the interdependent web

Technology, voting, same-sex marriage, and more

2009-11-06T13:28:00.001-05:00

UUism and Technology

Bill Baar advises fellow UUs to look past the movement and remember that they're part of a church:

Marking life's passages. Comforting a spirit. That's what Churches do. Movements don't. (I've belonged. They grind and take. They don't give.)

Maybe when trying to stick to visitors, we ought to spend some time explaining just what Church is about. Tell our visitors what we do very well. ("Pfarrer Streccius," October 31)

Peter Bowden discusses the usefulness of Twitter in growing congregations:

My take on Twitter? I find it is helping me to keep in touch with the reality of the people our congregations are serving. It is almost like a technological version of being mildly psychic. Activate that UU twitter-sense and all of a sudden I'm tapped into what hundreds of UUs, UU friends, organizations and other denominations are up to. It is especially useful for exchanging resource links. ("The UU Growth Blog," October 31)

The Rev. Sean Dennison reflects on the lessons he learned during his negotiated resignation:

14. I learned that the "technology gap" can be dangerous in several ways: first, it can make some people feel as though the minister is less accessible to them because they do not use technology; second, it can be used to spread rumors that are impossible to counter; third, it blurs the lines between professional and personal time and information.

15. I learned that my call to ministry is strong and though this was a painful experience, I still feel confident in my skill and commitment to this work. ("Ministrare," November 2)

Kari Kopnick was excited to share her views on the direction of UUism with President Peter Morales and the Rev. Harlan Limpert, UUA vice president of Ministries and Congregational Support:

And this is what I got to tell Harlan Limpert as we ate our dinner and chatted about our beloved community. He listened. He took notes. He asked questions. This is the best part of serving on the LREDA board, a chance to share my story with people who need to hear it. To sing my canary song! It's not dark and gloomy and dangerous here. In fact, I think maybe we've found the path to the sun. We can bring our lost family members back, make them welcome. Expect them. Be ready. ("Chalice Spark," November 4)

Voting and same-sex marriage

The Rev. Thom Belote encourages people all around the country to get out and vote:

Around the country there are a number of elections worth watching. In Maine, voters are heading to the polls to vote on whether or not to repeal a decision allowing Gay Marriage. In New Jersey there is a hotly contested Governor's race between incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie. In the Virginia Governor's race, Republican Bob McDonnell is expected to defeat Democrat Creigh Deeds. ("RevThom," November 3)

The Rev. Daniel Harper bemoans the repeal of same-sex marriage in Maine: "With nearly 90% of precincts reporting in, looks like Maine voters have repealed same sex marriage. Crap." ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," November 3)

DairyStateDad believes that over time the tide will turn in favor of same-sex marriage:

And I think that's what it's going to take: More and more people finding out that people who live near them and interact in their lives just happen to be gay. Over time, I hope they'll come to see that the rights and privileges all of us get who are fortunate enough to be able to marry the partner of our dreams belong to those whose partners, and dreams, are different from their own. ("DairyStateDad," November 4)

The Rev. Michael Tino discusses all the extra costs he and his partner have to pay because voters chose to reject same-sex marriage:

It is, to be frank, entirely too painful to once again realize that voters somewhere in this nation are only too willing to deny my civil rights. It is made more painful, not less, by the fact that Washington voters were willing to give same-sex couples there second-class citizenship (like the kind already available in New Jersey)...but they probably wouldn't have passed marriage equality. ("The Arc of the Universe," November 5)

Around the blogosphere

The Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell offers her solution to funding universal health care:

In fact, if we made all these changes, we'd probably take care of the health care crisis and have enough money left over to solve global warming. We wouldn't even have to stop spending billions of dollars on foreign wars--which, in truth, would be my very first choice of a smart cost-cutting measure. But, hey, I'm trying not to dream too big. ("Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell," November 5)

Thomas R. Beall talks about peace and repairing bridges:

If you have gotten this far, you are probably thinking, "Did it take you nearly 50 years of life to figure out the importance of individual peacemaking?" Perhaps it has, reminding me once again that I am not as smart as I thought I was. As one who wants to see humanity end war, however, I am coming to realize in my heart that to begin to do that we also need to end all the little wars we fight with each other. ("Living the Prophetic Imperative," October 31)

The Rev. LoraKim Joyner uses coyotes to talk about the precarious balance of life:

Coyotes, birds, cats, and humans all end up harmed in some way no matter how we live or die and this earth is all our terrain. How then do we negotiate this complex arrangement we call life? For me I see an example in the pain of this daughter and this mother. We risk to be in beauty and keep our hearts open to one another, no matter the loss. In this way we may dare to care. ("Liberating Wings," November 3)

Discussions on UUism, Hate Crime legislation, and more

2009-10-30T13:40:00.006-04:00

Discussions on UUism

UUA Trustee Linda Laskowski has been posting a series of reflections about the October meeting of the Board of Trustees over the course of the last week, including posts on a possible youth leadership training program, reconsidering policies, and the UUSC's humanitarian projects.

Peter Bowden discusses Peter Morales's recent announcement to do a comprehensive review of UU ministry:

I'm glad we're going to take a hard honest look at our ministry. Does UU congregational participation correlate with spiritual growth? What ARE the stages of Unitarian Universalist development? Do we know what these are? What are our ministry objectives? What ongoing struggles within our association of congregations are connected to a failure to understand the way we develop and mature as people of faith? ("The UU Growth Blog," October 27)

Kim Hampton responds to criticism of her criticism of Unitarian Universalism:

Next, if you will notice I never single out any particular UU congregation for criticism. That's not my job nor my point. (and I believe my mother taught me better than to do that) When I talk about something, I'm talking about what I see as wider trends-not something that any one church does. It is not my intention to call out any particular church, because in my life right now all I'm going to see is the periphery. The periphery gives me a pretty good view of the wider world, not how it is applied in any particular church. ("east of midnight," October 25)

Daniel Harper posts a link to a San Francisco radio talk show that had a discussion about Unitarian Universalism:

On Sundays, KGO has a weekly radio show called "God Talk," hosted by Brent Walters, who actually has a post-grad degree in religious studies. Yesterday, Walters did a three-hour show on Unitarian Universalism... ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," October 26)

Devin Murphy explains what he sees as the three stages of development in people raised as UUs:

For a child being raised in UU community the First Stage of spiritual development is the stage of scientific scepticism and inquisitivity. And one in this stage does not accept things on faith but only accepts them if convinced logically. ("Ramblingsofmymind," October 28)

Hate Crime legislation

The Rev. Ricky Hoyt has mixed feelings about the new hate crime legislation:

The motivation doesn't make the act more violent. The victim doesn't suffer any additional physical hurt. If the attacker is screaming "nigger" or "queer" during the act it may cause some additional mental suffering, but it is not, in fact, illegal, to yell "nigger" or "queer" (unless it's perceived as an actual threat to do violence). So the only act that hate crimes legislation actually punishes is not an act at all, but a thought: the mental state of the attacker, the contents of their mind. ("One More Step," October 29)

The Rev. Gary Kowalski believes Christian pastors should support the new law, rather than condemn it:

The rationale for hate crimes legislation, of course, is to protect whole classes of people. When a synagogue is defaced by a swastika, or a church is burnt down, it harms not only the individuals who belonged to that particular congregation. It terrorizes an entire category of citizens and chills their ability to gather and worship according to their own conscience. ("Revolutionary Spirits," October 29)

Biblical literalism

"Chalicechick" believes that a biblical story's meaning and value shouldn't be judged on whether the story is true:

To me, the idea that a religious story's meaning and value should be evaluated separately from its literal truth makes perfect sense and I'm not sure why anything else would be the case. After all, Jesus himself acknowledged that not all of his stories were literally true. If inventing a story to get a spiritual point across was good enough for Jesus, one would think it would be good enough for the Reverend Wilson. ("The Chaliceblog," October 29)

"DairyStateDad" responds, posting a reflection on mainline Christians' relationship to biblical literalists:

I do wish sometimes that mainline Christians would be more willing to directly confront and critique the more negative and even destructive interpretations of Christian doctrine held by some of their evangelical bretheren and sisteren. I know many Christians who despair at the way fundamentalists and conservative evangelicals have appropriated the term "Christianity" to the exclusion of more progressive Christians... In the end, though, I can understand why they don't. As DairyStateMom puts it, it may feel a little too much like airing dirty laundry in public -- about matters that for them just aren't that important. ("DairyStateDad," October 29)

Around the blogosphere:

James Ford shares thoughts on New Humanism, and links to a brand new online magazine entirely devoted to the topic:

Greg Epstein's approach is an attempt to shift humanism away from the rhetoric of that hard atheism and toward all those other aspects of a fully engaged life in this world--and in particular those concerns that are part of the religious or spiritual quest. This New Humanism is about meaning and depth in life without reference to a creator/sustainer/destroyer divinity. ("Monkey Mind," October 30)

The Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell discusses religion and economics:

Do I, a minister, know enough to speak about economics? Am I a citizen? We cannot leave this crucial area to the "experts," who have overlooked the poor among us, saying "that's just the price we have to pay for prosperity"; who have called the bleeding of the earth an "externality"; who have been enamored of formulas in books and have not been concerned that children are hungry. No, we can't leave economics to the experts, because economics is all about how we divvy up resources and therefore it is fundamentally a moral issue. ("Rev Dr. Marilyn Sewell," October 28)

"Lizard Eater" debates the idea that having a daughter with cancer makes her a better minister:

It's been a difficult thing for me to work my way through, as I had to get past my maternal emotions -- I don't want to benefit, or the world to benefit, in any way from my baby daughter getting cancer! -- and my confusion as I tried to reason it all out:
a) There was something deficient in you before that only childhood cancer could fix
b) A person who has experienced childhood cancer is inherently a better ministerial prospect than someone who hasn't. ("The Journey," October 25)

John mourns the death of his step-father, but also celebrates his life:

I would like to think that some of my better traits I learned from him. He was a stoic quiet man who could find off-color humor in any situation, but had a genuine kindness to him and towards his fellow man. He was strong in the face of adversity; I never knew him to panic or worry much; if he did, he hid it from sight and wouldn't let anyone else know it. He was slow to anger, but stood his ground when needed; wasn't a fighter, but wasn't afraid to fight. ("The Pageless Book," October 27)

As she and her family succumb to seasonal illnesses, Shannon contemplates the quilts that they find refuge in:

I myself come from a pretty creative family, but not one of us is much of a quilter. However, I was lucky enough to marry into a family rich in heirloom quilts that have kept us warm together all these winters. I love the quilts more as each year passes. ("Unmitigated Bliss," October 28)

"Politywonk" compares New York City to Afghanistan to explain why military action isn't the whole answer:

Afghanistan isn't any different from America. Except that a lot more Afghans -- especially women and children -- are dying of things we now treat in the emergency rooms. I won't say "the elderly" because they only expect to live to 50. That means they are dying not OF old age, but IN middle age. ("PolityWonk," October 30)

UU growth, Afghanistan, lies, and more

2009-10-23T12:15:00.003-04:00

UU growth and change

Peter Bowden, the new growth consultant for the UUA's Ballou Channing District (southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island), created a new blog detailing strategies and successes in growing congregations:

A place to explore the potential of Untiarian Universalism.
A place for sharing relevant ideas, experience, and resources.
A think tank for those working to support healthy, growing congregations.
And, like a Bob Ross painted tree, let this be a happy little blog! ("The UU Growth Blog," October 21)

Daniel Harper proposes two scenarios for "franchising" UU churches:

If you think this post is about you, you're wrong. I'm interested in exploring the fundamental issue of church growth and church planting as it relates to our system of congregation polity. I'm also interested in bringing to the surface some of the problems inherent in congregational polity. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," October 14)

"Boston Unitarian" believes the reason Unitarian Universalism doesn't grow is because of a lack of a unified message. He thinks it should stay that way:

The reasons why Unitarian Universalism does not grow are legion and fairly well known. To me the most significant is one that is also inherent-our lack of a unified message. Since this really cannot (and should not) be "fixed" it seems fairly clear that significant growth will never happen. ("Boston Unitarian," October 21)

"Strange Attractor" wonders why people are trying to change Unitarian Universalism:

Often it seems like the exact things that attracted me to UU fellowship are the things that desperately need to change and that makes me feel like maybe I'm not the kind of person you are trying to attract. ("Strange Attractor," October 21)

Kim Hampton responds to "Strange Attractor":

You're a middle-aged white woman who listens to NPR, votes Democrat, buys organic food and doesn't believe in God. Well....bully for you! But if your congregation, implicitly or explicitly, by word or by deed makes those who are not white, not middle-aged, don't listen to NPR, vote however they feel, doesn't buy organic food and maybe just maybe believes in God feel as if they are unwelcome, then I'm going to continue to bitch. ("east of midnight," 10.22.09)

Thoughts on Afghanistan

Thomas R. Beall recounts all the failures of Western nations in Afghanistan, starting with Great Britain in 1838:

I hope that President Obama has also learned the lessons of history and has listened to the words of Colonel Dennie, Surgeon Brydon, and General Gromov. Afghanistan has never been kind to the nations of the West. When will we learn that clear lesson of history and find another solution in Afghanistan - one that doesn't involve more troops, more bombs, more killing? ("Living the Prophetic Imperative," October 18)

Jacqueline Wolven believes the situation in Afghanistan can change if we stop the violence:

If we changed our strategy of fighting an unseen enemy to build schools, hospitals, clinics, farms, wells, and whatever else the people need to rebuild their society we would be making LONG TERM changes to the country that would benefit generations and plant the seeds of respect and trust. ("MoxieLife," October 17)

Lies and costumes

The Rev. Cynthia Cain uses the Balloon Boy to discuss deception and lying:

A "hoax" sets off lie after lie after lie. The father in this case not only sat in front of TV cameras and lied repeatedly, he coached and encouraged his children to lie! ("Just a Jersey Girl," October 18)

"Ms. Kitty" talks about costumes and wonders why people are attracted to religious rituals that are not native to them:

But Kimc questioned the word "affected" and I've realized that I used this word to describe my sense of disconnect between conventional costumes and costumes selected to play a role. That's probably not fair! Why should my conventional costumes and my choice of red boots be any less "affected" than a dervish's swirling skirts (or a fashionista with fancy boots and tucked-in pants)? I guess it's a continuum of choice and my judgment doesn't matter a hill of beans! ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," October 19)

Around the blogosphere:

Shawna Foster responds to a story about a stained glass window recently renovated at First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans which depicted the Gordon sisters:

I think, particularly from the vantage point of our religion and that church, we should affirm them for exactly who they were. Racist. The Gordon sisters were racist Unitarians. Yes, they fought and did worthy things. The article takes careful note of all their achievements. But what the article does - and what it sounds like the church does not do - is acknowledge them for exactly what they were, detailing their immoral positions in society. ("Vessel," October 19)

The story itself was recently noted in the UUs in the Media blog on October 9.

Devin Murphy discusses the perceived discrimination against believers in God within Unitarian Universalism:

So why would they have a problem with us, the God loving UUs trying out we have discovered and are discovering? Well one reason for this is likely the fact that many UUs came to UUism fleeing Christian denominations, like Roman Catholic and Anglican, and as a result have negative associations linked to the concept of God, to which many who come from a different back ground, take me for example, who was raised UU may not have. ("Ramblingsofmymind," October 17)

The Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell wonders why a large group of people would let themselves be pushed to death by a single authority figure:

That such an tragedy should have happened is reprehensible. Ray is responsible for these deaths, and I feel certain that he will be charged with some variation or other of homicide. But the larger question that remains with me is, why did so many people ever allow this travesty to occur? (Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell, October 22)

Jeff Liebmann discusses trauma:

A valuable lesson for me in this ordeal has been the reminder of the delicate connection between body and mind, between physical and mental health. I'm not sure all the pills in the world will help me reclaim my pulpit, and spiritual practice alone will not cure the electrical failings of my heart. Like many things in life, I must find a balance if I am to achieve an equilibrium that will sustain my prophetic voice and my passion for ministry. ("uujeff's muse kennel and pizzatorium," October 19)

Shannon writes a letter to Alzheimer's:

So, I write this letter. I throw it to the world and just really cry out that all I really want to do is understand this disease, and make peace with why this happens to people. I don't want to hate you, or anybody or anything else, but I do want understanding and I just can't seem to get it. ("Unmitigated Bliss," October 22)

Joel Monka uses an article in the Huffington Post about rape victims being denied insurance to discuss health care reform:

This is why requiring all health insurance companies to accept all applicants regardless of preexisting conditions must pass, if nothing else does. Doing that will restore competitive balance; if nobody has to bear the burden of being first, then all insurance companies will have the same mix of customers on average, and so be able to cover any such "condition X" without fear--or outrageous rates. ("CUUMBAYA," October 22)

'Leper status,' social media and ministry, Istanbul, and more

2009-10-16T14:42:00.002-04:00

Religion and theology

David Pyle discusses how his bout with swine flu got him thinking about "leper status":

Unlike some people our society treats as "contagious", my H1N1 will go away soon... but for the disabled, for those with HIV, for those with PTSD, for those with the results of chemo-therapy, and even those in hospice, they will not shed their leper status so easily... even though I am much more contagious than many of those who live with this stigma daily. ("Celestial Lands," October 10)

"The Naked Theologian" talks about the Rev. Dr. Forrest Church and his mid-career embrace of transcendental universalism:

The Universalist strand of his faith tradition, with its promise of shared salvation, held particular appeal for Church, especially when integrated with Emersonian transcendentalism. Christian became an important part of his religious identity and he adopted the label of Christian Universalist. As such, he made room in his theology for many religious approaches. ("The Naked Theologian," October 11)

Thomas R. Beall recounts his recent experience at a Quaker meeting:

We sat for one hour with no more than five people speaking for a total of perhaps 10 minutes. Most spoke of peace - peace in the world and the inner peace that we all must find before peace on Earth can be achieved. This was a powerful message for me. ("Living the Prophetic Imperative," October 11)

"Politywonk" wonders if atheism as a faith system has changed:

And all of these sources have led me to wonder: maybe nowadays atheism has moved on, too. Maybe it is based in spirituality rather than critical thinking, just as faith is these days. ("PolityWonk," October 13)

Politics

The Rev. Kit Ketcham ("Miss Kitty") posts a letter to the editor of the South Whidbey Record in favor of Referendum 71, a domestic partnership law, asking people to carefully consider their votes this year:

When we cast our ballots, we take each others’ lives in our hands, in a sense. Successful and unsuccessful candidates for office find their lives and responsibilities changed. Referenda and initiatives also change people’s lives. If we vote one way, we may better our own lives but trash someone else’s. If we vote another, we may improve others’ lives but may have to adjust to changes in society. Therefore, I urge us all to VOTE TO IMPROVE OTHERS’ LIVES. ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," October 15)

Jacqueline Wolven criticizes the current health care debate, saying that instead of talking, Congress should be doing:

So, if anyone is listening to me - I advise them to shut up and get to work. Stop trying to get consensus. Stop trying to get everyone's ideas. Just go do what you want to do. Someone will be happy and someone won't, but if they keep at it like they are now no one will really be happy with what is produced. ("MoxieLife," October 16)

Around the blogosphere

The Rev. LoraKim Joyner believes labeling a person automatically shifts perceptions of them:

I've been thinking about this and here's what goes on for me. If I use the word "jerk" or categorize people in any way, even just in my thoughts, I shift. My heart constricts and I am less open to listening, empathizing, and connecting to other people and the dream of the way I wish to live. ("Beyond Wrongdoing and Rightdoing," October 14)

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum talks about how social media has enhanced her ministry:

Having a blog is a way for me to write more extensively on issues that concern me as a minister but which are not things either large enough, broad enough, or otherwise appropriate as sermon material. ("Rev. Cyn," October 14)

"Strange Attractor" discusses friendship and the all-important connection:

