This is an extraordinary course in ministry. It has laid the groundwork for assisting others in the understanding of the complexities of belief. I enjoyed the whole course and the way it was related to the ministry of the Universal Life Church. The author kept simple many ideas and teachings while not being overwhelming in fact or intellect.
According to this course there are only 2 kinds of people: those who are influenced by their hearts and those that are influenced by their minds. Heart people of course are those that trust their feelings, are feely touchy, are compassionate and warm and think in things they cannot see (faith) etc. Whereas Mind-people tend to be rational, logical, analytical etc., not believing anything they cannot see etc. As ministers driven by their hearts, we of course feel for mind-driven people and want to help them. The only problem with this of course is that if we push too hard our efforts might backfire and all we’ll accomplish is scaring people away. As this course teaches rational scientific types a lot of times will come to a place in their lives where science, as great as it is, can only go so far in answering the real deep questions about life. That’s when these rational scientific types will suddenly become interested in seeking answers that science in all its greatness cannot answer. That is when they start seeking out us, the heart driven types for answers. As we learn in this course, when these mind-types finally decide to seek us heart-types out we should be loving and kind not preachy and observe and listen. Remembering always to be a guide only and empowering people to seek out answers for themselves.
I feel one of the most destructive concepts of church writing was the concept of predestination. This is the major thought I have to overcome with my group. Many seem to feel this is Truth so why care? I was once asked to leave a church because I taught that God loves us all just as we are. I was using the church learning tools but when someone overheard me saying “No matter what you do you can overcome it because God still loves you.” They spoke to the church council who before speaking to me asked me to leave. Some did apologize when the realized it was from the church curriculum but I never when back to the church. If they couldn’t understand of all groups why should I want to be with them?
In view of the events at VT I am again drawn to Lesson 10 and the paragraph that reads “So try to remember and be understanding of the fact that someone completely contained in his or her conscious mind is suffering greatly. These people think themselves to have an absolute understanding of that which cannot be absolutely understood. When life acts in ways other than their absolute understanding, it affects them greatly. They suffer depression, anger, hostility, all manner of negative energy emotions because they think they know absolutely and they are proven wrong every day.” I have compassion for the families of those who lost their lives but I also have compassion for the young man who felt he had The Answer. He never saw the beauty in life.
As to what I received from the lessons I can only repeat what the instructor stated. The more I study the more I realize I know nothing. I will take the ideas and suggestions given in the closing of the course to heart and realize that I cannot change what I do not own and I own nothing. Each person in the world sees with only their eyes and each life is that person’s alone.
Author Resource:-
The ULC Seminary offers courses on a variety of subjects. To learn more about yourself as a spirit in a body and how your beliefs have formed or may work, check out the affordable online courses at the ULC Seminary
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