On Wednesday, June 4, 2025, the YWCA-Beirut Monthly Membership Meeting featured a captivating lecture by Dr. Marguerite El Asmar Bou Aoun titled “Belief in the Face of Sciences.” Held at the Y Cultural Center, the event invited attendees into a rich exploration of how belief—often inherited through culture and confession—intersects with philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, and sociology.
Dr. Bou Aoun discussed how philosophers have long distinguished belief as both opinion and faith, and how neuroscience now reveals that rituals like prayer and fasting activate parts of the brain associated with comfort and self-transcendence. Drawing from Freud, Frankl, Kristeva, and Vergote, she highlighted the deep human drive for protection, meaning, and connection. Sociological perspectives underscored that belief—religious or secular—remains essential for moral order and social cohesion.
The event affirmed that while science may study belief, it cannot replace the personal, transformative experience of faith. Religion, in this view, is not just tradition—it’s the natural expression of a universal human need.
Held on the first Wednesday of every month, YWCA-Beirut’s Monthly Membership Meetings offer a unique forum for exploring women’s issues and broader topics of cultural and intellectual interest. These gatherings foster vibrant conversation, personal growth, and meaningful connection among members and guests alike.
The Y Cultural Center once again served as a warm and dynamic setting for thoughtful dialogue—advancing YWCA-Beirut’s ongoing mission to empower women and contribute to a more engaged, informed community.