If I were to sum up my sense of spirituality in one word, it would be "connection". It may not be why I am here on this planet, but it is why I can cherish my time here. I am connected to so many things and some of them much more strongly than this one, but life is a little more whole after re-establishing my connection to [a friend I'll call] Space Vixen. ("Strange Attractor," October 15)

The Rev. W. Frederick Wooden is keeping a running blog of his trip to Istanbul, including pictures. ("Aside from the Obvious")

The Obamas, personal religious experiences, and more

2009-10-09T13:06:00.004-04:00

The Obamas

Joel Monka can't figure out why President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize:

His only peace accomplishment has been to get a hotheaded college professor to sit down with a hotheaded cop to share a beer. That must have been some beer. ("CUUMBAYA," October 9)

David Pyle believes Obama won because his election signaled the end of the Bush presidency: "Simply put, President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for one primary characteristic of his... he is not President George W. Bush." ("Celestial Lands," October 9)

Thomas R. Beall also criticizes Bush's "peacemaking" policies:

In other words, "Democracy, development, free markets, and free trade are what the peoples of the Earth need and we are going to give it to them whether they like it or not!" ("Living the Prophetic Imperative," October 9)

The Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell uses Michelle Obama's mixed-race ancestry to discuss change and progress:

Things do change. This is the truth I want to always keep before me when I despair of my country and the lack of progress we seem to make on so many crucial issues. Things change. They don't change quickly or easily. Things don't change automatically, or just because time passes. Things change because it is right that they should change, and good people throughout time provide the leadership for those changes. ("Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell," October 8)

Religion

David Pyle talks about how his childhood Pentecostal experiences influence his adult conception of God as the Holy Spirit:

That moment has stayed with me... the feeling that there was a binding force between us, that moved us, and through which we moved. The Pentecostal church we attended had a name for this (besides "The Force"). We called it the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost, and experiencing it was the center of our worship and of our faith. ("Celestial Lands," October 4)

Jacqueline Wolven ponders over the nature of comfort:

I also think that some people just have a need to have answers... and god and the comfort of having a god who is in control at some level provides those answers. I wonder if on some level there isn't so much a god gene, but rather a need for comfort gene. Or a need for answers gene. ("MoxieLife," October 9)

"Boston Unitarian" believes Jesus transcended his soul's imprisonment by accepting his lot in life:

Jesus accepted the conditions of his lot, externally one of the humblest, and exalted himself and it, and made his life divine by perfect obedience to those conditions. He did not aspire to the place of command to which his people gladly would have exalted him, but abode in his native humility and walked with his peasant companions, and found the topics of his duty among the halt and blind and publicans and sinners, and preached his gospel to the poor. ("Boston Unitarian," October 8)

Erik Resly reflects on the Seventh Principle:

When Unitarian Universalists weave a web of intimate relationality, they do so against both a Manichaen dualism of cosmic cleavage and a Neo-Platonic division of the human subject. To enter into a world of interconnection is to move beyond indifference, tolerance, even community, into a metaphysical morass of radical mutuality. ("Embodied Fragments," October 7)

The Rev. Kit Ketcham finds forgiveness difficult to give sometimes:

As I gaze back over my life, there's no way to avoid seeing the bumps in my experience that represent people who made me angry at one time or another and the ones who still make me angry, even though I have not been in contact with them for years. I still resent the behavior of a number of people who hurt or let me down over the past 67 years. Some of them are dead or almost dead. I don't know the whereabouts of some of them. ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," October 6)

Around the blogosphere:

Shannon writes about how a Farm Aid concert inspired her to shop at the farmer's market again:

It seems like I need to remind myself often that whatever it is that I do for good is good, that no matter how lacking my actions might be in any area- doing just that one good thing is helpful. It's helpful, and it counts. ("Unmitigated Bliss," October 8)

The Rev. Dan Harper discusses the different eastern New England accents he's experienced:

Middle class accents differed from working class accents, and had less regional differentiation within the broader Eastern New England region, but there were still broad distinctions in the Boston area between North Shore, urban, and South Shore accents. I did not come into contact with many upper class accents, but they were clearly distinct from working class and middle class accents. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," October 7)

Forrest Church remembered, postmodern and liberal religion, and more

2009-10-05T10:15:00.000-04:00

Forrest Church

Marc Johnson, a prominent Idaho civil servant, says Church carried on the legacy of his father:

It is a rare thing in public life these days to read the words or hear the voice of a truly eloquent thinker and writer. The late Idaho Senator - Frank Church - was that rare breed and so was his Unitarian minister son. ("The Johnson Post," September 28)

Dr. Joanne Cacciatore posted excerpts from Church's interview with NPR in October 2008:

I was inspired to tears as I listened. Religiosity and doctrine aside, his words resonated. His attitude challenged others to rethink life, love, and death - perhaps even the nature of God. ("Becoming," September 29)

Hollis Huston praises Church's ability to reconcile with death:

He was fortunate but made the most of his good fortune. He seemed to be saying, and not just for a moment, I can die now. He showed us a way to live, knowing that he had to die. O grave, where is thy victory? ("The Next Circle," September 29)

"JohnFranc" uses Church's views on death to discuss his own:

I agree with Rev. Church that there is love after death - we live on in the love we leave behind. We live on in our physical and spiritual descendants. We live on in the deeds we do - the good and the not-so-good. And we live on in that our bodies will be returned to the Earth and our elements recycled into future living things. These things are clearly true. And if it turns out they're all that's true, I'm OK with that. ("Under the Ancient Oaks," October 1)

"D" admires Church's writings:

He seemed to know a lot about U.S. history and could convey it passionately and clearly. I took to his writing. His book God and Other Famous Liberals aimed to recapture notions of God, the flag, and family values for the left and liberalism. Church argued convincingly that "God" can be a liberating and non-sectarian notion, while liberation itself can be patriotic.("Stars Eat Toys," September 26)

Liberal and postmodern religion

David Pyle defines Unitarian Universalism as a postmodern religion:

So, Religious Postmodernism is a belief system that accepts that truth about religious questions is ultimately unknowable; that the experiences, feelings, and attitudes we hold profoundly change our perspectives; that the rituals, symbols, and communities we use and participate in have only the meanings we give them; and that accepts a dynamic, changing understanding of the universe. ("Celestial Lands," September 26)

Wade G. disagrees with the use of the term "postmodern" to define his faith:

I must say I am not crazy about the use of the term "postmodern" as it seems to mean so many different things to so many people and is often used to promote a sort-of "anything goes" attitude in which all beliefs and ideas are in some sense "equal." ("The Evolution of the Mystery," September 27)

"DairyStateDad" wonders if liberal religion doesn't challenge people enough:

On this one I'm really torn, finding the claim at once to carry a grain of truth and yet be ultimately facile. I don't yet have a clear-cut answer to my conflicted response. Indeed, anytime I try to answer it in my head, what comes out is either tiresome, "tough-minded" UU bashing or else simpering, smug UU defensiveness. ("DairyStateDad," September 29)

Around the blogosphere

"Ginger Root" discusses how a friend's dislocated shoulder taught her a lesson about life and relationships:

I start to apply this to the rest of my life as well. Maybe I don't need a dramatic ending to my conflict with another person, or to my inner struggles. Maybe I just need to soften. Sure it's a more exciting story when the resolution involves a dramatic event, but I no longer look for drama as the first solution to the tensions in my life. ("Carrots and Ginger," September 28)

Elizabeth blogs about what she would blog about if she had the time:

How different the skill sets are for running a successful campaign where people feel engaged in politics and running a successful government where people feel engaged in politics. This also reminds me of how ministers (like presidents) need several very different skill sets: 1) preaching well week in and week out; 2) keeping a church healthy - people getting along, a sense of community, social justice work, spiritual growth, people growth, etc.; and 3) pastoral care. ("Elizabeth's Little Blog," October 1)

Jacqueline Wolven wonders where all the pumpkins have gone:

There is a serious pumpkin shortage. Perhaps it is some conspiracy to stop American's from consuming vast amounts of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Or Aliens came down and brought them all back to their leader as an amusing food that you can cut up and play with AND eat... what's more fun than that? ("MoxieLife," October 1)

Thomas R. Beall discusses how Star Trek enforces UU beliefs:

Unlike the subsequent spin-offs, the original Star Trek, at its best, was about mankind bringing the Beloved Community to the stars. Although the characters were members of a Navy-like organization called Starfleet (and got themselves into a number of fights with alien species), they always identified themselves not as military men but as explorers and peacemakers. ("Living the Prophetic Imperative," October 2)

Forrest Church, health care debates, tea party racism, and more

2009-09-25T13:24:00.007-04:00

Forrest Church

The Interdependent Web notes with sorrow the passing of the Rev. Dr. Forrest Church on Thursday, September 24, of esophageal cancer.

The Rev. James Ishmael Ford has a post with several embedded videos about and by Church. ("Monkey Mind," September 25)

Michael Carnell discusses Church's impact on his life. "Personally this is very sad for me. Although I never met Rev. Church, he had a profound influence on my life." ("Postcards from Myself," September 25)

Karen Lowry Reed says that Church's words have been an inspiration to her:

His words, "Want what you have. Do what you can. Be who you are" have been at the top of my blog for a while now. They are there because they keep me focused on the here and now. ("Sew and Sow Life," September 25)

Jonah Eller-Isaacs remembers Church as a good friend filled with wisdom that helped guide him through the cancer treatment process:

our few meetings were enlightening, even as they moved into uncomfortable or difficult territory; how to be present with your family and dearest friends about your potential passing, how to come to terms with putting your own goals and ambitions on hold, how to live every day staring into the eyes of mortality. ("Groinstrong," September 25)

Pauline Park, an author and gender rights activist, as well as a member of Church's congregation at All Souls Unitarian Universalist in New York City, pays tribute:

Forrest was as beloved by family, friends, colleagues and congregants as any pastor of any American church. But unlike so many religious figures today, he was utterly without pretension. ("Pauline Park, Gender Rights Activist," September 25)

All Souls Unitarian Universalist in New York City has posted an online tribute to Church, in which people are free to share reflections, prayers, and condolences. ("All Souls NYC")

The UUA has posted an announcement and brief biography of Church, and his writings for UU World are online at uuworld.org.

The debate continues over health care reform

The Rev. Colin Bossen wrote to his senator:

What you fail to realize is that the reason for this is quite simple, our privatized health care system is the most inefficient in the world. The United States is the only major industrialized country that does not afford its citizens universal health care. ("The Latest Form of Infidelity," September 18)

Rev. Cynthia Landrum returned to writing about health care after taking a break:

Calling this a health care crisis in our country isn't really accurate--it's a health insurance crisis. Our health insurance system no longer does what we need it to do. It's broken. It always was broken, because it was the wrong answer to the problem, but the cracks in it have gotten wider. ("Rev. Cyn," September 24)

"UU Mom" discusses the perception that health care reform would bankrupt the country: "Reform, with an affordable, high-quality public option that can spur competition, is necessary to bring down skyrocketing costs. Also, President Obama's reform plans would be fully paid for over 10 years and not add a penny to the deficit." ("UU Mom," September 20)

"Ozdachs" argues that illegal immigrants are entitled to health care, too:

Sorry, I am not prepared to let children die or suffer because their parents snuck them across a political division. In fact, I am not up for letting anyone rot in the gutter when they’re sick or go without treatment for accidents. Not adults, not criminals, no one. ("Dangerous Common Sense," September 20)

'Tea Party' sparks discussions on racism

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum is pleased a health care forum was derailed:

We did get a bit derailed, however, by a local group that came in with an agenda, who wanted to ask their own questions not about national reform, but about reforming a specific situation at the local level. The group is called "The Community Board," and describes themselves as a "coalition of concerned citizens of Jackson, Michigan." Their concern is the lack of Black doctors in Jackson, and the way that Black doctors are treated in Jackson. ("Rev. Cyn," September 18)

Joel Monka's point that President Obama believes the criticism directed at him has nothing to do with race has caused some debate.

While not denying there were some racists out there, he was quick to point out the flip side- that there were those who voted for President Obama only because of his race as well.

Now I know some of you are saying, "Yeah, we've heard you and CC both say these things before, and just because you've got some pundit to quote doesn't make any of you right- who was it, George Will or Charles Krauthammer? Actually, it was President Obama who said those things. ("CUUMBAYA," September 19)

Monka also weighs in on the "Tea Party" debate:

My position has been that of course there are racists; it is a human failing and all the protestors are human beings (to the best of my knowledge, but that's a different conspiracy theory), but the opposition to healthcare reform is genuine, as evidenced by past opposition when Presidents Nixon and Clinton tried it. ("CUUMBAYA," September 23)

Dave says that negative and hateful rhetoric leads to violent action:

Ideologues who inspire violent action through radicalizing propaganda have been with us for many decades, even centuries. The fact that, in recent years, the more action-prone of the people who violently respond to these exhortations are increasingly confined to the fringes of American politics doesn't mean there isn't still serious culpability on the part of those who indulge rhetoric that winds up unhinging people. ("Orcinus," September 20)

UU World fall ad

Greta Christina, a non-UU atheist, responds to the controversy surronding the FFRF ad in last issue's UU World (which we've been covering here the last three weeks), defending the decision to not run it in future issues:

Let me put it this way. Would it be reasonable for the magazine of an atheist organization -- or an atheist blog, for that matter -- to reject an ad saying, "Atheism is immoral, atheists will be condemned to hell if they don't repent, the only true path is the path of Jesus"? ("Greta Christina's Blog," September 14)

Growing the UU faith

Joel Monka thinks that Unitarian Universalists are looking at the issue of growing the faith the wrong way:

Most of the discussion was about how to get people in the doors; I maintained that the problem wasn't getting people to visit- I can't think of a Sunday we haven't had visitors- the problem was getting them to keep visiting. That, I believe, is the problem- after all, if the average UU congregation picked up a single new member a week, they'd double their membership in two years. ("CUUMBAYA," September 22)

Michael thinks that the stale stories congregations tell are keeping them from growing: "It is not surprising that these stories, then, often serve to limit our congregations' effectiveness in living out their mission in the world, and thus limit their growth." ("The Arc of the Universe," September 22)

Around the blogosphere

Michael W. Brown says that world peace is not possible without a reconciliation between world religions:

If it is true that the huge social problems of the world need religious cooperation to be overcome, or at least the cessation of the conflicts between religions that exacerbate these problems, then interfaith involvement becomes a kind of moral imperative. ("My No Hell Space," September 21)

David Pyle discusses the inherent dangers in a culture built on notoriety:

What concerns me, as I have said before, is when this concept of notoriety through outlandishness is connected to violence. It begins with such things as “backyard wrestling” (where teens and adults beat one another bloody so they can film it and become “famous”)… but it does not end there. ("Celestial Lands," September 21)

In response to an open question by PeaceBang, DairyStateDad wonders what Jesus really meant when he said "Judge not,": "Judge not..." is in fact a far more demanding prescription than it seems at first blush -- and I think that's exactly what it is supposed to be." ("DairyStateDad" 9.21.09)

Wade G discusses the nature of biases:

But there is one common response that I feel compelled to comment on myself. It often happens that someone in these exchanges will start talking about "biases." The general argument seems to start something like this: everyone has a point of view, no point of view is completely objective, methods and systems are created by individuals who cannot be objective, and so no one can be completely objective and neither can any method or system. Therefore all methods and individuals are biased in some way.

I don't really have too much of a problem with that. But then it seems to be taken one step further and the assumption seems to be made that individuals and methods are equally biased. As if bias is some sort of binary system - on or off, biased or not biased and everyone is on the "biased on" switch. ("The Evolution of the Mystery," September 18)

"Lizard Eater" mourns the passing of the soap Guiding Light and reflects on what is has meant to American culture:

But today, as the curtain drops on Guiding Light, I wonder what this will mean for Broadway. GL was one of three New York based soaps. They drew in professional stage actors who wanted a steady paycheck, and fed them back to the stage, as the actors took leaves of absence from the soap in order to star in a play. For young actors, they were the ultimate summer stock, grooming them for the stage.
Soaps have been this quietly subversive force in our culture. Amidst all the multiple divorces, far-out story lines, people coming back from the dead, there were story lines about AIDS, abortion, homosexuality. This wasn't HBO. These were shows playing to middle-American housewives. ("The Journey," September 18)

"Chalicechick" says the internet is not all bad:

I hear often that the internet isolates us and makes us narcissistic antisocial parodies of our former selves, but it also enables half a dozen guys to get together and be like "You know what would be awesome? Let's make a parody of 'Fight Club' set in the late 1910's - early 1920's" and achieve that and put their efforts where the world can find them.

I'd call that about a wash. ("Chaliceblog," September 18)

Jeff Liebmann talks about the essential male experience of the old-fashioned barbership:

Now, some of you may be thinking that this is a rather old-fashioned notion of manhood, bordering on the macho sexist, or at least insensitive and unenlightened. But, Ron's is not a place of judgment or intolerance. We talk about our families and relationships, but I have not once heard a disparaging remark made about another person based on anything except that person's character or actions. Ron, an unassuming and gentle man, is a Delilah sheering the pretense of bravado and bluster away from dads, mates, brothers, and sons in a bastion of raw, honest maleness. ("uujeff's muse kennel and pizzatorium" September 19)

Kenneth Sutton contributed to today's post.

Public violence, atheism, UU singing, and more

2009-09-21T14:35:00.003-04:00

Responding to public violence

Police violence: Following a September 10 police raid on the Atlanta Eagle, a popular gay bar, "Kinsi" posted about a subsequent protest rally sponsored by Atlanta-area Unitarian Universalists:

It was just . . . amazing . . . standing in that crowd, holding up the huge signs I made, all Standing on the Side of Love themed. ("Spirituality & Sunflowers," September 14)

Julianne Lepp also has a post with photos of UU demonstrators ("A Journey of Ministry," September 13). The Rev. Anthony David, who spoke at the rally, posted his comments and a video ("Thousand Voices," September 17). The UUA's Standing on the Side of Love campaign also has a summary post (September 16).

Abortion killing: After the murder of anti-abortion activist James Pouillon on September 11, "Smijer" pointed to a post on liberal blog "Daily Kos": "all I can do is quote and add a 'me, too'." ("Tête-à-Tête-Tête," September 12)

Bill Baar challenged UU bloggers: "The UU blogosphere lit up for [the murder of abortion provider Dr. George] Tiller but so far seems pretty silent for Pouillon." ("Pfarrer Streccius," September 13)

Paul Oakley responded to Baar; there's an interesting conversation in the comments about abortion, life, and personhood:

Bill and I disagree on several things, but there is no question his challenge is fitting. We have a word for the use of violence, killing, intimidation, and threats with the aim of achieving political goals: terrorism. The fact that many, even most, UUs are more sympathetic to the person and politics of Dr. Tiller in no way diminishes the fact that the killing of Mr. Pouillon was equally a terrorist act, equally to be decried. ("Inner Light, Radiant Life," September 13)

"Ogre" contends the parallel with Tiller isn't apt:

The analogy breaks down, the cases are only loosely similar. I've seen nothing (which may only mean that I've not seen it) suggesting that this killer was associated with pro-choice groups or attended a church or participated in some other group that demonized Pouillon and talked about how good it would be if he were to be dead. ("Sparks in the Dark," September 13)

Patrick Murfin argues for less vitriol:

While it is true that neither side can be wholly responsible for their most delusional supporters, both sides need to tone down the rhetoric which empowers the loonies among us. We are drifting to civil war in this country. That drift is made easier by the fact we don’t even see each other as human beings any more, just monsters promoting some hideous evil. And who doesn’t want to “wipe out evil.” ("Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout," September 14)

Freedom from religion

"Goodwolve" has a deeply personal response to the Freedom from Religion Foundation ad in UU World and the online controversy it ignited, which we've been covering here the last two weeks:

I am disgusted. No, disheartened. No, just plain frustrated with people. Yep, most people. Why do a FEW squeaky wheels get what they want? They are not the mostly silent majority. And the level of their feverish tone just drives me insane. What am I talking about? Many things - here is just one recent example:

The UU World had an ad on the front cover of it's magazine promoting an organization that works for the separation of church and state. They work for freedom from religion in the public space. This is a cause near and dear to my heart. I live in a region where Christian theology is part of every aspect of life - remember in my area: Atheists can't hold public office, they pray before Quorum Court meetings and my politicians resemble Republican Christians more than their Democratic peers. And so that separation - and the FIGHT for it - is relevant to my everyday life. ("MoxieLife," September 12)

After dozens of comments, on September 13, she asks, "So, is all this sharing good for us?"

