Founder's Reflections
Founder's Reflections:
Reflection 1: Living in Peace...
Peace is a freedom from disturbance (conflict). Living in peace only occurs when there is a mutual freedom from disturbance and that only occurs when there is a mutual tolerance of ones differences. People are only able to live in peace when they can cope with the differences they experience (particularly in the public arena). The greater the differences between people the less likely that mutual tolerance of their differences will occur and the less likely that they will be able to live in peace. Managing differences and encouraging mutual tolerance of managed differences are both crucial ingredients for living in peace. If differences are left unmanaged there is always a danger that differences become too extreme to be tolerated. In such circumstances people tend to walk away and end up living parallel lives that is a very clear indicator that people are living in conflict rather than living in peace.
Living in peace is one of the most difficult challenges we face as it concerns living with differences. Peace is difficult enough to deliver even within one's own family or group. However, the risk of living in conflict rather than living in peace increases as differences increase.
Living in peace requires more than simply encouraging mutual tolerance of differences. It also requires that differences do not breach the common good (national laws and customs). Living in peace requires the following:
Self-controlled moral awareness that in the interest of the common good (national laws and customs) not all behaviours are acceptable (as opposed to anything goes);
Self-controlled acceptance of the common good (national laws and customs);
Self-controlled tolerance of others who accept the common good (tolerance of tolerance);
Self-controlled intolerance of others who ignore the common good (intolerance of intolerance).
It should always be remembered that those with limited exposure to differences that cause widespread public disturbance are not best placed to demand unconditional tolerance.
Tim Hall 21/07/2021
PS: Self-control is one of the positive attributes called fruit of the spiriit in Christianty (love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control).
Reflection 2: Turning away from anything goes...
During recent decades in liberal western nations there has been a shift towards the culture of anything goes. This is partly driven by the difficulties of coping with a diverse range of cultures living within liberal western nations. It is also partly driven by a withdrawal of moral leadership within many liberal western nations.
The culture of anything goes might sound attractive but the shine soon disappears whenever our peace (freedom from disturbance) is disturbed. To recover a greater sense of peace within liberal western nations requires a return and respect for moral leadership. We all need to realise that not all behaviours are acceptable. We all need to appreciate that limits or lines in the sand are necessary in order to live in peace with one another.
Before the current vacuum in moral leadership, moral leadership within liberal western nations was largely provided by the Christian Church and governments respecting the Church. However, in recent decades governments have become increasingly secular to manage increasingly diverse populations and that has loosened historical links between state and the Church. The Church has also lost significant public support as people have become more affluent in liberal western nations. Furthermore, many people think the Church has lost moral credibility due to moral scandals within the Church in recent decades. As a result many are concerned to see the Church today almost taking a back seat rather than a front seat on the subject of moral leadership.
In the absence of a resurgent Church grabbing the mantle of moral leadership, it is necessary for secular government's to realise that they need to fill the moral leadership vacuum. Without anyone filling the vacuum we are left with the unsatisfactory culture of anything goes.
Probably the best way for secular government's to fill the moral leadership vacuum it for a much greater focus on the common good of their nations. This requires a moral focus on what is good for the nation and the realisation that individual behaviours have limits. A focus on the common good necessitates a confronting and turning away from the culture of anything goes.
Tim Hall 28/07/2020
Reflection 3: A great example of moral leadership...
William Wilberforce was a British Parliamentarian for 45 years (1780-1825). For much of that time (from about 1787 onwards and prompted by his Christian faith) he showed great moral leadership by becoming a social reformer that included fronting the slavery abolitionist movement in the British Parliament. He was influenced by other slavery abolitionists like Thomas Clarkson and also managed to influence his parliamentary friend William Pitt the younger.
The slavery abolitionists were campaigning for an end to the trade in which British ships were carrying black slaves from Africa, in terrible conditions, to the West Indies as goods to be bought and sold.
Wilberforce was persuaded to lobby for the abolition of the slave trade and for 18 years he regularly introduced anti-slavery motions in parliament. In 1807, the slave trade was finally abolished, but this did not free those who were already slaves.
