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2014-08-14 It seems to me that the outpouring of emotion on the death of Robin Williams was not only for a beloved celebrity, although goodness knows he was that and more. His struggle with mental illness and addiction became an opportunity for the rest of us to talk about our struggles—with our own illness, or…
Read MoreFerguson: Cynicism and a Smartphone
2014-08-21 I have to admit that the recent events in Ferguson, Missouri have triggered mostly cynicism for me. In the US we have periodic paroxysms of piety triggered by events that happen every day but occasionally “go viral” in the media. Then, the outrage subsides . . . and nothing changes. Allow me to relate…
Read MoreBecause it is the Faithful Thing To Do
2014-08-26 {Editor’s Note: Due to technical difficulties, this post, originally scheduled for August 19th, was delayed – posting now!} I spent two weeks out of state, mostly away from the internet, TV, and newspapers – enjoying some much needed study leave. Returning to the news of the world on Thursday, August 14th was, I confess,…
Read MoreWhen in doubt, choose the side of Compassion
2014-09-02 The Thursday following the fundamentalist disruption of worship service at First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans, a Pro-Woman, Pro-LBGTQ, Pro-Religious Freedom rally was planned for City Hall. It may not surprise you that the Unitarian Universalists showed up. Dozens of Standing on the Side of Love t-shirts, signs, and stoles were vividly on…
Read MoreThe Spiritual Practice of Agnosticism
2014-08-28 Wolf! The Aesop fable about the boy who cried wolf has long been viewed as a cautionary tale about lying. The boy knowingly cried “wolf!” merely to disturb the villagers. The boy eventually pays the price in dead sheep when the villagers stop responding. There is another and more dangerous way of crying wolf,…
Read MoreMoses, Jesus, Paul and Sacred Soundbites
2014-09-04 What ‘Ol Abe Saw Moses, Jesus, Paul, et. al. as motivator. Their words as marching orders for how to live and what is right to do. Sounds good. Yet, as he watched the bloody carnage justified on both sides by Christian theology, Abraham Lincoln perhaps said it best: “I know that the Lord is…
Read MoreThe Journey is Essential
2014-07-29 On the verge of two weeks of study leave, I offer this ancestor wisdom to the world: Journey with peace, courage, mercy, compassion, and love beloveds. And may our dreams be realized…
Read MoreHouse on Fire: Church Attendance in the US
2014-07-24 There it is, yet another study indicating that the number of American Christians who attend churches regularly has dropped yet again. (see link below) Currently the number of those who attend church once a month or more has dropped to something on the order of eighteen percent, less than half of the number who…
Read MoreReps of God: Christian Triumphalism and the DIY Future of Unitarian Universalism
2014-07-31 LITE The future of Unitarian Universalism does not lie in Christianity Lite any more than the future of Anheuser-Busch lies in Bud Light. Oh, wait: Anheuser-Busch doesn’t have a future: it was bought out . . . by a European corporation that makes tasty beer. In our consumerist religious landscape, the mainstream Christian denominations…
Read More#Development—It’s Nothing Personal
2014-06-05 Pragmatic philosopher John Dewey once said, “Growth itself is the only moral end.” To philosophers a word like “only” means a lot more than it does to most of us. And here, in the Twenty-First Century, looking back on the wreckage and horror of the Twentieth, it’s easy to dismiss such a sentiment with…
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