Mother was my "owner's" manual. Among her choice commentaries was to not worry about what the neighbors might think, and try it, you might like it. She was forceful in making sure we always had a "hand hobby" because of the vast learning possibilities. Despite her allergies to feathers, for one, she allowed me to have feathers for my fly tying hobby. She had a way of letting you know of her displeasures. Yet she pretty much left the life lessons evolve. She might have been Bob Marley's mother, too! "Don't worry 'bout a thing ... for everything little thing is gonna be alright ... "
I always think of religion as an owner's manual. I definitely look at the Quran that way. So you're Methodist! Fascinating. Could you explain in simple language a 3 year old can understand what the basis of Methodism? I've done lots of research on it but it still eludes me. You can email me personally if you want.
I see religion the same way. A saying attributed to John Wesley, meaning he probably didn't say it in just this form, but he easily could have, goes, "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." That's the basis for my world view. The name, Methodist, started out as kind of a insult because they were intent on living a purposeful life, with self-discipline and self-control. Their founding documents, in 1739, expressly condemned slavery, require honest and personal morality, and says that we will be known by how we live in the world and how we serve.
That call to service is a big deal to me. I also like how Methodism has been ahead of the curve on many social issues, with a default always to grace, community, and forgiveness. I put a link on to a site where a bunch of thoughtful people way smarter than I have expanded on this.
Mother was my "owner's" manual. Among her choice commentaries was to not worry about what the neighbors might think, and try it, you might like it. She was forceful in making sure we always had a "hand hobby" because of the vast learning possibilities. Despite her allergies to feathers, for one, she allowed me to have feathers for my fly tying hobby. She had a way of letting you know of her displeasures. Yet she pretty much left the life lessons evolve. She might have been Bob Marley's mother, too! "Don't worry 'bout a thing ... for everything little thing is gonna be alright ... "
I always think of religion as an owner's manual. I definitely look at the Quran that way. So you're Methodist! Fascinating. Could you explain in simple language a 3 year old can understand what the basis of Methodism? I've done lots of research on it but it still eludes me. You can email me personally if you want.
I see religion the same way. A saying attributed to John Wesley, meaning he probably didn't say it in just this form, but he easily could have, goes, "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." That's the basis for my world view. The name, Methodist, started out as kind of a insult because they were intent on living a purposeful life, with self-discipline and self-control. Their founding documents, in 1739, expressly condemned slavery, require honest and personal morality, and says that we will be known by how we live in the world and how we serve.
That call to service is a big deal to me. I also like how Methodism has been ahead of the curve on many social issues, with a default always to grace, community, and forgiveness. I put a link on to a site where a bunch of thoughtful people way smarter than I have expanded on this.
https://www.umc.org/en
A main character in a current work is Methodist so this is very helpful! Thanks!