William Wilberforce continued his slavery abolitionist endeavours both within parliament and after he retired in 1825. It was not until 1833 that an act was passed giving freedom to all slaves in the British empire. This act passed through the British Parliament just 3 days before the death of William Wilberforce on 29th July 1833.
William Wilberforce faced continual resistance throughout his slavery abolitionist endeavours. Slave owners battled to the very end and could only be persuaded to relinquish their slaves by the government agreeing to pay very generous compensation (disgracefully to slave owners rather than to slaves).
William Wilberforce will forever be remembered as a great example of moral leadership.
Tim Hall 29/07/2020
Reflection 4: Turning the Tide on Disunity...
There is nothing better than having a common foe to create unity within a nation. For example, during and for a period after World War 2 there was a strong sense of national unity within the UK. Without a common national foe there is always the danger of national unity being replaced by national disunity. Many would argue this is currently happening in the UK and other nations without a common foe.
Without a common national foe the tendency is for people to focus on their internal differences that are never far beneath the surface. Such internal differences can soon rip nations and communities apart unless there is strong national leadership to keep people together. It is differences that tear people apart and things they have in common that keep them together. Simply telling people to focus on what they have in common is not sufficient to keep people together if their differences are too different. Keeping people together requires an acknowledgment that their differences need to be managed rather than allowing their differences to rip them apart.
The choice nations have to make is as follows:
A hands off anything goes approach to managing internal differences of its citizens leading to increased national disunity;
A hands on common good approach to managing internal differences leading to greater national unity.
The founder argues for the latter hands on common good approach. The founder argues that the hands off anything goes culture is increasingly creating disunity within nations. The founder argues that national resistance against the anything goes culture needs to become the new common foe to turn the tide on national disunity.
Tim Hall 31/07/2020
Reflection 5: We still need behaviour boundaries...
In liberal societies there is a tendency to remove behaviour boundaries to open things up rather than close things down.
Yes some behaviour boundaries are burdensome and perhaps do need looking at from time to time. However, before behaviour boundaries are totally dismantled we must not forget why the boundaries were established in the first place. Perhaps the reason for the behaviour boundary is still valid. Perhaps the behaviour boundary needs modifying rather than totally removed. Perhaps the behaviour boundary being removed needs to be replaced by a new more focused behaviour boundary. The possibility of unforseen consequences should never be ignored before behaviour boundaries are removed or modified.
In some circumstances there will even be a need for new boundaries. That is certainly the case with controlling behaviours associated with advances in medicine and technology.
What we must never forget is that in civilised societies there will always be a need for behaviour boundaries.
Tim Hall 01/08/2020
Reflection 6: Political focus on friendly behaviours...
The big issues of day are things like climate warning, migration, an increasing wealth divide, unsustainable lifestyles, living within increasingly diverse communities, living with pandemics etc. The solution to many of these issues is behavioural change that is not adequately addressed by most traditional political parties.
Outlined below is the founder's suggestion for a new political party focused on friendly behaviours to better focus on some of the big issues of the day:
Suggested name for new political party:
Friendly Ways Party
Suggested role for new political party:
To propose and support laws and policies that:
Encourage friendly and healthy ways/ behaviours;
Discourage unfriendly and unhealthy ways/ behaviours.
Suggested slogan for new political party:
More friendly ways...
Tim Hall 03/08/2020
Reflection 7: The reason for friendlyways.org
The founder understands that we only all live in peace (freedom from disruption) when we all accept the need to mutually self-control the ways we behave. The founder understands that we do not all live in peace in the culture of anything goes (unless we have the luxury of being able to escape disruption). The founder understands that living in peace with one another begins with being able to discern good friendly behaviours (friendly ways) from bad unfriendly behaviours (unfriendly ways).
The founder is not against tolerance and compassion but is against not mutually self-controlling the ways we behave. The founder is not against human rights but is against the absence of human responsibilities. The founder is not against all behaviours but is against those unfriendly behaviours that widely disturb the public.
