How can we insure that religion does not obstruct science again?

It was said that Darwin did not become a non-believer because of evolution, but that his abandonment of religion helped him to discover evolution.

A century and a half later, it is still hard for many religious people to be receptive to the idea of evolution.

This is a demonstration of how faith can hinder scientific inquiry.

Heliocentrism –the theory that the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun and that the Sun is stationary and at the center of the universe–was also blocked for hundreds of years because of religion.

What other discoveries are currently blocked because of this kind of obstruction?

What can people of religion do to insure that this doesn't happen again?

Religion never obstructed science in the past, did it?

It is true that a great number of scientists in history did not have issues reconciling science and religion.

But evolution and Heliocentrism are not minor discoveries; they are major ideas that greatly revolutionized our world views.

As more complex disciplines continue to advance, particularly those related to the nature of the mind and consciousness, abiogenesis (study of how life on Earth could have arisen from inanimate matter), and the Fermi paradox, the more we are likely to see religion once again play an obstructive role.

What can Muslims in particular, who pride themselves as heirs of the scientific method, do to demonstrate that Islam does not contradict with science or reason?

We were created male and female.. that we may know one another

"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)." Quran (49: 13)

"يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ" (الحجرات: 13)

This ayah is often cited as a reminder of Islam's guidance to tolerance, interaction, acculturation, cooperation and understanding between peoples.

I see an additional instruction, which is the tolerance, interaction, acculturation, cooperation and understanding between men and women.

There are significant differences between men and women. Each has a unique thinking style. They are different but not better or worse and the differences are only in degree.

Further, to get along, both men and women must respect, accept and expect these differences.

Men are said to be generally more logical, orderly, analytical, and aggressive than women, while women generally are more emotional, intuitive, verbal, holistic, creative, integrative, peaceful, and rule oriented.

Everyone has a masculine and feminine side to him or her. When these two sides are in balance then we are whole and complete. A society where there is a balance in contribution between men and women is likely to be more just, healthy, and prosperous.

Google's Autocomplete reveals a lot about cultures and countries

It's amazing what Google's Autocomplete feature can tell you about the kinds of things that people are searching for and what they find important. It is also interesting to observe differences in different countries.

Google's Autocomplete guesses what you're looking for based on the most popular searches, giving you an idea of what other people are searching for. It also gives you an idea of the kind and quantity of content that is on the Web by listing the number of results for each search phrase.

I thought I'd see what people in my home country of Jordan are searching for, so I used the terms "what," "when," "why," and "how" in Arabic ما، متى، لماذا، كيف in Google Jordan domain.

The results were pretty interesting. Here they are with the screen shots.

What

What is love?
What is masturbation?
What is the name of Satan's wife?
What is Facebook?
What is the religious decree regarding watching porn?
What does the name Remas mean?
What is the meaning of love?
What is sex?
What are the seven wonders of the world?
What is real love?

Why

Why do men sleep after having sex?
Why does eating camel meat invalidate wudu?
Why does sleeping make you taller?
Why do we love?
Why do I love you?
Why is the sky blue?
Why don't you pray?
Why where the righteous khalifas named that name?
Why is Taraweeh prayer named by that name?
Why do men like big breasts?

When

When is Eid al Adha for 2009?
When does pregnancy happen?
When does pregnancy happen after the period?
When will the Tawjihi results come out for 2010?
When did Umniah reach 1.5 million subscribers?
When will you know how much I love you, man? (song)
When do the signs of pregnancy begin?
When does a fetus's heart start beating?
When did Urban II declare the first Crusades?
When will the construction of the Eiffel tower be completed?

How

How do you make someone love you?
How can you know your personality?
How can you know who likes you?
How can you tell if someone is lying?
How do you deal with someone you love?
How does pregnancy happen?
How do you become a millionaire?
How can you learn English?
How can you make a man love you?
How can you make a girl love you?

I also did a survey of these search words in the international Arabic Google page. I found little differences.

I then did a survey of how these phrases come up in other Arab countries. The results were similar, however occasionally you see differences that are culture and country specific.

