You are probably right about the research not being of much help. I do feel that intentions are good overall though. There are always a few unfeeling, greedy or psychopathic people, but I have a lot of faith in humans and believe that people generally are always trying to do what they think is right. That's why I think lie-detectors, though not infallible, work fairly well. Because most people don't like to lie and feel uncomfortable when they are deceptive.

Good point about illness coming from genetics and environment. I've had to think this through before, and I would say that I feel genetics merely provide variables in which spirit can select strengths and weakness according to the life plan. I think spirit/soul chooses which illnesses it will succumb to in order to learn what is needed. As for the environment...it reminds me of an article I once read on a building infested with mould and how quite a number of employees working there became ill. But still, there were plenty who didn't. And you could say it is random given the person's genetic/inherent health and capabilities versus the opportunistic organisms the environment serves up. But I still think in the end the soul chooses and allows certain illness to take hold in order for the human to experience whatever lessons are necessary for growth.

With illness from lifestyle choices, smoking, drinking, drugs, binge eating, thrill seeking...my thought is that these are things that people do to try to soothe themselves as they seek balance. As such, and because I have indulged in numerous comforting excesses, I feel compassion for people who seek comfort like this, even if it is imbalanced. And it reminds me of the Oprah show I once saw about a high percentage of women who had stomach reduction-type surgery ended up becoming alcoholics. The distress and need for comfort is still there despite blocks that are put up against the behaviour, and a new activity will be picked up somewhere. And the amazing amount of relapse that occurs with people trying to overcome strong drug addictions! I like to watch the reality TV series of Celebrity Rehab and Intervention.

I am digressing a bit form the topic of Glowing Monkeys...but anyway, I feel that if people were allowed a reasonable indulgence in the lesser evils of say food and a bit of drink and smoke, they'd be less likely to seek out stronger stuff that makes it much harder to find balance again one you start. And I still believe that if you believe something will hurt you or make you ill (deeply in your subconscious, despite what you say to yourself and others at times) then that something will hurt you. But if you feel deeply that it won't then it won't. And that reminds me of a doco I saw on a church in which parishioners consumed strychnine and received poisonous snake bites and survived because of their belief that it would not harm them. But now I truly digress.

I think the genetic-glowing research is futile in regards to preventing human suffering or curing it (cuz we will have that until we have evolved spiritually IMO). But something else may be learned and come from it. Or maybe it is just cruel and useless. I don't know how far it should be taken. I really don't.

My tendency is to "let go and let God". But then there is the argument that you can't just let things run rampant. Or can you? Do we have an obligation to impose our beliefs on others and if so how far? Do we stop people from hurting other people, creatures, forests, and who decides?