Twice, in fact: Overheard at GA and most especially: Including "God" . I once heard an expert defined as one who has mastered his subject from B to Z, and forgotten A... and those few of us who attend a UU church for religious reasons often feel like the forgotten A.
Why would one choose UU in the first place- what is it that one can get at a UU church that cannot be gotten elsewhere? The Washington Office of Advocacy? Puh-leeze... There’s not one issue they address that isn’t covered by another organization with far, far more influence. For all the discussion, debate, and effort put behind our Statements of Conscience, I fail to see any evidence our lobbying has ever changed the mind of a UU congregate, let alone a congressman. If one really cared about issues, a single dollar sent to GLAD or NARAL or NAACP or whatever would be more effective than all we do. Many of those organizations can even provide a rich social life as well.
The one thing the UUA does that no other mainstream organization in America does is welcome those who do not worship the God of Abraham. For many of us- yes, a minority, but a large minority- we joined a UU congregation to pursue spiritual growth. And I proudly proclaim my congregation has been invaluable in my own personal search for meaning- but that doesn’t mean my experiences have been totally positive. Being a believer in any sort of Divinity can be something of a trial for a UU- if you use the Riddle scale of tolerance , substituting “theist” for “gay”, where 8 is good and 1 is bad, I would rate the UUA as a whole between 3 (tolerance), and 4 (acceptance)- with a minority at the 1 (repulsion) or 2 (pity) level. At least I hope it’s a minority; there were plenty of truly hostile comments during the debate Rev Sinkford called for on the language of reverence- I noted four separate instances of being told that the proper term for “transcendental experience” was actually “psychotic break”. And you’d think any UU would understand that just because I’m Pagan does not mean I welcome anti-Catholic or anti-Baptist comments; an attack on anyone’s genuine beliefs is an attack on mine.
Ask yourselves this: if you applied the standards used to become a “welcoming congregation” to believers rather than gays, would your congregation be welcoming?
4 comments:
"an attack on anyone’s genuine beliefs is an attack on mine."
Then I guess that Rev. Ray Drennan attacked your beliefs Joel when he referred to mine as "silliness and fantasy." I guess he attacked your religious rituals too when he dismissed most religious rituals as being "meaningless". If you believe in God he attacked you by labeling your beliefs as "primitive". Lots of other "like-minded" U*Us attack your beliefs on a regular and ongoing basis but you obviously lack the courage to defend yourself against such attacks on your beliefs so I guess that I have to do it for you, as I have been doing for the last decade or so. . .
Oh and, quite evidently, the Unitarian Church of Montreal is one amongst other U*U "churches" that I have been calling Unwelcoming Congregations for some years now. . .
Excuse me? "...you obviously lack the courage to defend yourself against such attacks on your beliefs..." Don't give me that crap, Robin. Who has been speaking on this issue on beliefnet, CFUU, etc.for as long as he's been on the internet? Who was it that said in "The Tragedy of Robin Edgar" that he believed you had been treated unfairly, even without knowing the people involved? That was me, Robin. I've been protesting anti-theism consistently, even stridently, and I've been doing it under my own name from day one. I have written to Rev Sinkford on the subject, and taken that stance both in forums and in real life in my own congregation. Don't insult me because my methods are different- I have every reason to believe they're more effective.
It's time for you to make a committment, Robin- did God call you to spread the vision you were granted, or to harangue even those on the same path as you (if not hand in hand)? Don't let life tick away while you decide.
The blog post that you titled "The Tragedy of Robin Edgar" might just as well be titled "The Tragedy of Joel Monka". . . In fact it was a Google search on - The Tragedy of "Joel Monka" that brought this forgotten thread to my attention. The last time I checked I had done a reasonably good job of sharing the vision I was granted, and continue to do so. I can and will harangue outrageously hypocritical U*Us like you who publicly, or indeed privately. . . harangue me for defending myself against insulting and abusive U*Us who damage and diminish my ability to share my vision. It is part and parcel of the proverbial prophetic experience. . .
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