long way round to Parliament Hill, and conclude our stroll back to Hampstead Heath overground station around 2 to 2.30pm. (Please note that you may become so involved in your conversations that you end up losing sight of the main group! Unfortunately, there is no way for you to catch up with us once we have become separated (and we do NOT check our phones for texts or messages during our walk) so please be mindful and conscious to stay with the main group if you want to keep up. Also please bear in mind that Hampstead Heath can be muddy sometimes, so please wear the appropriate shoes). After returning to Hampstead Heath Overground station, many of our (usually hungry) members like to continue the camaraderie over lunch at one of the local cafés or restaurants. As our group has grown over the years, these gatherings can be quite large, so we usually have to split into smaller parties and explore different venues. Some of our favourite spots are Dominique’s Café (dominiquescafe.co.uk) and Silverberries (silverberry.net), both of which offer a welcoming atmosphere and delicious food. It’s a great way to wind down the walk and continue our conversations. Spiritual Creatives is a warm-hearted and popular meetup group, as you can see from our ratings and comments! We hope to meet you then! :-) Best wishes Cliff **Find out more about us at [https://www.spiritualarts.org.uk](https://www.spiritualarts.org.uk/).**

ASH is Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists of First Unitarian Universalists of Columbus Ohio TBD Snacks are usually available, and you are welcome to bringing something to share!

Attend a free seminar on how to have successful and lasting relationships. At this seminar you will learn: How to spot and handle negative and toxic relationships. How to get through the "rough patches" in a relationship. How to choose the right people to work with. The three things that make or break any relationship. How to make a good relationship great. All are welcome. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. Hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

Christians in Tech is a community at the intersection of faith and technology. Our meetups are designed to spark meaningful conversations, promote knowledge sharing, and encourage growth—both in your career and your spiritual walk with God. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your tech journey, CIT welcomes you. Our Website [https://linktr.ee/citcbus](https://linktr.ee/citcbus) Sponsors and Partners * Improving (Venue Sponsor) * Bethel World Prayer Center (Fiscal Sponsor) * Fruits & Roots (Coffee Partner)

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** Join us for an eye-opening lecture where the speaker will break down complex ideas in a clear and practical way. You’ll gain insights into: ✅ The true definition of the subconscious ✅ How it generates unwanted emotions ✅ Its real purpose and function ✅ What determines the pressure it exerts on you And the most important topic: **How do you take control of your subconscious!** But this isn’t just another lecture where you sit and listen passively. It’s interactive and engaging—you can ask questions at any time. 📅 Reserve your spot now! Seats are limited, so don’t wait too long to sign up. Location: 1266 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 Hosted by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation

We may pick a specific topic and post in advance or may discuss current events and various ad hoc topics . We would love to spend time hanging out and getting to know one another. Atheist, agnostics, other non-theists, and atheist-friendly people are welcome to join us. Note: COUNT operates a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions (http://www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions/) to promote discussions among members and visitors.

This is an in-person meeting. Did you know that unwanted emotions like loneliness, sadness, hopelessness, anger, fear, anxiety, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not chemical imbalance in your brain due to some nebulous chemical reactions by chance. Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you. The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life. For instance, let's say you are already carrying a huge load on your back, then you cannot take on much more, but, let's say something else happens to you, such as the difficulties from the Pandemic, then the resultant combined weight on you can take you over the edge, kind of like the straw that break the camel's back. When this happens, people's attention usually goes to the straw that was added, but actually the majority of the weight had come from the huge load that were already there, holding a person down and causing a person issues. So how do you remove the huge load that was already there? How do you lighten them up? Is it possible to get rid of them? That is what this meeting will be all about. Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

Jimmy V's Grill & Pub in Grandview Heights. You are responsible for your own meal/drinks. We usually don't have any agenda other than eat, drink and talk. :) If the weather is nice we will be on the back patio, otherwise we are in the cigar room. This group has been meeting every Tuesday evening for over a decade. Many attendees do not RSVP on meetup. Please don't let the small number here discourage you. Anyone/everyone is welcome to come. We'd love to have you join us. COTA bus #5 comes to W. 5th and Wyandotte Rd. And it's a minute walk to the restaurant.