Steve Caldwell picks up on comments from "MoxieLife" contrasting another ad on page 13 that refers to "the anti-faith theology of Bishop John Shelby Spong":

I'm thinking it would be very interesting to use Spong's theses for a values-voting continuum activity in an adult religious education setting. With the theological diversity in found in Unitarian Universalist congregations, it would be an interesting discussion to have.

Of course, it's interesting that an ad perceived as "attacking religion" generates multiple complaints to the UU World staff while an ad promoting a book that attacks the ideas of non-theist philosophers and a leading liberal Christian theologian's work goes unnoticed by our readership...

Although we Unitarian Universalists are officially non-creedal and covenental (although the idea of what "covenant" actually means isn't the same for all of us), does the acceptance of the ad for Gibson's book in UU World imply that some non-theist theological and philosophical ideas are being pushed out the door in current-day Unitarian Universalism? ("Liberal Faith Development," September 12)

Hemant Mehta commented on the ad in a September 10 post at Friendly Atheist.

(For what it's worth, UU World has no preferential policies for ads with particular theological viewpoints. As business manager Scott Ullrich explained, the FFRF ad should have been modified or rejected not because it spoke up for the rights of atheists but because the ad "seems hostile to all religion"—including Unitarian Universalism.)

Changing the debate

Jess Cullinan thinks the FFRF ad raised a false debate:

This question has been asked on both sides: “If you believe in God, why do you go to the Unitarian Universalist church when there are so many other places you could go? And, “If you don’t believe in God, why do you go to church at all, much less a Unitarian Universalist church?”

I really think these are the wrong questions, stemming from a false dichotomy: “Is there a God, or isn’t there one?”

The answer is really, simply, but oh-so-complicatedly, “Yes. There is, AND there isn’t.” ("Jess's Journal," September 16)

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum wrote an essay on her own theological self-identification vis-a-vis atheism. I won't quote from it, because it deserves to be read as a whole. ("Rev. Cyn," September 17)

"Chalicechick" writes about the diversity within atheism:

One of the things I find fascinating about the theism-atheism debates I see is that atheism really is a pretty varied thing. We all get that there are a billion types of theists, but that there's quite a lot of theological diversity within atheism too seems to elude people. ("Chaliceblog," September 17)

Joyce Dowling posted a video of the "I am Theist, You are Humanist" song to uuplanet.tv. (September 14)

UU singing

The Rev. Dan Harper proposes (and solicits) advice for improving singing in congregations--after, that is, throwing out a number of disclaimers:

So how can we get congregations to sing better? I’m not a very good musician, but I’m a pretty good teacher, and if you think like a teacher the obvious thing to do is to teach your congregation how to sing. Once you have that big, broad goal, you can break it down into manageable chunks. Now I admit that I have never taught a congregation how to sing well enough that they spontaneously sing in harmony, but I have taught smaller groups how to do so, and there’s an obvious progression of steps to take. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," September 13)

Seminarian Kim Hampton decries the lukewarmness she sees in UU singing:

I know I’m on a rant these days, but I’m looking towards next year when I have to do my internship. And I have to say, the prospect is not that thrilling. If I have to sit through another group of UUs sing “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” and do it badly, I’m gonna scream. Hell, if I hear another group of UUs sing “Spirit of Life” (a song I hate beyond measure) or “Blue Boat Home” (a song I love) half-assedly, I’m gonna scream even louder. I want a UU church that knows what it is, be it hot or cold. This lukewarm mess is driving me bonkers. ("East of Midnight," September 13)

Paul Oakley commented in the long comments thread to Hampton's post:

Of course, the recent publicity regarding All Souls–Tulsa has led a lot of UUs to question whether UU WASP culture is preventing our growth as a denomination. After all, growing portions of the American landscape are not WASPs. So each congregation has to decide how to fulfill the needs of its longterm members while not shutting themselves off to people who are not organic participants in WASP culture but who are perfectly attuned to UU philosophy.

And then in response to comments, Hampton has another post:

I’m going to put it in the simplest language that I can.

Sing like you mean it!!!!!!!!!

Sing as if you actually think that music in worship is not just for the professionals. Sing as if you actually enjoy being around the group of people that you’re with. Sing as if you actually think that music is an important part of worship. (September 14)

Dave Belden, meanwhile, wrote about our Fall cover story about All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa on the Tikkun magazine blog:

As a Unitarian Universalist (UU) who loves to go to Christian services in the black gospel tradition–for their emotional depth and warmth, even though I am pretty allergic to Christian theology–it was a delight to read this article about the largest UU congregation in the country teaming up with a black (universalist Christian) congregation. ("Tikkun Daily Blog", September 13)

Healthcare debate

The Rev. Fred L. Hammond posits a reason for the conflict:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

I was having a friendly debate the other day on facebook about a quote by Ayn Rand and indirectly about the health care debate that is raging in this country. One of the participants placed this quote from the preamble of the US Constitution into the conversation. I suddenly realized that the current polarization that is occuring in this country is when stripped of its emotionalism of fear is based on how we interpret this preamble. ("A Unitarian Universalist Minister in the South," September 12)

The Rev. W. Frederick Wooden posits an unlikely solution:

But it could be fixed if we - Congress actually - did something even my Republican Representative and I agree would do the job. It won't happen, though.

Raise taxes. Yep that's it. But this is unthinkable. We have become a knee jerk anti-tax nation that will not shoulder its own burden because taxes are bad. I admit they feel bad, but we now consider them to be bad, evil, wrong. and anti-American. ("Aside from the Obvious," September 12)

Standing on the Side of Love

"Chalicechick" challenges the expansion of the UUA's "Standing on the Side of Love" campaign beyond marriage equality, setting off a very long, substantive comment thread: "What if evangelicals started saying they were "Standing on the Side of God"?" ("The Chaliceblog," September 14)

Bill Baar thinks "It's so fundamental, and for so many people God is Love, that it really seemed a universal slogan for me." ("Pfarrer Streccius," September 16)

Around the blogosphere

"Lizard Eater" ponders human nature:

The Husband and I were talking about this last week. Do you think Pure Evil exists? he asked. In the person of another? I clarified. Yes, he said.

I don't think that I do. There always seems to be some tiny fraction of a person's soul that still houses something besides evil. ("The Journey," September 11)

Captain Thomas R. Beall, USN (ret.), wants UUs to move on the peacemaking study action issue:

Why can’t we just say “no” to war? Why must we take so many years to decide whether “... the use of any and all kinds of violence and war to resolve disputes between peoples and nations...”[i], is right or wrong, making that question the subject of countless “intellectually stimulating” discussions around the post-worship coffee pot, endless soul-searching about whether embracing pacifism will alienate UU's in the military or defense industry, or simply a means of forging closer connection amongst ourselves in small group ministry sessions? Why can’t we, as a religious community that makes respect for the interdependent web of life a cornerstone of its faith, simply reject war, end this interminable discussion and begin the real work of establishing a just and lasting peace on Earth? ("Living the Prophetic Imperative," September 12)

The Rev. Mary Wellemeyer urges a different response to the economic downturn:

I say it's not consumer thrift that's the problem. I say the shift is an opportunity. Greater thrift creates an opportunity for the people and institutions who make loans to think anew about what they are doing. This is a time for investment in a new way of life, and the savings creates a funding source. Invest in green technologies, in farms closer to places where people live, in neighborhoods where people can get what they want by walking or riding a bike, in railroads that move things more cheaply, in all those things that will make real a different way of life. Invest in ways to recycle materials and reclaim waste for profitable use.

Let's not go back. Let's make art and put on plays, read poetry and do sports, go walking just for fun, hang out in coffee shops and go to church. Let's fix the equipment we already have so we won't be throwing so much away. Let's build a society where consumer goods are not the be-all and the end-all, but rather tools to enrich our relationships with one another or tools to our enjoyment of our own minds and bodies. Let's go on saving and letting the saving turn into investments that can undo some of the damage we have done to the planetary ecology on which our lives depend. We can have a nice life without so much stuff. A nicer life, even, if we open our eyes and look around at the possibilities. ("A Larger Faith," September 11)

"Lizard Eater" has a post where people are sharing which UU preachers with podcasts they listen to. ("The Journey," September 14)

And to honor the fine tradition of internet foolishness and to show how UU bloggers are part of a much larger interdependent web, there's always room for cat blogging. ("CUUMBAYA," September 17)

A bigger tent, science fiction theology, Freedom from Religion, and more

2009-09-11T13:04:00.007-04:00

Freedom from Religion ad

Bloggers continued to weigh in on the ad on the inside front cover of the current UU World.

The Rev. Kit Ketcham responded to UU World business manager Scott Ullrich's statement about the Freedom from Religion Foundation ad.

I didn't blog about the offensive ad in the new UU World, but I weighed in on it in comments on others' blogs and it looks like we all made a difference. ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," September 4)

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum also responded to the statement. ("Rev. Cyn," September 4)

"Earthbound Spirit" gives the ad campaign credit but is still bothered by it.

I know this organization. I support its mission to maintain the wall of separation between church and state. Its co-president, Dan Barker, has spoken at my UU church a couple of times – as well as other UU churches in the area. Knowing that Barker has a reputation for being… provocative, I’m not surprised the FFRF uses clever and provocative quotes for bus sign advertising – and you’ve got to admit, they’re catchy. Whoever is responsible for this ad campaign deserves some credit.

Is the ad offensive? Well, I think a few of the quotes are guaranteed to offend someone. I'm bothered by the ad for other reasons. ("Earthbound Spirit," September 4)

JohnFranc considers what the response of UUs to the ad says about UUs.

In my limited experience, the real tension in Unitarian Universalism isn’t between theists and non-theists. It’s between those who find meaning and value in traditional religious language, stories, forms and practices and those who are so offended by their association with conservative religions that they don’t want anything to do with them. ("Under the Ancient Oaks," September 5)

"Chalicechick" asks a ten-year-old for a response to the ad:

"People should be able to believe what they want without other people being mean about it." ("The Chaliceblog," September 4)

Chip, a senior pastor from Traverse City, Michigan, puts religions in different categories.

Freedom from certain types of religion, perhaps. Freedom from certain behaviors done in the name of religion, absolutely. Freedom from all religion, perish the thought. ("The Yes Church," September 8)

Politics

Amongst the many political topics UU bloggers take up (healthcare reform among them), I will highlight two here.

The resignation of Van Jones, who gave the 2008 Ware Lecture, certainly drew out the contrasts in political opinions among UUs. The Rev. Christine Robinson is mad at Van Jones for accepting the government position ("iMinister," September 6) while Joyce at "UU Mom" says "I don't know if I'll ever understand politics." (September 6) Bill Baar has a summary post, "The problem with White House Czars is no one does a background check on 'em." ("Pfarrer Streccius," September 7)

Joel Monka wonders:

How is it that this story could percolate for months, the blogosphere going crazy over it, with the embarrassing videos being embedded in every post, and not one word be reported by ABC, NBC, CBS, NY Times, Washington Post, and CNN? Is it any wonder the right wing believes the mainstream media is merely the propaganda arm of the Democratic Party, if a scandal can be big enough to force a resignation and not be covered? Ask yourselves honestly the question every conservative blog is asking today: do you really believe that they would have been equally silent if it were a Republican appointee serving under Bush? ("CUUMBAYA," September 7)

The subject of American racism engaged the Rev. W. Frederick Wooden.

Racism is not about bigotry.

I say this because the intense hostility to our president, yes ours and I do mean all Americans, is profoundly racist. Questioning his citizenship, calling him a socialist, labeling him a fascist, fearing he will brainwash our children, would not happen if he were white.

Saying all the protesters are racist invites howls of protest, of course, because most people who disagree with him are not doing so because he is black. Not consciously at least. Doubtless many of them have black friends and brown friends. They are no[t] hiding under hoods or other foul things.

It is important to see that racism is not about bigotry, because bigotry is a personal feeling while racism is a social system. Our society, not just ours I hasten to add, but ours no less than any, is based on racial privilege. Our constitution inscribed it in the provision for counting people in bondage as 3/5 of a person when enumerating the population. Only black people were in bondage by then. No white people were slaves. But that's only an illustration. ("Aside from the Obvious," September 8)

Joel Monka doesn't buy it.

This makes no more sense to me after the election than it did before. If you recall, before the election many UU bloggers were saying that racism was the issue because then-Senator Obama wasn't poling as well as they thought he should have. The fact that he was polling better than President Clinton had been during either of his campaigns didn't impress them; any opposition to Obama showed institutional racism. And now people seem shocked that there is intense hostility to the President... as if there hasn't been intense hostility to the President- any President- for decades now. ("CUUMBAYA," September 8)

The purpose and nature of worship and religion

The Rev. Matt Tittle answers a reader's question about why we worship.

I believe that every religion does offer a personal relationship with God and the divine, however conceived. As far as worship is concerned, I agree that God doesn't need it. Using the parental analogy of many religions, I don't want my children to worship me. I want them to respect me, to heed my advice, to learn from me, and so on. But it would be arrogant at best to expect them to "worship" me as a God. I may be their immediate creator, but I don't "need it." ("Keep the Faith," September 5)

David G. Markham is involved in starting a new UU congregation, and he invites people's thoughts and comments on the purpose of church.

The purpose and function of religion in a post modern society is primarily to help people make sense out of their existential experience, and provide an emotional support system especially at times of phase transition in the human life cycle.

Other purposes of religion in modern society are to make money for the ministerial class and their minions, to provide entertainment for the masses, and to provide a platform and audience for people striving to be upwardly socially mobile to maintain and achieve higher social status.

Religion also provides an organized, institutionalized vehicle for political and social control to societal leaders who wish to influence and control the populations they govern. ("UU A Way of Life," September 6)

A bigger tent

"Lizard Eater" wants a bigger tent:

I want a tent where I can point out, as Rev. Christine did, that we are all at a spot on the agnostic spectrum without a God-Person (G-P) hollering, “Don’t call me an agnostic!”

I want a tent where I can talk about the Holy Spirit without a Non-God-Person (N-G-P) hollering, “Stop talking about God!” ("The Journey," September 6)

Paul Oakley has one word to describe the bigger tent Lizard Eater asks for:

The bigger tent she describes is one that can be summarized in one word: civilized. People listen to each other, not expecting a ditto machine. People respect the differences they find, rather than trying to shame them out of each other. ("Inner Light, Radiant Life," September 6)

The Rev. Tony Lorenzen responds to the current UU World cover story, "The Gospel of Inclusion."

The first lesson is that of Universalism. It’s a grand lesson to revisit for Unitarian Universalists and a great idea for non-UU’s to be introduced to for the first time. A loving God doesn’t send people to hell. Forever. Doesn’t make sense. It isn’t reasonable.

The second is the point made by Rev. McNatt at the Berry Street Lecture (and I paraphrase): UU Culture is keeping us from being multicultural. ("Sunflower Chalice," September 8)

Around the blogosphere

David Pyle admits his "personal geekdom" and credits "a decent amount of who I have become to my encounter with science fiction over the years."

Science fiction, or at least the best of it, is a study in theology, in humanity, in sociology, and in philosophy. Science fiction that becomes classic almost always has within it deep questions about the nature of existence, about the purpose of life, about the nature of what is viewed as sacred. It asks political questions that are dangerous to ask, it challenges institutions and structures that are dangerous to challenge… all while seeming to some (not me) a frivolous adventure of the imagination. ("Celestial Lands," September 5)

And on September 8 he asks, "If I were to teach a class on Theology in Science Fiction, what books do you think should be in the course?"

The Rev. Amy Freedman looks to children for deeply theological questions.

Adults have confided in me that they are surprised and challenged by children's deep questions. So often these simple inquiries touch on complex ethical or theological issues. Children can sense when grown-ups are uncomfortable and can learn to stop asking. Even if we do not have all the answers, it is important to nurture curiosity and reverence from a young age. ("Rev. Amy Freedman's Blog," September 5)

Rebecca Hecking writes about her practice of creating sacred space indoors.

I have found it helpful to create several sacred spaces around my home. Since my work requires me to spend most of my days inside (sound familiar?) I find that creating/maintaining sacred space indoors helps me to remain grounded and mindful as I go about my daily tasks. It also helps me stay connected to the natural world despite spending so much time surrounded by the trappings of twenty-first century life. ("The Sustainable Soul," September 7)

Laverne Coan shares a practice of stilling herself.

There are several places in the Bible where the writers urge us to "Be still" (I'll talk about that next post). This is a favorite phrase of mine, because I have Monkey Mind at its best and I complement that with an obsession to accomplish as much as I can in the least amount of time. Whenever you need some calm, try this meditation technique that I learned years ago and has been part of my spiritual practice ever since. ("Lifting the Spirit: Experience of a UU Christian," September 8)

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum ponders evangelical atheism.

I think the idea of Atheists going door-to-door, or even standing on the corner in Royal Oak passing out literature is pretty funny. But, at the same time as I see the humor in it, and I see where people get really irritated, as the author of that video did, at people coming to their homes to talk about their faith, sometimes I think as Unitarian Universalists we should be willing to go a little bit further than we do in sharing our own faith. ("Rev. Cyn," September 7)

Chalicechick and her husband plan eventually to adopt, possibly transracially.

TheCSO and I do not care what color the child is (though we'd be happy to do things to help the kid feel attached to his or her culture), we care that the kid is nerdy. Because nerdy kids likely have a rough time in foster care* and because we're nerdy and nerdy kids like and understand us and vice-versa. If the kid has read some Asimov, that's instant bonding right there. ("The Chaliceblog," September 7, follow-up post September 8 responding to a comment)

Singing gospel, serving at Guantanamo, and an offensive ad

2009-09-04T19:40:00.003-04:00

Continuing the covenant conversation

David Pyle looks at the historic role the blog conversation is playing.

What I love most about the UU Blogosphere is how it is filling the role in our faith once filled by hundreds of pamphleteers and Unitarian and Universalist printed newsletters. During the late 1800s there were debates on theology, on polity, and on the issues important to our faith between the voices of competing journals, and that debate reinforced how the shifting conversation between ministers and lay members helped to continually define and re-define who we are as a faith tradition. With the exception of a few journals (including UU World and the Universalist Herald), most of those printed journals have gone away… but the energy they carried for our faith is now represented by the many lay-members, seminarians, and ministers who cast their ideas into the UU Blogosphere… and I am honored to play a small part. ("Celestial Lands," August 29)

Paul Kent Oakley also takes a look at history:

All the talk concerning covenants on the UU blogosphere recently prompted me to look back at a few of the denomination's historical worship resources readily available to me to see if I could figure how covenants were used in Unitarian and/or Universalist worship in the past. ("Inner Light, Radiant Life," August 29)

ChaliceChick is still pondering whether UUs need a different term than "covenant" and raises questions about appropriation.

And in all fairness, it certainly seems like we grandfather in appropriation after awhile. Pagans aren't asking Christians to cease and desist on Christmas trees, and, to use my favorite example, nobody is asking Chartres Cathedral to take out its labyrinth. Black Christian churches aren't asking white Christian churches to quit singing "go tell it on the mountain" either. Nor are the shakers asking for "Tis a Gift to be simple" to be returned or even sung with its original words. ("The Chaliceblog," September 1)

PolityWonk also gets into questions of appropriation.