Sex seems to be a pretty common result. Although sex is also popular in Western countries (it held the number one spot as a search word for many years), the topic among Arab users takes a different angle. Most of the question are about masturbation, virginity and pregnancy. They are wondering what is love and sex and whether it is religiously acceptable to watch porn.

This is understandable since sex education, although taught in Arab schools, does not address these kinds of topics openly and extensively. Kids resort to the Internet for answers to these important questions and issues because they cannot discuss them easily with people they know.

Another reason for these kinds of results is that the demographics of people who use the Internet in the Arab world. There are more young people in the Arab World then there are in Western countries and these Arab youth use the Internet more than the older generation.

Also interesting is the number of religious questions. Something you wouldn't find perhaps in this amount in non-Muslim countries. It is another indication of how influential Islam is in Arabs' lives. Whether this is good or bad is another question.

I would imagine that some of these results could be due to a particular event that sparked a great number of people searching for an answer such as a question on a trivia TV show or a question in an exam that is taken on a national level, etc.

These bazaar results are not only in Arabic countries. Search for "why" in Google's general English page (google.com) and Autocomplete will come up with the following:
Why do men have nipples?
Why is the sky blue?
Why is my poop green?
Why are black people so loud?
Why did I get married too?
Why can't I own a Canadian?
Why do dogs eat poop?
Why do cats purr?
Why did the chicken cross the road?

Here are the Google domains for specific Arabic countries. Search for the words "what," "when," "why," and "how" in Arabic. You'd be surprised at the Autocomplete suggestions. I have listed notable questions I found on various Google Domains for Arab countries:

Lebanon
http://www.google.com.lb/
When is the Day of Judgment?
When is the end of the world?
Why was the Al Assi river named that name?
Why did God create man?
How do I know if I'm a virgin?
How do I get rid of my belly?

Morocco
http://www.google.co.ma/
Why philosophize?
Why did philosophy emerge among the Greek?
What is philosophy?
What is the meaning of philosophy?
Why should we get married?
How do I pray?
How do I put on makeup?
What are the rights of children?
When did Morocco gain independence?

When was King Muhammad VI born?

What is freedom?

How do I know if I'm a virgin?

Saudi Arabia
http://www.google.com.sa/
When will the stocks for Buruj Insurance be traded?
When will the stocks for Al Khaleejia be traded?
What is metaphysics?
How do I know if I'm a virgin?
How do I know my sign?

Why was I blocked on MSN?

Egypt
http://www.google.com.eg/
Why did they become Muslim?
Why are people around you stupid?
When was the first World Cup?
What is masturbation for girls?

What are the signs of the Day of Resurrection?

How do I know if I'm a virgin?

Bahrain
http://www.google.com.bh/
Why was Bahrain named by that name?
Why is my period late?
When did Bahrain become a kingdom?
When was oil discovered in Bahrain?
When was the fortress of Arrad built?
When did Bahrain gain independence?
Why do problems happen between people?
What is the name of the devil that comes to you while you're praying?

Oman
http://www.google.com.om/
When did Oman become a member of the United Nations?
When do you become like Omani women?
When did Sultan Qaboos rise to power in Oman?
What are drugs?
Why do we yawn?

Why was the Empty Quarter desert named by that name?

United Arab Emirates
http://www.google.ae/
When did Sheik Zayed die?
When was Sheik Zayed born?
Why is pork forbidden?

What was Abu Dhabi's called in the past?

How do I know if I'm a virgin?

Algeria
http://www.google.dz/
Does not use Autocomplete for any search words

Israel's Arabic page
http://www.google.co.il/
Why do we need to preserve the dead sea from drying?
Why were Hebrews named that name?
What is violence?

When did Mahmoud Darwish die?

Palestinian Territories
http://www.google.ps/

When was the Islamic University in Gaza established?
When will the Rafah border crossing open?
When was the University of Hebron established?
When was the An-Najah National University established?
Why was the Beshara Church named that name?
Why was the Al Aqsa mosque named that name?

Why should we study psychology?

How do I know if I'm a virgin?

Kuwait
http://google.com.kw/
When did Kuwait become a member in OPEC?
When did export of oil begin after independence?
Why was Egypt in English named by that name?
What are wet dreams?

What are the factors that contribute to the rise of CO2 levels?

