Archive of Questions from 2019
Ask not: How can I achieve enlightenment?
But perhaps: Do I have enough light to take my next step?
December 25, 2019
Ask not: Does God exist?
But perhaps: How might I encounter God?
December 24, 2019
Ask not: Why am I uncomfortable with change?
But perhaps: Why am I afraid of death?
December 23, 2019
Ask not: What is the meaning of Christmas?
But perhaps: What does it mean for Christ to be born today?
December 22, 2019
Ask not: Do I belong?
But perhaps: How can I welcome others?
December 21, 2019
Ask not: How much evidence supports my belief?
But perhaps: How much evidence am I willing to ignore?
December 18, 2019
Ask not: How can I know?
But perhaps: How can I keep learning?
December 17, 2019
Ask not: What do I hope for?
But perhaps: What makes me a hopeful person?
December 7, 2019
Ask not: What knowledge can I gain from this book?
But perhaps: How can this book help me to see more clearly and honestly?
December 6, 2019
Ask not: What do we need to cover in this class?
But perhaps: What can we uncover in this time together?
December 5, 2019
Ask not: What will AI (artificial intelligence) be able to do?
But perhaps: How much of my intelligence is artificial (divorced from my bodily life in this world)?
December 4, 2019
Ask not: What is the truth of the universe?
But perhaps: How have I not been completely honest in my relationship with the world?
December 3, 2019
Ask not: How does Jesus save people?
But perhaps: How will Jesus save this individual’s life?
November 25, 2019
Ask not: What is God’s will for my life?
But perhaps: How can I learn to want what God wants?
November 24, 2019
Ask not: Who is the hero in this situation?
But perhaps: Are there any martyrs (witnesses) here?
November 23, 2019
Ask not: Why did this stand the test of time?
But perhaps: How did this maintain its identity as it adapted to new times?
November 22, 2019
Ask not: Who can forgive my sin?
But perhaps: Who can break through my self-deception and show me my sin?
November 19, 2019
Ask not: How does this Bible passage support my theology?
But perhaps: What might God be saying to me here?
November 18, 2019
Ask not: How can I get rid of feelings of guilt?
But perhaps: How can I live in a way that I incur less guilt?
November 16, 2019
Ask not: What should I do in this instance?
But perhaps: How can I act in this instance in a way that is true to my character?
November 15, 2019
Ask not: Will the president’s campaign benefit if he is impeached but not removed from office?
But perhaps: What norm will the president break next if he is not removed?
November 14, 2019
Ask not: How should we rest on the Sabbath?
But perhaps: How can we take a rest from thinking about what we should or shouldn’t do?
November 13, 2019
Ask not: How can Jesus be both human and God?
But perhaps: Can God become a human without ceasing to be God?
November 12, 2019
Ask not: How do the miracles of Jesus show that he is divine?
But perhaps: How do the signs which Jesus performs show the love of God for our world?
November 11, 2019
Ask not: How can I know the truth?
But perhaps: Where am I not being totally honest?
November 10, 2019
Ask not: What is the moral or message of this story?
But perhaps: Why do people keep telling this story?
November 9, 2019
Ask not: What is the best way talk about God?
But perhaps: What is one way to talk with God?
November 8, 2019
Ask not: How can we treat all people fairly?
But perhaps: How can we treat each person as a sacred soul?
November 7, 2019
Ask not: How can we ensure that justice is blind?
But perhaps: How can we help justice see beyond privilege?
November 6, 2019
Ask not: What is the gist of his argument?
But perhaps: What metaphor does her argument rely on?
November 5, 2019
Ask not: Is Christianity true?
But perhaps: Did Jesus tell the truth?
November 4, 2019
Ask not: Is this new idea consistent with what I already know?
But perhaps: How can I begin a productive dialog with this new idea?
November 3, 2019
Ask not: What is this thing like?
But perhaps: How can I better get to know this thing?
November 2, 2019
Ask not: How can we distill meaning from this life?
But perhaps: How can we live whole lives?
November 1, 2019
Ask not: How can I find meaning in my life?
But perhaps: How can I appreciate more of the beauty of this life?
October 31, 2019
Ask not: What is she trying to say?
But perhaps: How is what she says different from what I expected to hear, or wanted her to say?
October 30, 2019
Ask not: Does prayer work?
But perhaps: Is there a way to communicate with God?
