Online Adult Forum 2009

Discussion Topic: "New Mammography Guidelines Cause Controversy"

KenVincent — Thur, 19 Nov 2009 16:42:22 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Knowing that no human or group of humans is infallible, how should we decide when to rely on information from a group charged with working for the common good?

2. "Trust but verify" was a phrase President Ronald Reagan sometimes used in dealings with the Soviet Union. Should it also be applicable to groups within our own society who have no known agenda beyond their assigned task?

3. What are the dangers of unquestioning trust of others? What are the dangers of always questioning everything?

4. Where health is concerned, is it always better to err on the side of prevention, no matter how much it costs? Why or why not?

5. How does your level of trust vs. skepticism affect your relationship with God?

Discussion Topic: "As Fort Hood Memorializes Its Dead, Investigators Seek Gunman's Motives"

KenVincent — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:03:14 GMT

The Big Questions

1. How can it be that in any religion, while most adherents understand it as advocating peace, there is always a minority who understand it as justification to kill others to achieve aims supposedly supported by that religion?

2. In religion, where is the line between devout commitment and fanaticism? How do we recognize when we are crossing it?

3. What violent actions, where the perpetrator has claimed to be acting in the name of Christ, have made you say, "That's NOT Christianity"?

4. How could a psychiatrist, someone supposedly trained to recognize deviant behavior, slip so far himself from his professional and educational moorings as to commit the killings at Fort Hood?

5. What are the boundaries we should never cross, no matter how zealous our devotion to Christ?

Discussion Topic: "Berlin Wall Fall Anniversary is November 9"

KenVincent — Thur, 05 Nov 2009 18:51:47 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Christianity is not identical to political freedom, but are there aspects of Christianity that make it supportive of political freedom? If so, what aspects?

2. Most Christians viewed Communism as a threat to humankind. Why?

3. The removal of the Berlin Wall and the changes it symbolized seemed at the time to make the world a safer place. Subsequently, however, new threats have arisen and humankind seems as divided as ever. What does that suggest about the nature of human interactions on a global platform? What does it suggest for Christian's who work for peace?

4. What "walls" should today's churches be trying to pull down? Why?

5. What personal "walls" do you need to deconstruct? Why?

Discussion Topic: "Distracted Pilots Miss Destination, Fail to Respond to Radio Calls"

KenVincent — Thur, 29 Oct 2009 17:47:07 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Where can loss of situational awareness create a problem in your work?

2. When does lack or loss of situational awareness become a religious issue?

3. Can lack of situational awareness be a sin?

4. Is lack of situational awareness the same thing as insensitivity? Why or why not?

5. Is it possible for the whole church to lose situational awareness? If so, give an example.

Discussion Topic: "Science Aims to Upgrade Body Parts, Extending Human Life"

KenVincent — Thur, 22 Oct 2009 18:12:11 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Is it a good idea to continue to expand the average life span? Why or why not?

2. These medical procedures are likely to be very costly. Who should decide who gets them and who does not? Should they be available only to those who can afford them? Explain your answer.

3. What effect might longer life spans have on such systems as Social Security, the job market, healthcare, prisons, schools, the leisure industry, food-growing operations, organ procurement practices, church ministries, etc.? What effect might they have on population issues?

4. What are the religious implications of living with vigor longer? How might it change our thinking about the soul?

5. How might the nonphysical aspect of human life -- social life, spiritual life, mental life and so on -- be affected by longer life spans?

Discussion Topic: "Peace Prize Award Surprises Many, Including Recipient"

KenVincent — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:54:47 GMT

The Big Questions

1. What is the goal of peacemaking? Why is peacemaking a Christian value?

2. We tend to think of peacemaking as a global task, but where does the call to make peace apply to ordinary citizens? Are there special applications of the call for Christians? If so, what are they?

3. Compromise is sometimes a tool of peacemaking, but when does it cease to be useful in making peace?

4. Is it a moral obligation for Christians to take the initiative in peacemaking? Why or why not? How far should you as a Christian go to keep peace with a rude, inconsiderate or obnoxious neighbor?

5. Armed force is sometimes viewed as a component of peacemaking. Do you agree that it can be? If so, how do we determine when it needs to be used for peacemaking? Are mercy and sacrifice more powerful than armed force in terms of making peace?

Discussion Topic: "Polanski Arrested in Child Sex Case"

KenVincent — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:40:48 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Assume a person who has committed a crime and fled punishment has lived a crime-free life thereafter. To what degree, if any, should that person's subsequent record affect how he or she is dealt with regarding the original offense? What about the argument that "time heals"?

2. In the Polanski case, there is no statute of limitation because he had already been charged and pled guilty, but in general, are statutes of limitation a good idea? Why or why not?

3. Most likely, if the person charged in this crime were an indigent individual who was not famous, there would not be any public sentiment to drop the case. Should it be that way? Is there any merit to the view that some people's contributions to society are so valuable that they should be given a pass on moral failings? Explain your answer.

4. What is the biblical view about showing partiality toward some persons?

5. What effect, if any, should the victim's wishes in this case have on whether the prosecution goes forward or not? Why?

Discussion Topic: "Lions Beat Redskins, Ending 19-Game Losing Streak"

KenVincent — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:05:52 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Is perseverance a necessary part of Christian faith and practice? Why or why not?

