Familycology FAQ #1
The Number 1 FamCol Question:
"The basic ideas on which your program are based seem sound. Although I am very much an individualist and firmly believe in the right of the individual to shape his or her own life, I also recognize that a secular and globalized society does create a certain alienation when the natural core of the human family is shattered, which alienation can become destructive for certain individuals.
"Creating closeness and community, rebuilding "the core", as you seem to suggest could be a positive method for dealing with such alienation.
"As to values, you are correct in that it is necessary to teach values that are good for the preservation of society on a long term basis.
"What my concern would be (and I think this is the concern of most others as well) is which values that should be taught through the gatherings you suggest? Who decides? Who does the teaching?"
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Spoken like a true Familycologist! BTW, as you are obviously and very legitimately concerned about the c- word, use http://www.insolitology.com/rationally/culttest.htm to see why cults of all kinds from the smallest to the largest are anti-Famcol...
The essence of Familycology is that each family decides for itself, and when younger family members start their own families, those new families also decide for themselves. Maybe it's not a perfect solution to our current deterioration of family wholeness and increasing lack of intergenerational nurturing and respect. But do you have a better idea for bringing back family "togetherness"?
Think of Familycology as families, formally or informally, congregating in their own homes (whether or not they also go to church, synagogue, temple, etc.) on a regular basis to remind themselves and their kin about old-time values like love of family, willingness to help family members in times of need, unwillingness to leave the well-being of your family in the hands of governmental agencies or at the mercy of corporate interests.
Also think of each individual family on a regular basis revising its goals, plans and actions, with those family "congregations" initially led by the parents of the family. As for who does the teaching, we say initially the parents -- although as the children get older, also the children -- within the context of how much that family believes in honor thy mother and father. We believe that when a teacher teaches it is good, when a teacher learns from the student it is better, and when they both teach each other and learn from each other it is best.
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Question # 2.
What are local, regional and national Familycology meetings like?
There are no local, regional or national or other Familycology meetings, run by people outside of the individual family. That would defeat the basic purpose of Familycology. The idea of family members congregating on a regular basis as one (to remind themselves of their obligations to each other and also to their future generations) is a meme to be spread by the Web, not a organization with multi-family meetings where some members of some families take over and others become followers. Familycologizing is about parents again getting to be and stay the leaders of their own families in the same way that, for example, from the time of Abraham and through to the time of Moses, each Hebrew family had a father and mother leadership team.
By the way, one of the most powerful powers that bishops had in the earliest Christian churches was the exclusive right to say where and when meetings were to be held! Think about that, Friend, as you go through your secular day from meeting x to meeting y at the behest of those you work with and for -- per who have the power to say where and when meetings are to be convened and who is to be there?