October 28, 2019
Ask not: How should I pray?
But perhaps: Is anyone there?
October 27, 2019
Ask not: What evidence shows that I am right?
But perhaps: How might I be deceiving myself?
October 26, 2019
Ask not: Where did he come from?
But perhaps: Where might he lead us?
October 24, 2019
Ask not: How much should I give to God?
But perhaps: What can I give up to make more room for God in my life?
October 23, 2019
Ask not: What is infringing on my freedom of religion?
But perhaps: How can I use my freedom to help guarantee that people of other religions are able to worship freely?
October 22, 2019
Ask not: How can I make myself an example (light) for others?
But perhaps: How can I work for the common good?
October 21, 2019
Ask not: Where did you come from?
But perhaps: How did you get here?
October 20, 2019
Ask not: What is God like?
But perhaps: How can I clarify my relationship with God?
October 19, 2019
Ask not: Who would need to be deposed of power in a political/economic revolution in the US?
But perhaps: How would we build a new political/economic system and how long would that take?
October 16, 2019
Ask not: What do we have in common?
But perhaps: How can we relate to each other?
October 15, 2019
Ask not: What am I good for?
But perhaps: What good can I do today?
October 4, 2019
Ask not: What would Republicans have done if Obama had done this thing Trump did?
But perhaps: What will Democrats do if their next candidate for president does something like Trump has done?
October 1, 2019
Ask not: How can I tame my emotions so I can think more rationally?
But perhaps: How can my emotions help me think better?
September 28, 2019
Ask not: Why is there order in the universe?
But perhaps: Why is there order in my mind?
September 26, 2019
Ask not: Why is there order in the universe?
But perhaps: Why do I desire to perceive order in the universe?
September 25, 2019
Ask not: Why is there so much tragedy in the world?
But perhaps: What (unrealistic) expectations do I hold which predispose me to see things as tragic?
September 24, 2019
Ask not: How can I do better than my competition?
But perhaps: Would it be better for me to join forces with my competition?
September 23, 2019
Ask not: Why are all my favorite foods bad for me?
But perhaps: How can I find good foods that I like?
September 22, 2019
Ask not: Who is with us?
But perhaps: Who doesn’t yet know that we are with them?
September 20, 2019
Ask not: How can I plan for what comes next?
But perhaps: How can I be prepared to handle whatever comes next?
September 19, 2019
Ask not: How can I win this debate?
But Perhaps: How can present my beliefs most clearly?
September 18, 2019
Ask not: How can I learn more?
But perhaps: How can I become more aware of my ignorance?
September 17, 2019
Ask not: Who owes me?
But perhaps: How can I forgive my credit?
September 16, 2019
Ask not: What does the church believe?
But perhaps: How does the church live?
September 15, 2019
Ask not: How can I logically contend with that argument?
But perhaps: How can I better understand the logic of that argument?
September 14, 2019
Ask not: How can I keep my customers happy?
But perhaps: How can I help my customers become more successful?
September 13, 2019
Ask not: What changes should I make in my life?
But perhaps: What new life is waiting to be born in me?
September 12, 2019
Ask not: Who best understands the Bible?
But perhaps: Who best knows Jesus?
September 11, 2019
Ask not: How can we solve this problem?
But perhaps: How can we unlock the blessing in this situation?
September 10, 2019
Ask not: What more can I get if I go a little faster?
But perhaps: What might catch up to me if I slow down?
September 9, 2019
Ask not: Where can I find God?
But perhaps: How can I make it easier for God to find me?
September 8, 2019
Ask not: Why can’t I understand this?
But perhaps: Why don’t I want to understand this?
September 6, 2019
Ask not: What discovery will change the world?
But perhaps: What quest will change the world?
September 5, 2019
Ask not: How can I get rid of this negative emotion?
But perhaps: How can I expand my heart to welcome this emotion?
September 4, 2019
Ask not: What must I let go of?
But perhaps: What may I set free?
September 3, 2019
Ask not: How are humans endangering nature?
But perhaps: How are humans connected with nature?
September 1, 2019
Ask not: How can I have what I want?
But perhaps: How can I want what I have?
August 31, 2019
Ask not: Is this design sustainable?
But perhaps: Is this design attractive enough for us to care for it?
August 30, 2019
Ask not: Let’s agree to disagree.
