Just Human?

Introduction  |  Community  |  Challenges  |  News  |  Resources  |  Contact  |  Join  |  Admin

(Back to Home ... Introduction)

Values

These values are not set in stone, but they describe (as best we have managed so far) the values we expect to see expressed in the contributions and interactions of our members.

We seek ...

• We seek to help people flourish, to grow as people in every way they can – not only spiritually, but mentally, emotionally, physically, relationally, and so on.  Nothing is unimportant if it is important to someone.
• We seek to find the best answers we can, but recognize that an answer which satisfies one person may not satisfy another, and also that in practice we must often be satisfied with ‘good enough’ answers for the time being.  Finding a good enough answer does not mean that you stop seeking, but it may mean that your search takes on a different significance and urgency.
• We seek to articulate a set of values which we can embrace.  We seek to understand values, not only to understand and affirm them, but so that we can attempt to live by them.  By seeking to understand them better ourselves, by articulating them more clearly, and by identifying with them personally, we are able to influence the society around us.  In particular, we want the churches, charities, political parties and other groups we support to share and identify with the values which are important to us.

We commit  ...

• We commit ourselves to provide a space where everybody feels safe and welcomed, whoever and whatever they are.
• We commit ourselves to provide a space where everybody is treated with dignity and respect, where people can be known and be accepted for who they are, which means they must have the opportunity to talk about themselves, to share their story as well as their questions.
• We commit ourselves to provide a space where people can ask questions and explore, not only ideas but also practical challenges; aiming to connect the details of everyday life with our deepest values.  We value truth for its own sake, but we also seek answers so that we can live them.

We recognize ...

• We recognize that every question is a personal one, even if it is shared by many people.  The questions which trouble us are rooted in human life: questions may often be presented in absolute and abstract terms, but I only ask the question because I have a need to find the answer – even if that need is only simple curiosity – and the nature of my need shapes both the question and the answers I am interested in finding.
• We recognize that everybody is different, even though we share many things in common; we can learn from one another, but cannot demand that what works for me will also work for you.  We seek to find, not ‘the’ answer to difficult questions, but a range of answers, each of which will work for a different group of people, so that while you will probably not find every answer helpful, you may at least find something helpful.
• We recognize that we are not called to do everything, but we are called to do what we can do best.  Other people and groups offer a great deal which is good and helpful, and we are not called to reinvent the wheel; but we aim to create a space which is not currently being provided for many people.