"Non-Credal."

Time has completely removed the meaning it had for our forebears. To save our religion from complete theological disintegration, we have to rediscover what they meant by that. We then need to reinvent, for our own world, the integrity of theological process that the term summed up for them...

As a diehard Sabellian, I personally accept appropriation from other faiths. All their Gods, all their forms of worship, are all just transient modes of the same eternal energy. But I have an obligation to those other religions to name my appropriation and explaqin the boundaries I each place on it. I am obliged to show how it differs from the faith where I found it, and how I accomodate that practice -- with some element of its inherent theology -- to the faith my forebears gave me. ("PolityWonk," August 31)

DairyStateDad thinks there are different kinds of appropriation:

In a nutshell, I believe that while concern over appropriation is valid, at times it becomes overblown, even wildly so. Sometimes it becomes like the casual accusation of "racism" or "fascism" in certain contexts -- to the extent that it actually diminishes real appropriation that is wrong and, in some instances, even harmful. ("DairyStateDad," September 2)

Gospel music and suffering

Seminarian Kim Hampton thinks UUs aren't in touch with their emotions:

Some of you know that I am TA-ing a class at Earlham College this semester. The class is History of the African American Religious Experience. (I’m really happy... I’m not the only dark face in the room) Anyway...while in class today watching a documentary, one of the people in the documentary said “hope that comes out of the denial of suffering is false hope.” That got me to thinking.

There’s a reason that UUs don’t sing gospel well...most UUs don’t do suffering. And gospel, at its heart, is about people who have suffered. People who have made a way out of no way. That’s just not something most UUs are comfortable talking about. ("East of Midnight," August 31)

Chuck B. replied in the comments:

The UU sermons I have heard (excluding an award winning one “we are in Katrina”) tend to be dispassionately self reflexive, with moments of intellectual clarity based on cross reviewed analysis. More akin to a person having a revelation under Psychoanalysis. That kind of sermon will not bring about Gospel fervor. (September 3)

'They would just say I was an atheist anyway'

Wade G. writes about which kind of atheist he is:

When folks in Illinois asked if you believed in God few of them were wondering if I believed in the sum total of the physical laws of the universe. They were asking whether I believed in the fellow (and it was definitely a fellow not a lady) who caused the great flood, performed miracles, rose Jesus from the dead, etc. It was that God in particular that was the God of the time and place I grew up in and it was that God that I was making reference to when I self-identified as an atheist. To have said "yes" to the question "do you believe in God" at that time would have been to say (to them) that I believed in the God that they had in their minds. My choices were to say "no" and self-identify as an atheist, or say "well it depends on what you mean by God," like Sagan did, which would mean having to get into a long discussion explaining what I meant. And really what would the point be? If I described the God of Spinoza and Einstein that I could believe in to them they would just say I was an atheist anyway. Why not just save time and call myself an atheist? ("Evolution of the Mystery," August 31)

Spiritual practice as a center

JohnFranc is wondering about what holds a group together. Comments left on his blog seem "to confirm my suspicion that there is no religious center in Unitarian Universalism. And this small sample size seems to be quite OK with that."

I shouldn’t be surprised. When I look around at other denominations, I don’t see much in the way of religious centers there either.

The Episcopal Church is currently in the middle of a nasty schism precipitated by the consecration of an openly gay bishop. If that’s important enough to split over, is the center of Episcopalianism a commitment to heterosexuality? That’s a silly thought. Is it a commitment to Biblical inerrancy? I’m no expert on Anglicanism, but I don’t think that’s been a key part of their doctrine in many decades, if ever. ("Under the Ancient Oaks," August 30)

On September 1 he posts a summary of a UU spiritual practice.

First-hand account of Guantanamo detention facility

Captain Thomas R. Beall (U.S. Navy, retired) served at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and has posted a sermon he gave to his UU congregation not long after his return home in 2006:

If compassion is so lacking in America that we can accept the brutality of war, we can pass on attitudes like that of the camp commander at Guantanamo, we can convince ourselves that suicide and death are simply “asymmetric warfare” waged by an enemy who is not worthy of human dignity, how can we as Unitarian Universalists effect change? As Rev. Tom Owen-Towle said, “We must stop agonizing and start organizing.” We can bear witness individually and as a faith community to the need for compassion as the basis for promoting the inherent worth and dignity of every person. I’m not talking about doing this at coffee hour after service but around the coffee pot at work. Turn down the Fox News commentary on the TV set in the break room and appeal to your co-workers’ compassion. Ask your neighbors whether they think suicide really is an asymmetric warfare weapon. Ask questions, get people to think, appeal to their better natures. ("Living the Prophetic Imperative," September 4)

Offended by UU World ad

Many bloggers have weighed in on an ad from the Freedom from Religion Foundation found on the inside front cover of the Fall 2009 issue of UU World. Berry's Mom, a UU minister, was the first to post, and many comments have been left on her blog. She writes:

I am stunned, appalled and very disappointed with the managerial decision at the UU World to publish a FULL PAGE advertisement by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in the Unitarian Universalist denominational magazine. This organization is not merely atheist or agnostic — they are ANTI-religion. We have absolutely no business carrying their advertising in our denominational magazine. ("Berry's Mom," September 2)

Joel Monka expresses similar sentiments ("CUUMBAYA," September 3), while Chalicechick invites readers to pretend to be the business manager of UU World in evaluating a range of controversial ads ("The Chaliceblog," September 4). Several people have already taken up her challenge in the comments, and Joel Monka does so in a blog post.

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum further critiques the ad:

The problem is that [the] impact of this advertisement is that you open up our denomination's major publication, and what you see first is an advertisement that seems to be saying, "What are you doing being a Unitarian Universalist? We'd like to free you from that." It really does, after all, come down to the name of their organization, the comparing of religion to slavery, and the "non-prophet" quip. ("Rev. Cyn," August 4)

Scott Ullrich, Business Manager of UU World, responds to the complaints. (uuworld.org, August 4)

Around the blogosphere

Memorial services for UU minister and blogger the Rev. Tim Jensen have been set for September 19 in Portland, Oregon, and November 7 in Portland, Maine. ("One Day Isle," September 3)

Laverne Coan considers the Unitarian and Universalist threads of UU Christianity:

Personally, I'm a Unitarian and a Universalist who is closer to our origins. I believe in one God and do not ascribe to a theology of the Trinity and I believe that everyone is saved and all spiritual paths are valid. But in my experience so far, it's how UU Christians approach their faith that sets them with the Universalists. Mystic, expressive, leading with the heart, UU Christians may read and cogitate about the Great Spirit and how nature manifests it, but what energizes them is when they experience the Spirit at the soul level. They seek out opportunities for that experience; they need that experience on a regular basis to feel whole. ("Lifting the Spirit: Experience of a UU Christian," August 29)

The Rev. James Ford offers "A Few Words Against One Hundred and Ten Percent, and a Few More in Favor of One Hundred Percent." ("Monkey Mind," August 29)

Paul Kent Oakley belongs to a new, small congregation that is still discovering the joy of doing things for the first time:

It's a wonderful thing, being an emerging congregation just over four years old, that so many things we can still do for the first time, still explore possibilities that custom has not yet obstructed. And now, all in the same year, we've held our first Flower Celebration and our first Mingling of the Waters. ("Inner Light, Radiant Life," August 30)

"Earthbound Spirit" recalls the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina:

[Hurricane Katrina] dominated my first year at seminary as Katrina refugees were offered student housing and shared in our community meals. Our responsibilities as people of faith to speak out on the issues of justice raised by Katrina and its aftermath were discussed in classes and preached on in chapel. My roommate (African American, middle class, and middle-aged) and I (white, middle class now but born to and raised by working class parents, and middle-aged) shared space and stories with each other, finding common ground that led to frank conversations on topics often taboo between the races – topics like prejudice and “passing,” and how we each perceived and experienced (or didn’t experience) institutionalized oppression. ("Earthbound Spirit," August 31)

The Rev. Daniel Harper offers suggestions about what UUs might have to say about teen suicide:

In the past five months, three teenagers have committed suicide in Palo Alto... On Monday evening, six people from different faith traditions were on a panel to talk about how persons of faith might respond to this community tragedy.

I attended the panel on Monday night, and listening to what people said raised an interesting question for me: What might we as Unitarian Universalists say about teen suicide? ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," September 2)

Jess ("Jess's Journal") and Bill Baar ("Pfarrer Streccius") are having a discussion about H.R. 3200, end of life counseling, and "death panels." (Jess on September 2, Bill on September 3, Jess on September 3, Bill on September 3)

And just because

It's not a UU post, but because I want to encourage him to do the same for UU movies, I will draw attention to the Rev. James Ford's post about Buddhist movies. ("Monkey Mind," September 2)

Covenant, blasphemy, Ted Kennedy, and more

2009-08-28T15:02:00.004-04:00

Covenant, non-theism, and "some spiritual force greater than ourselves"

Make yourself comfortable for quite a lot of reading. The Rev. Victoria Weinstein set off a flurry in the UU blogosphere by writing:

I was very happy to see Rev. Thom Belote’s article on covenant vs. creed in the Church of the Larger Fellowship’s newsletter, Quest.
The article is here.

Thom does a good job at differentiating between covenant and creed, and I think he does an excellent job making clear why the typical creedal questions don’t work well for Unitarian Universalists.

However, when Thom says that a covenant is an spiritually binding agreement made “between people and the source of life itself” (what I would jokingly refer to as “The Deity Formerly Known As God”), he’s got it wrong in one significant way: The ancient covenant tradition that comes to us from the Hebrew Scriptures through the Christian Scriptures and to the congregational Puritan church that established our polity is one wherein the covenant is ALWAYS initiated by God, never by God’s people.

You will excuse my passion on this point, I hope, as you consider that I have spent the past four years studying the covenant tradition and am currently writing a Doctor of Ministry dissertation on the subject.

What does this mean for humanist UU’s? I think it’s possible for non-theists to accept that some spiritual force greater than ourselves calls us out of our individual concerns to do the work of growing, healing, serving, learning, celebrating, grieving and repenting. ("PeaceBang," August 24)

"Goodwolve" asks "Why must we change to your needs? I am a second generation UU, my daughter a third and it feels like that might be the end of the line for our family."

I think it is a huge leap for members of my denomination to expect me to warp my view of both humanism and atheism to accept a "force greater" in our lives. If I were to suggest that they move their idea of God to the realm of fairy tale I think they would be offended. And so these two parties are supposed to gather together each Sunday - a difficult thing indeed. ("MoxieLife," August 24)

Goodwolve also writes a related post about prayer and living in a Christian country:

Would it bother me if it was Buddhist, Islamic, or even Pagan? - The knee jerk reaction is, yes - but the reality is no. I think my strong reaction to the God language that is being used in our Unitarian churches is because it comes from Christian theology. (August 26)

Patrick Murfin reflects on passion and the use of language and responds to both Weinstein and MoxieLife:

Peacebang is a superb scholar, as well as a gifted minister and prolific writer. She is currently engulfed in writing her doctorial dissertation on the topic of covenants. After spending four years on the subject she has STRONG opinions on the subject. And that’s fine.

But, whoa! In her passion, she has stepped off the deep end. To wit: “We cannot create covenant without reverent hearts. To attempt to do so is, in my opinion, a blasphemy. I just said BLASPHEMY! But dern it, I mean it.” ("Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout," August 25)

Weinstein has a followup post on August 25:

1. You can see why, after working for two years during my doctoral program to try to gear my dissertation toward Unitarian Universalist congregations, I gave up. I am writing for the Christian Church, although certainly with the hope that some UUs may find my work of use.

2. A point of clarification: when I suggested a concept for the transcendent, vertical dimension of the covenant that I thought might appeal to non-theists, it was a suggestion, not a prescription. If it doesn’t resonate for you, reject it. Simple as that. ("PeaceBang," August 25)

John Franc asks:

Can the many spiritual traditions within Unitarian Universalism ever agree on anything of any religious importance? . . .

Murfin says the only way we can live together is through covenants – covenants that originate with us, not with “somebody’s idea of God.”

That we can do. But is it religion? Can a covenant create a spirituality capable of inspiring and sustaining us through the trials and tribulations of life? Can a covenant connect us not just to each other, but to something truly bigger than ourselves – whether that 'something' is a being or just the ideals of humanity? ("Under the Ancient Oaks," August 25)

Chalicechick makes a connection to the "language of reverence" and different definitions of sin, asking, "When does redefining a spiritual concept and using it for oneself become appropriation?" ("The Chaliceblog," August 26)

She also has a follow-up post:

Assuming PB's idea that one cannot have a covenant per se without reference to God catches on, and it might well do that as she is a well-respected and convincing person, then I assume that covenants will not be used in UU churches much as most UU churches have at least some atheists and for the church to think of itself as "A people covenanted with God...and those guys" probably wouldn't work. (August 28)

Jeff W. further reflects on the conversation so far:

There’s much talk at the moment about how covenants, sin, baptism, God, and other aspects of religion typically associated in the West with Christianity (especially, in this context, North American Puritan Protestant Christianity and its descendants) may or may not have an organic connection with Unitarian-Universalism. One argument says that these things are Christian, and UUism is not Christian, so UU use (and especially transformation or redefinition) of such things risks misappropriation. Another argument says that UUism is a direct descendant of Puritan Christianity and thus it legitimately “owns” these things, such that UUs are empowered to use them and to alter them as they see fit. ("Transient and Permanent," August 26)

"PolityWonk" places the discussion of covenant in the context of Unitarian and Universalist history.

Writers of the Cambridge Platform recognized the two different levels of passion about God. They acknowledged that some folks have more passionate needs for traditional Christian worship forms, while others mostly want a place to gather and talk about big subjects. In order for the two groups to coexist, they called for two different covenants within each parish: one for the society and one for the church.

That did not work in practice, and here's why. Living in an era of social control through official worship, they wanted to see everyone in the same services of worship at all times. They said it would be for mutual edification, but in practice, each covenant culture thought the other was attacking its fundamental definition of the sacred.

And here we go again... this time over the internet.

For most UUs, I would rather not get into the issue of two covenants. Rather, I would like us to reclaim the idea of separate worship services within a single congregation. ("PolityWonk," August 27)

Steven R. sums it up:

Living with people who arent the same as you, with different cultures, different classes, different races, different musical tastes, different theological orientation is not an easy task. One has to look at core values - one has also to want to live with the diversity. That's hard to do - it is possible. Many families now contain much diversity, from musical tastes onward. If a blood family can survive, so can a congregational family. It does take work; and to some, it might not be worth the work. Is there strength in our diversity? Do we have to always be right in everything to be loved? Can we put up with the folks in the next pew over? Time will tell. ("UU-ing: thoughts about being a Unitarian Universalist," August 27)

Edward M. Kennedy

Many, many UU bloggers posted about Senator Kennedy. You can find links to them using this search on UUpdates.net.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recently voted to allow ordained ministers in committed same-sex relationships.

The Rev. Debra W. Haffner celebrates, but laments how the non-partnered are ignored.

We're celebrating with this step forward by the ELCA, which echoes the decisions made at the Episcopal General Convention earlier this summer. These votes are major steps toward recognizing the humanity of gay and lesbian persons in the life of the Protestant churches.

But, the emphasis on "committed, lifelong relationships" leaves out the single minister, the divorced minister, the widowed minister -- whether gay, straight, or bisexual -- who are held to a standard of celibacy unless their partner status changes. ("Sexuality and Religion: What's the Connection," August 24, followup post August 26)

Around the blogosphere

Jeff W. at "Transient and Permanent" asks, "What are the Most Liberal Denominations in North America?"

Of course, the answer is somewhat determined by how we choose to define “liberal.” So what do you think: which are the most liberal denominations in North America today? How do you come to that conclusion? ("Transient and Permanent," August 22)

Joel Monka fills out the story of President Woodrow Wilson, who was included in the murals of "liberal saints" in Chicago's Third Unitarian Church.

Liberals usually give two reasons for considering Wilson a saint- primarily for his League Of Nations, and secondarily for establishing the first federal income tax. How can I possibly dislike the man who showed such idealism in foreign policy, and gave us the mechanism to do a little social engineering and soak the evil rich? Easily... let's start with the fact that he was a virulent white supremacist that destroyed what progress we had made so far in race relations since the Civil War. ("CUUMBAYA," August 24)

Kari at "Chalice Spark" writes about the experience of being married to a trans-racially adopted partner. "It's been really hard having my whole immediate family in Asia. It scares me. I worry that they will all decide that having a white wife and a white mother does not support their identity as Asian and Hapa men." ("Chalice Spark," August 22)

The Rev. W. Frederick Wooden is "tending toward both long and short term pessimism" because of current U.S. political discourse.

More and more I see us heading toward our two preferred paths over time - denial and destruction. The former always leads to the latter. We denied the danger of slavery for a century, and it led the the destruction of the Civil War. We denied the cost of unregulated business for most of a century and it led to the Depression. We denied the lasting sin of racism for a century after the Civil War and it lead to the riots of the 1960s. ("Aside from the Obvious," August 23)

The Rev. Dan Harper asks "What do kids need to know about religion?" and has begun generating a list of specific things to be covered from ages 3 to 18. He is asking for comments, suggestions, corrections, and additions. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," August 24)

Elizabeth J. Barrett wonders how many members are enough to make decisions.

At my huuge congregation of 1,565 members, a "quorum" is 50 -- as long as fifty members sign in at a Parish Meeting, all the decisions made are valid. Fifty has been the quorum for the last 60 years at least, while the congregation has grown steadily from 175 all the way up to 1500 adult book-signed members. ("ExUUberance," August 24)

Death panels, UU identity, and bad music in worship

2009-08-24T15:37:00.007-04:00

Healthcare debates

The Rev. John A. Cullinan weighs in on "death panels" (caution, strong language).

Many in my vocation train for these sorts of moments working as hospital chaplains, standing in the cross-currents of love and death on a daily basis until our souls have been shattered into a billion little pieces and we’re left to construct something called a “pastor” out of the shards that we’re able to recover. I’ve seen bodies mangled and brains withered. I’ve stood at the sides of grieving families as they identified the bodies of lost loved ones. I’ve been in the room with people as they’ve drawn their last, rattling breath. This is all, of course, just a long and fancy way of saying that I and my colleagues know a little something about death, or at the very least living amongst the dying. . . .

I am a pastor. I am with people when they die. I am with people when they lay their dead to rest. It is my job to soak up the truth of our mortality, to be the shoulder that is cried on, to be the bringer of tissues, to be the clear eyes on chaotic waters. Every time you utter the phrase “death panels” you cheapen what I do. You cheapen the work of doctors and nurses and hospice workers and health care professionals of all stripes.

You cheapen the experience of everyone who has ever lived through the death of a loved one.

Know that when you utter the phrase, “death panel,” you are lying. You are a liar. I’m not going to equivocate on the point so you can feel better about yourself. The phrase “death panel” is not “controversial.” It’s not something “some people say.” It is not an equally weighted “side” in the debate. It is a lie. Do some basic homework before you speak in public. You are entitled to your informed opinion, but not to your own set of personal facts. I don’t let my twelve-year-old get away with that kind of crap, I’m certainly not going to put up with it from people supposedly older and wiser. I’ll respect my “elders” when they’ve earned it. ("Returning," August 17)

ChaliceChick posed a question about boycotting Whole Foods over a Wall Street Journal op-ed by its CEO, and the comments section took off with a debate about "death panels," Ezekiel Emanuel's academic writing, and Chicago-style politics. Oh, and a few responses to CC's question about boycotting Whole Foods. ("The Chaliceblog," August 17)

There's also spirited discussion at "CUUMBAYA" on a post about the healthcare debate.

