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20140511-Invocation.mp3

Today. We pay homage to our mothers. The women who birthed us. Watch this grow. Wipe their noses. Stuck band-aids on her knees. And kept her fingers crossed that we would turn out alright. It strikes me that our mothers are as unique and varied as the. The flowers in front of us today. I'll borrow from the reverend trudy well she rides. Some others are like bright yellow scythia spilling over the neighbors fence. Almost unbearably cheerful energetic and determinately curious. Insinuating themselves into our lives. Some others. Are like daisies by the roadside. Humble perhaps a little frayed around the edges spreading as they pick up their clothing does he love me does he love me not. Some mothers are like irises informal gardens austere and complicated. Holding themselves back as we try in vain to discover what's really inside. Some others are like roses displayed on a trellis. Lovely. Sweet smelling sure their favorite place in our hearts. And some others are like thistles in a field their sharpness wounding us as we try to get close. Some others are like violets coming up in the lawn unassuming but tenderly loyal always there regardless of how we take them for granted. Some others are like ivy on a brick wall holding us too tightly unwilling or unable to let go. Some others are like beds of peony's. Buzzer me overdraft and bearing us with their lavishness and the lipstick marks they live on our cheeks. And some others are like lilac bushes beside the kitchen door welcoming familiar. Reminding us that we can always come home again. Living or dead. Perfect or flawed. Gorgeous warplane. They are our mothers and they did the best they could. Our feelings about our mothers are probably also is complex and as the flowers was he before us. Let us love them for what we can love in them and honor them the best we can flawed as we are to. From then we were given the gift of life. Let us say thank you each and our own way as we worship together this day. Come let us worship together.

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Sermon_112512.mp3

And we talked about this month we talked about the issue of forgiveness. And. Those who are here are those who weren't paying attention. To forgive is to give up resentment or claim a requital for. Some offense. To forgive is to cease to feel resentment against. Send the fender or a pen. Forgiving use and allowing of room for error or mistakes. Support of forgiveness is in fact a recognition of our own sellability. Run into problems where we. Think of other things things like absolution iran. And confuse them and saying. Well i don't want to do that you know. So. Again. Undercoat lily tomlin again aren't my favorite comedians she says forgiveness means giving up all hope of a better past. And i think it's good for a lot of it. It's just not going to get any better. Is important to remember for us. This forgiveness of others and ourselves as something we do 4. Ourselves as we talked about already. Previously. That. It's something. Forgiveness is not what we do for the other. It is for ourselves. Because by doing that we open up. The possibility of being more. Aviemore healthy. Seamless angry. As rabbi kushner would say. The opportunity to be happy. I know some of us really like being like this. It's a lot of fun at times if nothing else. But it doesn't necessarily make it happy. Frankly i'm. More. Leaning towards happy the older i get. Writer catherine ponder offers that when you hold resentment toward another you are bound to that person or condition. Find emotional link that is stronger than steel forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free. And rabbi harry kushner has talked about this is more like. Holding onto a grudge is like holding onto a white-hot cole hoping somebody or drinking poison hoping it makes the guy across the street sick. We're not talking about forgiving and forgetting. We're condoning. But someone else is done. It is about moving beyond suffering. For the place of healing. And even if we don't feel like forgiving. Switch. Harvest sometimes doubt. It's cuz we really want that righteous thing. Even if we don't feel like it sometime saying the words. Can lead us into a place. Greater healing. Greater release. Some of you were here last week and went through this little exercise with me let me take you to it again here. Think of someone you need to forgive hold their name or image in your mind as you say that out loud. Think of. Mercedes things with her name out loud so they may be sitting next to you. We're across the aisle. So. Repeat after me as i say the following. I forgive you completely and freely. And i'm not really buying. I forgive you completely and freely. I release you and let you go. I really love you.. So far as i'm concerned. What happened between us is finished forever. I wish the best for you. I wish for you the highest good. I hold in you the light. I am free if you are free. And all again is well between us. Peace be with you. It feels different we have a sense of conviction about it.. Then like eating or broccoli or whatever is like. Okay it has more resonance. You know this is something we do over and over again dr. martin luther king says forgiveness is not an occasional act it's a constant attitude. And if this is true. We may be called to an even deeper level of relationship when possible. And that is something doctor king also spoke of and that is reconciliation. He offers the following he says darkness cannot drive out darkness only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate only love can do that. So how forgiveness is about releasing the past. Reconciliation. Is an act of creating a future. I think that's an important distinction. Forgiveness is about letting go. Reconciliation is an effort towards creating. Play future. Without forgiveness though there is no future putting to desmond tutu. And. That south african bishop would know he was part of. All the truth reconciliation processes of a part run apartheid in south africa. No reconciliation. Be careful about what we mean by that too and generally means to restore to friendship or harmony. What you settle a resolve conflict. Four differences. To settle a rizal. To restore. Harmony. Another words we associate with that are, date of tune conciliate conform. Coordinate. Harmonize. Advice columnist tom moon. Wrote a letter back to a woman who is in an abusive relationship. And this is some of what he shared with her. About the nature of forgiveness because. Her ex was pressuring her to forgive him for all of his dastardly things. The guy was real sob frankly. And here's what. What time moon had to say about that. Forgiveness means letting go of the weight of resentment against the person. Coupon review. And also of the dubious pleasures of revenge and retribution. It's a lot easier to do if the other person apologizes but it's still something you can do on your own. Without the other person or even having to know what you've done. Forgiveness means letting go of the past. The reconciliation is about committing to a future. It means we're trying to some degree of friendliness. And for that to happen trust has to be re-established this is an important issue trust. My forgiveness reconciliation can't happen unilaterally. If i've done you harm the first step to reconciliation requires that i accept and acknowledge my wrongdoing. Sassy sense of responsibility. If i deny responsibility for what i did or deny that i did anything wrong. We can't really be reconciled. If i act as if your feelings don't matter. Or that you don't have any right to hold me accountable for hold me to your ethical standards you won't be able to trust. I won't hurt you in future. Tomlin goes on to say he says genuine reconciliation can't just be based on the desire for harmony. It requires a mutual commitment to shared ethical. Standard. I think in the world we live in. Right now that maybe. El porton sticking point. There are four ethical principles which are indispensable foundation. For meaningful reconciliation. These are one. We are always responsible for our actions. Number two. We have a responsibility to put ourselves in the other person's place. Empathy. The other person is always worthy of our respect. And there are no excuses for harming others. Unfortunately forgiveness alone isn't enough to make reconciliation possible. It's only possible when both parties in the dispute have the maturity and integrity honesty and care. They're essential to the process. Moon phases by saying understanding the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. And make it easier to be generous with forgiveness. When real reconciliation is impossible. And also helps to avoid the pitfalls of being guilt-tripped into a false reconciliation. They were trying for some sensor artificial amicability. Lynn closes he says he's smoking number of years before with a woman. Who. Following the long process of emotional healing she told me she says quote. My heart is open to him but my front door is locked. So weird. We're faced with opportunities here. Opportunity of forgiveness. And an even greater possibility for reconciliation. Reconciliation asks us to take more risks. Send forgiveness. It asked us to be more open to be a little more vulnerable. Four possible. Greater good. It doesn't say the stupid. The story earlier of darth vader's death scene. The return of the jedi. His destruction of the emperor and his reconciliation with luke brings balance to the force. Anything of that sort of. Ongoing theme from the beginning. Episode 12 episode 6. Are the star wars saga. That he will bring balance to the force. Someone say that lucas is very codependent with darth vader. And and trying to make him somehow into something he's not known people said dark. It was at luke don't do this. He's just got hurt you. You know how these leaders are. It's not a very healthy. Right. I mean you know my father. Switch off my hand. We don't have to destroy the evil emperor though. To create more balance in our lives is a cosmological myth. Smaller level it's not the evil emperor to overthrow it. Our. Preconceived ideas. About ourselves. And others. And even the nature of the universe. You know darth vader would say. You know the power of the dark side piano. You know that you can't you can't undo what's been done that was his trap put himself in and it wasn't until he was forced by circumstance. Preconception of himself and the universe itself works. That he was able to dendy free to act. So it's about challenging preconception. But when we do that we can allow ourselves. Cimorelli be able to find a place of healing. And restoration for ourselves and for those whom we may be at odds with. Frances religious liberals the consequences of. Not endeavouring to be in the constant attitude. His doctor king says are couple. He gives away our power. Turns us into victims. Vision trends allows of negate. The worth of the other. Is inherently worthy beings. And in not forgiving we in turn are not able to fully on ourselves and others as. A part of the whole universe as a part of the force. A diminished in our ability to extend that recognition to others. And not just those who have transgressed against us but all of it. No matter how indifferent or depraved another maybe. They're still not devoid of work. We are all children of the universe. They were obligated to try and recognize them. Each other a suck. If we wish to claim the same purcell. And i says choose happiness over righteousness. Reconciliation. Is that one more step beyond forgiveness we talk about forgiveness a lot. Is that one more step. Is that one more place we can go. It's that effort to try and mend that which has been broken. Clear there are times when reconciliation is simply not a good idea. For not possible really. Not a good idea because it would put us in peril again. This is not about taking those kinds. Luke skywalker. He's a jedi. But it's about. Being open emotionally. To the possibility of. A deeper relationship. One of the things that defines community. Is. Our ability to be in. Deep. Communion with each other. One of the hallmarks of a what's called a pseudo community. Is that everybody gets along and nobody argues. Right. This is familiar. A pseudo community is where everything is wonderful everything is great nobody has any problem with each other and we're all wonderful experience we have at summer camp as kids right. Until it's summer camp drags on for 4 weeks. After the first couple of weeks along so great. You know. Set forth togetherness. They're people i know to retreats with for 45 days and i saw this is wonderful and i realize if i had to spend mither this would not be good. We would all be in it. We would each other that's not. Anto. Pseudo community just says everything is okay and aguas is over. The real stresses the real realities of being in community with each other. This is one of the problems that utopian communities often have. Is they go in with a great sense of knife about what human beings actually are like when they're put together especially. It's not pretty. And we are all facing the holidays at. of time where we're supposed to have the perfect family. You know the perfect holiday the perfect house. Good lord. Okay. You know. Christmas tree this year cuz i don't have room for it. I got a i got a ten-month-old who probably try and climate. I just assumed not do that. So. We are all faced with these expectations that we put on ourselves. But if we can reconcile ourselves. By letting go of our preconceptions. Then we might find a greater place of harmony in lemoore balance. In our force. This issue of reconciliation is important for us. Because it is where. We bring the issue of a greater whole more homeless in our community. Indian our individual lives. It's not something we necessarily accomplish all the time but it's something that we must. Great stories in the western tradition. Is the prodigal son. The christian scriptures. And this is one of the great reconciliation stories. Is the story of forgiveness but it's also a story of reconciliation. How many of you know the story the prodigal son. Okay. Yeah basically the short and short of it is. Young man comes of age. Demands his inheritance from his family. Goes off to foreign country. Spends it all away. Ends up taking care of pigs which is a bad thing for someone is jewish. And besides that you know my father. Servant you know allowed to work in his field. And it goes there goes home he's embraced by his father. Given a warm welcome and and given you know the fatted calf for a party and everything like that so that's reconciliation for the father now the older brother. He was not reconcile. He was still holding onto the hay. I stayed home i did my job. I was righteous. And the father basically says you know. Be happy because what was lost is found. Your brother is now home there is no greater homeless here there harmony here. If you can let go. So there is reconciliation with the family the sun has accepted responsibility for his actions. The father has go of. His knee to judge. They're making sure i'm covering all the bases i can tell that. You know. There's an effort there. To try and make. Sings. Not like they were before or to make them quite at home veterinary. Find heal that rift that golf. Between. The father and the son and the family. So there's no opportunity for us and our individual lives to try and do this and it's hard. But that's why it's a religious act it's twice as spiritual practice. Trying to do this. Someone to ask you in your life. To think about those things where reconciliation. For someone. Might be possible. Might not. I think what that would look like it was accomplished. I'm not going to give you any easy answers here because i don't have any in there really aren't any. This is about doing the hard work of living. This month of ours that were in right now. Time of thanksgiving. Beginning of our holiday season in the country. Russia moving into a period of hope. I think that's one of the great things that the opportunity for reconciliation. It's something can. Be restored or renewed. Or made more coal. Senators in his brokenness. So. That is what i understand. Is easiest way. To try and restore balance to the force. Take me to yoda's voice i would but i can. So remember that. You have. Within you.. Abilities. Aviemore hole. Nothing more healthy. Morning more happy. Seymour loving. And compassionate even if it's just towards yourself. Opportunity arises to share that as an act of gratitude. To reach out. When reconciliation is possible inappropriate. Try and engage in that and creating a more whole world. Morc for community. More whole family. And more whole lies.

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Reading_012013.mp3

A reading this morning is by my great colleague meg barnhouse who now serves our congregation in austin first unitarian church there. Make offers the following. She says i have gone to a lot of church services in my time when i was eight. Wearing mary jane shoes and white stockings and a blue coat with a velvet chain collar my mother had made sitting next to my little sister and her coat identical to mine. Trying not to wiggle in the pew. I would make check marks as the sections the order service were finished. Him number one pastoral prayer scripture reading sermon i love jacking off the sermon. My cousin ed the brave would carry a transistor radio in his pocket and run the earphone up through his shirt so he could barely see the wire. Carrying on music row ballgame to his ear. The church of my childhood had big. Clean windows eggshell walls and red carpet. I think the most exciting thing that ever happened in church was when the man in front of me held so still. But a small spider was able to spin a web at the angle of his neck. Stretching the silk from his ear to his shoulder his gray suit making a perfect design that was only the strip when he rose to sing the last. We colored in our bulletins we look through the handles we made ourselves giggle by adding between the sheets to their titles. A baptist friend of mine said she and her friends added in the bathtub. Turn back on man between the sheets. We three kings of orient are you in the bathtub. Meg goes on to say years ago i came into this unitarian universalist community of faith. Because i'm home i listen to people talk sometimes about liberalism as if it's a thin gruel water down to please everyone. Seven principles a complainer either too much like a creed or so general as to be meaningless. Will my experience of the principles is that they are deeply demanding. The first one asked me to affirm about the inheritance in dignity of every person which means that i can no longer subscribe to the cheerful calvinist doctrine of total depravity of human nature. It sounds grim but really if you are in fact starting with a totally depraved nature the opportunities for self-congratulation abound today i didn't knock over the 7-eleven this afternoon even though money's pretty tight i'm doing pretty well. Now. I have to struggle with the word indignity of people who do unspeakably awful things where's the doctrine of total depravity. Made that one a no-brainer. I'm supposed to value the democratic process hearing the voice of everyone equally allowing everyone to have a say. Do you principles are demanding enough to make me whine. For those who feel they are thin gruel i have a suggestion let's stick something on the end of every principle that will stop people from smiling and nodding. Instead of adding in the bathtub or between the sheets. How about attaching. Beginning in our homes and congregation. Then we be faced with affirming things like the goal of peace liberty and justice for all beginning in our homes in congregation. Everyone who has raised children knows that peace is often at odds with liberty. And and that justice demands a disturbance of the peace. To put those three together in one principle is outrageous and lovely. It's easier to think about working towards them in a global context that it is in the context of cheerios and pajamas. Car keys and cleaning up one's bedroom. Justice equity and compassionate human relations beginning in our homes and congregation. It is sobering ideal. I don't know about you but i have sat in meetings about right relations and see people get testy with one another. Some of the nastiest behavior i've seen was long ago and at a community workshop for peace activist. Latte. Coded. In the back of our handbook says peace in the world begins with peace in the home. Which begins at peace. If i start with my own heart the demands of our principles get even heavier. Peace and compassionate. Iheart. Justice to freedom as well. Affirming the worth. Every person all the time not only with my words and my behavior but in my secret heart. If we added in the heart. To the principal. They might as well just say jesus and be done with it. I'm sorry i even brought it up. For me the heart of the liberal faith. It should be connected to something greater. Then yourself. So. To wallow in the spirit of life love and truth have fair trade coffee and important conversations. Just a love and a stand against quibbling complaining on flouncing off in a huff. To move toward being in right relationship with ourselves one another. And our planet. For me this faith isn't a thin gruel. It's not even rich in hardy gruel its walnuts and bananas pancakes mangos arugula ginger and avocado. The feast is prepared with effort enjoyment persistence. And can't. And commitment. Care to join me. Dawson's are reading this one.

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20131215-Reading_4.mp3

3. final reading. Which is a reading adapted from jeffrey simkowitz. When at last we scale the walls which are hardened hearts have built. Then we come face-to-face quietly. The blessed this. I want another. When we look beyond what we can see with our eyes. Then we can see what is really there human being. As far and as perfect as we are. With your new friends we thought. Everyone around us where the stranger or an enemy. Then we see that these struggling fellow pilgrims. With whom we share this space. The people who make those facebook comments that really get under your skin. Are the ones who bully your best friend and make him cry. Are pushing front of you in the line will make you ask why did they do that. We look with open hearts. They'll no longer robbers pirates and thieves. But deepest friends most intimate souls. To see the creation of the eyes of god. Me seeing with the eyes of peace. It means finding ways to bind up the brokenhearted. Even when the world says it can't be done. Tammy's looking for the good in everyone even when you think there isn't any goodness there at all. 2 scale these walls of alienation and despair. Means living are lies and truth with justice. 939 the holy gift of our hearts and souls. Hoarding them like visors gold. It is the simplest call of all innocence. To open ourselves to god we first open ourselves to one another. To see the world as beautiful and holy we must see the good inside ourselves and share it with the people around us. Each day we live in hope. In the deepest possibilities of our dreams. Have our visions in this life. Then we live in heaven. Then we will turn and greet one another. Knowing at long last the simple blessing. Ascending fully in the presence of another true messiah. Face-to-face with one leg up. A beaming holy child of god.

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20140914-Sermon.mp3

This month is on vision. And there's so many different ways to take that and our friend chris divers is going to be here in a couple of weeks and talk to us about vision. But i've also been trying to talk about it from a variety of perspectives. One of the ones that has shaped my life. Most profoundly is descendants of the religious vision. That. Is both the. Ecstatic experience of an engagement with. The god goddess the holy that which is more than us. And the things then that it calls us. To be in the world. 10 things i learned early on in my 20s spiritual. Seeking was that there were a couple of different types of people on spiritual journeys. They were pilgrims who are genuinely looking for things to. To find that. Shrine of hope and. Experience with the holy and to become more than ourselves and then there were tourists. And many of you know tourists and many of us have been tourist spiritual tourist from time to time. Ohop from event to event and activity to tivity and take a workshop and it's like in reflect up the certifications like their strings on it like beads on a string. And then we can talk about how wonderful they are. And i got tons of certifications and all sorts of things that i have never really used much. And some of which i still go back to and do you. But. We can choose to be the pilgrim. What's the taurus. The tourist might have the experience but they generally don't know what to do with it. Or don't care. And again. The pilgrim. Takes that vision the pilgrim. Praise. For that vision. Which may. Change their life and allow them to change the world. In some way. For the better. When i was in college. I had the good fortune at the university of missouri when i was there. To have a course that was taught in the english department. Buy a deadman. Now we all encounter a lot of dead white european males in our coursework. But. This was john neihardt who was the. Transcriber in some say author writing down the. Autobiography of nicholas blackhawk. To the book blackhawk speaks is named for. And black album self was one of the last of the lakota holy man from the 19th century. Who had been at little bighorn is at 16 year old. And who was a cousin. 2. Crazy horse. Neihardt had recorded all of his lectures. Neihart reporter all of his lectures before he died in early. In the late nineteen. 70s. And so we had all of him. He's a very avuncular grandfatherly figure when you see him. Friends of mine who who knew him. In life. When the first time they saw him on the campus. The mother and daughter and. This. Mangos breezing down the quad at university missouri which is all lined with big oak trees and he had this. Down blowing behind him in this shoes shock of white hair mean i'm going behind him like a like a tail romaine and. My friend said her mother goes. Who is that and her mother cuz i don't nobody somebody. But he was also a profoundly spiritual and sensitive man who's also the poet laureate of nebraska. And i was able to take this course facilitated by a life professor which by the way had such high attendance numbers on a regular basis that other professors killed the course because they didn't like being upstaged by a deadman true story. So i got to experience a full semester of john neihardt. Talking about. Anomaly blackhawk speaks but all of his works dealing with. The indian wars and and. Native american spirituality from the lakota perspective particulate. And i found myself. Profoundly moved. By what i was hearing particularly black ops edition. In a way that i don't didn't remember being moved. In all of my years growing up in the disciples church. Now that's not an indictment of disciple was a great community and they have lots going on there but that was my experience. I found myself praying to be an instrument of this vision. Of healing the hoop of the world. And this understanding of. The hoop of our people is one of mini hoops. So that was a vision that captured my imagination. And allowed me to go on to have other visions of my own. That help support that. As a part of my sense of calling. And i think in many ways that was. An important step along on a longer journey than i had been on and still am on. So now we are. In this place. Religious being here. And we try to offer up visions as universalist for you to take home to to do things with. To be to be inspired by. And we hope that we're doing a good job. But there's some other things to consider. Wallace tanger has written that neither the country nor the society we build out of it. Can be healthy until we stop raiding and running. And learn to be quiet part of the time. And acquire this sense of ownership of not ownership. But of belonging. And i say that this is part of the role of religion this idea of belonging to a being connected. In the word religion real agarre is to reconnect a rebind us back in the same way a ligament connects us. That which reconnects us and binds us back to that which is ultimately meaningful. Founder of process philosophy alfred north whitehead said religion is what we do with our solitariness. And duane elgin chairs that to live life that to live life consciously is to move through life with conscious self remembering. Now one of the functions one of the purposes of ritual and worship and spiritual disciplines is to be conscious self remembering creatures. In these other forms of sacred time and sacred space. We are provided with the psychological and emotional spaces we need in our lives. To have the opportunities to create the space for sacred visions. Now let's not be too heavy-handed with all of that sacred vision stuff there is space. Therefore. A lighter approach. There's a story that children in a huge church class. We're drawing pictures. And the teacher asked one what are you drawing a picture of. I'm drawing a picture of god with the reply. But nobody knows what god looks like objective the teacher. They will send the other child. When i get done with my picture. So there is an example of a vision. Current psychological theories tell us that has people who develop and mature we generally move through states of dependency when we are children and then into independence as teenagers adolescence and we hope and then young adults and finally into interdependence. Interdependence with each other as we become more mature. I think generally that doesn't occur till after age 25 when the prefrontal lobe is fully formed. But throughout this development at some level we all have need. To be able to enter into the presence of an awareness of that which we experience as greater or more than ourselves. A daily selves. This can be understood as many things from god to family to community organizations to another level of our own consciousness. Whatever. We call this thing larger than ourselves. We need to enter into this experience with varying levels of regularity. In order to be vulnerable. To recompose and reintegrate ourselves. And to move back into a more everyday and interdependent mode of being. Entering into this state of extra dependency. That is dependent on something else. Is an act of recreation. And in many ways it functions for our conscious minds much the same way that dreaming does for our unconscious minds. It provides us with a method of reclaiming and processing the important things in our lives. And andrea simulating ourselves in light of those encounters. But often occurs is a sense of vision. Understanding and renewal. I've been born again of being transformed. It may be what many of his call a sacred or spiritual experience. Extra dependency is one of those things with pools us toward the need. For a sacred or reflective time in our lives it is the experience many of us refer to when we talk about letting go and let god. It explains a lot about the role of a higher power in 12-step programs for people are literally trying to reintegrate themselves and healthier ways. In those recovery programs with 12-step other one of the powerful things about that is for people who come who are struggling trying to hold it together by themselves all the time trying to be always vigilant. Against whatever they are trying to deal with. Being in those groups is a moment where they can stop trying. And relax. And be present to something else. For awhile in a different way. In discussing these issues of extra dependency i'm not trying to reduce our religious experiences to psychological impulses. Where to create psychological reasons for belief in god is god or the spiritual. Brother is important to understand that all people enter into relationship with something they experienced is larger than themselves. Then their everyday selves. Whatever we may understand it to be. By being extra dependent. We are vulnerable. Of all of our trappings of our lives of our roles as parent-child workers spouse parents. Partner etc. We are only. Ourselves. We stand on sacred ground we feel like we must take off our shoes. Within time which is not time in a world beyond the world of what was and the world yet to be the next moment. Receive in a sacred way we are poised like cliff divers on the forming edges of our lives hovering over the calling waves of the eternal. When we come to be here. With one another. Many of us. We are seeking in the sanctuary of a safe place where we can be ourselves as we are. Before that which we experience as greater than ourselves. We are looking for and hoping to find. That extra dependency experience would we know it by that name or not and chance to see. In a sacred way something new about ourselves our lives. Our existence. Like eating. We may not remember what the last time was like. But we know when we haven't done it recently. Some of us who eat a lot. Sometime have the mechanism of blotting it out. Generally what we want to do is to be present. Two things. Incoming here many of us come to be present. In a place where we can just. B-41. Pretty safe to be vulnerable. It's my role. And the leadership role and our role together as a community. It's a healthy religious community to ensure that we provide this sanctuary of sacred space and time and place. For everyone reasonably possible. While this may mean being tolerant of things we may not agree with. And even taking some risks together. It does not mean that we tolerate behavior or actions which are abusive. Or disrespectful. The nature of our sacred time together and our being. Has inherent really worthy beings. Now when i teach worship classes i tell my students and and also with the worship associates that people do not necessarily come to hear us speak. Or whatever we may be doing as worship leaders. It is not uncommon. For ministers to have request for written copies of sermons or even recordings of sermons only be told later that we sent the wrong one. And they want the sermon that they heard. And the truth is the sermon they hurt off and has very little relationship with the one i preached. I've had people come up to me and say that was the most moving sermon i've ever heard on ectopic it was nowhere near that. i have no idea what they're talking about. And this is great this is okay. This is what it's about. That's about the extra dependent experience. I've been pressing to what you need to be doing. To create that space for you and if i'm simply white noise for you to do that. Fabulous that's great okay. Now. That that doesn't mean i don't like he's really like you to say you know good sermon and really actually know what i'm talking about. But. In this sacred time our focus and intervision often goes where we need them to. Rather than where we think they should be. Intention and focus are central to our experience of seeing in a sacred way. Well it does happen in. Unlooked-for times and places such as when blackhawk was nine years old and became ill. It is most likely we intentionally create favorable conditions. In worship we seek to bring to conscious focus those things which on a daily basis are often relegated to the peripheries of our awareness. In the process of living our lives we often put these things aside these emotions the memories the concerned but you're actually quite important to us. But not apparently urgent. To us. The urgent then. Overwhelms the important. The practice of self-reflection of mindfulness meditation of prayer. Engaged in by many spiritual disciplines is an attempt to hold before us at all times the important. Just stay focused in the reality of the sacred now. It is in the realm of the now. Where we may see and experience. The nature of things in people more completely. Like it rush hour. Eddie's been said. Very peculiar feature of western culture particularly american culture. Is that is our necessity to be in motion in order to be still. Think about that. Be in motion to be still. Now. Years ago i had a car it was a little hyundai excel very base model got it when i was in the air force. And i got the cheapest car i can get with mended didn't have a radio in it. And know that didn't have a tape player either. And for those of you don't know that also meant we didn't have cd either. Anto on long commutes and trips which i took a lot of that time. I was left alone with my own internal sounds. I had a half hour commute to and from the air force base i worked at. I could not escape the moment. It must. I must be still. Even if only temporarily. Even while in motion. Now while i do not recommend attempting to meditate and drive at the same time okay this is interesting and one of the really great things is tusayan cds of hypnotism. Programs is do not play in car. You think but you know he never know. I often find that i am amused about what that person in another car. Maybe feeling or this one might have just learned or on the pleasure of a passing child smile or. You know there's this fleeting sensation of being in a oneness with those around you you can actually be in a sense of rhythm and if you do have a radio that often just quite truly. That sometimes there's even the sense of of dancing fluidly in a choreography of intention of speed and steel and plastic. In the headlong rush. To get wherever we are going on time we may enter into a situation in which life itself is balanced on an accelerator and the brake pedal. We are driving for our lives. And when we realize that fact we crossed the threshold of an awareness of the sacred moment. Of the now. Of all that is at stake. In this moment. Life. And death. We may even for a split second. Understand what is at stake. Not only here on the screening asphalt. But all of the time. We may see in a secret manner. In the sacred manner the things of the spirit as they really are. That we are in very real and physical fact responsible to and for each other's well-being and in that instant be transformed less angry less urgent. And more able to appreciate. Where we are. And. Who we are. Tick not han who is. Recorded earlier and reading. Says in mindfulness one of. One is not only. In mindfulness one is not only restful and happy but alert and awake meditation is no evasion it is a serene encounter with reality. The person who practices mindfulness should be no less awake than the driver of a car. Is a practitioner isn't awake he will be possessed by dispersion and forgetfulness. Just like a drowsy driver is likely to cause a grave accident. But as awake as a person walking on high stilts. Any mr misstep could cause the walker fall. Only with this kind of vigilance can you realize total awakening. This. Self-reflective mindfulness does not happen every time i drive or even every time enough to shoot me actually but it does happen enough to remind me that a spiritual and meaningful in abundant to fulfilling life. He's not about evasion. It is rather a serene encounter with the reality. It is about these visions of the sacred. And so what do we do with all this so here we are in the aftermath. On the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. And. All of the. Consequences that come out of that of wars the getting wars beginning wars. I actually heard a commentator this morning say about war beginning war. How many times do people get to use the word beget. Beginning. And our continuous responses to these acts of horror. What visions do we embrace what sacred visions do we conjure up. And are they sacred. We have these this war on terror the war on drugs. Perpetual war. And the destruction that wasted at noonday. What vision of hope. A world made fair with all of her people one. I'm the great in flowering tree. Sheltering children of one father and one mother do we. Embrace and invoke and share and in. Evoke from others. We must be careful what gods we worship lest we become like them. So i asked you in your lives. Create opportunities for you to have an. Chance to see things in a sacred manner. Not only for yourself but for everyone and for all things. All of our relations. And then to bring those visions together. We may share in the abundance. Our understanding of those visions of the sacred and if what we are called to do with them in our lives. And the lives our children. And all the institutions and places. And we create. For creating the greater good. May your life. Be a sacred vision. I hope.

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Sermon_052211.mp3

We live. Not by things but by the meaning. Off things. We are here now today in this place because we wish to choose. The meanings of things as religious people. As a free religious community we choose the meanings of the words and symbols of religion faith. Spirituality. The word heretic. Means one who chooses. Did you know that. One who chooses. Supposedly means one who chooses other than the way somebody else wants you to choose. We choose for ourselves and our children rather than just accepting what is given. Words and symbols that stand for things whether they are abstract ideas or tractor tires and symbols by their very nature can have many meanings were shades of meanings associated with them. In writing poetry i was taught that words of obvious meanings often have more than one. And they have satellites of meaning that orbit them. And i'm going to say this name so if i butcher it forgive me. Antoine de saint-exupery. Who wrote our responsive reading this morning. Was a philosopher and a poet. Who also flew fighter planes in reconnaissance aircraft during world war ii for the allies. He was already a well-known writer of work such as the now-classic little prince. And i will not burden you with my efforts at pronouncing it in french. As the war dragged on he wrote down his thoughts about the nature of things and shortly before the end of the war he was killed in an accident in. The crash in north africa. According to the encyclopedia britannica. Phoenix barry's view of human of man appears in his book citadel. Which was translated later as the wisdoms of the wisdom of the sands. A posthumous volume up reflections. From which our earlier reading thumbs. The shows how he. Just persistent belief. That man's only lasting reason for living is as a repository of the values of civilization. His attitude can be seen in that reading a number. 469 from generation to generation. By his calls to pass on values and transmit the passwords from generation to generation. According to him. You live by the meanings of things. As unitarian universalist the meanings of things we teach and learn in our congregation. Are important. Landform not only who we are but will shape who we are becoming as individuals as. Communities is congregations as a religious movement and perhaps even as a globalizing society. Religious education is the broad category we used to describe all of the time. Places and methods of teaching and learning which go on in our churches. My colleague reverend tony larson in racine wisconsin has been there quite some time now. Right. Should my child go to sunday school. That's a good question. And it deserves a thoughtful answer. That's real one might argue that your child would be better off not being taught any religion. So that he or she would be biased not would not be bias. And could make a free choice as an adult. How many of you have heard this or even perhaps. You don't have been your hands up good. Some parents do feel this way and try to raise their children without any sectarian training. What is parents he goes on i would like to recall the words of the unitarian minister from the 19th century minnow judson savage who said. Parents tell me continuously do not give their children any religious training. I'm a feeling that it is taking unfair advantage of the child. They say quote i proposed to let my children grow up as far as possible unbiased. But if you do not buy us your children the first one that they meet on the street or in school or among their companions will begin work up biasing. Impression of education. Or this is a continuous process. Whether you will it or not. Something. Over which you have no choice. It is something that will be done either wisely. Or and well or unwisely and you know. Reverend larson goes on to say. I believe reverend savages words are as true today as they were over a hundred years ago. Religion is like sexuality. If you don't teach your children about it they'll learn about it in the streets. That's very true around here. People around here. I think it's a good thing. And what they learn there is not necessarily healthy. Tony goes on to tell a story about himself he says. I admit to having been one of those little kids who went around the neighborhood spreading the fear of hell and the wrath of god. The boy and a panda boy i was good at it. I was the kind of kid most parents would try to protect their children from. That's why i say we should teach our children about healthy religion if you don't tell them about religion there maybe a little little tony larson in your neighborhood who will. Tony when he tells the story at least talked about how he actually set up a church in the backyard he had a little collar. He preached at the kids. Evangelize them. So there may be a little tony larson in your neighborhood. Goodwill. We live by the meanings of thing. Children learn values from their parents and other adults around them. Now as the father of a two-year-old going on three that's a bit daunting to think about it. Because sometimes when the backseat i hear things said that i wished i hadn't said. Nothing. Too bad yet. But i'm sure that day will come. On occasion there are sundays. But i am not in the pulpit and. Some of those times i visit with our religious education classes. In a previous congregation one time during a class visit there was a discussion of on god. And i overheard a little girl about 6 years old say that god lives in the bathroom at my house. The teacher is going to exchange the very curious expression and she asks little girl. How do you know that. Without pausing she look at us in a disappointed way. I said rather matter-of-factly because every morning my dad sends outside the bathroom door and shout my god are you still in there. True story. If you want to know where god is it maybe the bathroom. You can help your own children learn the importance of religious education by facilitating regular attendance. You know one time when i was candidate in here to be the minister some old 5 years ago now. Someone wanted the teenagers at the time ask migos how do we how do we become really successful at at doing certain things like social action and other things like this just gotta show up. Got to be present to win it's like las vegas and buddhism. Got to be present. Somebody got the joke. You got to be pressing. You have to show up. And that goes for sunday mornings and other times as well. Showing up showing an interest in perhaps. What happens each week talking with children either yours or someone else's about what's happening with him and volunteering your time talent and treasure to the program. And to this congregation. I think one of the greatest gifts people can give this when they do not have children either any longer or at all. To volunteer. As part of our religious education programs. Both for children and adults. Some people think it's just something that the parents do until their kids get it i school and we never see the family again. That would not be desirable. The nineteenth-century notable unitarian minister william ellery channing road. The great and the religious instruction is not just a power mine's irresistibly upon the young but the store up their own. You touch inward springs. We have a strong faith and inherent. Spirituality of children and see it as our chat to nurture not to indoctrinate. I respect for children teaches them respect for themselves. For others. And for this fragile interdependent web of which we are all. We live by the meanings of things. It is essential for us and our children to pass on what saves us from despair and what inspires us to transcend who we are and to be we can be. And who we need to be. It is essential. To transmit the passwords. What we find most valuable. Important. To our children. Here. Our children learned it. Ob questions have many answers. And that it is their duty to search responsibly for their own answers. But we also give children a foundation on which to build their own values. You can expect children here to learn. That there are as many ideas about god as there are people. That we hold jesus in a condition of the great prophets and teachers and we learn from the example of his life. Death is a mystery. That is inseparable from life. And the only immortality we can know for sure. Is that which lives on in the hearts and minds of those. Is lives we touch. Therefore how we lead our lives each day. Is elliot moss. As religious liberals as unitarian universalist we are a religion of doubters. We do not claim to have all the answers because we know that no one does. Try that one on your family at thanksgiving. Have all the answers cuz you're pretty sure nobody else does. Those infection claimed to have all of the answers actually have one answer less. Send those who know that they don't know it all. Liberal religion says that we can know some truths plural little t. But not all truth singular capital t. Even if perfect knowledge or divine truth were given to human beings as some claim they are through various scriptures real still here right. Rapture rupture. Okay. Even if we could understand it perfectly and finite and infallibly. We as human beings are imperfect and fallible creatures who could not understand it or interpretive perfectly. We're going to mess it up. There is no way that we can aaron aaron's lee know the mind of god or whatever we wish.. However we may conceptualize. For us. Fallible to claim infallibility for the finite to claim perfect understanding of the infinite is quite simply. Wait for it. Idolatry. It is the setting up of something less. Then the ultimate in the face. Ultimate. Therefore things like. Claims of scriptural literalism inerrancy. Are not illegal logical. They are arrogant. And they are idolatrous. If there is a sacrilege in liberal religion it is this type of. We are not believers and some immutable static truth closed real time or even. Clothes off for a little while. Baha'is are wonderful religious community. We share many values. People who sell your size. Bye so i noticed. They believe enclosed revelation for at least the next 900 years. And that's why women cannot have roles in their major leadership capacities because. Has time to change they have not been able to reform their infrastructure. Because their revelation is closed and they can't change the way they do things. They're a bit chagrined by this. Revelation is not closed. New truth understanding race. Race. Are constantly being revealed to us through us. All creation. This is why we say we have a living. Tradition. We as human beings and his religious liberals as unitarian universalist. Are about change change for its own sake is like. We are seeking to recognize it and to. Utilize it for the good like surfing a wave occasionally will wipe out. Play james luther adams. Pointing to our failures in the early part of the century through a naive liberalism a constant progress onward upward forever. We had to learn that recognizing and respecting the inherent worth and dignity of others. Does not mean ignoring and or denying the equally inherent capacity of human beings. Quarryville. There is an ongoing necessity to make our principles and actions relevant to the spiritual and ethical demands. Of the changing historical. Situation. Unitarian universalist unitarian universalism. Is important and relevant to us and our children. Precisely because it allows us to live in and be empowered to change the world for the betterment of all. In any age. As our pace of life accelerates the need for a flexible but coherent method of making ethical and moral choices. Is paramount. Fixed and rigid systems cannot respond quickly enough to changing conditions though they try to buy replacing reflective consideration with efficiency and management. But it's our lives and our children's lives are not to be managed. Either by right-wing religious or political idea log. Go by multinational corporations. Our lives that need to be lived in ways that promote the common good. Teaching our values to our children. And witnessing our understanding. To the community. At large. Only live by the meanings of things. When we are courageous enough. Patiently deliberately. Self-reflective lee challenge. Ourselves and our assumptions. Come to broader justice and deeper truths. Then we create an experience. That salvation. Deliberation. From injustice. And the renewal. Lives.

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20131103-Reading.mp3

All reading today comes from an essay that is a distortion of a book. It is cold how gratitude can help you through the hard times by robert emmons. He is. One of the preeminent experts on gratitude in the scientific community. He says it decades worth of research on gratitude has shown me that when life is going well gratitude allows us to celebrate and magnify the goodness. But what about when life goes badly. In the midst of economic maelstrom that has gripped our country i have been asked often if people can or even should feel grateful under such dire circumstances. My response is that not only will a grateful attitude help it is essential. In fact it is precisely under crisis conditions. When we have the most to gain. From a grateful perspective on life. In the face of demoralisation. Gratitude has the power to energize. In the face of brokenness gratitude has a power to heal. In the face of despair. Gratitude has the power to bring hope. And other words gratitude can help us to cope with. The hard times. Don't get me wrong he says i'm not suggesting the gratitude will come easily or naturally in a crisis. It's easy to feel it's easy to feel grateful for things went for good things. No one feels grateful that he or she has lost a job. Or a home for good health. We're just taking a devastating hit on his or her retirement portfolio. Couldn't plan that if i wanted to sometimes the spirit moves in mysterious ways. Emma's goes on to say but it is vital to make a distinction between feeling grateful and being. Grateful. We don't have total control over our emotions we cannot easily will ourselves to feel grateful less depressed or happy. If we did the pharmaceutical companies would be in big trouble. Feelings follow from the way we look at the world. Thoughts we have about the way things are the way things should be and the distance between those two points. But being grateful is a choice a prevailing attitude that indoors and his relatively immune to the gains and losses that flow in and out of our lives. When disaster strikes gratitude provides a perspective. From which weekend view life in its entirety. And not be overwhelmed by temporary circumstances. Yes disrespective is hard to achieve. But my research. Says it is worth. Assassins.

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Reading_052310.mp3

Are reading this morning is from the. Handbook of worship put out by the church of the larger fellowship. A body which serves unitarian universalist who are at distance. And maybe isolated by geography or circumstance. This. Book has become something of almost a chaplain's handbook for some. It has some excellent. Information for us on the nature of. Worship itself. Unitarian universalist worship. Is as diverse as it is. Important. The origin of the word worship is in the old english for shipping. Meaning to ascribe worth. 2 something. The shape things of worth. We remember them whenever we ascribe worth to some values idea object. Person. Experience. Attitude or activity. Or whenever we give form or shape. To that which we have already found to be. Of worth. A worship experience can occur at any time. Whether one is alone or part of a group. Whenever something beautiful is perceived whenever there is a deep. Send. Connectedness to other persons with the natural world or with the transcendent however defined. Whenever one games inside. Or a new sense. Call holness. Whenever one perceives and ethical challenge. Whenever life is deliberately focused your order. All these are situations. Which may be considered worship. Sharing in worship with others. Helps us declare celebrate. And affirm. What is a horse. In our lives. And in the world. To worship is to respond to the religious impulse. To give shape and meaning. Existence. Be purposeful. And positive. As citizens. Earth. Sew-ins rv.

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20150405-Sermon_4.mp3

I'm going to keep this very short because we are over our usual time. Relieved. Anglican archbishop tutu. Talked about liberation being costly and he talked about the need for unity basically let me clarify that cost does not mean suffering. It does mean sacrifice mean giving up something or making something setting it aside for special purpose or use dedicating it. But it doesn't mean that you're going to eat a half a pound of flesh removed. It doesn't mean doing without it does mean giving of what one has the widow's mite being a strong example of that from jesus's teachings. Liberation and freedom. Are not given to us. Frederick douglass the great liberation. Liberator and abolitionist. Said that power. Concedes nothing. Without a fight. And so anything that we see necessary. In order to have our freedom from or a freedom to. Requires us. To make. A sacrifice. If there is a cost and that we must be unified in our efforts. Because it is the concentration of both monetary wealth as well as effort energy. Which makes possible. The ability to challenge other types of power. I'm sorry. I keep wanting to hold her cuz - like three now and enjoy it please. They're almost positive that is. Foreshore. Crucifixion and it's time was only reserved for two groups of people. Incorrigible slaves are kept running away and being disobedient. And political upstart to real or perceived to challenge the roman monopoly on power. Both of these were about not challenging power for the status quo. So jesus was not a slave so he had to be in the other category he challenged. Even implicitly. Through his teachings and his standing in the community. The status quo. And monopoly on power held by an imperial. Rome. If we are in our own day. Going to be able to. Bring the social gospel. The hope for the world to build the beloved community as dr. king would say. Then we have to be united together. Within this community and within the broader community. We have to be united. We have to bring our resources to bear. And we have to be willing to accept that there is a cost. Some will pay more than others others will be here when. Others will not. But change. In the status quo is i think essential. Status quo is untenable. For most of us. And therefore. We must remember as. Bishop tutu has said that liberation is costly. And that unity. Is necessary. We must find those ways which allow us. To operate and to be within our covenant with each other even while disagreeing and doing all of those things that we normally do. And the people do. And to also be in a broader covenant. With our brothers and sisters in all face. And no fakes. So that we may find our path. Our path toward realizing. The beloved community. And the liberation. Of awesome.

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Sermon_100409_p1.mp3

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20131222-Reading_3.mp3

My colleague the reverend james epica. Offers us this reflection. This is going to sound like an easter message that response to the imaginary critics of chastise us for finding meaning in the easter story that we may not believe it happen. Or they meet jesus about arekie spring bunny daffodil talk. As though we're trying to celebrate easter but doing it wrong. About the time my spirit wants to store with alleluia is and rebirth with miss and natural miracle. Those imaginary voices complain about biblical literalism on one hand and playing theological denial on the other. Christmas works the same way. Miss and nature. We have a religious story of the birth of a holy baby and we have the miracle of the lengthening days. Critics like to smirk at one of the other but not me. I go for meth and miracle 100%. A baby was born the story goes the baby was special the baby would bring peace and justice in love. Every run around was amazed by the child odd. Everyone. The baby brought hope the baby nude the people nujoy. I love this story i love it not because i believe a virgin bore a newborn king on 12250. I love it because it reminds me of the ancient wisdom of celebrating human greatness and holiness and a lengthening of days of days how can anybody say bye. Together on christmas we light our little candles so that the world may might seem less bleak. We might feel less afraid. And flickers are safe expectation might again come our way. I can't think why i want to hold back at christmas time. I wish each of you a season full of infant hope. And study light. Merry christmas.

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Sermon_051709.mp3

I'm looking for the issues the state of the world it occurred to me that as recently as 50 years ago. The word consumption had a decidedly negative meaning. Of two exhaust. Pillage or destroy. How many of you would hear that definition of marketplace today. Tuberculosis was usually referred to as consumption. Now our elected officials are many more like x likely to refer to us as consumers then as citizens. Consumer culture is pressing in on our lives and the physical world through kind of meat grinder. It is taking our inherent worth and value and a. Tempting to turn the lot into garbage. It says it we. Are nothing without it. The other day. I again saw a truck for a store that said and i don't remember which one now but it had the following pronouncement on the side. You didn't need you need a style and we have one for you. Yeah someone walked up to you and said that. Vicky gets smacked. And in texas. With fighting words do you wouldn't go to jail for that. You know. We and our children are told over and over. That if we buy something we will be worthwhile. Will be powerful or pretty. More popular. The underlying premise being that we don't have those qualities. Already. Or we can't without buying whatever it is that is being peddled. If you don't get this or that you will be alone and miserable and pathetic. This denies the very values which we use unitarian universalist hold. We hold that we are worthy and powerful and valuable and that we are not alone. If a new religion were to emerge and say these same things consumer culture does to us. It would be shouted down as evil and inhuman which it is. Rev dr. rebecca parker president of ruu seminary in berkeley california starr king school for the ministry. Says that the consumption culture is now the dominant world religion. Sociologically it fits all the criteria. Griffin parker feels that the religious and political right which we often spend a great deal of time worrying about. Are merely handmaidens of the consumption culture. And i would say if we look at what has happened to the religious right they have been consumed as well. As a social scientist i see it as a diffused totalitarian system which has larger replace both democratic government. And liberal religion in the west as a dominant cultural institution. It is not working on the rest of the world. It is no wonder that there are. Responses to this. Totalitarian systems work by breaking down all that. What writer and social critic albert camus called the bonds of human solidarity. They seek to make meaningless that which has previously been meaningful. These systems to destroy our ability to trust each other and ourselves even our own thoughts. Then they seek to replace our will with their own will they say do what i say and brace me and i will make you powerful. I will make you pretty i will make you love i will give you meaning. Well i am probably most of you do not believe in a personified devil of absolute evil i do have the strongest urge. Just say you to the cult of consumption get behind me satan. So what do we do instead. With what and how do we create a different way of being together as people. Instead of following the dictates of a consumer culture. How do we find different ways of being together as people as beings not as an objectified. It. To be used. For consumed. As i spoke about martin buber earlier. The prominent jewish theologian and philosopher of the 20th century also deeply influenced by. Two prominent movements his citizen. A mystical movement of the late. 18th early 19th century. And. The jewish. Enlightenment. And he comes together saying that these two. Both informants it is neither one nor the other. In his book i and thou. Booba distinguishes two types of relations between people in one model he calls. I it. We relate to others as members of categories are as instruments of achievement. This is the primary way of relating that comes out of the enlightenment. The way of an analysis. These are not judgments. This is not a judgment this is a discernment. This is not saying this is bad this is simply saying this is a way of. Thinking. A way of viewing things. So out of the enlightenment we have this understanding of. Analysis of looking things in its component parts. Of looking at. How it works. Taking it apart putting it back together again. Look at all the different categories and file that it may fit in. The other. Category that buber offers. Is the ivao or iu. We were late with the entirety of our being. To another whole person in this way for bluebird this is more than a way for us to simply relate to other people it is also how we can be. Incrementally more in communion. With. The divine the holy that which is really real. From uber you could say that a cure for our modern affliction of alienation and kneeling us meaninglessness. Would be to open ourselves to an encounter in particular to open ourselves for encounter. With the eternal. You. The god. We glimpse the possibility of encountering god through all of our other encounters which are fleeting and do not satisfy our desire for relation. In each of these fleeting encounters we glimpse that there is something more possible. An absolute relation that is not transient. This permanent relation. Is that with god. Give a little more definition here. Uber says he talks about when we. Engage. With. The other. In the eye it. Mode. I'm being. That it is an experience. That we experience. Person. So this is his vocabulary. The week's perience the world. And i can still be a first-order experience. Direct. But has particular qualities to it. The other way of engaging. The ivao relationship. Is about encountering. The other. We come into relationship with them without. Any kind of. Predetermined agenda. Without preconception. In openness. And it is in this openness that we. Then. Are able to be present to that which is. Holy. Without which is. Total. In that moment with. That other. Only sit with each other in. That space. Then we have a glimpse of that which is even greater. Through the divine spark through the lens of the holy that we each carry we can see the greater whole. But these moments are fleeting. And that is constantly resolving itself. As our consciousness in our awareness. Intrudes we are constantly then moving from i vow to i it relationships in. And analyzing them i mean theology itself is an analysis. Is a reflection on our encounters. So the idea is that true. This kind of it. Encounter with each other. We also then may practice and become more able. To be open to that encounter with that which we know as the ultimate. The holy god divine. The meaning of life. The spirit of life. Whether you're an atheist or atheist doesn't matter. That which is. Really real. And it is through. These experiences these these encounters. That we also risk transformation. That we risk being changed. By what we encounter. And it is one of my assumptions that one of the reasons we come. To religious community is because we are looking for transformation in our lives. That's something about our lives is not satisfying. Or we would be someplace else doing something else. More satisfying. There's something about who we are or how we are. Is not the way we feel it should be. And this is the meaning of salvation to find. That which saves us from that which is incomplete. Is transformation. Then is the opportunity for salvation. Not from going to hell. Or some other guilt-ridden psychotic. Psychosis whatever just not about guilt or sin even necessarily. If it is about. Send coaches missing the mark then it is perhaps about missing the mark about being. Who we can be in our relationship with all that is. And all that we are. In boobers. I vow. Relationship. We find the opportunity for. More. Of life. More of our relationship with all. More of our. Understanding of being. It is about holding the tension of the rational and the non-rational at the same time. It is about embracing the whole even as it is impossible to do so. It is about holding this dynamic tension. One of the things i think that unitarian-universalism does well is that we confront ambiguity which by its very nature is filled with tension. Sometimes we feel a little upset when we. Can't resolve that tension for our friends and neighbors who want something a little simpler. But that it is in that dynamic tension. That opportunity we have. From countering. That which is above beyond more and yet with him. Uber says you can't make these things happen you have to be open and vulnerable to them. And it's also jibes with my understanding of religious experience from everybody from william james to my own personal. Experiences. One cannot make god do tricks. But we can be open to that relationship. Many of us in our own families. Have people with whom it is difficult to be in relationship. Yes i know it is true for you. Is true for me. So. But one of the pieces advice i often give people and i have to remember this a lot myself is that. Unless it is so toxic that we absolutely have to cut it off. For own preservation. That the ideal situation is to try and at least maintain. An openness. To that person. So if your family member is. An extreme religious. Zealot or political zealot of some stripe. Right or left on the phylogica scale political scale i've had both in my family they're both annoying. So the idea is to be open to relationship to allow that. Communion to take place. If it can and will. And the same for our relationship with god the holy. To be present. In the moment. Feel like i'm on a ship. Rocking the stand i'm standing on his. I had an encounter like that wanted a new england pulpit that was actually made from a ship's prow. And it rocked back and forth i felt like i was. A white cap. It would be an over-simplification but i think still fairly useful for us to think about the difference between. Speaking about something. Or someone. And speaking. 2. And with. That may be an easy way to think about the modes of being that are different between the i it and the i vow. This is how we can build those relationships. With ourselves with other people with. Our sense of connection to the universe. With that witch. Gives us place and meaning. The individual's relationship. With god or the holy is paramount and it is in community that the individual relationship is grounded. This is something that bluebird centrally points to. Especially he looks at his sadism. And. Mystical judaism and its origins and that seems to be it's real core especially early on before it gets caught up in legal isms. That 31 participation in community almondine acts are made. Sacred. Think about this in buddhist terms it said about constantly being present. Constantly being in the moment. By being open to each other in the encounter of the. Pure presence. As buber closet by listening to each other without agenda or preconceptions. We create the possibility for a more meaningful existence. And that's only the only thing that a religious community or religious path can offer us. Is the possibility for a more abundant life. The heart of the spiritual. Easy encounter. With the essential you. Of the other. Of ourselves and have app which finds us in it. Grace. I think the essence of what so many. Call a spiritual experience. What did desire to be spiritual and not religious. Is the desire for this encounter. With the vow. But within community with others. And with it directly. Has emerson. Talks about the oversoul. In our reading earlier. The transcendentalist were on too much of this. So by holding the dynamic tensions of being. And knowing. Of experiencing and encountering the world. We come closer to the truth of our existence. Finding open to the other. The you in all. The vow. We risk. Transformation and salvation from what is. For the possibility of what. Canby. For ourselves. And for. The world.

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Reading_050210.mp3

Are reading this morning comes from. Minister uu minister and professor. Mark morrison reed. It's all the task of the religious community. The central task of the religious community is to unveil the bonds that bind each to all. There is a connectedness a relationship discovered amid the particulars of our own lives and the lives of others. Once felt it inspires us to act for justice. It is the church that assures us that we are not struggling for justice on our own. But as members of a larger community. The religious community is essential. For alone our vision is to narrow. To see all that must be seen. And our strength too limited to do all that must be done. Together our vision widens and our strength is renewed.

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Sermon_072510.mp3

Opera song i want to say thank you for inviting me to speak to you today i'm not going to lie it's been a year since i was in a church. My own spiritual journey has been complicated. But as my mother likes to observe she's happy to hear when i'm angry with god. Because it means we're still talking. Despite my own longtime agnosticism. Am i. Complex feelings towards god and religion deeply value the opportunities for spiritual dialogue. So thank you for inviting my family and me to your service today. I'm here today my capacity as an author. Of course but also as a father. A role that shouldn't feel new by now. But of course still.. Am i said i can only try to anticipate from day-to-day. I suspect that's true of most parents. I'll be the one to have it all figured out that you have to watch out. For my wife julian me however there's been an added wrinkle that of a special-needs parent. I'm here because i'm the father of the unique. Remarkable tile. And yet one who stories so similar to those of thousands of other kids in this country. Hands were nothing more and certainly nothing less than parents of an extraordinary little girl. Skyler's extraordinary just like every child the disabilities extraordinary. The mind and future tucked behind that disability. Pet parents julian i've made our life's work open the doors that are inexplicable locked in our daughter's mind and set her free. I'd like to begin with a quote. In the book that i wrote as a love letter to my daughter. We learned to be on our own navigating a new world of skyler's disability. A little information and no roadmap. We learned that for parents like us in the situation we were in. All you can do sometimes is trust in your fool's hope and keep going. You never give up. And you persevere not because your plucky or heroic or even smart. Because you hate the thought that there might have been some answer or solution waiting right around the next corner and you would miss it if you gave up too early. It's hope. And it's stubborn and sometimes it's even stupid but it's the thing you've got so you run with it. You going to battle against the monster with a rubber sword because really. What else you going to do. That when we begin our journey with skyler 10 years ago when everything that her path will be so unique that the roadmap would be so hard to decipher. When julian i discovered we were going to have a baby. I think it would be safe to describe my reaction as one of. Delighted terror. At all the usual fears of a new father. Would my daughter be healthy but she like me. We have the good fortune to look like julie instead of me as a dad would i get it right. I wasn't long before i learned exactly what we had to fear. Moscato is about a year-and-a-half old her pediatrician began asking questions about skyler's development. Questions to which we had no encouraging answers. Does skyler have any words at all. Did she ever babble try to put specific sounds together possibly into words. Did she ever attempt to imitate our speech. Had skyler in her short time in our lives. Shown any progress toward speech at all. Simple truth was no. She hadn't. She's a perfectly happy little girl. The schuyler had no words. Nothing that approximated actual speech at all. Who went through great men evaluations in the span of about 2 years and yet they don't tell you anything about the child that she had become. Eternally optimistic. With a quick laugh and a taste for chaos. Inheriting her father's anti authoritative psych the man streak. Spell divided and confounding her evaluators offense cheerfully refusing cooperator follow instructions. Even occasionally sabotaging evaluations. Always with a quick glance in my direction to see if i was laughing. Sometimes i was. Even if she missed developmental marks in most areas developing into a vibrant and unique little girl. Restaurants roselawn without answers. We felt like time was running out. It'll summer 2003 skyler was diagnosed with polymicrogyria. Was robbing her of her speech. And threatening to do more. Including possible cognitive delays. And seizures that could take her life. Skyler's monster was identified. It had a name in a pedigree. And all our questions were now replaced by fears. This is the moment that special needs parents and family members look forward to and at the same time dread the most. It might be the most striking difference between our experience with the world of broken children and that of special educator speech-language pathologists in doctors. Those professionals have sought out the monsters. They've armed themselves with the knowledge and the tools to fight them and they've gone into battle with their armor in place. Her parents. The monsters have found us. Totally unprepared. That is a transition that we have special needs needs parents go through one that i suspect never completes itself entirely. We do something sad stories about kids with disabilities on television and saying. I can't even begin to imagine how those families deal with that. To becoming those families. We learned quickly they can see our fear. Which is very great. And our self-doubt switcher mini. We take hold whatever we need in order to find that extra strength whether it's god or family or good stiff drink. And we draw a rubber swords. We're not ready when we get to the battlefields not quite but we will be soon enough. Once we get past our denial and our morning to the child we always thought we'd have. We devote ourselves to the complicated broken but equally wonderful child in its place. No one in the world is a quicker study in the special-needs parent. In the later part of my buckeye tell a story that should be less common than it is. Our struggle to purchase an advanced electronic speech device that would help give skyler at long last a voice of her own. Our insurance carrier turned us down flat with an appeals process of up to a year. Furthermore with supplemental security income rejecting our claim that skyler was sufficiently disabled. Is clear that as far as the government was concerned our child could in fact be left behind. And not knowing what else to do i created an online fundraising website connected with my block ride been writing about skyler since before she was born. Daddy i was to help defray some of the eventual cost of purchasing the device ourselves. In doing so i dramatically underestimated the following that skyler and her story had built on the internet. 5 weeks later we shut down the page after raising all the money needed for the purchase of the speech device she uses to this day. But i refer to in my book as her big box of words. It was one of the most remarkable things i've ever seen on the internet or anywhere else. But i hear people making fun of the saying it takes a village to raise a child. I share the story how hundreds of perfect strangers helped a little girl they would never meet. Ghetto voice upper merion. I'll always be grateful to the generosity of those who help skylar. But i never allow myself to forget that we had a special. It's an extraordinary story of kindness. But it was an aberration. The bathroom jordy of families don't have the media exposure from popular blogs are published books to help them out. They have the will and the fight and the absolute need. They have everything we had but they don't have the resources. They depend on the village. In the village may very well be letting them down. Presentation i going to stand up and say that we believe in a public education for every citizen. We need to make good on that promise. It's hard times most of all input are still immense resources and commitment behind that promise. If we can't do that if we can't educate all our people. I'm not sure what's left to do except sit on the couch turn on american idol and wait for the visigoths i'm over the walls. We as a society must do better. And the two years i've been traveling speaking audiences about my book. At the opportunity to observe a lot of kids with disabilities. And i understand how lucky my family is. I know how fortunate skyler is to be ambulatory and relatively unmarked by her monster in any profound physical way. She 10 years old she's been an excellent program here in plano for a few years now. Got to find a way to communicate now and she may be developed. It may be delayed developmentally but it no longer feels like she's doomed to remain that way forever. China grows more normal for lack of a better word everyday and one day she just might reach the point where she can walk. And more importantly talk. In the normal typical worlds just as successfully as any other young woman you might like meat. Is some ways she already does. But after spending time with these kids and watching how hard they work with assistive technology to reach the world around them communicate the things going on inside their beautiful and remarkable brains. I'm reminded once again of a simple truth one that i sometimes forget to my shame. Without the hard work of our teachers and therapists in plano. Without fierce early advocates for systems technology skyler's big box of words in sign language her broken but aren't as verbal expression. My daughter would still be that ethereal otherworldly little girl the one i described in my book. So strange and beautiful. But not entirely ours or entirely in our world. She would still be mostly lost to us. I mentioned my agnosticism earlier. Nothing important to talk about that a little. It's a discussion of had before as i'm sure some of you have. Usually i find myself confronting the old agnostics or just wishy-washy atheist point that i've heard so many times that the familiar laugh. And they are systems of belief really. Even faith in the lack of something is still faith. And faith is the key. Agnostics and atheists agree on the lack of empirical evidence that god actually exists and has a plan for us all. Believers get past that lack of evidence because they have big f faith. The thing that they believe sets them apart from the rest of us. To be honest i always found faith to be a. Problematic idea. The act of taking nothing and calling it something and it may be sincere but by spray definition faith substitute with a believer wants. For what. He or she doesn't know or can't know. In a place of faith. Because hope. It's not something we can substitute for proof the way to believe it does. But nevertheless our hope is a thing that allows us to remain open to the possibilities. There's a thomas hardy poem that i quote every christmas eve on my blog. About how the agnostic is unable to make a blind leap of faith. Turn on christmas eve of all time. He said lee and desperately wishes he could. A person me that my own approach to skylar and her monster. Has always been somewhat agnostic. I don't have the face of the believers convince me a she'll talk one day and be able to live the life of a normal child. Not in the face of the medical and observational evidence of ham. Evidence that suggests she will be in some way different for the rest of her life. I can't have the pragmatism of the atheist. Which would lead me to give up on that possibility of defeating the monster and it said completely embrace the alternative life that i cannot see or understand. I wish you would probably have to live. Might gnosticism is strengthened by my relationship with skyler. I need to maintain a place for the possibility that she will speak one day. Some days it's harder than others. On those days it can be hard to see those possibilities. But we cleaned them like a drowning swimmer clutching at a life preserver. I can't have. Faith exactly. The face with the ugly reality of skyler's monster. I can have hope. If that's the best i can do. Just might be enough. Does author and as an advocate there's a question i have to face every time i sit down to write about this. What does the future hold for kids like skyla. I wish i knew. American author harriet beecher stowe once wrote the bitterest tears shed over graves are four words left unsaid and deeds left undone. I like to think of the end of my life i'll be able to say that i left very few deeds undone on my daughter's behalf. And because of that. Stylo have very few words left. Unsend. Her future is impossible to predict as it is with so many kids out there just like her. There's so many stories many of them sad and most of them overwhelming. And yet the one thing i truly believe these kids have in common is that none of their future stories is written. Skyler has flown as high as she has despite the limitations that were consistently placed on her. Can you imagine how far she and all her fellow students might go if from the very beginning. They can be given an environment that focus not on what they can't do. But of what might be possible. Can you imagine that world for parent-teacher meetings didn't consist of here's why we can't try that. But instead simply why not. It is my favorite picture as parents of broken kids yearning for repair or compensatory development. We go into battle against our children's monsters clutching whatever weapons we can find. Rubber stores if necessary nothing but our hands if need be. If to the rest of the world we seem desperate times. You must understand because. That is because we are we are absolutely desperate. I want do whatever it takes to defeat those monsters or the muzzle them. Tame them to put them on leashes and just manage them. We just don't want to do it alone. We need you as voters and policymakers community leaders and taxpayers. As fellow citizens of the world in children of god. You can be our heroes. We're desperate for heroes most of all. You can be the one to step up beside us and say here's a real sword let's take care of this. I'm not a religious person think i can say with confidence that the only real prayer i ever offered him on the night we received skylar's diagnosis. That evening on the steps of a church in new haven connecticut. I prayed to god for him to take skyler's monster from her. And give it to me. I was 35 years old at spoken enough in my lifetime. Give it to me instead. I prayed. I'm desperate and foolish now. Believe me when i say that it sounded exactly right. In fair in that mama. I prayed my only prayer to god. And he said no to me. Which he was perhaps wrong today. So i guess that's when i lost my faith. Flexibility new kind of faith since then. I believe in skyler. Believe in her ability to find her way out of a monster's lair and into the light. And when i'm lost in this. And i often am. She's the one i follow. And believing in skyler and all of these kids. Perhaps we open a window back to god. Until universe of possibilities. Skylar and her friends offer us all a chance to fulfill the promise inherent in our very nature as human beings. Embrace our better selves. As you leave this place and return to your homes your lives. I hope that you'll do so with one thing. At the very center of who you are. When you go out into the world and find yourself faced with a person who is different. When you find yourself in the position to take a chance on hiring a person with a disability. When your local school board asks you to help pay for the programs that are mandated but not funded by the law. Or any time that your compassion is called upon for someone who desperately needs it. Buffets with both the harsh reality of disability and the unknown potential hidden within these people. I'm waiting for a ruption to this grand rough world. Is my most sincere wish that you'll stop and really look at this fellow human being. What's a disability that leaves then challenged or muted. Or maybe even a little broken. But not disheartened. And not defeated. Hope that you'll look at them it in that moment. That you believe. Thank you so much for having me today.