But perhaps: Let’s explore the nature of our disagreement.
August 29, 2019
Ask not: Do I belong here?
But perhaps: Can I be my true self here?
August 28, 2019
Ask not: What is this new world like?
But perhaps: Tell me a story from this new world.
August 27, 2019
Ask not: What must I see in order to believe?
But perhaps: What might I see if I believed?
August 26, 2019
Ask not: What will make me happy?
But perhaps: What group of people gives me happiness as I am part of it?
August 25, 2019
Ask not: How is the present like the past?
But perhaps: How is the present unlike the possible?
August 24, 2019
Ask not: What tasks need done? or What project do I need to complete?
But perhaps: What problem am I working to solve?
August 23, 2019
Ask not: What is the reason for this suffering?
But perhaps: How can this suffering help me become more loving?
August 22, 2019
Ask not: How can I survive this suffering?
But perhaps: How can I learn as I suffer?
August 21, 2019
Ask not: How can I respond to this offense that I have been given?
But perhaps: How can I refuse to accept this offense?
August 20, 2019
Ask not: What are the obstacles to things getting better?
But perhaps: How might I be an obstacle to things getting better?
August 19, 2019
Ask not: What can I do to make things better?
But perhaps: What obstacle can I remove so that things might get better?
August 18, 2019
Ask not: How can I become a better person?
But perhaps: How can I become a more human person? (Stephen Colbert)
August 17, 2019
Ask not: What does my freedom allow me to buy, or do, or make?
But perhaps: What does my freedom allow me to question?
August 16, 2019
Ask not: What does my freedom allow me to buy, or do, or make?
But perhaps: Who does my freedom allow me to become?
August 15, 2019
Ask not: What side are they on?
But perhaps: Where am I when I’m beside them?
August 14, 2019
Ask not: How do I explain what this person is like?
But perhaps: How do I honor this person’s uniqueness?
August 13, 2019
Ask not: How can I defend my belief?
But perhaps: How does my belief play out in my life?
August 12, 2019
Ask not: What would Jesus do?
But perhaps: What would I want others to do?
August 11, 2019
Ask not: Do I want to own this?
But perhaps: Am I willing to take care of this?
August 10, 2019
Ask not: Might I make a mistake if I attempt this?
But perhaps: Might I learn something helpful if I make a mistake doing this?
August 9, 2019
Ask not: How can I make sense of this?
But perhaps: How does this mess with my mind?
August 8, 2019
Ask not: What is the artist trying to say?
But perhaps: How can I begin to see the world this way?
August 7, 2019
Ask not: Which side of the debate makes the most sense?
But perhaps: What lies below the surface of these arguments that neither side is willing to expose?
August 6, 2019
Ask not: What does this work of art mean?
But perhaps: How does this work of art become a presence to be reckoned with?
August 5, 2019
Ask not: Which side am I on?
But perhaps: What is it about me that neither side could use either to claim or to demonize me?
August 4, 2019
Ask not: Does God exist?
But perhaps: Did I just catch God at work out of the corner of my eye?
August 3, 2019
Ask not: What does this mean?
But perhaps: How does this change things?
August 2, 2019
Ask not: How can I do this?
But perhaps: Where do I begin?
August 1, 2019
Ask not: Am I good?
But perhaps: Am I good for something?
July 31, 2019
Ask not: Am I right?
But perhaps: Am I doing what’s good?
July 30, 2019
Ask not: Where do I go from here?
But perhaps: Does here welcome me in or is here nudging me on?
July 29, 2019
Ask not: What plan (or process) can we use to solve this problem?
But perhaps: Can we solve this by beginning to walk (and work) through it?
July 28, 2019
Ask not: Is this bad or good?
But perhaps: Is this dead or alive?
July 27, 2019
Ask not: How can I become more spiritual?
But perhaps: How can my body be sanctified by the spirit?
July 26, 2019
Ask not: What am I searching for?
But perhaps: What am I hiding from?
July 25, 2019
Ask not: How can I be free from governmental interference in my personal life?
But perhaps: How am I free to personally pursue the common good by participating in government?
July 24, 2019
Ask not: Am I willing to fail?
But perhaps: Am I passionate enough about this to attempt it in spite of the possibility of failure?
July 23, 2019
Ask not: What code can we use to understand this ancient writing?
But perhaps: What made this writing important for author and audience in their time?