Contemporary Connections

Meaning in your life

What could render your own life meaningful? In the end you'll have to judge that for yourself.  But here are a few hyperlinks to serve as food for thought.

Meaning through exploring your faith

A Confession (http://flag.blackened.net/daver/anarchism/tolstoy/confession.html) Tolstoy's account of his life's search for meaning, finally culminating in Christian faith For more on Tolstoy see the topical links for Chapter 7.

Prayer: The Food of my Soul (http://www.mkgandhi-sarvodaya.org/God/god.htm) Collection of quotations by Gandhi on the role of prayer in his life For more on Gandhi see the links for Chapter 6.4.

Bible Gateway (http://bible.gospelcom.net/) Searchable Bible by passage or keyword; contains numerous translations

The Qur'an (http://re-xs.ucsm.ac.uk/re/religion/islam/quran.html) Collection of links to the Qur'an online, including some searchable versions and ones with audio files; from the Religious Education Exchange Service

World Religions (http://www.sacred-texts.com/world.htm) Sacred texts from a host of different religions; compiled by J. B. Hare (Sacred-texts.com)

The Scriptures of Mankind: An Introduction (http://www.religion-online.org/cgi-bin/relsearchd.dll/showbook?item_id=704) Online book by Charles Samuel Braden on the history of various sacred texts

Meaning through helping others

Albert Schweitzer: Philosopher, Physician & Humanitarian (http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96jan/schweitzer.html) Brief biography and collection of links by Robin Chew (Lucidcafé)

Schweitzer's Struggle to Find Life's Meaning (http://www.pcisys.net/~jnf/mdnstory.html) Schweitzer's account of finding meaning in life through reverencing life and helping others

Mother Teresa, Humanitarian (http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95aug/motherteresa.html) Brief biography and collection of links by Robin Chew (Lucidcafé)

Nobel Lecture by Mother Teresa (http://gos.sbc.edu/m/teresanobel.html) Mother Teresa's speech upon accepting the Nobel Prize, 1979

Americorps: Corporation for National and Community Service (http://www.americorps.org/whoweare.html) Network of national service programs to make a difference across the country

Peace Corps (http://www.peacecorps.gov/indexf.cfm) Home page of this worldwide volunteer organization

Habitat for Humanity International (http://www.habitat.org/) Nonprofit organization aimed at building affordable housing for people worldwide

Teach for America (http://www.teachforamerica.org/) Program directed toward teaching in needy urban and rural public schools in the U.S.

Volunteer Match (http://www.volunteermatch.org/) Service to match up volunteers and people in need; search by your zip code or check out the "virtual volunteering" section

Idealist.org: Action Without Borders (http://www.idealist.org/) Resource for locating various volunteer organizations and opportunities across the globe

Meaning through cultivating appreciation of the liberal arts

The Louvre (http://www.louvre.fr/louvrea.htm) Site of this well-known Parisian art museum; offers a virtual tour; requires QuickTime viewer

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (http://www.metmuseum.org/home.asp) Museum home page, including over 3,500 works of art online

Great Books Lists (http://www.interleaves.org/~rteeter/greatbks.html) Set of several collections of reading suggestions in both the Eastern and Western canons; compiled by Robert Teeter

Great Books and Classics (http://www.grtbooks.com/) Collection of chronologically arranged great works in Eastern and Western religion, philosophy, politics, science, history and literature

Great Books Index (http://www.mirror.org/books/gb.links.html) Set of links to various pages devoted to great works of literature

The Teaching Company (https://www.teach12.com/teach12.asp) Home page of company offering non-credit courses in literature, philosophy, history, music, etc. on audiocassette or CD; lectures given by university professors selected for excellence in teaching as well as subject matter