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Sermon_032711.mp3

Last month my six-year-old niece. Boldly declared her belief in god. Intrigued i responded by asking her so who is god. At first she seemed dumbfounded that her grown-up minister aunt didn't already know about god. Come on you know she said in a way that always makes her sounds older than she really is. But i want you to tell me i am floored. She said he's god he's on the clouds. Oh he's a he like a man. Yes a man. I asked are you. Fishing thought for a few seconds yeah i'm sure. Semi nice sporadically attends a unitarian universalist church. It is possible that she wasn't there the day or days that the god lessons popped up. It is also possible that she is more exposed to conversations about god on her public school kindergarten playground then she is at church. That might be true for some grown-up regularly attending unitarian universalist to hear more about god and secular venues then we do in church at least when we're talking about this man on the clouds end of god. Many of us have baggage with that image of god. I know i do he's the man of my childhood who once and for all declared that certain behaviors were good and certain ones were bad. He was the one who would always be watching me. He was sometimes a benevolent man and sometimes an angry man who would undoubtedly slap me if i misbehave while he would slap me except the fact that he was too far up on the clouds to reach me. I have to admit that i wanted to talk my niece out of her perception of god. Everything inside me was screaming no. Don't go through that falling in and out of love with a guy who is sure to disappoint. Engage or send you far from religion. Don't do it. Skip the man on the clouds and head straight to the spirit of life. Universe great mystery abounding love whatever but not father god. What is a unitarian universalist i am also taught to accept another person's spiritual path. I'm taught not to be dogmatic to others as i was. I've been not be dogmatic with me. Until i listened and wondered italy where her religious and spiritual beliefs might beat her. And i got to thinking about this father god in this. This figure way up on a cloud seeing everything. I bet from way up there he or she or it or they could see all kinds of things that i would totally miss down here. They could see for instance the large industrial farm with its pesticides and herbicides. They could see it all spread across acres and acres of land. They see these pesticides and herbicides ingested by bugs and birds blown off in the wind carried miles and miles to other places and lands. They see them enter into water sources in food chains places it was never meant to be. 50 plants and insects die in animals who depended on those plants and insects die with them. Tasty crops failing to grow necessary necessary. Making it necessary to add more and more chemicals to be productive in mass quantity. And these huge industrial farms continue to thrive and pollute and contaminate. Every way up on their perch god might observe this with pain. As he or she or it or they easier. Shifting slowly out of balance. And what would sam god sitting high in the clouds sea of each of us. Would they see family members forever estranged. Over perhaps a small simple misunderstanding. Would they see people prioritizing our jobs or our wealth. Over love of a stranger or even over love of family or friends. Would they see people perpetuating violence by returning anger for anger. By returning greed for greed hatred for more hatred. Would that father god loving and gentle and angry observed with pain our own lives. Shifting slowly out of balance. I think of our reading today about the father and this baby of a son. There is no more coasting the baby toward reason no way beyond current efforts to get him to stop. That is how i see this father god who watches us. Mess with his holy family. He just holds us all insects bird animals people hold this all. Weeps with us do the hard night. I know that not everyone of us with race by mothers or fathers who knew how to love. And i know for some of us when we hear father god we start worrying about eternalism or judgment or favoritism or whatever. Father god issues haunt our previous religious experience. But i'm wanting to return to it for a moment. And some of it is looking at the world through the eyes of my six-year-old niece. Who treasures the love of her father of her grandpa. Upper with no reason more fire. And seeing her projects that precious love onto something. So mysterious and confusing the source of life. The inspiration for goodness. The place of our own inner light in breath. Something so profoundly intangible that she needs a face. Name something that she could touch if she could just get close enough. And part of this return i admit is. Recently visiting delaware for spring break. And spending time with my own parents. My own parents who have observed. Their three children make mistakes. Trip over their own two feet. Bring home failing grades. Date unsuitable matches. And wander far off their pads. And yet every time they embraced us back. Sometimes with tremendous grace. And sometimes with awkwardness and fall starts. As an adult i am grateful for their ability to weather through the ups and downs. So maybe this return to a parent god images for me a nostalgia trip of some sort. Coincidentally while i was in delaware few weeks ago i went to church with my parents at my mother's presbyterian church in wilmington. And the pastor told a story about a father and a son. It was the first sunday in the christian season of lent and the minister share this story. Ryan mcconnell grew up as a pk. Pretty uninformed that stands for preacher's kid. It's not easy being a pk and no one would choose it. If you grow up if he came members of the congregation keep a closer eye on you than they do other you. They have lost your expectations of you. Then your contemporaries. Brian's father was a presbyterian minister and he recognized the added pressure brian was under simply by virtue of being the son of a pastor. He tried to keep that in mind and not add to the pressure. But whenever brian headed out the door whether it was to a party or off to college or mission trip or to his first real job. His father would hug him and stay remember who you are. Ryan knew what his father meant by those four words. He did not mean remember you are a mcconnell. He did not mean remember you are a man. He-man. You are a follower of christ. And that defines the essence of your character. You will have many other things that define you lawyer musician husband athlete. But these are not all equally important. Being a follower of christ is the essence of who you are. It defines a kind of lawyer husband and friend you will become. When brian was in his mid-30s he called his dad one day. And his father could hear the trembling in his son's voice. Dad. I'm in trouble. I'm in big. Trouble. I got involved in a business deal that was not entirely ethical. The county attorney is going to press charges. I could be disbarred. I could go to prison. His father said. What happened. And his son replied. I forgot who i was. That isn't just a christian story. I believe that the saving aspects of christianity or judaism or any other face are present in our own fate. In unitarian universalism. It could easily be the charge of a unitarian universalist.. Now son remember who you are. You are loved. You are an agent of love and not to find the essence of your character. You will have many other things that to find you lawyer musician husband athlete but these are not all equally important. Being a unitarian universalist being an agent of love is the essence. Who you are. It defines the kind of lawyer husband and friend you will become. Both versions of the story carry the same truth. That our religion at its best. Ought to inform every aspect of our life. And here we are at our core whether it is rooted in christ or allah or god or buddha or humanity or nature. Orlov. That it ought to inform every aspect of our being. So i've been thinking about my niece's theology this. Father god on the clouds and i'm wondering how it's served her. How could serve her in the future. This father and the reading today was watching his dear son encounter for the first time the bittersweet dilemma of humanity. He was caught between the desire to soar and his physical limits. The day of his biggest triumph. Had also brought his biggest grief. His father had tried every student-athlete he had. Songs backrub. Bottlerock bottles rocking until he realized. He could not be his savior. And this boy and his father synchronize their tears over their own frustrations of this experience. This father let himself be guided by love. Not selfishness not his own pain but the pain of his son. His father was able to step back and see the bigger picture of his son's experience. And guide and support his son sweetheart night. Sometimes. In my life i need to imagine being held by some divine parents figure who will synchronize their tears with mine. Apparent he will see the bigger picture of my life and notice when i am off tree. A parent whose lap i might climb into from time to time to gain a better perspective a better view. A parent who will guide me through the hard night. He will guide me on the road from greed to giving not by telling me what to do or by making my hurts all better but by letting me get up on the cloud and look down and see the full picture of my life. Country beginning to end. Side-to-side the consequences of my actions my beliefs my relationships all of it. I believe that we all have the power to do that if we she. From there i believe that we will be guided by something holy and something good. And i believe that from there the only choices. Are to be guided by love. When you sit up there on god laughing all that god sees. Seen the outcome of hatred and agreed seeing our apathy or what it is. We might find ourselves. Instead guided by love. Like black elf when he said. Then i was standing on the highest mountain of them all. And round beneath me. Was the whole hoop of the world. How could one stand on the highest mountain of them all witness the whole roof of the world and respond with anything other than love. From up there we might see that our jobs are getting our best energy. When really we want to put our families and friends for. From there we might see that our next door neighbor is a stranger to us. We might see the suffering of people near and far. We might even see our own suffering. That is only half of the story there's another piece of that father god theology that i hope my niece grows into. I hope that she learns not only to be guided by love. Could be that guy. One of our hymns proclaim be that guide who loves the stains. Rise above the daily strife. Lift on high the good you find help to heal the hurts of life. Be that guy. My hope for my niece for myself or each one of you is that we not only learn how to be held through our pain not only that we get up on the cloud for a better perspective my hope is that we also learn how to be that one. That one who holds another through pain the one who shows others the way to clear for prospective. The one who chooses the hard but more redeeming half. Through this life. A my hope is that being that guide is the essence of who you are. That it defines the kind of lawyer teacher musician spouse friend parents. Stranger you become. It is the calling of our religious faith. Theodore parker was a unitarian minister and abolitionist. You risked his life to fight for love and freedom. The longer quote by parker says. B h a religion which like sunshine goes everywhere. Is temple. All space. It's shrine the good heart. It's creed. All truth. It's ritual. Works of love. It's profession of faith. Divine living. He is asking us to let our religion enter into every aspect of our lives. Even when doing so is risky require sacrifice. And needs change. When i read the news i know that our world needs the sunshine that are religious beliefs. Offer. I see the challenges of our bigger and faster society and a violence and oppression around the world. And i wonder what theodore parkers vision would look like here and now. We enter all space. As if it were a temple. We praise a good heart. We promote the truth. For what we believe in common. We practice works of love as ritual. Sometimes not even knowing why or how sometimes dragging our feet into the ritual. But doing it anyway. And coming out transform. And we live our lives with a goodness and compassion that serves as an ongoing profession of faith. What would that be like. It wouldn't be easy but theodore parker already knew how hard face-work can be. But our world. So need it. Will you put your faith in something good. Will you be that guy who loves to sing. Will you help direct the world's for love or compassion. Toward forgiveness and healing. Will you do all that even when it would be so tempting. Too instead to the direction that brings in the most money or two's instead the direction that makes you look good or choose instead the direction that is easiest or takes less time. How far are you willing to take this religion thing anyway. Are we willing to let it make us better people. Better stewards of the environment. A better spouse a better citizen. It is the calling of our religious faith. Remember who you are.

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Reading2_041711.mp3

Our second reading this morning is a change from what is in your order of worship. Because i changed my mind with the last minute it's from a wonderful little book called god is a verb. And i just loved the concept of that actually the title is what drew me to pick it up. It's really about kabbalah but about so much more than that so there. Author is rabbi david cooper in again the title is god is a verb. The giving of sedaka or charity is viewed by the talmud. As one of the more important at in the human repertoire for raising sparks. It makes me quite clear. 10 strong things have been created in the world. Rock is hard. But iron smash is it. Iron is hard. But flyer softens it. Fire is hard. But water extinguishes it. Water is strong but cloud. .. Clouds are strong. The wind scatters them. Wind is strong. But the body breathes. The body is strong but fear diseases. Tara strong. But why nextel's. 1 strong. But sleep dissipated. Death is stronger than all. And sedaka saves us from death. As it is written. Sadaka delivers from dad. In proverbs 10 verse 2. The idea that siddhartha saves us from death he's treated literally and figuratively. Literally when anyone is seriously ill. Their families reach to the bottom of their pocketbooks and give to anyone in needs of the maximum of their capacity. This is based on the idea we learned earlier that four things can change face. Charity. Prayer. Changing our ways. And changing our names. Figuratively the power of sadaqat to overwhelm death is derived from the mystical view that a time will come when we relate to death. In an entirely different way. Siddhartha understood his righteousness through which the divine will is expressed in the truest sense requires selflessness. And selflessness employs less concerned about death because of the realization that something beyond this body. Is interconnected with all of creation. Does selfless giving sedaka. Definition overwhelms death. While living in jerusalem i often went to the western wall for morning prayers. I carried with me ritual prayer articles caledon to phelan. And i always filled my pockets with cohen. The western wall is a magnet that draws a wide variety of snorers. What that word snores. People who solicit all passersby for charity. Therese are often irritated by schnur's because there seems to be no sense of propriety where snoring is involved. When might be standing before the wall with closed eyes in the middle of a prayer quintin insistent tug at the elbows signals the arrival of another schnorrer. Sometimes the schnur's will glance at the open page of your prayer book to ascertain whether or not you're in that section called the omni. essential prayer that requires quiet concentration. But this is not always the case before i was interrupted countless times during silent prayers. My method is a time was too quickly withdrawal coin from my pocket and hand it over. Without even turning to see the face of the person receiving this sedaka. In this way i was fulfilling my obligation welding minimally distracted. Many old-timers do the same. I said quite a few experiences involving remarkable schnur's. Just after i ran out of coins one day at the end of my prayers. I snore was who was at the wall every morning came to me. And put out his hand. I asked if he had change for a 50 shekel note. Worth about $40 at the. He proceeded to reach into his pocket. And pulled out a wad of bills that clearly was worth hundreds of shekels. I laughed knowing that a tourist. Would you start the dishwasher was a fake. The terrorists would think that this guy lived in a mansion and probably had million stuck in his mattress. The truth was his lunch nor raised funds for more than two dozen families. I knew for a fact that he lived in a one-room hovel. And most of those who were close to him particularly the families who supported. Believes him to be distinctly as person in their lives. Winter is coming it's me that he was upset because he felt that too many schnur's were arrogant and seems to be self-righteous. Schnur's even gave him the feeling they were doing him a favor. Is taurus represented many people who assume that a person begging for money should be appropriately submissive. And demonstrative lee appreciative. The talmud teaches. He who causes others to do good things. Is greater than a door. And you see a reason for someone begging to feel any lesser person in his benefactor. The zohar makes an even stronger case. It says when the holy one love someone. Its senses person a gift in the shape of a poor person. So that the loved one should perform a good deed through doing charity. Through this merit to give her a charity will draw to himself or herself. Accord of grace. From the universal source of loving-kindness which will wind around his or her head and imprint a mark on the forehead. Said it when punishment falls on the world to destroying angel will notice the mark. And leave him or her alone. From this perspective if we are in a position to be donors. We should be grateful whenever we have the opportunity. To give charity.

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20130602-Sermon_060213.mp3

My colleague. The reverend dr. christine robinson. Sears our congregation in albuquerque she also was my. Predecessor in columbia south carolina. She offers this story she's. She goes now i'll tell you a real story that happened in our sunday school. The kindergarten class was discussing prayer and the children seemed to wear that the way you end a prayer wiz with all men. Does anybody know what i meant means the teacher asked. There was a long silence. Then one little boy piped up. With appropriate computer age gestures and said well i think it means like send. Have you heard about the latest unitarian universalist miracle. Someone saw the face of ralph waldo emerson on a tortilla. Unless we take ourselves too seriously you do know the one that thomas starr king nineteenth-century abolitionist in. Said that unitarians believe that god was to get into damn people while unitarian universalist. Let me get this right. Universalist believe that that that. God was too good too damn people while unitrans believe they were too good to be damned. And when i like. Is that unitarian-universalist are the people who believe in life before death. Looking online if you look online for things like religion and humor and a google comes this interesting thing. And all that being all the other search engines. If you do these searches for things like religion and humor. You get i don't know. A million. Possible hits. It is pretty amazing without there. Looks good and bad. But the humor is humor stuff for us as religious people is very real and very serious stuff. Really. Yet when we begin to take ourselves too seriously and get stuck. It reminds us that we can be liberated. Consequently humor is a vehicle for personal and cultural transformation. We shall little that video here. Where the young man was helped to get past the second point in his. Learning out. For his. Humor can. The emotive change and innovation and heresy as well as the status quo. Humor. All things that are human inventions generally are morally neutral. And can be used for good or bad. This adds you waiting importance to the saying that if you can imagine nothing you can do it. Humor and play give us opportunities to try on new ways of doing things. The possibilities of developing new roles new patterns new boundaries. Through which we can try to again recreate. Ourworld. You ever thought about that term recreation. Recreation. Nada. naxxar. We had the chance to realize goals that we set for ourselves individually and. Part of. The whole purpose of worship. In a community is he gives us the chance to. Play act. Through humor and work. And commitments. The opportunity to think about to to be for a little while that world which we wish to create. Beyond these walls. To be that beloved. In this space. And it has to include him. Now humor. Has a lot of definitions and that's another thing it's kind of hard word to nail down. Turlock. Jell-o to the wall. One of them i found is that it's comic absurd or incongruous quality causing amusement. So the relationship of humor. Comedy and jokes is like this. All jokes are comedy. All comedy is humor. But not all humor is comedy. And certainly not all jokes. So humor is the. Lord category. And being funny is a whole nother level of tissue. Another sock source that i have found says that humor. Is the quality that makes something laughable or amusing or funniness. That which is intended to induce laughter or amusement and the ability to perceive enjoy express what is amusing comical. Incongruous or absurd. But even these definitions. Are subjective. That makes something laughable or amusing. Well for whom and to whom exactly. Are we talking about. As the definition states humor is anything that causes amusements. The joke. Leader of an orchestra was recently electrocuted. Moving after all that he was a good conductor. This is humorous just some people. At least. So why. Why you even. Dealing with this. Dale carnegie. Who was the author how to win friends and influence people said people rarely succeed unless they have fun. And certainly as a religious community we know that's true too. We do have fun. Now believe it or not there really are. Serious people who do serious things are at humor there's a whole field number of fields called humor studies. I want to find out where i can get a degree. In this. Philosophical study of humor has been focused on has has focused on. The development of satisfactory definition of humor. Hard thing to nail down. Yeah i know it when i see it kind of thing. Which until recently had been treated though is roughly coexist. There's even at all i did is schumer really. Did you have to have laughter. Humor. The main task of all of this effort is to develop an adequate theory of just what you were is. According to the standard analysis. In this field humor theories can be classified into three neatly identifiable groups. Incongruity superiority and relief. Series. There's a quiz. Primarily. Focusing on the object of humor. I'm sorry we have we have a graduate student in the back who's just just finished her exams i think a little hysterical. Primarily focusing on the object of humor this. These schools of thought see humor as a response to an incongruity abroad. Term used to include ambiguity logical impossibility relevance. Inappropriate. And none of us have any screen. The paradigmatic superiority theorist is thomas hobbes. Who said that humor arises from the a sudden glory felt when we recognize our supremacy over others. I knew i didn't like him for a reason. Plato and aristotle are generally considered superiority theorist also emphasized the aggressive feelings at fuel humor. I think they were jocks but this is. The third group relief theory is typically associated with sigmund freud and herbert spencer. Who saw humor is fundamentally a way to release or save energy generated by repression. In addition this article here will explore fourth group of theories of humor. Play siri. Play theorists are not so much listing. Necessary conditions for something counting as humor as they are asking us to look at humor as an extension of animal play. Sotomayor naturalist. Anyone thinks i found out was the reason humans laugh. Generally. Is that his way of signaling other people that we're not being hurt. And when you have small children like i do. That's reassuring. When mommy and. When mommy and and four-year-old son are on top of each other and tickling and having a thing. And you hear some sort of scream. Is this a good scream. So we're trying to figure that out. Sowela defining humor is a seemingly simple one has proven quite difficult. Each theory attempts to prove. Provide a characterization of what it is at least at the core of humor. However the series are not necessarily competing they may be seen as simply focusing on different aspects of treating certain aspects as more fundamental. This according to the. Encyclopedia of. Philosophy. The field of humor studies is a lively and far-ranging won their groups existing at all levels of study and application. I may actually legitimately join seriously. Is the association for applied and therapeutic humor. Fetches a place for people who are. Therapists and counselors in ministers and. Anybody who deals with humor use of humor. In their profession. And how to do that appropriately and effectively. Another is a more academic is american humorous humorous studies association. And they have academic journals and papers in conference. On humor. And the other is international society for humor studies and these are just the tip of the iceberg. Now it's interesting when reading. These things to find out that there really is a strong emphasis especially in the applied areas. Studies of looking at. Positive. And that's a qualification you see over and over and over again. Positive. Which means obviously there are not positive. Some of the ones i remember. Remember roseanne. Keisha. Initially it was a lot of fun to watch that show because. Sort of cathartic. And like one of my sister's was really into it. Nnn. After awhile i began to realize it was kind of painful to watch that show and and this is probably why i have problems watching some other humor shows on television. I know that's a big. I could never get into the office i'm sorry. What. Anytime people are using attack humor. You know to put other people down or hurt other people after awhile it just loses it. Salt. And it doesn't. Doesn't work long-term and someone who's worrying about what my kids are watching. I have to be very careful about. What am i going to expose them to. What are we going to do. So humor. Is. A vehicle for us to do a lot of. Humor can be a vehicle for personal and cultural transformation. If we saw in the video clip earlier. Some young man. Who is being stuck in his setting for his torah he says i love that i suck. You know. How many of us would really like to do that the middle of our work day sometimes. Cornhub. How do unitarian universalist look. How do we. How do we ensure that our humor is not damaging to individuals or groups or or do we. How do we use. Guidelines. No. What i was looking for this kind of stuff i found was that. The best things i found a created by a youth group in 2004. Houston and children and adults at a junior youth. New england. Explore the connection between humor and unitarian universalist principles. And they did a lot of examples of good humor and harmful humor. For a first principle inherent worth and dignity of every person the importance is on using jokes that can make everyone feel good. That focus on life on developing the ability to laugh at ourselves without now. Even self-deprecation. And then they were talking about humor and our seventh principle the interdependent web of all existence. And just look at all the incongruity between humans and the world around them. We are all in this together. Did you know that unitarian-universalism does have a trinity. Do you know what it is. What is it. Reduce reuse and recycle. Put up song. So how do we take jokes about unitarian universalist how do we receive those. Is a minister going to interface. And even business conferences. It's not unusual for people come up and want to tell me a unitarian universalist joke. If they get it right. First of all. And then often is one that's really kind of defensive. Even if we were telling it about ourselves. But they think it's funny as hell. Okay how many. Lenny bruce wants said that i know i'm really getting two people want to make the unitarians mad enough to burn a? on my lawn. Or you know who you know what happens when you cross a unitarian universalist with a jehovah's witness. Somebody rings your doorbell but doesn't know why they're there. A church is burning the houses of worship in the city. And. The police chief notices different behaviors by differ. People in these communities. That wendy. Synagogue. Is burn. The rabbi and his. Cancer run in and they saved the torah. The catholic church that burned. Priests act like they save. The eucharist. Unitarian universalist church is torched. The congregation present residencies the coffee urn. You do this with contrite. The thing about some diseases we tell these jokes and they really really funny haha. But they're not true. There is enough truth historically and some of them to make them painful. And we laugh i think more out of nervousness than out of. Humorous appreciate. It's like when people say unitarian universalist or so. Open our brains fall out. Are we. Can we believe anything we want. No. I mean to send that little theory meth right there. No. Humor even about ourselves we have. About ourselves. And about our culture. In holding up all these characteristics and jugs do we really cool ourselves are celebrating we are. Important things that these. This youth group in and adults who they talk about this. Is this helping us. I mean this is one that i think is interesting if you name your if the name of your church is longer than your arm you might be a unitarian universalist. That will i get. If you find yourself rewriting a church survey rather than taking it you might be a unitarian universalist. Yeah. I see a lot of board members not in your head on it and yeah. This compassionate humor is set against the jokes that are harmful to a group or people. From dumb blonde jokes are those with ethnic or racial and religious overtones. Jokes that make assumptions that may not be true. That the junior youth developed guidelines for use of humor in these are what they offered us. Remember that people have feelings. Develop the ability to the last with and not at. Be willing to be surprised at how well your own ideas and those of others might turn out. Think before you speak. That's what i'm working on. Making jokes spanned rather than impose on a person's right to search for what they believe. Except honor and celebrate rather than make fun of differences. At one time the children in a church school class were drawing pictures that your ass 1. What are you trying to picture of. I'm drawing a picture of god with reply. But nobody knows what god looks like objective the teacher. They will said that you your child when i get done with my picture. And could easily be a story from anyone of our kids here. Four members of any religion to have a few doubts. Is normal. To have many doubts is off in a crisis of faith. Constant doubt is a conversation to a unitarian universalist. So given all of these things about. What we understand to be humorous. Experience it. What is take that and use it. Enriched our lives. To build a life of our community. Here in these walls. Outside. They are brothers and. So in all the humor. Let us go forth in all seriousness to be kind and funny. And challenging and to bring health. To ourselves. To each other. And to this.

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20150628-Sermon.mp3

So let me ask you this first before i'm going to do this how many of you are familiar with brene brown's work. Few. Work on vulnerability and shame. It's groundbreaking work she is a professor that comes out of the university of houston a research professor who for years actually studied this bye-bye. Doing interviews so that's how she does her research is she develops list of questions and she was doing research on wholehearted living. And discovered that she. Was not living wholeheartedly. And it changed her life literally. It changed her life. She had what she called. A breakdown. But he or she doesn't this way and we all see we have helped. So and it's really she doesn't her books and she did this in her original ted talk where she talks about the breakdown that she had and then she corrects herself because it wasn't actually a breakdown it was a spiritual awakening. She delivered. Her original ted talk in houston. In june of 2010 based on this experience based on her experience of discovering that wholehearted living requires. Vulnerability. That fool hearted living retires. Resistance. To shame and it's important to understand that there's a difference between shame and guilt. Guild is how you feel when you recognize that you've done something wrong. Shame. Is when you feel like your entire being. Is wrong. So when she made this discovery she was thrust into the arena into. Theodore roosevelt's metaphor of the arena and literally into the arena. I'm getting this talk in houston. We're suddenly. She was vulnerable. She. Was vulnerable to the people in the room and then when she woke up the next morning and saw how many hits there were on her talk she was suddenly. Vulnerable to an audience that grew 220 million people. She was vulnerable to. Critics and internet. Shaming. Chi. What's wrong. This experience. Moved her back into her original research. It returned her. To those original conversations into that. Data that she drew upon all those conversations with the thousands of men and women that she had interviewed for her original research. And what we learn in this. Latest book that she's giving us in. What we learn. Is what. The quote tells us that she starts and ends the book with. We learn how to show up in the arena. Welearn. About the man in the arena who have fast nose in the end the triumph of high achievement and you act the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly. So there's this place shall never be with those cold and timid souls. Neither no victory or defeat. No i've had this book for about a year my daughter was given the book at a sales conference. Because this is how we use this information now right. Gifted it to me knowing that i. Have watched brene brown. Tedx talk about one of the 20 million. And with it i don't know if she realized what she had done but in the back or these three things that i'm going to share with you today i'm sure they handed these out to motivate people to do their jobs. But they're in the back of the book so now they're mine. Thursday's little placards. Proceed and be bold. Take 100% responsibility. And they're too. Fill in the blank. Now. These keep falling out every time i would read the book so i. Felt compelled that perhaps i need to know what these things mean. My daughter sarah gave me this book about a year ago and i've finally had time to read the book. Because now i'm unemployed. I am a minister without a church. A person. Without an identity. I'd left the congregation in california is meridian mention today in my bio. Return to dallas because we have a family member here who is bill. There's something wrong with my ministry there was nothing wrong with the church. And it's so interesting that every time i tell this story i always have to add that. You can't hear that shame. Creeping into. How i explain. Who i am. Right now. I listen to my biography this morning. Biography that i rode by the way. And i know what renee brown means when she writes about our scarcity culture. And the never enough. Problem. I listen and i hear the gap. In my existence. I sit here and i find myself. Paralyzed by what brown identifies as the shame-based. Fear. Of being. Ordinary. If i send my resume how. Looking for work to supplement this itinerant life i now find myself in. As i send my resume out. And continue to be rejected. I know our scarcity culture first-hand. Never good enough never perfect enough never powerful enough. Not enough of the right kind of experience by the way if you want to be a hospital chaplain you better have been a hospice chaplain already. Not young enough not smart enough. With each rejection i wander among the three components of scarcity that brown identifies. 1. Shame. 2. Comparison. 3. Disengagement. In order to proceed and be bold. In creating what my ministry looks like now. I first must confront how my self-esteem is tied up. In my identity. How my tendency to compare myself to others. Stifle my creativity. And how. I disengage. Play it safe. The last time i led worship from this pulpit and i looked it up. You'll be glad to know that i actually retain. All of my sermons with the date. Oh okay when i preach them and where i preach them so i have left worship from this phone that i think once. It was about 7 years ago. I was finishing up my chaplaincy at parkland hospital and i was beginning my last academic year in seminary ministry is a second career for me. One that comes at a time when the american religious landscape is changing the pew forum on religion & public life recently published an update to its startling report from 2007 that alerted us all to the rise of the nun now i probably should have made another slide that. The rise of the nones has those who do not identify with any religion the nuns are still rising from 16% to 23% of american adults. The report includes breakdowns for each face tradition including unitarian-universalism compared to 8 years ago we are getting younger and less wealthy. The number of people who self-identify as you use is about the same. At three-tenths of a percentage of the adult population. However given the fact that the u.s. population has grown since 2007 this translates into growth of those who self-identify as mew but it is a number that does not translate. Into our congregational membership. Unitarian universalism is changing in addition to the statistics we have from the pew study we can look around and see the creative responses our congregations are making to this changing religious landscape. We are becoming better about making connections between local congregations. Now have multi-site ministries we share staff we partner in social justice efforts we exchanged lay leadership expertise our expertise all to make congregational life easier and to connect across isolated conversations professional learning how to straddle part-time positions with community ministry positions in order to continue to honor their call. As unitarian universalist we can proceed and be bold. By acknowledging when we are held back. By our own. Never enough. Problem. We can proceed and be bold by facing uncertainty together. Being willing to be vulnerable and by acknowledging that who we are. Right now. Izamar. And this one. This one take 100% responsibility. Not my favorite one not really my favorite one. The person in the arena takes 100% responsibility while daring greatly the person who is actually in the arena. Doesn't complain and point blaming fingers the person in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. Shows out. With vulnerability and risk being seen according to wikipedia brene brown isn't the only one who has used teddy roosevelt's man in the arena speech to inspire others to dare greatly. Richard nixon quote it in both his victory speech and his resignation speech probably inspiring people in a way he hadn't expected. Nelson mandela gave a copy of the speech to the captain of the south african rugby team before the 1995 rugby world cup. Time when nelson mandela have been president. Not for very long in south africa. And a recent ad campaign for cadillac borrow support to assert that only those who dare. Drive the world forward. Here is brene brown's response to cadillacs campaign. I don't own the called they are greatly and cadillac won't own it either. Daring belongs to all of us it's a choice about how we want to live. And show up. In our lives remember remembering that roosevelt original speech was called. Citizenship. In a republic. Daring greatly is about how we want to live and show up in our lives but it is also. About how we participate as citizens in a national culture. That promotes fear and blame. Daring greatly we can maybe get a little bit more comfortable with this take 100% responsibility because it does not mean blaming and shaming those who do not agree with us or those who disappoint us. Including members of our own church. Four of our own. Religion. Daring greatly taking 100% responsibility. We show up in the arena. As our authentic self i think most of you know that the general assembly of. The unitarian universalist association is wrapping up in portland today this year's theme is building a new way. I have been watching ministry days first and then general assembly from the comfort of my desk in my where i live now and listening to the berry street lecture listening to the sermon at the. Service of the living tradition watching and listening last night to cornel west. Deliver the where lecture anyone else who's intuitive. Playing along with general assembly this week. You haven't done it i won't shame and blame you but i will encourage you all all these things are kept online for many years it's a great way to connect into what the larger faith is up to. What the current etisalat process is. And it was really fun to watch this week. Live streaming when the announcement was made. About the supreme court's decision. And peter morales. President of the u.s.a. invited all of the same-sex married same-sex couples in the room and come up and fill the stage. Just to take a little moment to reflect on some of the things said this week in portland. Preaching at this year's service the living tradition the reverend marlon lovin our suggested that this new way that were building may actually be the old way. If we live better into our commitment to the old way. We might actually be building. A new way. Because we haven't fight. Fully embodied. Who we said. We are. We are a religion based on covenant not believe. If we live. Better. Or maybe we could say. 100% responsibility. If we live better into our covenant. Rather than arguing about our beliefs. Then maybe we live better. Take 100% responsibility. Into the promise of our free face. As a faith-based on relationship. Based on how we behaved with each other. The reverend shawn parker denison delivering the 195th berry street lecture. Earlier this week put it this way it is time for us. To recognize that we are part of a system heaped. In privilege. The culture that defines us is one of privilege even if we personally do not have the power. Of that privilege. He said. We can float for a very short moment. The victory for marriage equality. But as president peter morales said. Gloat for just a short moment. But then we need to get back. To the work. A creating justice for all. Nine lives. Haircut short. My self-identified white supremacist in. We need to get back to the work. Black lives. Is writing celebrate for now how you use. Took the lead on marriage equality. I agree though with my colleague reverend denison when he cautions us. About needing to always. Take the lead in the social justice arena. It is enough. If we show up. And dare to fail. Is enough. If we show up and allow ourselves to be seen. It is enough. Show up when black lives are disregarded. Places like the kitty. Is enough if we show up when people are grieving in black churches is enough. To show up. In elections to show up. And work is allies. We can understand that most of us were born into a culture of privilege not as one more time to blame. What is a time to take. 100% responsibility. Novablast. Little. Card. That i get to reflect on. Is there to fill in the blank. And i want to give you just a really short moment very short i promise. It just close your eyes. I'm still in that blank for yourself right now. And i want to do it quickly because i wanted to be the first thing that comes to your mind. Close your eyes. Dare to. Fill in the blank. Unless you open your eyes and come back. To this moment now. I have one more story for you. And i will share with you that right now how i'm feeling in that blank. Is with the lines of the poem from karen boyum. That line. To trust. In that daring. That shapes. The world. As we going to trust ourselves to leave fear and blame behind we eventually learn to trust in something greater than ourselves the religious response to filling in that blank is to dare to entrust ourselves to the life that is larger than ourselves and i will tell you briefly about a young man who taught me. I was driving 150 miles apart to my first ministry. I was. Preaching and using urine boy has words about. Yes it hurts when buzz first. And as i was reading the lines from the poem i had a realization that the young man sitting behind me who was at the big pipe organ. My. Are we doing it again. Is that the doorbell i thought maybe it was telling me my timer. Back to my story. About this young man who was a piano student from idaho state university who was. Our accompanist and who always was with us in our services in our afternoon services actually but three months before that easter sunday. He had failed to show up we tried to call him there was no answer. And we didn't find out until later that afternoon that that actually his family had left a voicemail on the music committee chairs. That this young man college senior. Had blown off half his hand. While playing with a potato gun and if you know what that is it's basically a pipe based cannon that uses an accelerant. Some type to watch benefits of potato or marshmallow or other small objects at high speeds after about six hours of surgery and three months of recovery our accompaniment returned to us in time for the easter service the surgeon had been able to reconstruct part of the palm of the right hand but this young man who is about to graduate. He was in constant pain. As the injury continue to heal. But he was determined. To return to his life. As it was before the accident even while knowing that his life would never be the same. The words i said that morning reading the poem. Talking about it in the context of resurrection and transformation the words took on new meaning for me. I thought about him. Sitting behind me. I talked about how after the death of our old ways of being comes not everlasting life. But the sense that life is ever renewing. I quoted more lines from the poem. Then when it is worse than nothing helps they burst as if an ecstasy the first buds of the tree when fear itself is compelled to let go they fall in a glistening veil the new shutting out their doubts about the journey feeling for an instant how this is their greatest safety. To trust in that feeling that shaped the world after the service i walked out of the sanctuary with. Our columnist with this injured and healing young man i shared with him that i'd have this experience. Fencing in the middle of the sermon at that it was just the two of us and then i was just preaching to him now. Looking fat. I realize. That it was his life doing the preaching it is his light. That teaches me still. To trust in that daring. That shapes. The world. Maybe so and almond.

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20131124-Sermon.mp3

I had someone recently asked me if i was going to school everybody again before we got shopping and i said why would you ask that. And i and i would hope it's not a school. Federal lifting up in elevating of our consciousness. And our awareness of things.. All of us. Chicago weather. Over the last 15 years there's emerged. Increasingly popular term. 4 with being referred to as. Called affluenza. Affluenza. What is it exactly. Well there are several definitions but i find my take on it is that affluenza. Is the experience of our lives feeling like they are less. The more we have and consume. Essentially moor's last despite what we were told to expect. Play kenny disiz. There are some diagnostic test we can take for this melody. Here's some questions that may help you discern if you might be suffering from. I'm willing to pay more for a t-shirt if it has a cool corporate logo on it. I believe that if i buy the cocktail dress the cocktail party will come. I have a shoe collection that carry on sex and the city but envy. I'm willing to work for years at a job that i hate so i can buy lots of stuff. When i'm feeling blue i like to go shopping and treat myself. I usually make the minimum payments on my credit cards. I want a sport utility vehicle although i rarely driving conditions that warrant one. I believe that whoever dies with the most toys wins. If you answered yes. To even one of these you probably have some level of affluenza in your life. It is hard to escape we live in a society which bombard constantly. With messages of consumerism. As recently as 50 years ago the word consumption. Had the decidedly negative meaning of two exhaust pillage or destroy. Didn't eat any more of that. Tuberculosis. Was usually referred to as. Consumption. Now our elected officials are many more times likely to refer to us as consumers. Then as citizen. To even in the mind of our elected officials we are not citizens we are consumers. Consumer culture is pressing. Our lives in the physical world through a kind of meat grinder. It's taking our inherent worth and value and attempting to turn the lot into garbage. It says that we are nothing without it whatever it is. I remember a few years ago i was at a shopping mall in south carolina. And his local fashion store the truck. Who was from there and the ad on the side of the truck. You need a style. And we have one for you. Took me a second to realize why that disturbed me so badly. You know if someone walked up to you and said something like that. In texas there's a thing called fighting words. Right. Are you got it. I would be deeply insulted i think most of you would be to. We and our children are told over and over and over that if we buy something we will be worthwhile people or powerful or pretty or popular or all of those things. Dandelion promise being that we don't have any of those qualities already or can't without buying whatever it is that is being peddled. You don't get this or that you will be alone and miserable and pathetic. I mean now at the internet it's it's more funf you don't get on eharmony or. Whatever the website is for helping people over 50 have an active social life or you know whatever it is. You know. Or for parents if you don't get this magazine for parents you're going to be a bad parent. You're not as good as you could be anyway. This denies. The very values which we is unitarian universalist hold to be fundamentally true. That all are worthy and powerful and valuable and that we are not alone. If a new religion were to emerge and say the same things to us that the consumer culture does it would be shouted down as evil and inhumane. Which it is. The reverend dr. rebecca parker. Who is getting ready to retire after 25 years as president. I've ruu seminary in berkeley california. Starr king school for the ministry. She says that quote consumer culture is now the dominant world religion. And sociologically it fits the criteria. Brandon parker feels that the religious and political right which we often spend a great deal of time worrying about are merely handmaidens of the consumer culture. As a social scientist myself i see it as a diffused totalitarian system. Which has largely replaced by democratic government and liberal agenda in the west. As a dominant cultural institutions it is now working on the rest of the world. Totalitarian systems work by breaking down all of what writer and social critic, albert camus. Call the bonds of human solidarity. These systems destroy our ability to trust each other and ourselves and even our own thoughts. Then they seek to replace our will with their will. And they say do what i say embrace me and i will make you powerful and will make you pretty and it will make you loved. Why lie. Probably most of us do not believe in a personified devil or absolute evil. I do have these strongest urge. To say to the cult of consumption get behind me satan. How many of you remember the movie wall street. Okay. Where they're going to sequel. Michael douglas's mantra is character. Use the mantra greed-is-good. November the reaction in the public sphere when that was said. It elated people. Okay it was it was it was edgy. At the time. Well in the video movie on this disease called affluenza that was put out a number of years ago. There are video conversations about people who market our toys. Twice to our children. And they quote. They believe this. Antisocial behavior in the pursuit of a product is a good thing. Manufacturers. They go on to espouse the need and desire ability to quote capture and own our children. Any calculated statements. I personally see hannah arendt idea on the banality of evil. But it doesn't stop with toymakerz. We're just now trying to get past. Something like 20 years. Having our schools. Inundated. With marketing. Buy mcdonald's burger king and just about anybody else if you get your foot in the door. As a way of trying to raise funds. Text lisa porter schools. So when we don't vote for needed school taxes and mill increases this is what we get. In response to all of this i wonder what would happen if we as a congregation i've mentioned this before but let me mention it again. If we're to go out and rent a billboard near a major mall. Name amal. Northpark. Northpark. Is that the one or what what's the big one down at northpark this down on 75. Alright yeah that's a fun one. I go there a lot hangout buy stuff. Good gelato. But if we're going to northpark. Across from them. Or any other mall. And put up a billboard. Oh. About now. And put on one simple message that said something like. Don't buy anything you don't need. Go home. Don't watch tv or the internet. Talk to your loved ones this holiday season. Read a library book. Be present to the moment. And live. Sponsored by the local unitarian universalist church in plano. What do you think what happened. We have bob threats i mean you know. I lived in the south got the confederate flag down off the dome of the capitol building. And i didn't get that much flak. Okay. This would be very serious stuff. Which is one reason that scares the bejesus out of me to even think about doing it. I mean we have to have a congregational don't on this probably. I'm not kidding. Cuz this would mean we were all taking this on. What. I second this is a worship service not a business meeting. It's up to you guys to do the rest. Funny this is the kind of thing to think about even if i thought exercise. About. How screwed up. The value system is that we actually are immersed in you know it's like the old at all you're soaking in it you know. Well it is. It sometimes like fishing water we can't see how a nasty the water is. The hard reality is that even if we had the funds to do a billboard like that we probably would not be rented the space to display it. And there's no and there are several very sophisticated groups creating a trying to run these kinds of bad for actually denied. The right to actually put them up. Talk about free speech issues. There's a magazine has been out for a number of years now called adbusters which is kind of fun to read after while it's a little radical but it's got some good stuff in it. An effort to support this kind of thing they are being blocked from access to commercial sites still after almost twenty years. Both physically and electronically. Is a form of censorship in denial of free speech in society where money not votes. Now controls access to public agenda. Oh yeah. Buzz that americans united. Citizens united decision supreme court. Money is speech. The public square has now become the shopping mall and only those with money are enfranchised. We live in the financial equivalent of the old companies town & shop in the company store. Most radical thing we can do in this prevailing culture is to refuse to be mindless consumers. Unitarian universalist have always been known as heretics so what's to stop us this time well the word heretic means by the way. That's what it's from. It means one who chooses. So what. What stops us from choosing. Well it's pogo is often quoted. We have met the enemy and he is us. We are most often stymied in any social a personal transformation by our own fear and discomfort with chain. Change means discomfort and risking the possibility of pain. And it is an attempt to transform fundamentally the ways in which we understand the live our lives in regards to the prevailing cultural paradigm. We are changing our lives. To be more in tune an accord with the values we hold to be of importance. And worth. And for us as you use being religiously and spiritually engaged people. Means not only getting our own lives more in tune but also confronting the powers of. Disease and consumption. With a message of worth and dignity. And relationship and hope. Not just in our words but in other ways we live each day and every moment of our lives. I need a list of for a second that. You trying to restless. We're really good about. Doing diversity. And. Social change in the world. Until it affects us directly. And this is not an uncommon thing for most people. We're really good about welcoming gays and lesbians and transsexuals. Transgender and inferior people. Because it doesn't cost us anything. Not much. If we were to be better at. Reaching out. Beyond our socio-economic culture a culture which is fairly healthy. Overall some of us are unemployed in this room. Some of us are underemployed. But overall unitarian universalist tend to be highly educated and highly paid. Compared to the rest of the society. It doesn't mean we don't have a ton of debt we're paying off. Gothic one one of my colleagues refers to as middle-class pretenders. But we do not want to go into this places that might challenge our comfort zone. I'm ramon reminded historically of the difficulty of unitarians. Particularly during the period of abolition. Now we don't talk about unitarians champion evolution no individual unitarians did denomination did not. They were silent. And those who often did speak up even william ellery channing the father of american unitarianism lost his pulpit. When he spoke up. About. Abolition. After many years of struggling with this. He lost his job. The most celebrated unitarian ministry in new england. At that time. Because. Slavery was about money. And there's a lot of very powerful interests who are making a lot of money. Off of the slave trade the triangle trade those things at that point in time. Okay. Keep in mind. As cruel and inhumane as many. Practices are. It's mostly about somebody making a buck. And doing whatever they have to do it. Follow the money. Well the same thing we have to look at now what are the norms it was an accepted norm at that time. So what are the accepted norms now. I know they're all sorts of areas where we talked about. You know. The other the new slavery. That's underground you know that that you know hiring domestic help and then. Treating him horribly in. Migrant workers and all that sort of thing. But what other practices are we doing that we accept as normative because well if we were to change it somebody's job would be lost. Maybe hours. We would have to change the way we live. Rhett butler the comedian has said i'm all for the revolution now. Except i'm concerned i won't be able to find a good moisturizer afterwards. I think that's basically yet. So i think this is our challenge. This is our spiritual. Confrontation in in in the terms of islam it would be our spiritual jihad. With ourselves. Our war with ourselves our. A conflict is a better term. Our opportunity. The path we walk. Dr. robert emmons. Who is the world's leading expert on gratitude. Which is a departure from what i just been talkin about. He argues that gratitude has two key components. Does first citizen affirmation of goodness. We affirm that we are good things in the world. Gifted benefits we received. As part of gratitude he explains we recognize that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves. We acknowledge that other people or even higher powers if you were spiritual. Give us many gifts big and small to help us achieve the goodness in our lives. Emmons and other researchers see the social dimension. As being especially important to gratitude. I see it as a relationship strengthening emotion he writes because it requires us to see how we've been supported in affirmed by other people. Because gratitude encourages us not only to appreciate gifts. But to repay them or pay them forward. Sociologist. Georg simmel called it. The moral memory of mankind. What a contrast. This whole idea of gratitude. As opposed to. The one of. You're not enough by stuff. In my own life and the lives of so many. I see the negative impacts of this disease. Out there. We're constantly on-the-go we eat alone in our cars and at our desk to sit at home with our family and friends with the family and friends are there in the car with us also eating. You know. Essentially alone. If they're teenagers they probably have a headset on. We're like my son and maybe playing with some little toy. Or one of those french fries. We're busy. Being on television or on the internet instead of doing things we probably really want to do. A consumer debt payments are more than our rent or house payments. That's a chilling realization. We feel empty and alone cut off from those we love even when they may be close at hand. These are only a few of the negative effects that we can see. The truth is that most of the time. Most of us can only prioritize three or four maybe five things. At a time in our lives with any kind of balance or attention you know you know about the myth of multitasking right. Multitasking does not exist. It is physically impossible. According to neuroscientist. You cannot multitask. It's called task-switching. You can switch from one task to another and when you do that you actually diminish your iq. The effect or the effectiveness of your iq in those actions. 5 at 10 to 20 points. So you become a less effective at each task. When you do rapid test switching. I'm hearing some interesting conversations out there maybe i should just stop talking. I'm sorry. What. Multitasking and doing things the same time i mean i used to work as a waiter. I mean i know how to you know walk down the thing clear tape clear plates and do this that giving up same time some of that muscle memory but. You know you learn how to do those things simultaneously. But you're not switching your attention between things. You know. I feel virtuous cuz i can run the washing machine and the dishwasher at the same time that's multitasking to me. We can't balance our attention beyond 5 maybe 45 things. And so perhaps that we have our health or family or friends work hobby or personal ministry. Unfortunately most of us try to balance more than this and most of the time we find these priorities are picked by urgency rather than by intent. There's an old saying in ministry the urgent overwhelms the important. Any ideas do not have let that happen. We find ourselves starved for time and respite in an apparent land of an abundance. We go thirsty in the rain. We are discovering that more is not better but that more is actually less when it comes to the quality of our lives. For me that breaks down to a lack of time and money. I need a deeply entwined the more i spend trying to buy myself time to do things the more time i have to spend paying for. The more stuff i own the more time i have to commit dealing with my stuff i own. I have a garage full of stuff that i'm still trying to deal with. 7 years after moving into my house. Because my house isn't big enough. For all the stuff that sent up there. And i don't need all that stuff but i got to take time to sort through and figure out what's junk and what's not junk. Right. So that i have to go get a pod but that my driveway. Empty the garage so i can clean out the garage configure it so i can actually put things up. You know shelves and things for tools and stuff. Okay and then i have to take the time to den. Sort through all that stuff. You know. Okay. What what are we doing this. Chesnaught. I'm still trying to figure it out. In response to this more and more common experience over these last 40 years. There's been the growing movement to call the simplicity movement that i. I quoted from earlier. The first came out of a book. Call voluntary simplicity in 1981. Was that long ago 1981. How many years ago was that. 35 year 32. Yeah. It's estimated it was it was estimated that in 1990 some 5% of americans were actively engaged in this. Voluntary simplicity. And probably in 2008 was estimated around. 10 to 15%. I don't have any newer numbers in that. And a lot of books and articles of websites on it and we have a voluntary simplicity group here. Right with this hotel just raise their hands were in simplicity. Is the longest-running. Interest group in the church. Triumph. Beyond the friday night folk singers. So there someplace to go with us. Important things to keep in mind as simplicity is not austerity especially not a steroid as we seem to practice recently in government. That's where a tatian. It's not about deprivation but rather getting rid of stuff and activities that do not contribute to a fuller or richer life. It means recognizing that we and our families cannot have or do everything. And then we don't have to have or do everything. To live fully. It is doing more with less. The best-selling author elaine st. james offers that doing too much and having too much can get in the way of being able to enjoy the things that we do want in our lives. Assembly be who we are. Sing a song earlier. Simple gifts to give to be simple to give to be free. Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be. And find ourselves in the play store. Twill be in the valley of love. Who won true simplicity is gay. To bowen to bend we shan't be ashamed. To turn turn will be hot. Till by turning turning we come round right. The song comes from the shaker community and being simple. To them. Was an aspiration. And when i. And they sang and they dance to that him by the way. They were referring to being simple in their ways and their beliefs free from the burdens of sandwich they sought to literally shake off. They would dance and they would when they turn turn you actually turn and turn. And david danced on their tiptoes. And when they called shakers because they would shake the send-off. Physically. They would shake the sand. For some of us who've been all the new age movement recent years remember how many people have done things like that. You shaking off the bad energy. So. Make believe with the comfrey to have a fuller life as they understood it. And listen to his words again in our place a time i find a poignant. In a possible connection which they have. They may have with us we too are looking for freedom from that which weighs us down. And if sin is that which keeps us from being fully who we can be. And cuts us off from relationships with ourselves and others and the universe. Then simplicity maybe a way to actively address the sinfulness of the consumer society which we are now hammarsten. I am any other proponents of voluntary simplicity or not saying that it or any similar situation or options will make our lives perfect. You know my stance on perfection it doesn't exist. In fact perhaps the contrary that is to say that if we offered perfection it would probably mean it was just another illusory fixed to be bought into a consumed two selves are ailments. The point is that nothing. Not simplicity not the right relationships not the right lifestyle or religion will make her life painless or perfect. Our lives will still have pain and suffering. And our personal issues are still going to be there. We must still deal with what we must still deal with. But the real hoe play in that we will give ourselves the time and the space and resources. To encounter our joys as well as our difficulty. And that we are not struggling to do this alone. But in the company the good company. Avicii other as friends lovers family members members of this beloved community. Are transcendentals forbearer such as thorough and whitman and emerson told us about the need to engage the essential other to experience life. Not to be taken up by it. Estero said in a reading earlier. We should not live in such a hurry why should we live in such a hurry and waste of life. He goes on why are we determined. To be starved before we are hungry. I wished to live deliberately to front only the essential facts of life. I wish to learn what life has to teach. And not when i come to die. Discover that i have not lived. I do not. Wish to live what is not life. Living is so dear. The essential ingredient. To all of the programs groups studies everything i have seen the talked about how we change our behaviors as human beings. Whatever it is. Whether it's affluenza or some sort of addiction. Or some other thing you don't going to the gym. The most likely chance for success lasting success and actual change. Is that we don't do it by yourself. Nearly every successful program approach for dealing with keyring app alenza or conquering and confront consumer culture and simplifying our lives. Are based on regular face-to-face communities. Put support and enlarge their participants. It is my hope. That this community. Continues to be such not only in its small groups. But in its. Overall approach. It supports. It allows us all to become more the people we wish to be. Become more than people that we know we can and want to. And thereby the community. That we can be. Within the larger society. Cuz it is by changing ourselves that we change the world. So this is my hope. And the calm even more that community of hope and empowerment. For the transformation. Ourselves. And our world. I live with adam simple. The sands.

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Reading_032810.mp3

Each year the unitarian universalist service committee or the uusd. Select a date to serve as justin sunday a day in which congregations nationwide stand together on one pressing human rights issue. Today we join with you your congregations nationwide to put our principles into practice. As we address the theme of advancing economic justice. And also looking at the social justice work of a uusc. We will now watch a video produced.

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20151101-Homily_III_-_Thanksgiving.mp3

Amazing grace how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me. I wants was lost. But now i'm found. Was blind but no i see. Tell me if you know the story behind that song. View. Is an expression of thanksgiving of one man john newton an eighteenth-century english slave ship captain. Who was saved from a wretched existence by a grace when she felt set free. When you sell set free from slaving. I have a lot of difficulty with the rent language. The w word ascend pplelectric. Because we feel like that's too much like being called owe your lowly worm and confess your sins and all that sort of thing. And we might rightly feel calling ourselves richard is uncouth and healthy and not affirming of our inherent worth and dignity. Can i help the part of the power of this song besides is haunting melody. Isn't it touches something universal in the human experience. That in some way john newton's encounter with grace and his subsequent gratitude and thanksgiving is not unlike our own. That we do feel truly wretched. From what i understand grace is our experience of the abundance. Of the universe. It is awareness of the gifts which we have not worked for and have not actively earned. Grace is experience of receiving. That which is not of our making and that which we have not learned that this issue between earned and deserved. First time i preached on forgiveness grace many many years ago i did this without making this distinction that i catch it. If people didn't hear unearned i heard undeserved. That were undeserving. Again that lowly worm ranch thing. In our modern western society. We see ratatouille. Exist in a meritocracy. The nest mindset. Where's the reality or not. And in this we have merged the idea of earned and deserved. Together. So if i have a lot of money obviously deserve it. Even if i really didn't work for it came from a trust fund. Or. If. Somehow something fortuitous happened to me then i obviously earned that. This is very old testament. Mentality here jobe. Kind of stuff. But we still. Have that mindset. It almost seemed obvious that if we have not somehow earned something we do not deserve it. So if you have not earned your wages you do not deserve healthcare. Or to eat. What have clean water or clean air or schools for your children or for your elderly. Someplace. That is safe. And healthy. Because it. Earned. And therefore must be under. Just because we learned something does not automatically mean that we deserve it. And just because we have not learned something does not mean that we do not. Now grace is about that which we have not learned in fact cannot aren't even if we want to and that's part of martin luther's critique years ago and i don't quote martin luther very often. But martin luther king martin luther no. No matter how hard we work we cannot earn the grace or abundance of the universe. But we're i essentially differ with martin luther others is that he basically makes confession of faith another way to earn grace. So you can understand but you can buy it. Grace in my understanding cannot beat learn. Either by works of faith. I worked for my face. Cannot work or face. Grace's that which is on. Either of those approaches turns the goddess god the holy are rounded being our experience of the universe into a type of material and or metaphysical exchange of goods and services. It's an exchange of energy. Are christian universalist forebears clearly rejected this bartering with god. As seen in their belief in the universal salvation of all souls regardless of merit cuz all are inherently worthy. And because of a god of love. The grace of the universe is all around us in her living our breathing are being even in our opportunity to struggle for what is better. We experience is grace when we become aware of it when the ears of our ears are awake. The eyes of our eyes are opened. Does this mean we should not ask for help from the universe shirts we should ask. But we must be aware that we're not able to dictate the terms. And we may not be answering the ways we might hope were expected to be answered. We also need to be careful about asking. For what we want because we might get it. We cannot command grace but we can risk being open. To its possibilities. So when we do experience grace. For myself i know that i have an impulse to respond in some way to express my gratitude. Informate gratitude is it supposed to give back in some way in order to show my appreciation for what i have received his grace to be in harmony with this abundance. And i'll be clear about also the issue of impulse and desire to respond. Impulse is great. And desires wonderful but actually responding is another issue. Right. A lot of us get those things the mail okay for a dollar a month or dollar week you can. Do this together. And we think that's really great put that aside. And then they stack up. Yeah. That's the way i feel too. But i really should do is honestly say there's no way i can do this and just. Let it go. But the point is there so much demanding our attention. Demanding our. Ourselves are our own ability to save things. To be generous. That we become overwhelmed. And it's not gratitude. Gratitude is something we must take a step. Make manifestor concrete in the world. So that we may feel gratitude. May may not in fact expression and some observable way. So if those things we get in the mail. We're not feeling terribly gratitude grateful. Don't worry about it. Badoo. Beware of those things in your life which you are grateful for. And. How you may be able to match. That abundance. We share our gratitude for the blessings we have received. And when we make a manifest response and gratitude for the unearned grace of the universe. We are expressing thanksgiving. Did you say literal giving thanks. So what are consequences of giving tanks filled the main effect is our expansion of the grace as it is shared. I believe this is part of the power of witnessing our own faith or religious experiences which in which others. In weight with others in ways that are respectful of the other. And i'm certain for myself. As many of you feel that it is only an act of grace. Which led us here or to unitarian universalism. At all. Given how badly we advertised and evangelize it has to be an act of grace. Point is that as religious community we have a message of hope and courage to share. Which may be experienced as nothing less than grace. By many of those who encounter it. Grace is indeed amazing. Show us our capacity to respond to it with gratitude praise and thanksgiving. When we share the grace we have a counter to our impulses of gratitude and our access thanksgiving we share that grace that abundance magnify to the lenses of our own souls and actions. When i get back in thanks and praise for those gifts we have received then the abundance of life and the universe is that much more for us to encounter again. And again. And again. When we yield to the impulses of gratitude. We whisk creating the reality. Of thanksgiving. In a world. We all need. And we all deserve.

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Reading_030809.mp3

A reading today, from. A a book that. I find interesting the happiness hypothesis. Finding modern truth in ancient wisdom. That's written by jonathan hate who is an associate professor of psychology at the university of virginia. And his research examines morality the moral emotions and the intuitive foundations of liberal and conservative worldviews. I recommend it to you and. I'll be sharing some things of his writing. And others with you later on. But for now. In his words. First he quotes the buddha. Good men at all times surrender in truth all attachments. The holy spends not idle words on things of desire. When pleasure or pain comes to them the wise feel above pleasure and pain. And of the. Philosopher. Stoic philosophy. Efficacious. Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to. But instead want them to happen as they do happen. And your life will go well. Pizzas if money or power could buy happiness than the author of the old testament book of ecclesiastes. Should be overjoyed. That text to tribute itself to a king in jerusalem. Who looks back on his life and his search for happiness and fulfillment. He tried it 1.2 quote make a test of pleasure. By seeking happiness in his riches. The text says. I made great works i build houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks implanted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I also had great possessions and herds and flocks. More than anyone ever been before me in jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and the provinces. I got singers both men and women. And the delights of the flesh and many concubines. So i became great and surpassed all her before me and jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired i did not keep. From them. Butthead says in. What. Maybe one of the earliest reports of a midlife crisis. The author finds all of this. Pointless. Then i considered all that my hands have done and a toilet that i had spent and doing it again all was vanity and a chasing after wind. There was nothing to be gained. Under the sun. Pizzas at the offer author tells us about many other avenues he pursued hard work learning wine. But nothing brought satisfaction nothing could banish the feeling that his life had no more intrinsic worth or purpose. Then that of an animal. From the perspective of the buddha and the stoic philosopher. Efficacious. Authors probably others problems. Is obvious. Is pursuit. Of happiness. Buddhism and stoicism teach that striving for external goods. Or to make the world conform to your wishes. Is always striving after wind. Happiness can only be found within. By breaking attachments to external things and cultivating an attitude of acceptance. Stoics and buddhists. Can have relationships jobs and possessions. But to avoid becoming upset upon losing them they must not be emotionally attached to the. This idea. Is of course an extension. Of the truth. That life itself is but what you deem it. And your mental state determines how you deem things. But. Recent research in psychology suggests that buddha. Epictetus. May have taken things too far. Some things are worth striving for. And happiness comes in park. From outside of yourself. If you know. Where. Tulip. So ends are we.

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Sermon_090411.mp3

Try not to be daunted by the questions you posed. You thought you all are definitely getting to know me and you're asking better questions every year. Which means they're harder for me to answer. So i'm still sifting through these patients them jeopardy music or something. Who will love people wanting theological classes. So what kind of cancer are the sermons of guest speakers recorded it went online they should be. If you go to our worship tab on our website and go down. The drop-down to work to sherman archives. They should be recorded there. If we have gotten a really permission released from them they should be. There is about them one-month delay getting them posted right now. Apparently we're switching personnel are. Annenberg has been handling this is currently on maternity leave. Getting ready to have a baby not already. How many groups are going to be starting in october. I have had a slight shortage of facilitators this year because everybody's been working so hard the last couple years taking a break. So coming to group should be launching in october. Easy way to dispose her. Why do we have to walk to the side door when services start. Dance i could give you is we boys done it that way. I believe the intent was that by coming through the front door here it has to be a little more disruptive. Southwest going on. In the service. To make it less disruptive. I know that that means people that trail along back over here to find seating. But. That's one of those things you pick our fights and and that's not what i'm willing to die on. Yes rob. Then we have our ushers. And. So that's the best answer i can give you a question. If you have other ideas about this century joining the ushers and. Would be a good way to help that. Don't let people wearing short answers to what unitarian universalist believe. We think about that. Okay. This is annie.. The easy one is the symbol for the banners. The symbol over here is a lotus flower. Take that is a symbol for buddhism. The crossover here is simple. Christianity. Symbol here in the middle is a sanskrit home. Principal symbol for hinduism. The star of david mogen david for judaism and star crescent for islam. Advantage were made for a previous trip location over on custer road and were brought here. This building. 13 years ago. Send it that way. How can we parents help our children to remain unitarian universalist. Show up. With your kids. That's really the single biggest thing. And. Then. Work with them at home talk with. Internalized values you have. Euro model of those values and don't say anthony grub you can leave anything you want. Which is probably objectively true but if you really. Really feel strongly about the values you hold then you should probably make sure your kids know that they're important to you and that you hope that they will internalize those values and. Continue that relationship with a religious community that supports and he. Value in the world. Almost here. Lots of good ones away. The person who said they were unhappy with services being too long. Sorry. Today is going to be a little longer. How do we focus our efforts. Ritalin. Weather broadly ask question in. Probably answer. How many focus our efforts. I think. Intentionality. Praise to that it's the old thing of of. Doing something rather than nothing. Focusing our efforts. Give me another community. The method matter of the community. Focusing on. Things you'd identifies as important to its mission and vision. And supporting the community in a way that allows. Express those things. And world. We can have all sorts of ideas but if we don't have the resources. Make the manifest in the world that is time. Money. Or volunteerism. Then you don't. Better. That's my best effort on how do we focus our efforts. I like the red one. How do we bring the good news of unitarian universalism to those who hunger for it without being overbearing or obnoxious. Yeah i mean one of the things that we talked about is that begins universalist. We evangelize we don't proselytize. And unfortunately a lot of us. We raised with the concept of evangelism meaning the same thing as possible titan. Good news. Evangel is good. Witness to what your religion has meant for you in your life. The sharing of this personal experiences is most profound thing we can do is that former testimonial. To testify clinton. In traditional language. If you can say to someone if they say what what is your truthfully you can say well church beans to me. What is done for me. That's the most important thing they could hear from you. Talking about the fact that we have. Dead presidents. Cummings and other people who are serving our lineage. I know it's a southern want to talk about our pedigree. But. New england too but. What are better pedigree. But it's not what people want to know. I want to know not only what we believe but how has it affected your life. Because they're looking for something to affect their life or they probably wouldn't have asked. That's the most important stuff you can share. So i can answer all sorts of questions here and i will about what do you use believing to make this the most important thing you can share is what does. It means you. And how has it affected your life how has it changed your life for the better. And how do you think that it might affect or help other people's lives. Proselytizing assume. That other people's commitment are of no value. Rob interior value. To the one that you are trying to get them to mate. And we just think that's rude. And so. I try and convey that as often as possible. Yes we will share our good news but we don't. Assume that our good news is he only good news. I tell people that yes. We have lots of answers. And for many of us it has the answers that are most important to us. But we know that we do not have all of the app. And we're pretty sure nobody else does either. That's the part that usually catches. Alright. Is there one objective truth. Where's reality itself beautiful individual. She different questions. Is there any objective objective truth. Pendleton in my truth. You can talk about facts. Facts are probably as about as objective as we can get the even those are based upon our ability to perceive things that how we perceive them. Even in scientific. Understanding things you know about science is that when you get down to certain levels of observation. The act of observing changes but desert. That's weird but it's the way it is. You know. You know they're certain experiments with photon that if you put certain kinds of detectors in line with for these photons are coming through and doing something kind of weird change what they're doing. Any takeaway the detectors. And they go back to doing what they were doing before. So. Are the photons conscious. But why so what is true. Your many ways of understanding. I think michael dowd who wrote the book thank god for evolution. Says there's two ways of talking about. Two kinds of language we use in talking about truth. 1 is what he posed a language which is fact the verifiable the quantifiable. Scientific understand. Critical. The other is nightline. Which is more than this so poetic understand. Look at the mystery. The stories that make sense out of. But they're not verifiable facts. There. Dermatology. Stories there. Understanding understanding. Become suicidal. But they're also. That's what i can get on that. Is reality itself mutable and individual. Maybe. That you really i mean i really looked at things like quantum physics. And stuff wouldn't i do philosophy. Because i really think that that. Understanding is resides there. And. Vs. Judges album. I have to be certified gnostic. Concept of an afterlife. What do i think about it. Not that often. Again. What is a. The cooler things i have. Seen recently. What is that morgan freeman narrates now beyond the wormhole or. There was an episode of that on the afterlife which i really highly recommend to. Very interesting. One of the more intriguing prospects for an afterlife is that. There are. Quantum. Fields of organized information. Essential you spot our consciousness. And that the quantum fields of organize information. Once we die they become disassociated from our physical form. But they still remain some level of integrity. And they still exist out there. Sophie think of is really looking at a physical plane intersecting a quantum. Feel. And. That quantum field continues to exist in some fashion rather and then pack nate really readily explained the experience of people who have near-death experiences that there's a slight separation between a physical self and a quantum plane of consciousness. That allows them to look down on things and see what's going on and then they're brought back into that. It's interesting about as well as i can. You know figure and it's it's a very scientifically based. Answer. And if that quantum field still exists after. Then why can it not. Still be interacting. With. Other fields if it's a force of energy. I think it could explain a lot of things that we see such as paranormal behavior. That people often have an alta possibly even issue reincarnation. If. That quantum field in part. This is probably some decay. Perfect quantum field in some parts. Reintegrate. With a new physical form then that information will be carried forward. To that new physical form. An. All the studies on ring carnation have been done by scientists have looked at that and country, primarily low industrial areas. So there's not a lot of cultural contamination. That it usually people who identify as having a reincarnation experience. Do so within a relatively short geographic area. Small geographic area of. The the previous personality. So that. There isn't a lot of travel going on. And so that if you need these quantum fields re-emerging. Relatively close to where they they came out of contact with. Mike. Then it makes sense that they would re-emerge someplace close by. And that this would explain some of it if you can amun-re experience escort of reincarnation. I think this is the best explanation i have seen so far. What happens while we're off in this. Quantum state i have no clue. You can speculate on it. You know do we play our own game tapes and if you are filmed. You know like like you know. That's possible. Do we go off to some form of heaven. Know where the summerland or some other form of. It's possible is possible that if we have some concept. Costco built into our matrix. Of our quantum then that's where we're going you know where we're going. I just don't know. I have to ultimately be agnostic on this because until i die i don't know. And i'm hoping to put that off for quite a while. Now is unitarian-universalist 10 things we do say that we don't believe that there is. Anything is going to happen to anybody that's not going to happen because lead anybody else. So basically we all have the same in. Arthur saved in the dam. There's not. That kind of sheeps and goats partition. We are all part of the same old, democracy. I'm going to go with that. So i think we have the ultimately have the same. For the same. So. That's what i think that universalist no one gets out of here and has a higher experience. Whatever that's from so that's 10 places we are dramatically different. Other major religion. Have them as universalist for over 200 years. Origin the early church fathers. Hopefully that's answered as best i can give you sufficient answer to ask me today but some other time or or write me. A lot of. God seems to be many things to different people but who is god to you. Well i think if anybody has heard me talk about this you probably have a pretty good idea. Anderson sermons online. God is a placeholder. For that which we ultimately cannot know. And yet. Try to give form to. A traditional mini traditional angel emoji religion. There are multiple names on multiple ways of approaching. This unknowable thing. What is at its heart. Core is a mystery. But we know there's something there. Which we want to approach. 1. Metaphor. Is an infinitely faceted. Just passed it is another way of perceiving understanding and engaging with. This mystery. But those are internet. I think for some people the concept of the word god is. Has baggage. It has wheels coupling. Issues attached to it. And. That has to be respected and honored. Because. That people's experience. And we can argue with. .. But at the same time i also think that we are. Cutting our noses off the spider face if we is at legend. Don't engage with. God language. Because it is. The basic concept that. The world. American culture the whole world. This idea. So what do we mean by god are we are we agnostics. I just don't know. I mean all of us to some degree are atheists. We are atheistic about some form of god you don't believe in all of them. So. We may not believe that. God has been talking to santa claus. Which is a lot of assorted cosmic punisher. That a lot of us were raised. So. We're all atheistic. You know we're relative atheist radius relative to some concept. God of the divine. And i think. For me. I try to understand. The divine as form of. Transcendentalist. Secret language is very hopeful i also come out of the christian tradition so i have metaphors and language. They're that mean things to me. That i. Repeat words i also had funny on years of experience in the pain. Language. Powerful. I also have a lot of. Personal. Attraction with. Lakota. Mid-american. Until i find pint inspiration there within gray careful about the culture. So. God mean a lot of things to do. It's it's. It's a symbol. And i think. Problem. With. God languages we often also mean the same thing. When i do interfaith worship.. I got a lot of extra paperwork. Over the years. One of the blessings is that everybody thinks it's something different and they all agree we use the word that they are on the beanie. Okay. So we can say we're talking about the same word. Assume. Yes universal 7th grade broad understanding. Other people have much heroin. And yet we may use the same word. Symbols. Which words are symbols. And the word god is sort of the ultimate. This is why in the hebrew tradition you don't pronounce it. Yep you don't write it out. The even english is g dash d. You know you don't like the whole thing. Because he is so sacred and he is unknowable. The eleusinian mysteries of greece. There were. Prohibitions on. Communicating all the one that called the lesser mysteries which is basically all the logistics and pro-forma. The eleusinian mysteries. The parade all of that's a little how to do them. But there was no prohibition on the greater mysteries. Reason it was no prohibition. Divulging secrets and mysteries there was nothing. Because you can't divulge. They are experienced. You cannot divulge. Communicate. In any intelligible way. Does greater mysteries. And i think that's what we try to do with poetry i think it's within language. Gentlest. That night language that like about talks about is an effort to try and communicate. Those greater mystery. And i think god is a placeholder for. That greater mystery. That we experience. Compassion. That's my best understanding and explanation for it so when i talk about god it's not. God as in the one we learned in sunday school in our lutheran church when we were growing up. It's. Not that god it's. God. Who are the past presidents of the unitarian. How many u.s. passport students are there. You know. Fletc. This john adams john quincy adams. Millard fillmore. Who else anybody else. Half howard taft. Step outside thomas jefferson. Yeah but he identified explicitly is unitary. I can't think of any others right off the top. Pt barnum. So that's my best on that. My mother-in-law. What's make what makes my grandson nate so wonderful. You wrote it you asked for it windy. That's right. That hideous is marvelous. He's a fourth-generation. So on his mother's side. Historical unitarians grove many of the changes in our society well we like to think so. Answer to what's change now i think part of it is. We are no longer in control of when the dominant. Social areas of the. United states. Used to be dominated boston. And lawson was heard of this hub. Nothing. I went i'm unitarian and universalist so dominated. Boston that the calvinists had to send missionaries into boston.. This is true this is true. They had to send missionaries in to re-establish themselves. All that changed with migration migration of catholicism and especially irish catholic. It came in and one of the things that we were known for was especially william ellery channing. Was his embracing of the catholic community and working. And alleviate a lot of the suffering. With the catholic. To the point that when he died. Cabela's. So we have paint we are a teeny tiny part of a very large. Religious spectrum. Maybe a quarter million. That we have a disproportionate effect. Because of. Education level. General income. And placement in society. We have a lot of people who are in academia. We have all the people who have in the past. Office. So there's a disproportionate effect. We're all so loud. We tend to be very highly visible. Because of that we also take her calls her to avant-garde her or should have leading-edge position something. And that makes us more visible also. So we are going to have those still. But. Unitarian universalist. Is individuals have always had a profound impact. Society. As a organization. That has had some ups and downs over time. Primarily green. So right. when we were brand new religion. That we had our most high-profile. And then also now with gay lesbian. Gender issues we tend to have a little higher profile. What course will you and kathy the offering be like. Kathy smith and i are offering. A. Thursday night series this year on. Faith development. First five weeks are going to be on scrotum. Look at unitarian-universalism so if you want to know more about that that's a good place to go. Then the second session will be offering in january for his six weeks. Will be more on unpacking our stuff. So we'll be taking a look at inventory what kinds of things we bring with us religiously spiritually in our personal life. At helping unpack that. And. Seeing what we want to keep is what we want for away or let go up. And so that we can help move on because one of things often happens to us. Is people will come into a religious community but it's this one or some other and they'll have all their baggage with them and they'll be reacting out of that stuff. And it's known as reaction formation. And it means that you never really kind of move on. Your personal development. Until what kind of do is create an opportunity for that to be done. Listen directions. The final section which will be through the springtime. Will be on. Spiritual discipline. On. How do we find focus ourselves in our religion. That will be this year hopefully we'll be doing that same series every year. It's sort of a one-on-one level and hopefully the future than camping i will also then be doing another level of a variety of different courses. So that people can. Haven't. I even work. Advanced were developed. Strength. I would say anybody who has anything they want to contribute on. A social justice official action level to talk to mila. Nila or linda frank. Over here. Because. They can help you find a way to manifest anything. There's a couple of different questions here that i think are in the same vein. And i'm going to. Try and get to those. There's a question couple questions about. The sense that unitarian universalist or somehow you need it. We're perceived that way perhaps in some of the broader community if they know anything about us at all. And are we in fact pretty smug. I just want to question. Yes or no. I think you can be. Unitarians historically had a rather easy just attitude. Valley smog. Universalist. Generally had a pretty much more open attitude. Office depot much more. Social economically diverse. But there are always exceptions.. I think we have to ask ourselves. What is meant by elitist. Is that education is at celtic sea. we're better than everybody else. The sense that is often this idea that. Well we have. The truth and everybody else is just stupid. That's nervous laughter. Because there's a lot of people who still think that you have to be stupid to believe that. Some of that is actually self-contempt because a lot of us believe that. Now we don't. Ignorant. Dumb. Very very careful with that. If we truly want to be the universal leaf. Welcoming religion then we have to be careful we're not just looking. People who are different like us. That's the definition of an ethnic. Harley dyna. If we want to be broader than that they have to. Transcend that. Now every community has some sort of thing that helps it be cohesive. And that's important to understand what that might be. But. I think a good example of that is in the 1970s in hyde park chicago first unitarian church is located. Which is one of the most. Racially diverse of our congregation. There was a big statement that was used only half kidding lee in hyde park about. White black together against the poor. And it's still somewhat true because that neighborhood is still gentrifying as fast as i can. Under the auspices of. Chicago. And. So. You have diversity in one area but you'll have. Some sort of unifying identity in another area and that's normal for all human society. Question is organizing around. What are we open to. You can't be open to everything real. But you have to be open. It has to be some sort of organizing principle. And hopefully this is what are are are. Mission statements. Ar. Covenant statements are about is helping us find that point of focus. We identify where the fish. We organized around and not at about being. Do we all live behind gate. Communities or we all have master's degrees in. Or whatever. I find it interesting a lot of uu minister is taking their really well educated so they sometimes sit in border. They find out everyone that room has at least three or four more degrees and they have. And that's intimidating. So you think so you minister. What about the folks were coming in. The high school education. I have a lot of members of my family who have not been to college. And they don't necessarily feel. Comfortable. Because. Forcing people to know where you go to college. At work. Locksmith. Lotions for cracking. So we have to be careful with that. Couple there that i can't answer because they're fairly. Invisible fence. A time of extreme polarisation and hate speech what should our response be as you use. God i know. It's really hard. I struggle all the time. I know there are times i would really love to send. Hell i don't believe. Responses unitarian universalist. Hide. 3 gauge in. Conversation. Conversation is a two-way process. For we all risk. Transformation. Weather in arguments. Which assumes that the other party is wrong and we're right. Mostly what we see in our discourse now is arguing. Very little conversation i think it's half. Uwt argument in the public sphere but the private sphere or behind closed doors a lot of conversation going on. I think that other part is not happening. Part of the problem. Totalizing effect. The whole idea of argumentation. And when you have that it's very difficult i would say one of the important things that stick to your guns. Realize that. So trying to be open. Conversational. At the same time realizing that. Don't bring a pillow to a nice pipe. Which i think is one of the problems that. We currently have. Ar. Political spectrum. Purple discourse. Some people trying to play nice another piece. Greinke. So we have to be realistic. About. About what's going on so don't be naive. At the same time you still find maintain the highest ideals that we ascribe to. Still trying not to ascribe. The worst motives to the other person or the other. What are things that he's really revealing for me anyway is. When. Is human beings. We will often project onto other people. Worse that we would do. Given the. Assuming that's what they're going to do. I think that explains a lot of the vitriol coming. Hear coming from. Various sides of the political argument. Towards others because they know if they had a chance nothing exactly what they would do. And if we catch ourselves doing that i think it reflects on us. Catches us up short tank. So is this about me. You know is this need projecting my darker stuff. And do i need to own that how do i deal with it. Today's a personal. Factory. Self-reflection. Pretty butt. So what type of polarization. Stacey wright deals. Realize that sometimes. Reality requires simple. Compromise. Don't be naive. That also. Find me. And. To be willing to be self-critical. Fail to be self-critical and heaven. Humor about it. That's what i think. Let me wrap up here. There are number of these i did not get to answer. And that's fine i will be saving a lot of these. Are the reason for doing this. Thank you. Hopefully this. Lightning. Hopeland sunway. Let me just say that i struggle everyday with. My wife. Dealing with all this. I have to start i have to stop looking. At the internet. Eating right. Stopwatch. I give away. $1,000 a month. Resources if i have. And i am the last. 8 months. Innate. Donated. There's a lot of nita. Scourge the heck. So i see all these things. Then i get all the talking heads on life lesson. Yeah and that's that's the ones we can help. So the point is. Where in the world right now that. Song played during revolutionary war called the world turned upside down. And i think we're feeling that same. One of my son's favorite tv shows is the upside down. So. Australian production. Do they have kids have imaginary remote. Coupons and turn the screen upside down and also something. And i just want to reach out with that remote and turn things right side up again. But that's not going to happen. So. Reason we are here together as a community. 40 southern. Personals. Personal. Joyce we have a heck of a party. And. All of those great things. And if i'd helped make sense out of all of it. Just because i have said this does not make it true. Any absolute. Now that i can get that. You challenge me all the time. I say that out loud. Way we know truth is by. That's how we find out what we are. Fact. Thank you for doing this.

