Sunspots 886

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*:

Christianity:  A document, "The Faith Once Delivered," developed by a group of Methodist (including several denominations and institutions, among them my own, The Wesleyan Church) theologians, which aims to say what Methodists, no matter their denomination, believe, about the essentials of the faith.

Computing: Business Insider reports on virtual rapes in the Metaverse.

Environment: Gizmodo reports that the US Supreme Court has upheld a ruling that holds back greenhouse gas release.

NPR reports that some states are taking steps to charge manufacturers for the use of plastics in packaging.

Politics: Gizmodo reports that several politicians have put out basically the same statement about the shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

 

22 questions from the "Holy Club" of the Wesleys, John and Charles

John Wesley, with his brother, Charles, founded the Holy Club at Oxford University, which was the forerunner of the Methodist Church. (See here for more on the Holy Club.)

One feature of the group was the use of accountability questions. I have been unable to determine whether what follows is an actual list, or closely based on a list -- if it were, it would be public domain -- from the early days of the Holy Club, but here is a list of such questions:

These are 22 questions, probably quite similar to, or identical with, the questions that members of John Wesley’s “Holy Club” asked themselves every day in their private devotions, over 200 years ago.

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?

4. Can I be trusted?

5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?

6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

7. Did the Bible live in me today?

8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?

9. Am I enjoying prayer?

10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?

17. How do I spend my spare time?

18. Am I proud?

19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?

20. Do I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard anyone? If so, what am I doing about it?

21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

22. Is Christ real to me?

Thank you for reading. I heard of this list a couple of weeks ago, and have been using it since.