The founder established the public well-being initiative friendlyways.org to help people live more peaceful lives (freedom from disturbance) by encouraging mutual self-control of those behaviours that widely disturb others. The founder hopes that this initiative will help to turn the cultural tide on anything goes by increasing good friendly behaviours and decreasing bad unfriendly behaviours.
Tim Hall 12/08/2020
Reflection 8: Living in Peace...
What is meant by living in peace?
Freedom from disturbance...
What do we mean?
Limits placed on the way we behave...
Responsibilities as well as rights...
Self-control rather than "anything goes" expected from us all...
How is it achieved?
Mutual moral awareness...
Mutual self-control...
Mutual tolerance...
How is it expressed?
More friendly ways...
Less unfriendly ways...
How is it encouraged?
Friendly ways encouraged...
Unfriendly ways discouraged...
Tim Hall 17/08/2020
Reflection 9: All nations need strong moral foundations and strong moral leadership...
The founder believes that all nations need strong moral foundations and strong moral leadership. The founder believes that without such ingredients nations drift towards the culture of anything goes and all the conflicts associated with anything goes that citizens are forced to endure (and that have a detrimental impact on their well-being).
The founder believes in the importance of individuals striving to live in peace with one another and the consequence that entails for individuals to behave in self-controlled ways.
The founder believes that it is important for nations (built upon strong moral foundations and with strong moral leadership) to distinguish unfriendly ways from friendly ways. The founder believes that nations should be leading the moral agenda rather than sitting back and allowing citizens to be buffeted by the moral agendas (or lack of moral agendas) of pressure groups.
The founder believes that the well-being of citizens are being negatively impacted by nations overlooking their need for strong moral foundations and strong moral leadership.
The founder believes that anything goes is not a satisfactory alternative to the need for nations to have strong moral foundations and strong moral leadership.
The founder believes that nations are abdicating their responsibilities (for strong moral foundations and strong moral leadership) by expecting individuals to discern unfriendly ways from friendly ways.
The founder believes that nations need to accept their responsibilities for upholding strong moral foundations and strong moral leadership. The founder believes that nations need to be continually discerning unfriendly ways from friendly ways. Until this happens the founder believes that the well-being of citizens will be negatively impacted as they are forced to live in the moral vacuum of anything goes and all the associated conflicts.
The founder believes that timidness to put limits on individual freedoms (the way individuals behave) is the elephant in the room. The founder believes that individuals generally accept the need for limits (self-control) if all responsible citizens are to live in peace with one another. The founder believes the leaders of nations need to be doing much more to encourage the importance of mutual self-control in the ways we all behave. The founder believes that we should all be encouraged to exercise mutual self-control as much as tolerance and respect. The founder believes that many of the moral clashes of the day are caused by people upholding anything goes rather than adhering to self-control.
Tim Hall 03/09/2020
Reflection 10: Global Ethic Commandments...
The founder shares his Global Ethic Commandments contribution to the Global Ethic debate:
We all accept that we must strive to stay in good relationship with one another rather than turning our backs on one another.
We all accept that we must encourage friendly ways and discourage unfriendly ways.
We all accept that there will always be conflicts that need to be resolved and that inevitably put limits on our human behaviours.
We all accept that we are expected to comply with the norms of behaviour determined by the nation we are in.
We all accept that only national parliament's have the right to sanction when coercive control and discriminatory behaviours are tolerated.
Tim Hall (19/06/2021)
Reflection 11: Getting into the mind of God...
Getting into the mind of God:
We live in an age of reason with most people only prepared to respond to reasoning. When we invite people to engage with Christianity we need to be able to answer questions like:
Why does Jesus Christ want us to follow him?
Why does God want us to follow his son Jesus Christ?
To answer such questions we need to strive to get into the mind of God (even though we will never to absolutely sure).