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Sermon_042813.mp3

All of my life i have been attracted and interested in ancient cultures and religions were most in during discoveries i made was the inscriptions on the temple at delphi ancient greece. One of which was located inside the temple on the door lentil on the front of the temple it was inscribed with the admonition to know thyself. Humorist and philosopher james thurber wrote that all men should strive to learn before they die what they are running from and to and why. I find that strikingly familiar to what we were just hearing byron katie say. Spiritual practice and enlightenment. And wisdom are all means to an ultimate goal of religions over the years the desire for a more abundant life. Whether we understand that abundance to be material or spiritual or both. Part of what drives us as a species. As human beings a dissatisfaction with things the way they are with the way we are. I seek ways to end our suffering on our discontent. It is almost a cliche to say that the unreflected life is not worth living. I do not know i do know that in my own life the saying that has probably allowed me to keep on going when things have not been good. Has been the patients and the practice of learning from my experiences. Representing the pursuing the goal of becoming wiser deeper and more understanding of myself. And the way i relate to the world. For me to self knowledge is fundamental to ending suffering and finding the abundance. The fullness of life that we desire and it religions seek to offer. Abba pohlman right. Vigilance self-knowledge and discernment. These are the true guides of the soul. Understanding why and how we are. Allows us to change. This is crucial because in any system particularly emotional and relational systems the only way to change the way the system functions. As a whole is to change the way we participate in and react to it. Understanding and changing ourselves. Changes the world. Vietnamese buddhist monk and peace activist tick not han writes that if we do not change our daily lives we cannot change the world. An ef schumacher has written that a man who fails to pursue self-knowledge is. And remains a danger to society. For he will tend to misunderstand everything but other people say and remain blissfully unaware of the significance of many of the things he does himself. Now with recent dedication of the bush library. As it did with when i first read this quote years ago during the reagan era. I was reminded that reagan's biographer said that he was not talk reflective. At all. And it was a man who came to know him pretty well and had unlimited access. To the man. He said basically what you saw was what you got. Schumacher says. Amanda sales for sue self-knowledge is and remains a danger. To society. I feel this is in fact the case with many of those who tend to gravitate to the halls of power. It is the role of religion to find a sense of belonging to. Enter pretty connect us. Religion literally means that which reconnect or binds back. To that which is ultimately meaningful. Religion league are they. It's the same root word as ligament. Founder of process theology alfred north whitehead says that religion is what we do if our solitariness. Nami clarify solitariness is not loneliness. Solitariness when we go apart to be with ourselves. And wayne elgin shares that to live life consciously is to move through life with conscious self remembering. One of the purposes and functions of ritual of worship and spiritual disciplines is to do the conscious self remembering. In these and other forms of sacred time-space. We are provided with some of the psychological and emotional spaces we need in our lives. This is why so many of us feel empty or. Something's not right when we haven't taken that time for ourselves. We haven't come to church on sunday we're done the other things that we find. The create centeredness and balance. What often occurs is a sense. A renewal for us when we do these things of being born again or being transformed. It may be what many of us call a spiritual experience. Spirituality is after all profound experience of a reconnection. With that which is ultimately meaningful in our lives. So religion is a pass to do this spirituality is the experience of it. It is important to understand that all people enter into relationship was something they experienced is larger than themselves. Everyday sauce enter into something larger than ourselves. Whatever you meet we may understand that to be. In doing so we are vulnerable. Stripped of all the trappings of our lives of our roles as parent-child worker spouse partner. Etc. And in that we are only ourselves. We stand on sacred ground within time which is not time in a world between the world of what was and the world yet to be. We are poised like cliff divers on the forming edges of our lives hovering above the calling waves of the eternal. Intention and focus are central to our experience of the holy. In worship we seek to bring to conscious focus those things that which on a daily basis are often neglected and relegated to the periphery of our awareness. The practice of self-reflection of mindfulness. Engaged in by many spiritual disciplines is intend to hold on to our to hold before us at all time. The important. To stay focused in the reality of the sacred. Now. It is in the realm of the now the really real where we may see and experience the nature of things and people more completely as they are and as we. Really are. I was reminded recently dove. Has donna the. Company that makes the soap ad campaign where they. Some of you may have seen this on the internet. Women. And they have them sit down with a sketch artist who could not see them. And describe themselves. And then the sketch artist had a series of other people who knew this person. Separately. Come in and describe this person done knowing that they're describing the same person. Draw the person. And then they compare the pictures that the person describe themselves. And the picture that others describe of them and showed how dramatically different. People perceive. Ourselves and others. And each other. And usually the self-perception was not the really good picture. Okay. This is a fairly recent thing on online. I was really fascinated by it. Profound. In his book. Miracle of mindfulness a manual on meditation. Buddhist monk and zen master taken off on right. In mindfulness one is not only restful and happy but alert and awake. Meditation is no evasion. I think this that that phrase is important because there are some among us even who think that meditation other spiritual practices are simply navel-gazing. That they're a waste of time. We must get on with the business of doing things. And we don't have time for this little hell. Damon perry the late great peace activist and conflict mediator says of my way i'm trying to make the world peaceful. He said that mockingly. Condos on you says in mindfulness one is not only restful and happy but alert and awake meditation is no evasion it is a serene encounter with reality. He was on he says the person who practices mindfulness should be no less awake than the driver of a car. It's a practitioner isn't awake he will be possessed by dispersion and forgetfulness. Just like a drowsy driver is likely to cause a grave accident. But as awake as a person walking on high stilts. Any misstep could cause the walker to fall. Only with this kind of vigilance can you realize total awakening. He says. In a similar vein. Belarus. Abreu spinoza the 17th century jewish philosopher and theologian and pantheist he said. The more clearly you understand yourself and your emotions. The more you become a lover of what is. Now this is the quote that inspired the title for. Spiritual teacher byron katie's book loving loving what is. 4 questions that can change your life. And in a process when she calls to the word. Byron katie offers four questions to ask him. To ask regarding things that are troubling us. She says it's not the problem that causes our suffering its are thinking about the problem. And as i read earlier katie says all the suffering that goes on inside. It's just a story we torture ourselves with. I find a lot of resonance with buddhist teachings in her process or the work and i find it more immediately result-oriented. It certainly is quicker than the years of meditative. However it's not a panacea. It's not a cure-all is not a fix. But it is another tool in our toolbox. And it's not a holistic system it's not a religion. By yourself she's very clear about this but rather it is something that can be used to supplement recovery programs as well as spiritual practices and other forms of self-discovery. Katie writes that war begins on paper. Write down your stressful thoughts. And then ask yourself the following four questions. Now before i launch into these questions i'm not going to ask you to write these things down. It really got to. But take a moment. Think about something that you are struggling with. Take a moment to think about that. Close your eyes if you got to. Look at me look at somebody else. And also remember all of these questions. Along with. Interviews and worksheets are available on the internet. Okay so you don't have to try and. Write this stuff down if you go to the work. org. You'll find all the stuff. It's available. So i'm going to ask for the first slide. The first question. Is. Think of your your situation your your struggle is it true. Now often are first result responsible out of this is yes it's true. And all that with that kind of reaction to. But she says this question can change your life she says be still and ask yourself if the thought is true. A woman who was recovering from. Cancer went to see katie. And in the midst of cancer. And. Was talking about her struggles for issues and and one of them is she related was that she was fearful. For her children that they couldn't. Live without her. Did they cancel that she had to be there for them. And. Katie said is that true. Well yeah they're only 9. She said but is that true. You do you have a husband. Yes he's actually very good husband a good father really great father. So if you're not there. Somebody's going to take care of your kids. And if not your husband then. The larger community. So is it true that you have to be there. For your children. That you're the only one who can do this. No. The second question. Can you absolutely know it's true. So if you said yes it's true but can you know absolutely. Can you know that is absolutely true. This is another opportunity to open up your mind and to go deeper as she says into the unknown to find answers that lived in neath what we think we know. So if what we. Thought was true isn't true. Do we ask a question. How do you react. What happens when you believe that thought. Can you believe that that part is true. What happened. And i'm hearing some has out there. Quizzical looks. As she says with this question beginning notice internal cause and effect. You can see that when you believe the thought there is a disturbance that can range from mild discomfort to fear or panic. Your body language is telling me this. What do you feel. How do you treat the person of the situation you've written about her or thought about how do you treat yourself. Honey believe that thought. She says then make a list and be specific. That leads to the fourth question. Who would you be without that. This is where i find the liberation. She says imagine yourself in the presence of that person or that situation without believing the thought. Letting it go how would your life be different if you didn't have the ability to even sink. Distrustful font. How would you feel. Which do you prefer. Life with or without the thought. Which feels kinder. More peaceful. An image of fifth element to all of this. Turn the thought around. The turnaround she calls it gives you the opportunity to experience the opposite of what you believe. Once you have found one or more turn around. Pure original statement. You're invited into. Find at least three specific examples of how each turnaround is true in your life. So. What's a d'original struggle was i'm not attractive. And the turnaround is i am attractive. And she actually. When more complicated questions or or issues. Says unidirectional multiple around to a positive statement. This is deep work. And like a practice of mindfulness. It's something that we have to constantly do over and over again. But i was studying. About eight years ago to. Be a hypnotist in to be certified as a hypnotist. I think we studied was a lot of neurology and. A lot of the issues of how the brain actually function. And the reason why things like hypnosis work. Which is actually just self. Hypnosis self-induced trance to somebody else facilitate. The reason it works is because the realities that affect us the most both physically and emotionally. Are the ones in our own thoughts. In our own minds. The virtual reality of our own mind. Is the most powerful reality that we encounter most of. We note people who literally make themselves sick with what they think. Some of us were raised with these people are by these people. Mother's maybe. You know we can. The most powerful thing is our enfant now it doesn't mean that when bad things happen to us that were responsible for okay that's weird of a new age. You know you got to come and kind of thing i don't believe that. That's a different issue. But we are saying is that the reality that affects us the most is the one that we have playing in our head we all have little loops that if we really sit down and pay attention we hear these things playing in the background of my mind all the time. And they're kind of scary when you really realize what's going on back there first you think it's music. And then you realize it you know marilyn manson playing back there or you know you like marilyn manson. Disturbing things. And that's what playing in the back of her mind all the time. That's the reality we are subjecting ourselves. With into. So the idea is to stop that. Now whether you use some sort of buddhist training program or transcendental meditation or byron katie the work or some other kind of program or approach or. The idea is to change those patterns of behavior. What we know from science is that the more you have a thought. Aka particular set of neural pathways are laid down. With thoughts. And the more you have that the stronger that neural pathway becomes. You know how ants find food you know need first uc-1. Then you see a single line and see a double line and then triple line a quadruple line and it gets bigger and bigger and bigger. Exactly the same thing. The more you have that thought. The more that narrow pathway is built-in as petikan actually make it a physical experience. Or a way of feeling about things it's hardwired. Intuit. Coming from situations in our youth where we're dealing with. Our childhood where we dealing with survival situations we learn coping mechanisms that we learn later in life aren't so useful in healthy situation. We got these hardwired things were still reacting to in. The purpose of all of this is to confront. And to challenge ourselves. And to end our own suffering. Not projected on somebody else. Not say here we got protection on somebody and then you know the terrorists you know art are suffering is because of them or because of. Corporations aldo old take issue with that or issues or things you know we can externalized these things. And yes there are external evils and things that need to be dealt with. That does not say there are not. How we relate to that. And what we feel. And how our bodies and our minds. You with it. Is within our control. It will take practice. To do that. So hopefully. With all of this we may then seeing his sacred manner. The things of the spirit as they really are. That we are. In very real. And physical facts. Responsible to and for each other's well-being. But not in each other's business. And in that instant we are then perhaps transformed. Let's frightened less angry less urgent. And more able to appreciate where we are. For we really are. And who. We really are. I choose love. But really. Really is.

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20131027-Homily_2.mp3

We are moving into the midst of one of those times of year when holidays come in bunches. Later this week is halloween and then thanksgiving near at hand and christmas and. Hanukkah actually with us this thanksgiving. Yuletide season and new year's are all not far off. With the recent. Government shutdown and other nonsense. So is in pursuit of power or access to power and many of our officials and. Potential candidates and their supporters. Have often acted very badly. And often. Do things that we can only hope. They will regret it sometime. After all the dust settles we the citizenry are. Actively asked for our individual and collective forgiveness. For their various transgressions. So what is entailed in forgiveness and reconciliation and then how. We might apply those to our own lives. Webster's dictionary offers a definition of to forgive is to give up resentment of or claim of requital for some. Offense. To forgive is to cease to feel resentment against some offender or offense. Forgiving is at allowing of room for error or mistakes. Support unforgiveness is recognition of our fellow ability. One of the reasons i think small children are among our best teachers is because they often tend to ask the basic elemental questions. Such as who what where when why and how. Asking why in particular is important because it points to our motivation or our need. For motivation in our actions. So why should we then forgive. Rabbi harold kushner author of the best-selling book how good do we have to be in. Others. Offers that one reason we may choose not to be forgiving is that it gives us a feeling of power over someone we may otherwise feel powerless with. Kushner says that. Holding onto grievances against another tends to do two things. First they estrange us from other people. And that in turn can become a habit. Additionally holding grudges conditions us to think of ourselves as victims rather than as active participants in our own lives. Not forgiving will in reality give away the power of our life. To the past action or person which we are in mashed with. Forgiveness is there for an act of personal empowerment. And liberation. More for the forgiver then for the forgiven. In forgiving we choose health and happiness over righteousness. Now let me be very clear that all this talk of forgiveness is not about forgiving forget as sarah maurice campbell said in a reading. Or about condoning what we or someone else has done it is about moving beyond suffering. Towards a place of healing. For us as religious liberals as unitarian universalist the consequences of not forgiving are twofold. First. It does all of the things which rabbi kushner says that is it gives away our power and turns us into victims. Which interns allows us to negate or ignore ourselves as inherently worthy beings. You're not forgiving. We in turn are not able to fully honor ourselves and others as precious parts of the holiness of the universe. Secondly. We are. Diminished in our ability to extend that recognition to others. And not just those who have friends against transgressed against us. No matter how indifferent or depraved another maybe they are still not devoid of worth. They are also a child of the universe. As are we. And we are obligated to recognize the message if we wish to claim the same for ourselves. Choose happiness over righteousness. Forgiveness is also a way for us to say that we can do better. It is not a condemnation but an encouragement for us to grow to be more than we currently are. It is part of the spiritual journey of accepting ourselves as we are as enough. And seeking to be even more. To transcend ourselves as we are. Forgiveness can help us to find. Closer relationships. With ourselves with each other. And with the holy. No. Given all of this how do we apply it to our current situations with various public figures and each other. To start with forgiveness makes reconciliation possible but does not make it inevitable nor doesn't make it necessary. In our relationships with public officials we may be able to forgive and get beyond our resentment would be may we may not be reconciled with these people. Our trust may continue to be damaged and we may not have the same ability to be vulnerable and to risk with them. Annexed. We shouldn't be proxy grudge holders for other people. We see this type of proxy action all the time in the editorial pages or political blogs. Being sympathetic for others is an important part of being fully human. And holding grudges on behalf of another is usually a sign of a projection of our own issues onto an unrelated situation. The same goes for any inclinations to feel righteous indignation. Over violations of religious doctrines. Transgressions against god is god or the universe or whatever. Can. Are between the transgressor and the universe. We don't need to mediate or metal on behalf of the holy. So what conditions are necessary for us to be able to forgive. Well the following are ideal. For not only allowing us to. More readily forgive. But to move towards reconciliation. They are not necessary for us to choose to forgive. That is ultimately a matter of choice. And in our control. For starters what would happen if. What would help is for there to be recognition and a wheel on our part that we are indeed that we indeed actually wish to forgive. Secondly and honest recognition of wrongdoing and sincere apology by the transgressor does would be helpful. Thirdly and offer to make amends of some kind determined by those injured and within reason is also very helpful. To give or not to forgive is that the question. The choice is actually h. Do we liberate ourselves from being held hostage by our anger at ourselves and or others. Do we release the white-hot cole of resentment and choose happiness over righteousness. As unitarian universalist our tradition challenges to love justice and mercy and to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. In responsible forgiveness we put into practice all of those beliefs. By seeking to forgive and to be forgiven. We can make reconciliation and the restoration of a greater harmony. Amor present possibility. For ourselves and for our world.

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Sermon_081411.mp3

The lorax and ray anderson that is a that is a tough tough carolinians isn't it. When asked me if you weeks ago if i would come and talk about green sanctuaries and since i knew absolutely nothing about it. Forget that qualification about it and actually it it really is just about the same building i do know a little bit about that so i'm going to i'm going to share a few slides in a little discussion of the topic of sustainability and at the end i will wrap it around the green sanctuaries. And let's see if my. Remote. Work. So just a few key bullets will talk about what is sustainability first of all is to find it. Why should we care about it. You know what it is. What can we do. We individually we collectively. And then little about the green sanctuary. So first the simple definition back in 1987 the united nations had a council. Mission. Then met on this topic and it came up with. This very condition like definition. Meet present needs without compromising. Ability of future generations to meet their needs. Pretty similar to the lorax story what ray was talking about no big surprise there. It's a little difficult for me to remember and say so. I always like to just think of it. In the terms of the balance of people profit in the planet. And we just go to a bigger slightly bigger set of these concentric circles that just have a slightly overlapping point. And if you think about economy money. That's that's probably the thing that predominates the news and people stinking. And if the environment which comes to. For sometimes usually when there's a catastrophic spill or something like that we start thinking about it. And at least hearing about it. And then there's poor society. And i'm. You know if i gave. You all the money in the world. Might be momentarily happy. But if no one else had any money. An environment was breaking down and it wasn't clean water to drink here to breed. And everyone else was begging you for money on that sounded very happy existence is human being. So there's that tiny little point right in the center when we balance the environmental needs our societal needs it needs. That we really kind of feel happy and fulfilled as people. If we can manage to get everybody kind of toward the center that's a pretty darn good. Planet to live on. And why is this important. This is. Everytime i look at this it just scares the daylights out of me.. For 10000 plus years you know we the human population just grew and it started growing a little bit in there was a dip in there in the. On the back of the black plague hits and. In modern medicine started kicking in. And an 1804 roughly. Lyrics to billion people. On the planet. Took quite a long time to get to a billion. But then just about 150 years it had tripled to 3 billion. 1960s here i was born. I think i was number 3 billion. I got a little certificate. But then in just 50 years we've gone from 32 this year we will cross seven billion. Now i'm sure like you. What people are all really nice people. They're okay but they all kind of want the same amount of water to drink and food to eat and stuff to build a shelter with and. So those resources have to come from somewhere. And the number of planets that we have. Deport all those people is still just the one. And that's where the constraint. In the conflict i guess starts coming in. And it's a difficult. Challenge for us. But when we actually you no need to face because there's not a bailout planet sitting out there waiting in the solar system right. We had a financial collapse and we had some bailout. There is not a bailout plan it so we probably should get better job taking care of the one that we were. On the behalf. So we talked about productivity productivity is mentioned. I'm thinking a lot of use first thought was people productivity right through things faster. Kennedy that's the productivity of the last few hundred years. We had the industrial revolution. 200 250 years ago 150 years ago hundred years ago. But at the time nature was relatively abundant people were a little more scarce and we had to increase people's productivity. I know she wouldn't approve of those kids standing on a machine with an unguarded belt drive on the end. That mechanization allowed. Us to go from hand-sewing a shirt to. Stitching up. Hundreds in a day from the same one person. So the productivity exploded thanks to industrialization. Divorce cares. Nature was abundant. If you can remember back to all the way back to that previous slide. I think you'll recognize now that people. Ar. Bella more abundant. Nature's becoming scarcity. So the logical solution for us to start thinking about productivity is the productivity of our resources. Can we get two uses out of a drop of water so we get more uses from the electricity that we purchased off the grid. If we can make our resources much more productive kind of like an industrial revolution did for our people we may be able to milk a lot more out of this planet and provide those 7 billion and growing. People. With a fair distribution of the resources. Without becoming the. Last lorax. The last three head down in the forest. Hurting for money if you want to go and look at this one of my other halt hawking who was mentioned in the book ecology of commerce and real evans who's maya one of my heroes at the rocky mountain institute and his wife hunter wrote this book in 1999 called natural capitalism. And nightcap. org you can download segments of the book the whole thing if you want for free it's a it's a very interesting read. And i'm. He worries about to release another book book right now that's. Who was talked about resources. Really impact all of us it's it's energy water and in materials. And so we all like energy to be able to plug in things. The bathing shower and drink and so forth. You know the other two over there wasting emissions are kind of the consequences sometimes of those. And they're actually very interconnected. It's been in the news in a few you may notice this but know the energy issue. Producing energy uses. Why do large amount of water. Whether it's for cooling purposes or in the case of all of the fracking that's going on with natural gas drilling. I seen various figures but the probably averages about 3 million gallons of water to frack a wealthy person natural gas out of rock. Remind gallons of water that becomes contaminated and then must be disposed of. Could be recycled but there's nothing to do that apparently. So that's just good freshwater that's draining out of the lakes to make energy so if we manage to conserve energy we accidentally managed to conserve water at the same time. And that's what's beautiful about some of this being all connected when you start making what may seem like one small difference. You might not realize it but. Your difference gets multiplied. And when all of us start making those small differences the multiplication becomes. As exponential as a population growth curve that you saw. So this is within our grasp of solving we can do it. He just kind of like the wilson times. Two buildings you know. Brianna building i work with buildings and buildings consume a lot of resources. Large. Portion of potable water rometty rios waste but the biggest electric grid is feeding a building somewhere in buildings all the time. But that also tells me that. Buildings hold the capacity to really really help make a difference if we can make buildings more efficient. It looks like a typo and in fact this. Word came about because of a typographical error. A watt is a unit of heavy measure electricity with. A megawatt is a million watts. A couple decades ago there was a typographical error in the jason on the keyboard got typed in a utilities report as a negative w. 11-2 had been talking about energy efficiency and reports of energy-efficiency spotted that term and he said. Wow that's the term to describe what i've been talking about he's been talking about the power energy efficiency. Ngl all that in and negative w is basically a measure of efficiency it's the w you don't need because you design the need out in the first place. And while you know solar and wind are they are the sexy ones everybody always wants to talk about solar and wind blammers but efficiency is kind of the old guy in the back corner of the other ones. But we have to tackle that one first no put your. Put your horse in cart in the right order. Putting a bunch of solar panels on the inefficient building is really a waste. Putting them on inefficient building is just one more step in the right order. I listed exhaustive list here but i thought about energy and water i just kind of listed and just a quick brainstorm of energy-efficiency you know. People ask me about our home and people ask me about buildings and so this is just a small list. But doing these things i'll jump to the right side first are houses at 15 years old next month we've been in it. 2713 ft2 three people. Our average electric use over those 15 years is 808 kilowatt-hours per month if that means anything to you but that translates to a bill of an average of 87 month. And our highest all-time electric bill was in 07 or so when there was a pretty big spike in rates were up. It was $159. I'm just walking the street the other day with my neighbors who are getting all their july bills ours was 140 this past month. I was hearing 350. 420. I heard 1200 from a neighbor who has an overwhelming versailles house and regrets that. Even more. So. Is there any one thing that we did that cause that no not one thing at all in fact it was the integration of many many things kind of like the electricity saving water you you can cascade. A lot of little things that you do that may seem kind of dull and boring. But that list of things. A good portion of those is what you need and it is really the first step. How like people buildings are all very different. And any building you go to is going to have a certain few number of. Large weak spots. You know for a minimal amount of effort and in money you can make a very large difference and then you start tackling the smaller ones as you can but every buildings got a good assessment is really the first step to understand. What are the right things to do in the right order. Water. Opportunity because. Their savings came about because. We always tried to do the right thing we had the opportunity sometimes those. Decisions last for decades by something that uses energy that last for quite a long time. So you need a new appliance here why always look for the most efficient. Have a good evening star database and look at consumer reports for reliability and i marry those two up my find. A couple of candidates and i'll look for the best price i choose what i want and i look for the best price. Choose the cheapest and then pay for it for a long time. Your route is an interesting line of a reflective roof and save quite a bit of energy because. Chinese overhead beating on it. When we built our house we chose a metal roof a galvanized metal roof for it's reflective. Well you're later texas pasty hail resistant insurance law which suddenly made that choice payback in. For faster with the 23% annual discount on my homeowner's insurance because that happens to be class for hail resistant. And is not going to be damaged and have to be torn off after halestorm so i get a huge break on my homeowner's insurance. Energy efficiency and ended up paying me back pretty quickly through. Insurance savings. Water. You are the things on there i will read them to you but again our water. 50.2 acres. Hope we didn't irritated all nature had provided all those nice trees and things that you had a gruene are climate and we left them alone we protected them and left them alone. So our average water bills been $13 a month our highest ever in 15 years was $23. Neighbors with. Several hundred dollar water bill. Because they're trying to irrigate things that really didn't want to live here. So efficiency first i hope that's. Message you take. Production next time in 2016 had the opportunity. United states. And i filled out the application we're not the greatest when climate even though it is destiny windy right here it's not and i have a lot of trees way too close but they picked me to be one of their beta tester so for a very small cost i got a very tall wind turbine. Has been producing some electricity not nearly as good as if it was out in west texas on a violin playing. But we do produce a little bit of our energy renewable. So here's a couple things to do. Analysis paralysis sometimes i mean i like to analyze things but don't let it paralyze you. Quiz for you what's the pay back of the following three items. Solar water heating. Leather seats in your car. Crown molding crown molding in an office building. The answer is no one ever asked about the last two. But if it's an energy or water project sometimes people will beat it to death over analyzing. Somebody goes to buy a car and they want leather seats until they make that option. Nobody stands at the dealership. They choose that so why can't you choose to put up solar water heating on your house. Has a choice you making. It will have it far better than those other two example. But we want to we want to make it payback to justify it which is kind of a silly way that we people have somehow evolved into thinking about these things. First when you get people you want to do the right things then you have some less than you know. Ice companies trying to. Limon and make all the money they can from that. But there are a few credible rating system database is free and it's well updated its online and you can go to look at appliances and and do that you can do an energy star assessment of your your building here just put in a few things on your database. And it will compare your building to similar buildings in this climate. Leed green building rating system. You're buying wood you can buy wood it's mark from the forest stewardship council i'll be careful there's another would certification thing started by the forest in 23 which is not nearly as rigorous. Peppa c. It's basically a chain of custody where was that would. Cut from it was a sustainable forest. What are the practices the harvesting is it. All the things down to the milling it's got a chain of custody. When you're buying products like that. Cleaning products greenguard or green steel are two of the more reputable testing firms. That's stamped on there than you can assure at least somebody has said this is fairly credible is better than. The not having this in carpet rug. The carpet and rug institute cri green plus rating system. So that looked up what what is this program since i had no idea. There's some goals on there and i think they are certainly in line with what you've heard today. Awareness. Encourage personal lifestyle changes. Habits. Good developing new good habit. Afina breakable bad one that's up to you. Developing new goodwin. For 20 years now i've used the same canvas grocery. And i got in the habit of getting them out of the car when i went to the store and then i use them i come home i unload the groceries i rolled back up i go right down and put them in my car. And now if i get out the car at the grocery store walking toward the door. My habit is broken if i don't remember those bad guy i've gotten a few times partly thinking about things partly across the parking lot but never you made it to the door before i remembered to grab my bags. To develop a good habit. And that's a lot of these things is just kind of developing recognizing developing good habit. Engaging community action environmental connections. Work to heal environmental injustice. So there's a few steps there's more than this but i put the first you just got to start a program committee. You conduct an assessment as i mentioned you do a good energy audit of the place here. An assessment of your practices you know i'm sure everyone here is probably a good observation about something week. I want to do a little bit differently. And then you just make an action plan and it goes on from there but. That will get you a long way. You were some of the areas they talked about the review and i'll just let you read those faster than and i can say them but opportunities. It probably next parade in here in each of those opportunities. You can really make a difference. So few final thoughts. On this topic. Compromise is not a bad word certainly we know we need a little more didn't lot of areas but we talked about the difference between optimizing and compromising. A pelican is not. A compromise between a seagull in a whale. It is an optimized pelican millions of years of evolution it is really good at an old scooping up and having the pouch and doing its thing and flying and hitting. And that's what we're looking for we're looking to really find the optimal solution on everything. And you have to compromise to reach that. Optimization and not just. Of that one solution but how kind of fits into everything else because everything is connected related. If you recognize those connections then you're going to make them more optimal decisions. And then here's the one that that should be of use to you simple solutions as you sleep. We tried overcomplicate we try to buy something to fix things when in fact just. A minor fixing might be the solution. So you want to look at a little bit more we got to. I've got a website where over the years i've had so many people ask about the house tonight and self-defense i put some chips up there. You saw three priuses in that photo and we do indeed i have on my driven for 7 years just this past month i've given a prius and save well over $4,400 in gasoline versus a 25 mile per gallon car. So that's it opportunities make a good decision and hand benefit for many years. But a lot of data up there for you people like to see. And then we have been on the national for solar homes for quite a while now and the next one is actually coming up on saturday october 1st so. You're interested in atlanta can fill you in as we get a little closer on the details on that there's going to be a quite a number of houses in the metroplex on the tour group actually organizing maybe some bus rides and stuff. Lego city without having to drive all over. We'll see how the organization pans out on that. And with that. I think i will.

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Sermon_090609.mp3

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20150405-Sermon_3.mp3

One of our great religious educators to fireflies. Said. We do not know that this child of mary and joseph we do know that this child of mary joseph never became a king. Nor did he ever wish to be made a king. Jesus was a poor man by choice. When he was grown he did not even have a home and he could call his own. He was a teacher who traveled from town to town teaching people how to live. I want being good and doing right. Doing right off to me. Most of those who lived in that long-ago time have been forgotten. The jesus is still remembered. About the same time where the great unitarian preacher is a powell davies. Said. I believe with jesus that god is spirit. And that truth never binds our minds but sets them free. I believe that by our fruits you shall know them. I believe that jesus was one of the world's great religious geniuses. But that he would never that he would have been appalled. At the notion of calling him god. And the nineteenth-century liberation abolitionists and transcendentalist unitarian minister theodore parker. Says the permanent and christianity is absolutely pure morality. Absolute your religion the love of man the love of god acting without let or hindrance. If christianity were true. We should still think it's so not because it's record was written by infallible pens nor because it was lived out by in an infallible teacher. If the truth of christianity rest on the personal authority of jesus alone. Then there is no certainty of its truth. If he were mistaken in the smallest matter. Other ministers does that time. Claimed that. These moral teachings were true because jesus calling. Parker argued that they were true whether or not jesus actually caught them. This is the direction unitarian universalist have gone since parker spoke. The profound ethical teachings of jesus are the essence and a gift of the christian religion. Or else is unimportant or at least debatable in its importance. Lathi. Permanent. Is the teachings of jesus. It's also echoes. The statement that we value truth for authority. And not a 40. Portrait. And if we bring that statement to modern-day. In 2002 the reverend bruce clear a unitarian universalist minister said. Unitarian universalist have every legitimate right. Historically and theologically to claim jesus as our religious ancestor and forbear. I am aware that many people who call themselves followers of jesus are offended by those who like me. Accept his teachings but not his divinity. I am aware that many people who reject the creedle claim of his followers. Are put off by those who like me. Believe jesus for what he taught. But not for what the centuries have imagined about him but i would say to them simply you cannot take jesus away from me. You can i suppose take the title christian away that's okay i don't particularly want or need it. You can take away any claim i have to institutional christian authority. You can take away the whole history of christian battles for supremacy those i surely wish to lay no claim on but you cannot take jesus from me not jesus the human being who taught us how to love. And why to love. Who showed us by example and by message the true meaning of compassion for our fellow human being. Who called us to be peacemakers. To be merciful. To be humble. To be forgiving. Who called us in this way to be the salt of the earth this jesus is mine as well as yours. And you cannot take him away. And keep him to yourself.

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20151101-Homily_I_-_Remembrance.mp3

What i found in my own life and in my ministries. Is it usually that which we fear in our own deaths and grieve in the death of others. Is a loss of immediate relationship. Is that loss of that we. Which in part defines who we are. There is also a fear of losing any hope of changing that relationship. The grief may be particularly poignant for those of us from unhealthy families where we had not yet come to terms with the reality that someone our parent a sibling. Is not going to meet our needs. This is true whether the other person is alive or dead. But in death we are forced to confront this reality. More directly. However. In this way we may in fact. A gift. Why we cannot get our needs met by then we can begin to meet them ourselves. And with others in healthy ways. A source of hope for many of us is that even with the death of a loved one. We can change that relationship by changing ourselves and somehow we can't and how we can relate to the interior presence. In our lives of that loved one. As unitarian and universalist we reject the misconceptions of humanity and existence as being fallen or depraved in our base basic natures. Instead we embrace. The idea. And have faith in. And ultimately optimistic universe. We have reflected that in the first principle of our covenant. Inherent worth and dignity of every person. But we often interpret that phrase is a highly individualistic statement. Historically are universalist forebears. Songs that statement not about an individual. But about. All. Individuals. If all are worthy. Then the fate of one is the fate of all. We are all in this together. As unitarian universalist we uphold the democratic process by which equity justice. Compassion are manifest in our relationships. Which other in the world. Elizabeth's death 2. Is john donne wrote about death it comes equally to us all and it makes us all equal when it comes. Death is the ultimate act of democracy in this world. What we believe about death. Affects the way we live our lives. The only promise of any sacred thing. Is the promise of more abundant life. For understanding of death helps us to be healthier more liberated engaged in fulfilled as person and its communities. Then it is to be cherished. But if an understanding of death and an afterlife limits our willingness and ability to love or to be kind. If it makes us afraid of ourselves and others. Threatened to the raybons of our human solidarity with each other. On all that is. Then it is not an afterlife. What's squandering our lives for. We need one another in life and in death. And we are not cut off from each other even if after death. Your seventh principle we talked about the interconnected web of all existence of which we are apart. Reaffirmed this reality. No matter how we view death and an afterlife we are always connected to each other. What is this connection is through our economic structures as part of the cycles of nature or through the survival of the spirit in a heaven of all souls or through some form of reincarnation. For many many other possibilities. That we can explore speculate on this side. Add event horizon of death. No matter what we are apart of world community. Stretching backwards and forwards through the generations. We dine out alone. We live not alone. We exist together. I'm not alone. However we understand death. And whatever exists beyond its mystery. We are each other's. In this life. And for eternity.

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Sermon_050210.mp3

Hosea ballou eighteenth-century universalist. Who taught that all people and not just an elected you were saved. Was riding the circuit. In the new hampshire hills with a baptist preacher when afternoon. They argue theology as they traveled. At one point. The baptist minister looked over to baloo and said. Brother baloo. If i were universe universalist. And fear not the fires of hell. I could hit you over the head steal your horse and saddle and ride away and i still go to heaven. Hosea ballou looked over at him and said. If he were a universalist. The idea would never occur.. I love story. For me the last few years have been an intense time of soaking in the stories of our unitarian universalist tradition. Although i finished seminary 5 years ago. It was not until four years ago that i became unitarian universalist. And since then i have been preparing to be a credentialed unitarian universalist minister. In the last few years i have read all 62 of the readings. Required for those entering unitarian universalist ministry. And have been busily reading additional tax. Listening to recorded uu sermons. Following are periodicals and attending conferences and assemblies. A month-and-a-half ago i traveled to boston to complete the last big step of my ministerial credentialing process the interview. When i found out i will be traveling to boston i was i was kind of giddy. Because so much of our unitarian universalist american. History has emerged from the boston area. In addition is the site of our national association of congregations. So i plan my trip that i could see some significant historical sites. And actually get visuals for all these stories that i've been reading in the last few years. Many union congregation send youth to boston for a tour. A self-guided walking tour is set up for just those kinds of trips. And the literature for the tour states. This trip is expected to provide our youth with experiences. To help them find their place in our tradition. To help them understand what it means to be unitarian-universalist outside the comfort of their own youth group. They learned about their religious heritage. As seekers of truth and meaning. I think that impart it was in reading all of these readings and stories that i found my place in our face.. Any stories also help me to dispel many of the myths. That are present in our religion. Some might argue that some of these stories themselves are myth. The point for me that is that they all have truth. And that is the wisdom and the truth is a part that i'd like to list up today. My primary experience of being in a unitarian universalist church is through my connection to pathways church. Which is about 40 miles west of here. Pathways is a relatively young church. And we rent a storefront type of space in a largely industrial area of southlake. That was a fascinating for me to be visiting some of our older very old boston churches. One of the cape cod churches i visited was first parish and brewster. They're in the midst of a significant fundraising campaign to restore their old building from aging and insect damage. First parish brewster is a church with a very long history. They have in their possession their original handwritten church ledger that stands from 1702 1792. An entry from october 1730 written in handwriting of their very first pastor weeds. Thomas hinckley and his wife. Having made a public acknowledgment of their sin of fornication. We're we're accepted by you church into ye arms of their charity on october 18th. Why should a married couple confess the sin of fornication you ask. A footnote elsewhere in the ledger indicates that the church had calculated how many days city lapse between the marriage and the birth of a first child and if the days were too few it was obvious there was fornication before the union and the need to confess their sins. It is in these old church story that i remember our christian protestant religion. Are older unitarian and universalist churches were progressive for their time. But still firmly christian. They might have had regular communion biblical readings each week recitation of familiar christian prayers and it seems public confession. I sometimes hear the myth that as unitarian universalist we are distinctly different from christian. In some ways that's true but in some ways they are ours and we are theirs. I wonder if his anti-christian myth emerged from those among us. Who are healing from tom has a versions of christianity. That. That have been harmful for them. I know that when i returned to christianity as an adult. A sense of betrayal was felt by. Many of my gay and lesbian friends at a native american friend of mine. I know many of us are still learning to liberate. Christian words from fundamentalist or hurtful association. Yet christianity and all of its biblical stories with it are part of our history. Even though the part where we broke from orthodoxy is significant our unitarian heritage which professes beliefs in one god and not the trinity. And our universalist heritage. That all are saved and not just an elected few. Are american unitarian roots are firmly grounded in the intellectualism of the boston elite. And in the academic world of harvard in nearby cambridge. I'm afraid that we have a reputation for being overly serious rigid and heady. You know it's true sometimes we are. But they're there is something i realized on my recent trip to boston that i didn't know before. We have two main uua unitarian universalist association offices in boston what is on beacon street and the other is a block up on mount vernon street. And what you need to know is if they both intersect at joy street. Duh, even our most serious of harvard graduates have to find some. Camp joy in that. Another mystery here is that unitarian universalist have an aversion to miracle stories. Mommy dizon how when to find miracle. Literally the year we lifted up john murray 1770 arrival in america from england. A new jersey farmer is turned onto this new religious belief that all are safe and he builds a church for a minister who as far as he's concerned doesn't exist yet. But he builds his church and faith that somehow. Someday a preacher will come to preach in his church. A decade later former universalist preacher john murray is accidentally stranded. Off the coast of new jersey on his way to new york from england. It's a series of unlikely coincidences really. Or. A miracle. I leave that up to you. But this jonmarie fellow who would be attributed to the spread of universalism in america. Seems to attract such miracles there's another story that surrounds this man and this this is a story of how universalism came to provincetown massachusetts. Can i visit at provincetown which is way out on the tip of cape cod. Services. A picture i took out. On the tip there. Universalism came to provincetown in 1820. When two little girls. Sylvia and elizabeth freeman. Found a waterlogged book on the beach. They took it home and dried it out. The life of reverend john murray preacher of units universalist salvation was the book. And it swept through the town and transformed a community way down with the fear of hellfire and judgment. With the joyce awareness of god's universal love for all being. Inspired by these teachings the community started a universalist meeting house. Which is thriving today. Is picking and choosing from different stories and reclaiming words like miracle and salvation on our own terms. It sometimes gets said that unitarian-universalist can believe whatever we want. Another story about american universalist hosea ballou. His father was a baptist preacher and farmer and his mother died before he was to. Hosea had very limited schooling. And learn the skills of farming in a very difficult environment. After he joined his father's baptist church. Anaconda have questions of faith. This was partly brought on by preaching and nearby warwick massachusetts of the universalist however rich. Jose wanted to defend his his that's his face but found that his. Study of the bible affirms universalism. His father eventually accepted in his day but it took time once his father found him reading in the kitchen and ask. What is that book. Hosea said it was a universalist. His father declared that he would not allow a universalist book in his house. Hosea knew his father was watching as he had the book in the woodpile. Later his father went to the woodpile and found that that dread book. Was the bible. Really struggled with his face. It would have been easier to say about test but it wasn't working for him one of our unitarian universalist principles is affirming and promoting free and responsible. Search for truth and meaning. Free and responsible. Blue was searching for a god of love in the bible a god who would damn no one and save all. This is not about believing what he wanted. But engaging and deep theological reflection and study. If we can't believe every anything we want some will say that we don't believe anything at all. Well it's true that we don't have corporate creed's or doctrine. We do encourage each other on this free and responsible search for truth in meeting. And we also encourage one another spiritual growth. In nineteenth-century america formal debates took place between universalist preachers and their orthodox counterparts. The universal was preachers were skilled debaters who read their bible carefully and knew by heart the passages that deny the reality of eternal damnation. Thomas whitmore the great universalist leader of that time took on a man named balfour in his debate that lasted 5 full days. People came partly for the entertainment. But partly because of theology was so important to them. The debates had no judges. People went they listened and then they went home and made up their mind. But even in the days of these prearranged debate impromptu and sometimes heated debate. Delta place between universalist and their theological rivals. One of the most unusual involve noah murray a minister and mid pennsylvania who had begun in universalist church that was the fastest growing congregation in the area. It finally grew so large that two of the local mainline creatures decided i'd better do something about it. They kidnapped me and took him to the basement of one of their churches where they kept him for three days and nights arguing theology. At the end of that time noah murray was set free. Having converted both of them. Incidentally this picture is a church that in 1827 became units universalist. And here's a quote from their website. In 1808 reverend moses park. After being converted by noah murray. Brought new thoughts to a congregation in. Sheshequin. He preached about the universal salvation of the human race. The congregation approved at the new preaching and became universal. Be converted not because noah murphy took away their beliefs. But because he urged them toward new belief. That reminds me of another myth. That unitarian-universalist don't evangelize. Evangelism. Is anyone in the room twitching as i say that word. As liberal religious people we tend to lean back and let people come to us. After all we don't want to enforce our beliefs on others right. But have heard it said that while most of us have a knee-jerk reaction against evangelism. There's also a great many of us even in this room. Who have who wish we had found the uu church earlier in our lives. And that i dare say is the reason that we should be spreading our message. I've also heard that unitarian-universalist do not pray. Indeed some do not some do not believe in a god to whom one would pray. Some of us meditate or have other spiritual practices and some of us do indeed pray. Unitarian minister reformer and author edward everett hale. Helped found the unitarian church. Of america and in 1903 was appointed chaplain of the united states senate. He was at. Do you pray for the senator's doctor hale. To which he replied. No. Eyes look at the senators. And pray for the country. These are the stories statue memorializing hail and his work stands in the boston public. Garden. Medicine other surprising facts for those of us who consider unitarian-universalism to exist more on the fringe than a mainstream religion. There are prominent statues of unitarian. In the public garden next to boston commons. William ellery channing. Considered a founder of unitarians unitarianism in america stands in the public garden and faces the entrance of arlington street church one of our boston uu churches. I've been told that if the doors of the of arlington street church are open and your preaching from the pulpit. You see william ellery channing statue staring back at you. From. The garden. From his point on public grounds i think it is a great reminder of our strong call to engage in public life and not to simply bury our heads in church life. And our unitarian universalist association of congregations in auditioning addition to being at the intersection of joy street. Is not out in some blissful retreat center but next to the massachusetts state house. Facing boston commons in the middle of public life. So this is love you. Across. Boston commons like rectangle. Through the trees and that's the flag the us flag that's hanging outside of the office. And then the steakhouses. Weather slide cuts off. So it's right there in the middle of public life which is exactly where are. Unitarian universalist. Founders wanted us to be. Union minister and professor mark morrison we talked about the connectedness of the religious community that inspires us to act for justice a lot of that work needs to happen in the public square. I stopped by the uu fellowship in falmouth massachusetts. I was graciously greeted by a hard-working member of the church who is volunteering his time that day. There seems to be a kinship between us just because we were you you. He asked about texas empathizing with how isolating it must be sometimes to be unitarian universalist in the south. As we stood in the sanctuary he asked kind of giddy. Would you like to go outside and see our solar panels i did this picture for you all. Do i tell you all these stories. Because this is our religious heritage and i believe that we each need to find our place in our religious tradition. Uu minister john buren's points out that most religious groups asked the question what do we all believe in common. That is the cradle question. The question we asked instead is the covenant oakwest. What are we willing to promise. To one another. And to our world. That is our question that is always our question. What are we willing to promise to one another. And our world. Like the grains of sand that tell the wonder and vastness of our history of our earth. So our religious history gives us a peek into the long journey. Toward. Liberal religion. Freedom in. The liberation of all creation. We are a part of that history that living tradition. When we show up on sunday morning we are a part of that history. Can we teach our children are hymns in our stories. We continue the legacy promoting the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. When are gardeners tend the community garden that we have. And share their bounty with the food pantry. They do so in answer to the question about. How we want to be in covenant with one another and with our world. When we work for peace. When we extend compassion when we wonder about the universe. When we debate theology or when we invite a friend to church. These are the activities and promises. Of our tradition. These are the truths of. Let us live out these truce with integrity. Amen i'm blessed.

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20150503-Sermon.mp3

And i think this means it's my turn. Alright friends what a wonderful day to be gathered together and fellowship and worship with one another i have to tell you at the hospital where i work we do chapel services but if i have four or five people i consider it a crowd so this is a real treat for me thank you i bring you greetings from your friends just up the way at the denton unitarian universalist fellowship they were excited to hear that i've been invited to a to speak here today and worship with you and i am indeed humbled and honored to be in your presence. I want to start off since i haven't been here before i went express to you how much i enjoy being able to offer my reflections with unitarian universalist congregation a very progressive liberal christian path which makes many of my christian friends very nervous and i encounter. So without getting into a great theological debate with them i generally say you know i did the life of this man named jesus and he said a lot of cool stuff and i try to follow it. Now if that's not enough of an answer for them they're probably not going to like anything else i have to say so i just quit while i'm ahead but then i come here and i share it with you in the hopes that you won't consider me too crazy or start throwing things at me so i appreciate being able to explore these stories and concepts that are at the root of my i would guess many of your faith traditions as well. That is authentic to the journey now so thank you thank you for that. Part of my job responsibilities at the hospital is toledo weekly spirituality group for the adolescent psych unit. No let me tell you in case you ever wondered. There is nothing that will test your faith more than spending an hour in a room with 35 angry teenagers. I try to make it fun but you know it's the one of the things that i always do with them since it's a spirituality group i talk about the definition of the word spirituality because that can be a very loaded word. And i'll play that word association game where at they okay i'm going to stay spirituality and you tell me the first thing that comes to your mind just blurted out. Sometimes it works well sometimes it doesn't but i do it's to illustrate first of all that words can have many many meanings but also to point out that sometimes we have an idea of what a word means until we actually have to. Reflect on what does it mean to text me say it and hear it and define it. And that can be a little tricky sometimes. So we have to reflect on what do we really mean when we say these words. How do i apply this word to my life. And i wondered this week i didn't get a chance to try it but i wondered this week what would happen if i had thrown out the word. Mercy. How do we define the word mercy. I loved our message for all ages this morning i think that was a pretty darn good definition don't you mercy is a quality or virtue that that seems to run deep and religions the world over. To be merciful. Is to be lenient in the face of wrongdoing. Or to forego punishment even when it seems like that punishment is called for. But it's also to be compassionate. In response to pain and suffering. The quality of mercy prevents us from being harsh and cruel but it also keeps us from being indifferent. Towards others. So many years ago. But a friend that had a stack of books by reverend robert fulghum. And i had never read his work before and now i'm just hooked so if you'd if you don't remember reverend williams name i bet you'll remember the title of one of his essays all i really need to know i learned in kindergarten. In that short essay. Fulcrum preached a very simple but a difficult lesson it was the same morals ethics and manners that we teach our youngest children. Are the very morals ethics and manners that we have to keep practicing all of our lives. Or say it even more simply. There are three things in life you need to know. Be kind. Be kind. And be kind. I want to read you an excerpt from from this essay. Start off saying all i really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be i learned in kindergarten. Wisdom is not at the top of the graduate school mountain but they're in a sand pile at sunday school. These are the things that i learned. Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt someone. Take a nap every afternoon. I'm just take a nap every afternoon i'm hoping it will manifest for me i don't know. When you go out into the world watch out for traffic hold hands and stick together. Think what a better world it would be if all the whole world had cookies and milk about 3 every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and clean up their own mess. That would be a daunting task. Instill truth no matter how old you are. When you go out into the world it is best to hold hands and stick together. What a great essay. If you haven't read the whole thing i'm i highly encourage and it's a great sermon and a great reminder. About what really in the end we're called to do in life. But you know and i know that being kind. Doing kindness. Doesn't always come naturally to us. And sometimes it's really hard to do on a consistent basis. So all of our lives we have to continue to practice we practice loving ourselves we practice loving those that we care about that are in our close circle. Weekly practice. Loving those and caring about those that we don't necessarily know the stranger in our midst. And then the hardest one. We have to. Love the one that we don't really like. We've got to love the one and be kind to the one that we may consider an enemy. Being kind. Practicing kindness. The hallmark of an ethical and religious life. Says. There is no need for temples no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain our own heart is our temple. My religion my philosophy. Is kindness. Now the hebrew word. That is most often translated as mercy is also translated as loving-kindness. And another quote from the dalai lama he said each of us in our own way can try to spread compassion into people's hearts. Western civilization's these days. Place great importance on filling the human brain with knowledge. But no one seems to care about filling the human heart. With compassion. This is what the real role of religion is. That's what i hope for from my religion. What i need i need my religions to make a difference and how i live. I need it to urge me and point me towards being my best self. The earth me towards compassion. Torticollis. Loving kindness mercy. App that we see others. That we feel the pain of another so deeply that were compelled to do something about it. Loving kindness mercy. Is compassion with action. It is seeing a need or pain being moved by it and being so moved that we responded to the call. Corrected. Our world today doesn't often do that. We don't encounter that as often as we would like to. Is a bioethicist social critics in his name is jacob i believe you say it's up hell. It's how you pronounce his name. But she wrote this isn't one of the glaring yet too often overlooked failings of contemporary america. Is that we've become a nation obsessed with justice. And retribution. We claim to be the land of the free yet we have lost sight of what it means to be in prison. Denied liberty and access twins family. Subjected to isolation and violence. In unspeakable boredom we've come to believe in the most pernicious way that people should get what they deserve. What is the exchange it might be in our public discourse in our civil life. If we focus instead more upon mercy and forgiveness. A merciful and forgiving culture might find itself with less anger less social disruption. Maybe even less crime. I came across a buddhist teaching. On loving-kindness when i was doing my research over the past couple of weeks. The teaching at the meditation call i think it's amatar. You'll find i'm not very good at pronouncing things so if i'm saying it completely wrong and butchering it just tell me later. Even as a mother protects her life. Her child with her life her child her only child so with boundless heart should when cherish all living beings radiating kindness over the entire world spreading upwards to the skies and downwards to the dep's. Outwards and unbounded. Free from hatred and ill-will. And i read that and i thought. Wow. All beings cherish all beings. Radiate happiness over this whole world. That's a big task. A man that's a big task. But it's what we're called to do with people of faith. And there's the same teaching the same same spirit of teaching i'm in jewish scriptures the prophet micah talked a lot about this one of the more well-known verses from the book of micah. What does the lord require of you. And his answer was to act justly to love mercy. And to walk humbly with your god. Give me the commentary on this passage that said we're not only called to be merciful but to love mercy. Introduced acts of mercy and loving-kindness again that's a big task. But mike is ideal it was not the minimum of religion it was the maximum. This is what we are supposed to do we are supposed to embody this loving-kindness this mercy it will work all to strive to be and do. It's what we teach our children and what we have to continue to teach and reinforce in our own lives. It's hard. It's hard to act justly to love mercy and to walk humbly because we re go bound creatures. Some of us have egos the size of texas some others have egos the size of jupiter. We are often fearful people we are self-centered people always my hand on that i loaned that absolutely. We find it easier to walk on by to turn our head away. Where to run in the other direction. When we encounter suffering. When we are faced with suffering. The well-known gospel story of the good samaritan that we saw on the screen today it speaks truth. It speaks truth how many people would walk on by. If i don't see it if i don't engage it. Then i don't have to acknowledge. My own vulnerability in it. The fact that i could very easily trade places. With that suffering soul that i see. Imo. Fascinated by social experiments. And my son is feeding this for he's 8 years old and he is he's become obsessed with all of the candid camera shows. They have them on i think nickelodeon or something but anyways so so. He is feeding me all of this candid camera what would happen if this. We'll catch it on tape. Several years ago 20/20 actually did an experiment on ethical behavior in large cities in the united states. And in the study they took a young child actor he might have been seven or eight. It had him standing alone on a busy sidewalk. The child was instructed to stand there and just kind of look lost and lonely. See what happens. So they did that for a little while and then they instructed him again they said now this time. Cry. Have some tears. You know what the people see you crying. And then finally after a little bit longer they said start asking people for help. No. The crew there was a film crew that's feeling this child and all of the people who either stop. Or walk on by. Sadly. Almost everyone men women all ages all races walked by the child. Even when this child was bleeding please help me. Can you help me please help me. They estimated that there were about 1,700 people that will fill that i don't know what the timeline was but about 1,700 people walked by. When some of the people were stopped. Later on down the road and asked did you see the child why did why did you do that why did you walk by. A lot of people said things like i like didn't see him. Just didn't see him. Or i didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure what to do for him and. Others said you know i was in a rush i had places to go and i really thought somebody else would would stop and help him. But the most common reaction. The thing that was sent the most was i i didn't see him there. Just didn't see him. And in fact the camera film young children that were walking by with their parents. Is it they were saying mommy mommy look daddy look. You don't still said they didn't see him dogs on leashes you'll people walking their dog the dog stuff dogs love kids and so the dog coming over sniffing at the at the child and you can see. The leash being pulled. I didn't see that child. I didn't see him. And if you don't see a crying child. How can you practice a simple act. Mercy. The did intervene they had to work kind of hard to figure out what to do when they're confronted with this child and we could see them stopping and asking the child what's wrong what's the problem. They would call out to others to see if they can get some help or some of them called the police on their cellphone say we've got a kid here can you come help. Some of them stood at a distance and talked with a child. And i don't know if it was because they were afraid of being accused of hurting the child or what but you could tell that it wasn't easy for a lot of these people. To be doing this act of kindness and mercy on a busy street with lots of eyes watch. And i told you the story because it was shocking. And it should be shocking. But what's even more shocking about it. Is the reality of it. Seem to be very very real and when i'm sitting in my living room and i'm watching this on television. I had before knowledge. To know that it was being filmed i knew what was going on. But i wonder. If i had been walking down that street on that day. If you have been walking down the street on that day. Not knowing that there was a camera watching. What would you have done. What would i have done. I would hope that i would be kind and merciful. But i get caught up in a busy life 2. What would i have done. Mercy. Loving-kindness takes practice y'all. It takes practice even be prepared to do what is required of it and that practice can happen in many different ways it can take many different forms. I don't remember how long ago was but there used to be a slogan it's still kind of popular now that that says practice random acts of kindness i had a bumper sticker on my car that said that i like the idea the phrase suggest that random acts of kindness. Now a few years later. I think about that. And i think. It's a good idea for the person who is receiving the act of kindness for it to be happening randomly before the practitioner. I'm not sure. Practicing a random act of kindness is effective. I mean if i randomly practiced playing softball would i really become proficient in it. If my son randomly practiced on his piano pieces would he become better at playing piano. I know he wants to do that however. He practices as randomly as i will let him but. You know. If i if we randomly practice something. How can we truly become proficient at. I really do believe that that's the case with mercy. The practice doesn't make. Perhaps it's because it is such a demanding teaching. Did i believe. The kindness loving-kindness deserves all of the consistent practice that we can give it life long every moment of the day every encounter that we have with one another. What does a practice is a practice that we undertake to deepen our minds our hearts and our spirit so that we can be able to act in a new way. There are many spiritual practices that are out there that can help us to become kinder and more loving more courageous people one of them that i came across was this idea of matata. That i just mentioned so we're going to do it we're going to practice right now i know you're excited about this. One of the ways that some buddhist practitioners cultivate kindness is by saying the loving-kindness matata. The word has two meanings that i found one is gentle. And one is friend. There's a teacher named sharon salzberg and she said this about the word she says matata means gentle because it is likened to a gentle rain. That falls upon the earth. The rain does not selected choose all rain here but not over here. Rather simply falls. Without discrimination. This meditation gently reaches out to all being. Now the other meaning. Friend. Reflects on the buddhist view that a good friend is someone who is constant in our time of happiness and also in our time of adversity. Or unhappiness. A friend will not forsake us when we're in trouble nor will they rejoice in our misfortune. The meditation practice is something that once you learn it it will be with you in all situations ideally. And so the practice of matal begins with gently and consistently befriending yourself befriending your own self. And offering ourselves the wish for happiness and peacefulness. And relief from suffering. Limit our practice is all about training your heart and your mind and your spirit to look after yourself. To look after other people. Other beings and to communicate that they can be loved and loved in return. Essentially it transits how to be kind. The loving-kindness matal begins with offering love and peace to yourself and then you start here and you widen it out to the whole world like. Imagine the circle. The circle in the next circled in the next until we've been compassed the entire world. You said in quietness and you say to yourself. May i be happy. May i be peaceful. May i be free from suffering. So this is where we practice this is meet the audience participation. Portion of the sermon. I want your life if you're comfortable close your eyes. And say to yourself i'm going to i'm going to repeat this again say to yourself. May i be happy. May i be peaceful. May i be free from suffering. His practice trains your mind to be more kind to yourself. And then we'll widen the circle. You can think about someone who has been an important person in your life. A teacher. Parents grandparents. Someone whose life has had a positive influence. On your own. Then say the matata. Them. May you be happy. May you be peaceful. May you be free from suffering. This part of the practice teaches you to be kind and grateful and gracious. To all of those who have been carrying. Let's widen the circle. Now turn your focus on to someone. That your kind of neutral about may be acquainted with. Someone you may see on a everyday basis or occasionally but. You don't really have a good bond with them. A librarian a postal carrier someone like that. This practice will help sensitize you to the stranger. In your midst. The child that is standing on the street alone. Is a practice that fills you up with love so that when someone asks you for help. You will be more likely to see that purse. And we're likely to be kind. So to that stranger that you envision. May you be happy. May you be peaceful. May you be free. From suffering. Here's the tricky one. Think about someone. That you are in disharmony with. Right now. Someone who's really getting under your skin these days. There may or may not be a level of respect there or might be someone that you you're holding anger towards you're harboring some anger with. This part of the practice helps us to envision the possibility of being kind and offering acts of kindness. Even to the people that we don't like. Envisioned them in your head. Say to them may you be happy. May you be peaceful. May you be free from suffering. And finally. Biggest circle. Think about the whole world as much as we can imagine the whole world. Send the message of loving-kindness. May all beings. Be happy. May all beings be peaceful. May all beings. Be free. Who suffering. You can do this practice. You can do this practice at anytime. You can do it before you go to bed at night. You can do it when you wake up in the morning. You can do it while you're sitting in your car in traffic i can do that a lot cuz i sent a lot of traffic. You could do a standing in line at the supermarket. The practice is a way of consistently not randomly but consistently reminding us that the world is filled with beings who are worthy of our love and our attention and our kindness. Armor see. It is the intention of this practice that we will not only feel more kindly towards the rest of the world but we will find within ourselves the strength to do something to alleviate suffering. I'll be honest sometimes the hardest person to imagine in this way to practice the matal with. Is yourself. It can be so much easier for me to reach out to the stranger to blessed with stranger in my mister. How to reach out to the people that i love the people that care for me so much easier to say that for them. Then it is for me to turn it on myself. And if that's the case. Practice it twice as hard. Because you'll find that the practice of cultivating kindness will strengthen you when you are feeling alone. When you feel like you are undeserving of mercy and i think we all find ourselves there at some point in life. This practice is about cultivating in ourselves a quest for wholeness and relationship. When we work for justice and live for loving kindness. But we set our course apart from that of our culture that has come to believe that people should get what they deserve and instead we see what a difference could be made. When we focus on mercy. And forgiveness. Imagine the difference in our own homes. Imagine the difference in our families. If we open ourselves to mercy and loving kindness. The compassion in action. My religion is kindness loving-kindness. Mercy. My friends. As i close out today. May i be happy. May i be peaceful. May i be free from suffering. May you be happy. May you be peaceful. May you be free from suffering. May all beings. Be happy may all beings be peaceful. May all beings. Be free. From suffering. I think robert fulghum would be very happy to add it to his kindergarten lesson. It all comes down. To being kind. Pecan. Because. Mb kahn. Maybe so for all of us today.

