Personal Development

It’s Quicker to Get to my Service Project with a Car that Works: Some Thoughts on Material and Spiritual Progress

The question of gender equality is a fascinating one, to say the least. I recently had a great chat on Facebook with one of my friends on the implications of the advice given in this post about men encouraging women’s quest to be modest in their dress to help decrease the level of objectification of… Read More It’s Quicker to Get to my Service Project with a Car that Works: Some Thoughts on Material and Spiritual Progress

Community Building, Community Development

Adopting a learning mode: what it can look like

Loving fellowship, mutual encouragement, and willingness to learn together are natural properties of any group of youth sincerely striving for the same ends… There is a lot that we have to learn, every single day in our lives. Sometimes, when we make a mistake while trying to learn, we encounter honks, stares, and negative comments.… Read More Adopting a learning mode: what it can look like

Religion

From Obvious to Obscure: Obeying (or not) Physical and Religious Law

When it comes to “physical” laws—for example, stopping at a red light—it’s usually pretty easy to convince people to obey (however frustrating it might be) because of the immediacy and obviousness of the consequences of not doing so: an accident that could wreck our car and cause physical if not fatal harm. But put religious… Read More From Obvious to Obscure: Obeying (or not) Physical and Religious Law

Community, Community Building, Personal Development

The Importance of Learning to Reflect Without Backbiting

A couple of years ago, I went through an extremely difficult situation. A misunderstanding was being compounded by past experiences, and a friend of mine was reacting badly—and increasingly so—to every attempt I made to iron things out. I cannot understate the pain of that experience nor the amount of time and energy I poured… Read More The Importance of Learning to Reflect Without Backbiting