Mutual support for the good that we're trying or hoping to do online and offline

[Jim]

My ideas about this are continually evolving. Recently I've been hoping to learn all I can from every conversation I'm in, in this forum, and for other people in the conversation to find encouragement and support in it for whatever good they're doing, trying to do or hoping to do. I stop every few minutes to pray for that and to meditate on a verse about it from my scriptures. That has done wonders to help me resist temptations to do things that might spoil it for me and for others. Also, I try to really understand what other people are saying, and trying to do, I ask questions to try to understand better, and I try to find things to do that might help. Besides that, I have a list of other ideas to practice, to help make the conversations more fruitful and beneficial, not only for us, but for all people everywhere. I don't know if anything I'm doing is doing any good for anyone else, but "nothing ventured, nothing gained." It mostly feels to me like throwing coins into a wishing well. However that may be, it's been doing wonders for me! A magical mystery tour! Like my house being picked up by a tornado and carried off to the land of Oz!

I never give up hope of finding people online to talk to about this, for us to tell each other our stories, and get ideas, encouragement and support from each other.

Just now I found a perfect parallel between one of my prayers, and Dorothy of Oz and her companions and the Wizard! Dorothy and her companions are my shield. Wow. Wow. Dorothy and her companions and the Wizard. The more I think about it, the better it gets! Magical mystery tour!

 

[Dawnofhope]

My ideas about this are continually evolving. Recently I've been hoping to learn all I can from every conversation I'm in, in this forum, and for other people in the conversation to find encouragement and support in it for whatever good they're doing, trying to do or hoping to do. I stop every few minutes to pray for that and to meditate on a verse about it from my scriptures. That has done wonders to help me resist temptations to do things that might spoil it for me and for others. Also, I try to really understand what other people are saying, and trying to do, I ask questions to try to understand better, and I try to find things to do that might help. Besides that, I have a list of other ideas to practice, to help make the conversations more fruitful and beneficial, not only for us, but for all people everywhere. I don't know if anything I'm doing is doing any good for anyone else, but "nothing ventured, nothing gained." It mostly feels to me like throwing coins into a wishing well. However that may be, it's been doing wonders for me! A magical mystery tour! Like my house being picked up by a tornado and carried off to the land of Oz!

I never give up hope of finding people online to talk to about this, for us to tell each other our stories, and get ideas, encouragement and support from each other.

Just now I found a perfect parallel between one of my prayers, and Dorothy of Oz and her companions and the Wizard! Dorothy and her companions are my shield. Wow. Wow. Dorothy and her companions and the Wizard. The more I think about it, the better it gets! Magical mystery tour!

For me the internet and social media have never been a major part of my life. This forum has been the longest I've been on any religious forum. I've also found myself participating here more than any other forum in the past. I'm not entirely sure why but there seems to be three main points of interest. The opportunity to:
1/ Learn about other faiths.
2/ Meet new people and have online relationships with people of different faiths as well as my own.
3/ To share when appropriate my own views.

This particular medium exposes me to new ideas and people across the globe I wouldn't normally be exposed to in my day to day life. Because the medium involves writing, then its quite reflective. The opportunity to discuss and debate ideas concerning the main religions, it has assisted my preparation to be a member of my cities interfaith council.

 

[Jim]

For me the internet and social media have never been a major part of my life. This forum has been the longest I've been on any religious forum. I've also found myself participating here more than any other forum in the past. I'm not entirely sure why but there seems to be three main points of interest. The opportunity to:
1/ Learn about other faiths.
2/ Meet new people and have online relationships with people of different faiths as well as my own.
3/ To share when appropriate my own views.

This particular medium exposes me to new ideas and people across the globe I wouldn't normally be exposed to in my day to day life. Because the medium involves writing, then its quite reflective. The opportunity to discuss and debate ideas concerning the main religions, it has assisted my preparation to be a member of my cities interfaith council.

If you’d like to talk about some of your learning experiences or other experiences, I’d like to read about them.

 

[Dawnofhope]

If you’d like to talk about some of your learning experiences or other experiences, I’d like to read about them.

The two religions I’ve learned the most about are Christianity and Islam. I’ve had many in depth discussions with Christians face to face over the years, but none with Muslims. That’s changed in the last year. I’m now much more comfortable defending Muhammad and the Quran. As the work of the interfaith movement builds momentum it’s helpful to have a more in depth understanding of the underlying issues. I’ve just started a one year tenure as chairman of the interfaith Council and after the recent terrorist attacks in my country the urgency of our work has reached a new high. The Baha’i document One Common Faith appears pivotal to my work.

 

[Jim]

The Baha’i document One Common Faith appears pivotal to my work.

I'm very glad for that. Thanks for telling me that.

 

[Jim]

What I’m doing in Internet discussions for now, in response to all the issues that I’m concerned about, is practicing my ideas for better behavior; learning to be a better friend to more people; and practicing, encouraging and supporting community service in and for the forum community. Part of all of that is trying to really understand what each person is saying, and posting questions and comments for that purpose.

I also start threads sometimes about topics that interest me, but I’m trying not to get so caught up in the conversations that I forget about practicing better behavior, friendship, and community service.

 

[Jim]

Sometimes I’m tempted to point out the fallacies in anti-Muslim propaganda, but I’ve chosen not have that as one of my priorities. I’m interested though, in what other people are doing about that and how it’s working out for them. Also, I have some ideas about some specific fallacies, for example the ones about Muslims wanting Sharia law.