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Sermon_090510.mp3

When i was growing up in. Fort worth. Back in the 60s and the 70s. I had the expectation along with a lot of you probably that we were generally. Mayfair nation. Yes we're in the midst of the struggle for racial equality and gender equality and many others. But from my middle-class white life the sentence was that if you work hard. And played fair you could do just about anything. My parents believe this to. Not just as a platitude to buck up their six children. But they really really believed it. My father was a wwii veteran. And my parents were survivors of the great depression. I believe this to at least i did until i was in college. College pinto pinar eyes and disillusionist in general. But i was in school during. Ronald reagan's first term as president. I actually felt a palpable change. In the country and our campus. From the very end of the carter administration to the beginning of the reagan administration. But i began to realize even was then. The policies that he and his cohort we're implementing we're going to starve the rest of us out. Their efforts oversaw what has become the greatest concentration of wealth in the history. The world. This is not an exaggeration. I clearly remember walking past the student union at the university of missouri and thinking that this diversion of money and power into the hands of fewer and fewer people would like pooling of blood up in one place in a body. It was not going to do what i needed to do and would cause disease in the body of our society. Unfortunately. I was right. In this sermon. Today i'm going to say things that may not sit well with some of you. Or just make us uncomfortable because i'm actually talking about stuff. In ways that we quote aren't supposed to. That's no longer acceptable to challenge or question. So i don't want you to get the wrong idea about me and where i stand i'm going to read a quote to you from harry truman. That i. Agree with greatly. Scariest room in that noted communist. Says of course i believe in free enterprise. But in my system of free enterprise a democratic principle is that there never was never has been never will be room for the ruthless exploitation of the money for the benefit of the few. That's what i stand. For those of us who are fortunate enough to be working this year labor day has some more poignant meaning. Most people who are employed are working harder and being more productive and being paid less. In real wages than at any time in us history. You see a trend here. In the current political climate a lot of fearful and misguided folks went to blame immigration this mess. But the truth is that immigration of all kinds has actually been dropping for the last decade. Since the recession hit is barely a trickle. An economically the effect of immigration is actually positive but only marginal downward pressure on the lowest wage jobs in. Don't believe me go to factcheck.org. The causes of falling wages in the decline in real wages and buying power have other sources. Average income in united states has fallen 2000s dress in the last 10 years. That is a rate of $200 per year over 10 years. And on top of that over the last 30 years particularly the last 15. Americans have used easy credit to amass the decline in buying power all the while putting us further in debt which in turn further roads are real buying power. The 1950s the marginal tax rate on those earning more than three million dollars a year in today's dollars. Was 91%. Remember the 50s at halcyon days of conservatism. By 1990 it was up to 28%. Down to 28. So from 1950s he went from 91% tax. 28%. Somebody got relief. The irs has the top 400 richest tax filers. 409 4000. 400. Okay. 400. The 400. Top richest tax filers actually paid a rate of just. 6. 10%. In 2007. Yep the richest owners. People who took on an average and average. 343 million dollars annually. Hey that's not just been 43 million sitting in the bank that's what i took in every year. Probably pay the lower rate. Then all of us. So even if you won the mega millions powerball lottery. You would not be in the same category as these people. By the way anyone know what the what's up to this week. I didn't bisect this week. Lost track. These people are rich beyond the dreams of avarice. Unitarian universalist get uncomfortable because we like to think that we. Are among the wealthy and we are compared to everybody else in the country we are in a freely high-tier of income. Running. But compared to these folks. We are. The other. Oh by the way those 400 people who do so well on tax day have a combined net worth of nearly 1.37. Trillian. According to forbes magazine their wealth is going up an average of more than 16%. Over the past. Year. That's the first year. Have the worst economic your sense of the great depression. Okay so during the worst year of the current recession their income went up 16%. Only paying 16% on their taxes. How do we even wrap your mind around numbers so big. Appraisal less leopold who is the executive director of the labor institute in public health institute in new york. He says. Here's the example that brings it down to earth for me. Goes on if we had progressive taxes that reduce their wealth to a trifling hundred million dollars each. We have enough money. To set up a trust fund whose interest. Could provide tuition-free higher education for students. At every public college and universities in perpetuity. Forever. And it would be reduced to a hundred million dollars. I don't know about you but i think i could certainly manage. 100. Billion dollars. Concerning the strawman arguments made against taxing the super-rich. That's who we're talking about. What's leopold cites the following he says the first argument against thrown out. Is they've earned it. Thank you brother. He goes on to say that during the post world war 2 boom. We had the faris income distribution in the world. 1950s and 60s. Not anymore. Today the gap between rich and poor is wider than at any time in us history more than colonial america. Okay. Here's a telling statistic. Because. He says that in 1970 the compensation ratio for the top 100. Ceos compared to the average worker was 45 to 1. Bye 2008. What do you think it was. Very close. It was 1071 21. He asks do you think they got that much smarter. Nobody. Get a part of that is most of that money is not in money that they earn it's in money that earns. Money for them. Redistribution of income is on american is the next argument that he cites. Well i think corporate welfare is probably an american too. Too-big-to-fail banks and other businesses are now getting bigger and richer. If he's not register tistic they have now made more money. In the last year than they did. 4. The crisis. But his money bail them out. Our tax dollars also go to support programs that encourage the export of jobs out of the country. Did you know that you're paying businesses to export jobs. You're also paying businesses to do things like sugar subsidies. Oil subsidies. Supporting advertising and marketing schemes for the oil industry and others. You are. Do your texts. The third argument is if we tax the wealthy will hinder investment and kill jobs. Elephant gets murky for a lot of us because we will okay it sounds like it might be possible. But the fact is. That sense. Taxes have been cut so drastically since the 1980s. They have so much money they can't find enough productive things to do with it. They have one out of investments. In real production. And so they put more and more into speculative areas such as stocks and derivatives essentially gambling. Images. What that really is this gambling. The consequences have been bubble after bubble until the most recent. Crash. And now it's starting again. Because they're making more money. And they don't have anything to do with it. Set a reminder to get inspected with a futures. It sucks. 4. The fourth argument that we shouldn't tax those who have more than enough. Governments to big already. We should be cutting the public sector not raising taxes to expand it. Bologna. Reality is that most government functions are underfunded. And understaffed to do the things that we need them to do like keep our food supply safe. Anybody talk eating eggs recently. Okay salmonella. Or i paying our military a living wage did you know that many military personnel are living on food stamps. Their families are while they're fighting overseas. For providing veterans with needed care. Too many horror stories there right now to go into. We need more teachers and schools. Library hours and recreation centers open. And community policing not less. Especially in this time of recession. How about sending more people to college to learn the things we need to be more competitive globally. Well we are ensuring we don't end up with a predicted shortage of primary care doctors. For an aging population how many of you heard. The npr series the last week on. They're predicting a catastrophic shortage. Primary care doctors in the next 10 years. Don't get sick. Oh yeah how about some of that money to rebuild our public infrastructure. That stumbling around our ears. And if you've driven through some real areas around the state recently and could not go over bridges because they were closed because they were dangerous. Cuz i hadn't been worked on. Since probably. 1970 or 80. Our problem is that why we are bailing out investment banks and corporations that are supposedly too-big-to-fail our government is struggling to do what we the people needed to do because it is too underfunded to succeed. This is. The effort of. Be conservative class. Democrats republicans libertarians or whatever. How to get the rich greens. Darrell automotive. The purpose is to starve government. Into incompetency and then blame it for being incompetent. Blame. The victim. And by the way. We are.. We the people. And we are. Continue being victimized or do we take on the mantle of survivors and do something about it. Leopold says that b feeling to tax the super-rich were borrowing borrowing even deeper into a billionaire bailout society in which the rich. Keep on gambling away our money. Knowing that we will bail them out if they lose. Yes we need to regulate wall street. But we also need to recognize that these gambling addict. Have too much money in their pockets. And decided he needs that money for constructive investments. Not for more gambling. Any end the real fiscal crisis is in our minds he says. We don't have to keep fighting over the scraps that the wealthy have left us. Beacon field and you kind of economy that only if we summon up some courage. Do we have the nerve. To text. The super rich. Some of you may be wondering why i'm talking about this entry. Wine talking about economics and tax policy in politics. The answer is to this question. I think it's pretty simple. It's about money. And money is liquid power. Power is the ability to create or inhibit. Change. There is a lot in this country. And in this world that needs. So why the country first perhaps maybe they're easier places to start. Well yes but. Changing things here has a multiplier effect. All the rest of the world because of our info. What's in the world. Harriet fraud. Is a psychotherapist and liberal commentator and activists in new york. Talks about the moral dilemma we are in as quote. The crisis in morality and social ethics. She says let us begin with the first of our. Contributors. American ethics. Morality and spirituality. She says the same forces that decimated our economic. Psychological and social landscape. A transformed our sense of morality and social ethics. The shared dream of an ethical moral society that dominated the united states. Until the 1970s has systematically been eroded. The 1960s it was common to believe that morality. And spirituality included a concern for all human beings rich and poor alike. This is why the civil rights movement was effective. Because there was a presumption. City sings. The biggest push against those social ethics began with ronald reagan's presidency in 1981. It continued and reagan second term and was reinforced by each president until. We hope. Its final act. With the last. Prison. They keep in mind this includes all the democratic president. Republican presidents. Since then. Reagan's basic ideology was that people are poor because they lack incentives. Play the lacs. He claimed that. Poor people's nobel drive to get rich is eroded by social programs that permit them to survive or in his terms. Reload. Do any of you ever been freeloaders on the public dole. I have. Rochester student loans. Different times i had to survive by getting wic money. Or food stamps. Yeah we're freeloaders. In his framework income taxes cut. Increase the incentive to work and get rich. You see how that works out. So all are expected to benefit from them. Well in 1980 the highest incomes were taxed at 73% over that scale we talked about. In the middle of that 1980 taxes. They were taxed at 73%. In 2009 the same high incomes were taxed at half the rate. At thirty five percent. Of course the percentage of tax on the highest incomes is actually even lower as we talked about earlier and 16. Because the wealthiest americans going to hire tax accountants to help him evade taxes. Reagan uses famous veto power to cut a huge range of social programs remember ketchup being a vegetable. The program social programs from biomedical research to social security for disabled americans. Clean water to expand head start. At the same time he increased the military budget while decrying the government. There's a quote from dick cheney by the way it says. Why worry about deficits. Reagan never had to. Reagan prude. As he says. We don't have to worry about death. This pattern has been repeated ever since. Is. of the raygun ism. Which is how according to the organization for economic cooperation and development. A small drugstore operation. United states went from being the most egalitarian western industrial society in 1970. To delete the galuteria in 2009. 90 texans don't like being least of anything. Surely there has been a transformation of our moral ethics. Where are morality once required the united states to embody our ethics in the world and empower our citizens it has shifted so that our morality now consists. Requiring conservative personal and sexual behavior. Morality bill clinton committed any impeachable crime by lying about having sex with an intern. Well george w bush and cheney did not commit impeachable crimes. By lying about the threats from a rock and that's causing the death of over 4,000 us soldiers and hundreds of thousands of iraqis hellions. Or by torturing prisoners. It is not considered immoral to spend between 6 billion and 12 billion dollars. A week. On the war in iraq. Cutting school in social programs for needy families because quote there is not enough money. The secular morality that made america i proudly democratic and egalitarian nation. Has deteriorated. We are experiencing a national and moral and ethical spiritual crisis. And quote. Morality. Jennifer gospels of the new testament jesus talked about money. Any inequality of wealth more than any other. .. By-and-large no exception. And he was simply not in favor of it by the. Our sainted molly ivins. Hey don't laugh at molly. Once molly ivins says that one function of the income gap. Is that the people at the top of the heap have a hard time even seeing those at the bottom. She says they practically need a telescope. The pharaohs of ancient egypt probably didn't waste a lot of time thinking about the people who built the pyramids either. I personally find it to be very troubling quote. When you consider that the overwhelming majority of people were elected. To higher office now are wealthy or soon man should get that way. Right. Overall. There are no simple solutions to this. But awareness starts here starts now it starts with all of us. These are not just issues of political and economic policy. They are fundamental issues of morality of basically what is right and wrong for the lives of our children. Women men are grandchildren. Our families all living person. corporations corporations are not living persons. As thriving communities. As a nation and as a world. My take is that if we are in a moral crisis and we need to address these problems as moral ones. With the full weight and authority of our prophetic face. We as unitarian universalist are the people of the promise and the struggle. We live to make and keep a covenant for the common good. And engage in the ongoing struggle to see its promises are realized. For the common good. To bring to fruition. The beloved community. Of all. Soles. So go forth. Point out. To those who would say otherwise that this is. Evil. This is morally wrong. It is morally bankrupt. And it must. Change. Or we are all. Going to be. Eat. We will also have violated our covenant. An egregious fashion. The great thing about covenant. As in the words of the poet rumi when i sang the very beginning of the service. Tell you broken your vows a thousand times. Come come whoever you are. Because. The great thing about our cousin. Is that we can fall away and come back. Stronger than ever. Wiser than ever. Keep in mind. All of these things. If you go into your life. If you call on those in power as a challenge the powers and principalities. As we try and restore hope. And fairness. In the world.

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20141026-Story_3.mp3

And so there's a saying. In 12-step program. Act as if. Or fake it till you make it. Amassed is not always a false identity sometimes it's chosen identity think about the black mask that zorawar or maybe the lone ranger if you're of a different generation think about. The difference between your professional face and your family face. Or your school face and your family face. Think about superheroes. What if. When superman puts on his cape. Or batman puts on his mask. He is actually putting on his brave face. Sometimes the elements of our identity can be just that physical i have a necklace with a chalice on it. That i wear sometimes. I have a bracelet for my friend i wish sometimes they help me remember who i am. In my childhood we might have called this girding up with the armor of god because i was raised southern baptist and we talked very literally. About things from the scriptures that gave us strength and power as unitarian universalist we don't tend to use that language very much but we do have in our principles some very very rich language. The values that our faith teaches us we could put on the heart of compassion. We could put on the mantle of justice and equity. We could put on respect for all. The search for truth. The connection to everyone and everything being twined together. When do invite you if you would like to to take a moment on your mask. On the front side of it. To add some things from your unitarian-universalist identity or if you are visiting and do not have a unitarian universalist identity add something from your own spiritual heritage. And identity. It could be of value. It could be a symbol like a chola. Or heart. You could channel the qualities of some of our spiritual ancestors. The righteous anger of susan b anthony. The compassion and fortitude of clara barton. The endurance and determination of christopher reeves. What is it that gives you strength.

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20150201-Sermon.mp3

Here we are. 40 years later. I want to make sure to introduce someone that's been brought to my attention. Hell galvan. Are you. I'm not going to ask you to stand at. How is founding member. Who is visiting with us today. And we want to thank you for being here. Any other folks who are considered founding members here. Okay. I think. Joe is right. 4 top guns. Actually there are a few who aren't here so the baders are still here. Around that they're at home. This congregation came into being. Like a lot of things. With a lot of. Pain. Financially. Buddy merging hale and hearty and healthy. Into the. Warm. You see there's another church that preceded him. Telling people don't know about. And that was the richardson unitarian. And. It was founded in 68 as a spinoff. Converse dallas. And i believed on spider was one of those. Anybody else who came from her. The last one i know of. Sowela. A little bit about the history because it's important because it's part of our origin story. As a congregation. Part of what is referring to as exodus in our. The order of service in the name of the title of the sermon. And by the way i'm not going to do the whole history of the church we don't have that long. 40 years can't be done in. 1050 minutes. Chosen to be a little this map. In 1966 there was a group. Who met at the lone star gas company in richardson. And they took some time to get organized but they did get organized i have organizational documents. Fabulous. It's like a really good really serious about. And in april of 68. Power association. Recognized as the richardson unitarian church. They bought a former church of christ building down on. 210 abrams. And it may be called there first full-time minister. And by the fall of that year rock ruc. Richardson unitarian church. Was a rapidly growing liberal religious congregation in north texas. Now. Miniature they called. Reverend nichols. Was a former southern baptist who had questioned his fate. I decided to come unitarian minister and by the way people don't just decide to become ministers. Guy. Play-doh. There's a big process. And he's remembered as a great public speaker and someone who would not settle for easy answers tomorrow question. Controversially he advocated the consideration of those marriage and drug use from the pulpit. The 1960s and 70s. Despite this her because of this it wasn't. The congregation continue to grow reach me around 200 members. By the 1970s. In 1973 along with other ministers humanist manifesto. And but. Things started getting. In the early 70s from what i can gather from all of my. Performance. And resources i can gather. Because of his not only his advocation advocating for open marriage and drug use. And encouraging people to do it at church socials. And now. This was a function. This is not clearing contact. There are churches across the spectrum. And that. of time. That had things like this happen. Not everyone not even most but there were there. Foundation i grew up in fort worth. There were a lot of marriages that got mixed up. No and and things like that so there were things going on. And i've heard stories of other ministers and other denominations had our own. How about their experiences either they had or knew of. Hungry. It was it was not a healthy time. For a lot of congregation. Because a lot of people were. Remember we're letting their adolescence that didn't get to go through in the 60. So. We're dealing with that kind of dynamic. It doesn't excuse anything but it does clarify the situation. The rigidity of the website. For the sacred journey congregation which is located down in richardson. They are the remnant of. What is the richardson. And on their website. And i'm. They say you got in hot water. Edna. But that was about to removing. A miserly as 1973 he was writing long letters to the congregation explaining himself. And justifying his behavior in his actions and in these things. I read them now would be a case study of what not to do. So. Really scary i show them to my wife is also a minister and she went oh my god he didn't. So. But keep in mind he has his starting salary package was only $12,000. Yeah. So. There was basically. When i got from. My performance. Who are there. Is that. Things just kind of came to a head. Now there's always been this supposition. Among a lot of folks even people came in fairly close to this event. That. It was tied in with a stripper who was brought in the church but that's not true. That happened later and we'll talk about that because it created notoriety and infamy for many. Azaria. But things apparently just can go ahead and. Through the mechanisms of the congregation. Play vote of no confidence. Was called. Remove him. Pessimist. And it it failed because it didn't it was a tie vote. And offering in our oral history. That joe says it's his fault. That things happen and i'm not going to just waiting. Couldn't talk him out of it anyway. But joe says that. The. Because he was sick that day and not there it wasn't the vote. Define like to break into. But there were very clever members in this congregation. And they called another meeting two weeks later cuz the bylaws. Trailer boat. And joe is there. So is everybody else who could breathe. The other side saw the handwriting on the wall and they got everybody in there. And. Who could. He considered able to vote. Including the ministers of teenage children. Crossover. Sign-up has like a note. Apparently also i hear destroy that mitsu mater. Told bob he was about to walk out. And she told him to go back in and sign the book so he can vote. Its environment was the first go to the second. Estrella got. A fairy just got his wings. So. The vote happened again. And yet. Fail. Tell me the minister. But what happened was because. And noticed you know. On the first day they met to form his new congregation. They had. A charter a schedule for their worship service and a newsletter editor. Directory. All of this stuff done within the first week two weeks. And i was told that music late well that's because all the people who did stuff with one's left. An ms also truecar. The journey website that. He said nichols got all the kids to sign the membership book on the boat was called the ribbon the motion failed by one vote. So half of the members have laughed and started to you church plano. And it goes on to say that while but half the membership left it was more than half the pledge base. And so that while. Over the next few years they lost the minister. The building. And they spent the last half of the seventies and all of the 80's in a variety of. Places office person hotel meeting rooms. And then membership varied 100 from 30 to 100 usually on the downwards. And we're lay-led. With guest speaker. Help remind the original building. 210 abrams i went on google and look it up and. Got the street view and everything like that has been formative. It's now the family life center of first baptist church of hamilton park. Which is around the corner. And it's the big baptist church that was out in the for the 50s. They're african-american baptist church and they. Very busy and they have taken that incorporated that is what part of here. So the building is still being used well and it's a nice feeling. So. That's sort of set-up. Don't let me hit the side note here about. The stripper. I want you all to get very clear about this and what happened. I'm trying to find my. The newspaper. Clipping. So here we are. Dallas morning news. So. No. Keep in mind this morning news was the least of their problems. Bellerive yargo striptease this is about the reaction to it a striptease dance that was performed. Has drawn sharp criticism from fellow church people in dallas. So wasn't informed our congregation are having a problem. But the dynamics over there. Our objection is not that it was done in church said reverend dwight brown of first unitarian church of dallas. But with the striptease itself it is sexist and the reverend mr. brown is reverend mr. i don't remember that being an. One of the several delegates to the north texas gestational you congregation. Who met their tuesday night and issued a strong statement accusing the richard's in church of public. The object of their criticism was an exotic dancer perform during the worship service left. Plasma by diana king. Who is a professional stripper. By the way i found this out from another site called decadent dallas that charge the history of activity in dallas. With great gusto. Bet that she was a part of the athens strip club. In dallas. And. So. When she was through. She was wearing only a g-string. The incident drew nationwide publicity. Cutting mention on popular late-night johnny carson show. Let me take a side note also the june 2nd issue of newsweek. He was not in time. I know i went through every issue of time for that. of time. I'm sorry. No i don't think so. Although they're not as delegates affirm unitarian tradition. A freedom of the pulpit they had held at the same freedom is there when the actions. Four statements of one minister appear to misrepresent the position of many other unitarians. We deplore the use of the church and its worship service as a means of commercial promotion. Weather in behalf of the service of an exotic dancer. Another commercial vendor for another commercial and their three-part statement. They further declared unitarians have a long-standing commitment to the women's liberation movement. We believe the striptease is a form of entertainment is sexist tending to present women as objects rather than person. And we wished it to disassociate ourselves. From this kind of us exploitation. The reverend bill nichols. Pastor of the richardson church which recently experienced a split. He preached a sermon at the athens strip club this week. Has tentatively scheduled a repeat performance in his church of miss mrs. king. And doesn't understand all the fuss. Quote diana perform during a sharing portion of our service. Told. The dallas news we have had witches psychologist people in yoga and other representations of different things in our culture performing during this.. She was merely sharing what she does for a living. When she was through she was nearly nude but no one considered it a striptease we saw it as beautiful dance the sexist concept is in the eye of the beholder. So. This gives you a greater sense of that gift. The empty as in nancy a shaking her head. Bringing back too much in it. Little bit. So that was the great late unpleasantness. That. Was around and behind the congregation. And then it happened by the way in april 27th of 75. So obviously after. Congregation formed. Which would confuse the heck out of me cuz i was told it was what precipitated the first place. Because. Obviously apparently supposed to came in later heard all these things at once and i got cancer. Is 1. A story. So there's there's a warning to us about. What we hear in church from people. How about things and how they might not be exactly what we're here. So. That's the beginning of this thing. Bob bader vs oral history a few years ago talk about he said he really didn't want this to happen but. And. So they formed the new congregation uu fellowship north. Hey bob's are beyond the border nearly years. Murphy was the first president. Furniture. And all the stuff is. He said bob said bob ater says one of the greatest difficulties in those days was that we had to bring all the religious education materials to and from meeting place every week. It was like living out of an automobile. In 1980 the group took the name dallas north unitarian church and moved into a newly constructed building on custard. And then we moved to our current location in february. Of 1990. Company b adoption of our current name. Mom says i can hardly believe we've grown so much and deaf as well as size. There's a lot there. But the congregation did grow. It brought in. Widely known speakers. Madeline. As the program chair at the time is eddie brought in madalyn murray o'hair. As well as many other very high-profile people. So it was a pretty buzzin place. To be a part of. Yep. What is 40 years ago. So probably. I haven't been able to find his name and any of. Well i'm sure he's dead yet. I'm sure he passed away but i haven't found his name in into the ministers association materials but i haven't really been able to dig as hard as i'd like to in that area. Really i want the right to this guy's life. Who did. Larry lowe. I still might have a movie deal after i get the book out okay. Yeah that's kind of harrowing isn't it. I'm not going to ask if you inhale george but. I saw your picture when photographed by the way you were hot. Your family was good-looking to. So yeah so. You know some great stories. Now. Then. Pretty heavy stuff. Free scary stuff for families with children material. And and over and over again in the oral histories from our founders. Any more like nancy murphy. That. Really came down to wanting a place that was safe. For families. Parents. And not have to explain. And not have to be in bear. And i think that's been a defining elements. In the dna of this congregation everest. Proactively responsible. And i was thrilled to death but i got called here 9 years ago. Our insurance agent recently actually said i said something about. A dick was in the room week around. Talk about how we we are always preparing and severe chills all the unitarian churches are really overly prepared. You guys are like where the curve on safety issues and things like that. But. This congregation. Had a very interesting story. Within a very few years we were. Raising money for building joe is the head of that project belief. And. Got a grant from the beach foundation which is a big foundation. Congregation. As well as money from dallas for dallas. Hand money from members account. And that congregation that building on custer is still there. Lancaster in park. Green parking in parker. Housing developments. And then we moved here. But we'll talk more about some of these things in future sermons cuz we're at time. And i want to respect that. Enjoy yourselves. And know that while we like many families have colorful origin stories. They do and they don't. Define who we are and who we can be. The degree that we want them to and we allow them. Hinge incorporate those things into who we shall be. And want to be. I looked up jose admonition of 750 members. I gave you a challenge earlier in the year of 1000. There's no reason we can't. He is largest her dallas. So. Lettuce close now. By singing together.

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Reading_122709.mp3

Part of the concert celebration isn't has a day of remembrance. In which participants may special homage to the ancestors. Those of the national community and those of the family. Today i would like to lift up edward ethelred brown. Whenever early black unitarian minister. And one of what author and minister mark morrison we described as. Black pioneers in a white denomination. The following are excerpts written by rev mark morrison v. Close-by ass over drowned himself in mayo and summaries of brown's northeast underground. Both divisions in the liberal religious tradition the unitarian and universalist. Had a tenuous relationship with the black community. The life of egbert ethelred brown represents only one story of a struggle to overcome the decoration. Between blacks and followers of the liberal. Edward brown was born in falmouth jamaica on july 11th 1875. He worked as an accountant but came into the ministry with fervor and dedication. He started the first unitarian congregations in jamaica and then came to new york to establish a unitarian church. His was not a sudden turns religion he had been inactive church member for most of his life. And felt that he has been. But his discovery of unitarianism happens by chance one easter sunday. Round right. I was a choirboy of montego bay episcopal church. When the first ray of light broke through my trinitarianism. It was easter sunday we did not as usual sing the athanasian creed. It was recited alternately by the priest and the congregation. Strangeness of the trinitarian arithmetic resources. Super sibley that i decided then and there to sever my connection with his shirt. Which enunciated so impossible. Brown's decision was followed almost immediately by the discovery of unitarianism. Bi-rite. That afternoon my do every saturday every sunday afternoon. I visited my uncle. And they're on a table with the words the lord our god is one god. It turned out to have been a copy of channing memorable sermon preached in baltimore on the ordination of jared sparks. My uncle was unitarian but he was not carried away with the idea of a possible using a condom. And so it was only after much beseeching that you gave me the sermon. I took it home and read it and discovered that in america there were christian who did not believe in the application fee. A few days after my uncle sent me with a note to a physician. I didn't his study there was a library of unitarianism. About it by reading other unitarian literature and as a result i became a unitarian churches. When the african methodist episcopal church in presents in jamaica brown who has been experiencing a strong ministry. Applied for. Work ministry. Daddy and was encouraged. But his unitarian conscious conscience intervenes and he sent a letter to new york. Address simply. Do any unitarian minister in new york city. The letter ultimately and ended up in the hands of franklin southworth then-president of the unitarian sumner needville theological. And after some back-and-forth. The back-and-forth of it was that brown would have to leave jamaica and with it his wife and young children to spend two years of study in state. Round before that he was advised that there was no christian church in america for colored people. And that i'd want you to turn hard a white minister. They were unable to predict what his future would be at the casino. He received mixed responses from the american unitarian association. Some believing that you would never. Still round determined to go mays landing. In 1908 he traveled to maryland but was immediately deported back to jamaica. Chords to wait a year. In 1909 he planned to go again with funds from his father but in the last minute his father withdrew the times and ron was forced to stay another year. Finally in nineteen-ten having save money on his own he made it to needville and spent the next two years in training to the middle. He wrote finally of his kind of need though despite the racist encounters be safe among the right body and family. In 1912 he returned to jamaica in ordained unitarian minister and set up a small church in montego bay. He works full-time as an accountant and preach teach sunday for this church receiving $500 a year from the american unitarianism. The continuing years were italian. The group had little money or resources no building in which for malini. And their distance from the center of american unitarianism felt like a hindrance. In which they were unable to get much understanding or sympathy. The american unitarian association transfer drowsy kingston to attract a larger following. Horse round to start all over. The denomination also withdrew funding at different points. Which not only made the congregation survival. But it also made these new jamaican unitarians confuse. Reverend maurice andre recounts the kind of racism that reverend round encounter during this year's. Browning counter believe that black people were less intellectual. Overly emotional. Less civilized. And in need of nurturing and more. There was a sense among many white people that african-americans needed to be made. Reverend horton read explained. That's racial attitudes represented at this time. And it was natural that truth is. In 1920 brown and his family moved to new york where he established what is now harlem unitarian church. Where he stayed for 35 years also in the face of racism. He stayed at the church until his death in 1956. Activate round is credited with bringing unitarianism to african americans. And helping the denomination increases understanding of african-americans. All of us who clean this unitarian universalist days as our own are indebted to ground. Struggling to increase the awareness of the denominations leadership. And increase the diversity.

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Reading_062611.mp3

Ar reading is from dan mclean greeley. Last president of the american unitarian association in the first presidents of the unitarian universalist. Association. He says liberal religion. Is not an institution. It is a movement in history. It is a set of values a way of life. More important than the merger of two denominations. Is the quickening of the principles for which they exist. We believe in change and growth. We believe we must be honest enough to detect our weaknesses and brave enough to assert and develop our strength. If we have faith in the future we must be convinced that our great heritage is insignificant in comparison with the role of liberal religion for tomorrow. Without vision we would perish. And that role would be realizing others. In our stead. Ludwig vision. And a commensurate commitment our own efforts made proved worthy. Of the promise of yesterday.

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Reading_012410.mp3

The story is called the wishing tree. Wishing tree. An enormous banyan tree. Stickley seabranch. Ruin the center of a village near an ancient temple in a green valley river screen. The tree has been there for as long as men's grandmother could remember. And certainly much longer than that. Winter spring summer and spa. It was covered with thousands of wishes. Wish was written on a brightly colored paper. And waited with a large mandarin orange. Eagle pass from nearest car to toss their requests and desires into it sturdy branches. When they was 5 years old. Grandmother took him to make his first wish. Is lunar new year. And the trees enormous canopy of leaves lessons. Generous. Grandmother. Mercury say that long ago that help avoid make incredible improvement in his study. They also say it letter which stranger to our village. He paid for the temple's construction. Name was filled with excitement. There were many vendors selling paper and string. Grandmother led him to a cheerful movie. This is my grandson. Make his first wish. Milan defender pulled out of chris bundle of paper. Handed it to me. Wish carefully grandmother died. But remember even wishing trees have their limitations. Finish writing grandmother showed him how to roll up for which like a scroll. And he ruled it up into the sky. So that it can reach the trees outstretched arm. First ninja throw his bundle hard enough. Go back down to earth with a heavy sun. You tried five more times before he succeeded. After all it was a huge tree and he was just a small boy. Names wish was to be tall and strong like his older brother. On your lung thought about her wish and he anxiously waited to see if it would be granted. Sure enough by the end of the following year he had grown a foot taller. And he was strong enough to help move the heavy chairs and his parents restaurant. Convince. The next your man wish for something exciting to happen in the village. A few months later a movie crew came to make a kung fu film. The movie star. Several famous actors. And then his friends were allowed to watch them perform. And they got alexa. Actors autograph. Would you like to see some kung fu. Yeah that would be exciting. As the years pass men came to depend on the tree. It was like a member of his family who would always help him out. 1 yearling face a difficult problem. The boy from another village moved in him. The new boy was taller and stronger than everyone else. Although being tried to stay away the volume and home and demanded money and sleep. Lynx wish that your was duran of the lonely forever. And his wish they're nervous. This wish to his surprise his father bought a new restaurant in the city. And a few months later the family moved away from the villain. Although their new home was far from the wishing tree. Nathan's grandmother still went to visit easier. I was bored of us early in the morning. Cherry picnic lunch under the trees wide lazy branches. And all afternoon they would watch other wishmakers saucer request. Skyward. And would stay until the last rays of light faded from behind the pimply. When they was 9 grandmother became very sick and could no longer get out of bed. Ninja did the wishing tree that you're alone. And he asked that picture his grandmother's illness. He wrote his request on the shiniest red paper that he could find. And he's the most polite and sincere language that he knew. When he threw the wish into the air it immediately caught hold on this drunk dick ranch where the winds did not blow it off. This was a good time and he went home with a smile on his face. After all the tree had always granted his wishes before. But this time it didn't work. Grandmother died soon afterwards. And they felt sad and bitter. Miss grandmother. Grandmother's gentle laugh. And the stories she had shared with him. He also felt betrayed by the tree. Visited it so many times. How could it have let him down. Links were that he would never return to the wishing tree again. Several years pass and then course the tree out of his mind. One lunar new year an old schoolmate and then, invited him back to the village for class reunions. Wingstop flooded with bad memory. Still his friends wanted him to join them. On the way to holmes house. Ming race through the green valley and left across the gurgling stream where he had played as a child. After a delicious lunch with his friends. The boys walk over to the wishing tree. It was more beautiful than i had remembered it. All the other boys made wishes. Minion song shattered about on time. They told him how much he misses grandmother and how they used to make wishes together. What did she wish for her last time as her. Grandmother always wished for the same thing. For my happiness. And are you happy. Lingcod about the question for a long time. Like his new school and had made many new friends. He was taking kung fu lessons and was one of the best in the class. In fact. He had just won first place at a local competition. The trophy was shiny and gold. And he smiled whenever decide on his shell. Didn't realize that the wishing tree had granted his grandmother's last win. And suddenly his anger left and he forgave the tree. Highway 14 gives a good friend after an argument. Name ran over to a familiar vendor who was just packing up her where's for the night. Please show me a piece of paper he's in. I will have another chance to wish until next year. The vendor recognizing is the boy she knew many years before. She's wild. Unpack her nearly answer. And took out her last. Of wrinkled wishing paper. Name scribbled down his message quickly. And mumbled several words as he threw. Name was our now and his wish lodge. Snuggly on a large branch on his first drive. What did you wish for f-bomb. Not for a single thing. Reply. He had clearly same thing write something down just minutes before. She said she didn't ask for. In all the years that i've come to the tree. I've never showed my appreciation. This time. I didn't ask for anything at all. I just said thank you. Yummilicious. Thank you for coming oven. Sorry.

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Sermon_112909.mp3

I grew up in the roman catholic church a branch of christianity that does the season of advent particularly well. Large purple and pink candles oversized restriping ribbons. As a child i learned the thrill of inching towards christmas. Each week of advent we lit another candle on the advent wreath. Until on the 4th sunday all four candles were blazing and i knew the christmas day was coming very soon. We're children celebrating christmas. It never comes fast enough. It seems for grownups it's cheap stuff on us before we know it. A couple of weeks ago it dawned on me that i would be preaching on what is this. First sunday of advent and my first response was. Seriously already. But there's still the child in me loves the season of advent. It amazes me that the holiday of christmas is so important. And it requires four weeks of preparation. But not the kind of preparation we as adults can to ignition. Advent was meant to be a time of spiritual preparation. Getting ready for the birth of the savior. I'm afraid that many about you celebrate christmas can you have a different purpose. As christmas nears we aren't thinking about some kind of savior. Instead the predominant feelings for me is that of not enough. Not enough time to decorate. Not enough time to date. Not enough money for gifts. Already we are coming on the 1st of the christmas designs. Christmas cards in letters. Every year it is the same for me. Starting with the very best of intentions. Anime. Martha stewart style. Some kind of sparkly in boss hot glue gun. But inevitably it doesn't quite come together. So when a good year i stopped at the store. Get some pre-made cards may be slipping a holiday letter. The holiday letters this year there isn't time for extras. So just the card. Alright individual notes. And i'll use that a fancy green sparkly 10. But maybe i don't have enough time for individual not so i'll just sign my name. I'm at everything going on maybe i can't find that nancy green sparkly pants oh. Blue ballpoint will do. And i don't have enough time to get the holiday stamps do the brown blue liberty bell stamps will be fine. Over and over again that 18.. We're just come out of this thanksgiving holiday a time when we as participants in our us poster are expected to keep up prayers and saints. Spell acknowledge the many blessings. Thanksgiving prayer is hard for you. I know how that thang that first thanksgiving sees turns out between those enterprising pilgrims. Native american. I know that well sometimes god. Doesn't always work. To the question i ask myself is why should i pray and thank you if you would love me. With turkey and stuffing in thanksgiving. Well another is not hungry. Someday some say that there are only two types of prayer please and thank you. Children are often instructed that there are four basic bears. Jimmy. Thanks. Oops wow. Why are we saying please or give me to a god who does not deliver. Ny thanks that's a fickle god you provide for some and not for all. There are theologies out there that attempt to explain such a common theology states that god only provides to those work. The deserving and faithful and in the god needs the rest of suffering punishment for their sins. But misty ology has it sold. I have seen people. I have seen good people suffer intractable pain. So i cannot believe in a prosperity theology that says that good people get good things and bad people get back. It just isn't true. Are unitarian and universalist ancestors created russell religion. Based on a different kind of theology. One that included reason and experience and a god and humanity that is inherently good and loving. That is a kind of theology that i believe in and it supports my experience that god does not necessarily. Answer prayers. And it makes me wonder. Weather reasoning liberal religious folks like me even. I recently read a book on liberal theology written by paul razor a unitarian universalist minister. Who draws on various theologians philosopher scientists and other features throughout history. Explain the background and context of liberal religion. Razor urges us into it examined faith that includes science and reason. But that doesn't end with science. The book is called without certain. He begins with slayer marker who made significant contributions to liberal religion during a time when progressive christians. Integrating the thoughts of the age of enlightenment into their face. Major notes that fire makarov balancing the importance of reason. Also asserted that human being need now indeed. Cannot reason their way to god. Instead we are equipped with an innate capacity that flyer maher described as a scent and taste for the incident. Or intuition of the universe. To which we nearly need or commercial. According to rzr1 part of what liberal theology attempts to do. Is heelys from the dualisms of medieval thinking and beliefs. Razor vapes. This medieval world you contain clear and ridges category which led to strong dualism. Especially between the natural and the supernatural. Sean is found in the supernatural realm. Separate and distinct. International room. From this dualism hamza believe that god who exists in the supernatural world. Only in the natural world in special ways. Perhaps going out of god's way to provide for those who are inherently good and ignoring the rest. But liberal theologians like ralph waldo emerson identify the presence of god in our natural world and as an ever-present siri. In liberal theology the dualistic lines of the sacred and the secular or good and evil. And unsafe those lines are blurred and replaced with a more fluid organic interconnectedness. Where in the sacred and the secular are not so different. A unitarian universalist. We're all our insurance good and all our. But believing in this interconnectedness and living it are two different things and as liberal religious vote. We actually tend to favor over individualism. Many of us reason that we can do things fine without help. And we like the control of doing things our own way. And religiously when faced with the lease that have been harmful or that just don't make sense for us. It's easier for us to disassociate and disconnect from religion entirely. We figure. The old notions of god or divinity don't work for us what's the point of theology rising at. But razor point out that human experience religious. Or otherwise always involves. Complex process of mutual communicative exchange between the individual. And the surrounding environment. But the individual and the environment bring something to the exchange. And both are affected by it. And if that is the case. Then whether we named our environment in traditional god or spirit language or whether we create new words for. And whether we named it in sacred or secular terms we are in relationship. Our environment. All of humanity nature. Assistant my resources. We are in relationship with something that is beyond what we ourselves. You as individual. We are always receiving from something way greater and bigger than any one of us. And in this constant state of receiving from the universe i wonder. Is the only appropriate response we could possibly have. Is gratitude. Perhaps even the atheists might want to other things. If not to god or a god perhaps. Do the face or the lux. Or the lining of events. It gave her such a fine meal. Or happy baby. Or negative biopsy. I think the embracing that feeling of gratitude perhaps voicing it out loud to steal it slowly. Is prayer. And if we fail to slow down to experience that otherwise fleeting moments of gratitude i think we stifle our inward and outward acknowledgement. Of what brings us joy. As a result i'm afraid that many of us in the midst of amazing things are missing out on the wild and the saints. Simply because we are not having to pay. Utter those words. The question is not. Why does god fail to provide for all needs but maybe the question is how will i choose to say thank you. What i have in my life. Perhaps the real power of god or that mystery. Is not. And doling out resources evenly. Miracle. The each one of us who is blessed by food shelter in love jcvd. And share that gift with others need what we have. Is god cannot intervene in aspects of justice or ethics maybe it is our obligation to intervene on glasses. Maybe it is all part of some divine plan. That's true and divinity is not played out by a supernatural being. But it depends on the participation of all creation each of us a design partner in the creation of peace. And maybe by simply offering our things. Even if you a source we cannot see or name or understand maybe by simply offering our faith. We will be filled with such gratitude. That are only natural response. I could stay stuck. In the place of facing. Only my not enough. I could stay stuck in the place of analyzing the theology. In doing so i might fail to even recognize that i am blessed at all. I might lose my feeling of connectedness. I might become more individualistic. Unable to recognize the abundance in my life. I might fail to work for justice league war. I might fail to spread the wealth and fail to in effect. Answer the prayers of those who are hungry. Homeless. We're in other ways unable to meet their basic. My fear is that as liberal religious people come to individualism. And weary of spirituality and uncertainty. That we are at risk for getting to the end of our lives. And realizing only too late. We didn't live as fully as to have to make. That is my fear. I do not want to stay in the first few stanzas of maya angelou. Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes and lightning rattles in the eaves of our houses. With floodwaters away cinar avenues. Where the skies would slow and grey and threatening and where we question ourselves. And interrogate and worry. In the poem i read today maya angelou second just to see christmas time. Have the time to listen for sleeping. To prepare ourselves for. Security. The harmony of the spirit. And the precious adventure. As we approach christmas. You don't have to be christian to believe that something wonderful is about to happen. I know it to be true that something wondrous something amazing will happen. On december 25th. And i know it to be true that something wanders in amazing will happen on december 24th. And 23rd. And tomorrow and today. There are wonders things happening right now and every moment of every day. And it would be ungrateful ever asked to spend the next day or month. Or lifetime so wrapped up in our not enough. That we fail to notice the wonders in taiwan. What is. Amazing piece. What if we are the saviors we have been waiting. What if in the words of maya angelou we angels and mortals. Believers and non-believers. Look heavenward and speak the word vowel. We look at our world and speak the word aroused. We look at each other. And at arsenal. And we say without sinus or allergy or hesitation. He's my brother.

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030704%20Rev%20Rod%20Debs.mp3

I want to begin this morning my reflections with you. By reading a few words by unitarian. Ralph waldo emerson i heard want some unsafe why are they always talking about every well. He has shaped much of our american culture. He was a transcendentalist mystic. And emerson spell cabela's about individualism. And our interconnectedness. As a mystic. He spoke about the human drive to study our own minds. In order to find the roots. That unify what presents itself. As individual experience. If you listen to this quote from ralph waldo emerson written in 1837. To the young mind. Everything is individual stands by itself. By-and-by. The mind finds how to join two things and seeing them one nature then three. Then 3000. And so. Tyrannized over by its own unifying instinct. The joe song. Tying things together. Diminishing anomalies. Discovering routes. Running underground whereby contrarian remote sings. Cohere. And flower. Out of one stem. Perceiving that these objects are not chaotic. Not foreign. We have a law which is also a law in the human mind. That's to him to the schoolboy under the bending dome of day. It suggested that he and they proceeded from one route one is leaf and one is flower. Relation. Sympathy. Stirring in every vein. And what is that route. Is not that the sole of his soul. I thought too bold a dream to wild. He shall see that nature is the counterpart of the soul. Answering to it part 4 part. What is seal. And when is prince. Its beauty is the beauty of his own mind. It's loss. Are the laws of his own mind. So much of nature as he is ignorance of. So much as his mind. Does he not yet possess. Eden the end. Ancient precept know thyself. And the modern precept. Study nature. Become at last. 1 maxim. Well i have to confess to you that is a school bought as a schoolboy. I never had. This drives at emerson spoke about. To know thyself. For that matter to. Study nature. Something for somebody stay fly steven tyler. Plato's claimed that the unexamined life is not worth living. Just never rang true for me. There is so much. In this world it fascinates. And delights a kid. That i never felt the need to study my own mind or to analyze nature. Rather i just wanted to live in. Katachi. Play with it. Not very. Philosophic. The existentialist question. Who am i. Seems silly to me. What's 13 l. I mean i'm. Penn-ohio boy born in iowa. I passed papers i play the trumpet i go to church i have family brother sister far-flung relatives parents. I like to sing. I love animals. My light. Outdoor. I love camping and fishing. And then there was a stuff i didn't like the scoliosis the loneliness the christian guilt. Lino. The world named. Who i was. I was all my relations. An entanglement. One with my world of being and thing. Being. I watched cartoons with popeye. I am what i am and that's what i. Heck with navel-gazing. Actually the question. Who am i. Never crossed my mind. What i wanted was to get more connected with this beautiful world. And it's fascinating creature. Two-legged four-legged. Feathers. Send. Earth air fire and water. To live. But don't get me wrong at the same time i was very introspective. I grew up in a holiness christian tradition. And i was always. Reflect hank. All my imperfections. If you may identify with always critiquing my shortcoming never good enough. I was forever looking inside myself with a critical eye. Was constantly judging. Myself. Good or bad. Simply. Studied my life. The way it is. Absent of judgement. Toward the end of my schoolboy days the top philosophy of ian rand. Was a welcome relief. From my holiness judgmentalism. And it's message that every person is a sinner worthy of hellfire. Rams book. The virtue of selfishness. Yes the virtue of selfishness. Actually glorified competitive individualism. Dog-eat-dog capitalist. And it repeated dated altruistic. There was individualism. Both. Christian legalism. Secular. Selfishness. Both. Assume that i was essentially an individual. Salvation whisper individual souls. Grades at school or 4. Individual performance. Sports glorified individual winning. Society was organized around individuals. Private property. And work paid wages based on. Individual labor. Society is still organized it seems around this individualistic. Presumption. The question. Who am i. Really never comes up we now. There's no one disputes that we are. Separate. Individual. Western culture simply declares. That i am an individual human being in a world of individuals. Like. Billiard balls. So many billiard balls on them. Pool table. Separate and distinct adams bouncing off each other. Competing in a dog-eat-dog world. In such a world we allow ourselves to become. Absorbed. In the bouncing around. In grasping to satisfy our personal desires. Become absorbed. Under the assumption that we are existentially separate. And alone. Relationships. Are electives. An opportunistic. What's in it for me. How old am i. And how raw. 3 years ago. I spent 9 weeks. Sabbatical in thailand with my. Wife jeanette and daughter katrina who is. 16. We explored kitchen says we were booted out. We explored temples w. And talked with monks. And received gifts. Books. Even the acdf from 12-month. Not a music of lectures. I visited and stayed with lady buddhist we had hosted a. Exchange student from. From thailand in our home and so we were. The guest. Is her family and extended family. Today i want to talk to you about. The buddhist practice of studying the mind. Letting go of individual concerns at least temporarily. And perhaps by studying the way it is. Without the distractions of. Private pursuits. Perhaps. There is a discovery to make be made. Of a lighter. Reality. How's who i am. A large yourself. Beyond the sense of my being an individual. Perhaps. There is an underlying reality of interconnected. Home. The first. I want to share of a from. Vedanta or hindu teachings what i learned from a guest. Speaker. From india who visited our unitarian universalist congregation. In cedar falls iowa on two separate occasions. Swami chidananda. Plumity used an analogy. He spoke of the sun. As reflecting its illumination in the water. Further reflecting that light are many small mirrors. Various. Shapes. In sizes and colors. You and me. So we asked. Who am i. Who is the conscious individual. Vedanta teachers with the real self. Is the source of conscious knowing. The sun like osman. Which illumines the natural world including the mirror like. World. Of individual human consciousness. That's when we do harm to one another in our relationships. Reply. Biting your tongue. It would be unthinkable for you to. I told you this before metallic in it would be unthinkable for you to take a hammer and smash your teeth and retaliation. As if. Tongue and peace. And hands were separate individual cell. Plumity said. We are the biter. And we have the benton. Who am i. I am the same self as you. And every other b. We are what. Know if we look at buddhist teachings. Kosho fujiyama roshe wrote this. Quote. Our attitude should be one of diligent practice and every situation. That we encounter. If we fall into hell. We just go through it. Through hell. When we entered and counter unhappiness. We work through it with sincerity. Just. And the reality of life. Seeing heaven and hell. Misery. Enjoy. Life. And death. All with the same eye. No matter what the situation. We live the life. Of the self. We must sit. Immovable. On that foundation. This is. Quote. Becoming one. With the universe. And quote. For the. of time when they chant. When i meditate. They said. And they let go of it all. It's either way it is. For buddhism the question who am i is. What buddhist practice. 1. Study and memorize the tripitaka. The triple basket of buddhist teachings and not be buddhist. Buddhism is a practice. Of studying the mind. The practice of calm awareness. In meditation a practice. Observing. Who am i. It's an individual study of the mind. The practice of awareness. The transient. Abby unsatisfying cycle of happiness. And longing. The irony of the individual buddhist practice. Is that it discloses. The experiences of the conscious mind. Do not comprise. Self. But a oneness. With the universe jontron said this. Quote. The buddha taught. That the mind is the mind. It's not a living being. A person. A self. And us or them. Is adama truth. Is simply the time. It's not a living being. The person a self. And us. Or them. Nothing. Which is substantial. We don't have to understand. This little book. Is entitled i was. Surprised by the. Title when i first got it. Noah john cha. Ajahn chah sister name. No ajanta. Contains the teachings. Of the venerable monk. As the title says there is no ajahn chah. No individual no self. This is the. The third characteristic of experience discovered by buddhist practice. The three characteristics are. Impermanence everything changes. Beyond satisfactoriness. Of the cycle of happiness and longing. And 3rd. Non-self. There is no ajahn chah. Ajahn chah rights. This sense of self. Is just a conventional reality. A conventional reel. The mind and mental factors do exist. As part of that reality. They truly exist in conventional reality. But the buddha saw. That however much we know about them. Or believe in them. It's a little real benefit. It is not the way. To find real peace. What does it mean. But the self is only a conventional reality. Rather than being absorbed and a mashed. In my private world of material desires. Conflicts within myself and with others. Buddhist. Practice. Poems. And cools the desires. That otherwise enslave us. Spell alyssa. In the condition of calm meditation. One is able at least. For that short time. To study. What is what. Deserve that all is. Vanity. As the bible say. A cycle of unsatisfying struggle. In this very individual buddhist. Study of mind. The meditation practice of letting go the entanglements. Infatuations and desire. One transcends illusions of. Individual self. The experience. Describe negatively as no self is. Actually. The enlightened experience of wholeness. Seeing beyond the illusions of self. 2 something. Greater. Warhol. Buddhadasa baker rights. Buddhism teaches that if one's thoughts. Include the idea of self. Self-centeredness. That is suffering. Christianity teaches the same thing. Every religion. Worthy of the name ames essentially. The teaching freedom. From self-centeredness. The buddha's goal was a life of awareness. Continuous. Awareness. Sing the world is so if something mc of ojai. Or mine. Keeping in mind always free of the idea i. Mine. Leaving. Only the awareness. So that one knows what has to be done and dusted. This is the essence of the buddhist teaching. There is. No more to it than this. The actual meditation practice of studying the mind. Enables an individual and this doesn't have to be by the way one particular way. There are hundreds. Of different. Ways of paying attention. To the way it is. The meditation enables an individual to transcend. The illusions and enslavement to self. But such talk is mine here. Today. Is not hardly meditation. It's not hardly. The practice. Words can only encourage each of us. To let go of our. Consuming distractions. And to study the thoughts. And the feeling. The fill our lives. And distract us from seeing the reality of wholeness. I'm just talkin. So i will close. With these words of a john shaw. And also coachella uchiyama roshi and a. Joshua. Kempo rinpoche. Whatever we do we should see ourselves. Reading books. Doesn't ever give rise to anything. The days pass by but we do not see ourselves. There are dozens of meditation techniques. But it all comes down to this. Just. Let it all be. Step over here. Where does cool out of battle. Just. Set. And the reality of life. No thesaurus. Mind itself. And be free.

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011506_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Blessings. I got to say that that idea of blessings. Came to me. From a colleague who. Commented on the end of every one of my emails almost every one of my emails. I would use that term pagans would say blessed be. Others have others. I kind of came across that. Blessing it's an old. Fashion term. It doesn't mean happiness it's. It's it's something else then you'll just have to come up with other words. But what it wishes for another person. Some kind of a. A richness of fulfilling or something like that. That's the topic. Part of it. In august 1963 the year i. Energy 8th grade and washington. Martin luther king jr intoned. That. Famous phrase i have a dream. He said. Some of these words are not as. Memorable. But in that speech she said i have a dream that one day. Every valley shall be exalted. Every hill and mountain. Shelby maidlow. The rough places will be made planes. And the crooked places will be made straight. And all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope he cried. This is the face. That i go back to the south with. With this face. We will be able to hear you out of the mountain of despair. A stone of hope. With this phase. We will be able to transform. The jangling discords. Of our nation. Into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together. To pray together. To struggle together. To stand up for freedom together. Knowing that we will be free. One day. Why i grew up with a dream to wasn't exactly the same time. My dream was that we would all love one another. I wasn't raised to sweet southern hospitality but my mama did teach me. If you can't say anything good don't say anything at all. My dream is pretty well articulated in. A listing that i saw of 10 suggestions for a healthy congregation. Thanks to dean star. And i'll you don't have to remember these been. I always get mental indigestion with list so. Kind of get the spirit of it all. Number one always be kind. 29. Even if you think mean this is justify. A number two. Always attributed the best possible motives to one another. Even when you do not understand one another's words and actions. Straight promised to one another only what you're really intended are capable. I'm delivering. Force. Laugh and cry together. Sharing both rejoice. And your heart aches. 5. Be very quick to praise one another. Barry. Slow. To criticize. Sex. Defend one another. And never yourself. 7 accept one another's gifts with gratitude. Accept one another's deficiency. With grace. Grace ping undeserved. Favor. Another kind of gratitude. 8 do not tell one another how to feel. Remember the feelings are facts and treat them accordingly. 9. Greet each day with expectation. Eddie bauer with thanksgiving. That's getting easier the older. In some ways. 10. Let your lies ida light up. When you come into one another's presence. Well. Always be kind to one another that's pretty much summed up. The dream i had. Growing up. There was no place in my dream. For struggle together. My child is stream of life was to never struggle never fight always be kind. It wasn't until i took a parenting class in my forties. That i heard about fighting fair. Have you heard that phrase fighting fair. Good. In unitarian versus leadership materials i learned that the most mature form of disagreement is collaboration. Wherein each person listens carefully. The contrary perspectives and even asks. Tell me more. I learned from scientist that. The most exciting discoveries come from unexpected. And. Disagreeable experimental results. The things you. Consider. Wrong results. I learned from you through legend sharon welch. The new insight often comes from exotic cultural context. That bring contradictory perspectives to what we all take for granted in our world. Contradiction. And i learned quote to love the questions. That challenge my best in sight. I learned it with my head it's not so easy with. Heart. My childish dream pitted kindness and conflict as opposites. Imagining that we were to practice loving-kindness and avoid conflict and disagreement all together. As rodney king said in los angeles. Can we just get along. Such a dream of sweetness and light. Lacked an imagination. Of the glorious gift of. Healthy conflict. Brother martin luther king junior's dream. Invited. Healing and wholeness. With this faith we will be able to work together he said. The struggle together. Healthy conflict. He said. This is thomas st thomas aquinas he said. We must love them both we must love them both. Those whose opinions we share. And those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored. In the search for truth. And both have helped us. In the finding of it. St thomas. No i've got to confess i have the greatest respect for you i know john very does it you who can listen to the diatribes of hate radio. And keep your sanity. And any illogical television pinion reporters i won't call it journalism. I can't do it. More power to you. If you can do that. I feel myself getting angry and i guess hot literally my blood pressure rises and i'm tempted to respond with antagonistic rhetoric that's nice. Way of saying what i feel i have. I have gone through my head visions of. Global atrocities. I've been justified of domestic. Privation. That reactionary idot id logs justify and perpetuate. With this. Stuff. My ears actually hot. And i can't engage such idea logs. With collaborative dialogue guide. I just. I don't have that mature degree of. Collaborative spirit. My mother used to quote the bible. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof so i don't go looking for reaction extremist. And now the radio station there on television beyond. Those normal people. That are my neighbors and relatives. And they present. Sufficient challenge themselves to me in the normal course. Of my days advanced. Family and neighbors are sufficient. Challenge to my desire to keep my interactions civil. And open-hearted. With relatives and neighbors i realized that the idiot logical rhetoric. They have absorbed. And which has shaped their thinking. Crates for them a parallel experience visions of. Horrors that they imagined perpetuated by my worldview. Right. Each of us is only thinking and. Reacting. To the best we know based upon the information that we've absorbed. From the sources surrounding us. So how do we give long day after day with such. Antagonistic. World news. Avoidance. You recognize it. Avoidance in the neighborhood with co-workers and relatives. In our clubs and a church we just don't talk about. The three things right. Sex religion and politics. We just don't talk about. Except when we're in our cocoons. Of our small circle of like-minded friends. We do not as martin luther king jr. named it. Generally we do not struggle together. Roxana t6. Here at the fellowship in our covenant. We promised to one another quote our mutual trust and support. Darkest principal. Declares. We covenant to affirm and promote the right of conscience. Whether we agree or not. Our statement of principles declares. Grateful. For the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith we're inspired. To deepen our understanding. Expand our vision. And then. And our joining ceremony and when we welcome new members to this uu fellowship includes these words. As new members this is the minister's charge i charge you to share your creative wisdom. Your experiences of life. Your questions your doubts. Your sorrows and joys. And that which matters most to you. I charge you. To shake us up with your honest thinking. De-stress with your conscience. And to stimulate our hopes. With your dreams. And the words that you say. Affirmation of covenant is we are willing to be changed by your presence among us. We affirm that everytime new members are welcome. We are willing to be changed by your presence among us. You use sometimes think that our covenant refers only to plural. Religious sentiments. But i'm convinced that our covenant of mutual relation. And support means little. If it does not also involve. Celebration of diverse political. Points of view as well. Celebration. I'm not talking about celebrating. Political. Pluralism. All right and talk to you. That's what i'm talkin bout. Can we celebrate. Political. The guys that got it wrong you know. Celebrating diversity is a long way. From avoiding. The subjects and even farther. From our natural tendencies to tear apart. Political views we feel to be offensive. Orsay. Criminal. Orsay. Evil. The quaker parker palmer rights. To turn the congregation toward the public life. We must resist the lure of the image of the church as an extended family. A close circle of our kind. A community in which the pluralism and abrasions of the public world can be avoided. Aggravated. Community means he rides. Community comes. As a by-product of commitment and struggle. Commitment and struggle. So how well are we doing. Sharing our commitments with one another. How do we struggle together. Are we much better at cocooning. Hiding. Personally i think. And is a fellowship. You use are on the horns of a dilemma. Regarding important issues of the day. Do we practice sweet kindness. Sheboygan's. Or offensive conflict. The two. Horns of the dilemma. I fear that. We have not developed a practice of civil engagements. How to struggle together. With honesty. Is kindness and respect. I'm pleased that many uu congregations have ceased providing a platform for offensive political rhetoric. As if we were all of one political perspective. But have we fallen prey to the sweetness and light of my mother's teaching. If you can't say anything good don't say nothing at all. We've grown silent. On murrell. Political issues. Political issues are moral issues. The atrocities of our nation's foreign policies. And domestic priorities. We fallen silent. I'm reminded of the german people. During the rise of the third reich. They were good people. If misinformed by ideologically based media. A friend of mine took his mom a german citizen to see the movie schindler's list. When she saw german soldiers. Summarily executing jews she turned in horror to her son. German soldiers wouldn't do that. What day. We have fallen on the second horn of the dilemma. When we avoid. Political conflict in our fellowship we fall victim to silence. Regarding. Pressing moral issues. Our silence is unacceptable. Justice unacceptable. As offensive political rhetoric. We must create. Processes. And habits. And a community spirit of. Civil. Engagement. Can we do that. Civil engagement. Okay. We've been working on this. Tomorrow night the board of directors. Of this congregation will receive the report of a board appointed. Task group. On social justice organization. Named what six months ago something like that. The discovery team had found. Set of the three elements of our mission statement. That we are committed quote committed to service to spiritual growth and declaring fellowship. Members of the fellowship in the small groups that met here. Feel the service. Isn't not met. Aspiration. The task group was charged by the board to address how this congregation. Might better carry out our commitment to service. And roughly speaking the task group is rekha is recommending a structure. That will facilitate the grassroots energies. For social justice. Activities among members of the congregation. They will be recommending a social justice advisory council. That will oversee for pads for social justice activities for pass for you to initiate and participate. And respectful. Civil engagements. The moral issues of the day. First of four with. Advisory council oversight. Members may present social justice forums. On issues of the day. Involving informed prisoners. Respondents in member discussion. No longer let it be said. The unitarian universalist. Are silent on moral issues. Nor let it be sad. That unitarian universalist. Engage offensive rhetoric. May this fellowship polish our skills of civil engagement because in the words of nobel peace prize recipient. Mikhail gorbachev. Peace is not unity in similarity. But unity in diversity. In the comparison and conciliation of differences. Another peace prize nobel peace prize recipient. Oscar arias sanchez. Challenges us with these words. Peace is an attitude. A way of life. A way of solving problems and resolving conflicts. It cannot ignore our differences. Or. Overlook our common interest. It requires us to work. And live together. The structure of the social justice forums. Will depend upon. Member energies your energies. Percival interchange. With advisory council oversight it will be up to you. It's only structure. Second of the four. The social justice advisory council recommended budget line item. Funding an annual. Hands on. Social justice project for the whole congregation. The congregational. Invited to vote. To select among project proposals what they are willing. Elbow grease. As well as funds. Into a fellowship project for the year. Perhaps you want to build a habitat for humanity. Perhaps provide cold night shelter for the homeless. Perhaps involve our youth. And whether one of the uu service committee work camps on the lakota rosebud reservation. Or in service to migrant workers and their families there's just an endless number of possible project proposals. Four hands on. Elbow-grease projects the social justice project will depend on your funding. Your proposal initiatives. Your vote. And your hands on energies. With advisory council of versailles. It'll be a structure. It'll depend on. Your passion. The third and fourth structures for social justice activities distinguish grassroots groups within the congregation. Distinguishes those that. Are affiliated social justice task groups for example. Supporters of sharing and caring the shelter house or a homeless task group. As opposed to. Unaffiliated. But recognize social justice interest groups. Which may represent a sentiment of only say out of a faction. Of the congregation more controversial. Group of steel that the concerns of growing out of the congregation say patriots for peace. Which not all would agree with but. Of which. A grassroots sentiment is there. So that it provides for both. A. A task group is affiliate. The represents our. Are common. Concern. And can represent. Do us publicly. You're now you're individual service as affiliated social justice. Task groups for instance those of you work. It's shelterhouse interviewing. I read the sharing and caring interviewing folks. With this. Affiliated identification. You can speak. 4. You can say that your service represents the congregation. No longer just representing yourself. Your service to the community. Assuming that proposed social justice structure is thoroughly worked over. I trust it.. The board will work it over. And if it's adopted. It will lie with you you members. To continue and to expand. Your social justice service. And your civil engagements. Of the issues depending on your energy and commitment. It's a structure. And we've been longing. Trust structure. Our mission statement if i got it right you tell me if i've got it wrong. The mission of unitary versus fellowship the emerald coast. Grounded. Is grounded right. Not rooted. Where does growlithe. In universalist principles. And is committed. 2. Service spiritual growth. Incurring fellowship. Short and easy we're going to eventually learn this. To live this mission. Celebrating. And engaging all of our diversity here. Beginning here. Will be a lot messier i daresay. Then this organizational structure implies henry david thoreau. Sanitarian who advocated civil disobedience. Wrote. Close. I was not born to be forced. I will breathe after my own fashion thank you. If a plant cannot live according to its nature it dies. And so a human. The story is told of to unitarian universalist who had a disagreement. And took. The matter to a higher court. In front of them in line to confer with god wear an irish catholic. And a protestant. They asked god. Will the catholics and protestants in ireland. Ever live in peace. And god replied yes. But not in your lifetime. Then. Can a palestinian and israeli. They asked will palestinians and israelis. Ever live in peace. And god replied yes. But not in your lifetime. Eventually the 2-year use. Step before god nest. Will unitarian universalist. Ever agree. And god replied yes. But not in my life. By definition. Integrity. Not in god's lifetime. We need our integrity. We need our differences. Willoughby jobs for clergy is not we don't come up with. We share the world's wisdom traditions. Not just the sacred scriptures but many wisdom traditions let me share some of the worlds. The our nation's wisdom traditions on how we engaged. The moral the political issues of our day james baldwin. Erode. I love america. More than any country in this world. And exactly for this reason. I insist. On the right to criticize her perpetually. Mjw fulbright agreed. Quote. In a democracy desantis an act of faith. Like medicine. The test of the value is not its taste. Button it's a fax. West virginia senator robert byrd said this about descent. This republic was founded because of the arrogance of the king. Puts pected his subjects to do as they were told. Without question. Our forefathers adopted a system. We're descent is not only important. But mandatory. That was albert einstein who declared quote he who joyfully marches and rank-and-file. Has already earned my contempt. Give been given a large brain by mistake since for him a spinal cord would suffice. When sometime in the future. Movies are made about. Your lifetime and mine. May are grown children not look around and say. Americans would never do that. What day. Ralph chaplin road. Mourn not the dead. That in the cooler is li. But rather. Mourn the apathetic thrawn. The coward in the meek. To see the world's great anguish and it's wrong. And dare not speak. Out then. Shall we speak. And make our engagement. Social political. Moral issues civil. In the brothers karamazov. Fedora. schefsky roads. It some thoughts when stands for. Play next. Especially the side of human sin. And wonders. Whether one should use force. Our humble love. Always decide to use humble. Loving humility is marvelously straw. The strongest of all things and there's nothing else like it. Everyday and every hour every minute. Walk around yourself and watch yourself. And see that your image. Is a seemly one. If you pass by a little child. And pass by spitefully. You may not know it. But you may have sown and evil seed in him. And it may grow. All because you were not careful before the child. Because you did not foster. In yourself and active. Banana benevolent love. Brothers and sisters. Love. Is a teacher. But one must know how to acquire it. For it is hard. To acquire. It is dearly bought. It is 1 by slow. Long labor. We must love not only occasionally. But for the moment. But forever. I don't know if you know who john james luther adams way. Is jala. Is a is the late theologian known as the smiling prophet. A long time ago a southern baptist. Became of unitarianism. One of our. Great theologians who. Past weather. 20 years ago. But he was present at my. At my ordination and wellesley. He was retired used to have. Tease. With the theological students once a month. But he wrote about how to change the world. And he wrote books about this but i think it's boiled down into this one sentence. Basic changes take place slowly. And primarily through group actions. Two organizations. And movements. Within. And outside the church. Supported by skill. Courage. And persistence. Basic changes take place slowly and primarily to group actions. Two organizations and movements. Within and outside the church. Supported by skill. Courage. And persistence when we take action. When you and i break silence. May our passion. For social justice. Be a blessing. And not a curse upon. May sarton. Poem sabbath reeds. True gardner's cannot bear a glove between the short touch. And the tender route. Must let their hands grow nodded. It's a move with a rough sensitivity. About. Under the earth. Between the rock. And shoot. Never to bruise or wound to hidden fruit. And so i watch my mother's hands gross card. She who could heal the wounded plant boyfriend. With the same vulnerable. Yet rigorous love. High-minded wants to see her. Beauty gnarled. But now her truth is giving me to live. As i learn for myself. We must be hard. To move among the tender. With an open hand. And just a sensitive to the end. Pay. With some toughness. Prudential world. I want to close with a poem. By eileen karpeles. An afterthought. The poet writer prayer for community. May all who enter here. Trust one another so shirley. That they dare to share. Deep fryers that burst into anger. As much as sweet spring waters. Ledwell into laughter. The slow erosion. Abundant ears. As much as the soaring saw. And now the afterthought the story is told of a politician. Who accompanied william penn. 2 quaker meeting. Feeling antsy during this long silence he did not expect. The man leaned to william penn and whispered. When does service begin. And william penn whispered. Is over. Blessings.