How do I know if I'm a virgin?

Libya
http://google.com.ly/
Why do Jews hate the number 88?
Why was Libya called by that name?

When is Eid al Adha in Libya?

Qatar
http://google.com.qa/

Why was Qatar named by that name?
Why do we study history?
How can I know if I'm a virgin?

Why was the Great Wall of China built?

Djibouti
http://www.google.dj/

How do I memorize the Quran?
How do you please your husband in bed?
How do I become smart?
What is the religious verdict on masturbation?

How do I know if I'm a virgin?

Really comfortable shoes are hard to find, but they are worth searching for

Comfortable shoes are not something that you have to wait till you get used to them. You should feel comfortable from the first time you where them and thereon. I have never found comfortable shoes that I didn't find comfortable from the first time I wore them. There was never a time when I gradually got comfortable wearing shoes that weren't 100 percent comfortable at first.

I might notice a 1 percent discomfort at a store and think it's a minor inconvenience, but then that 1 percent becomes amplified after wearing the shoes for a few hours.


There are high heels that are comfortable, but they can only be found through experimentation. Because every foot and body is unique, it is hard for manufacturers to produce a "one size fits all." Not all size 7 feet are the same, and not all people with size 7 feet have the same body.

Today I am wearing shoes Rockport shoes that look pretty comfortable and actually are comfortable in the sense that they are not really killing me, but I know that my Dansko clogs would drain less energy during the day.

Danskos have a 0 percent impact on how tired I am during the day.

Rockport have a 10 percent impact.

High heals have a 70 percent impact.

Because my energy is precious to me, I am not willing to give up any of it to look good; I will only chose to wear shoes that don't drain any energy.

To me, wearing uncomfortable shoes to look nice is self-abuse

The kind of shoes I wear can spell the difference between feeling great and feeling exhausted at the end of a work day. It can also spell the difference between being highly productive and inefficient during the day.

I can only wear comfort shoes. They are expensive but I consider them a health expense.

I don't know how women wear high heals to work on a daily basis. I consider it self-abuse. No offense to those women who figure that the pain is worth it. Perhaps some don't find any inconvenience wearing them, but for those who do, I would recommend putting yourself first. Life is too short to wear shoes that hurt.

Yes, high heels encourage an erect and tall posture, help with balance and make a woman look and feel sexier, but, in my view, the this benefit does not outweigh the cost. Posture is something that can be worked on through awareness and practice. Although physical tools can be a good way to promote behavior modification, I think it should not be done at the expense of comfort. There are enough stresses in life that we can't escape. We shouldn't have to be inventing and imposing new ones.

Etymology of "spirit" and "breath" in Arabic goes beyond them

In many languages the words for spirit and breath are the same.

It is interesting that in Arabic, it goes beyond that. If you look at the root for both spirit and breath "rouh" (روح), you will also find that it has many other meanings that come as a result of breathing deeply and being spiritual, such as relaxation, happiness, relief, livelihood, sustenance, inspiration, strength, etc.

The common root of the words spirit and breath is used as an argument for the importance of focusing on the breath for physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

In yoga, the breath is seen as the connection between the body and the mind, the physical and the non-physical. By learning to control your breath, you can learn to control your thoughts. You can also learn to control your body, including involuntary function such as influencing heart rate, blood pressure, circulation and digestion.

Breath is believed to represent the movement of spirit in the body and the central mystery that connects us to all creation.

In "Lissanul Arab", the most extensive Arabic dictionary, the root for breath and spirit in Arabic "rouh" (روح) has 11 pages of definitions. Similarly, the root for soul (نفس), is the same root for breath. According to Lissanul Arab, spirit and soul are the same thing, but soul is more individual.

