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Faithbook SharonF"O may we be still and seek Him..." I love this lyric from a favorite hymn in the Christian Science hymnal.
My Beliefs
I believe ...
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in one God, who is good. I believe people, all people, are made in God's image, the image of Spirit. I believe that a spiritual sense of the Bible can guide us in all of our questions. I believe that Christ Jesus set the example, and showed us the way.
My most powerful moment of belief was ...
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I have many. I'm not sure if I would call it belief though. More like moments of seeing new views. Like feeling more clearly God's presence, and my unity with Him. Seeing others the way that God sees them, whether it's on the subway, in the airport, in a shopping center, or in a quiet place in prayer.
My greatest moment of doubt was ...
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when I wondered if the faith I had been brought up in was the right one for me. I asked God to lead me. I dove into the Gospels in the New Testament - the books containing Jesus' teachings and works. After some time of questioning and reflection, I decided it was indeed the right direction for me.
My spiritual life means...
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everything. The art and science of practicing Christianity - of loving God, and loving my neighbor, of striving to live in accord with Jesus' teachings. It's what it's all about.
The biggest misconception about my faith/belief system is ...
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the myth that students of Christian Science can't choose what kind of health care they can use. Christian Scientists make their own decisions. I choose prayer as taught in Christian Science because it works in my life.
My spiritual role model is ...
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Jesus
The tenet/practice/teaching I appreciate most about my faith is ...
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that it's practical. That I can put it into practice every moment if I choose to, and that doing so benefits not just me, but others as well. Here I am in a video we created for youtube, to discuss the practicality of prayer.
My Faith History
As a child I believed ...
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in one God. I learned about the Bible, the 10 commandments, Jesus' sermon on the mount, etc. I learned this in a Christian Science Sunday School.
My spiritual journey has been ...
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Fascinating. I feel like as I learn more about divine Spirit, I learn more and more about who I truly am.
I was raised as ...
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a Christian Scientist.
Are your beliefs or practices different from your parents? If so, how and why?
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My mother practices the same faith as I do. My father isn't religious, although he was brought up in a protestant faith. Although I'm not sure how much these things make us different.
If you have children, did becoming a parent change your relationship to faith? If so, how?
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No kids yet.
How I Practice My Faith
Where and when do you practice your faith?
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I try to practice it as often as I can. As far as I can practice my faith by paying attention to what I'm thinking, I could and should practice it unceasingly.
How easy or difficult is it to live your faith? Why?
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I find that it does take work to watch my thoughts and try to live a loving life. But it's fun work! I love having quiet time with God in the mornings to get moving on a good path.
In my house, the thing that most represents my faith is ...
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what an interesting question! Letters perhaps, and emails and photos. Books full of inspiring teachings - including the Bible, and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy. Instruments, music to play.
The song/book/film that most represents my faith is ...
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Well, certainly the Bible and the book I mentioned above - Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, and also I love this song, hymn 412 in the Christian Science hymnal:
O dreamer, leave thy dreams for joyful waking,
O captive, rise and sing, for thou art free;
The Christ is here, all dreams of error breaking,
Unloosing bonds of all captivity.
He comes to bless thee on his wings of healing;
To banish pain, and wipe all tears away;
He comes anew, to humble hearts revealing
The mounting footsteps of the upward way.
He comes to give thee joy for desolation,
Beauty for ashes of the vanished years;
For every tear to bring full compensation,
To give thee confidence for all thy fears.
He comes to call the dumb to joyful singing;
The deaf to hear; the blinded eyes to see;
The glorious tidings of salvation bringing.
O captive, rise, thy Saviour comes to thee.
Written by Rosa Turner
Religion & the Public Square
Is interfaith dialogue important? Why or why not?
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Definitely. I think it's just following the golden rule - doing to others as you would have them do to you. I certainly want to be understood, so I think it's my duty to try to understand other perspectives as well.
Do you feel comfortable discussing your faith with others? Why/why not?
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Yes, I love discussing my faith with others. Especially with others who are genuinely interested in understanding more about it.
Do you feel that you have a duty, because of your faith, to put your beliefs into action? What are some of those actions?
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Yes, I do. For me this consists of lots of prayer for the world, and prayer for people who request that of me. I've also worked with non-profits, although I find that I feel the most useful to the world through prayer and my church work.
Has 9/11 had any impact on your thoughts about religion? Are you more/less interested in learning about other religions? Do you feel more/less comfortable expressing your religious beliefs?
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Yes, I made big changes in my life after 9/11, and became more engaged with my faith and the world. What a chance to turn lemons into lemonade.
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Published October 11, 2010 | |