I grew up in the UK, the oldest of four children in a Christian family. We attended Anglican churches and I attended Sunday School, and was confirmed (by my choice) as a young teenager. I started assisting at Sunday School, working with the youngest age-group, and also joined my school Christian Union and the church youth group.
My parents encouraged us to think for ourselves, to ask questions, to respect but not necessarily agree with authority. I was at an academic school where it was taken for granted that everyone went to university unless they had a strong vocation elsewhere. So I read maths at uni, and at the end of my first year, aged 20, was married to the person I met and fell in love with when I was seventeen.
We've been married for over 40 years and have lived in Cyprus since the end of 1997. We have two adult sons who work in the UK, both married. One of them has two children.
I read widely; we have over 3000 books in our collection, not counting the few hundred on my Kindle. I've always enjoyed writing and discussing issues in a friendly way. I like hearing alternative viewpoints, understanding where people are coming from. Much of what I used to believe has changed, or perhaps expanded to include other people's point of view and alternative interpretations of traditions, culture, and most importantly the Bible.
I started blogging in 2005, and quickly realised that it was best to have thematic blogs. So I keep one about life in Cyprus, one with reviews of the books I read (about 100 per year), one with reviews of DVDs I see (about 20-30 per year), one for board games, one for recipes.... and this one, which was intended to be for helping me to think through important issues of life and society. Essentially it's a catch-all for what doesn't fit in any of my other blogs.
I don't in the least mind when people disagree with me, so long as they do so with respect; I'm willing, equally, to respect and listen to other people's viewpoints, and perhaps to alter my own to take account of new information or different understandings.
Comments are always welcome.
My parents encouraged us to think for ourselves, to ask questions, to respect but not necessarily agree with authority. I was at an academic school where it was taken for granted that everyone went to university unless they had a strong vocation elsewhere. So I read maths at uni, and at the end of my first year, aged 20, was married to the person I met and fell in love with when I was seventeen.
We've been married for over 40 years and have lived in Cyprus since the end of 1997. We have two adult sons who work in the UK, both married. One of them has two children.
I read widely; we have over 3000 books in our collection, not counting the few hundred on my Kindle. I've always enjoyed writing and discussing issues in a friendly way. I like hearing alternative viewpoints, understanding where people are coming from. Much of what I used to believe has changed, or perhaps expanded to include other people's point of view and alternative interpretations of traditions, culture, and most importantly the Bible.
I started blogging in 2005, and quickly realised that it was best to have thematic blogs. So I keep one about life in Cyprus, one with reviews of the books I read (about 100 per year), one with reviews of DVDs I see (about 20-30 per year), one for board games, one for recipes.... and this one, which was intended to be for helping me to think through important issues of life and society. Essentially it's a catch-all for what doesn't fit in any of my other blogs.
I don't in the least mind when people disagree with me, so long as they do so with respect; I'm willing, equally, to respect and listen to other people's viewpoints, and perhaps to alter my own to take account of new information or different understandings.
Comments are always welcome.
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