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032606_Rev_Dennis_Hale.mp3

I guess baker is the reverend dennis hale. He's at he's returning to speak to us she's been with us and number of times. He be speaking on the relationship of spirituality to religion. The importance of spirituality not religion to build a better world. Is that. The name of it aside talk is as spirituality for dummies. I'd love that book series i use a lot. Dennis hill grew up in opelika alabama and graduated from stanford university. And new orleans baptist theological seminary. Tienda diploma in spanish. he's at the university of salamanca in spain 1966. Answer for 25 years as a tonal representative to spain's baptist evangelical union. Back in alabama he served five years as a minister. Actually to the first universalist church of camp hill. He's retired but continues to lecture and work as a freelance spanish interpreter in alabama mexico. And he's an author a very fascinating novel. The the firmament. He is working on two bucks a novel which is a sequel to the apartment and a nonfiction book about his experiences let's be interesting with free speech in the south and its troubles with the. Mississippi sovereignty sovereignty commission. The 1960s an interesting group. But i think we're really looking forward to that. But if you please. Joining welcoming the reverend dennis hale. It's good to be back. I'll bring you greetings from the camphill first universalist church the oldest universalist church in the south. And for judas and i are members. So i'd like to talk this morning about this subject the relation of spirituality and religion i grew up baptist. And it was good and it was bad in spite of the bad i cherish my baptist heritage. But what's more important to me than the archaic worldview and then our doctrines in the shala denominational promotions. What's the fact that my baptist teachers. At from sunday school through graduate school. Cared about me. And the instilled in me a love and appreciation for person i considered one of the most outstanding of history. Jesus of nazareth. I love the bible story switch corson baptist church allpoint to jesus. Even the old testament. However as i grew up the fairytale vision. Retreated. And a more realistic world emerge from the shadows. All those pictures of happy lions and tigers and elephants prancing two-by-two on the noah's ark. Gateway to images of innocent creatures. Included man went cluding men women and children. Drowning. And noah's flood. Get my teachers had awakened in me. Spiritual impulses. And energies that became central to my life. Although my church barely encouraged. The development of those. Baptist you see didn't trust spirituality. And built walls of doctrines and selected biblical quotations. Protect me from being. To spiritual. When i had questions i was taught to read the bible pray to god believing and he would give me the right answers. That was my religion. And because it did not fully liberate. My spiritual impulses. It eventually. Salesman. An etymological dictionary religion is defined as a state of life bound by monastic vows. Or another is conduct indicating a belief in a divine power. Mini action modern riders. Connect religion with the latin through the word really gaudy meaning as french. Ford pardon my french. Which means to bind fast word religion. It tears the notion of the place an obligation on. Our bond between humans and gods. Catholic father leo booth author of when god becomes a drug. Wright's quote religion is a belief system. Organized around the prophet teacher or set of human precepts. Whereas spirituality is the ability to discover and use our own unique specialist. And religion does not always help us do that. I was saying that used to be said. That each time he left home to go to perform his religious duties he would say. And now lord goodbye. I'm off to church. Technically spirit spiritual and spirituality refers to breath. An animating or vital principle in man and animals. It's like a wind an unseen force whose presence and power can be experienced. But not directly observed. The old testament the hebrew word. For this spirit is ruwa meaning. Invisible movement. Blowing. The answer is blowing in the wind i love that. In the greek new testament the word is pneuma. Meaning are when. We use numa and the words pneumatic meaning are driven a pneumonia. A disease of the lungs our air chamber. Then of course we latinize the concept with the words inspire and inspiration. Some people consider spirituality. The unfettered use of religious talk in church services damon's a hallelujah shouting speaking in unknown tongues. While others are turned off by these exuberant expressions in church and find spiritual expression in the solemn chanting a mantra. And the singing of him. Others aboard on fulfilled by church and seek to satisfy their spiritual needs and non-religious settings entirely. So i'd like to explore with you this morning in a confessional talk. This significance of wholesome spirituality. And explore. Is the operational word. About 15 years ago readjusting to life in the united states and still an active baptist minister. I had begun to feel a new spirit of freedom flooring in my log in my life. And i sought to direct some of that freshness into my sermons. Addressing a regional gathering a baptist women in alabama that attended by some male pastors. I referred in my sermon and my talk to the right brain left brain discovering yourself becoming who you are developing your spirituality. The i told the latest that the church could not be whole without a greater infusion of their right brain intuitiveness and creativity. Expressed appreciation for my insights. I have a few days later a delegation of pastors men of course. Vista paint. And they express the came to ask if i was involved in the new age movement. I responded that freshly back from europe i didn't know what the new age movement was. Well they said you need to be careful what you say. You're using new age. Buzzwords. Apparently the right brain images threatened their carefully divined it. Catholic define left-brain ecclesiastical boundaries and male domination. 8 years later i found myself exploring spirituality in a liberal context with the good people at the first universalist church of camp hill. My personal supernatural god was. Sort of fading and i began to be concerned about. Spirituality independent of where the one believes in god or not. I read studied and learned the spirituality goes much deeper than religion. And perhaps closer to a more authentic. God. And i needed to go deeper. I wasn't sure anymore if what i'd once believed to be true. My religion had taught me as i mentioned earlier to ask and you shall receive. But it repeatedly salesman. Put to the test time after time i receive nothing. But silence. My two-and-a-half-year-old grandson recently expressed. My sentiments. He was sick with a head cold and his mother was praying with him at bedtime. Yes you're done many times before asking jesus to help them get well and feel better. Then she asked him if he wanted to pray. Yes. He said. Close to size and prayed. I want jesus to get the boogers out. He cut to the chase. And that's what i did. You see i'm the dummy. In the sermon tile not you. Starbucks spirituality for dummies by sharon janus to clarify for me the meaning of spirituality she had been a baptist for 50 years. I didn't know the meaning of the word. According to jana spirituality and religion represent two different aspects of the human experience religion was the organized group of culture that may have been sparked. By the fire of a spiritual soul. Spirituality is the wellspring of divinity that pulsates dances and flows as the source and essence of every soul. Spirituality relates to one's personal search for meaning. And purpose. Hot existence. I was moving beyond religion. What religion had not only sales me. It had begun. To frighten me. September 11th 2001. Links in the shadow. Of the dark side of religion. Charles kimball author of when religion becomes evil lectured at a conference i attended in 2003 in charlotte north carolina. You mentioned some warning signs of evil religion three of which are blind obedience. The claim of absolute truth. And the end justifies the means. The 19 terrorists to road to their deaths on their guided missiles. Exemplified all three warning signs. Dassault shirley. American-based religion. It's not dangerous. It's good that so many americans believe in god and attend church. Isn't it. Ben franklin thought so and said religion would be a powerful regulator burayak shins give us peace and tranquility within our minds and render us benevolent useful and beneficial to others. In 1980 religious marley's those two.. Abscam. Warned if god does not exist then everything is permissible. Former house majority leader tom delay awaiting trial on monday laundering charges. Contends that the high crime rates and tragedies like, that could combine combine assault will continue as long as schools teach children quote that they are nothing but glorified 82 have. Evolutionized out of some primordial soup of mud. The seattle-based my early personal commitment to win people to my religious faith. On the kazan that conventional wisdom. Saving people from hell was never an evangelistic notifier for me. But building a better world. Waze. However that under girding conventional wisdom was seriously challenged the last year in a study published in the journal of. Religion and society. According to data from the last 10 years based on the inner interview of 23,000 people. And 17 prosperous democracies. According to that data increased belief in god. Correlates with. Higher rates of homicide. Juvenile in early adult mortality. Std infection rates. Teen pregnancy. Infant mortality and abortion. The most fierce. And prosperous of those 17 nations the united states. Is the most dysfunctional of all developing. Democracy. Furthermore in the us. The most religious sections the south in the midwest. Have markedly worse homicide. Mortality std. Marital and related problems then the northeast. Where societal conditions secularization and acceptance of evolution. Approach european. Norms. Even though i'm having serious doubts about the socially redeeming value. I've organized religion. I'm intrigued by the idea that like most humans. I'm possibly wired for spirituality. At least that's what dean hammer behavioral geneticist at the national institute of health. Included in his book the god gene. He said quote we sing. That all human beings have an innate capacity for spirituality and that the desire to reach out beyond oneself. Which acid is at the heart of spirituality. Is part of the human. Makeup. Info. History and sociology or sociological research show that religion. Untempered by deep spirituality. Can be highly dangerous to life and limb. Or at least detrimental to the public welfare. Uca religion six stability and security and will go to almost any means however irrational. To guarantee. Prohibit stem cell research. Prohibit the teaching of good signs. Kill it song. But lethal injections justify preemptive or deny the social benefits of marriage to men who fall in love. So far. On the other hand spirituality 6 freedom. Religion can give direction. But the spirit must work out the journey. Enough firmly believe that whenever god. However you might define him her or it. Does work through religion. It is not to bind us in blind obedience. But to liberate us to be who we are and what we are and what we are intended to be. As human beings. The epiphany in my request for meeting and rational faiths occurred when one day i heard a voice deep within me. Tell me you do not have to believe anything. That you know. It's not true. Or maybe it was the voice of god or my higher power. And it sounded remarkably like the words attributed to jesus in the gospel of john. You shall know the truth. And the truth. Shall make you free. Priest rabbi siemens minister smocks non have no monopoly on spirituality. Call spirituality transcends religion. And it allows us to see god or the creative power of nature at work in a bird flower of prayer a song. A work of art. Are any of the technological wonders we take for granted today. Spirituality is not the religion we practice although i religion might have been the catalyst. Spirituality is the expression. About were on. Multifaceted. Humanity. Where is religion is usually defined by its faithful as divine in origin. Spirituality is deeply. Human. Which is why many religions try to prescribe circumscribing. Unitarian universalist minister kenneth pfeiffer road. Spirituality is arguably our most human traits the need for life to have some kind of meeting some sense of words some structure that makes what we do and say and feel matter. It may not matter ultimately but at least within some context of experience it has meaning. Regardless of your background for the materialist humanist or supernatural is christian. Or any other view. The most important thing is that all humanity is involved in spirituality. We just experienced it differently express it different. Describe it definitely think about it differently. I believe that's the end of his quote i believe we express it through our writing poetry dancing making music. Through the sciences social work. Environmental activism activism send a mirror mirror to buy the beans. And as long as we don't get any childish way. As we go about living the truth of our experience of spirituality. Differences director be expected in praise. It gives us the chance to be who uniquely. We are. Pfeiffer also says quote we live in a universe that wants us to pay attention. We're so designed or evolved as a life-form that curiosity. Is a vital and necessary feature. Of who we are in quote. Most of us like to look at the sunset i've got imma have a thousand pictures of sunsets. Look at fault look at the fall foliage the first buds of spring or listen to the sound of a waterfall tour mockingbird or smell the honeysuckle suckle gardenia mimosa those are the ones we have you have others. Pap's. Award are watch a squirrel in our garden is judith and i did one day. Run up an 8-foot sunflower. Cut off a drying 8in dinner-plate bursting with seeds drop it to the ground and dragged it up on a stop. And sit down to a feast. I'll never forget. We like to look at nature even it earthquakes. Hurricanes and tsunamis. We cry at their indiscriminate destruction. Yet marvel. At their incredible. Power. We're human beings like to look at each other to see one other dressed up quaint hats interesting shoes and yes. See each other naked. The universe calls us to look listen to smell touch. To enjoy to reflect upon to pay attention to participate in to take action. The kind of world we live in and have it by the kind of creatures we are. We shared dna. With all living things on. Wholesome spirituality. Revolutionize the way we see things. Evelyn underhill. A twentieth-century mystic. Describe the spiritual attitude i stability. To look. With eyes. How to love. No matter what it is we gaze upon. We should look at another person not to evaluate criticize or analyze but just. Toosii. Then we see that person more clearly as that person truly is and we learn. President jimmy carter puts that the carter puts that principle in action at the carter center in atlanta. Speak in a cup couple of years ago to baptist meeting in atlanta he explained. That in dialogue session. He holds involving community and world leaders to a basic rule. No one. Can say anything critical. Another human being. What an empowering. Principal. Only if we look with the uncritical eyes of love. Only if we love the world we can pass can we possibly. Player that good is possible. And act out of love to achieve it. Looking with eyes of love. Is fundamental. The healthy spirituality. And that's where it touches social axe. And love becomes a verb. A force for change. You say religion has a spotty record. As a force of reconciliation in the world. Because it a sizes the differences between us. And characterizes diversity as bad. It focuses on hot-button. Politicized issues and ignores underlying causes of human elves. On the other hand spirituality springs from a deeper level. And underscores our similarities. Or religion are diversity devices. Or spirituality i diversity makes us whole. Connects us to the world. And focuses on the deep issues. That is one of the strengths of unitarian universalism. There are few places. In the world religion. Where diversity is so celebrate. And so. Empowered. A deep and spirituality involves us in building a better world press a car dimension another rule of the dialogue groups at the carter center we don't just talk. We act. Allison bowden while chaplain at the university of chicago road. Tomorrow test of spirituality. It's justice. And quoted all we do is contemplate we only have half of our spirituality means. Moses went off into the wilderness to meditate and sink and then the rest of his life returned to egypt elitist people out of slavery. Jesus came down from a time of reflection on a hillside to face the greatest trial of his life. The buddha wants enlightened spent the remainder of his long life traveling about sharing his awakening. And mother teresa calcutta person of quiet contemplation. Was a person of tremendous. Action. We're not called a mimic them but to fulfil our own humanity. We do not have to be superstars to be good. We just have to do what we can with who we are. However small that might seem. Someone said. The measure you by the by your smallest deed. Is directing the power of the ocean. By the frailty. Abbot's phone. In khalil gibran's masterpiece. The prophet says to the people of our feliz. You have been told that even like a chain. Urs week. As your weakest. Link. This is but half the truth. You're also. A strong. As your strongest. What if we've experienced failure and living up what we were intended to be. Actually the older would become the longer i list the failures. We wonder what we might have. Bannerlord on if would make different choices i had a different life circumstance. We want to turn back the clock. What can we do. Spiritual wholeness. Can come only when one says. Yes. To all of life. The good and the bad. The darkness and the light. 21in braces weakness and strengths. I've experienced both failure and success in life. I know myself to be a person i vere's. An excellent. A flaws and fulfillment. A stupidity. And giftedness. A weakness. And power. Of darkness. And light. After particular cellular in my life healing and wholeness came. When i learned. To reject. None. Ab negative. But to embrace it all. The eras. Flaws. Butte stupidity the weakness and the darkness. Acceptance does not give me permission to be harmful or destructive. To embrace the negative. As part of who i am. Gives it less power over me. The weak link. It's made strong by owning it. As part. Who i am. Entropy. To my humanity. To embrace our own humanity does not make us perfect. But it will make us spiritually whole. Constant. A better person that both contemplating and living. Perhaps for me and for others to resolve to speak to become. A wounded healer. When any of us look and act with discerning eyes and a heart full of love. Pouring out our own you unique. Humanity on the community that we are privileged to inhabit. But you certainly are. We make good. Possible. We make the world a more meaningful a richer place thrice pichu ality knowing who we are. And being that person. All the time. To everyone. Living loving. And being. Parker palmer writer and traveling. Teacher after a difficult difficult journey from depression to life. Wrote this poem. Harrowing. Using an agricultural analogy. I'll leave it with you as a challenge. The plow has savaged this sweetfield misshapen clods of earth kicked up. Rocks and twisted roots exposed to view last year's gross demolished by the both demolished by the blade. I plowed my life. This way. I turned over a whole history looking for the roots of what went wrong until my face is ravaged. Florida. God. Enough. The job is done. Whatever's been uprooted let it be seedbed for the growing that's to come. I plowed. Drawn earth last year's reasons. The farmer plows. The plant. A greening. Season.

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082006_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

You can be anybody that you want to be. And the only measure. Of your words and your deeds. Movie the love you leave behind. When you're gone. Can we humans be. Anybody that we want to be. We tell our children this truism. But we have silent and spoken reservations i think. Knowing that the odds. Are statistically insignificant. That any of us will actually change. Our destiny as defined by social class. In contradiction. We know that. The fruit never falls far from the tree. We cling to anecdotes of rags2riches. The prop up the american dream that if you work hard. With a little bit of luck. Anyone can rise to power and riches. We don't want to think. About the statistical record. That those who make home runs were with. Only rare exception. Born on third base. The anyone. With unlimited prospects that really. Only those who are already someone by birth. Goes around the grove globe who are nobodies. Born to carry water rather than credit cards. Those who see doctors far-less. Then our own pets. Those who search for food. Rather than search the internet. Those folks. Or not. Anybody's. Included when we say to our children. You can be. Anybody that. You want to be. Frozen the upper-middle-class perhaps the real truth is that we are born to privilege. And it's ours to lose. It is also ours to use create. Creatively. Because we above all others can. We can be anybody that we want to be. So the question is who do you want to be. It seems to me that what we understand. 2br human nature limits. Who were able to become. I've grown up believing the christian view of human nature. Is that we are superior creatures on earth. But that we are by nature violently selfish. Ravaging the earth and each other. Ar. Evil nature. Are human depravity. Is limiting us. Christianity. Taught me that the transformation of our sinful nature. Is impossible. Without some supernatural. Intervention. Of salvation. On the other hand secular paleontology. Taught. That. Deadly competition is hardwired. Unalterable survival technique so get used to it you're not going to change. Both secular and religious culture. Tell me the humans. Cannot. Be anybody that we want to be. So what is our human nature i read an article. From the chronicle of higher education. In april 21 2006 published. It's entitled humans as prey. And reports a reconsideration of the twentieth-century stereotype. A humans as. Killer ape man. In our origins. It was quite an interesting article article demand so it's some of the seeds of what i'm saying today. The anthropologist. Donna hart from university of missouri st louis. Reviews the scientific evidence. That the 1950s paleontologist raymond dart used. To conclude that humans were. Club-swinging. Man the hunter. She look back at the evidence. Contemporary paleontologist and archaeologist. Zoologist. Have reviewed and expanded on that research. From the 1950s and they're now converging. Unanue characterization of early humans not as man the hunter but his man the hunted. Man as prey. From his study of fossilized. Skulls in south african caves. Back in the fifties raymond dart wrote. That our hominid ancestors were quote. Carnivorous creatures. Betsy's living quarries by violence battered them to death. Tore apart their broken bodies dismembered them limb from limb. Greeley devouring livid rising flesh unquote. Okay. That you didn't want to hear that. That's who you are. It's untitled the predatory transition from ape to man. Ar. Origins are. Hardwired origins. But the recent reassessment. Of the gruesome injuries to fossil skulls. In caves. Not only in south africa. But in china in republic of georgia in kenya and in spain. In those caves. Sure what the skull damage. What's the work of. The saber-toothed cat. The leopard. And now extinct giant hyena. Not. Has dark said of cannibalistic ape-men. They were prey. They weren't killers. And cannibals. Let's put this in perspective. In the 7 million year history of hominids on earth systematic hunting of large herbivores for meat as existed. Thor. I'll say only 60,000 years. The first weapon is fear. Described as pretty much like a toothpick against the large herbivores. Was found only 400 years ago out of the 7 million year history of hominids. So for six and a half million years rather than man the hunter. Common is my better be characterized as. Walking. Giant giant hyena child. Protein on the go. Just as i might describe rabbits as major snack food. We were. About is dangerous. With these. Claws. And these fangs. Rather than the toughest kid on the block. Hominids. Have been. Historically the 60lb weaklings. Surviving. Only by our skills. A paying careful attention. By group cooperation. And by our communication skills. Run hide. Who are humans by nature. Who are we. Rather than the dominant life-form. On the top of the planetary. Food chain. Our heritage. According to the scientific evidence. For which we are indeed hardwired. Is for cooperation. For communication. And for interdependence. Do you know anybody that believes that. There's a couple. That's tribalism. It's a minority view folks. Only in recent human history. Have we learned to be. Predatory. Ravaging nature and each other. Manhunter turns out to be bad science. We can be anybody that we want to be. So who do we want. Humankind. Tubi. Here's some different ideas. Our european heritage involves a kind of. House a master slave mentality. That we are. Even to this day defined by our jobs and the roles in our market economy. Without the work identity we feel lost. How many of us feel that's true i felt that. As if we are non-persons. We are. Rjabs. We are defined by our choice of indentured servitude. To pay our mortgages. By our choice consumer choices. Also identify. We have become our roles as consumer worker. In an all-consuming economic system. From native american spirituality we're learning. We can be more than the master. Enslave the consumer and the worker. We can be in harmony with the earth. With our animal and human companions. We can be at harmony and in interdependence. Rather than in competition. And destruction. Each against all. We can be. Anybody that we want to be. This is the image of the green man. I don't know if you can recognize it. It's a common mask with a human. With a human face. And plant foliage. Data can be found in hidden corners. Of english french and german gothic cathedrals. A pagan image. There's not very many non patriarchal non-violent images of. Man. And culture. The only other one i. I have been able to discover. Is. Of the bowl in the minoan culture. That the. Tradition of bull leaping was a gentle. And vero bowl. In a ritual on a goddess ritual. Of women. The priestesses and they. Had this ritual of leaping. Bowles. An image of a different kind of male. But it this is another. Male image. Green manson image of males nurturing plants and animals. The face of husbandry. And it's traceable back to. Greek greco-roman eras especially pre-christian. Especially common. In celtic. England some 2000 images in celtic england. Don contrasty hebrew and christian scriptures. Instructing man to dominate and subdue the earth. Including animals in women. The pagan green man. And guy offer male and female images. The power we might choose. To nurture the ecosystem. We can be. Anybody that we want to be. The twentieth-century the 1950s paleontologist may have shaped our western imagination of humans as that are most basic nature being. Man the hunter. We can also be peacemakers. For 6600000 years. Of hominid ancestry. We survived predators. Viability. Pay attention. To cooperate. And to communicate with one another. You have to be a piece to do that. Today if we choose we can draw on this heritage of interdependence by nurturing three human skills of peacemaking. First by working for justin mutual relationships. Second by attentive. Negotiation calming conflict. Paying attention to the parties. Calling conflict and third by caring for one another healing the suffering. Peacemaking is articulate by quakers. In these three ways why is can be seen as central. To christianity. An example of jesus's life. First jesus sent his disciples out to share the common table. With everyone especially the poor in the outcast. What i would speak of his as making justice. Right relation. Second jesus placed himself physically among the people. Calming. And absorbing the violence. Directed at others. And third jesus showed his followers. How to reach out. To heal those victims of violence through his example of loving-kindness among the suffering in the outcasts. Throughout his day. Enter his great commission. To eat with the people. To share the common table. The choices before us i think. Who do we want to be. The peacemaking elements of. Justice. Of nonviolent presents. And healing are deep in our nature. As human beings. We can be. The people that we want to be. I'm the only measure of your words and your deeds will be. The love you leave behind. When you're gone. The love you leave behind.

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110704%20Rev%20Rod%20Debs.mp3

Good morning and welcome especially. Set cover everybody. Is a. Tradition with a proud heritage. Not very many people have seen snow. The tradition is here. Eva is a community of faith. That respect. The right of conscience. Every person and. We covenant. Drive to make a safe place. For everyone's to. Have their religious integrity. And to grow together. We welcome you here. They wonder why do you have a preacher. If indeed the right of conscience. Allows everyone to. To believe what they must. Integrity. Come out of there. The traditions where we have. Religious professionals. But my job is not the same as as other traditions of. Telling you how to think. What's the right way. Bedtime. I bring up. Issues for your consideration for your reflection. And strive always to honor. That we need not think alike. To level i. M1891. Benjamin harrison. Spoke before the united states senate and house. And he described the voting in this way. He said. A trust. Momentous and its influence upon our people and upon the world. Is for a brief time. Committed to us. The free and equal influence of the people. Can the choice of public officers. And in the control of public affairs. Well. The 2004 general election is over. Voting. That. Hopefully free and equal influence of the people. Has ended for another 2 years. Many unitarian versus across the country and i know some of you were among them. I were very busy registering new voters and. Getting the vote out. Most of us would agree with president lyndon johnson. Voting is the duty of the first duty of democracy. History. Record the suffragists struggle. For women's rights. Voting enfranchisement of african-americans for democracy. In the 1980s. I believe it was the eighties was midnight i think that's when these things happen. Our government celebrated the creation of democracies in nicaragua. Eating to national elections. And disappearances of political opponents. Despite bombing of alternative presses. And the murder of america. Archbishop romero. For criticizing the military outfit. Oppression. Ansonia national elections in afghanistan. And scheduled as defining characteristic. Of democracy. Voting. As i watch the election results tuesday night. I had. A terrible feeling of helplessness. Now that my vote was cast but there's nothing more that i could do. I. 2. Work so hard for so many months. Some of you standing with signs on the road. Just organizing. Doing so many different things. You just. And your commitment till the next voting takes place. The citizenship. In a democracy is nothing more than a ballot. That takes place every two years. And i have to confess that i never really. Realized it before. But representative democracy. Gives the impression. That your civic duty as a citizen. Is limited. Depending on whether your candidates win or lose. You feel triumphant. For helpless. As if there's nothing more to do. You voted. And that's it. Representative democracy. Involved delegating winning candidate. We often abdicate all our responsibility. For government to them. Until the next national election. This just struck me. And it struck me that citizenship. Is more than voting. So what is it. Imagine if all the energy we have exercised educating ourselves in the issues in these recent months. Talking sprint. 30 of them and i think there's another 10 on my living room floor that i haven't slept yet. What is citizenship activities actually. Increase now. Abruptly ending for the next 2 years. Citizenship. Can be so much more than voting. I'd like to offer two contrasting views of citizenship. Difference. Religious i'll call them perspectives of what it means. To be fully human. We can either view ourselves as persons in community. Individuals. In markets. Persons in community. Would measure success. Life success. In terms of the sustainable communities. In mutual participation everyone participating. Each contributing to the well-being of others. The concept of humanity as persons in community. Individuals in markets. Measure success in terms of growth. And dominion of market share. Domination. Accumulating and consuming as much. Goods and services is possible. And this i didn't make it feel like in john claude and sustaining the common good. Are we persons in community. Are we individuals. Cinemark. In the political arena individuals in marcus. Global economic and military preeminence. Preeminence. A softer sounding combination. Preeminent. You probably heard the name paul wolfowitz before. The second-in-command at the pentagon. Officially the deputy defense secretary in 1992. As undersecretary of defense for policy. Key roads and internal policy brief for then-president bush. That advocated. Preemption. Rather than containment. Those nations that disagree with us. And unilateral action for united states interest president. George h.w. bush. As too extreme. The time. When is september of the year 2000. The project for the new american century. Project for the new american century. Release their document entitled rebuilding america's defenses. Could you pause. A blueprint for maintaining united states. Preeminence. Precluding. The rise of the great power rival. And shaping the international security order in line with american. Principles and interest. The document reads quote. At united states faces no global rifle. America's grand strategy should aim to preserve. And expanded advantageous position as far into the future as possible. The neoconservative mealtimes as some call them. Of the project for the new american century. Include. Defense secretary rumsfeld. National security council directors middle east affairs. Elliott abrams. Wolfowitz and others. And they now create the united states foreign policy. A preserving and extending. Us global. Preeminence. And this policy. Makes perfect sense. Too many americans. By the re-election of the bush administration this week. And the vote. Approximately 321. In favor in our communities. Now in contrast to the. To the growth of you of individuals and markets. Dealers and john cobb describes a perspective of persons in community. That box is more concerned. With healthy and sustainable community. Done with gross and domination of market. I see some similar focus. And other sources for example. I see persons in community in the us. Catholic bishops 1986 pastor a letter entitled. Economic justice for all. Specifically the concept of contributive justice which works to empower the disadvantaged. Everyone. To contribute to society. The focus on person in community. Although christian litoralis interpret the christian gospel is blood sacrifice in redemption for human skin. Manny unitarian universalist. Many mainstream christians. Read the life and teachings of jesus and of the early christian communities. That's the gospel of kindness and generosity especially toward the poor and outcast. Reading from scripture insofar as you've done it. Unto the least of these. You've done it unto me. The words of jesus in the gospels. Again the view of the us catholic bishops of many. Mainstream christian environmentalists as well. Is the focus on sustainable. Wellbeing. A person in a global community. Not competition. As individuals. For market share. Preeminence. The 2004 election was brutal. It felt like a battle for electoral market. How do you bring a message of home. Four persons in community. When the dominant. Practice. In the political marketplace. Is the practice of conquest. And preeminence. Well edwin markham road. He drew a circle that shut me out. Heretic. Rebel thing to flout. But love and i had the wit to win. We drew a circle. Took him in. Fine sentiments. How exactly do to finish. The world is a bloody. Competitive market. Abusive rhetoric. And sometimes downright. Disinformation. How do you have. A mutual relationship. With those who would demonize and exclude others maybe you. Participation. Booker t washington the african-american educator. During the era of jim crow. Exclusion route. And i quote. I will permit no man to narrow. And degrade my soul. By making me hate him. St thomas aquinas in the 13th century road. We must love. Those whose opinions we share. And those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth. And both. Has helped us. In the finding of. But when it comes down to the emotions of it all. Relating to those who has the bible says strikeouts on the cheek. One does not simply turn the other cheek. Without some process of spiritual reflection inside. I know booker t washington let me tell you. For saint thomas. My perspective and beliefs are the product. Have ideas and experiences all the way back from my childhood. Thought processes mentors. Reading. And that's made up my world. If i had the right circumstances. I would have something of their perspectives. As much as i find them offensive. There's no justification. My rage. At the views of others of indeed. There but for the twist of fate july. Where's my mother used to say there but further. The grace of god. As someone else said there but for the grace of god go i. No basis for rage. Jean bethke. Open nest. And differences. That embraces less purity. Ceaseless the dangers in others. That can practice live-and-let-live. That is where these reflections bleed. That's scary isn't it. Openness to foreign this and differences. Embraces last purity. Or should i say self-righteousness. And hence these last danger. And others. They can practice live-and-let-live. That is where these reflection bleed. In reflecting. Find a limit to what i can stomach. I do not find myself. Able. To actually speak out offensive rhetoric. Literature i just cannot read. That rhetoric in that hateful sofas tree. Of many who oppose holistic views of persons in community. Some brilliant. Think tanks out there. I'm sorry. I can't handle it. My mother used to say. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof i don't have to go out looking. For what is defensive and spiritually. My daily life gives me plenty. And differences into those things that are offensive. Growth opportunities to look beyond. Plenty of opportunities for spiritual growth by seeking to understand. The source in dynamics taking place around me. A hand. The wise college once explained to me. That we grow during crises. During crises. He explained when we're comfortable. There's no energy for challenging our current views. No energy for changing. He was speaking churches actually. When the church is comfortable. There's no. Synergy. It's only one crisis comes at the energy flows and where. Able to. Do some self-reflection. It's one of those. Crises that are. Arrived. Response in the time of crisis. Also energy. Openness to different perspectives. And the growth of exploring. Possible change. Quote from an eight-year-old by the name of mica. Have a child said if you want to learn to love better. You should start with a friend. Could you hate. Eight-year-old nika. Start with a loved one. Who's perspective is deeply offensive. Some of you. Boats going. Opposite ways this past week. That's a challenging place to be. Seek first the study circles. I don't know if you've heard about him. Study circle. Conversations they say seek first to understand. Before being understood. Everyone wants to be settled. But it's only insofar as they are not settled. That there is any hope. He's talking about us everyone. I always want to be settled. Comfortable. But it's only insofar as i'm not. There's any hope for me. We need to be riled. Riled up so that we learn to practice. Citizenship. Between those november votes every two years. We need to have some energy flowing folks. We need to be unsettled. We need to set aside some of our private absorption. Did the markets of accumulating goods. Okay i'll say it the way i should say. I need to set aside. Accumulating goods and entertain. Citizenship memes activity. Working to make our global community. More hole. The danger of winning or losing an election is that we observe ourselves. For we absorb ourselves in different feelings if there's nothing we can do now. We lost. Both. Preclude our further active citizenship. For the sake of a better world. There's a joke. Remember. Maybe you'll think of a joke. But the ending seems relevant to this election season in this is the ending. There must be a pony in here somewhere. Okay. Do you remember the classic story to kill a mockingbird. Harper lee. The author. Okay well i mean. Character speaks to his child. Quote. I wanted you to see what real courage is. Instead of getting the idea. The courage. With a gun. The idea that trade with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin. But you begin anyway. And you see it through. No matter what. Email exchange. For permission so i'll quarter anonymously you can read it. And this is what she wrote. We have to look in the mirror and say. That we tried. And that we're going to keep trying. We're going to maintain our belief in the democratic process. However disillusioned we may be at this point. And we're going to keep on truckin. We will not touch our tails beneatha's. We will be. Losers. Or may i add winners. Who persevere. And someone. Elsie may know robert f kennedy said. Each time we stand up for an ideal. Or act to improve the lots of others. Or strike out against injustice. We send forth. A tiny ripple of hope. And crossing each other from. Of energy and daring. Those ripples. Build a current. Which can sweep down. The mightiest walls. Depression and resistance. Changing the wind. We do it. I want to close this morning with a prayer the story and a song. A big part of the tradition of of the clergy. Is the past down. The wisdom today. It's not just in one. Sometimes it's a prayer. The first a prayer by cesar cesar chavez. Show me the suffering of the most. So i will know my people. Brothers. For you are present. In every person. Grant me courage to serve others. Foreign service. True life. Give me honesty. And patience. So that i can work with other workers. Bring forth song. And celebrate. To the spirit alive. Let the spirits flourish and grow. So that we will never tire of the struggle. Let us remember those. Who have died for justice. For they have. Given us. Help us. Love. Even though. 2 hater. So we can change the world. Noah story. This comes from a book called insight meditation. He writes in a friend's son. Was in the first grade of school. And it's teacher after class what's the color of apples. Most of the chant children answer brad. You said green. Kevin my friend son raised his hand and said. And the teacher try to explain. That nevermind. And kevin was quite insistent. Finally said. Look inside. Storyteller. Frites. Perception. Without mindfulness. Keeps us on the surface of thing. And we often miss other levels of reality. Panda song. The incy wincy spider. Began to weave a web. Up down. She kept her silky thread. Out from the center. Round and round. Tell the incy wincy spider. Connected. Everyone.

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VLR_122_Being_Peace.mp3

A different trinity respect freedom and justice for all persons the unitarian universalist the uncommon denomination on the web at uua.org. Hello and welcome to the tabs. The following sermon entitled being peace was presented by reverend rod deb's at the youth fellowship of the emerald coast in valparaiso florida. December 12th 2010. Sometimes say. I put it into my text. Some of the founders of our country where unitarian. John adams. Abigail john quincy adams worth. Members of the quincy. Massachusetts congregation of unitarians. Thomas jefferson and identified himself as in his private letters as unitarian. Sociology was identical with that of joseph priestley. The british. Unitarian. And the elder statesman. Of our nation's founders benjamin franklin. Was a member of joseph priestley's unitarian chapel in london. And this is important because the founders. Hibernation believed in the right of conscience. The phrase it's also used in our covenant. They have seen religious coercion. And even violent religious discrimination practiced in the colonies. The anglicans in virginia especially brutal in their suppression of baptist. So the founders wanted the new nation. To guarantee religious freedom the right of conscience. And religious integrity. Benjamin franklin. Was. Became very influential. Throughout the colonies because of. The common sense. Advise published. Poor richard's almanac. Speaking of peace. Franklin's advice reads. He that would live in peace and at ease. Let's not speak all he knows. Nor judge all he sees. Just kind of had a way with words today. I think there's a lot of wisdom in that. Franklin's advice is to. Keep your own counsel don't speak all you know. Rather than to contradict or set straight everyone you think is in error. At his place. In history. Science and reason were daily. Contradicting. Popular views. Without even disputing with anyone. Franklin was called a devil by the clergy. Because of his adventures the lightning rod. I need it save many homes. From burning. And some clergy believe at franklinton invention. Forked gods intended punishment of the wicked. Goodbye that got it intended to burn their barns their homes and their businesses. Better to avoid. Endless disputation. I've let the evidence speak for itself. Better to resist. Judging other people. Beliefs and behaviors. And most. Atmos task. How's that working for you. One of my favorite christmas carols this holiday season. Tells of angels appearing to shepherds. Peace on earth 2. All goodwill. From heaven the news we bring. The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. I'm reminded of the words of the hebrew prophet jeremiah who declared. They have healed the wound of my people likely. Saying peace peace. Weather is no peace. Kids sometimes watch sporting competitions. And dream of receiving the huge trophy. Okay i love trophy i should have brought a couple of the rabbit trophies with me. We dream of winning the big game or performing before thousands. Receiving that parchment we can hang out or walls. With the letters after our name. But do i love the process of getting there. Feeding and watering rabbits day after day after day. Come rain or snow. They got 34 below it. In the rabbitry in iowa one day. Building cages and shoveling manure. Breathing in. Keeping meticulous. Pedigree. Lots of rabbits. Coming in 10th and 12th. How many aspiring football heroes. Dream of the process of running stadium steps. Or the bruises and sprains and the injuries of practice. Running up against the guy or a guy running up against you. That is twice as big as you. Or is it making the winning touchdown. Holding high the trophy. Receiving praise from peers. That we want. Politicians preachers and well-wishers declare. Peace be with you. Peace on earth to all goodwill. But do we celebrate the work. That makes for peace. The work of justice. Head of compassion. Let me read the rest of that passage of jeremiah. Around that. Famous versi said. To whom shall i speak and give warning. That they may hear. Behold their ears are closed. They cannot listen. About my people. They lurk like fowler's lying and wait they set a trap they catch men. Their houses are full of treachery. Therefore they have become great and rich. They're grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds indecent wickedness. They judge not with justice. The cause of the fatherless to make it prosper. They do not defend the rights of the needy. 4some the least to the greatest of them everyone is greedy. For unjust gain. And from prophet the priest. Everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound my people lightly. Saying. Peace. Peace. When there is no pee. Perhaps we should be. Should not being greeting. Or sending a piece. This holiday season. But saying. Compassion be with you. And sing. Justice on earth. To all goodwill. No. We prefer dreaming of the trophy. More than visualizing. The work required to make it so. Me too. This morning i will not focus on just social policies that build peace we saying we'll build a land where we bind up the broken. If what you wish you can look up. The united nations peacebuilding commission. And the eight millennium development goals necessary for peace. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger the first. Achieve universal primary education is the second. Promote gender equality and empower women was the third. Reduce child mortality rate. Afford. The fifth was improve maternal health. The 6th combat hiv-aids malaria and other diseases. The seventh ensure environmental sustainability in the eighth. Develop a global partnership for development. Va. Cop. Goals for development. By the. Peacebuilding. But locally i believe we are already at work at peacebuilding. Hit our local community by our work. Together and individually in. Let me get some examples in support of opportunity place. For the homeless shelter house for. Survivors of domestic violence. Sharing and caring. For the hungry the underemployed be unemployed. Providing food. Just the name the most obvious. I believe that many in our community recognize the truth of the saying. If you want peace work for justice. We are engaged. And seeking to extend the privileges we enjoyed our nation. To ever greater numbers of marginalized. And disenfranchised people. Right now i will. Not preach to inquire about that. Social justice i think. You're engaged to that work. The spiritual inside where the rubber of relationships it's the roads. Is express by ben franklin. He that would live in peace and it is. Must not speak all he knows. Your judge. All he sees. Do we believe that we will build peace in our relationships with neighbors. And coworkers. By abstaining. From disputation. Abstaining from judging. Being silent. If we do avoid confrontation if we refuse to stand up against. What we judged to be mistaken and ill-advised. There's harsher words for those thing. Falsehood and evil. Are we simply going along to get along. Is there a way to engage others. That facilitates spiritual growth. On our part as well as theirs. A way to engage. Emily dickinson. Clarifies franklin's advice i think for living. Mp sanity's with others. Tell all the truth. Pellets lamp. Success in circuit. Too bright for our infirmary delight. The truth. Superb surprise. As children. As lightning. To the children e. With explanation kind. The truth. Graduate. For everyone. Reply. I love that. Tell the truth. Patella. Excessive circuit. Too bright for our and ferns alike. The truth. Superb surprise. It's lightning. To the children eve. His explanation. The truth must. Das. Graduate. Are everyone. I confessed it over the years i have sharpened my sword. For intellectual battle with intimidating religious dogmatist. And i have my zingers which i'm going to share with you. I could characterize the blood redemption plan. The god's only begotten son died on the cross. And sacrifice for the sins of the world. I can call it. Divine child abuse. Goodwin. Open ask what kind of a god cannot accept his sinful children. As we humans forgive our children. Without the barbaric brutality of blood sacrifice. 1 star pizza. Speaking with those who read the bible according to modern literal interpretations. What about balaam's talking donkey. In numbers 22. Do you really believe balaam's donkey talk. I know we believe the snake pit in the garden. But the donkey. Do they read john 1:29 stickers when i heard recently. We enjoy this too much do they read john 1:29 literally the jesus is the lamb of god. Complete with hole in little hugs. I got my gachas. But my experience is that such arguments. Don't work. Rather success. In circuit lies. Turning down the gotchas. The leathers don't feel like i'm trying. I'm trying as one of our exchange student said interiors. You're trying to destroy my. Whatever we say in dialogue with people of diverse faiths. Will cause pain. An alienated less it is tempered. By compassion. Unless we tell it slam. In talking with people of other faiths including biblical literalism. I have more success. In asking about and listening. The meaning of their face. In finding. What i can affirm in another person's religious sentiments. Each of us must have. The right of conscience. To believe what our integrity demands of us. And that means fundamentalist to. The world peace newsletter offers this inside. When we are selfish. And judgmental we fail. But separately. And together. When we all give we all receive. We get what we give. Give hate and anger. Get warren poverty. Give love and compassion. Get peace. And prosperity. That is the way of both the individual. And the world. Peace is not merely the absence of war and hatred. But also the presents. The cooperation. Compassion. And worldwide justice. And quote. Gladys said about trading peace in the heart. As well as peace in the nation's there's a famous. Buddhist. Saying that i think it's the back of ammo. But it's not the goal the trophy at the end. That will bring success. It's the path. The path p. The process. Of acting with compassion. Cooperation injustice. Cuz that will build inner peace relational peace. Global peace. It's a practice. If loving kindness. It overcomes all distant differences. The heals all wounds. What's the flight all fears. The reconciles. All were separate. So many say our nation is a christian nation and certainly christianity that shaped much of our nation's character. For good or ill. Nevertheless. The hearts. What are nations peoples. Are they first and religious sentiment. Regardless of what church they attend or don't attend. Regardless of the beliefs that they articulate. Or reject. Ars. Is a gloriously. Interfaith and secular society. Wonderful society. In which to explore. And a blessed one another. Faith. I'm just making a side here. There's some countries. Where. Real practical purposes. Cesar monolithic. This is such a gift. Maybe walk the path of compassion. Kindness and mutual respect. And no peace. It all our relationship. It goes far beyond. Holiday sentimentality. Go forth and fellowship. That quality of relationship. About human beings. The respects. That listens. And that invites hidden possibilities. And gently. Summon speech. To our better selves. We hope you've enjoyed your presentation. Please send any of your comments or feedback to vlr at ufc.com feel free to access our extensive library of audio and text sermon at you ufc.com and you can also find out more about unitarian universalism by visiting uua.org thanks again for listening. Going to church means different things to different people and sometimes for some people they need something different from what they found increasingly people returning to the unitarian universalist illiberal religious community we're different people with different beliefs gatherers 1 faith in their intellectual and spiritual search for truth and meaning in their lives unitarian universalist and the welcome. The uncommon denomination.

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VLR_126_It_Matters_What_You_Believe.mp3

A different trinity respect freedom and justice for all persons the unitarian universalist the uncommon denomination on the web at uua.org. Hello and welcome to the voices and religion podcast with your host reverend rod debs. Falling sermon entitled it matters what you believe was presented by reverend rod dad's at the u fellowship of the emerald coast am february 6th 2011. Most sunday mornings like this one eye when i speak i welcome newcomers with that introduction. That unitarian versus congregations religious community gathered. Not around any particular beliefs but gathered. With a promise. That we. We'll behave ourselves. We will behave in such a way that he's person. Will feel safe in their personal integrity. Rather than requiring belief its behavior. That we covenant. Behavior mutual trust and support. At the core of our. Gathering are gathered community. I sometimes speak of thomas jefferson as a unitarian small you. Hi there were no unitarian. Universalist unitarian churches. At that time. In the colonies that were. Specifically identified is. As church of england or is puritan. And very oppressive of the baptist for example. But. I speak of thomas jefferson's unitarian in his commitment to the right of conscience. Along with many of the other founders. And he went so far as to declare as you seeing your order service. Difference of opinion. Is helpful and religion. Now isn't that shocking. At the origin of our unitarian. Religion of the unitarian part of a religion in the 16th century. Francis david. Who live 1510 1579 he was. Bishop of the court of king john sigismund. He declared. We need not. Think alike. You've heard this said before. I consider that relay to be. The beginning of our unitarian. Religious tradition. There were. Other beliefs of tolerance before that but. It's not believing a lie he was saying. But our mutual behavior of mutual relation. Mitchell relation of love. That unites us in religious community. Francis david was murdered. Later years after king sigismund died. Marjorie by the jesuits. Before his religious. What they called innovations. They continue to grow. And his beliefs. For his religious ed innovations but under the reign of. Transylvania's unitarian king dog drugs. For the first time in history. Have you looked of religious toleration. What's made the law of the nation. The first time in history. Now. I moved out of our vestibule that little tripod that little. Berry college. With a picture. And i hope so take a few moments to view the print and the description of the painting commemorated the edict of religious toleration. By the diet of korda. Is prominently displayed i believe it's in the city of cola smile romania. Today. A very large painting but we have a small one with a description help you look at that. But we just really. A reading. Responsive reading by this woman. I found this someone didn't know who this was my phone. This is sophie alliance paws let me tell you so that everybody knows. Mississippi line for 1876 to 1978. And she contributed. Very largely to the renaissance. Of unitarianism from the 1930s to the 19. 50s. With her the new beacon series and religious education. And she wrote. It matters. What you believe. Some beliefs are divisive. Separating to save from the unsaved. Friends. Enemies. Other beliefs are bombs in world community. We're sincere differences beautify the pad. Some beliefs are like blinders. Shutting off the power to choose one's own direction. Other beliefs. I like gateway. Open wide vista. Press play. Expiration. Sofia lion faucett matters. What we believe. Maybe you've noticed. What appears to be a if i already. We need not think alike to love alike. Difference. In religion. Is very helpful. But it matters what we believe. I hope you see that. Apparent. Contradiction. I'd like you to. Join with me in a thought experiment. Okay. Fantasy focus st francis doesn't me. Opposing generalization that i'm going to. 2. Back. Might reasonably be thought. Beetroot both true. Observe weather. When you entertain each of these views. Separately whether it creates each one creates a different. Feeling. And. Likely different behavior. So let's begin with these. Dogs bite. Absolutely image. You have in your life. Dogs bite. Another image. Dogs are playful. Noticing that you have now. When i think dogs bite. I'm fearful and not likely to reach out the dogs. It reminds me of benefits.. Regardless of my actual experience. What i hold the idea did. Dogs are playful. When i. Think of that. I relax i look for signs playfulness. And grab it anytime ants. To play. Let's try another one. Consider this. Children are delightful. Children are delightful. Children are uncontrollable. Okay are you going to two different. Images. Children are uncontrollable. We all have pictures running through our hair. 110 each of these thoughts i feel differently toward children. That i need regardless of how they act. Weather regardless of that particular child act. I think. I think i would behave differently depending on the beliefs. That i hold. How about this one. People are untrustworthy. People are untrustworthy. People are endlessly interesting. People are endlessly interesting. What other tvs to different ideas. The one generates. Beer. And defensive behavior in me. The other generates curiosity and. A tendency to be open-hearted and engaging. Okay. Hospital work dangerous. Black men are dangerous. Notice your feelings. Black man are grilling it. Really. When i entertain each of these. Believes. My mind conjures up images that create fear in the first case. And delight. And the second. Should i adopt one or the other of these beliefs. And nurture that in my. Thinking. I think i would probably behave differently. When confronted. Buy real. Persons. Regardless. They were. It matters. What we believe. Animals and children. Women. And then. Immigrants. And people of color. No one deserves the negative projections. That we pile onto them. They do not deserve the negative behavior. Let me bring along with our prejudices in our. Negative beliefs. Our beliefs do matter. Our beliefs can do harm. They can also heal. I don't know who referred this person to be bit somebody's email. The internationally known spiritual advisor byron katie. Offers for questions to ask. Of our beliefs. Number why is it true. Number two. Can you absolutely know it's true. Number three. How do you react what happens. When you believe that song. The number for. Who would you be. Without that thought. She writes and i quote. I discovered that what i believed my thoughts. I suffered. But that what i didn't believe them i didn't suffer. And that this is true for every human being. Freedom is as simple as that. I found the suffering is optional. I found a jar within me that has never disappeared not for a single moment. That joy is in everyone. Always. You can find it under. The work.com. If we were to ask of our beliefs is it true is it absolutely true. Remind discover that the truth. Of our beliefs. Is not absolute. Not in all cases. How could we possibly know. The absolute truth. Crap you would do well to consider. What happened. When we believe various different. Beliefs. Perhaps we might choose to hold in our minds. More generous. More gracious thoughts. Because i believe changes. That our projections. Also influence others. Whatever is think good things about me. Weather more critical judgments might be to some degree while grounded or not. Their gracious judgment. And their behavior draws out. Better behavior from me. I live up to their. Better judgement. The part part. Insta resist living down. To their negative discouraging judgement. Their projection. What we believe about the universe. Also matters. If your metaphor. For reality is that of a violent. Judgmental father god. A reality that demands obedience. And crucifixion of god's own child to appease his anger for human offenses. Did i suggest your personal family relations. Your national. In international relations will likely. Reflect. Violent punishment as well. Rebecca parker rice it. The first thousand years of christianity. Never saw images. Of the tortured son of god twisting on the cross. And the two books are blessing the world in. Saving paradise how christianity. Traded love of this world for crucifixion and empire. Despite the violence of imperial rome. First thousand years of christian iconography. Displayed creation as paradise. Creation is paradise. The liberal christian metaphor. That. I want liberal christians day you can find. Has been of a gentle. Nurturing peridot mother father god. The nurturers humanity. To create this paradise on. Such a metaphor matters. It matters for our. Family relations. For national and international relations as well. If you. If you embrace of metaphor of the universe is indifferent and meaningless. Your response to your global life companions. Maybe. Narcissistic and indifferent. If you embrace an evolutionary metaphor of the interconnected reality changing over time into ever more complicated. Forms. Then the emergence of elements of bacteria of fungi of fern of dinosaur human. Display. Purpose. The meaning. Each. Playing our own unique. I'll say precious roll. In this expanding story. The great. Story of life. Your belief. Bandung. Interconnectedness. Will matter. For your family relations. For national relations and international. Whether there's indifference. Or whether there's meaning. It matters what we believe if you believe universe is indifferent or that it is violent. And vindictive. You may find it difficult. Tumblr. Unitarian universalist covenant of mutual trust and support. Hazard unitarian universalist principles declare. Grateful for the religious pluralism. Which is it in richardson and nobles are faith. At the same time. Our religious pluralism insofar as we gather and mutual trust and support. Enriches and broadens our. Private perspective. Andar. Limiting metaforest whichever one we happen to bring in the door with. Parker palmer rights. The great gift we receive on the inner journey. Is the certain knowledge. That ours is not the only acting town. Anonymous source offers this view of truth. A conclusion is the park. When you get tired of thinking. And then there was unitarian benjamin frank. Who wrote. In his autobiography. I've experienced many instances of being obliged. Buy better information or for consideration. To change opinions. That the older i get. The more after him. To doubt my own judgments. And to pay attention to the judgment of others. Okay. Let's go to a catholic saint thomas aquinas. From 12:25 to 12 7040. Gyros. We must love them both. Those whose opinions we share those whose opinions we were jacked. For both sides labor. In the search for truth. And both have helped us. In the finding of it. Enclosing probably that's a good. Warm up to her. Small group discussions. Beautiful. Explanation. Plural perspectives. Listen to words of calum cabral. You are my brothers and sisters. Here is my. Companions along the path of light. And my aide and understanding. The meaning of hidden truth. I love you for your truth. Derive from your knowledge. I respect it. As a divine. For it is. The deed of the spirit. Your trees. Show me my trees in blend together. Like the fragrance of flowers. And become. One hole. An eternal truth. Perpetuating. And living in the eternity of love. And beauty. We hope you've enjoyed our presentation. Please send any of your comments or feedback to vlr at you ufc.com. Feel free to access our extensive library of audio and text sermons at you ufc.com and you can also find out more about unitarian universalism by visiting uua.org. Thanks again for listening. Going to church means different things to different people and sometimes for some people they need something different from what they found increasingly people are turning to the unitarian universalist allegro religious community we're different people with different beliefs gathers one faith in their intellectual and spiritual search for truth and meaning in their lives unitarian universalist unitarian welcome to join us. The uncommon denomination.

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060406_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

In st louis this year. At the general assembly of the unitarian universalist association. Poet mary oliver. Will present the where lecture it's a famous. Old tradition. One of the historic highlights of our. General assembly with some grape prestigious international or national. Figure speaking. And this morning i invite you to consider a question that mary oliver the poet. Razors in her poem entitled spring this is one of the collections. Poems house of lies. This is a. Consider this question that she raises. She writes. Somewhere. A black bear. Has just risen from sleep. And is staring. Down the mount. All night in the. Briskin shallow restlessness. Everly spring i think of her. Her for black fist. Flicking the gravel. Her tongue. Like a red fire. Touching the grass. The coldwater. There is only one question. How to love this world. I think of her. Rising. Like a black and leafy ledge. To sharpen her claws against. The silence. Of the trees. Whatever else my wife is with its poems and it's music. And it's glass cities. It is also. This dazzling darkness. Coming. Down the mountain. Breathing and tasting. All day i think of her. Her white teeth. Her worthlessness. Her perfect love. The black bear. Her perfect. Love. Coming. Down the mountain. Breathing tasting. Wordless. Mary oliver right there's only one question. There is only one question. How did love this world. And i think she's right. The only worthy occupation. Is loving. This living breathing. World. And of course figuring out how. About a deco decade ago about 700 unitarian-universalist ministries imagine that. I gather. At our. Asphalt springs. Convocation and struggled with this question a different question what is the center of our faith. And that initiated. A lot of further contemplation and. Trial balloons sermons. Unitarian universalist. God. Cannot be the center. Of. Are face. That damning. King and judge made in our own human image. From translate. God to mean. The life force connecting us all. The web of life. You heard me reframe. The notion of god abandoning the projection of god as a white bearded dude in the sky. Rather. Speaking. About. This. Unfathomable reality. Beyond our human ability to comprehend. The way it is. Justice ancient hebrews forbid idols. Moulton and graven images. Love god. They also forbid verbal images god names as idolatrous. Verbal. Until i say mental images. We might hold as. Ideas. Are no less idols. They're merely human attempts to grasp. To frame. Unfathomable reality. Now buddhist speak. About sitting with a calm mind. I'm paying attention to quote. The way it is. Unquote. As it presents itself to us. Pay attention. They say. Be awake. Aware of the way it is. Perhaps. Religion. Is not about beliefs. The perhaps religion is a posture. Posture. Of calm. And humble attentiveness. Before reality. As it presents itself. Wordless. The president of our unitarian universalist association of congregations. Bill sinkford. Racism. You you temperatures. By calling for a language of reverence. Among us irreverent. A lot. We may not agree on a name. For that central something. Worthy of our religious sentiments. But might we not at least. Embrace. A language of reverence. Or several of them. A number of mayuyu colleagues have begun referring to the holy. I heard it at the uu ministers convocation so many years ago. And wondered why so many of my respected colleagues. Well several. You know i'd come to the same. Perm. I wondered if it wasn't just code for god. The same all-powerful creative force. But without the shape of a man. Holy. Then i reviewed the work first published. In 1923. Does heilige. By rudolph auto and translated 1958. The holy. Rudolph auto road. That religion starts with experiences. Experiences of overpowering this. It's not that we. Suddenly that we suddenly grasped the truth is by revelation. But that we are dressed. Buy some experience. Of overwhelming. Oh or wonder. Ecstasy your. Even. Horror. We are grass. By a sense of. Mysterium tremendum. Mystery. This is both overpowering and fascinating. The point is that. We do not suddenly get a grasp. Upon what is holi. Rather the source of religion. Is an experience of being grasped. Buy something that takes our breath away. The chills us to the bone. The flesh is us. With emotions we cannot express. Shaking experiences. Melted into a puddle. For some. It is death of a loved one. The brutality of war. The butchering of an animal. For some it's the ecstasy of making love. Childbirth. A tiny hand. Reaching up to yours. For some. First-hand experience of a volcano. Hurricane. Tsunami. Lightning. House fire. Experience of disease. Of mutilation. The genocide. Experience of the sun. Blazing. The crashing rivers. Of the ocean swelling. The view from the high mountain peaks. The forest. Perhaps close contact with four-legged animals. With wings. Or scaled or leathery creatures of all kinds. We're exploring the planets. Stars. The constellations. And then there's. Microscopic. The drivers feeling of a formula car. River motorcycle. A locomotive. I remember standing next to the track. A jet airplane. That you're piloting. A rocket. Nuclear bomb. And then there's gene splicing. Where is the end of the wonders. The grass bus. In wordless. Overpowering. To be grasped by all-in wonders the origin of religion. To be religious. Is to pay attention. Religion is a. Cluster of attentiveness. Too overwhelming unfathomable reality. But also. Tusimple. Insignificant gifts of the moment. Unitarian jacob trap. Wrote. Quote i am amazed to the point of ecstasy. At the miracle of awareness. Life. Brings me freshness. As an ineffable gift. To be sacrilegious is to be self-absorbed. To pay no attention. To the wonders that embraces moment-by-moment. To disdain. Our companions on life's journey. Mary oliver rights quotes. There is only one question. How to love this world. The journey of religious faith. Is an exploration. Of what is worthy of our wonder. Worthy of our attentiveness. Various religions shows different ways of paying attention. In different cultures and different times. But this morning i would have warned you of one deception that lies in the nature of human language. Language of divert our attention. From wondrous reality of being alive. As a child i read the book treasure island. Have the pictures in mine. What a wonderful pie pirate story in. Island fantasy. I read swiss family robinson egg. Kids version of robinson crusoe. Located. Also on an island. A world. Challenged exploration in. Invention. The black stallion series. Caught my fancy including the black stallion and flame. Each book. Painted. A desert island. With horse companionship. Come to think about it. Peter pan had neverland right. And tom and huck had their island. And their raft on the mississippi. Many books. Hate or imagination. A mythical alternative world. To explore. Full of adventure adventure. And discovery. It's language itself. The lures us. To the realm of pure ideas and away from experience and all its. Illusions. In the story of the cave in plato's republic. The philosopher saw to release the slaves. Changing. The cave. Of images of images. The real world. Imagined. For plato. The realm of. Pure ideas. Was more change leslie real. Then our experiential reality. With its sensory misperceptions. It's lies in this chicanery. From simple language. Are useful communication about the real-world tables. And chairs and people and animals. We get the word table. And the idea of. Table nastase. What it means to be a table. Free of imperfections. That we experienced in real life. No splinters. No wobble. No stains no gouges. Just the right height. And light. Tomato. From the noun. Table. We get the idea of the pure form of table. Perfect. Pay bonus. For plato the realm of pure forms had a greater reality. Dependability. And a greater worth. The imperfect world of experience. It's a short leap of imagination from the verb to be. This is a cow. I am happy. To talk about. Being in itself. And a wonder it. Perfect being. Free of the particularities. Of everything that is. Something-or-other. It has been a short leap of imagination from the adjectives of powerful and good and loving. And righteous. First to take. Press talking primates. Begin riding and painting our projections of perfect power. Imperfect goodness. Perfect love. And righteousness. Gods. In an ideal earth we call heaven. It's written down as revealed to us. An ancient texts of scripture. Of words. And images. Ideas. Nouns and verbs and adjectives. Taken out of their context of human communication about particular things in real life experience. The pier to our imagination. Perfect ideas. More worthy of our attention. Goodness. Perfected in god. Seems to our imagination to be more worthy of our attention. The imperfect goodness we experience. In ourselves and with our friends. In the world. Language itself seduces us. From being grasped and on wonder. At the world. And into the realm of pure ideas ideologies. An otherworldly idolatry. My colleague kendall gibbons rights in the latest. World. Magazine you your world. Quote. The holy. Is nothing but the ordinary. Held up to the light. And profoundly seen. The holy. It's not some abstract supernatural something somewhere. They're only. Holy moments. Wherein we are awake. And paying attention. Then we're grasp. By simple. Beauty. Simple kind. Little energies. Little surprises. Tiny gifts. Water. Are. Breath. Shadows. The sweeter. The holy. Is only. In the particularities of living. What would it take. For us to draw our attention away from. Are idle images of ideal worlds. And ideologies of ideas. What would it take for us to come home to this world. The world that presents itself to us. Moment-by-moment. What would it take. Russ to be awake. And to pay attention. To the way it is. Mary oliver road. There's only one question. How. Tell of this world. I want to close with. Her poem. The summer day. Who made the world. Who made the swan. And the black bear. Who made the grasshopper. This grasshopper i mean. The one. Who has flung herself out of the grass. One who is eating sugar out of my hand. Who is moving her jaws back and forth. Instead of up and down. Who is gazing around. With her enormous. And complicated eyes. Now she lives her pale. Forearms. And thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open. And floats away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention. How to fall down into the grass. How to kneel down in the grass. How to be idle. And blessed. How to stroll through the fields. Which is what i've been doing all day. Tell me. What else. Should i have done. Doesn't everything. Diet last. And too soon. Tell me. What is it. You plan to do. With your one wild and precious life.

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072405%20Richard%20Hoffert%20-%20Redneck%20Spirituality.mp3

I'm happy to be here. Why we frequently listen to speakers on many mysterious and faraway versions of spirituality. We have overlooked what is it our doorstep. Here on this very sure we are in the roaming area of the boggy bayou boys. Several months ago the daily news reported on a new teen center in crestview. A girl was quoted as saying that at last she will have a place to go without returning with red dirt on her shoes. Yes we have plenty of good redneck activities here. My inspiration to address redneck spirituality began several years ago at a fellowship retreat at wakulla springs. We sat and hours of lectures and films. Our moderator told us to take a nature awareness walk. And returned with some object to discuss. I remember john lindegren gamely discussing the stick that he had picked up. I made a suggestion to my wife and we quietly exited. I needed more real nature and less second-hand introspection. This got me thinking about the difference between people who spend a lot of time outdoors versus those whose vanity is limited the pleasure. I envy those people have those outdoor experiences more frequently. And i think i know who they are and how they go about it. Drink. Four-wheel drives big mud tires and a wide chrome bar with lots of spotlights. Think redneck. A term which i am not using pejoratively although you could. I cannot specifically define a redneck. Cowboys farmers login. Almost anyone a little rustic that has a truck. On the internet i found the new pope benedict being called a redneck because he came from a bible belt. Bavaria. And had been a nazi. Likewise hillary clinton was so brandon for standing by her man. In my readings the topic becomes very entangled with north-south animosities in this adds another spirituality comparison. Do my experiences allow me to discuss this any more than jeff foxworthy. We started out working for ibm. I grew up in the midwest grandson of farmers on both sides and although i was a city boy. It was only four blocks to the nearest cornfield. If the north-south thing matters so i've lived more of my life in the south including a stint in america's deep deep south hawaii. Yes they had to read next to and if you wanted to attend an authentic luau you'd better know some. My first foray south was a year at a military high school in tennessee where i was known as ohio hoffert. And had a roommate who is from a place so southern that is father was fran rudolph's family doctor. I've also seen a lot of nascar races. Caution the hard-shell unitarian. The concept of trinity comes up. Twice. I wish to begin with north-south comparisons by michael g the carolinian author of redneck nation. Michael and oral roberts graduates left for new york with a feeling of shame for his upbringing. I found that the rest of the country wasn't much different. He been a stand-up comedian and is now a professional republican party operative. It's powering thoughts show the rednecks are if not universal at least national. New yorkers pretend to read books they haven't. Southerners deny reading ones they have. It isn't that more southerners believe in god. Survey show that more than 90% of all americans believe in god. A higher intelligent or some omnipotent. Being resembling charlton heston. What makes america redneck nation is the way americans believe in god. There is what is generalized as the northern approach. Temperate intellectual and internalized. Northerners attempt to balance faith in reason scripture and science. Darwin is viewed not as an agent of the devil but is another truth-seeker. The facts are the facts and we must trust that god knows what he's doing. In the south the true measure of devotion to our lord jesus christ was the willingness to ignore science and reason. We reject darwin is unbelievable and maintained instead that adam and eve frolicked in the altogether just a short six thousand years ago. Is this absurd. Does this fly in the face of years of carefully gathered scientific evidence. Does it make the parties involved look ridiculous and ignorant. All the better. Simply believing in god isn't enough for us southerners. Loving god has got to hurt. Our faith must be off-putting to others and embarrassing to ourselves. Another hallmark of southern spirituality is its intensity. Southerners doubt the sincerity of northern faithful must because it comes the solo passion our fire. In the north everyone tries feverishly not to appear feverish. Instead of sermons filled with fire and brimstone you're more likely to hear homily addressing environmental issues. Rather than railing on the swift righteousness of lawrence coming judgment sermons more often deal with the need for social justice. And price call for campaign finance reform. Carolina pentecostal preacher with no more deliver a sermon on social justice when he would support legalized abortion or oppose the death penalty. We were sincere. We were ernest. Perhaps even extreme. That we never actually handled snakes we know where to get them on short notice. The rejection of reason in the embrace of passion are 2/3 of the trinity. I'm southern spirituality. The third is prohibition ism. Which may have begun with the puritans but found its fulfillment in the bible belt. Prohibition found its strongest adherence in the south among the same people who made the only corn liquor worth drinking. Modern americans missed the point of prohibition. They say it is a cry for help from. An incompetent. Stop me before i drink again. That's backwards. Prohibition was supported by people who thought everyone else should stay sober. And had no problem using the corset force of government to keep them that way. It's not uncommon for northerners especially those who like to use the word spirituality. To believe in all manner of metaphysical events while not believing in the big guy. Religious people go to church and read the bible. And spiritual people view them as intolerant alleged cadence apps. Spiritual people read shirley maclaine or l.ron hubbard in are considered rational intelligent being. What the modern american believer has in common with the old bourbon southerners is a wholehearted rejection of reason. He feels no need to explain where his beliefs come from or what evidence he's discovered that led him to these beliefs. Or even that these beliefs make any sense. We are simply true because they are believed. Americans look at william jennings bryan and clarence darrow battling over the theory of evolution and thought. When are those southerners going to join the 20th century. Today. Their grandchildren in detroit are calling miss cleo the psychic for $4.99 a minute. And what has happened to the struggle between science and scripture sins. It's been a southern blowout. Today according to gallup acceptance of evolution has actually gone down since 1990. We are now a nation where the number one new syndicated show in the year 2002. Was a man who claims he talks to dead people. Crossing over with john edwards is a televised version of an old sideshow mind-reading act. Soleil no self-respecting carne will do it. But millions of americans tune in to see edwards bring messages from the great beyond. Cbs primetime hit. Touched by an angel. The problem with touched by an angel is that many of its estimated 25 million viewers. Seem to believe it's a documentary. The same americans who sniff televangelists now happily accept spiritual insight. From the reverend della reese. Who can't ryder devotional books fast enough. Telephone psychics. Tv seances primetime lounge singers for jesus. Sound like the programming for the turner south network but it's all usa. Darwin's evolution is on the verge of eviction and a spirit of dixie is moving across the land can i get an amen. Jim goad and his redneck manifesto provides another slam. He is a self-described proud member of the white trash nation. The book attacks both corporate america and the white liberal i guess that maintains the balance. I had a little trepidation about actually using this book because it's pretty aggressive. And somewhat profane. And it's ideas. I was up visiting my family in ohio and was watching larry king who had paris hilton their family. Michelle. And. Larry was asking his usual in maine and embarrassing questions. To the mother of what do you think of your daughter's public sex life and on and on and on. And they were making equally inane answers. What they were there to promote the new hilton reality show so they had to do it. If they had any problems with it begin with. But larry then said let's take some questions from. Callers. The first caller call in and said. Does this family have any spirituality. And there was a bit of mumbling. Men before they could come up with an answer the caller said. Has anyone read the redneck manifesto by jim goad. Larry shaking his head no looking at them there and shaking their heads no. Larry says next caller please. Not literally but almost. Falling on my knees i felt that i had a sign that this was something that had to be publicized. Jim god says. The redneck has gone from the benign and comical little abner to become meaner. Yielding and murderous crackers in easy rider and the genetic disasters from deliverance. Webster's defines redneck as. A poor white real southerner often specifically. One regarded as ignorant bigoted violence etc. Note that webster's doesn't argue with the depiction of rednecks as ignorant bigoted and violent. Well nothing short of apologetic and defining other minority nicknames. Webster's is blatantly negative regarding the redneck. The first rule of racial etiquette should be that no one is permitted to insult a group to which they don't belong. Yet everyone says redneck or white trash with impunity. There exists a myth that redneck power in this country. One of the primary problem systematic. People confuse good old boys with the old boys network. In reality that good old boys are rock quarry men. The old boys networks are rockefellers. Now for a little genealogy. The word pagan is derived from the latin paga. Meaning country. And romans used to disparagingly to describe country dwellers. Heathen originally meant those rural types who lived under cover of the heath. Both pagan and heathen are those ancient redneck ancestors. Appalachia's hillfolk have historically boasted the nation's lowest rate of organized church affiliation. Hillbillies attended service at all it was often to disrupt them with pistol shots and rebel yells. Non-christian hillbilly spirituality was a witch's gumball of european peasant superstitions. Mixed with african and native american folklore. The weekly world news on our supermarket shelf is a form of modern white trash religious scripture. And it's certitude that armageddon is just around the corner it resembles the biblical book of revelation. The ads for lucky talismans and pricey phone psychic show that readers are looking for answers. You can estimate the importance of beliefs by the frequency of articles in this paper. Using the standard the holy trinity of white trash religion is. Elvis. Bigfoot and space aliens. Elvis is that which is. Bigfoot. With many other names including yaoi. Is that which was. Space aliens are that which will be. Obviously it isn't elvis himself against hope he's dead. It's the believers mental image of a redeemed elvis. The idea of elvis's stabilize. Probably as many lives as snake-handling is killed. Which is at least 74. That backer wrong qualifies elvis worship as a religion. I will pass on space aliens. We have members here more qualified than me in this area. Onto bigfoot and the morale of the perspective. To get anything constructive out of the redneck culture or any other culture for that matter. We need to see what they might be doing better than the rest of us. Sightings of bigfoot are most common among rednecks. I propose that this is because rednecks spend more time out of doors. We do not need to chase bigfoot but let's look at what the rednecks great out-of-doors can give. Leaving the redneck authors i wish to refer to a new book titled. Last child in the woods. Saving our child from nature deficit disorder. By richard liu. Baby boomers are older enjoy the kind of free natural play that in the era of playstation seems like a quaint artifact. We may constitute the last generation of americans to share a familial attachment to the land and water. Many of us knew farmland or forests and had farm family relatives. Within a few decades the way children understand and experience nature has changed radically. Today kids are aware of the global threats to the environment. But their physical contact. Their intimacy with nature. Spading. Summer camp is where you can. Hike in the woods. Learn about plants and animals are told firelight stories about ghosts or mountain lions. Today summer camp is a weight loss camp or a computer cam. Brand new generation nature is more abstraction than reality. A recent tv ad depicts an suv along a beautiful mountain stream. All in the backseat two children watch a flip-down video screen. Fourth grader in san diego says. I like to play indoors better cuz that's where all the electrical outlets are. One boy said computers were more important than nature because computers are where the jobs are. Several said they were too busy to go outside. A british study discovered that the average eight-year-old was better able to identify characters from the japanese card trading game pokemon. The native species in the community where they lived. What we have also now and our fellowship. It's quite as becoming an endangered species. Is odin tonus. He's a person who has the ability to go out and identify things in nature. The new. Academic subjects. Have spawned from biology and botany. Are very oriana two-digit oriented towards digitized information. So you don't really go out and collect leaves and little animals anymore he spend all your time sitting looking through digital microscope. Doing something molecular. Naturalist intelligence is the ability to recognize plants animals and other parts of the natural environment. Well this ability evolve to deal with natural elements. Has been hijacked to deal with the world a man-made object. We are good at distinguishing among tires sneakers and jewelry. Because our ancestors needed to be able to recognize carnivorous animals poisonous snakes and flavorful mushrooms. Weekends are no longer for recreation what for the undone shores that pile up during the week. Testing in mandatory subjects. Recess out of the school day. Time in nature is not leisure time. It's an essential investment in good health. We've been sold a bill of goods about the value of computer-based experience. We are creatures identified by what we do with our hands. The world is not entirely available from keyboard. Instructors and medical schools find a difficult to teach how the heart works as a pump. Because the students have so little real-world experience. They never siphoned anything. Never fix the car. Never worked on a fuel pump. May not even have hooked up a garden hose. Direct experience in the backyard in the toolshed in the fields and woods. Has been replaced by indirect learning through machine. Our brains are set up for an agrarian nature-oriented existence that came into focus 5000 years ago. Neurologically human beings haven't caught up with today's overstimulating environment. The brain is strong and flexible so most kids adapt fairly well but the rest don't. Getting kids out in nature can make a difference. Psychologist notice anecdotally know they can't prove it yet. Many parents. No notice significant changes in hyperactive children. When they go on nature oriented outing. One mother says my son is still on ritalin but he's so much calmer in the outdoors that working seriously considering moving to the mountains. Could it simply be that he needs more physical activity. No he get set in sports as a mother there's just something calming to him about being outside in nature. Modern life narrows our senses until our focus is mostly visual. Appropriate to about the dimension of a computer monitor or tv screen. By contrast nature accentuates all the senses. If children sense genuine enthusiasm for nature's emulate that interest even if when they're teenagers they pretend to lose it. Fishing and hunting are messy. Disarm morley messi. But removing all traces of that experience from childhood. Does neither children nor nature and it good. Seth norman and outdoor writer was asked to describe his spiritual life and nature. The more often i seen savagery in the wild. Mixed intercourse with everything beautiful. The more i appreciate people he said. Forests and deserts were nothing like the garden of eden. Wild things killed wild thing and there was no justice in the way this happened. To my surprise people couldn't control much of this. It took me years to understand that my all-powerful father. Really couldn't save some of the orphans i brought home. The kids raised on disney. It simply shocking to discover that it takes a bunch of bambi's to feed a lion king. Eventually most of us figure out that it's people not nature. Who create morality values ethics. And even the idea that nature itself is something worth preserving. We choose to be shepherds and stewards are we don't. We will live wisely preserving water and air are we won't. In which case nature will fill the vacuum we leave. Nature introduces us to the idea. To the knowing. That we are not alone in this world. And that. Realities exist. Alongside our own. Including redneck.