There has been an endless stream of bloggery denouncing the anti-crowd for the tone of their rhetoric. President Morales sent out a letter about it, with some serious charges, like "We are witnessing cynical demagoguery that plays on fear in order to defend privilege". (At first I thought he was referring to Obama claiming your trusted family doctor would saw your feet off for profit if you showed a high fasting blood sugar, but evidently he meant something else) and "There is no place for intimidation in our public discussion." (And no, he didn't mean the White House requesting that you turn in the names of friends and relatives who say something "fishy" about healthcare in casual conversation). ("CUUMBAYA," August 17)

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum shares two personal healthcare stories.

I know my stories are not nearly as horrible as others out there. But having experienced these myself, it is clear to me that we are desperately in need of healthcare reform. I believe we need a "single-payer" system. I will settle for a strong "government option." But leaving it all to private insurances will leave us with a system as immoral and unethical as the one we have now. ("Rev. Cyn," August 20)

After news reports carried footage of Rep. Barney Frank responding to a question about the "Nazi" health plan by asking the questioner what planet she lived on, two blogging ministers weighed in. The Rev. Eric Walker Wikstrom "reposted that video when it showed up on my FaceBook wall and did so with glee. At last, I thought, someone talking some sense. But now I regret my response. I regret it because that woman—and the people who think as she does—is not as stupid as a dining room table." ("A Minister's Musings," August 20) The Rev. Victoria Weinstein, however, thought Frank did exactly the right thing:

When we take community time to indulge the complaints of hostile people who don’t even have basic facts right, it simply wastes the time of the majority who have come to learn or to accomplish something. Good leaders have a sense of when someone is genuinely confused or simply trying to hijack a group process. Bravo to Barney Frank for knowing, and acting on, his instinct that this woman was in the latter category. ("Peacebang," August 20, and continued on August 21)

Considering the nature of Unitarian Universalism

Thomas R. Beall writes about his passion for justice and the place of social action in Unitarian Universalism.

It is easy to get angry these days. Those who dream of the Beloved Community on Earth see its realization a long way off. In the United States, since September 2001, we have witnessed great injustice. In our foreign affairs we have witnessed machismo trumping statesmanship; leading to unjust war, “shock and awe” bombing of hapless civilians, torture of war detainees, and many other injustices. In our domestic affairs, we have seen how a conservative, wealthy, mostly white minority uses its wealth and power to subvert our political system to enrich itself and serve its own ends while practicing demagoguery; appealing to religious zealotry, nativism, race hatred, and fear to sustain massive distributive injustice. Perhaps most disheartening, because of widespread complacency, injustice is thriving and, despite the good works and good intentions of many, its march in our society proceeds unimpeded.

Like many religious liberals, I have experienced this anger but I have come to understand how such anger can consume one, damaging relationships and diminishing one’s quality of life. ("Living the Prophetic Imperative," August 17)

Kim Hampton continues her questions about what UU identity is, especially as it relates to seminaries. Again, the comments have substance. ("East of Midnight," August 18) Paul Kent Oakley takes up her question with a summary of some of the comments, asking "Is it possible to answer Kim's question in a meaningful way?" ("Inner Light, Radiant Life," August 20) Hampton then returns again to the subject:

I’ve heard the term “UU identity” for a while now. The reason I asked the question about exactly what IS “UU identity” is because I have a very bad feeling that the term is used as a code to talk about who is “one of us” and who is “not one of us.” ("East of Midnight," August 20)

"A Honey-Dipped Gnome for Eris" responds point-by-point to a 2004 sermon by the Rev. Davidson Loehr, "Why Unitarian Universalism Is Dying."

Let's say that, for the purpose of this discussion, Unitarian Universalism is dying. I'm not at all convinced that we can lay the blame for the alleged death of the UUA where Rev. Loehr says we can. Mostly, I'm not convinced that these things are to blame because I'm not convinced they're true, or at least not true across the board. ("Chalice Circle," August 21)

Around the blogosphere

The Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell shares a personal story with an important point: "Depression is a disease, and it is too often a fatal one. We need to understand it as such and do all we can to help those sufferers heal." ("Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell," August 21)

Lizard Eater tells why she says "Happy Sabbath" on her Facebook page:

I need a day. We need a day. Focus. On. What’s. Important. Life moves so fast … slow down, for a second please. Open my eyes. See it, as it’s happening. Turn off the tv, the busy work. Stop. Breathe. Make time for what is important. ("The Journey," August 15)

Jeff W. muses on the quality of music in UU services:

After basting silently in an intellectual atmosphere for most of a UU service, it may be hard for people to suddenly shift gears into a few minutes of emotive singing. If that is the case, then greater attention to emotional balance throughout the service would likely yield greater singing. The point here is not just to make UU singing sound aesthetically pleasing, but to make it more effective (for instance, as an emotional expression) by making it more natural and comfortable. The emotion many get out of current UU singing seems to be embarrassment, which is certainly not the intention. ("Transient and Permanent," August 16)

Death in the interdependent web, radicalism in religion, and advice for combating fascism

2009-08-17T16:34:00.009-04:00

Death in the interdependent web

The Rev. Dr. Tim Jensen, who among other things blogged about his 18-month battle with cancer as "the Eclectic Cleric," died on August 9. His brother Erik wrote an announcement the next day. The announcement, and the responses to Jensen's death, reflect the extent to which the Internet not only strengthens existing relationships, but creates new ones.

I know that he would have wanted me to thank all of you for your support in his battle with cancer and with your friendships, whether they were lifetime friendships or had lasted only for a short while. Your support gave him great strength and happiness, not only in his valiant struggle with cancer, but throughout his entire life. ("One Day Isle," August 10)

The Rev. Kit Ketcham followed Jensen in two pulpits.

When I learned that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, my heart sank, but I was sure he would beat it. How could that spark be put out?

But it has been. Yet, somehow it still is here. Tim also served the congregation where I am right now, during a very tough year of growth and learning for them. He encouraged them in their work and helped them take steps forward. It may be true that our work in the world is how we are immortal. ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," August 10)

"PolityWonk" reflected on our "world of unjust death."

There are folks who would say that we die when we have nothing left to live for. I will accept this as a humanist version of the same thing: that each of us is unique, and the fulfillment of that uniqueness is our covenant with birth. But death poses a different question. I knew Tim well enough to know he had a few bothersome personal habits -- the cigarette, the extra dessert -- but also to know that he did not indulge these deeply, not even to the extent of many folks who live into the record books. There is simply no way to look at his death outside the tragedies of that earlier era he studied, the one in which too many of the good died young. There is nothing to say in my mind, except, this is a scary injustice. ("PolityWonk," August 11)

The Rev. Thom Belote had a long relationship with Jensen.

My relationship with Tim was multifaceted. We were colleagues. We were friends. I considered him my mentor and he considered me his protégé. And yet, all of these ways in which we were related were secondary. He was my minister, my pastor; I was his “parishioner.” As a life-long Unitarian Universalist and as a minister for the past 6+ years I have been ministered to by my colleagues more times than I can count. That is what we do as colleagues. But care does not define my relationship with those colleagues. They’ve been colleagues, friends, teammates, advisors, mentors, advisees, mentees, and so on. But, I have had only two other colleagues besides Tim whom I have been able to call my minister first, and all those other things second. How do you minister, I mean really minister, to your minister? ("RevThom," August 11)

Public discourse and healthcare in America

David Pyle comments on how the breadth of what America is, is obscured by the painfully heartfelt expression, "I want my country back!"

What has fascinated me about this phenomena is that it is one of the clearest expressions of the results of idol worship in recent memory that did not directly have to do with God. The energy, the feelings and emotions that people express when they shout a tearful “I Want My Country Back”, has nothing to do with their country being taken away, but rather with the idol they had made of their country being proven to be insufficient to encompass all that America is. ("Celestial Lands," August 11)

The Rev. Kit Ketcham compares this national situation to that of churches who resist change (even when necessary).

Is the stubborn church at war with itself the true picture of religious faith? Is the nation at war with itself the true picture of democracy? There is an inherent right to dissent, both in our churches and in our nation. The danger comes when that dissent is fueled by lies and paranoia. ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Roadshow," August 11)

The Rev. Fred L. Hammond responds to those who say they "are afraid of Obama because he is a socialist."

And just what is so bad about socialism? The countries that are socialist democracies last I knew were our strongest allies and friends in the world. These countries tend to defend our most outrageous decisions like invading Iraq. I mean they are our staunchest friends not enemies. Friends can learn from friends. Perhaps we could learn from them about how to better care for our citizens. ("A Unitarian Universalist Minister in the South," August 11)

Chip gets down to basics:

This is not about politics, it is not about conservative vs. liberal, it’s about doing the morally right thing, and offering better health care to more people. ("The Yes Church," August 12)

Beacon Press's "Beacon Broadside" has an essay by author Kai Wright:

If ever there was a "teachable moment" about race in modern America, now is it. With the birthers and the reparations conspiracy theories and the Nazi imagery at health care meetings, someone's gotta explain why all these white folks are wilding out. We need an articulate, impassioned race man to clarify things. But not Al Sharpton; I say pass the mic to Jim Webb.

Remember way back when Webb, a Democratic senator from Virginia and the voice of Appalachia's neglected white yeoman, was sniffing around a veep nod? In the midst of that media moment, he hit on an idea we'd do well to dwell upon. "Black America and Scots-Irish America are like tortured siblings," Webb patiently explained to Pat Buchanan in a May 2008 Morning Joe appearance on MSNBC. "There's a saying in the Appalachian mountains. . . 'If you're poor and white, you're out of sight.'" ("Beacon Broadside," August 13)

David Pyle wants religious faiths to take a higher view.

I still have a sense of unease when someone calls for our faith (or any religious faith) to be involved in the formulation, proposition, or support of policy.

I know that there are those who wish the UUA or other religious denominations would take a more pro-active stance in certain political issues. I know that I am probably in the minority with my discomfort. I do not mean to suggest that UUs as individuals should not participate in the political process (they certainly should) nor do I mean to suggest that the church cannot form relationships with political and advocacy organizations that share its vision of the world.

Because, for me, that’s just it. The mission of the church is not policy, but vision. ("Celestial Lands," August 13)

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum had the opportunity to experience the conversation on the ground when "Somehow, people had gotten word that there was a rally scheduled at 4:30 to protest against healthcare reform, so various local groups got together to state a counter-demonstration in favor of healthcare reform starting at 3:30." Among the things she saw when opponents of healthcare reform arrived:

Among the opponents to healthcare reform was one man holding a sign with a swastika on it with a circle around it and a line through it (a "no" symbol) (Picture from Mlive). The Citizen Patriot article identifies him as Jackson County Commissioner Phil Duckham, and says:
"This is how Hitler started out," Duckham said. "First, Obama took over the auto industry, then the banking industry. We don't need him to take over the health care industry."
This comparison of Obama to Hitler has got to stop. It is inflammatory, inaccurate, misleading, ignorant, and, as I heard someone on NPR say today, it is a denial of the real truth of the Holocaust and what caused it--racism/anti-Semitism. For a government representative, no matter how small the office, to make such a statement, and to be identifying himself as not a private citizen but with his office, is deeply troubling and deeply offensive. ("Rev. Cyn," August 13)

Landrum wrote a letter to the editor about the sign.

The Rev. Debra W. Haffner, executive director of the Religious Institute (www.religiousinstitute.org), a multifaith organization dedicated to sexual health and justice, argues that healthcare reform must provide reproductive healthcare.

Once again, abortion is taking center stage as a key area of public debate. I was called yesterday by a DC colleague and told that the faith community was getting behind "abortion neutrality" in health care reform.

What would that mean? It would mean the public option would not include abortion services and that private options need not include reproductive health care. Translation: poor and low income women would have no coverage for abortion services. Other women, who opt for the public option because they work for a small business, are self employed, or unemployed, would have no coverage.

This doesn't seem like "neutrality" to me. It sounds like selling out women again for political expediency. ("Sexuality and Religion: What's the Connection," August 14)

Radicalism and liberalism

Picking up on a conversation occuring in non-UU blogs, the Rev. Stephen Lingwood ponders where Unitarianism fits in the spectrum between "radical" and "liberal."

Unitarianism has always described itself as liberal, but what does this mean? It's got something to do with being open to new ideas, believing in progress, tolerating diversity with an incremental agenda for bringing about a better world. And perhaps your assessment of liberalism will depend on what you think about the nature of the world, how reformable it is.

The problem with liberalism can be seen as it's tolerance of opposition. For example there were plenty of Unitarians fighting against slavery (and we rush to celebrate them today) but there were plenty of Unitarian slave-holders, and we never insisted they cease their involvement in the slave trade. ("Reignite," August 9)

The Rev. Scott Wells wonders "if the collapse of liberal religion has more to do with our sense of comfort in a damaged and damaging world — a sense most people cannot afford — than our collective inability to raise money or leaders. And then there’s the middle-aged skeptic in me that has seen the alternating self-congratulating, self-destructive and bitter modes of real-life radicals, whether they are religious, political or social." ("Boy in the Bands," August 11)

Seminarian Erik Resly argues for a middle way.

It seems there must exist a position between the often belligerent anthropocentrism of radicalism and dangerously complacent neutrality of liberalism. It would affirm the urgency and possibility of communal change, while simultaneously acknowledging the inherent limitations and fragility of the human condition. To my knowledge, Cornel West's 'prophetic pragmatism' comes closest to this description. West carefully balances between tragedy and revolution, tradition and progress, grounding reformist actions and a visionary outlook (Niehburian in tone) in the harsh reality of structural tragedy (reminiscent of Augustine and Du Bois). We must work for justice, but we will only get so far—yet, we keep moving. ("Embodied Fragments," August 11)

Joel Monka looks at the UUA through a conservative lens:

Evidence that the liberal/conservative is a general mindset, rather than a specific doctrine, is amply provided by the UUA. There is no theological requirement I'm aware of that a liberal church must be liberal politically, but if you look at all the Statements of Conscience, Immediate Witness, etc., the UUA has passed, you'll never see a greater collection of (to my conservative eyes) hare-brained, ivory tower, loony-lefty schemes. I'm convinced that someday a bunch of UUs attending a séance will be accosted by the spirit of Karl Marx himself, saying, "Whoa, slow down with the wobbly stuff already, don't [get] carried away..." But that doesn't bother me, for rarer than the UU conservative is the UU radical. Without radicals, a society doesn't act at all, it merely discusses things. A society without radicals comes to believe that by writing a letter to their congressman or holding an after-service forum on a given issue, they have actually done something about it. A radical wouldn't be so fooled. ("CUUMBAYA," August 12)

Fascist America, part two

Sara Robinson follows up on last week's post on fascism in America with seven basic principles.

Writing about fascism for an American audience is always a fraught business. Invariably, a third of the readers will dismiss the topic (and your faithful blogger's basic sanity) out of hand. Either they've got their own definition of fascism and whatever's going on doesn't seem to fit it; or else they're firm believers in a variant of Godwin's Law, which says (with some justification) that anyone who invokes the F-word is a de facto alarmist of questionable credibility. I get letters, most of which say something to the effect of, "Calm down. You're overreacting. We're nowhere near there yet."

Another third will pepper me with missives that are every bit as dismissive -- for exactly the opposite reason. To them, anyone who's been paying the barest amount of attention should realize that America has been a fascist state since (choose one:) 1) 9/11; 2) Reagan; 3) McCarthy; 4) The Civil War; 5) July 4, 1776. For them, my careful analysis and worried warnings are dangerously naive -- clear evidence that I'm simply not seeing the full horror of America as it truly is, and always has been, at least since (insert date here).

Given this general crankiness, I probably wouldn't bother with the subject at all -- except for that final third who keep me going. From them, I've gotten a blizzard of anecdotes, questions, meditations, ideas, suggestions, manifestos, and love letters (including lots of link love). The piece sparked a lot of conversation all across Left Blogistan about what fascism is and what it ain't and what we need to be watching for. And that kind of thoughtful discussion is exactly what I hoped for. I wanted people to start paying attention. ("Orcinus," August 13)

The universalism of Universalism

Rev. Colin Bossen continues to find European Unitarians (and Unitarian Universalists) quite similar to the ones back home.

The most exciting thing I learned about the Edinburgh congregation, and something it shares with some Unitarian Universalist congregations in North America, is that it started out as a Universalist church. ("The Latest Form of Infidelity," August 10)

UU World being of service

Melissa Bartell learned of Laura Pedersen's memoir Buffalo Gal in UU World and thought, "how often does one find a book by a UU woman on mainstream shelves?"

At times funny, at times poignant, and laced with no small measure of self-deprecation, Buffalo Gal is an enjoyable read. ("UUCOC Conversations," August12)

Doing nothing, fascism rising, and apologizing to Indians

2009-08-10T08:59:00.005-04:00

What draws visitors, and keeps them from returning

David A. Markham posts a list of reasons why someone might visit a UU church ("UU a Way of Life," August 8). The Rev. Sean Parker Dennison initiates a conversation about what keeps visitors from returning to a UU congregation, with a list of 15 reasons why first-time guests may not return from Church Solutions magazine ("ministrare," August 3).

What draws people into the ministry

The Rev. Kit Ketcham tells the story of how she recognized her call to the ministry ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," August 8), and seminarians Lizard Eater and Ogre offer their stories, too ("The Journey," August 8; "Sparks in the Dark," August 8).

Dangers of fascism and mercenaries

Sara Robinson, who writes for the anti-right-wing blog "Orcinus," sees disturbing developments in American conservatism:

All through the Bush years, progressive right-wing watchers refused to call it "fascism" because, though we kept looking, we never saw clear signs of a deliberate, committed institutional partnership forming between America's conservative elites and its emerging homegrown brownshirt horde. We caught tantalizing signs of brief flirtations -- passing political alliances, money passing hands, far-right moonbat talking points flying out of the mouths of "mainstream" conservative leaders. But it was all circumstantial, and fairly transitory. The two sides kept a discreet distance from each other, at least in public. What went on behind closed doors, we could only guess. They certainly didn't act like a married couple.

Now, the guessing game is over. We know beyond doubt that the Teabag movement was created out of whole cloth by astroturf groups like Dick Armey's FreedomWorks and Tim Phillips' Americans for Prosperity, with massive media help from FOX News. We see the Birther fracas -- the kind of urban myth-making that should have never made it out of the pages of the National Enquirer -- being openly ratified by Congressional Republicans. We've seen Armey's own professionally-produced field manual that carefully instructs conservative goon squads in the fine art of disrupting the democratic governing process -- and the film of public officials being terrorized and threatened to the point where some of them required armed escorts to leave the building. We've seen Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner applauding and promoting a video of the disruptions and looking forward to "a long, hot August for Democrats in Congress."

This is the sign we were waiting for -- the one that tells us that yes, kids: we are there now. America's conservative elites have openly thrown in with the country's legions of discontented far right thugs. They have explicitly deputized them and empowered them to act as their enforcement arm on America's streets, sanctioning the physical harassment and intimidation of workers, liberals, and public officials who won't do their political or economic bidding.

This is the catalyzing moment at which honest-to-Hitler fascism begins. (August 7)

Responding to news that the U.S. independent military contractor formerly known as Blackwater may be implicated in murders of critics of the company in the United States, Army chaplain-candidate David Pyle writes:

Military Ceremony reminds our soldiers that they are not mercenaries.

The mercenary provides their own meaning for why they choose to risk their life, why they use violence, and they are primarily responsible to themselves or to other mercenaries. The most common conception is that the mercenary finds meaning in the pay they receive . . . but of the meanings they might find this is a fairly benign one. . . .

If the reports are true, for many in the Blackwater organization the meaning was found not primarily in money, but in a Dominionist understanding of Christianity. Their risk and service was made meaningful by an understanding of themselves as holy warriors, fighting a culture war against an opposing religion.

This understanding, this source of meaning is outside what is appropriate to United States Military and related forces. It is detrimental to our national interest, and to our stated goals of creating a stable and self-sustaining governmental system in the areas we are currently involved. This source of meaning for the mission of Blackwater can be traced to attitudes which lead directly to some of the most controversial aspects of the company’s actions in combat zones. ("Celestial Lands," August 6)

The value of doing nothing

The Rev. James Ford writes in praise of doing nothing ("Monkey Mind," August 8).

