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vitarimor

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Everything posted by vitarimor

  1. I've been trying to find a way to deal in a virtual sense with pursuing a need I have for group review / discussion on some topics, and its been difficult to do that in a simple sense, so I'm going to try another approach that is more...suited...to this forum, following some feedback I'll have to acknowledge one of the moderators contributed that made me reflect a bit on accomplishing the task. I'm really from my approach to this point not embracing the value of a 'forum' by trying to lock it down to a delimited exchange, so I'm going to open my thinking and embrace it for its advantage, (yes Joseph, even an old dog can learn a new trick, thank you for your insight.) So, my thinking is to do the following...delineate the topic...I'd request some note of interest from individuals to join the discussion prior to jumping in, as it will involve a sharing of topic/information for review and to then participate in ongoing discussions. I'd propose to move the marker week to week on the ongoing discussion in a dedicated thread for the topic to allow for virtual discussion...and so long as there is no objection, I'll ALSO set aside a time each week for an open Google Meet session on the off chance that some folk might like to jump into the conversation real time at their leisure, though without obligation to do so for the whole time or at all vs. joining into the virtual one. There are two topics of note that I'll probably undertake at the same time. The first is focused on teaching discipleship and leadership to others and is focused on a group reading and discussion week to week. This once started would be about reading say 1 ch/week and start of discussion after that week. The second topic is focused on video review, focused on the merger of our calls to salvation vs. our vocational callings; the structure here is sharing of a video link with those interested (typ about 20 min), followed by again group discussion on the topic that I'd put some structure to each week. This too would include the non-mandatory option to participate in a video chat session regarding the topic that week. These would proceed over about a 2 month and 1 month period respectively. I'm giving the details to see if I get a response of interest from enough people to see if worthwhile pursuing. If one or both appeal to your interest and you'd like to participate, please feel free to send me a message. I'd probably look to start this in say 2 weeks, if the interest is there. I appreciate the consideration of any readers regardless. VR
  2. Hi Paul, you might want to look into some of the writings of George Coe in the early part of the 1900s and look for associated writings. They sought to fuse rational thought and teachings with Christian thought and teachings. I would have found him being exposed to the modern concepts of the science (and it is) of Intelligent Design and how it would have brought the intervention back into the concepts of creation might have impacted his thinking, but that's almost to the side and for another conversation. A big part of their teachings revolve around the ideals that an active faith, a faith that is alive, is where it is deployed by an individual to engage the world with efforts to make it a better place, vs. a disengaged practice of faith and withdrawing from the world...as it is an engine who's function is just that, to make the world a better place. They sought improvement to the world in general, preaching ideals of social justice, racial justice, economic opportunities, etc. In a sense, they were way ahead of their time. The taught independent thinking, critical thinking on the basis that the underlying ideals of society are churned and improve to the better by passing into the hands of growing individuals in faith generation to generation. They promoted the idea of tolerance for diversity of thought. They believed that growth in faith and relationship wasn't the result of some massive emotional epiphany or event, that is wasn't something that occurred from external hounding based upon fire and brimstone teaching of fear for effectiveness, but rather was an innate calling from within us that sought to grow into love and relationship...as an innate, natural part of what essentially makes us human. They believed therefore that the growth in faith required individuals to grow in knowledge and understanding, thus choosing not to run away from learning, but to embrace it and grow with it...understanding the fundamentals of faith aren't lost in learning, but that these ideals are foundational and built on for higher level ideals that collectively act to push society ahead if embraced, supported, championed for the betterment of all, of society in general. Ok...went overboard...but that's the spirit of it. You'll find that at the root level the world functions on the opposition of orthodoxy to progression in faith, that it acts to strip growth and act to prevent the change of perceptions and positive social change that can evolve if allowed in faith. Those that embrace orthodoxy and refuse to grow are acting against the natural call to the growth and development of the world to a higher calling, that faith if allowed drives us to question the short-comings in our society because we DO feel, see, ask why various problems, challenges, shortcomings exist and we want things in empathy and love to change, evolve for the better. This is reflected as the difference between a bounded, legalistic view of Salvation vs. a centrist defined version the grouping that is Christianity, where salvation is not defined as a bounded set of laws we live within, but a turning of direction in our lives to Christ and living in love, faith, empathy with him at the Center...and always seeking to find ways to serve our neighbors, all neighbors of rich or poor, enemy of friend, etc. according to our circumstance, vocation, gifts, calling to his glory, of a perspective and mindset that we are doing so for that purpose. Sigh...overboard again...not full organized...but you just asked essentially a spillage on belief from someone studying it and working towards making things line up in their own heart and head...so forgive me for doing so. Hope this was at least..hmmm...thoughtful..;) VR
  3. An Open Question, My personal situation requires of me an outreach to try to develop some finite group study sessions of different themes, that would be conducted virtually through Zoom or Google Meet or some such (flexible.) I have first one specifically which would be a shared reading and review discussion based on reading a book with the theme of teaching discipleship...ie, teaching or mentoring AS discipleship, but also helping others enter and grow in discipleship. It would be a 'small' group...a 'few' people, tbd. My schedule would dictate it would have to be in the evenings (Pacific time, night tbd/flexible) for an hour a night for 8 weeks. The format would be to read a chapter a week and discuss that chapter 1/week. I don't know what response I'm going to get here, but if I'd like to see if I find any interest...noting I want to keep the size small, but not zero, lolz. Anyway, asking to see what I get for a response... VR
  4. ...starting a new journey and the circumstances of COVID make some aspects of interaction now difficult, so I thought to try to develop my network to include some online resources to give external focus and connections. I subscribe to Liberal Theology more of the early 1900s to a large degree, with some modifications, and find the irony of how the dominant theology of the early 1900s is so relevant to our problems of today. Anyway, greetings... VR
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