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052304%20Rev%20Rod%20Debs.mp3

I decided to take on this. The easiest subject i could think of. So you'll know why i die i dared to do this after i'm done. I am. Birds sing not because they have an answer. Birds sing because they have a song. Maybe this'll come to mean something to us all. So what is the meaning of life what is the. Single overriding meaning of life. The question of meaning framed with that definite article v. Z meaning. Invites us to identify only a single. Essential meaning beyond. All in life is meaningful. It's like asking show me life 3. Don't show me this tree or that tree which bring me shelter and beauty. Fruit or habitat. To ask show me life story. Assumes that you ignore. The abundance of trees. In all their particular magnificence or. Gnarled nice or whatever. And find z essential tree. All this morning i invite you to let go of that quest of philosophy and religion. And to find a single overriding meaning and return your attention. To the superabundance of meanings in life. I got sent an email out on the. Yahoo website invited people. That happened to check that. To bring in different elements of. That. Of meaning to them. And i'm not going to be able to tell you some of these have very very personal meaning. But there are a number of things up here. Meaningful things from travels. A grandchild in the hospital. A picture from father. Actually a photograph in the center that lars took. Magnificent photograph. A book. Michelle. Hammer. Pictures of i daresay grandchildren. I suspected. Much of the sense of meaninglessness. That humans experience and life is rooted in religious and philosophical traditions. Which seek the ultimate meaning by discounting the many. In reality life has an overabundance. Of meaning. Much of which presents itself without fanfare. Or claim. It's simply. All around us. Finding meaning in life. Is to a great extent a matter of simply paying attention. Recognizing the abundance of life's gifts. Receiving them. And embracing those meaningful realities with appreciation. It's not about finding z essential meaning. Essential tree. Rather the glory of trees is to be found walking in the woods. Or if you're young by climbing into some high branches. Define trees as to sit in their shade. To listen to the birds. Trees are found by woodworking. By finishing the grain to see its beauty is don roberts here. You seen some of his work. Define trees identify different kinds and taste their fruit. Trees are found by appreciating. The actions of seeds. The soil in rain. The action of roots. Sapwood. The cambium the bar. Buds. Leaves and rain. And son. What a tragedy that the quest to find vietri. Should distract us from engaging. Real trees. The particular tree sheltering are toddler playground outside. The trees in my yard at home. The amazon lungs of the world. Storyteller garrison keillor who hosts the public broadcasting system prairie home companion radio show. Dislike. He said some luck. Lies and not getting what you thought you wanted. But getting what you have which one you have it you may be smart enough to see it's what you would have wanted had you known. Is attending this morning service you may have wanted whatever so little hope to discover the fundamental meaning of life. A rare and precious discovery instead. I invite you to notice not one. But many sources of meaning in everyday life. Loving bikin stein the anti reduction if logician an ethicist. Would say that there is no essential meaning in life. Just as there is no essential tree. Eternal quest. To grasp some profound essence. Of life's meaning actually distracts this. From real experiences of meaning. And seeking the rare essence. We turn a blind eye to the abundant particulars. Surrounding our lives with meaning. Alice walker wrote it this way. This could be our revolution. To love what is what is plentiful. As much as what is scarce. The elusive ultimate meaning of life. Is rare. But the many sources of meaning in life or plentiful. If we have an eye to appreciate them. The religion may claim precious little. In life is holy. And all else profane. I think peter mayer. Piece of music we heard during the offertory. I think he has it right when he sings. Everything is holy now. And worthy of rev. I'm going to take an aside here. That's easy to say. About birds and butterflies. But it's harder to say. About anxiety. About injury. And that's where. We have rolls. Religious practices of sitting. With the fiery elements of life. It seems i'm with wonder and all. That even they. Are important for meeting. Peter mayer said when holy water was rare it bested barely what my fingertips. But now i have to hold my breath. Like i'm swimming in the sea of it. That used to be a world half there. Heaven's second-rate hand-me-downs. But i walk it with a reverend are cuz everything is going out. I can really identify with this. Because as in evansville christian in the holiness movement throwing up. I grew up thinking that nature and all its power and beauty. Animals people. The earth. Technology. Salesman. Even family were profane. All of creation i believed was indeed a second-rate hand-me-down. Not. Not holy. As compared to gods. Heavenly realm. Philosophy and religion laura stueve. Profound in holy essence of life's meaning above all these profane. Particularities but our real experiences of meaning are only to be found. In the particular. In the particularities of life. 4 challenges as. The definition of the word buddha is. To wake up. Challenges to wake up and to be appreciative and grateful. Four are meaningful. Awesome. Threatening. Hard. Exciting real world. To walk it with a rev air. To love what is plentiful. Including bordeaux. I have a a text in the buddhist. Mom talks about. Challenging boredom. To even. Sit with boredom. With a reverend. Hair to love what is plentiful as much as. What is scarce. In the color purple alice walker road. I think it pisses god off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. I think. All that. Went by me and my. Childhood. So this morning i invite you to reflect for a moment. And your own hearts and minds. On what is meaningful to you. What are meaningful elements of your life. What are the ones that grab you ones that. I just there. Did you find some meaning in. We usually look at the. Mountaintops right. But think about some of those. And i'm going to get the roving microphone. And if you like jot down on your order a service. Something that brings meaning to your life. What does your life tell you is meaningful. I told you i wasn't going to give you an answer that made the sermon easy. Okay. I'm looking for somebody. What's meaningful. Sunset. Helping others. I didn't notice undercover. What would you do without the sunset. Or the little birds i saw a handbag. Or helping others i mean. Whatever over the horizon we love to travel. Breathless moment because our life shouldn't be measured by the number of breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away. And in traveling you've had some. How many people here travel. Love to travel. What is it about traveling. Is it the things that you don't have control over. Surprises. I think i think it gets my life. The most joy. Significance is the relationships i share with others. Relationships come in many forms. Some of them have hard parts. Someone singing is splash into them. Relationship. Il once adapted the goethe quote. It said. I can't remember the original. The relationships are all the rest just sound and smoke. Spending time with my grandchildren. Something it touches. Are flash. It says grandchildren. No surprise at all humanism that wonderful thread that binds us all together and do a family. Humanism ralph waldo emerson talks about. That hidden threads underneath. We think we're separate. But did you know that there's a certain kind of tree i think it's in the northwest. That is genetically the whole mountainside is genetically like what is it. Somebody a botanist york until me. You think that there's all different trees. But when they testing genetically they're all connected by the underground railroad when imagery emerson talked about the hidden. Hidden. Connectedness. The world park. All the things my parents pointed out a generation ago with it at the time i thought were very boring. Look at the young people hearing give you warning. I saw somebody. Making music with people. Making music. And you know and and dealing with as hearing loss comes upon us. Dealing with the other side of it the silence. What other part of meaning it's has other shapes. Music is glorious. I think god creation things that people. Appreciated. I like to mention music. And. When i first married tiny. Soon be 18 years. I could walk to an art museum in 5 minutes. And not even know. I feel a long way to go. Appreciate it a lot more and. And tiny is a creator she. She's not afraid to tackle anything and no. Picture of us up there was. Can i travel for my first. Got the europe that was. Two-and-a-half years after we were married. And no. That started. Best days of our life. I think that angela somebody mention relationships. I think relationships are very important. Starting a great to have friends. And it's great to have a partner that you continue. To have your relationships improve. Are you find a few join me. But as you grow older exchanges. With age right now. The greatest thing to me is each day. I think our. Is one of the greatest gifts we have. For creativity because it is. To my way of thinking it's a nonverbal. Language. Art can i. Adept meaning. In each individual's life. That words can never tell you. It's on its relatively simple but every time we go across the bridge. When the sun is shining. There's a trail of diamonds. Through the hole. We need to stop and. Notice. I would say laughter and especially when they're two people who suddenly see something that strikes from. At the same time the same way. And you realize. There is a. We are part of one another. The buddhists and i think it's the hindus to. Say when i look in another person i'm looking at a mirror. You know. To then share the experiences even if we think they're different. To discover those. Moments. Recognition. Personal relationships are very important to me too and i'm very thankful how lucky i've been to find a wonderful partner in life. I'm going to take one more. Copyright. The satisfaction of finishing a job maybe it's just putting that last piece of linen the shelf are. Having waited one section of the yard and standing back and look in the weeds are all gone to. Knowing that you started ensuring you finished it. I'm not going to stop at. Awakenings a realization. Things you had overlooked before but suddenly you say. And the first time i noticed some dancing blue eyes and that crooked smile. I was enthralled and awake. I guess. Helping friends and family and being helped by friends and family and then. Expanding that ring. Name family. The human community. I sometimes wonder why i get up in the morning and come to church. I mean you know if it if life is about our individual. Lives. And our successes and ended making value in the world or whatever. Why get up when you can have coffee or sit out in the yard. You know and read the comics. And it's really it's a real challenging thing in our society today. We need the friends extended community the community that will. Sync. Values and challenge. And people are different from us. Cuz it's easy to circulate with people like you if you're in school your school with kids your own age. If you're at your business place with people of the same health. Or age. Competency. And so the intergenerational community. Focuses on values. And tries to make a safe place. I'm doing a sales pitch. This is a special thing. Is something worthy of our attention. There's a look of sheer joy and my boys face he's two years old when he comes to visit his grandparents and both his grandparents it's the same thing my time lucky to have my parents here. And my in-laws are in pensacola so. He's really in a great place where i. Or if need to say he'd be here today but he's got a stomach flu so. But that was a man here. Noah wyle. And i'm sure fred loves to see his. Little boy grown up. I brought a picture of my mother and me it's up there. I brought a picture of my grandson in the hospital. And i brought a cup. That was my. Fathers cup it was given to him on his first christmas a month after he was born. So family is very dear to me. Thor friends and caring and sharing for each of them. And all the carrying i've had lately. One thing. This is. Recent. Action is brought to my mind is. I am so thankful that i can move. And i am so thankful that my grandson is beginning to move. With all of you just sort of thunk your fingers like this. That's what he's going to work on next week. He's going to get electrical shock and he's going to be doing that too. You know it's there's so many things that we don't notice and we can't notice them all. But it's like. When something happens. It draws our attention to it. I hate to think that only in crisis will we become appreciative of the blessings of the gift. Endless gifts. Swimming in a in a ramos. The holiness. But it does brighten our attention. Relationship with our pets. Who give us so much non-verbally and. Are with us during crises and done. I have four cats. And bless them. You know that's that's something i grew up with. There's a. There was kind of like a a difference. You know oprah. Profaneness about they're just animals. Weather. But there's something sacred. And i think we listen to the native traditions. To seattle's credited with saying. Without its all the beasts were gone people would die of a great loneliness. I mean when. We need to change our thinking to. Toosii. 2c to hold. Even though. Bugs in. The invisible things that are. Going exchanges. For their holiness. I was thinking back on my travels cuz i was. 15 years in the army living around the world and i think it's the beginning. Of understanding you can get. Just an inkling of what it is to maybe live in a different country and experience a different life. I appreciate that. The interconnectedness. People have been mentioned. Through personal relationships. But also the ability to. Be able to open up a book that was written. 500 years ago 100 years ago 200 years ago and tap into that. And tap into. Humanity the can. Altogether. Whether it's through poetry or prose or. Or anything like that. A blessing. The second oldest person around there i'll say this for all of us. And i haven't heard it yet. But i really appreciate the united states of america. So much meaning so little time. I'm going to share with your forbearance. For a couple minutes. The number ways to categorize our meaning. I searched for many remember the pop tune the declared girls just want to have fun. We could look at the human senses is categories of human meaning touch taste sight smell and hearing the throw-in thinking if you like. Has a sixth sense their consciousness. Delighting the senses could be seen as the v. Or the range of meanings of life. But there's a far greater range of human powers. Beyond our powers of sense perception and william ellery channing who is. Live 1780 1843 often spoken of is the. Father of american unitarianism spoke. Of the. Purpose or meaning in human life. As the unfolding. The unfolding of human powers. Divine. Human powers from the divine image. The powers of thought. Powers of affection. The powers of will. And of outward action. Powers to observe. 2 reason. Power to govern ourselves. To make decisions. To influence others. Power to gain into spread happiness. That's from his remarks on education. Channing conceptualize the meaning of fullness of life as participation. In the world. But not is an isolated individual merely acquiring marketable knowledge or skill. The powers are the faculties of soul. Our powers of relationship. A connection of interaction. And creative productivity developed in a network. Have the interactive powers of others. Within society. That unfolding. That mystery. The. The dreamer just to our consciousness moment-by-moment. The fullness of human meaning does go beyond girls and boys just wanting to have fun through the five senses. Meaning in human life is to be found in that unfolding. Have a full range of human. Powers. Our own in community and unfolding powers of others. Perhaps a more widespread view though. Of categorizing human meaning is abraham maslow hierarchy of needs. Many agree that the fulfillment of needs. Seems to be fundamentally meaningful. Two human beings we spent a lot of our energy. Working to supply our needs of food and drink. Housing and economic security. The two lowest levels of maslow's hierarchy. Are physiological needs and safety. Biondo's. Categories of bodily needs and safety. Maslow identify three higher categories of human needs our needs for love. Christine self-actualization. Maslow's hierarchy of needs resulted in another reduction. Of meanings to what some of you to be the one essential meaning in life. Observe our human competition. For physiological needs a safety. And our competition for love and esteem. Then concludes that the essential nature of humans. Is the dog-eat-dog competition. The essence. The meaning of life. Individuals and nations seem to find meaning for competing for the four basic. Needs often with deadly force. Subsequently this presumption of the essential competitive competitiveness. Humanity is used to justify. As inevitable. All manner of combative. Amorality. The nature of reality for many. Is expressed in the saying. Do unto others before others do unto you. It's an animal world. All the wonderful meaning we experience. Non competitively. A mutual relationship. And then honoring the natural world not just using it. Is denigrated is non-essential. By those who reduce meaning. The competition for need fulfillment. That's the bottom line. We mustn't underestimate the degree to which people are society live their lives. According to this assumption. That meaning is found in brutal competition 1977 the rock band queen. Release the highly popular songs they know it was. These are the lyrics. You could even sing it like that. We are the champions my friend. And we'll keep on fighting till the end. We are the champions. We are the champions no time for losers. Cuz we are the champions of the world. We are the champion spent 10 weeks on the chart and reach number two before going gold. The americans may find. Day-to-day meaning. In civil. Relationship. And even loving kindness. Great numbers believe that when it comes to international relations. Animalistic competition is the only practical realistic. Nature of human meeting. The bottom line. Global military and economic domination is widely expected. Except it is the bottom line. For making meaning in the world. Essentially violent competitive world the only guarantees of meaning or. Found and actually becoming the champions of the world. I just can't agree that competition is the bottom line. After hearing you. And reflecting on my own life. I admit that i get really competitive. Playing cards and fishing. And i don't play monopoly anymore because of what it does to me. I just get sucked up in it. But the truth is. Did the thrill of competition of winning. It's far less meaningful to me. Then the countless other non-competitive relationship. In fact it's not the competition. That makes need fulfillment sweet. Luscious food. And warm shelter as home. Mutual love. What is steam. Are rich with meaning in their own unique ways it's not. Competition. To get the. The competition actually detracts from the richness of their meaning. Annie dillard express her understanding of the meaning of life in these words. We are here to abet creation. And to witness to it. To notice each other's beautiful face. And complex nature. So that creation need not play to an empty house. It's going on whether we notice or not. The glorious creation. I wish i need dillard wishes. Right is not merely a world of. Creatures seeking sensual gratification. Nor are we merely. Selfish brutes and needy competition for limited resources. Brutalizing and being brutalized. As champions of the world. We must not reduce humanity. I never said i said i took all the lesson shootout the challenge is not to reduce humanity. To such caricatures. When i reflect on the abundance of meaning in our lives. The range of human powers. Among us. I cannot be satisfied. With the selfish brutus brutus. Views. And ignoring all the best. May we unfold our powers. Have experiencing meaning. Together so that the more gracious. And generous aspects of our human nature. Shall not play tunein.

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012305_Dr_Davidson_Loehr.mp3

What are beginning with a story it was a time of terrible fighting everywhere people were divided into separate groups like little clubs. But they all knew that only the people and their little club for right and it was so important to be right as long as they pray over the others so the fighting could stop but in the meantime fighting. Monday young magician came to town. He didn't seem to belong to any of their clubs or even interested in. But he said to them was that if they weren't divided into somebody little clubs there wouldn't be so much fighting. Their clubs he told them. For the cause of their wars. The people this was the stupidest thing they'd ever heard. The little clubs gave them an area of peace and friendship among like-minded people. In an otherwise hostelworld. So they almost never listened when the magician tried to teach them. But they loved his magic. So they kept coming to watch him. And they started telling stories. About what a great magician he was. After the young magician died a funny thing happened though would not have seemed funny to the magician. People formed a new club. And stupendous new club you had to believe all the stories they told about the young magician. They even made pictures and statues of him. And they put them up and all their meeting places so people could remember. How great he's been. The club the game very popular. Before long they even had an army. That's when they finally decided that they could end the fighting once and for all with their army. Their priests and generals went to their meeting places which had become like churches. And they sort of talked to the pictures and the statues of the young dead magician. As if to ask his blessing. Then they went to war. It was a long wharf in many people were killed or wounded but their army was bigger. And they force many people. To come into their club. After the battles their priest and generals went to church to give thanks. They stood before the pictures and statues of the dead magician. And they told him they're proud story. Of the victorious battle. And the victory. That's when the miracle happened. Sisters all the priests and all the generals were looking up at the statues telling them about their successful wars that happened all the pictures and all of the statues began to cry. I want to talk to you about the man jesus. This morning. It's always a tricky thing to do with charismatic figures. And religious figures. They're wrapped in so many. Centuries of magic and charisma that it's risky. Stripping them of their glow to talk about. The human bean. Behind the myth. So i want to honor the truth without worshipping the myth this morning. By suggesting that this man jesus. Had at least four different aspects or faces. When was euclid. A second was wrong. Authored the most magical. Was real but not supernatural. And then there's the 4th. Face of jesus. Which still seems to look into our souls and into the nature of humanity. What time comfortable. Disturbing and often unwelcome. Accuracy. First face of jesus concerns his lifestyle. His personal values. The kind of role model. He would have been. This is the dimension of this man that is hardly ever discussed. Because they're just so bizarre. Princeton. Do you have any sermons on these quotations that are attributed to jesus. Whoever does not hate father and mother cannot be a follower of me. And whoever does not hate brothers and sisters will not be worthy of me. This is not a good text for a family values german. On another occasion. The woman from the crowd spoke up and said to jesus. How fortunate is the one that you suck. It was a conventional way of handing a compliment to the mother through the sun. It was like saying your mother must be very proud of you. But jesus replied. How fortunate rather. Are those who listen to god's teaching and observe it. This is the bad mother's day text. The third quotation is the most extreme and the most famous. Comes from the gospel of luke where jesus says do you think that i've come to bring peace to the earth. No i tell you but rather division. From now on five in one household will be divided three against two and two against three they will be divided. Father against son and son against father mother against daughter and daughter against mother. Mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. These things don't fit the traditional hallmark card picture. Have a sweet blue-eyed jesus who preached family values so they're almost never mentioned. They show us some of jesus personal values and lifestyles. The kind of person he was what he believed. And they make him seem very strange. And foreign. Not to mention unappealing. For most of the styles of living jesus exemplified never had many takers. He had no permanent home. He was apparently not married. Had no job. No property. No money. He begged for his food. And none of this seem to bother him. This is the profile of someone on the fringe of any culture at any time. But scholars recognize the profile is quite famous and it is now. But for a thousand years in western civilization it wasn't at all. From about the fourth century bc. Until around the 6th century. In the common are out of there was a name for the style of living exemplify. These were the people called fennec. Impact that word because the modern name of seneca's not what the old. Meaning was. Today we think of cynics saying by that famous american philosopher a lily tomlin who once said no matter how cynical i get i just can't keep up. That's the sense of phoenix today. That's not what the word meant for 1,000 years. The word came from the greek word for dog dog. Not that dog. Other dogs. They were people who lived without home family job or money. Who did not care what society honored or taught. Because they thought it was wrong. Some scholars have described the jesus as an itinerant cynic saved. The best of the cenex. For astute social critic. They were like secular versions of old testament prophets. They stood outside the accepted order of society and criticized. Trying to subvert it. They can be dangerous people. Someone who lived this way had to be among other things very focused and dedicated to their particular vision. And each has their own notion. Of what. One central truth everyone needed style. For history's most famous cynic diogenes who was a contemporary of alexander the great. His vision was one of personal autonomy complete independent leave me alone that's was not using vision. But there are many famous stories about diogenes and one of them. Should give you the feel of what ascetic lifestyle is like. How independent these people are and how powerful. They are. In the story the king's messenger. Came to find diogenes squatting in the street eating his simple meal of lentils. The king invites you to come live in his castles that the messenger and be one of his court advisors. Why should i. The diogenes. Well for one thing that the messenger backing off from the mere smell of the man. If you'd learn to curry favor with the king. And if you'd learn to like lentils that diogenes you wouldn't have to curry favor with the king. This is a man living around a different center. Then his society teaches. And living quite contentedly. Any believe that if everyone could adopt that center they could find. The kind of freedom. Society didn't offer them any kind of authenticity society didn't offer them. The message of senex was always extremely they were willing to sacrifice everything for it. Jesus fits very neatly. Into this picture of a cynic sage. He had no home no property no job he didn't respect the accepted images of the good life or the normal expectations made upon people in a civilized society. The religious and cultural rules. His vision of the kingdom of god was for jesus the only thing worth living for. His parables presented the kingdom in this extreme way over and over again. It was a pearl of great price the treasure buried in a field. For which the lucky finder would sell everything. But you have to notice about cynics however. Including jesus. Is that their message is never likely to be heard or followed. Except by extremely marginal people. Other cynic. Husband. Husbands wives children the joy of working at a job making a contribution to society nationalism ethnic or religious pride of identity. All these counted as nothing. For centex including jesus. When compared with his singular vision. In jesus's cases whole family was treated as though they counted for nothing. Compared with this vision of the kingdom of god. This does not make jesus exceptionally cold or uncaring. Just identifies him as one of history's great cynic. And a sage. Whose vision was sometimes too extreme. To be either useful or wise to the overwhelming majority of people who have ever lived. I saw the first face of jesus. Was a cynic lifestyle it was a huge part of who he was. And what he valued. For nearly everyone in history except. It was not a wise road to follow but a useless aberration. The second face of jesus is his most famous teaching. If there's one point on which almost everyone agrees is the assertion that jesus's golden rule. Would create the best kind of human world. The golden realize it's been taught history. Has been taught as. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you which has been talk to me and be compassionate and forgiving to others no matter how they treat you. The purity of this ideal. Has inspired christians and non-christians alike. But what if it turns out. That it's not very wise. But it wouldn't make a better world. But if there were a way to test. Different ethical teachings. To find out what kind of a society they create. If one person was constrained to follow them while the others could act however they like. The way the real world works. There is a way now to put different religion. Religious and ethical teachings to this kind of test. It's very interesting. Through a discipline known as game theory. And the results don't support the notion that jesus's teachings in this rule. We're very wise at all. A man named robert axelrod a political science professor at the university of michigan. Pioneer the study of what he called a repeated prisoner's dilemma. Which can let us examine the long-term results of different ethical rules. Aided by computer simulations of real life. Ethical dilemmas through a lot of series of interactive computer experiment tested the range of ethical rules submitted from a range of discipline or just a few. 4. There were manning the golden rule. Do unto others as you have them do unto you and forgive transgressions against you. This is never consistently been followed by anyone. It's quite ancient it predates jesus by at least six centuries. We know this because we have the story of confucius. Being asked in the sixth century bc. Of his opinion of the idea of repaying evil. With kindness or forgiveness. His response was. Then with what will you repay kindness. He taught. That you should repay evil. With justice. Rather than forgiveness. The silver rule. The medals are just going to get cheaper. The silver rule is do not do to others what you would not want him to almost every other religion of the world has of that. And his popular essay on this subject i want i want you to know that. That i read only really really high-class stuff. In parade magazine. Carl sagan wrote about this some years back. Hey names gandhi and dr. martin luther king jr. as examples of the silver rule that they counsel depressed people not to repay violence with violence but not to be compliant obedient or forgiving either. Even gandhi however had trouble reconciling his rule of non-violence. With the need to defend against others who follow the rule violence. And gandhi's anti industrial revolution in india. We must remember failed. Third the brazen rule has the medals to get cheaper the rules are also going to look more familiar now this may not be very comfortable but it's true. This is do unto others as they do unto you. It's often attributed to confucius who taught to repay kindness with kindness but evil with justice. It's also an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. For one good turn deserves another. Or what goes around comes around. We have a lot of versions of the brazen rule because we're more familiar with it in the real world. And then finally. We come to the iron rule. Do unto others as you like before they do it onto you. Or he who has the gold makes the rules. That's sort of the iron version of the golden rule. Or might makes right. In human history. The brazen rule and the iron rule have seemed to be the norm of most human and institutional behavior. By testing days another behavioral guidelines through a lot of online. Computer interactions we can find without risking real war or violence. Which behaviors might cause the most stable and cooperative. Societies in the long run the results may not be surprising. I think they follow common sense pretty well. But they're certainly not orthodox. Both the golden rule and the iron rule always lose. The one from an excess of forgiveness. The other from an overabundance of ruthlessness. That just create cycles of violence and vengeance. Strategies that are slow to punish selfish behavior. Partly because they send the signal that non-cooperation and selfish behavior. The most effective long-term strategy is a variation. That was called tit-for-tat but it's an interesting variation is very simple. You start out. Cooperating. Your first move. Is forgiving no matter what the other players first move was. After that. You get back what you give. What you got. In the long run. Other strategies defeat themselves. The other player knows they can control your response that you're going to do to them exactly what they did. They owe you one. You started out being more forgiving and accepting than they were they owe you one. In the long run they figure out. That you're either all going to win together all going to lose together and this is the strategy that. In other words. If you really want to make the world into a more just and caring place for goodness sake don't follow the golden rule. Make your first act toward others of trusting. From then on. Follow the brazen rule of doing unto them what they've done onto you. That you can be counted on to treat them just as they've treated you. Long run this common-sense approach which confuses. For create a more stable and predictable world. Then jesus is very idealistic and extreme. If you want to see somewhere. For the rule of repaying abuse for evils with forgiveness is practiced. Go to a battered women's shelter. Not a good rule. If you can find just the first two phases of jesus. You get what has been called by christian scholars. The suffering servant the one who is forever abused and forever forgiving. This would make christians good obedient suffering followers but not good leaders. Machiavelli saw this centuries ago. When he observes a christian strength to suffer rather than strength to do bold things. It's significant that machiavelli central concern. Was with how rulers could maintain their rule and control the masses under them in this case through using religion. And when russo said the quote true christians are made to be slaves. This too came from a man whose overriding concern was as his book title said. With the social contract. Since at least the time of constantine those whose sympathies lie with the rulers that's rather than the rule have been grateful. Do the teachings which can be lifted from christianity mostly from paul. God's authority to supplement their own authority drive to keep masters obedian. This isn't new information. A third face of jesus. It's wondering which there's great agreements virtually all biblical scholars agree. That what jesus was known for. Most in his own time and if you study some of the iconography in christian catacombs of the first two centuries. You see there to that the most common pictures in the icons for the pictures of the healing stories he was what we would call today a faith healer a very charismatic leader well almost all biblical scholars. The core fact remains that jesus was primarily known in his time immediately following his death at the dealer it was this almost magical power. That really attractive people to him not as teaching you see this in the story of the sheriff station women in the new testament one of the great stories in the new testament. His followers also shared the healing powers. That jesus did there's nothing here to debunk. Faith healing works. It still does. But it's important to say it's a note in to remember. Does the charismatic power. That enables faith-healing doesn't imply that the healer is it is either wise we're good. There's something about charisma. That has a power that can. Faith hill. Actually. My favorite proof of faith healing and i don't have any doubt about it i don't think hospitals could work without placebos. Placebos are faith healing. Placebos are sugar pills with nothing in them that could change your body chemistry. But they're given to you when you're told. That they can. And 430 to 50% or so of people they do. Alleviate your symptoms that's faith healing. So i don't think there's anything to debunked. Isn't about faith healing it's about something i guess you'd have to call faith thickening. Not a common topic studies done i think they were fascinating studies and double-blind studies done that were ostensibly studies to determine whether. Would react differently to the toxins and poison ivy and poison oak. Do people were paid to do this to me you have to pay them. And so people of different ethnicities different skin pigmentation and also people from just the caucasians with very pale skin to dark skin and so forth for brought in and they were told they don't want them to know whether is poison ivy or oak. What they found was about 30%. Of the people in this test regardless of skin pigmentation came down with itchy rashes. Of course there was no poison. No poison ivy or poison oak. There's nothing here to debunk just to remember that it's quite natural.. Supernatural. It's also easy to think of other historical figures who had immense charisma and personal power over people. Who are quite unwise or evil. Rasputin. Hitler jim jones matthew applewhite david koresh come to mind quickly. Not all white people are magicians. And not all magicians are wise. Is all biblical scholars know. Jesus's primary concern was for what he called the kingdom of god. What he meant by this kingdom of god was fundamentally different from what most christians have been taught to mean by the phrase. I think properly understood this was jesus's most radical teaching. One that could get a prophet shot and any time or place. It was also his most profound and timeless teaching. Panda sport space you need to understand. The setting. Need some historical background to understand what jesus was teaching this gets a little larry because their ways in which his world starts sounding a lot like our own. First-century galilee was a cultural chaos. Invading greek and roman armies for the last three centuries had destroyed the temple centered cultures that had established the different. Stabilize the different peoples in this area for many centuries. A dozen different customs regarding eating drinking grass and marriage divided the cults and cultures and made relations between them hostile if you can still see the middle east today. In fact the world seemed almost hopeless. The most extreme solution being prepared. Was that of john the baptist and his followers and you remember that jesus began as a follower of john the baptist. Baptized by him. John said that the world was in such a mess that we couldn't do anything significant except wait for god to destroy it. Start all over with a few of his favorite people. So coincidentally would be the people who believe the way john the baptist believe. That always seems to be the footnote in these apocalyptic vision it's just but when god destroys the world he's always going to spare the people who believe as we do. Would be amazingly lucky for them if they were right but this was the apocalyptic solution in a chaotic world. Do nothing. Just get yourself right with god and wait for god to destroy this mess and make it right after john the baptist was killed. By the roman authorities. And nothing happened. Jesus and some others realized that john had to be wrong. Otherwise god would not have permitted john's death was bringing kind of very dramatic vengeance. And nothing happened when jesus began his own ministry shortly afterwards. It was supposed to fundamentally different vision about how to improve a fractured at a hostile world. For his charms. How to find the kingdom of god in the first century. To talk about the ideal world i'm called at the kingdom of wisdom you can find lots of writings from romans and jews all using this phrase in the same way. Jesus's kingdom of god was not apocalyptic and it was not supernatural he was very clear about this cuz you know if you read your bible. It was what today we would call existential. You bring about the kingdom of god by changing the way in which you treat one another.. No magic. It's alluded to. When he instructs his followers to eat whatever is put before them broccoli not. Remember he begged for his food and started his followers they beg for their meals. In a pluralistic culture this meant telling his fellow jews what would offer them for food. Pork. Go to shellfish. Was put before you a disturbing teaching. In jewish culture. He talked this because he wanted them to act within a larger identity than just the identity juice. His kingdom of god consisted in a world where people acted like brothers and sisters. And did not let exclusive and local identities trump that higher calling it's a teaching that could get a prophet killed in any time or place. For jesus the kingdom of god wasn't coming and she said loop. Can't point to it not supernatural it's already here at least potentially. It is already is the greek word says within or among you. Brazil said another flight the kingdom of god is spread out on the earth and people don't see it. How do you rejuvenate a hostile world. By subverting. All exclusive identity the food laws of the jews that them apart from their neighbors or jesus is instructions to his followers for to eat whatever was set before them shellfish go whatever the host of the serving. Act as though you're part of a bigger identity. Over and over he spurned the artificial identity. You can't have chosen people unless you can't have the same unless you claim the arrogant authority. To define who is the damned. It's that arrogant then that smaller the jesus came to fight there was one identity and only one possible for us. In his version of the kingdom of god to treat one another as brothers and sisters. Not jews and arabs. protestants and catholics to update. Not americans and foreigners but his fellow children of god. You see how subversive this is. This is the message that could threaten any form of government all ideologies and all religions or racial identity. The world's in chaos we've lost the shared center so we create 100 little artificial centers from which we derive our identities. The problem is they're all too small. They all exclude. Those who believe we're live differently than we do and so they are precisely the structures that keep the world hot.. They are the enemies. Of the kingdom of god. Today his message might be stopped joining clubs. Stop identifying yourselves with your nation. Your race. Your religion your sex. All of these are all that make a peaceful world impossible it's in your hands and it's only in your hand. You've been given everything you need. God is waiting for you to act. Put this in terms they use in the first century. The difference between the visions of jesus and john the baptist were extreme. And john's world them. The world was too far gone to save so we should wait for god to act. In jesus's vision. We have been given everything we need nothing is hidden god is waiting for us to act. And only we can change them. This insight. Seems as true as profound and as unlikely. Today. As it did them. The message that would still get the messenger shot almost anywhere in the world. Imagine. A few years ago and maybe in a few years in the future again imagine going into northern ireland and telling the fighters that neither side of them was christian. Both were the enemies of the kingdom of god. And they needed to stop thinking of themselves as protestants or catholics because that was the problem. The only thing they would have read i was hanging you from the nursery. Internet commendable effort imagine trying to sell the message to jews and palestinians. Telling them that the only way to stop the murderer is fighting is to grow beyond thinking of themselves as either jews or arabs or palestinian. You'll be shot. I don't want to imply that jesus was the only person in history to see this vision of a world kept small and hostile by our artificial identity. You can find this general view in confucius. Allowed. Most of the great religious and philosophical thinkers of history you can also find it and cultures that didn't have significant contact with western civilization they shaping their values and yet they arrived the same general thought. From the lakota medicine man blackhawk. I visited this place by the way where he had his vision. It was from harney peak. What she thought was the highest point in the world. It actually is the highest point. Of the rocky mountains untold. Up in northern south dakota it's quite a place here's what he said seeing now if it doesn't sound familiar. And i saw that the sacred hoop. Was one of many hoops that make one circle why does daylight and starlight and in the center groom to shelter all the children and i saw that it was totally. It's the same vision. These insights aren't true because jesus or the others happened to save them means to be most fully. Human or animal tendencies to create artificial identities for ourselves and to exalt them. Maybe the original sin of our species. We feel bigger and more worthwhile as parts of a family and nation erase their culture so naturally we joined a little clubs and their flags. And we fight for them. Now it's especially easy. To see this in the fall. During football season. Certainly true living in texas. But i was a graduate of the university of michigan. So it was very easy for me to see it for years and i. Feel my blood boil. Anytime. Michigan plays notre dame and i know notre dame alumni even roman catholic who's never been near notre dame. Who's still see every football game of notre dame as a holy war between the church and the infidel. After all the notre dame players aren't just called to the irish they're called the fighting irish and michigan. Their mascot. After the most vicious animal in michigan. The wolverine from ugly thing. And nasty. We get powerful feelings of specialist through our artificial identity. We were sweatshirts with their names on them we pasted them on our cars feels proud and not that club especially different. I live in austin texas. And so i cheered for michigan. And then celebrated when texas won and if you listen seriously to man like jesus or blackout for many of the others. These are the feelings we have to give up. As we made the biggest leap of faith in history. And began treating one another i don't mean just football. Found files termination. Treating one another as brothers and sisters and children of god. The message that would revolutionize the world. I can't think of a single war. Single violent disagreement that is not a case of people choosing artificial identities that are too small. To include enough others in the world to make it a state for just place. The real tragedy of a man like jesus. It's not that he's had so much billy holcomb dumped on him through the centuries. The tragedy is that we elevate. And then join the religion ironically. Of john the baptist. Who expected this man god to come save the world for us. As we sat silently and obediently by. Reciting whatever creed are little religious or political or social called has declared to be the current orthodoxy we took the man who lived and died preaching against divisive identities. And created a club around his name. It is a cruel and ironic fate for the simple jew from galilee. The tragedy. Is that the strange man. This marginal do without family friends property or job. Really did have something to offer us and nobody wants it. It's too hard. It asks too much of us. So we found the simpler route. We made thousands of statues of this man jesus whom we turned into a god. We pray that he threw his infinite power will bring peace to this world. Then we say. Go outside. And prepare for the day's battle. Against the infidels in the next church. The next town. The next nation. And then i imagine the rest of the story. As i imagined that all over the world as people leave their churches during their backs on the pictures and statues of jesus they made. And that after they've gone all over the world. In the cold darkness of the empty churches all of the pictures and all of the statues begin to cry. Let us spend a moment in silence together.

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031206_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

I found a a book was published about. In 1990 i believe it was. Entitled low you've probably read it. Just fairly new to me flow. The psychology of optimal experience. And i won't try to pronounce the name. Optimal experience or. Haven't. Venice compared to being. In the flow. For example of moving water. As opposed to a stagnant. Cool or. The flow of traffic. As opposed to. Parking lot. Slow. That reminds me of. Canoe trips. Kayak trips to. In florida and. Oklahoma in. New york. The river flows in you can move. Quickly and smoothly along with the current. Or if you wish. You might pamela. To the edge. And to stillwater. Water that is sometimes. Covered with mucky flotsam. The analogy suggests that. Trying to paddle. Against the current. Is likely to be less than optimal experience. And if it's a fast-moving stream you know what i'm talking about. Stagnation to is less-than-optimal. Experience. So i've been thinking about this analogy. Of being in the flow. Being in the flow. And how much is that expensive. Houmas inn. Happiness. That we're looking for. Physically. We sometimes don't think about it but. Where the flow. Part of a flow. Flow of food and drink and elimination. The flow of fruits and grains and vegetables. Herbs animal products. Flowing over the earth. Around and through us. Sunlight and sawyer. Rain clouds. An atmospheric gas is flowing over the earth and through us. In photosynthesis and respiration and digestion. And there's bacteria and flora inside us. The flow. Be alive. His to be in that flow. His part and particle. Of the earth's crust and its atmosphere. I once read some statistics about. The air we breathe. That it comes in my nostrils and goes out. And. Yeah you too. We breathe. It flows through us. The ecosystem. The cells. The flora. The chemical processes. Of our flash. We breathe. We eat we drink we move about we. Flow. We plow the earth we. Bulldoze we defoliate. We contaminate okay now i'm getting political. Wiiflow. I'm afraid that humans have been. The devastating back end of the year. The contamination. I was speaking with katrina yesterday or daughter. She's in route to rosebud lakota reservation. In the dakotas. And the two vans with 12 ohio wesleyan university. Students including two props. The chaplain in the next fruit on the native american traditions. They were to camp out. Last night at the unitarian universalist society of black hawk county. Where we serve 49. And sleeping on the floor and probably in the services right now up there. They had. Filled the van with tools including a generator. And. Also cleaning and school supplies. And. From the excess donations that many of you contributed toward. And still had $1,500 to take. To contribute to a. An agency. The tears for neglected and abused children. Our lives. Hours. And hers. Are connected. And then flowing. And when carrie and john's. Daughter get married. Even though they are normally miles apart. They are part of our lives. When you travel. Our phones 1000 of miles to share in the lives of your children or your grandchildren. Or when you care for loved ones. In there. Dying years. Our lives flow. Together. And when we adopt non-family members to share our time with. Simply because we can. We are in the flow of compassion. Simply because we can. And we received their stories. As. We seem to be the ones giving. Of our time. Most of the time though i'm unaware of the flow that i participate in. Sleeping and waking. Consuming. And contributing. Interrelated with my culture of privilege. So. Istock and sit. And i know number of you do too. Sitting meditation i accept most mornings for 20 minutes. And simply breathe. And observe what. Comes. My consciousness. The way it is for me. Just 20 minutes in the morning. Simply paying attention. To the flow of breath. And the flow of. Mylife awareness. Trying to just. Be aware of the flow. But as we dive into our life activities. Institutionalized behavior comes to have more reality than our. Flow of relationships. Our humanity is swallowed up by the demands of the institutions. In which we find ourselves we find ourselves. Oblivious sometimes to the flow. Cascading waterfall. As it were. Of our institutional activities. The carries us along by force. What we have to do. And this brings us. To the cash flow. The cash-flow dominates our lives. Don't tell me it doesn't. The big difference between my life. And yours. And those in sub-saharan africa. The difference between computers. And starvation. Without work and pay. Food and shelter. Our social existence in our biological lives die-off. The flow of our social relationships. Depends upon. And it becomes secondary to the. Economic institutions. Exchange. Profitability. Redirect store. Waters. Leaving vast deserts. Dry streambeds great die-offs. Great diop's on the one hand on the other hand. Gray damming of resources. Better. At the fingertips of fewer. And fewer. Those who have avoided washing out. And still we know. As important as it is. To be in the flow. The cash flow. Have a job. I didn't come about go. As important as that is. We know in our hearts if there's something. Mortal i. The economics of it all. We americans all of us. As it were speed boating around the great damned up. Waters of first-world privilege. As long as the mighty damn of the greenback is not devalued. Just a little reality check. But. That's not what i want to talk about. I'm wanting to talk about the flow of. Global citizenship. Jeanette and i bought a couple. Two kayaks last year. Come to think about the flow i was talking to my friend bradley and he was saying that. The yacht. The price of the yacht he once owned. Could have bought. 200 pairs of kayaks. I'm proud to have a kayak. 2. Something. That is an extravagance the most people though. Sweetwater kayaks on our first excursion was a river trip with odin. So near that yeah no he's not he's. Probably out in the water huh. Looking at the mushrooms. And the native plant society. Odin was stop periodically and take pictures of the river side floor out. Flowering plants. And we pause for lunch today. Cool. It was fed by an underground spring beautiful. Ripplewater. Clear. No it's summer in florida the tree canopy. Provided shelter and endless points of interest. Neither bank. As we. Slowed. Salon. Dam up the river. Flood that lowland and you can create a great lake for speed boating. Don't you know. Yes the silt will eventually backfill the lake. And more and more water will drive to breakthru. We can control the flow. But i can tell you from personal experience that. Boating above the dam. Has i went out last. What was it august in the bayou. Voting. Voting on the dam is nothing like kayaking. The river flow. Nothing like. The many rivers of global citizenship. Are to be distinguished. From the damn of corporate or national interests some call patriotism. The accumulated waters. They were supposed to. Believe in. It's all about being in the slow. Not in the dam. The american dream machine grown-up of american dream. I don't know if you had. I thought the american dream. Was about working hard making enough money. So i can sit back and put my feet up while you stayed to work. Right. That's what i thought it was about. Maybe it's not too far off. The whole idea of capital investment is that your money works for you well now you know. Money does not work. Never has never will money does not work. It's businesses we loan our money. As working capital to take a portion of the profits from those who do the work. And give it to us with our feet up because. We've allowed them to use our money. For a while. And take the risk. So my retirement. Accumulates. Well i put my feet up. Speaking about retirement i'm not better of had a group of you up here. There would have been more real. Have you and your spouse talk about. When you retired. Talk about how it feels to no longer be in the flow. When you sold your company. When you retired from the company and you came home. Oh god. I'm told that retirees are some of the busiest people. Because you get into the flow of all those things. That you left behind. When you were in the institution. When you're in the heavy rapids. Have work. Those retirees that don't get back into the flow of outside. Betty's. I'm told well your spouse's. Find you unbearable. I don't know if i'm allowed to say that. Retirement. Doesn't. Fully described so being out of the flow. You're still in the cash flow. And all it entails. Getting laid off. Or fired. Without severinsen without unemployment insurance. That's really being out of the flow. You don't have a job and you don't have the money and you don't have health insurance. Sell your business and you've got income is a former something-or-other. No income. Now what are you. Once a white-collar worker. Are you now. Flippin burgers. Rarely usually you try to hold out for a job more like the old one. Those. Between jobs. As you say i'm between jobs. Kind of a space holder identity. Doesn't really feel like you're in the flow. Looking. Unemployment is. A widespread human experience. A feeling out of it. The community is denied your contribution. Your justice. Capable. As you were when you were the ceo. Or the janitor or whatever. But now. The society has denied your contribution. Why because there's no money. No money-making enterprise. That happens to find you profitable right now. The institution. You are a non-person. It's a similar feeling when you work full time and are not paid enough to live. You feel like a non-person. No wonder. The working poor vote angry and blame scapegoats. They're not in the flow. Although the invisible hand of the market is theoretically supposed to equalize the labor market without government intervention. Bright. The reality is that the global. Labor market is a race to the bottom. Workers somewhere. Willing to work for less. Greater. And greater numbers. Caught in the stagnant waters. Out of the flow. Okay. Let me offer you a river of hope. At the unitarian universalist fellowship the emerald coast. Is a religious community. United buy you your principles. And committed to service. Spiritual growth. The caring fellowship. Our mission statement. Well these days we'll all remember it right. Will say it enough times. Through all these small group activities. The fun stuff. The work. The one-on-one opportunities you don't even. Notice. Took place. When we share our lives with one another. Buy participation in the fellowship we share. In. A flow. A flow of community. A flow of community with principles. Ufdc leaders know how. Into the flow they become. When they work together. In activities. Sometimes it feels like a rapids. When your. Feeling responsible. But when there are so many other. People in the flow. You feeling. Mike waters rollin. It starts by getting involved in. Fellowship caring fellowship. Shirley ministries sermons are wonderful but. Listening listening to me. It's not the same as being in the flow. Being in the flow when you get to know one another and when you are known. By others. Your story. I think caring fellowship. Getting to be known. And knowing others. Leads to spiritual growth. It's the flow. You meet all kinds here. You make all kinds of experiences they're all kinds of people. Other places too. But there's a difference. If you don't have a covenant. To be a safe place to come out from behind your mask. You put on. Right word to paris. What to say. Our covenant. Hopefully makes us a safe place. Where we can be known. Where. You the real you. Can be in the flow. Not. Just a mask. Has frances david said in the 17th century. We need not think alike to love alike. In such a place is this where enriched. And grow. In perspective. Because of our rich diversity. It's a safe place to be. But i think. Spiritual growth leads to service. From fellowship to spiritual growth. To surface. When you found. Your own life enriched. It's natural to want to share a good thing. From a single fellowship. Circle of 15. This group. Welcome new france. Into multiple circles of fellowship. Dinner's choir. Better listening humanist in fresa. Cups. Metaphysical in miracles groups. Global issues lunch on the town. Men's group finance membership. I think there's probably all wow. I'm sure there's other groups building your own theology. And just meeting over the coffee pot. It's not so much about the sunday service as it's about the flow. Of relationships. The take place among us. Who all will be in the flow of our mission of service. Spiritual growth. Incurring fellowship. Each will have to decide for themselves. There's so much. So many rapids. Drawing a sin. You have to decide that. I wouldn't want to point you to paddle against the current of your life. So. None of us can to a somebody else's are. But let me share one opportunity with you. That's our common aspiration. To expand our fellowship beyond being. Adult circles of fellowship. We want to welcome families with children. But i got a secret for you. It's not enough to shake their hands and say welcome when they come in the door. How will we provide teachers for the children. What program opportunities will we schedule for parents besides sunday services. Where they. Are in the flow of relationship. They don't get a babysitter. For every event i didn't i wouldn't. Will this be a parent friendly fellowship as well as a rich network. For elders. Conversations have begun on how to become a full-service. Congregation. I suppose that 90% of us. Provided if you have provided leadership. And and. I don't know maybe 50% at any one time. Are busy. In the floor service of spiritual growth. Caring fellowship. When it comes. To a lot of goods and services. In my real life. I simply want to be a consumer paying for my choice of grocer. Electrician or plumber i just want to pay. Okay. But when it comes to my health i want a doctor who works with me. Cooperative. Right. When it comes to my children's education. I want to be involved. And when it comes to my religious community. I do not want to be a passive consumer. Accepting. Whatever. The person the pulpit tells me. There's a different sometimes i want to be a consumer. Impassive. This is not one of them. This fellowship is a co-op. If you leave it. Ultimately into a few leaders. That's all you'll get out of it. But let me tell you if you get into the flow. The fellowship circles. The spiritual growth and you join your energies in our. Co-op. Lots of different opportunities grassroots opportunities of service. Both here and out there. We can make this world a better place. We can. The more we know about each other. There are amazing stories. I've been in a privileged position of being able to have more time. To know behind your eyes. Some of the wonderful stories. We should all know the story. And then we could join hands and do something. So. When it comes to funding the fellowship. If you're not in the flow of cooperative leadership i don't expect. That you'll. Make a donation of a stakeholder. You're not in the flow. But if you are in the flow of this you are fellowship. Co-op. At the risk of sounding self-serving i'm going to say it. I encourage you to work your way up to the goal set by our finance committee. The three to 5% of your taxable income if you're able. There are a lot of people who are. Already there. Should use move from our national average of about. 1 and a half percent. Giving. To just 3% of our taxable income. Are you congregations would have more money. Then we have ever dreamed in our vision budgets. So it's doable guy. Dom helder camara set road. When we dream alone it's only a dream. But when we dream together. It's the beginning of reality. So my clothes with. Others world word some more of the world's wisdom. Wisdom traditions. In alice through the looking glass. The unicorn said to alice. I always thought children were fabulous monsters. Analysis do you know i always thought unicorns were fabulous monsters 2. I never saw one life before. Well said the unicorn. Now that each of us has discovered the other. If you'll believe in me. I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain. I guess i should close with my wife's favorite quote. By margaret mead. Never doubt the small group of thoughtful committed citizens. Can change the world. Indeed. It's the only thing that ever has.

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081405_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

On my car. How many people have bumper stickers around. Make sure the winner. Based on understanding. Jesus. He said i was wrong. Today. Is the only way. Hitler. This common-sense. I still say for some reason. Jesus. Bombing anyone. David. I can't imagine jesus pulling trigger. The claim that the sermon on the mount. Passages. As children. God. Dennis nation. Anyone. 60 year anniversary. United states. By forcing unconditional surrender holocaust. Understand. Nation. Incineration of men women and children. Dying in excruciating pain. This. The killing was necessary to innocence. Bellco. Bodies. Seared. Christian face. Military. Christ. Christians. Between. Mars. Antiques. The old testament. Today. Physical power. Sex. Insurance. Chicken. Choosing. Before we gain our freedom. Our blood. Isabel curse words his graphic. Description. Champs. Champs. War room. For watching. Terrorism. Isn't morality the christ. Never caught. Over the morality of various needs from the church. From the followers of christ. The followers of christ cannot participate in mass slaughter. She must. As christ died. Is animes. At the same time. That's hard to accept. Play sink. Jesus with no more. Denver defense. Return. Realistically. Impossible balance between. Aurora victims of holocaust. Acceptable answers. This is a false dichotomy. Choices. Jesus. Jesus roman occupiers. Jesus. The people of palestine. Jesus. Prostitutes tax collectors. Asthma. Call the kingdom of god. Resisting roman rule. Jesus. Jesus christ. Amanda marginalized outkast. Violence. To keep jesus. Resisting the eagles. Jesus with the innocents. Trump. Either one. Jesus healing. And to suffering. Jesus pacifism. Whatsapp. Ed sheeran. Traders. Violence. Weather. Warlords. Cheerios. Distance. Faster than we can kill them. But you can secure the peace. I heard stories of our military kings so hard. Refer to the community. Weather. Who practices instructions. Facts about slavery. Charmed. The common table. What you have to share. Where all are invited. Distinction. Is jesus called the kingdom of god. Kingdom. Kingdom. Conservative. I have to tell you this. Is trying to. Christian crusader. Libero. Guys to protect innocence. The cycle of violence. Continuous. Protecting the innocent. Violence. History. Resistance. Sharing and caring community. Place yourself in the depression. Become violent. Sense. If we. Sisters. Christian. Cities of nazism. He was overwhelmed. Her suffering innocents. Any attempt on hitler's life. When christ calls a man. Right. Resistance of jesus. As we've seen lives. Resistance. Is both dangerous. Jesus called his followers to have courage. Principles. Mary daly called. Call powerful. Jesus called his followers. As well as the good guys. Going out. I'm just dying. Violence. Congregation. The one philosopher. Well we can't be sure. About where jesus released. It works. So. Teaching jesus. Or not. Your enemies.

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VLR_121_Hanging_Of_The_Greenery.mp3

A different trinity respect freedom and justice for all persons the unitarian universalist the uncommon denomination on the web at uua.org. Hello and welcome to the voices liberalism podcast with your host reverend rod debs. Falling sermon entitled hanging of the greenery was percent of a reverend rod dabs at the youth fellowship with emerald coast in valparaiso florida. On december 5th 2010. This is just an excerpt from the poem by robert browning. The years at spring. The days i can mourn. Morning's at seven. The hillsides do pearled. The lark's on the wing. The snails on the thorn. God's in his heaven. All's right with the world. I got to say about the construction this phone i probably should read it much. Quicker. So that you can see that the spring. Doesn't rhyme with rhyme with lauren doesn't rhyme with seven doesn't rhyme with purple. But if you wait long enough. The joy strikes. That wing rhymes with spraying. Going with more in heaven with seven. And it all comes out that it's all right with the world if they have. The poetry rhyme. I get a sense of promise. Of hope it's springtime. In the morning at 7 a.m. the freshness. And observing the do in the fields of sense of promise. Have hope. Of life unfolding. The sense of hope at a newborn. At landing a new job or buying a car. Proboat. How are ticket for overseas travel. It's a wonderful feeling like. Getting married. With all those collective dreams. Hope. Love happiness unfolding. But robert browning speak not only of hope. But of expectations already realized. The lark's on the wing. The snails on the thorn. God's in his heaven. All's right with the world. Joy. So. I tried to think of what a real concrete. Experiences of joy. Danny and probably other pilots of. Describe the thrill of flying an airplane. Put it on automatic pilot look at the horizon. Fred richard. The joy of sailing. And richard and gary the joy of motorcycling. Juanita at the joy of cooking and net it where is she. And i could go on as many of you to share things like this. Of dreams realized. Holding grandchildren. The birth of your own children. I suspect feels. Like hope. For the future. And of grandchildren. It feels like joy. They are hope realized. All's right with the world. Best streams to expand. Sentiments of hope enjoy the horror often fleeting. Daily life brings bills job losses. Stuff wears out including ourselves. Aches and pains of aging. Family conflict. Non-cooperation nasty. Work relationships. Competing interests. Doggy dogg each against all greed. Every time you turn around. False generosity. 21. I don't want to. That sense of being alone in the world of broken relationships. Alienation. Feeling like. A feared and hated. Foreigner. Can an inhospitable land. No one cares whether you live. Or suffer or die. Rather everyone around you. Uses you. Or ignores you. That's the unhappy extreme. On one end of the continuum. Of brokenness. Tejon. With feelings of alienation. To joy. On that continue. Mitsumi stop, right. If you were all alone in the universe. With no one to talk to. No with which to share the beauty of the stars. The touch. What would your purpose. Bmi. She says it is other life it is love. Which gives your life meaning. This is. Harmony. We must discover the joy. Of each other. The joy of challenge. The joy of growth. Joy. Kiss my topic this. Being. Okay. I'm a minister in spite of that. I have wondered aloud and i'm doing it again. And imprint why anyone would get up on sunday morning. To go to church when you would could sit in the sun with a cup of coffee in the sunday paper. How you could go to the park. A walk on the beach. Don't get up. You can talk with other pet owners at the dog park. Why would you want to come to a unitarian versus congregation. Where people admit they believe very differently from one another. Heretics independent thinkers outkast. Why invest your time and money to participate in. Such stimulating and. Uncomfortable. Diversity. Well the answer that i have come to. Not to say that the other is and still important. But it doesn't just apply to us whether you join the christian buddhist-muslim. Unitarian universalist or any other religious or secular communities. Is that the rule two doctrines or covenants has of these voluntary community. Bind together. Those who gather. Pure balance. The term religion comes from the latin religio. Which means to bind together. Religious. And secular communities for that matter. Gather ourselves together. In order to reconnect. To heal isolated. And. Alienated individuals. And the communities of relational health. And. Some degree of wholeness. Some use rules to guide or doctrines to believe. Define them into. What i say is conforming hole. And frankly i believe there's as much diversity in those conforming groups. It's just not safe to stay. We unitary versus covenant. With one another. To be a safe place. For each one's personal integrity. We promise to quote affirm and promote. The right of conscience. Our conscience of course. But also that of the other guy. Who we may think. Hold the ridiculous or even a dangerous idea. Arboleaf. Our principals conclude with these words of covenant. Grateful. Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches. And the noble czarface. We are inspired to deepen our understanding. And expand our vision. Esprit congregations we enter into this covenant. Promising to one another our mutual trust. That's the last paragraph on the. Backside of your oil service. We get up on sunday more. We participate in very many activities. Investing your time and resources listening. And sharing experiences and insights. With individuals who may feel safe. Only here. Among us. And sharing who they are and what motivates their lives. How religion binds us together celebrating and empowering. Our diversity. Rather than by conformity. 10 post beliefs and practices. But even. All other religions buying. Together two. They bind together the broken. Enter. Community. Healing our alienation. Turning brokenness into. The joy. Of. Being connected. It's somebody. Knows you. I love certain clothes so i always repeat them. Starhawk. One of our. Good pagan sources. Rights of joy. In these words. Community she rides somewhere. There are people to whom we can speak with passion. Without having the worst catching our drugs. Somewhere a circle of hands will open. To receive us. Eyes will light up as we enter. Voices will celebrate with us. Whenever we come into our own power. Community means strength that joins our strength. To do the work that needs to be done. Arms told us when we falter. A circle of healing. Circle of friends. Someplace where we can be. Free. Starhawk. No like my colleague mary kay mary katherine morn. She was up in nashville. In 99 when she wrote. Sermons on. Drawing a paragraph from. She writes that she says i can't think of an experience of joy. That isn't an experience of intimate connection. Like the moment apparent percy's a child-size. Or moments in the woods. When you grow roots like the tree. You're leaning against. And you realize that you are the same as the tree. Or dark night when the stars reach across the whole sky and. Into your body. Ramona when you look across the room and catch. Your friends. Quick glance. And know that you belong. This. Is experience of being connected. Of joy. We sang beethoven's. Tune. Ode to joy. And it's an indication of an eighteenth-century german poet. Playwriting flying spur. Friedrich von schiller's poem about joy. But here's a different translation from what you found in your hymnal. Joy. Beautiful radiance of the gods. Daughter of elysium. Paradise. We set foot in your heavenly shrine dazzled by your brilliance. Your charms. Reunite. What common use has harshly divided. Omen become brothers under your tender winning. Angela writes that. Common use. As harshly. Divided us. Yet all of us become related. Under joy's tender wing. The way we. Commonly used. And experienced one another in human society. Often does harshly. Break us up. Basic install. Joyous experience. Treating one another. As we would like to be treated. Taken seriously. Sometimes that's the most i can do. That's almost i want. With compassion. Loving kindness. In mutual relations. Mutual relationship. Not always equal. Aspiring. To the others benefit. Mutual. And walt whitman. Add the most joyful sense of human community that i have ever. Come across. And you may. No. This passage really well. Whitman road. I have received and be with those i like. Is enough. To stop and company with the rest. That evening is enough. To be surrounded by beautiful. Curious breathing. Laughing flash. Is enough. Capasso monamour. Touch anyone. We're rest my arm ever so lightly around his or her neck for a moment. What is this. I do not ask. Anymore july. I swim in it. As in a c. The joy. There is also the july of. Getting up in the morning walking in the park right. Reconnecting to our own body selves in nature. Weather berry said when despair for the world grows in me. I wake in the night at the least sound and fear of what my life and my children's lives with. Maybe. I go and lie down where the wood drake rest. Miss beauty on the water. And the great heron fees. I come into the peace of wild things. Who do not tax themselves with forethought or grief. I come into the presence of stillwater. And i feel above me the day blind stars. Wait. With their life. For a time i rest. In the grace of the world. And i'm free. Perhaps though and understanding of joy. As reconnection. Of our body cells in human community and as part of the earth. Can best be heard. Through. The voices of native american. Of the american indian. So i dug through a little book i have. Touching you. And. Fell. This by chief luther standing bear restated. The white man does not understand the indian for reason. Daddy does not understand america. He is too far removed from its formative processes. The roots of the tree of his life. Have not yet grasped the rock. And soil. White man is still trouble with primitive fears the perils of this frontier continent. Some of this is asmuses. Not yet having yielded. To his questing footsteps and inquiring eyes. Demand from europe is still a foreigner. An alien. I remember reading another quote i think i couldn't find it. But that. We have never. Come to the land we remain in boxes. On top of the lamb. Cheap cheap flying like a sioux indian of the oglala clan said. The white man builds big house. Cost much money. Like big cage. Shutout son. Can never move. Always sick. Indians and animals know better how to live than white man. Nobody can be in good health. If he does not have all the time fresh air. Sunshine. Goodwater. Chief luther standing bear again. The lakota was a lover of nature. He loved the earth and all things of the earth. Reattachment. Growing sage. Your people came literally to love the soil. And they said. Reclined on the ground. With a feeling of being close. To mothering power. It was good for the skin to touch the earth. And the old people like to remove their moccasins. And walk with bare feet on the sacred earth. The soil. Choosing. Strengthening. Cleansing. Healing. That is why the old indians still. Sits upon the earth. Instead of propping himself up. And away from its life-giving forces. For him to sit or lie upon the ground. Is to be able to think more deeply. The feel more keenly. Agency. More clearly into the mysteries of life. And come closer in kinship. Two other lives. About him. Kinship. With all creatures. Of the earth. The sky and water. What's a real and active principle. For the animal and bird world. There existed of. Brotherly feeling. The capital of cota safe among them. And so close that some of the lakotas come to there. Feathered and furred friends. That in true brotherhood they spoke a common language. The old lakota was wise. He knew that man's heart. Away from nature. Becomes hard. He knew that lack of respect for growing. Living things. Soon ladd. The lack of respect for humans to. So he kept his youth. Close. Tuite's softening influence. Introvert. Superman play in the mud. What would it mean to you. Prep. A different story in each of our cases. What would it mean for you and me. To reconnect our bodies. With a soil. Hello living things in nature to reconnect. What would it mean to graciously connect. To the human beings. In our world. I suggested everywhere is a good place to start. I can follow the golden rule covenant with my family members. I can follow the golden rule covenant in my home. And yard. With its flora. I can follow the golden rule covenant with my neighbors. With business acquaintances at the grocery store. With coworkers. With distant relatives. With strangers across the globe. Together we can practice our. We can practice. Our unitarian universalist covenant of mutual trust and support. Here. As a religious community. Struggle it out what does it mean. To being right relation with one another a safe place. As we reconnect we will find joy. Where once we knew only brokenness. Daily nation. In the uu world leaves seligmann right. Well hope they call us. From the brink of despair. By inviting us to imagine a different time. A transformed reality. Oh a better place. Joy. Summons us to inhabit. This moment. Already right. It does not depend on material possessions or success. 30 merges. When we risk. Revealing ourselves. It relies on our capacity to connect. With what matters. To feel the pulse of life. The tizer. To all being. This is why joy. Is a religious. May we walk the path of mutual trust. And support. The path of joy. In covenant with one another. We hope you've enjoyed your presentation. Please send any of your comments or feedback to vlr at ufc.com. Feel free to access our extensive library of audio and text sermon at ufc.com and you can also find out more about unitarian universalism by visiting uua.org thanks again for listening. Going to church means different things to different people and sometimes for some people they need something different from what they found increasingly people are turning to the unitarian universalist illiberal religious community we're different people with different beliefs gatherers 1 faith in their intellectual and spiritual search for truth and meaning in their lives unitarian-universalist explore their philosophies and the unitarian universalist congregation welcome you to join our freedom and justice for all persons unitarian universalist. The uncommon denomination.

