RonJin

[RonJin @RonJin11]

In my mind, God is created by God to explain things that exceed their understanding. But why they make a God invisible in our life and so many people will lose their faith in him? P10 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

Dr. Weems explains the concepts relating to her own experience and ideas. It makes the stories not that boring and helps me, a person that never get in touch with God before, to have a clearer sense of God. P9 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

Dr. Weems, when you were chosen in the church as a girl, did you feel the presence and the voice of God? And why don’t you think that others would not understand your tears and love? P8 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

Dr. Weems, you state on page 88 that “Great books need great readers”. Do you think your own experience of life makes you to become a reader, or just provide you more common language with the books? P7 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@GrenotJessica @somethingwithin @oholyshift I agree with the second theory. I think God should be an invisible role in our life. Keeping silence does not mean God is not here. I believe following the nature is God wants. R 10 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@Jessica82520254 @somethingwithin @oholyshift R9 We should read and see Bible as a guide but not a list of truths. As a person outside the Christian world, Bible is a collection of experience and ideas of ancient people. We should take respect but do not need to strictly follow it.#VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@Jessica82520254 @perri1345 @somethingwithin @oholyshift I agree with this point. The meaning of life is not only about the process of building a complete self. The more important thing is to make contribution to others and build social network.R8 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@FarleyMackenna @catheri01432075 @oholyshift @somethingwithin For me, meditation is the best way to pray. Praying is not only a way to tell the truth to God, but a way to rethink our behaviors and ideas. R7 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

Dr. Weems, I don’t know if you know Buddhism a lot, but I still wonder if God exists in eastern world, how does he work and help people in another totally different religion. P6 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@sophiapedro_ @somethingwithin @oholyshift I have the same kind of feeling. Though, to be honest, I do not believe in God. I have my own belief and I almost lost them for sometimes when I need helps in urgent but there was no single hope. R6 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@FarleyMackenna @Jessica82520254 @somethingwithin @oholyshift It’s true. For me, praying is not a behavior or an action. Holding a respectful manner all the time is actually the best prayers. Praying out loud does not mean it is the most sincere. R5 #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@BrianLanga13 @somethingwithin @oholyshift This is a really interesting question that I never think about. I don’t think bad memories teach us the most, but bad memories do bring us closer to God. #VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@sophiapedro_ @somethingwithin @oholyshift I agree with you. When I was studying Bible here last semester, I was always confused about the texts. But in Dr. Weems’ book, she shows the concepts with her daily life. It makes the whole ideas clearer. R3

[RonJin @RonJin11]

p5: Dr. Weems, On page 79, you mentioned that you stopped “believing in things being holy”. Do you think that it is the representation that you lost your belief, or it is a step everyone will face at some time in their journey finding God. @somethingwithin @oholyshift #VUTHL1000

[RonJin @RonJin11]

P4: The time that I felt the closest to God is when I experienced a really terrible car crash. My car was totally destroyed but my mom and me were fine without any hurt. At that moment I felt like we were given struggles while protection.#VUTHL1000 @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@BrianLanga13 @oholyshift @somethingwithin R2: I have the same kind of feeling. Plants are lives and they were given by God to the world must for some reasons. Gardening or simply taking care of a plant might be a way to connect God and to our deeper minds.

[RonJin @RonJin11]

#VUTHL1000 One thing that makes me hard to join this community in the first several weeks is that I did not have common language with God, even I tried to read the prayers in the mass and sing the songs in Christmas Concert. @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

#VUTHL1000 R4: On page 67, Dr. Weems mentions that God is “waiting for human beings...back into the give-and-take of intimacy with God.” It is really similar to the Book of Job. God stands behind the story and you cannot feel his exist sometime. @somethingwithin @oholyshift

[RonJin @RonJin11]

@leightond6 @somethingwithin @oholyshift R3: This is really a strong impact on my mind. Since my grandparents believe in Buddhism, my family always have some complex and big ceremonies for different Buddhas. So complexity is often a kind of symbol of religions @somethingwithin @oholyshift #VUTHL1000

[RonJin @RonJin11]

#VUTHL1000 I am really curious about how simplicity works in religions. Prayers and simplicity seems to be a pair of paradox. In my home, there are many dates that we have to prepare foods and incenses to celebrate or memorize something.

[RonJin @RonJin11]

#VUTHL1000 Dr. Weems you mentioned that praying is time and energy consuming. Does that against to the simplicity that you state? Or putting praying as a daily relaxing, and you are enjoying it, therefore it becomes simpler? @somethingwithin .@oholyshift