Many Christians would agree that at the heart of Christianity is a response to the sin that is in all our lives. No human is absolutely perfect all the time that means there is always room for improvement. As well as individual perpetrators of sin we are also held back by the guilt of our wrong doing. Jesus Christ on the other hand was an exemplar of perfection. We are told he was sinless and further more he sacrificed his perfect life for the forgiveness of the sins of all humans who follow him. Following Jesus Christ is therefore a human response to our sinful lives. Following Jesus Christ both challenges human followers to turn away from sin (much easier said than done) and releases human followers from the burdens of their historic wrong doing.
Yes Christianity has a great focus on love commanding us to love God and to love one another as ourselves. This begs the question why does God command us to love? Again it is likely to be a response to sin as love is the antidote of sin. The Great Commandment also reminds us that sin and love impacts on others as well as ourselves. Christianity has the potential to positively impact the lives of its followers and all the people they engage with. The more people who follow Jesus Christ the more people are positively impacted. That explains the importance of evangelism.
This begs the question what is following Jesus Christ supposed to look like? If Jesus is an exemplar of perfection, following him must be associated replacing our unfriendly ways with more friendly ways and encouraging others to do likewise.
To summarise, following Jesus Christ challenges us to address our sin by turning towards friendly ways and away from unfriendly ways. God is very likely to be pleased to see such transformations in our lives and whenever we also encourage others to likewise follow the friendly ways of Jesus Christ.
Tim Hall 15th August 2021
Reflection 12: When in Rome...
When in Rome, do as the Romans do often shortened to when in Rome is a proverb attributed to Saint Ambrose.
Saint Monica and her son, Saint Augustine, discovered that Saturday was observed as a fast day in Rome, where they planned to visit. However, it was not a fast day where they lived in Milan. They consulted Saint Ambrose who said "When I am here (in Milan) I do not fast on Saturday, when in Rome I do fast on Saturday." That reply is said to have brought about the saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Tim Hall 1st September 2021 (text copied from Wikipedia)
Reflection 13: Controlling Threats To Open Societies...
We live in an age when open societies are increasingly being exploited from within by groups striving to make our open societies less open. This is clearly seen with certain groups opting out of whole community services such as education and registration of marriages etc.
No one in open societies wants to put unnecessary restrictions on behaviours, but this is necessary whenever people are working against the common good of the whole open society.
If we do nothing we are fostering the growth of groups who threaten the rights and freedoms we enjoy in open societies.
We need to be much more vigilant to threats to the rights and freedoms within open societies. We need to realise that some behaviours and actions need to be restricted in order to protect open societies. We need to focus on protecting open societies rather than protecting closed groups determined to make open societies less open.
Tim Hall - 5 September 2021
Reflection 14: Christian perspective on encouraging friendly ways and discouraging unfriendly ways..
Our individual lives can be likened to an ongoing battle between love (likened to friendly ways) and sin (likened to unfriendly ways). Christianity is a belief system that wants love (friendly ways) to win and sin (unfriendly ways) to lose.
Christianity understands that to greater or lesser extents we are all sinners (prone to unfriendly ways) and that we can all be encouraged to love more (with more friendly ways) and sin less (with less unfriendly ways). Christianity also understands that to be in better relationships with one another we all need to love more and sin less (that is exercise more friendly ways and less unfriendly ways)
Christianity is focused on an extraordinary person called Jesus Christ whose good ways (friendly ways) Christians strive to follow (the western calendar starts from his birth). Christians strive to understand the good ways (friendly ways) of Jesus Christ by exploring the Holy Bible and by attending Church with other Christians.
Christians acknowledge that Jesus loves us all and he was prepared to die on a cross in order to forgive all our sins (unfriendly ways). Christians are able to be thankful (rejoice) that their unfriendly ways (sins) have been forgiven by the death of Jesus and they are continually challenged to follow the friendly ways of Jesus.
Christianity also acknowledges the importance of self-control (self-control is one of the so-called fruit of the spirit). This can be related to the need to self-control our unfriendly ways in order to make way for more friendly ways.
In effect Christianity is an effective way for followers to confront their unfriendly ways and to encourage followers to exercise friendly ways. It is therefore understandable that Christians should recommend Christianity to others who need an effective way to confront unfriendly ways and to exercise friendly ways.
Tim Hall September 2020