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A%20Unitarian%20in%20the%20Delta.mp3

If you've been a member here except for about 25 years as i have you have no idea what a pleasure it is to have 14 people in an actual choir and supposed to only 14 people at the service. We are extremely fortunate this morning. We have a presentation of. It's brand new doll she's our poet laureate. Sec if you are very fortunate. You have read her poetry hurt her poetry. If you are really fortunate she will send it to you in the mail. I wanted to point out if i may have to mention that they cotton at the bottom of the podium here. And thank hank who's the king of camellias in southeast united states. For helping short are pure chameleons out there they don't obviously grow with the cotton patch's in the. The cotton fields but i think it's the perfect combination for a service this morning. And with that friend. Spherion in the delta. Not know what the delta is. The only one i ever knew about was. The mississippi delta. Where i grew up. And often couldn't description of the mississippi delta is. The delta begins in the lobby of the peabody hotel in memphis. An enzyme catfish road in vicksburg. I grew up on the edge of the foothills of the delta. To the east with small hills. Enter the west miles and miles. Land with no boulder northridge. Play the lady here and there to contain its rivers. Small farm where i spent earliest childhood. Was passed down from my grandfather. It was passed down also. He used to say the land doesn't belong to anybody. We just take out turn-taking cabot till it's passed on to another. I know. State of mississippi but i'm not sure. I've always believed unitarians are born and not made. What do i know. Neither mississippi nor i knew what a unitary was 80 years ago. And even more recently. Who sings in my childhood insofar as religious influences worth. Fundamentalist church of my. Mother. Are you ready. He's coming. Are you lost. Also included in my experience at the age of 12 i was totally immersed. New river. It was to wash away my sins. John hancock. 20th century spokesman. If i believe in god. Either inpatient or amused. And frequently declined to reply. When i say god. It is poetry. Not theology. Nothing in it theologian ever wrote about god whoever that may be. Help me much. Whatever singapore. Nature. Guys in the sea. The race. Touch my soul. Michelle this is my library. What's the point of staying with my fingers. And blotted. One friend of mine while talking on the phone with her friend. And then answer to a mother's concern about my friends pending marriage to a trinitarian. You are lost lost. Her mother said. Telephone. I'm right here on the corner of bellevue. This was a church in memphis built in 1924 the year of my birth. Church now live from the banks of the mississippi river and is called the church of the river. Greenville mississippi the small town of the delta. Among others noted for some of its citizens but. David corn. Came from greenville. Maybe trying to book and the author of 10 books and scores of articles speeches for president. Has been on the coffee table along with books of pictures and writings from the wealth of writers artists. Ts articulate commentator. Condition. James c cobb. Covertones memoirs at the university of mississippi and edited the material. And if i had a real friend here they would do that for me. I've got the stuff written just nobody's picking up. Reyes in the small town of greenville born in 1862 in krakow russia. Adelaide stevens george mcgovern and lyndon johnson use his services. Sb credit. Atlantic monthly. One of his first books was called god shakes creation. Kermit not my enemies the best-known writer to come out of an area that producer richard sarabia of literary talent. Including walker percy shelby foote elizabeth spencer douglass. Gilchrist and willie morris. The most productive of any sub region in the united states. Not to mention our neighbor to the east. Nobel prize winner william faulkner oxford. And his mystical county. The men who came to the delta according to cornersburg. More than bottom of a seeming contradiction according to him. They were pioneers in which means they were sons of wealthy and moderately wealthy planters of virginia. Kentucky in the carolinas. Come to a virgin land open new cotton plantation. Princely patriarchs of the orient. They brought with them their slaves and their household goods. They also brought numerous volumes of the classic. Greek and latin textbook. Play children. Meaningful group of melo inform protected men and women. Going to this was from home he drew his essential life. Anchored in a happy household. He also said everyone that came to the delta. Social condition. Or because he was run out of town where you live. And i quote him directly the shadow of slavery then and now. Realized but the people of the delta had been steadily and surely. Coming home from those alien lands in the north. President move to. Necessity. The webcam around the world we never left and we must return a tenable for our sustenance. And another quotes. It was an indication of a physical and spiritual tarot of my youth. Men and women friends and neighbors. The great river that was deeply entered into but my being. The cotton kosher they claimed us for his children. And the ancient tragedy. To which everyone of us white and negro enduring no matter what his pretensions. Internet state half-slave and half-free. I thought perhaps it was time. Cricket taylor couple of short stories. Cutting down my stories because i haven't. 1. Victorious. I know this is true because my father loves his children. On-path place. 11. Nicknames. Boll weevil. And that is what you would call. Family. Candy always to the numerous children. So far as i know he had no other name and as an adult. I've always wondered. One afternoon. Driving north on highway 35 the rhode island school bus over. A neighbor for many years. Come home to the small community. Call teasdale. Country school a little more than four rooms with a stage. It was within 1/2 mi from bethel methodist church. Especially funeral. The entire student body. What's march down the gravel road to attend the funeral. It didn't matter who. Whose funeral it was. I cannot even remember my first for they were many and i saw and smelled death along with the fragrance of cedar trees. Remove local residents shows july. I didn't even know the name. What the meaning of the word. Because you didn't have to be a methodist to get in. Now this particular afternoon. We noticed always the beauty of the foothills. And on our right to small hills and trees. And so a newly completed road project the cutting off of a curve. Beginning of the mississippi delta. Place that has high school. In 42. My beloved niece jacket an artist in the movie the art world in the mississippi delta. Is always good company. We've loved every trip we ever. Together and plan to take many more. Lies always cooks for you outside our car together and one of us says. Stop the car. In this case we said it together. Exposed to sunlight. Very old cemetery. Sunken headstone. Call andover market. Paper flowers broken vases. Across the road on the list of the only antebellum. The landlord. Still occupy the house. Anybody willing. I remember him well. It always come out to school bus. Stop. Hollywood infinity answers. How's your daddy. How's your mama. Your brother. This daily ritual seemed as natural to me the times we drove the bus in route to school and watch the gas level rise or fall on the old neighborhood gas station. Gas was orange. Nehi soda. One of the story before i go on with the cemetery remember i left you at the cemetery. I want to tell you about my father life that i might bring down to memphis. Up to the hills. Homeplace. Driving from there. He almost has asked for character reference. So important excursion it was to be. R2g. Overpass in the woods which would have been deemed empathic. Except for my father. Stop in heaven. He would finally stop in heathers call awkwardly through a barbed wire fence. Approaching newsstand of countries among all the hardwood. The government to help with the problem of erosion. What are the rarest things the government did. Ride in bed. Floor right look straight up to the shining time. The bluest sky in the delta. Then silence as well a wondering what street of the day was to be. And daddy said do you realize. How many poor. Sob's. Just born and then you get there and never never never see this. Attention attention. Then we began exploring. The medicine altogether and some much older than others. There was no scientific gas when the burial ground welcomed its first but i know it's last. At first we would. Passed from one undecidable name to another. And then going to dream. I began to read those names that i could. These were my very own childhood black people whom i had known since my birth. Appleton yard cuz some of them are new. Some of the most teenagers. A small van i never knew what happened to them. Weather. Cotton road. Helping the community hub killings planting. And gathering the deltas limited variety of crops. Then cotton corn and soybeans. There was no imagines. Who ran the saga milk when i watch the mule go in circles. Plaza power. Ball machine to squeeze stardom and laid in the molasses. 2 passenger small planes at my brother. Ps4 ride in atlanta. My brother. Richard looked at him frequently. For some reason my brother stooped to pick up something on the floor the plane. Making his head absence at one of richard's checkup. Richard. As my brother. Lordy lordy lordy. They're in the earth with annabelle. Children. Two daughters named babe and sugar. Daily i would appear at the house and i was about 5 then. Perfume bottle. Still smell good. And that fragrance had later craving. 4-h perfume bottle. He would award me with a piece of her incomparable cornbread. The likes of which i've never tasted. Who's application mccain the raising of hog. For my grandchildren with small luke held them one at a time. Off to see the latest bag for baby pigs. You never seen that. Remember what might have been my first experience it might be called spiritual. Watching a huge style. Give birth. Twin babies. I told no grown-ups. It seems such a private moment for the mother pig. And i. More of a long-ago friends lay in that cemetery i wet for them uncontrollable not because they had followed the path of nature and died. Bubba cousin. Not live. The last female. Healthy. I had never heard of a dr. martin luther king. I cannot say their lives like the richness. They love children unconditionally. I also went because of having missed so much of their life. We were not together. I want childhood ended a relationship. The oldest son of one of our tenants. Once asked if the family with selling the tank lot in the house forehead grown up. Exact spot of my earliest. Do the original house. Had long ago burned. Country road between my home and charleston just down from the cemetery and where my old. Route to school and back. Is a beautiful house enclosed by a yellow fence. Morgan freeman. Designer moana. Logan has grown up on that very spot and first bill to home for his mother. And then later for himself and moana. Mississippi. Has become acquainted with this extraordinary. Morgan and i grew up within a few miles of each other but we did not know each other's church school or anywhere. Morgan like mini black dresses for delta. After the technology. The great depression talk many that if you only even a spot of land you can plant turnip greens and live. They went to places like chicago detroit and the slums of large and alien cities. Hopeful and hungry faces. Not always happen solutions to their deprived live. One young man. He had loved it when he grew up and want to come back to. He's now living. There with his wife and four foster children. It's a special pleasure. The radiant children. They're in love the design.. You know my folks he remembers my mother's cooking. She served. Morgan freeman first field that i said his. He is one of the most generous contributors to his community. County. Far as i'm concerned one of his greatest contributions. Starring in the film driving miss daisy. If you haven't seen it. It is a classic. My sister-in-law. Hanging out for me with code all god's chillun. Describes. My sister-in-law. Is one of those quote. Good-looking married women that don't care who knows it. She recently was introduced to morgan. And four cases for a damn if he would be hurt so 42. His answer. Happy happy to drive you anywhere. Originally from chicago. What i would call the wisdom of the unschooled. Prejudiced toward such things as quote departed headed intellectual. Or one who got educated beyond his intelligence. Call. To the southerner black-and-white back to the mystery and innocence of childhood. Most of us are becoming aware of our history told in story and song. Spiritual. If my going is in and coming out in the delta have called me. I think i know how. Riders. Poets. Old and new. Is leading with that song. World war ii move me out of the delta i was a wave in the navy and that's began a whole new level of education. Envisage. i miss manners now my husband years. Advice. But when i wrote my beloved aunt who had given me emerson on the walt whitman 100 better. I asked her how much i do decide. To get married. Charleston. She answered simply. Don't look for a man with whom you think could get along. Mary one home you know you don't want to be without. He remains true for me to this day. We ended up as students for the gi bill at syracuse university. Mechanical engineering. Later a second daughter. Graduate. Realizing our culture was one of churches i remembered emerson. The church. Never do the least harm tonight show. I took my two-and-a-half-year-old leaving hank at home with the baby. And found the first unitarian church in louisville kentucky. I know stately and respectable. Building. Have learned many years. Price of the wedding. Millie and the late randy williams in our present. That very day i signed the book at the memorandum never look back. Later in memphis with what is now the church of the river. This is a place. Delete those who would become a lifelong friend. Southwestern college. Members of the uncaring church. Beginnings of the great books foundation admiral unitarians and anyone else and numerous education court road. Center. Android entire building on that campus. Reinforced again with my trust and he who hesitates himself and never ceases. Among these. We're friends. Davis call mr. unitarian. And he joins the haunted places in my heart as a mentor and our friend his name is frank fox. In conclusion. I have arranged for chuck to stand up. Give me a signal. In november of this year judy riley and i attended the dedication of the first building owned by the unitarians in oxford. Except they're remembering how my own life has been different with an official building. At the home. University of mississippi and more importantly to me the home of william faulkner. It's about 30 miles from. My mother too worried that i had abandoned the fundamentalism of the community. She did not want her only daughter to go to the eternal torment. What's my show ended. I wish i could tell her now. Mother i'm not lost. I'm right here.. How can i keep from singing. In 1966 driving from california here home. Which said 200,000 alabama baptist welcome you to alabama with that please stand if you are willing. Words this morning are from alice walker. Who made you was always the question the answer was always god. Well there we stood three feet high heads valves leading into blossom. Now i no longer recall the catechism or brewed on the genesis of life oh no. The exchange itself. And salvage mostly the learning. Please stay in join us for coffee and conversation and thanks.

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082904%20Dr%20Robert%20Larson.mp3

Good to see so many friends out here. I've known for years to you you and. Projects. Like the same to you you for inviting me here. To tell you about. As my wife and i. Sculptor vision up there. 14 years ago. Some land on the. Show riversail under our care in. Years ago. 50 acres of riverfront land. They were taking care of. This land is rich in biodiversity. And. Rich in history. One of the trails of tears. The north. East corner of our land. There's a place called the grotto by forest. Creek head. For the waterfall. That has been on. Geological registry since 1926. There are six. Ecosystems there. In the northwest florida region we're blessed to have mine of the world. And she count homo domesticus we've got six up there. Our goal is to nurture the land. The natural forest. Longleaf pine forest. And to make points of interest to paz paz. Interfere. Minimize human contact on the land. And also provide opportunities for people to get lost. Because i think it's important to get lost ones. Places. That may heighten. Awareness and also look like in a natural setting. I thrust threefold. Conservation. And to share a vision. First let me talk to you a little bit about conservation. I know i don't have to convince you that. Conservation is. Is important. Remind a little bit. First started writing his. He said. After every major. Civilization coming up with another i can hardly be expected to find anything new. What he did was sharp enough. The golden rule. Universalize it and call saul his categorical imperative. But we all know. Is important. His children. We learned that if you break something you should fix it if you borrow something. We know better than to follow arness. As adults. Mindful. Take care of our own personal affairs in that way. We don't freeze a write bad checks. But. Deficit. Depleting the environment in a non sustained writing bad checks. Just another form of death. It's even worse than if we do. Bank overdraft charges for our grandchildren. Environmental. Do hunter. Do unto the environmental future generations. Previous generations do unto your own. Hotline ad. Environmental practices that can be universalize without. Self-contradiction. Baby trolley would like to discuss. Indigenous people. Impact. Is good. For seven generations into the future. If the world follow this criterion. How differently we might invest. The 1.8 million dollars a minute. If the world was spending on warfare. Prior to gulf war 2. How differently we might spend our resources. And i resources toward respect for mother earth. Does auu seminar. Which is starting up september 7th 22nd which is bound to have some. Creative. Title of the seminars choices for sustainable living. And why. Does the gentleman in the back of the room is collecting signatures. Posed to be. Toll bridge. I've already signed it's in the. You're welcome to sign and ask questions if you like. We can expect the government. Clean up our environment for us. We can expect philanthropic organizations to do what we know is important here. We can expect our economics. Etiology is capitalism to help either because. Capitalism definition in profit. Bottom line. The problem is your corporation wants to do what's right. The environment into its. Balance sheet. Then it is. Out maneuvered by. Corporation to find it. More profitable to breaks environmental laws and once in awhile if they get find a minimal fine line. Actually works against. It's one of those cases where no good. Take care. Corporate capitalism to take care of its cancer on the globe. We must be mindful. Replay. To make a positive difference in our own corner of the world. Our yard in shalimar where we live in habitats. Four-door by national wildlife federation. This is something that anybody could qualify for all you have to do is stop raking your leaves. Stop encouraging. Pesticides and fertilizers. Buy enjoy your yard and put on a show for you everyday. Day and every night. It's important to save the pristine places that are still left. Course the ones in the last. Perfect places. A backyard treated borders between a couple of farms. We need to learn to show love for places. The. Places that are gifts. Going to places that are challenged. Would love her child weather. Gifted. Chris and i have turned our attention to protecting a small section of river. A few branches. The pocket of wildlife. Initial. That's what florida once was and candy again. Do work to create an oasis. Peace. A lot of chaos. To give you an idea of what entropy can do. Fights came into our care. It had been used by the people who live there. Creek in 1926. We hauled off for dipster dumpsters their household trash. 20 or 21 clothes. And the chickens when i go out and scratch. They turn up a few more items never. That there isn't something there that was left since the place was homesteaded. Back in the twenties. The idea that chris and i have is to nurture. The place not to exploit it. Hello lovely. No more accident that lovely person is an ax. And it's possible for land that has known the touch of humankind. Grace. By that touch. Rather than disgrace. Spirit of matthew fox in salida chardin. We sheila secular and a sacred responsibility for the earth. We call it. Planetary patriotism. The sacred sense. The creation is our best way to sense the divine. Unspoiled wilderness has an undiluted vision of the creator. You may get a different vision of it maybe. To the creative. Force or whatever is responsible for. All this biodiversity mine. As some people say find as much. The order there is the disorderly human mind can comprehend. You might find at the crater the maniacs. But you'll fine i think. Vision. In an unspoiled pizza. Wilderness. What. This creative force is really like. The second person. Biodiversity. Is good for nature. And it's good for us. This world is here for us to experience. This is the only certainty. I used to joke and i'm still like to go to heaven but i don't really want to die to get there. Stuff to touch into here to smell the taste. To be surprised. To be shot. To be in live and. The biodiversity of tortoises. Jarring hot. Sunlight. Translucent year of a rabbit. Even wasp cindy's all are part of a balance. Next. It's a jungle out there. We're trying to learn gas with off over a turtle mom. As well as over. The mountain. And i got a really nice compliment for my daughter the other day. Q4. Helping to teach our children and grandchildren. To gasparilla. Just be really excited about the natural world. To treasure every moment what we call annie dillard moment. The moment it comes for just a moment. It may make you want to laugh. Whatever whatever but i can give you a couple of examples. 1. Tree which we've named. Here i go pulling a blank. That's why i have the notes. The tree would we which we call a moonlight sonata. Because it's a triple trunk. Laurel oak. And one evening we sat in our gazebo. And watch the moon harvest moon such as you're going to have the next night or two. This is bull. Moonlight sonata. It hasn't happened since. We got a bob flight born this year. He's got a couple of cubbies of quail that stuff. Power up there having fun and. Pain everytime you say bob's. Somebody would yell bobwhite. And he kept trying and finally got it down the box. Grow up. One morning. My wife was out walking. Sun was shining through another tree which we call for heaven's sake. She wonder why all these trees are named so we can tell someone where we're going if we're going for a walk. Don't know where to find me if i. So anyway for heaven's sake. Drop insurance. One morning the sun came up it was shining through heavy fog. And you've all seen with photographers called god light. The cloud is coming. From the sun. Down. 2%. My wife in the tree and the tree was breaking the. Sunlight so the shadows are coming through as well. And. Perfect syzygy. Everywhere around us. What are the things that i say. So good about living here on this. On this earth. The next crust is. My sculpture which brings together philosophy. Poetry in politics. Cave dwellers. Ice sculpture. My life. In this place this point in history. Military hardware. Colin swords into plowshares where they're transformed into. Peacemaking things. From the same sort of sympathetic magic. Iconvert failure. Potatoes are. Failure to get along to the point where we start beating up on each other. 2. Something which. Models humankind's greatest aspiration. Example is this. Here. I'm not used to using one of these. I'll try. This was made out of. I purchased from a scrap dealer after. These little things here leftover pieces of scrap from repairing fighter plane. The lakota sioux. Have a tradition. Medicine chief when he goes into power outage. Jobs argue the point of peace. You might have someone like crazy horse sitting across from him. And i used to try to balance that out he would. The medicine wheel. On. Take it in there with him. And. His point of view. Taking the word teeth. From. Tribes. From the east. The north and the south. Principals were tatis. I need one of these stylized feathers. Inside i have. Symbols of sustainability. And. Symbols of peace. Does a buffalo there. Couple of. Of a deer with a line going through them. Symbolizing. If. That your watch. Go through plenty of food. And we know that when there are people who are hungry people in poverty. It's hard to have peace. And then there are other symbols of peace. That you're familiar with the broken arrow the hatchet has been. Buried in the ground. The outside. I have. From blackout. One of them says hear me four quarters of the world. Relatives are we. The other side of the medicine wheel dallas says all things. In the spirit. Must learn to live as one. Genesis my greatest hoe. This is. Big reason i sculpt. And the doing the land with my sculpture to show reverence in a tangible way. The xolo sanctuary now has. 24. 2 days ago. Sandtrap that's a. Go up there as part of the trip after this. Maybe you'll smoke real name for that sculpture. The last rest in our vision is to share. What we're doing up there. Division. And i'm sure my wife has a. That the sculpting. United with the work we're doing on the. Actuary. Cosmology. Denied. Energies in a lion's den with a higher. Cosmic purpose. Working for peace and justice. Through a sustainable world. Issue. Look at the world is. They can get. Apathetic or depressed sitting on the couch. But if you get but if you get involved with something. It does. Post-traumatic stress. I'm just a constant. Terrorist plot. Get out there and try to do something. Let's go to bought the direction of my life since my civil rights in the early 60s. We have. We're trying to learn. There's a mystical element. 2. Although the nature beautiful. But it's definitely a mystical experience. These are images that awaken the body. The song. Society. Thank you so much for letting your ear. On the back table our handouts. It was written about the sanctuary there are details. Salted is up there. There are free copies. The book. Chris route. I hope that you. They were here for this. The story. Following. We open our sanctuary for anyone who cares to convoy up there weather. It's a half an hour north of here. Mossy head directions to table. As well as a history of the sanctuary. We have provided deviled eggs compliments of the free-range turkey in. Ameraucana hens that are farm. We hope to see you at. Actuary this app.

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010205%20Rev%20Rod%20Debs.mp3

Happy new year photos. Especially for the gas. This is a tradition of. Pre-order service. By the right of conscience before that bullet. And many of the founders of our country believed in that. Right of conscience. In the governing of our country. Having no. Bishop priester king telling the country how to run. And believe the same for religion. This is a place where we really speak to be a safe place. Integrity. I really just integrity. What i want to say good morning is. That. It's important for us to. Then. One another has religious integrity. Because. Single. We just don't have the wisdom none of us has the wisdom to grasp. Call truce and understanding. We need to be a safe place that we can hear. The inside. Others. Year of years ago rodger miller recorded. A song entitled. You can't rollerskate in a buffalo herd. I've mentioned it before i think it's an interesting song he sang you can't go swimming in a baseball. But you can be happy if you've a mind to. All you got to do is put your mind to it. Knuckle down. The weather versus. As absurd as swimming in a baseball pool. In the new year 2005. I wish all of you. And myself. Loving relationships and success in obtaining. Your. Aspirations. Can i grew up believing lyrics. On willpower. Elbow grease. All you got to do is knuckle down. Do it. Has a kid family wasn't new year's resolution. We were holiness christmas. At every revival service. And every evangelistic i made resolutions to think myself. Constant. Resolution. And every time i prayed. My prayer included the resolution to be better in my daily life. Bringing glory to god. Can you imagine making new year's resolution several times a day. Okay. Find resolutions. Palatable. In fact i was taught that. Sanctified. Accept what was right. A project. I could always do better. Every success is forgotten. As my conscience raise the bar. To greater heights. Greater and greater. Imagined perfection. If i ever lost. Must simply pray harder. Because the bible says. Believe it's just a matter of being faithful. Pretty exhausting. I began to question the bar. What was considered. Question. Fran. The etiology of horniness. All the arts in the shoes. That i had insurance from church and family. Drive internalized from school. Community. All those. Endless rules radiology. Ideas of what it meant to be good right. All those endless resolution. We're simply idea. However exaggerated that's how it ought to be. Those ideas. What really works. Is really good enough. And what is unrealistic. Instantly change. Ideas of what i. Questioning. Winning on my mind. 11 to question no matter their authority. I became a. I have become belligerent. I'm in my mistrust of all ideas. This is how. It's. Beyond a matter of discipline is trying harder. I just don't trust all these ideas. Those ideas. Demanding that i knuckled down buckle down. I no longer. Slave to reshaping my wife. To the india logical picture. From someone's brain whether my own or someone else's that's how it is supposed to be. Now. Just not buy into the popular ideologies. Calling them lazy undisciplined incompetent. A lot of other words. But it's not so called losers are lazy. We just don't buy the program. Don quixote is cast as a madman. When he sings his radical. Rejection. Of a world of cruelty. And ideologies. Is prevalent. To dream the impossible dream. The unbeatables. Was unbearable. Where the braves. I don't know about this next part 2. Pure and chaste from afar. Your arms. Arturo. No matter. Without question. And the world will be better for this. Congrats. Dreams. Of a fictional character. Still fixed. The reality of my life. Questioning. I don't intend to glorify. Delusionally insane. As they rejected. Fallen contortions. Of human life i don't mean to glorify. Insanity. But drop-out do not necessarily. Because dropouts do not necessarily have a better grasp on the. The question is this. How do you tell the difference between a visionary. Crackpot. Maybe one. Are you. Different from jesus. He called the kingdom of god. How do you know the difference. Both had people following him. With many believers following them. I need to know the difference between. Who would seduce us into contorting glorious by. Maybe it's me. And. How to know the leader who pays attention to reality. And simply reports was there. Are real human potential the choices before us. I need to discern among gloria vacuous ideas. And those rooted in reality. Alex schreiner. 1927. The new mother looks down upon her little child's ad. And whispers. Oh man you seek after truth. If anything i teach you befall. May you throw up. And deeper knowledge than i ever had. If you're an artist. May you may know lovewell. Or fame or admiration. And no fear. Or misunderstanding make you ever paint. 4 brush. And ideal or external life. Otherwise. Then as you see it. If you become a politician. Menos except for your party or yourself. Or the seeming good of even your nation. Ever lead you. To tamper with reality. And all the difficulties which will arise in life. Fling yourself. On the truth. And cling to that. As a drowning man in a stormy sea. Knowing that. Weather houston. It's the belt. Have you become a man of thought and learning. Oh never. With your left hand. Afraid to pull down. Through the years of thought. If. You see it last. If you see it at last. Not to be founded. On that which is. Unlocked. I know no failure. Shut your eyes to nothing. That seems to them. The reality. I livestream. Years ago i read cs lewis lewis screwtape letters as well as man of lamancha. Earthworks are lauded visionary. In one. I was grass. That the madman. Was true. Reality is i know it. And the other. The logic. Of christianity. Lester tiny. Nagging. Sense of unreality. I can't speak for others left unreality. I could not deny my discomfort with. Emily dickinson road. Stairs the despite the ideas of philosophers. There is a nagging sense of reality. Like a tiny tooth. Nibbling at our school. She writes for fall. This world is not conclusion. Species reality. And beyond. Invisible as music. Positive. As sound. Rebecca. Philosophy. I don't know. And throw a riddle at the last. Sagacity must go. To guess it. Puzzle scholars. To gain it. Might have borne contempt of generations. Facelift. Rally's. Brushes effects. And ask. Weather. What's gesture from the pulpit. Narcotics. Cannot still the tooth. Nibbles. At the soul. Leadership leadership. Is rooted in. Nibbling. Question. That little voice. Of integrity and honesty. Otherwise it's demagoguery. It's the demagogue. Submit to master pinions blending. Glory. Maybe a common delusion. The nazis displayed a powerful unity. The search for truth begins by accepting oneself. Despite popular opinion otherwise accept reality. As personal experience. Deep leadership. Kohl's upland on perception. Deep leadership is willing to be instructed. When reality. Onesie. Teachers knew inside. It's. The nagging doubt. Has a hebrew scripture said that still small voice. That you're uncomfortable with some aspect of even the most. Conclusive convincing. Ideas in aetiology. Which. Like a sniveling in your soul. Is realities. Cast of truth. As we enter new year. May we not burden ourselves with resolutions to change the reality of our lives. To fit anyone. Ideological fancies of what ought to be. My prayers that i will not tamper with reality. Neither yours nor mine. But honorat. Together may we have integrity. Encourage. To pay attention. Learn from others. Center provide leadership in a world of video logical rhetoric. So often. Looks aside. From the way it is.

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090504%20Rev%20Rod%20Debs.mp3

Others that it's all about. The posture of all. And wonder. Praising god. Some speak of submission and obedience. But that's what life is all about. It's it's like what a scientist would say. That we are careful not to ignore gravity. And that blood flows when you touch your skin. To respect fire. Or electricity or the effects of alcohol. Religious tradition says about a beating. The divine. Laura. Uofa are you suffer. Abraham maslow characterized what life is all about. He said you don't get to some until you get. Apartment a. The multiplicity of activities seem to have kind of a priority in. In the human animal. Until the. Until the. Until the basic ones. Physiological. Physiological needs. Think about myself. Other motivations are satisfied. Then safety. I'm safe. Then. Typically you can move up to love relational. And. The mutuality and speaking of love is a mutual dynamic. Not as a one direction niall taking. Ernestine. Which has to do with society. And then finally self-realization. So. Hierarchy of needs. Observable. I would say scientific. It's a prioritization life is all about. From the individual. From the individual. A little bit of translation. To change this. Adaptation. Assumption. And to replace it with more accurate. Perspectives of our interconnectedness. We are not alone we are interconnected in all these things. The collective expression of our needs for food water are in such physiological. Survival things. Might go under. The titles of. How about economic justice. When you extend it to more than just me and my body. Or how about. Ecological sustainability. When you include the earth. Talking about those basic. First level. What we mean by economic justice is very person has a human in contribution to the community. Adam and. Just distribution of society's productivity. You take this individualistic thing of food. And you. Talk about how we're connected in this network. And you come up with economic justice them. Sustainability. Psychological. Sustainability take the second one. Safety. Collective expressionism. Individual need for safety. Redeem. Political justice. International. When you extend it beyond your own skin. Texas. Expensive global family. Not just me and my kid. Without that private consumption. Tiffany's are still there. The 4th level. The cultural expression of our need for. Esteem. Social esteem. This is not a popular word to a lot of people that it's multiculturalism. Individually i want to steam for who i am. But you extend that. And save. Who are we as human beings. Esteem. Multiculturalism extended. Otherwise it's not sustainable. And the last category the top on. Self-actualization. Collective expression of that. That need for self-actualization. Is universal education. Channing talked about. The divine. Qualities of soul. All those qualities affect. And how. No matter what. Weather condition. Did they have that potential. Universal education and i would say full employment self-actualization. It happens in a relationship. And community and the opportunity contribute. So what does self actualization mean. Just getting a degree after. A way to use it. And to contribute to society. My point here in translating. High rockies. Of needs from its private individualistic perspective. Has the needs of individual organisms. Text and it to the collective perspective is needs of the interconnected world. History show us adopted. Intentionally or unintentionally. Perspective. Narrow. Perspective. What life's all about. It's about. My food. My safety. Love. For me. 15 bisulfite. We've come to reduce all that weather flies to. Think of the webs to that intersection. I me and mine. With maslow we speak of the individuals. Economic justice in labor and distribution is irrelevant. As if sustainable. Psychological. The ecosystem is. They're not. Bushmaster we speak of individual safety. Our security can be attained by military and economic domination. It's not. We can't do it alone. With maslow we speak of love as if we can marinate it for ourselves. As if. You know. We could trade for it. You can't. Experience level. We think it was with maslow we speak of esteem self realization. As if they're simply high-priced market commodities. They can be purchased from exclusive providers why the world. Economy. Private istic individualistic perspective of life. The reality is that no person exists alone. And. That's amazing. It's all obvious. So we have to say it no person exists alone. And isolated. From relationships that make up the world. Make up our lives. Martin luther king jr said in a. All caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. In a single garment of destiny. Hancock. We're all in the same boat. The quote ledbetter valley. Peter coyote spoke of our interconnectedness. Fiction. The idea of absolute freedom. Is a fiction. It's based on the idea of an independent self. But in fact there's no such thing. There's no self without other people. There's no self without sunlight. There's no self without do. And water. And bees to pollinate the food we eat. So the idea of behavior. Relationships is not really freedom. This indulgence. Trace the roots of this concept of individualism to important or sense of personal integrity. Geologist to forgive me sociologist. The concept of individual freedom as opposed to being. Free as a sub. In a free nation. As a subject of that nation. Free from foreign conquest. The concept of individual freedom. Was new to the european settlers in the new world. It was the american indian. Rather in the indians world view the eagle. The pine. The deer. The wind in the trees. The water. The pebbles in the brook. Are all relatives. And sacred. No one. Is the subject and no one is a master. When we european-americans caught on. We took up with it. With a vengeance. Rather than selves in mutual. Relation with other selves. We became individual to ourself alone. Masters of our route. Kings of our own castle. Authorities unto ourselves. The world of dance. That's how we adopted. The concepts of individual freedom. From the natives. Tradition. Option. Either an independent. Ruler of your own. Self. You're either subject independent. We freedom-loving americans do not want to be subject to anyone power or authority. Weather in heavener nurse. And any interdependent relationship. Experience them as compromises. Of our personal integrity in our authority. Autonomous individual. We imagine ourselves self-made. What is worsley too often see. All relationships is. Commodities. To serve our. Individual needs. Rather than his. A greater reality that were apart of. Greater and more noble. Then our private. Realms. Now i don't want it. Deny. The private experience of being an individual person with unique. Internal consciousness. With feelings. With intuitions and insights and creative genius for that. I don't want to suggest or suppress any individual. Beneath the conforming collective. A groupthink. It's not an either-or though. Either the individual as master. One of the other. So what's life all about i talked around it enough. I would like to suggest to you today. I propose that it's about. It's all about relationships. Three kinds of relationships. First relationships with other beings understand. The quality of our relationships with other persons in with the natural world. Can vary. It can vary from power and competition and. And careless abuse. 2. Bargaining. Submission. Perhaps sometimes it's just a bit. And flea. The storm. But such qualities are all. Individually oriented perspectives. As if the world were our oyster. Or our hurricane. I think of how european-american slaughtered the buffalo for their tongues in their high. How do we relate to the natural world. As well as two fellow humans. Holistic relationships. Kimora open-hearted. Mutual giving. Rather than taking and taking and taking. Relationships of respect interdependence. Do not see the private game self or other. Hierarchy of needs. Satisfied by relationship. A family is more. Send a group of mutually useful individuals. Basketball team is more than scoring. Individual players. The world is more than a parasite. Eating off each other. Relationships are more. So what each individual gets out of. Relationships. Among beans. Second life is all about personal integrity. The relationship we have with ourselves. Our inner world of consciousness. How we take seriously. Our personal feelings. Insight. Our intuitions especially. What others. Differ. Take ourselves seriously. Do we watch our minds work. Our emotions. Do we take our body cells seriously. Judgment. The spoiling praise of the world. About. Do we have a justin relationship to our own in ourselves. Open-hearted self-questioning. And integrity. That's the relationship with ourselves. I think that's why we're here. Third life is all about our relationship. To that which is. Mystery still. Some call it god and conjure up a picture of. Someone carrying a lamb in their arm. Passing judgement. On all humankind. Sometimes you're up images of. Right and wrong living. Write believe in abomination. As if they know the mind of god. Some. Stand in all. At the magnificence of microscopic organisms. For their own hand. Amazing animals. Exploring. Ocean. And a fascinating human beings. After i first. Inner worlds. Standard hall. I propose that that's a religious place. That's another kind of relationship. How do we relate. To the unknown and unknowable. Except. To grab something. The potential for our open-hearted relationship. With other beings in with ourselves. And with the mysteries. Have the person beside us. Horse the world. Unlimited potential. We can reduce it all to greedy selfishness. Too brutal competition and heartless violin. How we relate to those things. Or our relationships could have the romance. And generosity and. Changelings that. Of the most. Intimate love affair. Relationship. And i want to leave you with a with a poem. By shelly. Percy bysshe shelley. And this poem. I think leaves an image. Of the juicy potential. Open-hearted and loving relationships. Relationships. But also with other beans. Including the mud. Tennis stones. And the machine. And also. Their potential. The romantic potential. For domestic. Correlating. The mystery of being. Shelly roaches. The fountains. Mingle with the river. The rivers with the ocean. The winds of heaven mix forever. With a sweet emotion. Nothing in the world is single all things. Biologic vine. In one spirit meet. And mingle. See the mountains kiss high heaven. And the waves clasp one another. No sister flower would be forgiven disdain. It's brother. And the sunlight. Craft beer. And the moonbeams kissed the sea. What is all this sweet work worth. If thou canst not.

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092604%20Rev%20Rod%20Debs.mp3

My topic. Almost. Have a bit of trepidation. A member of the congregation brought it to my attention. Boston university school theology. My hebrew scripture is professor dr. harold. Wrote me a note papers. And what she recommended that i pursue physical scholarship because. What that would have entailed as would be learning hebrew and greek and aramaic. Plus a lot of biblical scholarship is published. But getting to before you even get the christian scriptures. In order to. Study various translations interpretations of. The first five books scriptures. The written law. Oral law of the mishnah. Decoded and explained it. With. And it's contacts. And then study of hebrew scriptures. Known as the tanakh. Would include the torah. The prophets in the hole. What christians call the old testament. And this would only be the beginning. The oral law because the oral law michigan. Was intended for memorization. It is highly cryptic. Each phrase has. Historical and cultural. Association. Just as in today's language the terms gay and straight. Bad. And cool. Have cultural connotations. Meaning of specific usages. Understand. Judaism one must studies collection of the commentaries. The discussions in the debates of the various schools of interpretation. Kermit. However. Even beyond. Even more expanse. Logical reasoning. Judaism has the body of literature. Why does magnitude of. The collective. Conceivable interpretations. Let imagination go. Various interpretations. Midrash. Finally. We're still talking about. The logical study of hebrew scriptures of meditation. Upon jewish teachings known as ecstatic. Academic logic. A way of life study and of meditation. Provides intuitive insights. New level. Of awareness into the meanings of. Reality. Penetrating insight. Penetrating insight. For meditation. Into how life works moment-by-moment. Relationship by relationship. The meditative techniques of jewish mysticism. Kabbalah. Are not so different. Many ways from buddhist. Insight meditation vipassana. The meaning of the term. To the way it is. And it is just such new. Penetrating. Inside. Waking up. For meditation practices of. Jewish mysticism that awakens. This continuously growing awareness of the interconnectedness. Of our lives. Greater than what we have conceived. Before. I didn't study.. I've had no regrets that i did i did not receive a scholarship. And. I felt it would. I would lose touch with. With the. What's up. Perspective of what i care about. Turbo. Life issues. In the here-and-now is too many of you. Jesus. How to have. Meaningful life meaningful. Mutual. Relationship with different people. Issues of. How to kill our interpersonal lies. And keep our integrity in the process. And how to be open to that which is. Just beyond our ability to comprehend that. The awesome the unknowns the chaos. What's confusing with wonderful. What's chaotic. And what's glorious about the world. There are smarter people than me. And they do the scholarship and take a shortcut. Which is to reflect on their inside. One of the members i mentioned is daniel fireworks daniel. Piercing place. There is no middle finger recently sherry's husband. Study of jewish mysticism. Call dixie the cab with me. And so i want to watch cher. Some of my. Frail insights into an ancient tradition. And see if there's a way that weekend. That it does have meaning to hot. Used a work by rabbi david cooper. And heat. I tried to explain. Experience. That's something inexpressible exclusive. An esoteric mystery tradition something secretive. Entitled is book god is a verb. When i was in 5th grade. I think that's when i first realized. Different levels of awareness. And these different levels of awareness as possible. World. This very same real world. Our teacher assigned us to collect. Different types of tree leaves. I collected hickory and walnut. Cherry oak and ash. And ironwood you know what ironwood looks like. Horse chestnut. Mulberry. Sugar maple silver maple. Red maple. Chinese maple. What's the other one started with maples fence airline. And from. Whenever i was outside. I did not just see. Grass and flowers and bushes and trees. My wearing a different i was aware of. And i felt love. Is the trees that i recognized. The sugar maple in the yard. The bucket. Insofar. Level of awareness. It wasn't of a different world. It was. Not a separate realm. It wasn't directionally higher. Butter grater. Connection to the trees that always been there. Then i realized. When i was introduced to some birdwatchers. That. Hirelevel. And i began to learn the names of different breeds of horses. And that was an endless source of. Enjoyment to me. Another level. As we walked through the woods on college hill. With my botany professor. By the way. The underground rivers in the grand canyon and so forth. But he would point out countless wild. And he would call them by name and. Tell their stories. As a parent. Toosii. Beyond. My child's angry. To recognize the development of her desire to make. Her own decisions in a life of constant direction. In control. Behind that i could see her disappointment that she could not. Adolescent development of social drive. And her. Loyalty to her friends. Good things. I can see her confidence in me. That no matter how unkind. I would still love her. I could see in her scream i hate you. Fully experiencing and expressing. Without restraint. But life doesn't always give you. What you want. The real reality of the way it is. And i could also see her brilliant display. As my opportunity to resist. Getting mad back. Opportunity. There wasn't. Because it was an emotional moment. Another level. The kabbalists does not say that one level of awareness is. Higher or better than another one. They're different. Levels of war. The mosquitoes awareness is merely different. From dad of the rabbit. The nature of human consciousness. Earnest. Is that where. Generally. Unaware. Of all the connections. That we have. With every other being. Of all the intricate workings. That's the way it is. Generally seeing ourselves. Disconnected. Separate. Self concerned. Part of one another. Mutual relationship. That interplay. Suggestive human beings. Can shoes. We can choose to see ourselves. Have single cells. Ignoring our organic. Connections with others. We can focus. On how. We are so very much like. Every other cell. In the body. And focus on our. Interdependent to salamence. Outside. Hondas. The religious practices the study the meditation. A jewish mysticism enables catalyst to expand consciousness. To get little inklings. To see new connections. To make those connections. Cedar. Longleaf pine. Anger disappointment. Casinos new connection. To expand our consciousness to enhance. Are natural awareness. Try something with me if you would. If you're willing. Vision. Expand peripherally. You don't have to look around to do that. Just allowed to expand peripherally. To take in more visual information. About what is happening. Around you at this moment. You can do something similar. By paying more attention to the. In the moment. You can became become a. Other than my voice. That you had. Focused. Narrowing of awareness. Other sounds that. But. You and i've been oblivious. Notice your body. You can feel pressure of. Samsung denise you. Under pressure the ground beneath your feet. I suppose everyone's just about to scratch an itch. Lavatera warehouse. Your skin. Happens all at once. Or you feel your leg falling asleep so shift a little. What if we paid. As much attention. Civilized to the beans to the inanimate objects. To the experiences. Of our lives. Of all that. Which we. In the world all those relationships. We could observe how others listen to what they say. Watch what they do. We could study the circumstances of others lies and what experiences. Result in specific. Reactions. The political example. Cuz he'll in realize we have separated ourselves. With others. After 9/11. Few americans americans. Of the connections between us foreign policy. And those whom we came to noah's terrorist. The media ask. And it is known that the united states. Has done nothing to merit. An outright declared had no better reason than. No awareness. To take out 2,000. Of america. Us media. Captain american thundercloud of unawareness. Regarding the. We have set up. An armed in the middle east. For many years. To saddam hussein himself. Enter the saudi family. Americans were unaware. Unaware of our relationship. U.s. responsibility for the deaths of. Thousands of iraqi children from diarrhea. After u.s. bombing of iraqi water and sewage treatment plant. And. 10 years. Have embargoes against water purifying chlorine. Has a dual use chemical. Finally americans have been. Unaware or ignored. Billions of dollars in us funding. But israeli occupation of palestinian territories. Subsidizing 300,000. Jewish settlers. In the mirror 22% left. Within the green line. Known as the palestinian territories. Chilling. Conscious. Nationalism in the us ignored. 9-11 terrorist connections wasabi. Rather terrorist connections to talladega. Connections. Terrorist connections.. That was a political statement. It was my political opinion. Our awareness. Perhaps i'm aware of other connections. But you could enlighten me on. As a united states citizen. I'm constantly challenged. To participate. Becoming more aware. Of our global. Relationships. And their consequences. Awareness. Of the history of us foreign relations in the middle east. Was certainly lead to greater accountability. And healing. More healing that is possible through blind. Nationalist. Arrogance. And jingoistic militarism. The catalyst would say. That our notions of god are too small. God is not a person male or female. God is not a thing. To give loyalty to. It is beyond all our dualism. And yang good and bad light. The name of all and the unknowable. Is the holistic principle. Which draws us to the awareness of greater interconnectedness. Transcending the dualities of our isolated live. Including my limited knowledge of international relations in case you disagree with me. The garden of eden. Is perhaps the most miss interpreted tale of the hebrew scriptures according to jewish mysticism. Eve for the fall of humankind. The story of adam and eve can be seen to display. The principle of partnership. Male and female. Both required for balance and harmony. The serpent. Is the third element. Representing the force of fragmentation. The clouds are mutual awareness. With. Some of these details and. Tangled. Oral connotations. But very real ones. Midrash. By rabbi eliezer. Describe the serpent. As appearing like a camel. A camel. Okay and furthermore the camel carry door was itself. It all seems so strange. Except. The sound of the hebrew word for camel. It's a lot like the hebrew word for 3. Satanist identified with the. Mirror. Three-dimensionality of the material world. The capitalistic teaching affirm safe. Presenting our. Fragmented. Awareness. The third crystal element of reality. Materialistic. Three dimensional. Separate. The fragmatic sensors. Reality. We are not.. We are not all connected. All knowing. We're not. Set another way without the principle of fragmentation. Awareness would be universally connected in holt. All consciousness would be one with a mind of god all-knowing. Integrated. And unify. But were fragmented. Perhaps the greatest failures contemporary religion. Has been to fall into dualistic thinking that i and mine are good and others bad. We value. And we missed it all your darkness. We value life. And push away from us. The rich composting soil. And the renewal of gas. Progressed. After. Satisfaction of all. Sting's. And we sailed embrace the value of generosity. A certain amount of. Healthy hunger. Insufficiency. Maybe even sacrifice. We believe we know the mind of god. Goodness. And your name and grasp. Without his perspective. We have. Gardner box conceptualized images. One interesting translation of genesis 1:1. Is. You may have to help me daniel. I'm adding this hat from the text. In the beginning. It created. God. I can't remember the whole quote. Suggesting that the gods. The gods of good and evil. Power and week. And supposed to weakness. Was. Secondary. To the nothingness. The wholeness emptiness. Beyond our. Comprehension. Read the book. I think. Even more difficult. And. I said i'm not a scholar catalog. Kabbalistic teaching sees god. As a mutually interactive verb. As garden. As a verb. Thanks. But interactive relationship. As well i am rotting. As. You are surely nothing. And dora dora. And rustling. We are. Be. In partnership. A fragmented nest. In partnership with godin. Opening up the greater awareness. As we interact. As we. Pay attention. As we see beyond. The brokenness in the separate. The interplay. We are partners. Capitalism encourages us to religious practice. The study into above all. Meditative attentiveness. That we will open ourselves. The mutual intimate. Interrelationship. With what presents itself. The presence. Is our human potential to greater awareness. Ivar interconnections. To our lives. The we are not separate. Each moment is the moment of the divine kiss. The greater awareness. Each moment we are in the divine presence if we choose to be aware of it. Attention. Greater wholeness in relation to the real life. Beings. Khabar everyday lines. One jewish mistake. A thirteenth-century abraham aboulafia. Said. Of this mutual relationship which is riding and guarding. All at once. Quotes. Now we are no longer separated. And behold we are the source in the stores is us. We are so intimately united with it. We cannot by any means. Be separated from at 4 we are. Although many religions have images of god. As so different. So out there. Human. Real life imperfections. Rabbi cooper rice. In each of these movements. We know. The presence of the divine. And there is no separation. Got me baffled. Please join in our song evaporation.

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uufec_head_heart_faith_by_dennis_hale.mp3

It is good to be back again and. Bonfire. Azaria and. To share with this conversation i think this about my sixth i'm about to run out of talk. I want you to compress much very much not being used to have them fill medical problem that that prevented her from coming phelps last minute. And she's always been with me before. Also like to thank god scotty for always putting up with us had to put up with me this time along. And but i always enjoy the warm welcomes that i received in her home as well as her church home. But like to say about the tom today is that i will there will be quotation fit in my trunk i don't always attributed the quotations but they are all julie footnoted. An interesting time. Base of head and heart. A pelican dance. Over the past few years religion has been the subject of many books. On the new york times bestseller list. Very popular on the right or the left behind books i read one of them they jenkins is a very good writer a very good altar. And it's a very good book a fiction course. But they're very popular on the right face in the rapture. When jesus is going to suddenly returned to earth and whisk all the real tristan's up into heaven leaving behind driverless cars on the interstate and pilotless airliners in the sky. F-family radios. Harold camping. As many of you heard made national news went so far as predict may 21st. That's judgement day this year. End the rapture. Question is did it happen and i've heard i went on and listen to what he had to say after the incidentally was still here. And what he had to say. And camping says it did happen. But not literally. And it will all happen literally end up on judgement on october 21st when all hell will break loose. Not exactly his words. The books on the left. Call the underlined value or lack thereof of organized religion. Some writers are atheist to in the past had a very limited readership. Now they write best-selling book. You ready to store non-believers like richard dawkins daniel dennett sam harris christian christopher hitchens. And others and they have touched a sensitive nerve. Md american cycle. On average. They hold that religious belief is irrational. And that believers live in a fairytale world. Sam harris harris road we must begin to begin speaking freely about what is really in these holy books of hours. There is no act of cruelty is so appalling that it cannot be justified or even mandated. By recourse to their pages. The popularity of anti-religion writing mirrors a shifting paradigm in the us culture. Polls show that during the last two decades. A growing percentage of americans are giving up on their religion. I saw a cartoon at 3 to check that individuals with captions over their heads. Sometime ago. One captain said former baptist. Another set for methodist methodist. There was another one that said former capitals. The 2009 american religious identification survey. Found that all religious denominations have lost ground since 1990. The percentage of americans who said they were not associated with any religious group jump from jump to 15%. From 8% in 1990. The downward rip might be characterized by a line in the movie oh god. With george burns this idiot in john denver as the store manager who is reluctantly recruited to spread the word. The manager vacillation says to goggle i don't even go to church. Which god reply. Neither do i. In contrast to some of the nueces. There are authors more sympathetic to religion cluding course bishop john spond. And you thinkers like jerry wills ostrich head and heart american christianity. Dr. george bailey. Spiritual evolution a scientific defense-update. Ed bruce shaymin all third of an atheist defends religion subtitle. Why humanity is better off with religion then without. I would like to briefly touch on religion this morning religion at its worst and best. Exxon on spirituality. And why most of us here value both religion and spirituality are we would not be here this morning. And although god might be mentioned in my talk my talk is not about god. God is irrelevant to my message this morning. My phone is about human. A human religion. Which do not necessarily depend. On the god of any tradition. Definition. Let's review briefly the modern example. The big one on the dark side of religion the big one for americans. On september 11th 2001 19 religious fundamentalists road to their death on 3 hijacked airliners. Killing almost 3,000 innocent human being. Compromising the well-being of thousands more. And changing the character of the us forever. Osama bin laden invokes god when he ordered the attack. A short time later as you know some of our fundamentalist christian leaders endorsed bin laden's action. With a twist that god allowed the attack because americans were being unfaithful to god. A month later the u.s. attack afghanistan. It is still there killing and being killed and trying to. Build a nation. Two years after that president george w bush invokes god. When young ladies us missiles and bombers on the people of iraq. Causing more death and destruction. They're more than 11,000 military deaths including 4,000 american andover 151000 civilian deaths. Mostly. Iraq. Millions have been displaced we know. And we also many of us feel that there are many people feel that we're alternative. Potentially peaceful option. The war in post nation. But in the words of psychologist abraham maslow. Maslow. When all you have. Everything looks like a nail. The bayshore factors other than religion contribute to terrorism. Enter enter terrace. But religion's role is my point. And it has a checkered history and dealing with evil. Many times religious cure is worse than the evil that addresses. Mineral sources say the decline of religion in our nation. Should wait. Let's hold that question on 287. The relation of religion. Violin. By the way of defining concepts catholic father leo booth ultra when god becomes a drug. Belief is a religion is a belief system organized around a prophet teacher are set up human precepts. Brass spirituality is the ability to discover and use our own special uniqueness. And this summer's issue you uworld doug muda rights. Spirituality is an awareness of the gap. Between what you can experience. And what you can describe. Jeffrey kluger road in a time article. Religion is institutional. Spirituality is intensely personal. Religion is cultural. Spirituality is genetic. And i think that is a valid and important distinction. Religion is cultural. Spirituality is genetic genetic. I'd like to put a human face. On the issue. Research psychiatrist dr. george vaillant tells the true story. Of a woman whose only son was killed by a fourteen-year-old boy to prove himself to his game. At the trial she stared at the murderer and said i'm going to kill you. While the accused was serving several several years in a youth detention facility. The victim's mother visited him. And learned that the young boy had been living on the streets before the kelly. She was the only visitor he had during his incarceration. When he was about to be really she learned he had nowhere to go and invited him to temporarily use a spare room in our home. She found him a job. Time passed and one day she asked him if he remembered her worst at the trial he did. Hard words in the trial. Then she said. I did not want the boy. Who killed my son. Thalia. Well the killer. Is death. And since my son is gone. I would like to adopt you. You will it. She became the mother. 11 news. Her compassion. Her forgiveness. Where did they come from. In the us culture we would often side with the woman who said she would kill him. And expect if she invited him into her home to exact revenge. But for the walnut. The transformative power of a positive emotion. Intercede. Spirituality. It's related to positive emotions such as compassion forgiveness love whole joy trust gratitude. They arise from our inborn mammalian capacity for unselfish parental love. Let me put it in violet's words i quote him here. The evolution of positive emotions began more than two hundred million years ago when faceless. Walnut brain untrusting humorless cold-blooded reptile. Slowly evolved into warm-blooded. Child nurturing faithful hopeful large brain mammals capable of play joy attachment and trust in their parents. To care for them. Rather than to do them for lunch. We are hardwired for positive emotions and these positive emotions are a common denominator of all religious spades. And of all human beings. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Is a common teaching of all major world religions. It's also true of course that we are hardwired for some negative emotions such as fear. Anger inventions. Which are often crucial. To our short-term survival. But they can be exploited by politicians as they were in the lead up to the event to the invasions of afghanistan and iraq. According to velen negative emotions are short-lived and they are about me. About my survival. On the other hand positive emotions are about us. And necessary to long-term survival. Over the millennia as homo sapiens appeared and spread throughout the world. Religions t-ball through cultural evolution. Evidence of religion parallel the growth of towns and cities. However until about two thousand years ago. Great cities such as troy babylon ancient carthage and others a rose. Only to disappear. Religion space on power guild retaliation gear and hard. Could not sustain. The world's cities. But something changed beginning about 600 bce. And continued into the common era buddhism. Confucianism christianity and islam became established. For the most part these religions emphasize love and compassion rather than fear and dominance. Even the older judaism salt. Did retaliatory mosaic law unit in some ways to the lubbock loving suggestions on a gentler profit. The prophet isaiah. Turow cease to do evil. Learn to do good. Search for justice. Help the oppressed defend. Play. That's more in detail at four of these ancient positive right brain genetic emotions. That left frame cultural religion. Begin. To underscore. Hey. Nescafe is often equated with religious belief that is cognitive. Acceptance of religious concepts and doctrine. For example millions of christians believe that god dictated the bible which it would then be true and without error. There's an inherent problem here even if the bible or any holy book or perfect. Humans are not. Humans drawn many different truth from scripture. End the rapture dimension is one of them. 40 elizabeth is 41% the recent poll 41% of americans. That's about 127 million. Agree with harold camping. That jesus is coming again in person. Although most of those would not risk a prediction of the exact date. Most say he's coming again soon. And have been saying that for the last 2000. Over the centuries humans have supported contradictory concept. Humankind's allegiance to the bible gave us the crusades. An. Christian peace movement. Justified slavery. And inspired the abolition of slavery. Defendant racial discrimination and produce the civil rights movement. I don't believe that talking is just believe i mean i believe that cognitively. It's called trull. Then learn usually early in life. But they's has another meaning that is not cognitive. Face is also trust and according to researchers like bailiff is genetically transmitted and his millennia older than religion faith involves trust that the world has meaning. When are without god. And that loving-kindness exist. It's a human birthright open to all human including atheist and agnostic. You're my childhood and adolescent years in church before i understood what religious dogma man sunday school was a loving experience. My teachers love me. And cared about. Head instilled in me a love for people and of course modeled act love. On jesus of nazareth. Promax early church experience from a church experience i'll call great deal to it for who i am. That because it is a size positive emotion. Over the negative one. I still trust. Love. And i distrust. Hey. Play astro. Enables many of us spend your life difficult it. It draws us to people like here this morning. Brings about a feeling of oneness with each other as we have some share their joys and concerns. Etiwanda switch nature. Neponset reservoir strength. Then there's hope. They have the evolutionary capacity of homo sapiens to think about the future. Probably gave rise. Totally positive emotion of hope. Up until about 12:15 thousand years ago. Moreland. Nomadic ancestors survived by hunting and gathering. When people began to experiment with planning planting and cultivating. Agriculture produced texas oil would produce. Respond. And that in the next season there would be a harvest. It's possible that the hope for life after death. If all that.. Hope does shape our lives. It's emotional energizing. Strengthening. In alcoholics anonymous. Alcoholics buganda 12-step but first admitting their own powerlessness over their addiction. alcohol. Bentley come to a hole. That a power greater than themselves do not necessarily god. Microsoft them assignment. It's not a simple lift frame wish. For an every aa meeting they are surrounded by other people who have been sane and sober. Hundreds of thousands of people in. Hundreds and tens in this summer this spring. But lose everything. Even family members members and friends to earthquake tsunami. Hurricanes tornadoes floods and fires. Do not lose hope which energizes them to focus on the future. Centerfield again. Emily dickinson write. Hope is the thing with feathers the thing with feathers. That perches on the soul. And seems the tomb. Without the word. And never stops. At all. There's a christian love poem that closes with now by faith hope and love. But the greatest of the. Modern euro size makes clear that all animals are hardwired for love some p***. And. That love is related to compassion feeling with. What i consider non-supernatural statement god is love. Appears not only in the christian you testament but in the quran. Revocable utah. And in the writings of judaism's buddhism and taoism in a 2003 survey unitarian-universalist churches and ministers rated love and compassion. That's their high. Aspiration. We learned love from our genes from our biochemistry. Reinforced by people who love us. And who let us love there. Love is about many things attachment musicoder spiritual ecstasy. Love is amazing in that another person can mean more to me. Turn my alarm set. Eric holden nbcnightlynews feature making a difference that was astoria seven people in washington dc on the same day each gave a kidney. To a complete. Stranger. One donor was asked why she did it she replied on. Sinful sinful gosh i have to help the kidneys and somebody has none.. Love. Sister companion. Compassion. Forgiveness. It's also a positive emotion. It is a willingness to abandon one's right to resentment. Negative judgment and indifferent behavior toward one who unjustly. Injure us. How else could the lady in the opening story accept as her adopted son the murderer who had killed her biological son. Blind love. Forgiveness is something that cannot be commanded. Studies show that cognitive forgiveness imposed by religious duty. Increases blood pressure. Where is forgiveness mediated by empathy and love. That's not. Forgiveness isn't easy. And the early years of our country christensen you england paid lip service to forgiveness on sunday morning. But during the rest of the week could not even forgive victims let alone transgressors. Citizens were hanging for attempting suicide. Rape victim rape victims were condemned or seductive. It took people like guns and king in manila to show us the power of forgiveness. In the entry. Social justice. That forgiveness doesn't mean toleration of wrongdoing nor does it mean to forget. We don't surrender our right to justice. But we must remember that benja and disproportionate. Punishment. To satisfy our anger at lawbreakers. Does not make our society safer. Only mina. The alabama bipartisan commission on sentencing issued a recent report related to the studies. Alabama's tough on crime legislation intended instituted by pandering politicians in the night. The results. Alabama. Has some of the most overcrowded prisons in the nation. Does that mean less crime. According to the commission this came out just last week the lacamas mentality has had little effect on public. Safety. Recidivism. Offending again. What's up to 35% in 2006. Compared to 24% in 1997. The protestant ethic of an eye for an eye. And a tooth for a tooth. At a lack of love and compassion by christians in america. Has created a culture of punishment and a lack of interest with few exceptions. And bring health and healing to the millions in prison. There are other positive emotions such as compassion joyland suzy azzam blaster in particular time doesn't permit. So i'd like to close with a question. Where is spirituality. Where does religion and spirituality me. Textron sociological research show that organized religion. Untempered by deep spirituality. Can be highly dangerous to life and limb and detrimental to public welfare. Powerful nations guided by religious dogma. Dangerously claimed to rid the world of evil. But often do enormous harm and their self-appointed location. Evangelical christian. Have long believed that the us should be a nation at war against evil. Evil by their definition and that is political life should be placed upon and governed by their interpretation of the bible. In the 2000 election the man who told at a jellicle said he felt god had called him to run for president with relay what selected. They gave us a few years of a faith-based government. Faith-based. Help. Band extension of stem cell research. In spite of the fact that almost. 400000 frozen embryos at the time will eventually be destroyed. Play space-based help gave millions of our tax dollars to presenting. Preventing aids in africa and actively praise ford has saved multitude. However our government at the time for religious reasons. Diminish the effort the effect of the efforts by making or at least i am marking 30% of that money to promote sexual abstinence. Which rarely works according to researchers. And no fun for condoms. Although condom distribution according to studies is one of the most successful programs in africa. Fortunately the american people deliver the standing repudiation to the religious right in the november 2006 elections and again in 2008 i ever extreme religion has emerged under a new banner held in place by the same hot-button issues. Should we join with those who would like to eliminate religion from public life. Dr. baylor puts it this way. Religion like the automobile. May lead to tens of thousands of pointless deaths each year. Get religions and automobiles are valuable to humanity. Religions organize people to do tremendous good. Natural disasters response is one eloquent example. Studies show that people give much more religious people give much more to charity than those who are not. Giving and volunteering. Produce. Help people. And at the price of sometimes misleading superstition. Religion keep the positive pro-social emotion. Unconscious. Society ignores the emotional brain at xterra. Animal science and society. Need to work to make automobiles and religion. That's what we're doing here. There is a delicate balance of course between religion and spirituality. Religion is a copperhead. And reminds us of the spiritual matters of the heart. With so many of you so freely and i'm selfish to express your on the emerald coast. Don't think that's one of the string. Unitarian universalism and liberal religious community evangelical. Wichita good from the world's religions religions and inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life. There are few places in the world. Of religion. Where the birthday is so celebrated and empowered and where religious concept are subordinated. Spiritual emotion. Dutchess trust love. And like-minded religious communities. Religion and spirituality in brace. In a delicate dance. M-step. With the lyrics of our mine. And the melody of our hearts. And the heart. Lee. It must.

