Category: Friendships

The Philosophy of Friendship

My initial post for the New Year titled New Year; New Types of Friends suggests it is the perfect time to re-evaluate your friendships.  In my next two posts in this series, I provide the history and philosophy of friendships. Starting with the ancient philosophers, many have spoken about the philosophy of friendships. Since then, dozens of sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, and historians have written extensively about the need for humans to have friends. So let’s explore the early beliefs about friendships and the role they played at different times in history.  Ancient Philosophy of Friendship  Much of the early concepts for classical friendship came from philosophers in Greece and Rome who influenced the conduct of friends during the many centuries that followed. In ancient times, the philosophy of friendships included its social significance, moral basis, and the ethical rules it implied.  As I wrote in the initial post of this

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New Year; New Types of Friends

A new year is a perfect time to start something fresh. Better yet, it’s a good time to re-evaluate your life’s practices and habits in general. This could include your food and alcohol consumption, frequency of exercise or spiritual disciplines, and even how you engage in relationships. This is especially true when evaluating your types of friends.  Spoiler Alert: This post includes a free download to a Relationship Self-Assessment to help you. Jump to download As I wrote in my last post, Reflections on My Journey through The MANual, I found many lessons as I read the entire Bible last year.  In addition to staying COVID-free, I also published a book titled Get Out of Your Man Cave: The Crisis of Male Friendship which expands the narrative about why men (and women for that matter!) need better friendships.  After retiring from my “paying job” in 2020, the book certainly is a “bucket list”

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GBs in The Bible: Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Another example of God Buddies in the Bible is one of my favorites, mainly because I like to say the names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! God deeply desires that we find close friends who stand with us whenever we enter the fires of life that test in our faith. The relationship between Daniel and his three best friends helps us think about the real meaning of friendship. The three grew in their faith together, stood by each other during some trials, and never allowed their friendship to usurp God’s place in their lives; not even in the face of death. God Buddies will also stand strong with you and support you, whereas casual acquaintances or friends of proximity usually won’t be there when things get really “hot”. Like Daniel and his buddies, it’s easier to trust in God with friends with shared convictions and beliefs. Biblical Background The book of

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