The Rev. Victoria Weinstein likes to take her beagle Max for a walk through the town green. She writes:

We’re quite a spectacle.
Because we’re just sitting there.
Sometimes Max rolls on his back and wriggles in the grass, causing people to grin like children if they happen to notice.

Watching people watch him, I realize that Max is just basically a living commercial for beagles; or more generally, for having a dog.

And I realize that I myself am a commercial for Just Sitting There, a kind of radical thing to do in our place and time. ("PeaceBang," August 4)

Pagan reflections

JohnFranc, a UU and a Druid, reflects on the "antiquity" of contemporary Paganism:

John Michael Greer said something I’ve heard before, though perhaps not in these exact words. He said that Paganism in general and Druidry in particular are not “revived” religions or even “reconstructed” religions. Rather, they are indigenous religions of modern Anglo-American industrial society. I think that’s right. . . .

[Paganism is] a reaction to the environmental and commercial excesses of the Industrial Revolution that continue to this day. It’s a reaction to our disconnection with the land and separation from families and communities. It’s also a reaction to both male-dominated misogynistic religions and soul-denying hyper-rational scientific materialism. ("Under the Ancient Oaks," August 5)

Jason Pitzl-Waters responds to a blog post we highlighted last week about a Discordian-led pagan ritual celebrating Lammas, generating a lively conversation at "The Wild Hunt" (August 6).

On looking deeply

Rebecca Hecking sees more than most of us in a styrofoam peanut:

My inner scientist (a product of my college years) started playing mental free-association games. Styrofoam . . . plastic . . . polymers . . . petroleum . . . fossil fuels . . . fossil fern fronds . . . It hit me that this little white blob was really a tiny piece of an ancient legacy, transformed by humans into its present form. . . .

It is a carrier of the hidden Sacred, a reminder of our connection to our Deep Time ancestors. If we open our eyes, it can serve as a catalyst to our collective memory. Can we find other connections? Can we see the Sacred, hiding in plain sight? ("The Sustainable Soul," August 4)

Apologizing to Utes, rethinking Atticus Finch, and more

Seminarian Paul Oakley posts a letter from the Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris explaining how UUA President William G. Sinkford came to offer an apology on behalf of the UUA to the Northern Ute people for their treatment in the late nineteenth century by American Unitarians, a story which had not been widely known before Sinkford offered the apology at the 2009 General Assembly ("Inner Light, Radiant Life," August 6).

The Rev. Marilyn Sewell writes about her surprise at falling in love as she approached retirement (August 5). She is getting married next month.

In a conversation about Macolm Gladwell's New Yorker article about To Kill a Mockingbird and early twentieth-century Southern liberalism, commenters at "The Chaliceblog" have all sorts of interesting things to say about the novel (August 8).

The Rev. Scott Wells (of "Boy in the Bands") has launched a small independent online-only magazine for Unitarian, Universalist, and other liberal Christians called The Liberal Christian.

Erik Resley reflects on a poem by Scott Cairns, who stops by to offer a comment in reply ("Embodied Fragments," August 6).

UUA trustee Linda Laskowski writes about the Board of Trustees' attempt to create links with "sources of authority and accountability" in the UUA's member congregations.

What became clear was how difficult it is for many congregation presidents to get out of the role of "customer". Linkage is not only about who you talk to, but what you talk about: our congregations are both "customers" of services provided by the UUA (a conversation held most appropriately with the UUA staff), and "sources" (moral owners) who care deeply about what the institution of Unitarian Universalism provides to the world (conversations with the UUA Board). Congregation presidents are often so caught up in the crises of church life . . . that asking them what differences they want the UUA to make in the world can not only catch them cold but also seem irrelevant. ("UUA View from Berkeley," August 5)

Religious studies scholar Jeff W. posts a summary of UU and religious liberal events at the annual American Academy of Religion meeting in Montreal this November ("Transient and Permanent," August 5).

Death, remembrance, UU hand signs, and daily life

2009-08-03T16:00:00.002-04:00

Reflections on the anniversary of Knoxville shooting

The Rev. Chris Buice, minister of Tennessee Valley UU Church, spoke at SUUSI, the Southeast Unitarian Universalist Summer Institute, about the shooting that took place in his congregation one year ago last weekend:

Every church has a hymn that it likes to sing in worship and can sing better than all the others. In my church in Knoxville, that hymn is “May Nothing Evil Cross this Door.” On July 27, 2008, evil did cross our doors. A man walked into the sanctuary of our church carrying a gun in a guitar case, pulled out that weapon, and fired into a congregation of unarmed men, women, and children as children were performing a musical play. Two people were killed, Greg McKendry and Linda Kraeger. Eight were injured. All of our community was traumatized.

On that morning people prayed with their actions. (uuworld.org, July 27)

The Rev. Annette Marquis, district executive of the Thomas Jefferson District, writes: "I am reminded of how fragile life is and, at the same time, how resilient we are." (UUA.org, July 28)

Kari Kopnick, director of religious education at Westside UU Congregation in Seattle, Washington, writes:

Tennessee Valley UU Church and Westside UU Church have chosen to stand on the side of love. A love that is a fierce and abiding love. This is no frilly place to be, this is a Sequoia like love with roots that wrap around bedrock and branches that reach to the heavens. ("Chalice Spark," July 26)

Patrick Murfin reports: "our congregation, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Woodstock joined many others across the country in lighting the Chalice in memory of shooting victims Greg McKendry and Linda Kraeger" ("Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout," July 27).

Whose church is it?

The Rev. Sam Trumbore blogs about Dan Hotchkiss's book Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Boad Leadership:

I want to highlight one interesting observation Dan makes that has challenged and stimulated my thinking about what both the staff and the board do. It has to do with thinking about the board as a “fiduciary.” If the board members are proxies for the “owner” of the organization’s interests—who is the owner? (July 31)

Bill Baar picks up a conversation started by another post by Trumbore about making Unitarian Universalism multicultural ("Rev. Sam Trumbore," July 16). Baar argues: "We are a Church most suited to those estranged from their own communities, and we offer a path back to living a religous [sic] life outside of their heritage." ("Pfarrer Streccius," July 31)

A Discordian Lammas?

Jason Pitzl-Waters marks the Pagan holiday Lughnasadh, or Lammas ("The Wild Hunt," August 1). Meanwhile, Strange Attractor belongs to local UU pagan group that rotates responsibility for leading its eight annual Sabbat services, and a group of Discordians "led" Saturday's Lammas/Lughnasadh ritual—into chaos. "Maybe the disruption of the scheduled holiday is part of the point," she writes, "but when people started quoting Monty Python as part of the ritual I knew my spiritual needs were not going to be met" (August 2).

UU summer conferences

The Rev. Fred L. Hammond praises the Southland UU Leadership Experience, a weeklong congregational leadership training program sponsored by four UUA districts. He quotes SUULE leader Connie Goodbread: “Faith Development is all we do. Unitarian Universalism is all we teach. The congregation is the curriculum” ("A Unitarian Universalist Minister in the South," August 1).

Paul Wilczynski summarizes UUA President Peter Morales's talk at SUUSI about "the future of our movement" ("Paul Wilczynski's Observations," July 29). The Rev. Chip Roush lists—and links to!—several musicians who performed at SUUSI ("the yes church," July 31).

Five hand signals, ten Buddhist texts

The Rev. Thom Belote offers five examples of "UU sign language"—"some of the funny hand signals that are used from time to time in UU community" ("RevThom," July 27).

Jeff W. identifies ten Buddhist hymns and readings in the UUA's Singing the Living Tradition hymnal, and corrects the attribution of several ("Transient and Permanent," July 31).

Planning for marriage equality in California

The Rev. Ricky Hoyt spent two days in strategy meetings for religious advocates of marriage equality in California:

It was very clear from our conversation very early on that the question of whether marriage equality activists should place a constitutional amendment on the California ballot to restore marriage equality in 2010, or 2012 is the wrong question. In practical terms the answer is clear: we're not ready. But 2010 or 2012 isn't really the question.

2010 or 2012 focuses entirely on the ballot, which is only a piece of the necessary work. The larger goal is not 51% of the electorate relunctantly granting us marriage, the goal is a cultural shift that sees gay and lesbian persons as full respected citizens of the state. That goal is not achieved legislatively. It's achieved through public education and advocacy, through relationship building, and through normalizing gay and lesbian lives through visibility and time.

The other false frame of the 2010 or 2012 question is the implication that unless we act now we are agreeing to submit to injustice. But public education and advocacy and relationship building and living our lives openly and proudly is justice work. It's not waiting; it's working. And it's not submitting; it's persuading folks who have already voted against once not to confirm their vote but to change their minds and hearts. ("One More Step," July 30)

On other social justice topics, Lizard Eater takes her own "prejudice pulse" ("The Journey," July 29) and the UUA has set up a social justice channel at YouTube. The latest video shows UUA President Peter Morales talking about an interfaith lobby day for immigration reform (July 28).

International connections

The Rev. Colin Bossen finds the familiar in a Czech Unitarian church:

We went to the Unitarian Church in Prague today. I enjoyed being in a Unitarian church where I didn’t speak the language. The liturgy was much the same to that of a smaller congregation in the United States and I was able to understand what was happening. ("The Latest Form of Infidelity," July 26)

Norwegian Unitarian Knut Heidelberg points to a Hungarian website featuring photos of the funeral of the Unitarian Bishop of Hungary, the Rev. Csaba Razmany (July 31).

Relating Unitarian Universalism to Christianity

Army chaplain-candidate David Pyle writes that chaplain school helped him understand and systematize his liberal faith more "than every class in liberal theology, and certainly more than my many conversations with fellow post-modern religionists." Difficult conversations with conservative Christians were especially helpful, he says ("Celestial Lands," August 3).

Jeff W., a UU religious studies scholar, explores the dilemma that confronts religion scholars when they try to discuss Unitarian Universalism's relationship to Christianity:

And now we have the situation of Unitarian-Universalists, whose religious structures, concerns, behavior patterns, and so on are consistently and obviously Christian to anyone who studies religious traditions that come from outside the West, yet who refuse to admit such continuing close relationship. . . .

This seems to point to a problem with the word “Christian” itself. We should not confine it’s definition to merely the self-representational one. One solution for scholars might be to use the word in a very strict, contextual sense. This would entail rejecting the use of the word “Christian” as a noun in relation to the average UU. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll use the first definitions supplied by Dictionary.com. The noun definition of Christian is “a person who believes in Jesus Christ; an adherent of Christianity.” You would not point out a random UU and say “He is a Christian.”

However, the word Christian could be meaningfully employed as an adjective. The adjectival defintion of Christian is “of, pertaining to, or derived from Jesus Christ or his teachings.” You could point at a UU church and describe it as Christian from a sociological or cultural perspective. There is no doubt that UUism was “derived from Jesus Christ or his teachings” (and especially from the religious forms that grew up around those teachings). ("Transient and Permanent," August 3)

The Rev. Victoria Weinstein asks the readers of "PeaceBang" whether she should read the best-selling Christian novel The Shack, and then offers her own review (July 27 and 29).

Quotidian Unitarian Universalism

The Interdependent Web does not consist only of denominational (or nondenominational) concerns, theology, and public witness. This week I'm highlighting some posts about everyday life.

Death is a deep subject, but also a deeply quotidian one. Will Shetterly at "it's all one thing" writes, "My sister is dead":

I am in an unnaturally calm state now. I got the call this morning from my mom. It took me half an hour or more to believe it. My kid sister has always been there when anyone needed her. (July 31)

David Pyle describes the inadequate-to-no health insurance he has had from his non-military employers and writes: "Please, please, please put the government back between me and my health care!" ("Celestial Lands," August 1).

Kari Kopnick describes the two-week Coming of Age wilderness trip her 14-year-old son is taking ("Chalice Spark," July 25). Then, she follows up:

Don't let your children grow up . . .

It simply is too much for a loving parent. Too much for this loving parent. Do you think if I went to Northern Minnesota and just started calling out his name, I'd find my son? Probably not. And he might frown on my interruption of his "Coming of Age" trip.

But I've decided I don't want him to "Come of Age" any longer. I want him to slide back into a little punkin' with an elf smile and an ability to balance while walking across the back of the couch. (August 3)

"On Wings of Thought" ponders unfinished knitting projects: "Each project holds dozens of tomorrows woven into its fabric" (July 30). Kelly Kilmer Hall complains that some of her chicks are picky eaters (with cute chicken photos!) ("Seeking Divinity," July 28). Plaidshoes checks out of blogging for a while to process the harvest ("Everyday Unitarian," July 26), and Mark and Linda report on the garlic harvest (with photos!) ("high hopes gardens," July 26 and July 27). What would daily life on the internet be without cat pictures? Lizard Eater has two new kittens ("The Journey," July 30).

Beyond the blogs

Patrick Murfin announces that he has "finally" joined Facebook ("Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout," July 29), while Will Shetterly is "moving away from the internet" ("it's all one thing," July 29). The Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell, who recently retired as senior minister of the First Unitarian Church of Portland, Oregon, is enjoying writing "Mini-Reflections" on Twitter (July 26).

Chris Walton contributed to this week's roundup.

Arresting Gates, standing on the side of 'Standing,' and more

2009-07-27T15:16:00.000-04:00

The arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Following the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. on the front porch of his home on Thursday, July 16, the Internet (as well as broadcast and cable TV and print newspapers and magazines) went wild. Unitarian Universalists were no different. UU blogs have had commentary, personal stories, and very active comments sections.

Princeton Professor Melissa Harris-Lacewell, a UU who delivered the Ware Lecture at the UUA's General Assembly in June, wrote "Skip Gates and the Post-Racial Project" for The Nation:

Gates is invested in black life, black history, black art, and black literature, but he has managed to achieve a largely post-political and even substantially post-racial existence.

Then he was arrested in his own home. (July 21)

Journalist Dan Kennedy wrote several blog posts at "Media Nation," beginning with "What the Gates story says about race and culture" (July 22; see also July 23, July 25).

The Rev. Meg Riley wrote "The Stories Below the Fold: A Reflection on Henry Louis Gates" at the UUA's "Standing on the Side of Love" blog:

But if we make this about Gates, we’re missing the point. We need to speak out for the unnamed people, the ones without the connections to make all the papers. We need to stand on the side of love with communities who live exclusion, oppression, and violence daily. We need to learn their stories firsthand, because they will never be above the fold in the paper. (undated)

Other UU bloggers addressing the incident include the Rev. Victoria Weinstein at "PeaceBang" (July 21), ChaliceChick at "The Chaliceblog" (July 21, July 22, and July 23), Bill Baar at "Baar's West Side" (July 23), the Rev. Timothy Jensen at "The Eclectic Cleric" (July 24), "On Wings of Thought" (July 24), and the Rev. Daniel Harper at "Yet Another Unitarian Universalist" (July 24). "Stories from LA" relates a personal arrest story (July 24). And Thomas N. DeWolf, author of Inheriting the Trade: A Northern Family Confronts Its Legacy as the Largest Slave-Trading Dynasty in U.S. History writes for Beacon Press's "Beacon Broadside" (July 24).

Science fiction and UU values

Science-fiction author Will Shetterly has several posts on Gates at "it's all one thing," and also one on race on science fiction book covers. (July 25; see also Shetterly's UU World essay, "Speculation and Revelation," March/April 2005.)

"Strange Attractor" writes specifically about "Star Trek":

I got to thinking about how much Star Trek has meant to me and shaped my life. I have been a Trekkie since before I was old enough to go to school. There is actually an embarrassing Kirk-related kindergarten story about this. I probably wouldn't be a Humanist and I definitely would not be a UU without the lessons Trek taught me. (July 20)

Knoxville anniversary, standing on the side of 'Standing,' and the death of cursive

On the first anniversary of the fatal shootings at the Tennesee Valley UU Church in Knoxville, David G. Markham at "UU A Way of Life" writes about media that fan hatred (July 26). TVUUC's senior minister, the Rev. Chris Buice, reflects on the spirituality that sustained his congregation in an essay for uuworld.org: "Their Spirit Is Still with Us" (July 27).

Kim Hampton at "east of midnight" writes about the use of language and publishes a letter from the Rev. Mary Harrington about criticism of the UUA's new "Standing on the Side of Love" campaign, which some people have criticized as insensitive to people with disabilities (July 21). Harrington, who has ALS, delivered the sermon at the Service of the Living Tradition while seated. (See also Harrington's uuworld.org essay, "Finding Relief in the Storm," June 15, 2009.)

The Rev. Eric Cherry posts profiles of the six U.S. participants in the International UU Youth Exchange 2009, a UU student exchange program with German Unitarians, at "Inspired Faith, Effective Action," the blog of the UUA Advocacy & Witness Staff Group (July 20).

The Rev. Thom Belote is posting his lectures on UU history and theology from the Midwest Leadership School at "RevThom."

The Cedar Lane Web Task Force is documenting their process, including work ChUUG (a Baltimore/Washington DC regional group of 30 churches) is doing for a Google Ad campaign. (July 21)

OD/HR Min—"a Unitarian Universalist (UU) minister who once was an OD (organizational development)/HR (human resources) professional"—writes at "Calling Ministers" about achieving equilibrium:

Where is your sense of equilibrium? What brings you back to center when you feel unbalanced? How do you find that peace in the midst of stress and anxiety? How do you let go of outcomes? (July 21)

Elizabeth J. Barrett at "exUUberance" has a suggestion for UU University next year: "I think a Spiritual practices track would be terrific because we would have time to learn various practices and try each one" (July 22).

The Rev. Marilyn Sewell reflects on Walter Cronkite and cell phones in a post on the nature of power and using it well:

Power is exercised by all human beings. We all leverage our gifts to gain advantage of one kind or another. And there are all kinds of power. (July 22)

Craftsperson Doug Stowe at "Wisdom of the Hands" worries about the possible death of cursive handwriting:

What if in the loops and curls, the flow of words from the mind to paper, there are things that happen in the poetry of thought? (July 25)

Not a UU, but . . .

This week saw an extended and wide-ranging conversation on atheism, fundamentalism, rationality, and Sunday school moderated by Patrick Appel on Andrew Sullivan's blog "The Daily Dish" for The Atlantic.

Beyond the blogs

That wedding entrance video is a YouTube sensation, and you can see it at the Rev. Kit Ketcham's blog, "Ms Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," because she loves it (July 23). ChaliceChick at "The Chaliceblog" doesn't, however, and writes "something about this happening in the church portion of the wedding kinda bugs me" (July 27).

Finally, don't miss Michelle Bates Deakin's article for uuworld.org on UU churches using Facebook (July 27).

In praise of factions, UU 'Good Ole Boys,' and Twitter

2009-07-20T15:02:00.000-04:00

A few posts on theology

Paul Oakley is blogging about his experiences as a seminarian at Meadville Lombard Theological School at "Inner Light, Radiant Life." He's an engaging blogger, and you can follow along starting with this post:

I've finished my first class at Meadville Lombard Theological School: an intensive preaching course. There were 16 students, and each of us gave 2 sermons. So, including the sermon preached by our teacher, we were inundated with 33 sermons over the course of 5 afternoons. Wah...! (July 11)

Reflecting on a local billboard that says "Imagine No Religion," the Rev. Fred L Hammond writes at "A Unitarian Universalist Minister in the South":

The right to free speech is a quirky right. It means that dissenting minority opinions have the right to be expressed. It does not mean that everyone must agree with the message being presented. It’s quirky because speech when given free reign is bound to offend even when it is given as an invitation to debate. (July 14)

Kim Hampton at "East of Midnight" proposes that atheists have a theology (July 15). David Pyle at "Celestial Lands" writes about the Creation as the Word of God (July 19).