Here are just a few of the derivations for spirit روح:

روح spirit
رِيحُ wind
الرُّوح inspiration
راحة rest, relaxation
رَوْحِ mercy
روْح happiness
الرُّوحُ blow, puff
رائحة pleasant smell
مِرْوَحَة anything that provides relief, fan
الرَّاحُ wine
التراوح أو المُراوَحَة alternating
استراحة place or time for rest, breather
ترويح ventilation, providing leisure
ترويحة resting period
الرواح going home
مريح comfortable
وتذهب ريحكم: ريح strength, victory
ريّح relaxing, pleasant
التشمم :الاسْتِرْواح carefully smelling something, enjoying a smell
سبحان الله ورَيْحانَه: ريحان livelihood, sustenance
فروح وريحان: ريحان blessing
الأَرْيَحِيُّ easy going person, pleasant to be with
الرَّواح end of the day
راح to leave, go away
الرُّوحُ The Quran
الرَّيْحانُ basil
الرُّوح The Archangel Gabriel
الراحة palm of a hand

Here are just a few of the derivations for soul نفس

نَفْس soul, individual spirit, blood, mind, brother, self, eye, same
نَفَس breath
الفَرَج من الكرب: النَّفَس relief from difficulty
تنفيس deflate
تنفيس release from anxiety, tension or hardship
النَّفَس drinking
النسيم: النَّفَس breeze
نَفِيس precious, desired
نَفِس بالشيء، بالكسر، أَي بخل became stingy
النِّفاس accouchement
المَنْفُوس: المولود born
تَنَفَّسَ الصبح awakened
تنافس competition
منفوس something that is desired
دارُك أَنْفَسُ من داري: أنفس wider, more spacious

Complex diets erode dieters' resolve, but they are necessary in the long run

A new study on 390 German women found that the more complex a person's diet plan, the sooner the person will abandon it. It was published online in Appetite.

The study attests to my post "In Defense of Fad Diets." However, I would like to clarify that a comprehensive diet that actually keeps weight off has to be complex. It is a way of life that has to address almost everything in life: emotional eating, social eating, mindful eating, how to count calories, calories from fat, sugar, complex carbohydrates, the right amount of each type of exercise (cardio, resistance, walking, etc.), eating in relation to sleep, snaking vs. big meals, the right distribution of calories throughout the day, morning eating vs. night eating, etc.

Since everyone is different, all these factors are things that only the dieter herself can determine through experimentation and contemplation, which makes it all the more complex.

Walking is the best form of rest for my body

I have discovered that walking is the best for of rest for my body after any kind of stressful experience, whether it is strenuous workout, a stressful day at work, menstrual cramps, a headache, or any other kind of discomfort.

Monday I did an hour and 15 minutes of power yoga, 20 minutes of ellipticals, and a full hour of Zumba. I got home very tired and I was sore the next day. I planned to rest and not doing any form of exercise the next day to allow my body to recover, but then my sister asked me to go to the mall with her. We spent two hours in the mall; about half of it was spent walking.

Since the muscle groups involved in walking are different from the muscle groups involved in the workouts the previous day, it didn't put stress on those muscles.

Resting after an intense high impact or strength training workout does not mean sitting home doing nothing. That just adds to the pain and discomfort. Walking releases endorphins—our natural painkillers—which helps me cope with the fatigue or soreness that results from the previous stressful workout.

I could actually feel the endorphins kicking in after the walk in the mall. I ate a moderate diner when I got home that was filling and fulfilling, and then slept like a baby.

90 percent of the food we eat, we gobble without tasting

Why there should be no excuses for eating a lot of something I like

Mindful eating led me to notice that a small bite tastes just the same as a big bite and that 10 peanuts taste just the same as one peanut. I recently began trying to estimate how much of a bite goes un-tasted. It seems to me that most of the food we eat we gobble without tasting, possibly up to 90 percent. Even if I try to chew very slowly and carefully, I find that a large percentage of any bite that I put into my mouth, I will wind up swallowing without really tasting. This should refute any excuse that if I like a certain food, I have to eat large portions of it in order to enjoy it. I don't need to eat a lot, I just need to eat it slowly, and even then, I will be swallowing a lot of it without tasting it.

The only way I can really taste most of a bite before swallowing it is to do the "raisin meditation," which means that each meal would take at least 3 hours.

Mindful eating also led to notice that breathing and smelling are essential to tasting. The more you breathe while you are chewing a bite, the more you taste and enjoy it.

As the Swedish Proverb goes: Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours.

The next time I am having a meal with someone and they say, "You didn't eat much," I will say, "With the little that I ate, I bet I enjoyed it more and tasted more of it than you did."