2. How are perseverance and hope related?

3. How are perseverance and self-discipline related? How are perseverance and "comfort zone" related?

4. What measures help to keep discouragement at bay when success seems to continually elude your efforts?

5. At what point does perseverance become denial? How do we determine when an effort or goal should be abandoned?

Discussion Topic: "Rude Behavior"

KenVincent — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:37:25 GMT

The Big Questions

A good question with which to begin this lesson might be to ask: What is civility, and in our culture what would civility look like?

Is civility in decline, or is it simply more visible today than in the past what with 24/7 television coverage, camera phones, Twitter, Facebook and so on?

Some might argue that civility has a downside. A culture of civility is also a culture of dishonesty, some say, and that what is often perceived as incivility is more accurately an attempt to draw attention to the truth. What do you think?

In his book, Choosing Civility, P.M. Forni, Professor at Johns Hopkins University and Director of the Civility Initiative at Johns Hopkins, offers a number of "civility" rules. What rules of civility would you suggest? (You might see if your local library has this book to see some of the "rules" Dr. Forni suggests for purposes of aiding the discussion. You could also have an easel with butcher paper and a magic marker handy to record the suggestions of the class.)

When someone is uncivil to you, how do you handle the situation? Are you conscious of how your profession of faith causes you and helps you to respond in a way that otherwise you might not?

Do you think that developing the discipline of civility in your life would improve the quality of your life? If so, in what way?

Discussion Topic: "Re-employment Not Keeping Pace with Economic Recovery"

KenVincent — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:33:20 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Over the long run, what might be the impact on our lifestyle if many of the jobs jettisoned during the recent downturn are not replaced as the economy rises again?

2. While losing a job and not being able to find another creates financial hardship for most people, what other effects is unemployment likely to have on them?

3. In what specific ways does the Christian faith help you when you are "pounded down" by the circumstances of the economy?

4. Is there anything in the current job shortage that should cause us personal fear? If so, what? If not, why not?

5. What role should churches take with members who are distressed by being unemployed?

Discussion Topic: "President Makes Stay-in-School Speech to Nation's Kids"

KenVincent — Thur, 10 Sep 2009 18:10:07 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Assuming a partisan agenda is not included and the message is positive, is there any reason that a national leader should not address school children? Explain your answer.

2. What level of respect do Christians owe to the president regardless of whether we agree or disagree with that leader's political position? Why?

3. Should we assume that political figures with whom we disagree regarding national policies are nonetheless as much interested in the public good as are candidates we agree with? In other words, should we assume that most people in public life, regardless of party affiliation, are people of good will unless they clearly demonstrate that they are not? Explain your thinking about this.

4. If you agree that both liberals and conservatives are interested in the public good but disagree over how to accomplish it, then what should be the tone of our political disagreements? If you do not agree that both groups are interested in the public good, explain what brings you to that conclusion.

5. If wise advice is spoken by someone with whom we disagree on other matters, does that make their advice any less wise? Why or why not?

Discussion Topic: "Lockerbie Bomber's Release Brings Mixed Reactions"

KenVincent — Thur, 03 Sep 2009 19:05:16 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Is a prisoner's impending death from a natural cause sufficient reason to grant early release when the crime involved is especially heinous? What biblical principles are involved?

2. How are justice and mercy related to each other? What factors help you decide when to apply one over the other?

3. When, if ever, should international concerns between nations be permitted to override matters of justice toward individuals? What facts of international relationships should be considered, if any?

4. How far should the rewarding of rogue nations go when they move away from terrorism or human rights abuse?

5. What position should the church take in this particular case?

Discussion Topic: "Ted Kennedy Dies at 77"

KenVincent — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:39:18 GMT

The Big Questions

1. What qualifies a person to be considered "a great man" or "a great woman"?

2. To what degree must a person's record coincide with your personal values for you to recognize that person's achievements as valuable?

3. To what degree should a major failing in a person's past color the final assessment of that person?

4. Under what conditions is a willingness to work with people with whom you disagree in basic philosophy the right thing to do? When is it better to accept no progress at all rather than a compromise that includes features you don't like?

5. What does it mean to call a body of work one's legacy?

Discussion Topic: "Health Care: End-of-Life Counseling Provision Raises Furor"

KenVincent — Thur, 20 Aug 2009 18:19:20 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Studies show that only 13 percent of Americans have a living will, a document that lays out their desires for treatment as they near death. Why do you think that number is so low?

2. While people who are part of strong families have caring relatives to help them in making end-of-life decisions, what about people who have no such support group? What support is available for them?

3. Why do you think some people heard the proposed advance-counseling provision as opening the door for euthanasia and "death panels" even though the provision included no such measures?

4. Is end-of-life planning in any way an expression of lack of trust in God? Explain your answer.

5. Ought government have any participation in end-of-life counseling, even if only funding it?

Discussion Topic: "Personal Metrics Aim At Self-Knowledge"

KenVincent — Thur, 13 Aug 2009 20:43:15 GMT

The Big Questions

1. Is understanding yourself something the Bible encourages?

2. Self-knowledge is valuable for maturing emotionally and psychologically, but is it a worthwhile quest for our spiritual lives? Why or why not?

3. How does self-knowledge aid us in our human relationships?

4. Is a deep level of self-understanding likely to make us more or less judgmental about others? Explain your answer.

5. Might the outcome of praying for self-knowledge be something you didn't want to know? Explain your answer.