ChaliceChick at "The Chaliceblog" doesn't want the Seven Principles used as a creed:

Given that people are going to treat the seven principles as a creed anyway and that a change to them would effect everybody at least in the sense that we'd need new bookmarks and RE materials, shouldn't we have more than a bunch of GA junkies voting for them? (July 14)

Which brings us back to the recent UUA elections. The Rev. Tom Schade at "The Lively Tradition" has had a lively week, including several posts proposing different mechanisms for selecting the UUA presdient, culiminating in a post calling for the creation of factions within Unitarian Universalism in order to increase democratic process.

Factions orient voters to the overall situation. What I hear is that most UU's think that there are really just two factions: the insiders and the outsiders, and you can't tell one from the other. Actually, I would suspect that there are several groupings of people who have different priorities for the UUA. (July 17)

What it means to be a UU

The Rev. Victoria Weinstein worries at "PeaceBang" about scrubbing the membership rolls:

I want to say how frustrating it is to have to “clean the books” so frequently in order to have accurate numbers to report to the UUA.

Part of me is in favor of accurate numbers.

But another part of me thinks that if someone joins a church and thinks of it as their church, even if they don’t attend regularly (or ever), and if it was their grandparents’ church, or even if they’re just holding a place so that they have somewhere to be memorialized when they die, we should keep them on the rolls. (July 19)

The scholar of religious studies who blogs at "Transient and Permanent" reflects that "Most religions have no concept of congregational membership." He adds: "Let’s recall also for a moment that families used to literally own or lease the pews in Unitarian and Universalist churches, and that this practice only died out in the 20th century." (July 20)

Lizard Eater at "The Journey" describes her corner of UU culture in Texas:

What? You thought Good Ole Boys were only uneducated bigots? Then you don't know Good Ole Boys, my friend. There were Good Ole Boys at Selma, too -- and they were walking with the protestors. (July 16)

If you'd like yet another way to keep up with UU World online, follow us at Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/uuworld.

Symbolism, ritual, and presidential politics

2009-07-13T15:56:00.002-04:00

Things on the Internet never die

LinguistFriend, posting at "The Chaliceblog" in response to UUA President William G. Sinkford's Fall 2008 UU World column, "Learning from the Interfaith World," takes issue with what he sees as a suggestion that UUs need to become comfortable saying the Lord's Prayer.

[I]t strikes me as illegitimate to adopt the forms of a worship in which one does not believe, outside of cases of compulsion or some extreme pastoral situations. Where a worship form takes place with which one cannot honestly agree, an alternative is simply to be silent and wait for something in which one can more comfortably share. To adopt such forms insincerely is no compliment to those who do believe in that worship, and it is easily imaginable that such quasi-worship could backfire in interaction with other religious groups. (July 8)

Reaction to General Assembly continues

The Rev. Thom Belote continues to add reflections to his report on General Assembly; he is currently up to June 24 ("RevThom," July 2).

The Rev. Dan Harper deconstructs the UUA's new public witness campaign, "Standing on the Side of Love," and invites others to join in ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," July 6).

UUA presidential politics

LT, the minister who writes "thelivelytradition," complains that the presidential campaign was too nice (July 8).

The Rev. Victoria Weinstein leads off a lively discussion of UU culture, growth prospects, and priorities:

Unitarian Universalism is the local congregation. It is not its president. Let us look to the strength, goodness and integrity of our own houses. There’s work enough to do there. ("Peacebang," July 7)

And the Rev. Scott Wells launches a lively (and multi-blog) discussion of the laying-on-of-hands that concluded the installation of the Rev. Peter Morales as the next president of the UUA during the closing ceremony at General Assembly. Wells complains that the symbolic laying on of hands belongs to the ordination of a minister, not the installation of a president. "Using a ceremony that necessarily ties the presidency of the UUA with the ordained ministry frames who can be president, apart from our own established rules. It is thus an abuse of our polity, and should be abandoned" ("Boy in the Bands," July 7).

At "PeaceBang," Weinstein argued, "We cannot just perform rituals ’cause we like them or they feel cool. We are responsible to tradition, to meaning and to integrity" (July 8). The Rev. Kit Ketcham, meanwhile, finds laying on of hands appropriate:

It surprises me that there's some resistance to the ritual of the laying on of hands, as done for our new UUA president, the Rev. Peter Morales, as he took office recently. Here's what Wikipedia has to say, and it's pretty clear that the ritual is not only for ordination but also to bless and to confer authority. Boy, if there's anything the UUA prez needs, it's blessing and authority! And he might need a bit of that healing property too at some point. ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," July 8)

Jess Cullinan takes exception to those taking exception:

It is notable that the most vocal critics weren’t there, and that watching the video doesn’t even begin to convey what really happened in that room. . . .

Leading our Association of Congregations is ministry, plain and simple. It’s a different incarnation than ordained ministry in the congregation, but it is ministry. And I for one would hope that the individuals who seek that office of President of the UUA are indeed called to serve our movement prayerfully, authentically, and with a deep sense of responsibility not just to the administration but also to the vision and mission of Unitarian Universalism. ("Jess's Journal," July 8)

Kim Hampton, however, was present for Morales's installation but was uncomfortable with the symbolism:

If you look at our closest religious cousins (at least polity-wise), the Disciples [of Christ] and the [United Church of Christ], you will notice that they have a position called something like “General Minister AND President.” We, my friends, do NOT have that. We have a President. By that very word, it means that the position is PRIMARILY administrative, NOT pastoral. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that being President cannot be a ministry. It can be. But, it is ADMINISTRATIVE. The twain do not meet, at least in our associational structure. ("East of Midnight," July 8)

In response to all these blog posts and comments, Steve Caldwell quotes the UU Ministers Association's "Code of Professional Practice"—"I will stand in a supportive relation to my colleagues and keep for them an open mind and heart . . . . I will not speak scornfully or in derogation of any colleague in public. In any private conversation critical of a colleague, I will speak responsibly and temperately"—and asks "if a public blog conversation about these issues is appropriate" ("Liberal Faith Development," July 10).

Moving ahead

Weinstein continues themes raised in her earlier blog posts and reflects on the responsibility of ministers to help lay speakers giving sermons to reach beyond political passion:

Again, our lack of theological education and reflection is the culprit. It’s very likely that no one has helped these lay people connect our Unitarian and Universalist theological tradition to their convictions, except in the most generic way. “Please give a talk about why you care so much about Issue X” is a good beginning. But it is only a beginning. “How does this connect with our Unitarian Universalist principles?” might come next, or “What makes this a religious commitment for you?” ("Peacebang," July 10)

Meanwhile, Hampton worries about incorporating Quaker-style silence into the worship service she is leading ("East of Midnight," July 11).

OWL and 'O'

Courtney from "Feministing" (a non-UU blog) posts about the article on Our Whole Lives that appeared in O Magazine, and her commenters make the UUs above look pretty tame (July 8).

Non-blog interdependent web

The Rev. Scott Wells at "Boy in the Bands" suggests following the Unitarian Universalists in Hong Kong on Twitter.

David Pyle of "Celestial Lands" alerts UUs to the new CLF Unitarian Universalist Military Ministries presence on Facebook.

And in a move to make it easier on your memory, you can now find UU World on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/uuworld.

Election assessements and other General Assembly reactions

2009-07-06T16:10:00.002-04:00

Come together...

After the Rev. Peter Morales was elected president of the Unitarian Universalist Association on June 27, UU bloggers began chiming in. The Rev. Dan Harper was pleasantly surprised by Morales's victory ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," June 27). The Rev. Kit Ketcham wrote, "I was a Hallman supporter yesterday; I'm a Morales supporter today" ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," June 28).

Matt Alspaugh, who volunteered with the Morales campaign, described the campaign's "overarching culture of permission and experimentation" ("Slowing Down," June 29).

The Rev. James Ford, who supported the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman's candidacy for president as well as the proposed revision to Article II, felt despondent after both lost. "Of course, over the years, I've won sometimes and I've lost sometimes. And, honey, whatever they say, winning is better" ("Monkey Mind," June 30).

On the night of the election, Kari Kopnick, a religious educator who did not endorse either candidate, was dismayed by the "rift" between supporters of each side. "I want us to wrap our arms about one another and say 'we begin again in love, we begin again in love'" ("Chalice Spark," June 27).

Harper, who was also one of the UUA's official GA bloggers, wrote at his personal blog about rumors circulating about Moderator Gini Courter's absence from a post-election celebration ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," June 28). Courter explained her absence as a scheduling error ("Just Gini," June 29); UU World's General Assembly blog reported on her public apology during the next day's plenary session (June 30). Trustee Linda Laskowski wrote, "[I]t never occurred to me that [Courter's] absence would be any kind of statement. . . . Why would we think otherwise? Are we so starved for drama that we make it up?" ("UUA View from Berkeley," June 30).

...or not

Suzie, writing at the feminist blog "Echidne of the Snakes," thinks sexism determined the outcome of the UUA presidential race and says that she is "experiencing post-traumatic stress over the election of the Rev. Peter Morales as the eighth president" (June 28). Chalicechick offers a "sour grapes" post-mortem, asking whether "the level of civility hurt the Hallman campaign" ("The Chaliceblog," June 28).

No new 'Principles and Purposes'

Ogre, the seminarian-blogger at "Sparks in the Dark," was surprised that the proposed revision to Article II of the UUA Bylaws (the "Principles and Purposes") generated so much opposition that it was narrowly voted down. He thought they should have been revised just to avoid creedalism (June 27). Another seminarian, Earthbound Spirit, was also disappointed that the revision failed and posted the statement she planned to offer in support of the proposed Article II ("Earthbound Spirit," July 1).

Pagan news blogger Jason Pitzl-Waters was glad to see the Article II revision fail because he and other UU pagans felt that earth-centered spirituality would be relegated to a "footnote" in the new text. He wrote, "[F]uture proposed revisions, and other decisions by the UUA BOD [sic], shouldn’t continue the trend of making Pagans feel unwelcome" ("The Wild Hunt," June 29).

The General Assembly of the future?

The Rev. Tony Lorenzen took notes on a workshop by the Board of Trustees' "Fifth Principle Task Force," which will be presenting a proposal to radically change General Assembly at next year's GA. He liked what he heard ("Sunflower Chalice," June 28). Sean, a delegate from Church of the Larger Fellowship, also endorsed the task force's recommendations ("CLF Delegates' Notes," June 29).

Lorenzen also took notes on Moderator Gini Courter's remarks on good governance ("Sunflower Chalice," June 29).

The Rev. Ricky Hoyt was discouraged by the way the General Assembly behaves like "self-appointed justice monitors of the world" ("One More Step," June 30).

Can Unitarian Universalism go multicultural?

The Rev. Anthony David writes the must-read post about General Assembly, pulling together observations from several speakers on the challenges of creating a truly multicultural Unitarian Universalism. Pathways Church, the congregation David helped found near Dallas, drew from the worship styles of contemporary evangelical and non-denominational churches, he writes, but people who were already UUs resisted and criticized the approach.

I can’t tell you how many times I was “pecked to death” by people who came to us from other Unitarian Universalist congregations—people whose sense of what is proper for UU culture was mortally offended by what they were experiencing in our pews. They smelled white trash, and they sneered. ("Thousand Voices," June 29)

The Rev. Tony Lorenzen (who succeeded David at Pathways) responded by inviting other UU innovators to help plan a summit about "what's NEXT" for Unitarian Universalism ("Sunflower Chalice," June 30).

African UUs, the Peacemaking vote, and board tension?

The Rev. Erik Cherry, the UUA's director of international resources, posted video from the presentations made by three African UU leaders at GA, the Rev. Mark Kiyimba of Uganda, the Rev. Fulgence Ndagijimana of Burundi, and Olufemi Matimoju of Nigeria ("Inspired Faith, Effective Action," July 2; see UU World's coverage of Unitarian Universalism's explosive growth in Kenya in the Summer 2009 issue).

Jess Cullinan wouldn't have missed the plenary debate about the "Peacemaking" Statement of Conscience, which the General Assembly voted to refer back to the Commission on Social Witness for another year of revision:

But . . . while the Plenary session debated the merits and implications of the language of that statement about Peacemaking, I was across the street at the Marriott Hotel, attending a commissioning ceremony for a dear friend leaving one of our Unitarian Universalist seminaries to enter the Navy. ("Jess's Journal," July 5)

Meanwhile, Army chaplain candidate David Pyle has put together a photographic tour of monuments to UU servicemembers buried at Arlington National Cemetery, a project he described on his blog (Flickr; "Celestial Lands," July 4), while the Rev. Tony Lorenzen helped officiate at a memorial service for a UU Army colonel on Independence Day ("Sunflower Chalice," July 4).

Trustee Linda Laskowski responded to UU World's coverage of the first Board of Trustees meeting after GA, which, we reported at our General Assembly blog, began somewhat awkwardly (see here, here, and here, June 29). She adds some observations about the importance of collaboration between the board and the administration in the context of some historic tensions between the UUA president and board ("UUA View from Berkeley," June 30).

The interdependent web at General Assembly

2009-06-26T16:57:00.000-04:00

GA for those who don't go

Just because some bloggers can't go to Salt Lake City doesn't mean they aren't part of the Interdependent Web at General Assembly—and of course they vastly outnumber those who do! The Rev. Cynthia Landrum writes:

I'm sad that I can't be at General Assembly this year. I miss seeing my colleagues from other districts. I feel more out of touch with the latest ground-breaking events of our association and the newest books or creative thoughts. Every year I've missed I've planned to watch videos or live feeds of it, but I rarely do. Perhaps this year will be the first. They're certainly making virtual attendance at GA more possible. Hopefully soon we'll be able to vote from afar on more than just the president. ("Rev. Cyn," June 23)

GA is not just GA

Easily the most prolific blogger at GA so far is Kari Kopnick at "Chalice Spark." She is actively blogging GA, starting with pre-GA events and with a focus on LREDA, the professional organization for religious educators:

Quick, think of the longest, most boring meeting you've ever sat through. Now, double the length, but turn it around into a deeply meaningful, hilarious and wildly productive work session.

That's what today's LREDA Board meeting was like. Long. Deep, and a lot of fun. (June 22)

Spanish-language hymns and 'polyvocal dialogue'

The Rev. Ricky Hoyt was glad to hear about a new Spanish-language hymnal supplement: "This is a desperately needed resource in my Los Angeles congregation, and in our movement as a whole" ("One More Step," June 24).

Meanwhile, Paul Oakley reflects on a "polyvocal dialog" on the hymn "We'll Build a Land" during worship:

If every single hymn becomes part of some dialogic struggle, can we ever do anything without holding a series of workshops on it or, worse, killing it dead on the spot by positioning and explanation of every move we make rather than actually doing worship? And yet... dialog is certainly necessary. ("Inner Light, Radiant Life," June 25)

More perspectives

The Rev. Anthony Lorenzen is attending the Governance track of UU University ("Sunflower Chalice," June 26).

GA speaker Kate Clinton is featured on "Beacon Broadside" (June 26).

The UUA is using Twitter to write 140-character micro-reports on GA, and so are others.

UU World staff are posting photos to our Flickr stream.

And, of course, we also have our GA blog, written by UU World staff, and the UUA has a GA blog written by other UUA staff and volunteers.

Watching Iran, Father's Day, GA, and more

2009-06-22T11:38:00.002-04:00

Iran's 'Green Revolution'

Several UU bloggers—the Rev. Victoria Weinstein ("PeaceBang"), Chalicechick ("The Chaliceblog"), the Rev. James Ford ("Monkey Mind"), and Bill Baar ("Pfarrer Streccius")—want to know why UUA President William G. Sinkford and the UUA's Washington Office haven't released any statements in support of the Iranian democratic reform movement, especially in light of Sinkford's controversial meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last fall. Meanwhile, Unitalian suggests that UUs express solidarity with the Bahai'i, a persecuted religious minority in Iran (June 21). And uuworld.org publishes a personal meditation by the Rev. Parisa Parsa, a UU minister who was born in Iran (June 22).

Pollster David W. Moore explains why we shouldn't trust a controversial pre-election poll in Iran that predicted Ahmadinejad would win ("Beacon Broadside," June 19). Military chaplain-in-training David Pyle comments on Iran and American exceptionalism ("Celestial Lands," June 21). The Rev. Gary Kowalski, author of a book about the liberalism of America's founding fathers, says that the Iranian protests have made him think about George Washington's legacy ("Revolutionary Spirits," June 21).

Joel Monka is impressed by how peaceful the Iranian protesters have been: "the property damage and blood in the streets of Tehran so far is less than you'd expect in an American city that just won an NBA championship" ("CUUMBAYA," June 20). The Rev. Tony Lorenzen wonders if Americans are just too comfortable to take to the streets to demand better health coverage ("Sunflower Chalice," June 22). Strange Attractor isn't sure how enthusiastically she should support the Iranian reformers: "These are not radicals or feminists in spite of Mousavi's impressive wife" (June 18).

Father's Day reflections

For Father's Day, Jeremey Adam Smith, author of the Beacon Press book The Daddy Shift, offers a guide to children's books featuring fathers as co-parents or primary caregivers ("Beacon Broadside," June 18). Jim Magaw writes, "My faith as a father is not a reflection of my parenting skills but is a reflection of my commitment to something outside myself" ("Word, Music and Meaning," June 19). The Rev. Victoria Weinstein, whose father died 26 years ago when she was in high school, writes:

Right now I just feel like I would literally give an arm to pick up the phone and hear my dad’s voice, have a conversation with him and meet him somewhere for a hug. Just to smell his coat lapels. To see his hands and feet. To know his face so well, still, that I wouldn’t even need to look closely at it. To walk on the beach with him and see his thinning hair get ruffled in the wind and to talk about all the things we used to talk about — mainly, about what kind of person I was going to be, what he saw in me and for me. He would have so much to say by now. We would just fall into step beside each other as we always did, and he would tell me how his perspective had changed as one of the ancestors. He would make everything clear for me. ("PeaceBang," June 21)

"Beacon Broadside" also publishes a moving personal essay about life-threatening pregnancies and the Buddhist teaching that life is suffering by Jeff Wilson, a Unitarian Universalist professor of religion and East Asian studies and occasional contributor to UU World (June 16). Wilson's article is adapted from an essay in a new Beacon Press anthology of writings for the web magazine Killing the Buddha.

As General Assembly approaches

Kim Hampton is wary of the UUA Fifth Principle Task Force's proposal to hold General Assemblies less often: "And as someone who doesn’t live on the east coast (where the majority of UUs of color are), it gets very lonely (and tiring) being one of maybe a couple of persons of color in the room. . . . The only time that there is a critical mass of people of color is at GA" ("East of Midnight," June 17).

Patrick Murfin offers "a guide for the unsuspecting UU delegate in an election year" ("Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout," June 17). Worship is the best part of General Assembly, writes Kari Kopnick ("Chalice Spark," June 19). UU World is blogging General Assembly news and business ("General Assembly Blog"). UUA.org's coverage will include reports, blog posts, and streaming and archived video.

The Rev. Dan Harper is en route to Salt Lake City (by train!) for the UUA General Assembly, where he will be a volunteer with the UUA's web coverage team. On his personal blog he asks:

Will you be going to General Assembly this year? or do you have better ways to spend your hard-earned time and money than by going to some denominational meeting? Will you be following the online coverage of General Assembly? or will you be watching the Red Sox instead? And finally, do you believe General Assembly is worth the thousands of dollars the denomination spends on it each year? Discuss freely. ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," June 20)

Elsewhere this week

The Rev. James Ford buys a clergy shirt for the Pride parade ("Monkey Mind," June 17). The Rev. Victoria Weinstein returns from a long sabbatical in southern and eastern Europe and writes: "I see myself more clearly than [ever] as a participant in a middle class, desire/get/[consumer]-oriented, entitled, depressed and quite impoverished culture" ("PeaceBang," June 17). Plaidshoes explains why she calls her blog "Everyday Unitarian" rather than "Everyday Unitarian Universalist" (June 15).

