Articles written by Ben Hughes

What is Helium

About me - Ben Hughes

I'm a UK-based part-time freelance writer and have a passion for writing on a variety of topics.

I write and edit my own section on religious intolerance at suite101.com and am a regular contributor to football website Eat Football. More recently I have written

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Style & Beauty > Makeup Are women more attractive without makeup on?: 1 of 67
The main thing that first attracted me to the woman I married is her pure, natural beauty. In my view, women without make-up can have a lot more to offer than those who plaster it on. That's not to say that women should never wear make-up or it isn't a good thing. It can help them feel more presentable and give them a specia... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Religious Speculations & Criticisms Science, religion and who's right about the creation of the earth: 1 of 60
Having been an atheist for a large part of my life, it always amazed me how wonderful nature is: the power and strength of the natural world contrasted with delicate life and newborn babies is something which seems to be miraculous.But of course there's no God, I used to think to myself. It just doesn't make any sense. So how... More..
Education > Educational Philosophy Is competition in school helpful or harmful to the students?: 2 of 94
It's a fact of life that life itself isn't easy. There will be plenty of hurdles to overcome, whether it's to do with love, career or family and friends; so why not have some healthy competition in schools?THE BENEFITS OF COMPETITION1. Competition builds teamwork.By working together to achieve something, most competitions mea... More..
Relationships & Family > Gay & Lesbian Issues Marriage should be a sacred institution between only a woman and a man: 4 of 156
Ancient societies needed a structure to continue the human species, a system of rules to handle the granting of property rights and to ensure the protection of bloodlines. Marriage fulfilled these needs.Although some form of legal or approved partnerships have been around since these ancient civilisations, it wasn't until rel... More..
Education > Education (Other) Should the school year be lengthened?: 1 of 33
With the experience of working in a tough, low-achieving secondary school, my firm belief is that the school year shouldn't be lengthened at all because it would only help to alienate the pupils, put more pressure on the teachers and result in even poorer exam results.Most of the pupils I know struggle to get to school on tim... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: What we take for granted but cannot live without: 1 of 24
There are many things in my life which I take for granted but I know I would find it impossible to live without them, like having food and clean water available whenever I need them. But to me, there are some things which, although I could technically live without, would hardly make my life worth living in its current comfort... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Beliefs & Culture What is reincarnation?: 1 of 21
Reincarnation is most commonly associated with the major Eastern religions of Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism and also with Jainism and Taoism, as a central tenet of what happens to our souls after death, as well as giving us a meaning for living.A basic idea of all religions is the belief in a soul which lives on after our bo... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Beliefs & Culture Reflections: Blaming God: 1 of 21
Sometimes life seems so full of difficulties and trouble, it's easy to blame God. I used to hold God responsible for everything bad that happened in my life and look to Him for answers, with annoyance that I never seemed to find any.There's so much suffering in our world, with babies born with illness and diseases through to ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Death Penalty Is the death penalty an effective crime deterrent?: 6 of 118
The death penalty has a number of serious anomalies about it which means it's one of the topics which comes back again and again in various debates around the world.Historically, the execution of criminals and political opponents was used by nearly all societies to punish crime and to suppress resistance. But over time, many ... More..
Computers & Technology > Computers & Technology (Other) Has society become controlled by technology?: 4 of 71
From the moment I get out of bed there's something which both keeps me going through the day and frustrates me at every moment.I can brush my teeth with an electric toothbrush, use my electric shower and drive in my car to work. There's no major technology involved here, but it beats a cold shower and using my own effort to b... More..