Lizard Eater grew up UU, and so, she says, "I have a foot in each camp of the theist/humanist wings of our religion" ("The Journey," June 17). The Rev. Dan Harper proposes that the primary thing that has kept Unitarian Universalist congregations in business over the last forty years is their religious education programs for children ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," June 18).

Paul Oakley's new UU fellowship is working toward recognition as a GLBT "Welcoming Congregation," but is looking for resources to help them learn about transgender issues especially ("Inner Light, Radiant Life," June 18).

Pagan blogger Jason Pitzl-Waters writes about the neo-Nazi use of the Celtic cross as a racist symbol ("The Wild Hunt," June 15).

Jane Fonda, Obama's Sunday school, and Flower Communion

2009-06-15T10:00:00.001-04:00

UU influences on Jane Fonda and Barack Obama?

The actress and political activist Jane Fonda, whose spiritual odyssey generated considerable commentary when she embraced evangelical Christianity in 2001, writes about her faith as a "work in progress" and credits the Rev. Forrest Church, a Unitarian Universalist minister, for the observation that "God is not God's name" ("Jane Fonda," June 10).

The conservative "American Thinker" blog tars President Barack Obama's support for U.S. veterans by describing the Unitarian Universalist church in Honolulu, where Obama attended Sunday school in the early '70s, as a sanctuary for military deserters (June 14).

Meanwhile, UU military chaplain-in-training David Pyle explains why he is reluctant to support congregational outreach to military veterans: "[M]any of our congregations are not ready to receive these veterans in the way they need to be received by a faith community" ("Celestial Lands," June 14).

Affirmation and judgment, Flower Communion, ministerial culture

In a long post about the UUA Principle that affirms and promotes "acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations," the Rev. Fred L. Hammond writes that this means "I cannot judge your experiences as false. I cannot joke about people reading 'Conversations with God' or 'The Secret' or 'The Tibetan Book of the Dead' or 'The Course in Miracles' or even 'The King James Bible red letter edition'" ("A Unitarian Universalist Minister in the South," June 12).

Elizabeth ponders how she could embrace a form of Christianity within the context of her Unitarian Universalism ("Elizabeth's Little Blog," June 13).

The UUA is collecting stories about how Unitarian Universalism has blessed people's lives (UUA.org, June 8).

Paul Oakley's four-year-old UU congregation holds its first Flower Communion, prompting thoughts about how UUs "do" ritual ("Inner Light, Radiant Light," June 9). The Rev. Andrew James Brown tries to avoid sentimentality in the Flower Communion at his congregation in Cambridge, England ("CAUTE," June 7).

Seminarian Erik Resley responds to the Rev. Kenneth Collier's UU World essay about integrating the ego and the spirit by observing, "We must also strive for connection with the more-than-human" ("Embodied Fragments," June 8).

The Rev. Tony Lorenzen examines UU "ministerial culture," and observes that the UUA provides very little guidance for would-be ministers. "People need pastoral care on this journey, but we as a religious association don’t provide it. Instead we have a bureaucratic process" ("Sunflower Chalice," June 12).

UUA presidential election commentary

The website of DRUUMM (Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries) posts four questions the organization posed to the two UUA presidential candidates and publishes the responses they received (June 5).

The Real Anonymous explains why she wishes the Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt were running for the UUA presidency ("It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere," June 12).

The Rev. Thomas Perchlik, responding to comments in several articles in the the Summer UU World, writes: "[E]ven if a candidate for the UUA Presidency tells us 'We are the religion for our time,' the fact is that most of us do not think we are a religion, but either a smorgasboard of religions, or something that enhances the flavor of religion cooked up somewhere else" (June 8).

UU responses to political violence

Sara Robinson, who has been writing about the apparently politically motivated murders of a Kansas abortion doctor and a black security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Museum, posts a letter to "Conservatives" that asks, "Are you deliberately trying to start a civil war?" ("Orcinus," June 11, 12).

Pondering UU reactions to right-wing violence, the Rev. Victoria Weinstein voices skepticism about the potential of reason to overcome hate: "I don’t believe—have never believed—that what will heal the world of hateful fundamentalisms is rationalism, but humility and reverence" ("PeaceBang," June 11).

The Rev. Mary Wellemeyer urges liberals to reach out to fearful and apocalyptically minded conservatives. "There is no way to tell how many degrees of separation there are between us in our liberal cocoons and them in their right-wing ones, but to have any hope at all of reaching the next potential shooter before he (or she) shoots, we have to move toward them with courage, love, patience, and hope" ("A Larger Faith," June 13).

Bill Baar, meanwhile, is keeping an eye on the tumult in Iran following the contested election for president ("Pfarrer Streccius").

Hunger strike, abortion rights, saving the world, and loving God?

2009-06-07T20:06:00.000-04:00

It was a lively week in the UU blogosphere. Some highlights:

Bolivian hunger strike, water in the desert, marriage in N.H.

Olga Flores, a UU leader and human rights activist in Bolivia, is one month into a hunger strike protesting government disappearances in her country. "UU Without Borders," the blog of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists, posts an update from Flores and a letter from the Rev. Brian Kiely, president of the ICUU, extending his support (June 4; Spanish-language news coverage is here).

A volunteer with a humanitarian relief group sponsored by the UU Church of Tucson, Ariz., that provides water to undocumented migrants crossing the desert was convicted of littering June 3 ("No More Deaths!" June 4). The Rev. Chip Roush comments wryly, "Helping to save people, and cleaning up other peoples' trash...they must be stopped!" ("The Yes Church," June 5).

When the governor of New Hampshire signed same-sex marriage into law June 3, the Rev. Ricky Hoyt wrote, "I'm glad that our culture has evolved to the point where same-sex marriage in New Hampshire is so boring that it can be reported in a short article on page 14 [of the Los Angeles Times], but until the laws change to reflect the culture's growing acceptance—in 44 states and nationwide, we can't go to sleep on this subject yet" ("One More Step," June 4). Media critic Dan Kennedy observes that 4.9 percent of the U.S. population live in the six states that have legalized same-sex marriage. If New York and California follow suit, however, 21.7 percent of the country will live in pro-gay marriage states ("Media Nation," June 4).

Dr. George Tiller's murder and abortion rights

UUA President William G. Sinkford condemned the murder of Dr. George Tiller, who was one of only a handful of late-term abortion providers in the United States ("UUA.org," June 1). Tiller was shot to death while ushering at his Lutheran church. Orelia Busch from the UUA's Advocacy and Witness staff offers a prayer for Tiller ("Inspired Faith, Effective Action," June 1).

The Rev. Sam Trumbore writes, "I wish we could hear all the stories that Dr. Tiller heard because I think it would soften the hearts of those who protest at his doorstep" (June 2). (The online magazine Double X has been collecting stories of women who had late-term abortions.) Bill Baar objects to Trumbore's statement, "Life often doesn’t go as planned and pregnancies are the result," and writes: "There is a huge moral difference between a late term abortion to save a mother's life, and a late term abortion to resolve what Rev Trumbore calls those events in life that don't quite go as planned" ("Pfarrer Streccius," June 3).

Carole Joffe, author of Beacon Press's upcoming Dispatches from the Abortion Wars, writes: "In the abstract, late term abortions are understandably distasteful to many. When considered in the context of real women's lives, however, these procedures are essential" ("Beacon Broadside," June 4).

Ogre condemns Tiller's murderer: "If there's any justice for Tiller, it will be that people like Randall Terry and Bill O'Reilly have lives where they need someone like Tiller, and don't have him" ("Sparks in the Dark," June 1).

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum, who supports a woman's right to abortion, writes, "Part of me really does understand, I confess, the mindset that leads to things like the murder of Dr. Tiller this weekend" ("Rev. Cyn," June 2).

Army chaplain candidate David Pyle sees the shooters who killed Dr. Tiller and Pvt. William Long, an Army recruit who died in an attack on an Arkansas military recruiting station, as fundamentalists. "I don’t think the stated causes of these individuals are the real motivation for their action, just as I do not believe that the claimed religious views of most fundamentalists have anything to do with why they are fundamentalist" ("Celestial Lands," June 1). He also offers a definition of the fundamentalist mindset (June 3).

Jason Pitzl-Waters hosts a conversation about pagan views of abortion and women's reproductive choices ("The Wild Hunt," June 2).

Presidential endorsements and saving the world

Joel Monka was provoked by UUA trustee Linda Laskowski's endorsement of the Rev. Peter Morales for UUA president last week, and explains how her endorsement clarified why he's supporting the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman: "Religion isn't about changing the world; it's about changing the man in the mirror—if you can save him, the world will follow" ("CUUMBAYA," June 3). He follows up with a post on the failure of UU churches to address personal as well as social sin (June 3).

Seminary graduate Elizabeth, who is not endorsing a candidate, responds to Monka. She takes issue with Peter Morales's statement: "The old religions lead to tribalism, violence, suspicion, hatred, and oppression. We need a religion that transcends divisions, religion that unites enemies, religion that points to a new future that includes everyone." Elizabeth writes:

I often feel so frustrated at the sense that we (Unitarian Universalists) somehow have what the world needs—like, somehow Christianity or Islam or Buddhism isn’t cutting it. For me, it is that Unitarian Universalism is where I need to be. And I welcome others in joining me and my fellow Unitarian Universalists in the journey to try to do the hard work of love and justice. This is where I am, but it isn’t because other religions somehow aren’t good enough. ("Elizabeth's Little Blog," June 3)

Meanwhile, the Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons endorses Peter Morales ("RadicalHapa.com Liberation and Mutuality," June 5). Lizard Eater endorsed Morales last week, but adds a story about the conversation she had with the candidate when they realized that each has a child who was diagnosed with cancer ("The Journey," June 4).

The Real Anonymous, however, writes that "neither one of [the candidates] sounds like they have a driving passion to be President," and so opts not to endorse either one ("It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere," June 5).

UUA trustee Linda Laskowski looks at the Board of Trustees' legal right to fire the UUA president—a topic that has come up in some discussions of the board's shift to Policy Governance—but she observes, "The thought that we would ever get to that point is inconceivable to me" ("UUA View from Berkeley," June 4).

Circus worship, surprised by 'The Shack,' and loving God?

The Rev. Victoria Weinstein posts a letter from a former UU who gave up after their congregation's Sunday services "had degenerated into a carnival-like atmosphere with antics such as guess the minister’s weight, someone turning cartwheels on the stage, and songs from the Rocky Horror Picture Show." The letter-writer continues:

Every week there [were] skits with people dressed in silly hats or animal costumes. One Sunday morning they had a belly dancer on stage. During one service members were invited to come up on stage and show off their tattoos. On a couple of Sundays, the minister tossed a beach ball into the audience and invited parishoners to bat it around during the service.

In response, other commenters discuss the merits of different styles of UU worship ("PeaceBang," June 5).

Lizard Eater launched a rich conversation by asking:

[H]ow would your church respond if someone said, "I love God"? Would they recoil? Giggle? Direct the person to the closest Unity or UCC church?

I thought about the phrase in terms of my own life. Would I personally say "I love God"? ("The Journey," June 1)

She follows up with a second question: "If you love God...would you admit it?" (June 1)

Terri notices that people in her congregation are slowing down as the church year comes to an end. She comments on the spiritual growth that small, lay-led services can still provide during the summer months: "It only takes a few gathered together to create a church—a place of personal salvation, a balm for the weariness of the soul—but it takes those few to be fully present" ("UU Intersections," June 2).

Diggitt, in a comment at "CUUMBAYA," responds to UU World's cover story on Unitarian Universalists in Africa:

Here is a group that almost denies the existence of homosexuality although it lives with AIDS on a daily basis, and which embraces polygamy. Yet we are considering an outreach to it because of its acceptance of the message of Universalism. I predict this will be a thorn in our side; the African Anglican communion has brought little joy to American Episcopalians or to Canterbury, for that matter. (June 3)

OD/HR Min, whose blog examines the process of UU ministerial formation, offers three recommendations for performance-based ministerial examinations ("Calling Ministers," June 3).

Religious education director Kari Kopnick reminisces about going to her first UUA General Assembly and LREDA Professional Days shortly after taking the job. "I swear I would have sat myself right down and cried big crocodile tears of surrender if not for my first General Assembly" ("Chalice Spark," June 3).

Elsewhere: Rebecca Hecking mourns the death of environmental spirituality author Thomas Berry ("The Sustainable Soul," June 4). Lizard Eater is surprised by her reaction to the best-selling religious novel, The Shack ("The Journey," June 3). The Rev. Matt Tittle is writing every day for 60 days about "a moment of grace that I experienced the previous day" ("Keep the Faith," June 1). And furniture-maker Doug Stowe announces that one of his tables has been purchased by the Historic Arkansas Museum for its permanent collection ("Wisdom of the Hands," June 4).

Anti-choice terrorism, Unitarianism's first black minister, more

2009-06-01T11:46:00.002-04:00

Doctor's murder, Prop 8 upheld, and White House visit

The Rev. Christine Robinson reacts to news of the murder May 31 of Dr. George Tiller, one of only three doctors in the U.S. who performed late-term abortions:

Most of these abortions are abortions of wanted, loved, even named babies, and they are caused by tragic circumstances. Nobody talks about them, few people defend them, fewer find a calling to provide them. When they happen they are tragedies, and the only good thing one can say about them is that because of late-term abortions, even greater tragedies are averted. ("iMinister," May 31)

Sara Robinson writes about Tiller's murder:

Tiller was one of just three doctors in the entire US who performed late-term abortions. Now, there are just two. Which means that 36 years of anti-choice terrorism is now just two assassinations away from completely ending late-term abortion in America. Violence has won out -- over the will of the people, over the courts, over the horrific logic of medical necessity. ("Orcinus," May 31)

The Rev. Lindi Ramsden, director of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry, California, writes about her disappointment with the Supreme Court decision that upheld Proposition 8, which brought a halt to same-sex marriage in the state ("Inspired Faith, Effective Action," May 27). MassMarrier thinks it's time to reform many states' ballot initiative process, which he calls the "flamethrower of populism" ("Marry in Massachusetts," May 27).

The Rev. Ricky Hoyt, a UU minister in California who actively opposed Proposition 8, is glad the state Supreme Court didn't undo his marriage, but thinks the court made the correct legal decision: "It's not the court's job to change our culture; that's our job" ("One More Step," May 27). Joel Monka writes, "The only moral and ethical way to deal with this setback is to learn an important lesson from it: the Prop 8 supporters simply worked harder" ("CUUMBAYA," May 26).

Meanwhile, members of the UUA's Washington Office for Advocacy and Witness met with the White House Office of Public Engagement for the first time on May 27. Adam Gerhardstein writes about the conversation he and the Rev. Meg Riley had with associate director Paul Monteiro. "We began," Gerhardstein writes, "by clearly communicating our movement’s commitment to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender rights" ("Inspired Faith, Effective Action," May 28).

Parker's destructive legacy, Jackson's untold story, and more

Seminarian Lizard Eater endorses the Rev. Peter Morales for president of the UUA ("The Journey," May 26). The Rev. Kit Ketcham endorses the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," May 27). The Rev. Timothy Jensen also endorses Hallman ("The Eclectic Cleric," May 27).

The Rev. Mary Wellemeyer writes about trying to find an interim ministry position ("A Larger Faith," May 28). UUEnforcer, meanwhile, has been assembling a list of newly announced ministerial settlements ("The UU Enforcer").

The Rev. Timothy Jensen muses on the 19th-century Unitarian minister and abolitionist Theodore Parker's "destructive legacy" ("The Eclectic Cleric," May 28).

Fausto is also thinking about history. He writes about lists of famous Unitarians and Universalists:

They remind us of how influential past UUs once were in society at large, and they kinda sorta suggest that either we still could be, or at least still have the moral rectitude to deserve to be, today. . . . But a disturbing quality I find in UU hagiography is that it often revises the portraits of our saints to more closely resemble who we would have liked them to be than who they actually were. ("The Socinian," June 1)

And the Rev. Dan Harper has been researching the story of the Rev. William Jackson, who was the first African American minister to proclaim himself a Unitarian, in 1860. A series of posts digs into local archives to reveal more about Jackson and about his interactions with antebellum Unitarians ("Yet Another Unitarian Universalist," May 22, 26, 28, 31).

NM_Creatrix says Laura Pedersen's essay in the Summer UU World "expresses my feelings exactly" ("NM Creatrix," May 25).

Sci-fi without science, religion without orthodoxy, and bloggers at GA

2009-05-24T22:50:00.004-04:00

The Rev. Timothy Jensen writes about visiting a parishioner in jail ("One Day Isle," May 18).

Pagan blogger and journalist Jason Pitzl-Waters defends Wicca's honor from a New York Times op-ed ("The Wild Hunt," May 19).

Logan Geen writes that each of us is a little bit orthodox, a little bit heretical ("The New Unitarian Universalist," May 19). The Rev. James Ford takes up a similar topic in a post about what defines a Buddhist ("Monkey Mind," May 19).

LaVerne Coan writes that, "deep in my gut, I see myself as a Christian," even though she disagrees with things that many people see as defining Christianity. She offers some Unitarian Universalist definitions of Christian belief instead ("Lifting the Spirit," May 22).

The Rev. Thomas Perchlik complains that there's not much science in the science-fiction blockbuster Star Trek: The Future Begins:

Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists have long valued integrity between science and religion. We have long insisted that supernatural ideas be taken with a grain of agnosticism and that science is of great value. Many of UUs have loved Star Trek shows because they blended science and religion in fun ways . . . Now a movie is made with no science at all. And we wonder why Kansas schools and others are trying to present religious ideas like Creationism (AKA “intelligent design”) as if they were good science! (May 20)

Steve Caldwell, meanwhile, challenges an unnamed UU theologian who had suggested that modern science is a form of faith ("Liberal Faith Development," May 23).

Rebecca Hecking marks Endangered Species Day and Memorial Day: "I cannot help but wonder how different things would be if we remembered the passing into extinction of so many fellow earth creatures with the same fervor that we remember our military" ("The Sustainable Soul," May 21).

Ginger Root celebrates her congregation's first Coming of Age program ("Carrots and Ginger," May 21).

Kari Kopnick is dismayed to learn that UU World will no longer be including the children's insert uu&me! ("Chalice Spark," May 21; see "From the Editor," UU World Summer 2009). Kopnick also writes about the demands of her job as a religious education director:

I have a job that is like a little glass of water. Have you ever accidentally spilled a small glass of water on the kitchen table? Isn't it amazing how that little bit of water SPREADS out so far and wide? Being a Religious Educator is like that. It could fit in a tidy small jelly jar, but if it spills out---whhhoooo boy, holy take-over-your-life Batman! ("Chalice Spark," May 23)

The Rev. Daniel O'Connell describes how his congregation is casting its 12 votes in the UUA presidential election next month ("UUA Politics," May 22). The Laurel Hallman campaign, meanwhile, has set up a blog, although its contents are also published on the campaign's main website. (See UUA.org/elections for information about both candidates and voting guidelines for congregations.)

The Rev. Kit Ketcham comments about the draft Statement of Conscience on Peacemaking that the UUA General Assembly will consider in June: "We tend to disapprove of most war, but to proclaim ourselves a pacifist denomination would be a departure from what I think of as our primary mission, that of unity within diversity" ("Ms. Kitty's Saloon and Road Show," May 23).

Joel Monka is organizing UU bloggers who will be attending the UUA General Assembly in Salt Lake City in June ("CUUMBAYA," May 21).

Dan McKanan, Harvard Divinity School's first Ralph Waldo Emerson Unitarian Universalist Association Senior Lecturer in Divinity, delivered his first public lecture, "Unless a Seed Falls: Cultivating Liberal Institutions," on May 7. Watch the lecture here. Read an interview with McKanan.