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VLR_118_Why_Gods_Are_Made.mp3

A different trinity respect freedom and justice for all persons the unitarian universalist the uncommon denomination on the web at uua.org. Hello podcast with your host rubbing rod deb's entitled why gods are made was presented by guest speaker reverend nails oz. After you fell ship of the emerald coast valparaiso florida on november 14th 2010. I'm sure the question that i asked in the pulpit say gods are made. It's not a new question. Or a. New speculation on your part. Are you here from time to time i know when scotty speaks to you. She will give you some of hard sciences understanding of. This question why gods are made. I'm sure that she gives you all kinds of. Sociobiological. Should be the evolutionary she'll give you a neural theological. She'll give you a genetic reasons for why. God's army well. Call god's army. Pretty well. Is answered by those kinds of studies. And all we have to do. It's to look back at the history of philosophy or. Our religion and we can see quite clearly most of us. Like out there made. For myself. I'm not so sure. But before we get to that. Let me remind you that the answer. Pretty well was given by. Michelangelo 500 years ago. I wish you could put this up in the screen. But michelangelo's painting and the ceiling of the sistine chapel. And what do you have in that painting. It's called creation. You have so-called the divine the holy the deity. In the brain. In the brain of a human being. You've got the blood vessels you got the stem nerve central nervous system. You've got the d is he out of the brain of a human being creating an intercourse over here. Is the naked man. Who is quite alive quite a well yes not going through a long periods of evolution or anything else he's just there. And you can understand that. Symbolism anyway you want it but. Michelangelo. For much of the modern world for 500 years. Pretty well understood by thinking people. The gods are made. In the brains and the minds and the hearts. A human being. That doesn't quite answer the question of why. Looking at releasing today in our society is. Very obvious that were inundated with all kinds of. Answers to the god questions. We are very familiar with. The antitheism. Scholars from dennis and dawkins to hitchens and harris. Practice the past week we've got the clipping in newsweek magazine which i think it's a misnomer. And i it says basically that. Samuel harris. Samuel harris believes. In god. How sam harris wrote the book several books. Pure atheistic. Alright. I guess anybody who would. Maintain some kind of religious godly or got7 religion. And. Newsweek has screwed up the thing already by saying he believes in god which he does not in the sense that. Many people who read. Popular religion of wood. So designate. His belief. In a deity he asks the question. You want me to answer it while i will answer ask a question of you which god. Which god do you say i believe in. What's a is playing during this most recent book. That's a good book areta. It's a religion. As a phenomenon of human beings. Grill for their own good in their own welfare. Where is what religion the history has been created. Not necessary to the advantage of human being. And i want to settle bit more about my own personal. Track on that but let's move on just a bit. Pbs. 6 hours of tv several weeks ago. God. In america. 6 very good hours of the history of almost 400 years. I've got in the usa. An excellent program what's wildin evening. Saturday evening so you invited congregation. And then you have. Of course. Stephen hawking. The interview with him i'm sure many of you caught these interviews several weeks ago. As he is reviewing this book for the public. Call the grand design. The grand design in nature and creation. Which does not necessitate. A deity starting at all out. The big bang does not require my god to create. This vast universe is stephen hawking. Upland so well in his grand design. When you've got. Core science and religion every week. Usa today start something monday weather. Some sort of an essay on religion and god you have newsweek. Lisa miller with her wonderful column every week. You have parade magazine sometimes with it. Prisoner books. All summer long i've been reading again the books of the last dozen years or so about the biography of god. Karen armstrong wonderful book. The history of god. Or the evolution of god by right. And all these books you see. A development. Of the god idea throughout history especially. Judeo christian muslim monotheistic circles. There's a very distinct. Clothes for development of a deity. From writing nasty deity and much of the old testament and the game in the end of the. New testament you've got a very angry to nativity picked up in islam in the quran. But there is something throughout these books at still drive. To depict another version of a deity. But somehow the deities associated nuts. Creation out there. Nothing much with. The way things are run the world. But the fact that the deity is something that human beings. Can elicit in their own biography in their own life. Picking alyssa godlike characteristics. Divine. Emotions. Behaviors that are much more like. Great models of history weatherby prophets of the old testament. Weather for nazareth. Or muhammad. I'm a diner. Well so we got. All-rounders. Aussie. Influx. Bras i would call it. Of gods. We got a real real powerful example of it. When you watch the chile mine disaster. Unfold. And that's we watch the miners come out. Of the mineshaft. David johnson. 2007 feet below the surface of the earth. Give me the religious. Expressions. There thanks to god they're very. Views of how. Some sort of the pd was necessary for them. As there was stuck into that mine. I think about that little bit. I am extremely claustrophobic. I'm sure that if i was in that particular situation as a minor. Surrounded by very very. Hope to see me. Situation. I'm sure i would have joined hands with my fellow roman catholics that were there. God delivers i would have joined hands and. Braids whatever prayers they were praying. Survey for practical reasons as well. Why believe in god in a situation like that. Very good. Reasons in terms of everydays. Struggle with. Depression. Pencil chaos in the community of people. Makes a lot of sense. But now. What we have. Is. My online i have to i can't communicate a message to you. About. What religion means. Tumi. And i really can't read your mind but i could say this much. Like you go back. To my own story. My own story where i grew up in a family of fundamentalist. Accurate fundamentalist. A church. And which is a little child little boy sing the front pew. Mahalo be warm and i would sing with lusty augusto. Children of the heavenly father. Safely in his bosom gather. Mecklenburg north star in heaven. Such a refuge are was given. God is on. Sonar forsake them. In his tender arms. That's the kind of deity. I believe in felt with my whole heart. As i grew up in my teenager is the end of my teenage years i lost my earthly father. He died in the pulpit. As a lutheran minister. And i went on. Become a minister. To follow in his steps. To fulfill. A life that he. Bounce. To be sharp. Trenton indeed by half. And so i set out along this journey. Through the seminary through college through my first calls in western north dakota. And live time. I remembered some of the things i learned in my college philosophy class. I begin to read. In the science and religion i begin to examine. Myspace. One day. Out on the prairie and a very very. Gorgeous lovely day with the sun shining down. I had my first. Blast. Of a clinical anxiety attack. In which all of a sudden children of the heavenly father. No such thing as a. Coming up there running the show. This is ridiculous what am i doing what am i doing trying to talk to people about a deity. I really don't feel anymore. I really don't find that i'm sustained everyday with that interfering power that makes me a better person. I find that i look at these scriptures that i. Prepare my kind gation to hear on sunday morning. And i'll take a look at some of the. Studies that scholarship is two houses. Words came across the centuries. And i'm a daughter. But i can't doubt in peace. I'm still has anxiety. And if you know what a clinical anxiety attack is it's an existential encounter. The fact that we're all. Extremely vulnerable. As human animals we're on a place. I thought particularly in our favor. We seem to survive wonderfully down through the years. We have powerful jeans. Certainly make us. Survival of the animal kingdom. But there you are. With the ground underneath you. Absolutely forsaken. Well i went to a local doctor a local. Therapist in minot north dakota. Who got me into reading. Carl gustav jung. You got me into reading as to how religions. God please. Created by people. Healthier. Real deep. Aspects archetypes. A feelings are human beings have throughout the ages. And that the deities are human made. It all makes sense to me it didn't necessarily reduce my anxiety. So he had me read a lot more in joseph campbell. The hero with a thousand faces. Joseph campbell. First grade book. And you know many of his other great. Propositions in contributions. Esther the mythology of how religion. Come to us. Dr. hoops. Borman hoopeston. Minot north dakota says mills. Your whole problem as you're looking. Protea tea. Out there. To give you support for your. Cuban miss. You're looking for some kind of a. Guy in the sky. That will say it's okay. What you're doing. But you don't really believe it yourself because you yourself your organism you haven't considered to be sacred. Your sacredness your holiness and life is all external. It's all given overturn a story martin luther and all that the lutheran church have to say. Across through the course of several years. He led me to understand that. Whatever deities are there whatever sickness and holiness there is a life. Very want to call god. What's unlv. You silly old norwegian. Boonies. The really believe that you've got something within you. That's worth stressing that's worth. Sacredness. Well that takes a while when you grow up to think that. You know. Has martin luther said. There's no good within human beings. It's all the goodness you only get by taking on this alter-ego called christ. You take on yourself. All the he did for you. And therefore you can. Acknowledge that you have some worse than life only. If price rules in your heart but that's when you grew up with that. It's not easy to transfer that over into a sense that. I'm valuable. Or i even have something of the divine writing. Residing within. Well. From there i went on to. Change my coarsen my life. I went back to graduate school. And i'm glad the school. Balls really lucky. I had. For my professors viktor frankl who many unitarian. The opportunity compare acquainted with in the seventies because unitarians help victor franco come over here from europe and across the author these great books. Just can't take the sensualism. Humans quest for meaning. The desire to find meaning in this. In the solar system in this galaxy that doesn't really give a real nice. Expression of what it means to be alive. Well at the same time i went to the chicago planetarium. And the planetarium. You are confronted as you view the cosmos. With this basic thing. That struck me down on the golf course in north dakota. What's out there. And what's out there doesn't seem to have. Any manager or composer or does it have to. There's nothing out there that really tells me. That this. Solar system galaxy this universe. Has. Especially the latter. My mortality witches. Could happen anytime. So i'm still haunted. I consider go to graduate school and then. Happily. Happily. I. Back in the lutheran ministry i'm trying to find a way. To work is my current location. Without saying the wrong words. And i find this absolutely impossible i find it. My blood pressure is way out of whack my gi tract is way out of whack my nervous system iain's i attacks are every every other day. And so i discover. I discover something. Jerry. Fundamental. I discovered that there is. In this world. An opportunity again and again to find directly through people. Those kinds of assurances. The i'm legitimate. And i have a right to be here. Much as his quarters in your newsletter this somebody's calling in your newsletter the wonderful. I'm a child of the universe. Enter find that. Inside you. A place that is your foundation. You are and why you wanted exist. Meaningfully. It's what was happening to me. As i was attending unitarian. Churches. Well the upshot of it was i started speaking. If he's going to try and churches and one of them hired me and i was a minister for 7 years. Now there's a problem. Replace immediately in the unitarian church because of this point. I had. Totally rejected the whole idea of. A personal deity. Somebody running the show. And i was totally hooked in today. Find teachings of good old-fashioned. Natural humanism. Insult him is like the him we sang today. I would not say the words now you all sing a very nice i didn't see anybody out there. Substitute a word for oh god of stars the sunlight. If you're listening very carefully up here i was think source. A star's in sunlight. Full source of cloud in mountain. Source of stars and sunlight a source of day and night. I was singing that up here. No i don't do that all the time in fact most of time. I have found a way to say gone and not have. A second thought. How do you do that. Well let me let me give you an idea how the. This happened just last summer. An opportunity to really get involved in neutering this him again in a wholehearted way because we had the assembly. The national assembly was held in minneapolis. And that this assembly. There was one problem after another that's confirmed and reaffirm. And re-established. For myself. That we live in a house of hope this kind of business building. As a one of these. Pergamus recalled. Rebecca parker. And our former president. Several hours on this free program another program. Zoomed in on the virtues. Butchers that i've believed in for a long time for my classical philosophical background. Classical wisdom. Of the ancients. Turn that over into present-day life seems to be a piece of cake for me present morales. Peter krause. The whole episode. Where's the body of people. Are so necessary in our world today to combat. What is not virtue. What is alien. What is best for human beings. But there's something else happened. I went down the first society. In minneapolis for one of the. Sessions there in the first society minneapolis. It's what's called the atheist congregation macy's going to try and the anti. Theism. Unitarian congregation. Anda. The minister really gets in trouble there when the word god is using the sermon and so on. But it wasn't members. That's poking down there several times. And was very careful of my yousufi logical language. But i asked him i said they're in the front of the sanctuary. Open the front first university. There's one after another of hubble. Photograph. The hubble photographs. Cosmos. And there are ten of them up there. And the gentleman said to me. Yeah i understand it you're one of these unitarian minister is who are into spirituality and god talk and all that sort of stuff. I guess you could say i'm not but. Said you know. We don't really want members here who don't have our cosmic vision. Who don't understand our belief. Death. Hospices in chaos essentially orbits guided by. Very very non-personal. Powers. We don't really want people here. Really mean your unitarian universalism. Is more. Lighted visors. Abstract principle. Other. Philosophical concept lutheran's. So i came out of. Is a propositional twisted root. Cause people to fall into and fit into or they're not accepted. Starman studies knows you know what i really want people here you want folks here who have the same cosmic vision that you have. And if they don't have the vision you're not all comfortable with the president and i guess that's about it. I guess. I like that just because. They're very good philosophical and scientific oriented sermon through the time when i go to church at 34th and apartments. Let's get through it really happen. Last summer. Probably the most. Significant. Thing for me was meeting with my brother paul their brother paul and i went through luther seminary. Lunar training college. Factory reset his term papers in graduate school to. I wrote his on viktor frankl and he wrote one of mine. Somebody else mazalae guess. Well. My brother paul is going to lutheran minister any still on the lutheran clergy roster. And the summary said to me. The only church i can go to and get stabbed in my soul in mind and spirit as a unitarian i can't get anything at all on my listen person yet. I'm paid. Sa. Lutheran. Minister to do senior services. And i also have. One of the biggest charities. In the lutheran church. I support and i am the head of. Aurora wanda center. For homeless boys and girls. And my brother is. Through his administrative efforts promotion efforts. Established. North admission rolanda. That is second to none in terms of its vitality. Goodness and humanitarianism to people. Precision roofing roster these churches. Use the word of god and he knows that hey wait a minute what i mean by god is entirely different than i suppose with some of those lutheran's up there. Swell. That's quite an experience so he. Got the puppet with me in one of the churches why speak out in minnesota. And he was. The philanthropist. And i was the floss fred we had this dialogue sermon. Between the phosphorus to me. The philanthropy. And he has me run circles around in terms of. Tropic terrible kinds of things he doesn't like my admire them. I am deeply. He says i'm. Diamond nails. A hundred percent. Itarian. Lutheran. Skies. Zillow listing in minneapolis. One of the things that was great about the assembly there the people got a chance to talk about minneapolis as being. The largest number of unitarians per capita. More the boston more than any other. Center of unitarianism this country. We have unitarian sport24 churches. Well it was it's really need to know that this influence. Indianapolis been there a long time there's unitarian minister for example of 19152 by 1935 who preached over two thousand people every sunday. Every sunday john dietrich. Every sonic humanistic sermons. In minnesota has a dd to meniscus. Culture within it. And so at the arboretum at the university of minnesota wonderful marvelous gardens. Last summer. Unitarianism. Walk around that park for two hours doing. What's called walking theater on the life of emerson and thoreau. Amberson and throw in their unitarian talk was enunciated to the trees the flowers and about 3,000 people. If it's there's a live in this world i was i want to give myself some hope encouragement i want you to have some help encouragement. Got a humanistic do plenlife. It's totally possible. And emerson and throw are both using. Oversoul world so god talk. Clothing. Did a presentation about the most dramatic understandings. I'll probably as unitarian. Are in love with our world. And we know why we're in love with it. And why we can. Living it put up with it so i have to ask you. Closing how do you define god. Fast. How do you spell god. How do you spell. Well i think a lot of unitarians. Like albert schweitzer. Deforest. Spell god. .. Thought. Doing others good. That work. I don't know if that works for you not it works for me. What really works even better than that is a weird god miss. Not unless you can find it in the dictionary. But it's like another word that you can't find a dictionary called valorisation. Which is very famous. Religious scholar. Coin from 50 years ago university cago scholar. And. The word sibling mean. I infuse. I inject. I put into life. A divine meaning. Sos unitransfer used to know using the word sacred. Or holiness doesn't bother us we can get along with it. Secondly thirdly i think i'm finally. I see that. As unitarians we have. Solid language. We talked about communitarianism. When we talked about connectedness we talk about our conviction. We really believe. That there's an opportunity with one another. To help each other. Not happy. Becca fine. there is a list possible in this world that just the opposite of an anxiety attack. An attack of absolute joy. Heartfelt gratitude. Profound reverence for life. There's so many ways in which we. As a community. As a congregation. As an association. Have a religion. Well that i am absolutely love and have for a long time. Has been the best medicine. The best medicine. Never inject. We hope you've enjoyed your presentation. Please send any of your comments or feedback to vlr at ufc.com. Feel free to access our extensive library of audio and text sermon at you ufc.com and you can also find out more about unitarian universalism by visiting uua.org thanks again for listening. Going to church means different things to different people and sometimes for some people they need something different from what they found increasingly people are turning to the unitarian universalist illiberal religious community we're different people with different beliefs gatherers 1 faith in their intellectual and spiritual search for truth and meaning in their lives unitarian-universalist explore the wisdom of the world's religions philosophies and the unitarian universalist congregation welcome you to join us in that search. The uncommon denomination.

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041705_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Yes.. I was forewarned. That there are. People in the military as well. Who have. What are names of their groups. Litter after many of the raptors. You know dramatic and powerful birds. Good to see you. In ecclesiastes. There's a passage with you. Probably know in vocal form. For everything there is a season. And a time for every matter under heaven. The time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planning. A time to kill. And a time to heal. The time to break down and a time to build up. The time to weed and a time to laugh. Time to mourn. Time to dance. The time to cast away stones. And a time to gather stones together. The time to embrace. And a time to refrain from embracing. The time to see. And a time to lose. The x key. And a time to cast away. Time to rend. And a time to sew. The time to keep silence. Current time to speed. A time to love. And a time to hate. The time for war. And a time for peace. I don't think that there's. Probably a person in this country. Who doesn't know the contrary. To the passage in ecclesiastes. The ten commandments. Say. Thou shalt not kill. It's written in the halls of congress. But the relativistic words are replace a steez. I think better reflect our christian culture. For everything there is a season. A time to kill. A time to hate. A time of war. Despite our actions. We preachers in the pulpit preach the ten commandments. Because relatives relativism seems to be a four guide. There's no biblical text to say when you kill. And went to heal. When did he went to go to war. The fifth commandment categorically. Prohibits killing it anytime for any purpose. Americans preach it. Some go to court to post it in public places. We just don't practice her. Friday. I. Finally got around to pulling up the weeds in the garden. What's the passage of time to plant the time.. Clock out 4. Planted. Well i didn't plant the weed when we tell you. Russell's loaned rototiller that i wear z. Should i use have access to. But first i needed to pull up all those wild vine from the saint augustine grass. Let it spread on my. Sand. As a passenger. Ecclesiastes says. There's a time to pluck up and i got down on my hands and knees. And hold hands full we. I tossed them aside to die. As far as there being a time to kill i've been known. To save this way put down rabbits. 41 relativistic. Reason or another. Injury illness. Or for eating. Although few are willing to share the mail with me. That was an interesting conversation. I think it when i mentioned it was snowball. Everybody's have runaway. In the movies i've heard it said some people just need killing. And most americans i know could name a few. Moral relativism. Reflex american value better than the fifth commandment. If you i think if you're really honest about it. I don't want either safe. Courtroom wall. I found a wonderful site on the internet that tells about raptors. Meat eating birds don't have teeth. But they have strong beaks to tear the flesh of their prey. And here is. A picture close up of. Niceville right niceville. Animal. Mascot. Illegal. Check out the beat. Very powerful. For tearing flesh. You can see it just hooked beak. Makes makes this eagle. There's also claude rapper doesn't wait like the vultures or something to die. And then feed on the carcasses they go out and kill something. Small mammals pictures. Mice rabbits. Fifth. Snake. We did chases make out of the garden. And even other birds. And their eyes are so big. Their eyes are so big that they can't move. They have to turn their heads. To look. But their eyesight is at least two or three times better than ours some can see a grasshopper from across the football field. Imagine that or golden eagle can spot a rabbit from. Over a mile away. Amazing eyes. And i was at such great night vision. They can hunt in the dark. Imagine that. Excellent killing machine. Stay fly. We humans however have a choice. Have when or if to kill. We can't extend our killing capacity with powerful weapons. And with airplane delivery. And that's what we do here. In this area. Many of you are fliers or form requires. Satellite imaging. And night vision goggles. We can also create flutes. Concellos. Symphonies in concert. Amplification and digital recording. We have the capacity of becoming songbirds are rap song birds are raptors and we do both. The founders of our nation so believed in the right. Of every individual conscience. Not just the wrong. That they created a democratic form of self-government. In this country. Adding further protections of the right of individual conscience in the first amendment guarantees a free press speech. Religion assembly. A petition for redress of grievances. Thomas jefferson benjamin franklin. John adams benjamin rush. Lee's famous unitarians and the last one being universal. We're headed there x. Revival are americans believe that humans are depraved. I need external salvation. Somebody's telling. Some historians say that our nation. Is there another great revival error i think the 5th is what they say. I think they're right. This is an era of revival of faith. An external authority human and divine. That a profound statement. In the individual's right. Incapacity of conscience. Choosing the time. Based on the individual's current. Express carnation unitarian and universalist founders. However has never gone challenge. Conservatives have faith and external authority. Liberals have faith in their own individual conscience. But i'm afraid far too often and no faith in the other doors. There are few who have faith. In others. Conscience. As well as their own. The faithful few are the dove. In a world of clocks i would say the morning dove songbird. Among rafters. Let me tell you how i. Think of that i'm not speaking about the military i'm speaking of something else. Imagine what it would be like. If we really believed in the conscience of others. Take quakers drink sample. Or wisdom traditions as we uu clergy to. Gray cursive in silence. Not only to hear the inner light within themselves. But also to be present with one another. So that they might be open to hearing. The divine spark. Which went within. The other. Quakers do not preach. They listening. I grew up believing that there were a million wrong answers. To any question. And only one writing. Brenda from the congregation of north of a member of the. American academy of sciences said to me once. The scientific treatise glass. Only until the next science if a journal is published. Not very long. That is to say that science is i would say humble. And our best scientific conclusion is. Held up for examination in abandoned. Better one day after day. Year after year. But humble is not what it seems most of the time. More often the scientific mind. It's like a raptor. Scouring the verizon for a week to kill and devour. That's what scientific experimentation buzz look for. Failed experiment. Cruise. Siri doesn't work. Universalist. Could a great number of highly educated folks. What's an even greater. Wellsys diapers experience. To our shame we have often been argumentative. Convinced that if only other people could understand my superior. They would discover the higher truth of the matter. We often discipline ourselves by saying share their birthdays. Here i am doing all the talking. So we have small group sweet and lots of activities. We have jokingly been heard to say. When someone leaves. Unitarian universalism for another church. They raised the average intelligence of both congregation. We sometimes have greater faith in education. And in the academic elite been in. The capacity. And right of conscience. Of every individual. We're tempted to behave as intellectual raptors. Killing any weaker viewpoints the cross our paths. A religion becomes salvation by academic degree. By billy ography in footnote. In matters of spirituality as with any other field. Well we're like tommy smothers describing his brother dicky. We stopped in wareham july. tippy toe. You got this conversation. What's some of your friends. In recent years i think we've gotten better. As the academic world linear. Modernism has been tempered by recognition the truth is relative to the context. We've come to more pluralistic more. Call coast modern. Relativistic understandings of truth. Relative to the conjuring. We've given up. The arrogant view that it is possible. To come up with a single. Final truth forever and ever a man. We become more humble lightning. Offering our best analytic perspective. It always keeping an open ear. To mix metaphors bring new insights. I love the poem of unitary annie coming. May my heart always be open to little bird. Who are the secrets of living whatever they sing is better than to know. And if men should not hear them men are old. Made my mind stroll about hungry and fearless and thirsty. Supple. And even if it's sunday may i be wrong. For whenever men are right they are not young. And made myself do nothing musically. And love yourself some more than truly. There's never been quite such a fool. Toucan sale. Pulling all this guy over him with one smile. I love this purse to standard. Emissary speaks of love and smiles. Fellow human. May my heart always be open to little birds who are the secret of living whatever they sing is better than to know. And if men should not hear them in a roll. May my mind stroll about hungry and. Fearless and thirsty. And suckle. And even if it's sunday may i be wrong. Whenever men are right they are not you. And made myself do nothing. Houston. And love yourself so more than truly. There's never been quite such a fool. Who could fail pulling all the sky over him. With one smile. Surely we unit constantly. Mindlessly following divine and. Human authorities. But we must beware lest we act like wolves or raptors. Predator killing devouring one another sacred cinnamon. My prayer is that we be like noah in the bible story. I don't use the stories often. Maybe building uu ark of safety and protection. And fill it with greater and greater diversity. May we see bionda. Criticisms. To the spark of inside. Present within one another's most error-ridden perspective. That spark of insight. Or meaning. May we celebrating. Protect each other's. Animal genius. Experience. Wisdom. Unique perspective. Academic or not. May we enjoy each a different voice as many songbirds melody. So when we open the hatch. May we not discovered. Predators. And buzzards are the only one. Left in the ark. I've used to when i was first minister. And we had time for discussion afterwards used to say. I'm not inviting to sketch i think we'll talk in the back. I used to say the truth was never spoken to many voices are heard. And many songs.. Please join in our closing.

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021906_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

I was born in iowa but while still an infant my parents moved ohio. In the 1950s i grew up hearing about. The endless miles of dirt roads. In iowa dust clouds in the summer and. Mud and winter and with corn rising eight feet high and more on either side of the road. Little. Little blind i'll through the corn and every few miles would be a break in the corn and you can smell the hog farm before you saw it. Now 47 years later i moved. Back to iwata service minister that you you felt a society of black hawk county. And in 1994 i found it had changed about there were limited access highways. Good and wide shoulders on the paved roads also good. But the corn still towered. As far as the eye can see. And hog farms have been replaced by. Tutelage hog confinement. Thousands of hogs divided into 4 by 10 foot pain. With automatic feeders in huge ventila ventilator systems. Big fans. The profit margin. For hog's head drop so low that the economic plan for iowa. Head turn to genetic engineering. And value-added. Pork products the profit no longer lay in the hog production. But in a great variety of pork products. Value added by specialized processing. Packaging and marketing. Religion. Then and now i'd say. Could be described as. Value added. This morning i want to look. Blow the value-added. Religious and secular worldviews. To life experience into. Call it pure religious experience. I didn't just grow up in west liberty a small ohio town of 1,200 people. By means of my evangelical christian sunday school and church. I. Grew up traveling weekly. Along the. Dusty rhodes of palestine. With abraham isaac and jacob. With moses and with joshua and joseph. With king david daniel. And most of all with jesus and the 12 disciples. Men with paul and silas. My. Real have village with liberty was boring. Consisting of school newspaper delivery home in church. But my perceptual reality my perceptual reality. From sunday school transported me. To the garden of eden. To noah's ark. To moses calling down the plagues on egypt. The joshua the battle of jericho. The david killing goliath. Solomon building the temple to daniel in the lion's den. The jesus miracles of healing. All in a very real. Perceptual past. What some might describe as exile. From my own life. And nostalgia. For the bible. Time. Particular sam kean. Injustice real. Was my. Perception of the future. Christ return from the clouds. The rapture of christians floating to heaven. The thousand-year reign of the bees trials and tribulations. The golden streets of heaven. Eternal flames of hell for sinners. Justice real perceptual reality. Day-to-day living was mundane. In comparison. To the miracles of salvation history. From ancient days. Past. Eternal reward or torment depending. My perceptual reality. Was very real. No other perceptual realities emerge for me through public school education. A world and american history gave me a sense of america being the. Greatest nation on earth. With. All others in some way inferior. Another perception reality. I believe in american people control our government through democratic processes. Perceptual reality. Am i. Perceptual reality. That are superior way of life. Wood. Transform the world in our own image. Someday. In the sweet by-and-by. Now science classes. Create a further perceptual reality. A naturalistic worldview full of. Amazing observable phenomena and some. I couldn't see. But it could only. Be told about microscopic. A macroscopic. Wonders. I really didn't perceive a conflict. Between religious supernaturalism in the. Nature's described by the scientific method. Miracles were simply. Exceptions to the rule. The rule of natural. Processes. I integrated them. My perceptual realities. Supernatural religion. Of democratic america. Of natural science we're not all. My world was also full of people. People known through books you know the dead white guys. And through stories. From history and. From scripture. Plus the. Flesh and blood. People. That i met or i. Newtopia contemporaries. Through the mass media. My perceptual world. Consisted also of a. Material solar system. With. Planet earth. Populated with all manner of plants and animals. My perceptual reality. And finally. Supernatural beings. Covered. Above me. God. Faith. Angels in the holy spirit. Just out of reach of perceptual. Reality. Do they. Sometimes felt a lot like wishful thinking. Not the satan bar. What i have left. Out in this account of the overlapping worldviews if our common. Perception of the world as consisting of. Competing individuals in a market economy. Another perception reality. Perceptual reality that you and i are. In a dog-eat-dog struggle for survival. Each against all. I think it carries greater influence. Then all others. Including religious. Political scientific. And our relational realities. Survival. Whether one or another is more real to you the fact remains that. Each worldview. Is a perceptual construct. Emerging from our various social context. What social scientist peter berger called the social construction of reality. Different. Different cultures. Different. Eras. So what is. Pure. Experience. Free of an interpretive template. I think i don't think you're going to find it. Theoretically there's no piryx.. Free of interpretive worldview. Our consciousness is shaped. By those templates our language. Our upbringing. But i would like to offer. And experience-based explanation for the emergence of diverse. Religious. Worldview's. The catholic historian theologian rosemary radford ruether. Describes a process. Oh. Development of religious world is that i think is. Enlightening to me at least. Call the hermeneutic circle. Religious worldviews maybe sandor have. Their authority. In religious institutions. But actually institutional religion. Is the last. To merge. The origin of religion can be found in human experiences of on wonder you've heard me say this before. Human experiences that. Grasp us in spite of ourselves. The theologian rudolph auto back in 1923 road. Endust heilig of the. Human experience of overpowering. Overpowering. Being grasped in wonder. And all. Experience. Overwhelming experience of ecstasy. Or horror. Of wonder and awe and relationships. Within the natural world. That experience is the origin of religious experience. The first stage of development of religion in the second stage of the herman circle symbols emerge. Automatically from various experiences. That we have. Wonder in a bar. Symbols reflected great diversity. Of. Awesome human experiences imagine the original experiences of on wonder behind. Some of these symbols and i'm going to name. Imagine the eras in which these were the symbols. Bond wonder. When the symbol of blood. Of water. Can you imagine the world's the people lived in which that symbol spoke of something awesome to them a desert for her. Fire. Beatles all volcanoes. Or little fire. To keep themselves warm. Breath. And the loss of it. The sun. In egypt. The mount. Symbol of wonder and awe. Mother with child. The phallus. The tree. Similar symbols. The earth and seed. The circle. The sword or knife. The snake. The turtle. And you can you may identify throughout your your knowledge of human history. Many other symbols that have emerged. From. Experiences of wonder. Pandora. Overpowering. Diversity of religious experience and religious conflict sometimes arises from those different. Sacred symbols. Herders and soldiers. Such as the habiru doing blood in the sword or sacred. Could not identify with the agrarian and settle people for whom the seed the water. Snake tree fallas. And virgin mother were sacred. For example. And you'll notice this. The viscerally when i say it. Fallas and menstrual blood. We're sacred among certain people who experienced on wonder at fertility. Do for us. They're perceived as defiling and almost unmentionable. The third stage of the development of religion. Beyond experience in the symbols that he merged. With the creation of religious writings. Scriptures invoking the power. Of the sacred symbols. I'm celebrating the root experience. The root religious experiences. Religious experience symbols. And then sacred writings. And then fourth and final stage. In hermitage hermeneutic circles the development of religious institutions. They were latecomers. Established religious authorities. Who claimed authority. Define sacred. Who authenticate and interpret orthodox. Religious writings. Andrew band heretical writings. The priesthood. Claim their authority is derived from sacred scriptures. Well the same time. They determine which scripture is authentic canon. And how to interpret. Institutions. The one might say that we all live in a natural world. Of earthly experience the reality is. The human kind. Have always left. In mythic. Perceptual realities ourselves included. Like the kingdom of god. Or of mithra. Runza raster. And other all-powerful beings. The question that i would ask us. Are we. Who are secular. Are we any different. And populating reality. With almighty. Political. An economic forces. Our. Perceptual reality. I found. Offensive personal liberation resume roosters. Kemetic circle disclosing just. The simplehuman experience is at the root of. Smithfield scriptures and some pretty scary religious institutions. But i've come to wonder about my own secular ideologies promoted by powerful political and economic institutions. And their secular priesthood. Secular folks like us made. Tend to look down on our noses at those who see the hand of god or satan. In. Things that happened in their daily life. But have we ever dared to think outside the box. Of our secular etiology of competitive individualism. And. The almighty. Market economy. The doctrines of market forces published his authoritative. Have come to us from a self-serving economic priesthood. I think it's about time for a radical reformation. Enmarket ideologies. Our perceptual reality. Recycler folk penny those involved in religious fear-mongering. Threatening children with eternal hellfire and promising heavenly mansions. Virgins or pie-in-the-sky by-and-by whatever. The kind of look down their noses at that. We try not to smirk at fantastical world. Otherworldly promises. In which religious folk take comfort. Have we. Ever dared to question the dominant political. Etiology of. Military security. As the bottom line. And the fear we don't do it. Perhaps our perceptual reality. Of the inevitability of global democracy. Is more ideologies. Then experience-based. A secular. Etiology. Albert camus road. If there's a sin against life. It consists for nap perhaps not so much into sparing of life. As in hoping for another life. And in eluding. The implacable. That how you say it. Okay implacable grandeur. Of this life. So. Between today. With the world as it is. And the glorious day when the market economy. Delivers the benefits of modern society worldwide at the lowest possible prices. The sweet by-and-by. Between today and then. That glorious day when. Liberal democracy says all humankind free between now and then. May we liberate ourselves. Summer own fantasies of grandeur. May we. Sit in the reality of life. Grandeur. Messi grandeur. May we feel the sadness. The anger. And despair. Of those forever left behind. With sweet promises. From our secular ideologies. Give us eyes to see. Hearts. The care. Hands. Sir.

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031404%20Rev%20Rod%20Debs.mp3

Thanks it's a great. Is a great song to hear this morning. Good to see you. Hope you're having a great day. Unless we've been having such great whether i it's amazingly i know that's the comment. Busy talk when you visit with your friends house and weather was great but it really does change make. Give us a sense of joy and. And of course constant. Wonder. Such great. This morning. I was reflecting on. The american dream. In the sum of the readings and then the song. Talkin about being guardians of a dream. How much are one of my images of painted picture of the american dream. It's to grow up with an employed father and mother. A brother or sister or two cousins and grandparents to visit. Friends. Mana safe neighborhood the plan. Bike. Treehouse. Two cats and a dog. And your own room at home. American dream good grades. Winning in sports. A music performance. Then your own car. The american dream. After graduation. College and. Partying till you land that good job. You marry your college sweetheart. Buy a home with a yard. Start your own family. Take vacations the mountains or the ocean. Disneyland. The american dream. Hobbies. Golfing. Early retirement. Travel around the world. Community arts. Holidays with the kids and the grandkids. Helping them with college. American dream health insurance. With well invested assets. Maybe a retirement village sometime. In sunny florida the panhandle course. And when the time comes. Loved ones. And loving hands to ease your passing. American dream. I'm anyways. You and i live the american dream. In many ways. Yet the american dream is. In some sense of facade. But masks. Real chaos. When you say. It's. It's the imagery aspiration. That we hold the the mountain peaks. That also has a lot of rugged terrain in between. The kind of. It's the dream that keeps us going. Evenness. One of the lucky ones i found at the peak. Achievements of the american dream. That they still have their. Cold and starks. Surrounded by that harsh and rugged terrain. Despite those chaotic realities we live the american dream. You might even call it sometimes our collective fantasy. But when i worked in the factory none of us lived in the reality of our work. It fell so far short of the american dream. One co-worker was an engineer someday. Working on the line. Another on her way to ibm. This was a temporary stopping. And i fancied myself. Philosophy professor who had not yet arrived. The reality was. The factory. We lived in an american dream. Built as a bridge of hope. Over our personal chaos in between whatever peaks. Unsuccessful we could claim. You don't want to live in the truck. We live in the american dream. So i'm pleased to say that dreaming works. My dreams led me to explore. A different. Religious tradition. The uu congregation in binghamton new york. And then. To boston university school of theology and then. Not too academic philosophy is i dream but. To applied philosophy. As a unitarian universalist minister. American dreamworks. Out of wood and stone. Out of dreams. And sacrifice. The people build a home. Out of work of their hands and hearts and minds. The people fashion the symbol. And the reality. The words. Eileen carpals in your order service. This morning's topic we are now keepers of the dream. Was inspired by the offertory words that you also fine. Written. Let there be an offering to sustain and strengthen this place which is so sacred to so many of us. A community of memory and of hope. For we are now the keepers of the dream. I remember. Our daughter when she was around 16 years old. She asked. The question. Cuz she knew lots of answers still busy acid anyway. You know. Why go to church. I know this is a fellowship okay we'll stay at this way why go to the fellowship. She knew all our principles and our value she know the alternatives a little bit from her friends at school of doctrinal creed's and. And authorities telling you how to think or the right way to do things. It also. You nosey. The. What should i say opportunistic values of others. Why do you go to church. She wanted just to the simple answer. Have you ever. I hope periodically you think that about that. Why. You could be doing laundry. Or. Playing outdoors right now. Nobody. You could be reading the sunday paper with a cup of coffee. Near an open window. Or walking along the bayou. You could be. Katrina was wondering why not sleep until 1. The reason i commit myself. And my sunday mornings to unitarian universalist fellowship is this. To keep the dream alive and that's what i told her you know you have only a couple seconds to think of the short answer and i said to keep the dream alive i must have had in the back of my mind some martin luther king jr's. To keep the dream alive. The-dream. Since i was a teenager i've had a dream of a better world. And not to heaven or the magical newbirth perfection of my childhood dreams. Of that religion. Something real. Not until i became a unitarian universalist. Actually found it when i was 32 years old. Okay. They're very well hidden often out in the woods someplace cuz we love nature it's rare that we. Find wonderful setting like right on the. On the main drag jacqueline. I was i was 32 before i found it a unitarian universalist congregation. One that articulated. Open-hearted principles the principles you find on the back of your order of service. Principles for building. That dream of a better world. Not a blueprint. Not the final word. The principles and how they work together to build that.. I really love the last paragraph of statement of. Principles that you find on that back of your. Order of service. The last paragraph of the very bottom. Grateful for the religious pluralism. Which enriches and the nobles are faith. And then ends with. We enter into this covenant. Promising to one another are. Mutual trust and support. That's my dream. Why participate in. This unitarian-universalist fellow. Together. We're keepers of the dream. But what is in particular. The unitarian universalist reem i'm not talking about the grand american dream of the. Have the car in the garage in the. Home in retirement all that. What's the american dream what's it about. This particular fellowship. Why bother. When someone asks you. What is unitarian universalism. Describe your unitarian universalist is at the church. Fellowship you say. What do you think is important. But you tell them. What's the dream. Of unitarian universalist fellowship. Set this congregation chairs. I took some time to reflect on this question and i am hopeful that there are many different answers to this question. Because i feel it is worthy of our of my commitment and support. Good night i hope that you feel. There's something of value here that is different. From my perspective. I hope you take on the dream. Of unitarian universalism in a way that is unique. Bringing your own unique and enriching and in. And broadening. Inspiration. To our expanding vision. But here's my perspective it's simple two points. As my perspective on our unitarian universalist stream. First integrity. Rather than assuming that. Each individual. Heartfelt. Motivations their sentiments are and values are depraved. Naturally evil. Unitarian universalist. Promise to respect. Each person's worth. They're free search. And the right of conscience. And even encouraged personal spiritual growth wherever that might take you. Religious integrity. That of ourselves and of others is part of our unitarian universalist dream. The world where we can have our integrity. Second. Universal respect and compassion that we are not the only ones that. The believe in respect and compassion. But it's. Universal. Rather than judging some worthy. Perhaps perez having. Exclusive access to truth and meaning. I mean we do have some very educated people if i could have. With a leg up sometimes. But when it comes to meaning. There's no one with an exclusive. Handle on it. Unitarian versalus recognize that all beings. Bring unique perspective. And experience to our collective wholeness. We don't do it alone. We need one another. Only through the justice. And compassion. A mutual relations. With the world. Will we know peace. And harmony doesn't mind that's my take on it. Two things. Integrity in. Universal respect and compassion. What are 16 year old ass white church i said to keep that dream alive and. This is the dream i feel that must be kept alive. I don't know how you would say it differently ruu statement of principles articulates it for a well that went through a process of collective brainstorming over a number of years. And voting at general assembly. Three successive years i believe it was. That was just a group articulation. If you read it. That's a really rich statement. Of our american dream. We covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person a dream for the world. Where every person. Has inherent worth and dignity. Read each one. But i want to share with you what a cedar rapids. Member of the cedar rapids congregation wrote. Open iowa she said it this way. I'm a unitarian universalist. Because if this church has steve would be in the shape of a?. Because you're i feel like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Instead of an ingredient in a blender. Because there are people here who are backbones for justice. Because when i'm broke they don't foreclose on my soul. But i'm broken. Because when i contribute they don't act surprised. Keep your mouth shut and listen. Because i can laugh out loud in this church. Because i can cry and people care. Gently. Because messages here have real questions. And not rhetorical ones. Because here at last i can look forward to sunday again. You made said differently. That we share a dream. If we are now keepers of the dream. Is it important. How important is it. That we keep the dream. Alive. The reverend lewis mcgee. Was raised an ordained minister in the african methodist episcopal. The a m edition. In 1948. He received. Ministerial fellowship. As a unitarian minister. Serving until he died in 1979. Helping to build. I found the free religious fellowship in chicago unitarian congregation rev mcgee wrote these words. Our religion is a religion of social concern. Religion of intellectual. And ethical integrity. A religion that emphasizes the dynamic. Conception of history. And the scientific worldview. A religion that stresses the dignity and worth of the person. As. A supreme value. And goodwill as the creative force in human relations. This religion can. And ought to become a beacon. From which this. Kind of faith shine. Millions upon. Million. The people everywhere. Are drifting from the old formulation. No longer willing to view the ancient myth. As religious truth. They are looking. For a vidal modern religion with a personal and social imperative. We may have it. I think we do. Rev mcgee. How are unitarian-universalist dream of personal integrity and. Universal respect and compassion as i see it. Riverside sheriff. Is a precious heritage. The very very few people in our community have. Ever heard of this. And even fewer have. Any accurate sense of what it's about. And i humbly admit. That there's a lot i can learn. Learn how to understand our tradition. What if people simply knew we exist. Dana mclean greeley. The first president actually last president of the american unitarian association. The first president merikan of the unitarian universalist. Association after the merger. He wrote this. To show how important it is. He wrote. A japanese buddhist. Said to us. If we had known you like this. We could not have bombed pearl harbor. But if you had known us as you now too. You could not have dropped destruction. On hiroshima and nagasaki. Our old world is passing away before eyes he wrote. What visions. Shell arise to take its place. If we join hands and hearts. We might. Hold the world. Against some fatal explosion. It doesn't have to be in the name of christ. It can be in the names of moses or buddha or of confucius or of god. Muhammad orange justice. And harmony. He wrote. May we be makers. And messengers of peace. Yellow and white. Black. And brown. East and west. North and south the developed world. The developing world. We all seek our separate peace. But we have to make peace together. Or recently clark olson author of. Uuh commission appraisal document fulfilling the promise road. The 21st century story of unitarian universalism. Maybe. Set in fulfilling our covenant. Promise. We provided a light for many of the world's peoples. Now conflicted by. Face and ethnic differences. To move toward a new understanding. About people's can be truly together in democracy. What a legacy. That shall be. Too heavy to imagine. So one final question remains. How should we go about. Handing down the heritage of mind and heart. Laughter and tears musings indies. From generation to generation not just to our children for two others who. Pass by. Dom helder camara road when we dream alone it's just a dream. When we dream together it's the beginning of reality. We're here together. Beginning of reality. I want to tell you story about how to keep the dream alive jwall jasper of the boutonniere eder. I i suppose some of you get to any reader. Wrote this. Oxford. University recently replaced. The gigantic. Oak beams in the ceiling of one of its dining hall. When the beans began to show signs of rotting. University officials were concerned that they wouldn't be able to find lumber large. And strong enough. To replace those beads. But the universities forester explain to them. The when the dining hall was built. 500 years ago. Their predecessors. The planted. The grove of oak trees. So that the university. Could replace the beams. When the time came. What are we planting in there. The famous. American poet carl sandburg the universalist. Spoke a bit more directly. Forgive me but i'm going to quote him. He wrote you can't go through life always eating out of other people's picnic baskets. You got to settle on one congregation and throw your life into it. And build it up. You got to feel the importance. Hover drone individual participation in its life. Inquire. I know i'm preaching to the choir here. Literally and figuratively. You've got. I know that. Members of the fellowship are very active there's a lot of programs in this. Congregation. Of individual participation. At the same time. It has our further challenge its active members. To make opportunities. To make institutional space. 4. Newcomers to throw their lives. Into the fellowship as well. Helping to build it up. Now that we're the keepers of the dream. We must not. Allow unit this unitarian universalist fellowship. To be invisible. Inaccessible. And irrelevant. I want to close with the words of. The poet audre lorde. She wrote. I've come to believe over and over again. That what is most important to me must be spoken. Made verbal and shared. Even at the risk. Of having it bruised. Or misunderstood. And i remind myself all the time now. But if i were. To been born mute. Read maintain an oath of silence. My whole life long. For safety sake. I would still have suffered. And i would still die. We can sit in our corners mute forever. Well our sisters and our brothers and ourselves are wasted. Well our children. Are distorted and destroyed. Wahlert vs. poison. We can sit in our safe corners. Mute is bottles. And we will still. Be no less afraid. I'm going to die if not sooner than later. Whether or not i have ever. Spoken myself. My silence. Has not protected me. Your silence. Will not protect you.

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110506_Rev_Nels_Oas.mp3

Show the faces of fundamentalism. We can see about our minds i we don't need a newspaper in front of us this morning. But the pace of fundamentalism. Does closing your eyes you can see ayatollah khomeini for the last 25-30 years. You couldn't see if course unabomber is. You can see. Dramatic examples of. Fundamentalista crowds with arms raised in the air shouting death to somebody. Course since 9/11. We've had. Those faces. Projected upon our consciousness every time we open a newspaper. Faces of fundamentalism. From every direction. Faces. Of ahmadinejad in the news just recently president of. Tehran. Efface. The three much. Contrasting. Do the phases of shopping. People in the streets. Or even the 911 bombers. From dinner job soon as you hear him speak. You hear nothing sad face. Sinopsis two-faced but you heroic spirit. That is beguiling a soft. Conversational. And inviting. And you wonder. What's behind the face. And of course we have. Faces in our own country. Warren jeffs. His face is a little down cast right now since he doesn't have any of his 20-30 wives around him. Warren jeffs as you know i'm mormon. Beleaguer now because of the laws he's broken in the. States of arizona and colorado. Are we have the face of a baby maria babyface convert islam california was in the papers recently. Growing a beard and. Wearing the apparel that gives them an identity. That's very different from his high school classmates and. Suburban california town the convert islam. Are we have our wonderful pope benedict. Whose face has been in the papers. And we not so sure about. Calling the fundamentalists. But he's addressing the issues of fundamentalism. From the 14th century. To the present. And he is a figure now who is. Up for grabs in the world is. One who could be or could not be. A major face. Emily. G picture of fundamentalism. Of course we had jerry falwell's face and pat robertson's face. And i'll just as last week we get ted haggard's face. I don't know how many basalt richard dawkins. X1 film. Root of all evil. Sean recently. I think some of the members of the church have it worth showing. But in this film the epitome of evangelical fundamentalism this country is represented by ted haggard. Richard dawkins is a number of interviews with him and visits his church. I guess a pretty good. Understanding of the power. This movement. I know we have a friendly. Summer friendly fundamentalist face the news very recently. Well sad faces however the amish fundamentalist to the core. But friendly faces. Phases of. Grief. Sorrow. The hams. Of other sick human beings. Well you can see faces of fundamentalism from many angles ferocious fanatic. Fiendish. Fatalistic. Fearsome. Pull up fatwa. What is. Common. Currency. On the common. Basis for a fundamentalist. Religious faith. What is a1 single-core. Many many scholars have been about this. Karen armstrong's great book the battle for god. The five volumes of martin marty and other scholars and university of calgary called fundamentalism. The best book of all i think. One by jack nelson palmyra call is religion killing us. All of these. Zooming in. And one basic foundation for fundamentalism. And that is. 1. Authority resides in an ancient scriptural texts. Nation scriptural text forms the basis. For the belief of a fundamentalist. Not reason. Not societal rules. Quest for justice and understanding amongst peoples. Not through science. Not through good education. Not even through good poetic. Emotional license. But through a book. I suppose for any of you and most of you the shocking aspect. A fundamentalist religious. Andrea's religion. That is willing. To take a life. In order to support that religious cause. Is and always will be a shock. For buddhists is very unhappy. For them to receive about the. Tamil tigers. In the south of india. Who make a very public statement. To propagate their buddhist faith. Chilling. It's totally okay. You can go from the buddhist. Do whatever religion in the world you want there'll be some aspect of it. I will believe. That death to unbeliever. Is justified. Nice suppose we could say that that's the defining. That's the. That's a ground. For all of our questing into what is a fundamentalist. Are they. Fatalistic. Are they murderous. His killing. Those who don't believe them. The basic. Bottom line. Let's just take a few minutes to review. What we mean by. Scriptures. As being the foundation. For a fundamentalist religious person. And in doing so. What i want you to see is that there is an all three of the scriptures. The hebrew bible the christian new testament. And they islamic horan. A violent deity tradition. That overshadows. Aldi. Kindly. Merciful. Loving. Compassion stories in those books. There is. The bottom. And throughout. The strongest emphasis on a deity was ultimately judgemental. Violent. And will do punitive damage. To earth and human beings. You have the old testament so glaringly. In the torah. Which after they. Children of israel. I told to go to the promised land they have the instructions in the book of deuteronomy. Fifth book of the torah. How to do violence to people who break. The 613 some laws. You have been the story the narrative in joshua judges. A deity. To give support. Enter give energy. To get power to the warriors. Who go into the land of canaan and slowly. Children animals women where was in the way in the name. Of yahweh. The god of israel. Then you have the books of the kings we have civil wars which was fake jews northern kingdom against southern kingdom. Samaritan against israelite. Sons of judah against the sons of reuben and gas. Concert civil war. Then you have a parts. Are the old testament. Hold on to. We put them in our own hymn book. Because we say ah here is a part of the religion of still salvageable. 0 prophets. Called minor prophet. But their profits. Who say wait a minute. Judgment. Upon one another is not our job. What to do. What y'all we really wants us to do is to practice kindness. And mercy. And justice. And certainly to take care of those. Who are least among us orphans and widows. And then you have the old testament a beautiful light shining behind all these clouds and sticking its way through the darkness called the wisdom tradition the philosophical tradition. The tradition of ancient thought that come probably from the association of the hellenic world. With greeks and others from the east. Who claimed. That there is a great. Respect memes about pay. Did ideals that our minds can create. And that we can be amongst human beings. In a way. It's not dictated by some violent deity. But we have two choices ourself in the responsibility. Now we turned over to the new testament which is violent from the word. So matthew of the book of revelation the first book of the new testament last book we have a violent deity tradition. A deity will return to judge the quick and the dead. And who will bring fire and brimstone. And will punish with a raging lake of fire. And that is from beginning to end. And it is picked up. By saint paul. Soften some. Something something to make himself. Listenable to his greek audience. Regarding switches been hearing stories of. Condemnation and religion the timing memorial. Turn it from zoroaster another's. That there is a deity will come to punish. Forget right. And so the mystery religions were created as a way to escape. The evils of this world. To prepare oneself for judgment another world called orphic mysteries and many others. However st paul has his problems. Because there is a jesus that he heard about. Is this jesus comes up with another story. About the deity. Is another side to the hebrew god. That has been missing and the teachings. How that first century in palestine. Saint paul hears about this. You just about this. Man who was crucified. Who told stories.. Have to do with. Totalitarianism in their midst that they must resist. There's a totalitarian fascism. Coming out of room out of the throne. Does a totalitarian coming out of the temple call the priestly religion that they are inflicting on the papas is up to tell tarianism in the torah. There's a. Interpretation of the jewish religion by this man that says wisdom in it. This is all askew. This is not who the divine is. So we tell stories. Tells parable parable such as the prodigal son story for the divine. Is a profoundly forgiving. Profoundly loving and profoundly caring. Personification. A human caring. And loving. Injustice making. And so we have a. Contrasting. Floor religion a little bit of life comes out of a very dark time. What is religions thrive to certain extent nature the world's about 600 years. And there's a camel driver from. Sade middle of the arabian desert. Who hears about these religions from the ethiopian traders come over from africa. From the syrians up north. Jerusalem. And he hears about these religions. And the he is a man who is. Deeply disturbed. Buy it on time. In which there are of course. Countless kinds of deities gather every year at the kaaba in mecca has big old stone nobody knows the storage and probably no meteorite. At any rate. He says. What is arabs of the desert needed. A uniting religion. They need to. See that is one deity is 11 source of life. And so we have the origins. Obvious line. Very basic. Do understand these three religions. Understand. Your text. For the honor as a word from eternity as some kind of a supernatural. A superstitious source. We have to understand. Did everyone these texts. Are created by human beings. Aussie. A terror of their own life or out of the goodness of their life. And to know that these. Scriptures. Canby. The most demonic aspect. Of a religion. I was going to tell the kids a story this morning i was going to. Share with them but i think i. Stop better in. Just telling you it. But as a nine-year-old i grew up in a fundamentalist house that is my father was a fundamentalist preacher. I heard is fundamentalism not only in church but also at home. And i heard from other fundamentalist preacher that he invite. Into the house. To come and perform evangelistic services. So that his members of my dad's church would not only get two barrels from him but they've got a good. Shotgun. Fundamentalist teachings from some of his buddies running around the. World of minnesota north dakota. They would always have the evangelist sleep with me. I'm not sure. I was the prettiest of my brothers. I'm not really sure and i don't recall any of that sort of stuff except from one guy called harvin christensen. But that wasn't the point. The point was i needed saving more than my brothers. I needed more exposure because i was doubting the bible. I found out. Does the age. A year before. My mother told me. I had torn up the family bible by at rid of pages after pages can you bleed as an eight-year-old i have some kind of sense that. Religion coming out of this book was being bastardized. As 8010. Something was definitely wrong about this whole picture. These stories are not true. Didn't hold up the human experience. I already have a vision of reality that was much kinder in much jeff worth and much pure that was coming out of the mouth of these evangelical. These fundamentalist. Where. This book. What's more important. 10 living creatures. But i still was able to understand. The jesus had the same sense that. No. Piece of paper. No. Contrivance. Of a book. Could ever. Take place of a human beings real needs. That the human being is sacred. Something of that got into my consciousness at an early age. Well. For all of us. I'm sure we struggle with this in many ways. For some of you it goes all the way back the second world war. He first heard about kamikaze pilots people who would. Kill himself suicide bombers. Go take their lives. Of the empire. The sake of some higher cause. Well. We need to take a look today. At how this is invading our. Consciousness we can go through the religious wars the crusades the reformation of the inquisition. And we've all cover that kind of stuff we can go through the enlightenment. And it's reaction to the enlightenment. I was asked to american evangelical so call awakenings. Or we could take a look at lincoln during the civil war where he holds up a bible and says look we got one side in the south of blues this bible says this thing we got another. Drooping ross's the bible says this thing. You understood. The futility. Of allowing. In ancient scripture. To determine. If there is a human kind. Today. Take a look at our contemporary situation. Summer reading. I don't recommend that you read. Salman rushdie's. Satanic verses. But if you have an old copy around the house. Turned page 217. Read that and go to 219. Read those pages. Get an understanding of how salman rushdie. Born and raised in the course islamic community. Could say what he had to say about the origins of islam. And this is the key. Both judaism and christianity have been willing to look. At the scripture and how it came about through human contrivances. Human cultures. And human groups and how religious communities created. These passages and these books in the shape of a holy scripture. Islam is never done this. Salman rushdie attempted to make some kind of a. Crusade. Islamist. Muslims. To look at their book. As a human document rather than as a supernatural phenomenon. Well. I have had the. I had the opportunity back at seminary. Back in the 1950s. First down the hall in the seminary. Dormitory. On the on the door is a huge poster of. Of abdul nasser nasser president of egypt. During those days. The student that have nicer on his wall or on his doorway. Pastrami issue near sam houston. Resident of palestine before became a citizen of this country. And his understanding. Talk islam. Back the 1950s. Was one. That we should have learned should learn then still haven't learned. And understood. What it is. 4. Ameristar. To come to live in this country. And struggle with how his own people. Can relate to a modern world. Nasser as we all know tried. Anwar sadat tribe in egypt. Mubarak is there i just very. Very slim lee holding on. Is the uprising a fundamentalist religion has. Truecar slaughtered. Anwar sadat. And slaughtered many others there under the. Name of the. People love. Islam and. Ava ava sec. It's bound and determined. Turn everything. Made encroachments during the 1950s in the middle east as modern as. As enlightenment. Into. Dark ages. And into. Medieval. A kind of a world. That each one of us see. That makes us choked up. With fear and trembling. Show me miss it's mirrors now a lutheran minister out in bismarck north dakota. And. He is a voice. 4. Strong. Infirm. Understanding of the sources of. Islam and christianity become. Raving liberal. He's much like. My best golfing buddy now back in minneapolis. My closest golfing buddy is a rom. Born in tehran. And. Born a family's of imams. Is this country. Tennessee tried to return. To a ron. He would be killed immediately. For being. An unbeliever. But ron says three things he says tell your congregation. He says. That. Forget about. This whole thing of all these subtle. Reasons for islamic fundamentalism. Just know three things. These people are driven. By a mob mentality. There's a tribalism. That overpowers any kind of individualism. Secondly. They have a of a mystique about authoritarianism yes is based in the quran. But it's based up somebody must be in charge of the world. Tony must be in charge of rules and laws. And thirdly tell me. Tell your friends tell americans. That democracy the horrible stretchers or soul. Democracy boss. Vile thing. Human autonomy is a vile phenomena to a good muslim. Autonomous just the opposite. Of what. Of what submission. Is an assault of an islamist. The rockaways unitarians be doing. What can we be about. I would say first of all let's do what are. Dear friends for 400 years of diamond transylvania. To survive a violin. Society in which they live. Violence from the very beginning from roman catholics. Balance from many sources from protestants. From islamists from communist. Communal who. 400 years that had the seam. To be wise as serpents but harmless as doves. In other words to know. Their enemy. To know what's going on. To know how their reasoning heather economy other freedom is a threat. To most human beings. For us to know until earn. About fundamentalism for the b christian fundamentalism. Judaic fundamentalism. Islamic fundamentalism. Any of the monotheism's. Has to be at the core of our educational. Enterprises in every congregation. Isaac. Basic reading. Go back. For last summer's book. John updike. Terrorist. John sykes terrorist has the most fundamental straightforward. Understandable. Insight into the heart. What would make a young teenager a terrorist in this country. He doesn't exquisitely. But most of all. He comes up with what is. What is the contrasting human behavior to terrorism. And it's simply. We. And in the case of his novel. The hero comes through. With an understanding that reality is good. This is simply the unitarian message over and over and over again. It's the same as our founding fathers of this country. Not a christian messages sucks. But basic crust in providence. It's processing the order of life the dia stick understanding. That life even though we face it as stoically as we can't we are not fatalist we are creationist. That's story. Of the natural world. Being for life. And its abundance of life. Is it the heart or a message. It is not at the heart of the quran. Is not the heart. Are the old new testament. Gold new testament. This world must die. And there must be a new world not good enough. This world. Is not sacred. According to the scriptures as all three monotheism. And religion for them as an escape. It's an encounter. For us we believe. But this life. Has. It's value. Infinite value in our reverence for is unbounded. So we go from a fundamentalism to a foundationalism. Did unitrans we need to have a foundational understanding. Of our values and ideals are dreams. And we need to have some optimism. Some good things are happening. There's some anti fundamentalism going on everything from jimmy carter's writings. To jim wallis who spoke at the twin cities of summer. Name some amazing things are happening. With liberal christians. Who are contracting fundamentalism. For putting another face. I'm leaving jellico. Liberal christian. We need to understand that. There are. About us voices. That are chiming in and listen to unitarians. As long as we are willing to listen to them and hear. How are threat we are. We are a real threat to people souls. The human-animal does not that fond of autonomy. Not that fun to freedom. But dependency certainty. The human bean want certainty we don't give them certainty. We give them time to doubt. And how important that is. We encourage. but we must do it in such a fashion. That we don't pull out from underneath them. Those very pins. A trust in the goodness of life. We must believe. Yes it we having a sortie not athora t. Is reason it's science. It's principles not priests or pastors or. Preachers or imams but principles that are derived. Human understanding. Secondly our values agenda must. Honor the time. Time were the classics of ideals of character and courage and compassion and creation. Certainly we must look at. Restoration of human beings. Rebuilding renewal redemption not retaliation revenge or retribution. You must respond to the high pieocracy in the holy humbug going on around us. Was very firm. A very solid commitment. The highest. Immoral. Principles and human values. Finally. Finally. Few weeks ago the movie came out. It really did. From north dakota north dakota to be born in. Most wonderful place to live where the air is clean and sex is dirty. North dakota near devil's lake has what's called jesus camp. The saddest thing of the summer for me. The worst thing since i last saw you has happened. They got this camp in the middle of north dakota called jesus camp run by a horrible bunch of jihadists for jesus. You got time to hear just one quote about it. it's all kinds of out the opposite of it is. Zapped. The byline is. Jesus camp. Fired up kids. Come with combat gear and preparation for a holy war. The kids are pumped up. To take hammers. And smashed anything labeled government anything label liberal anything labeled humans they put all these things are on jars humanism liberals. And there to smash this thing. The give up the lions for jesus to break the power of our enemies in religion and government. It is it is maniacal. It is so sad. So fundamentalism can come under any. Cloak of a religion. That puts faith. The document. It goes back hundreds of years. And comes out of the. Brains of people who have. Lost hope for this world.

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FromFundamentalismtoLiberalism_RevBoTurner.mp3

By the way. Call the paramount by mother politics and religion. You need one of these books. You're obviously leaving his friend if you don't have one. So if you want to escape. Purgatory. You're just go straight to hell. You need to buy one of these books comes you will enjoy so. Dennis is here and he will. He didn't know that i was going to do this i just told him to give the book i want to plug it he didn't know i was only embarrassing butt stuff. You got to live with it. The book is available we brought some with him is going to bring something so. Do you want to buy a book your cellular one. Okay now what i need to tell a couple stories here before i get started. People were interested because i told them. What time would i hear before it by the way this is a beautiful building once you pay for a john and absolutely fantastic, probably heather heather mortgages sold. It'll be worth it. Optical rider. But i rode my bicycle 10 years ago when i was a young man. Sexy. I wrote it to from yorktown virginia to astoria oregon. To promote habitat for humanity. A 21 speed schwinn bike. Gandalf. Federal 75 days of going 93 days of trying to average about 50. 60 miles away. Too bad if you're in shape for it and. It because of mental game after while because physically can't do it but i just got a sergeant. I didn't want to get back on that bike because i figured why am i doing if i can be home doing nothing. Oh but god starting so i need to finish my wife. Row vice lagwagon. Vehicle. Sporting gear you have a extra box. Mine are broken freewheel in love. Ann arbor missouri leader extra box. Habitat. Brochures and we had our clothing and stuff. But i wore while i was riding. Pink spandex breaking. My pink spandex breaking wasn't i wasn't trying to advertise any sexual orientation or anything of that sort. I wanted to be streamed if your bicycle everybody passing you. Some people around you. Call buddy please run over me i didn't want him to go to court so you are i didn't see the soccer well the heat yes you did too because you couldn't make glow-in-the-dark. We got to. I'm in the car but we got to a little terico do-boy divorced i think they call it wyoming. Which is literally a one-horse town sidewalk surfer. Are elevated wood cyborg that one restaurant. What cafe call the cowboy cafe. We going to eat so i walked around with my pink spandex. And it was full of wrenches godwin excellent baby. Big biceps. Not to understand they were. With. Spandex song. And i said i'm the wife and i would sit down there and the waitress comes over she looking me over pretty well there ain't no like your judge where they come from. And i noticed that time i was eating no meat i'm eating leaves again. But i wasn't even you meet them and ask her if there is vegetable soup hadley did so the last time i ordered. She said what you don't eat meat. Everybody and i just looked over there at me. You know i don't. And have to understand that but have you ever heard of habitat for humanity i figured i would do what i do with my kids and my kids when i talk. I did about something else. I have never heard of a few matthew here i am with my pink spandex hanging out. With nothing else to play. Nothing will ever tell you i'm 85 years old. And i brought the bus that goes from georgia from virginia to oregon. And if i mean i don't think i can make it.. 5 years old and yes i am. She still looked at you look at me look at you looking like a moron. You just a little. The yamas 85 store. You don't think i'm 85 years old ask my daughter. She called the other waitresses over and i was signing autographs. I'm about to get out of there cuz i'm afraid somebody might figure it out then beat the hell out of me. Crying in their cafe. Adblock. Nobody ever thank god they never came back because. I would have had to really pedal fan. But dog. Presentation timer time. But i came out here to talk about. From fundamentalism to liberalism. Witches. Istory. That i can play. I was born into a fundamentalist baptist. Call. A lot of my family not immediate family are still. Fundamentally. I grew up in eastanollee which is dutch a wide place in the road after using all his damn blow torch you know anything about that part of the world. In georgia. I tell people i still breastfeed got out of raleigh. When i got out of hospital. But the best thing ever happened to me i got eastanallee out of me. Cuz i got relatives down there till. Where they were. 54 years ago when i left. Either thinking. I think that. I'm off the devil. Hands are i guess i am at once while but the. They don't understand me they don't understand what's happened to. People ask me why don't you get out of bed. Hardly anything's. You don't believe in baptist doctrine. That's been really nice.. We are not organized. Not really what which is the good part. This is the same thing i like about the unitarian. Nothing logically. But you people are one of the freest hunter gatien. The truth. We are free car games. The fundamentalist who took over the convention. How's traffic on freedom. We believe in what's called the autonomy of the local church that means that the local security size what they want what they want and how they want to teach it. The whole vent there's no higher here that nobody can come in now charles stanley and his group that taking over the. Turn. turn acento predel. Appraisal. The bible being. The creed. You know. And we have we have a lot of people that stuff. I don't understand that. We care a lot. Call vianca polity how we govern ourselves. What do unitarian. Better. It's always okay. Usb. Of all people. Perfect combination i'm talkin about. Of all people i know of. Hanging. The commandant. Ten commandments. In public building. Because we have. Darkly being separation of church and state people. That's a historic baptist. Call. We will you go back to rodger williams. Study your history. Rodger williams dodge ram fingers because the anglican church was trying to tell him how the other worship. Well he went to massachusetts and it wasn't better cozy blanket. And he said will up yours i'm going to rhode island what you did. And i founded and name the providence. With your all all the time about. Jefferson at all to but. Madison father of the constitution. 14th amendment. The bill of rights. Oh and i was about 543 maybe and weight about 110 lb of a man. Believe. Historically in separation of church and state. But now we do. Handle. Publix taller whatever preachers. How much. Because he told the truth. Get us to leave. Because he can stay there if you told the truth. What about heroes clark's jersey number rossini rlt to get by there with her to class.. Baptist of all things. That's all translated the yard. New testament parts off before he died. And what he called the cotton patch gospel. I'll talk back to putting the contemporary jesus being born in bethlehem georgia. Is there a albino their flock by 9 it was a bunch of chicken for me so there's a lot of chicken parmesan. Walker's cuz you were messing with her good story. I don't never do the story. But they want the story you know they like to tell their story over and over again but nobody ever does it for crying out loud. I got called me. Covid-19 was bad-mouthing me about. Did not realize. The judicial system in laws are based on the ten commandments. Where did you go to school. You wasn't my flash. That's what you're about to come on every two commandments. Vaguely. What up bagel they are. You shall not kill insurance fill the rest of our cilaajka state. I don't know where you buy this big deal 44 not talk. Loving god with all your heart soul and mind that the first one for samantha. How to give it the first five commandments and i withdraw the flute. You got off until they were running to learn i have been i have i have promoted more religion in north georgia than anybody ever been alive and i know that everybody in my neighborhood. Hotel blessing called hardy's retired from michigan. I was walking one day and i don't talk. Salvatore house. Star challenge number i would tell her. You were the first five. Alabama and army. Do they make me read the bible when i went to wake forest if you don't read the bible they won't give you your degree so i had to read it. And i went one of those look no better. Has almost 40. 101 on 434 y'all just crying out loud. I jumped when i was about to 16 cuz uncle ben was the preacher least of all a daddy was a detour around the churches. Uncle ben has 10 different text but within 15 seconds. He was planted by a seville. By going through hell first don't collect nolan $500 you go direct and he would hit every sunday. I can close my eyes and still feel the heat. Call the bottom of my feet so he can priests hellfire and brimstone. I'm responding prices over and over and over again. I can't drag gone through life like this. So i just found drop-down. And i kind of think drop cell. But i dropped out for the wrong reason. And that i was angry about. So i got a bug me and i saved out i was in business for a lot of years ago we manufactured automobile switches. A.22 factory florence 11 in dahlonega. But i got bored. Would i get bored. Appendicitis. And i want too much maturity going person you got to keep that in mind and i went in one day and told him a blessed a hard god bless her and she kept me at least. Closest. I wanted to one dance but i think i'm going to go study for urology. Bible school near uptown bbq. I thought this was going on. She said okay. So where you going up there. wait sorry. About going. Well is it turned out started to stay home. What's the three boys reborn. And he stay home three years while i could be there every week the wait for our war at 2 volkswagen. What are the wake forest. You got a plug-in where you jumped out. Cilantro. What i do i didn't lie. I just knew it. Woodworking. So when i got to wake forest i ran into some professors at gal me i was one of your guys. It's almost 40. Years old. And then i ran across this book in the library i got. Baptist sermon. 56 miles from home. So i thought. Rihanna. I'm going to get the stacks in the philippines. So i found this book as walking toward florida panther habitat humanity a good friend of mine. I was going down the specs and i. Lotus lane jersey. Jordan some people pronounce it but they pronounce security. What's that saying. I read that wrong. Go to cornelia georgia. Special church in cornelius. So we expected got some somebody else on you. Did that one vertex bookbug me. I went back and got it back out again and read it again. And i found a lot of back for a jersey. He had on interracial. 40. Ralph georgia. What do you want to do is see if people could get along with each other. So they brought a big farm. And i invited a black. Pink green grades whatever come we'll give it a landing but we will build a house you raise a family here with farm together. And we'll see if we can build illustrations plot for the kingdom of god party called. Well let me tell you what citizen council was got really pissed off about that okay. Call clarence started bringing a black dude to church with. Well they the rehoboth baptist church ceremony for kick him and all the condominiums out. Buddhism. It really started all the white citizens council started bombing them burning their building. August trying to sell pecans and that you know racing peanuts and that kind of stuff. A big boy car that couldn't sell anything and they were just in a horrible straight to couldn't pay their bills. The mennonites. Hey we going to help you how much you think you need to get through to where you can because i probably need about $50,000 another survey. We can handle that. How they got 1,000 people that they need to spend $50 a piece. You know. Somehow you right buddy get a little bit from everybody. Well the white citizens council. Good baptist members of baptist church. Call for mayo. Gregory. Call clarence before the grand jury in 1951 if i can work on the charger being a condom. Lyrics hit me with something on on my. Peerless.com 3 years ago. Against. Do they have him there and their questions. Tomas horton they said miles horton was a liberal dude up in chattanooga that. Rihanna. A liberal schools. Pandora. Well how about martin luther king jr. know him yet we spent the night in jail together he's so you really get to know a person. Weather. I know it's a common issue with that never came up. Where is the combination birds of a feather flock together. If i get this right now and make sure i understand what i'm being charged with you. Play miles horton in martin luther king jr. comedy. Am i sociation was a blacksmith, so that's exactly right here to walmart. Anyone knows that my association with them with no more make me a promise to my sociate when you were make me a jackass. That busted up deleting. They closed down as hell we can't.. Brittany right i'll my struggle with my my fiala g begins in earnest at wake forest. I had to do something. I wanted to learn. But i didn't know. I hung around until i. So i have my hands alone. I finally got a doctor. I don't need it but i need a mation. Play i need it i need to hang around like one of the professors playing the first day was in school i never forget that he said those of you who came up here for the great we're going to eat you them right now you go home those who already taken to hang around he was just kidding but that was the truth. So i hung around. And i'm starting to think different. Start a question. Started noticing the contradictions in the bible. Contradictions of what i call. And i thought well you know this don't make any sense on your i got to do something i've never pastored a church. Full-time in the plants if they pay my salary i don't want to buy semi burial tell me what to do. You know what i don't know about tell me what my mom is 89 years old she said you've been that way all your life. Please don't quit aggravating everybody i see why don't know mama. When i guess your age i might quit so i won't be around the door so i can promise you that's what all those are they did mine. It was going to call me down and i'm going to quit acting up tomorrow. But i i felt like god. I need it. To understand what i did not know. About the theology that i grew up with. And i don't leave the baptist church on purpose so i could leave i can eat with lady. But i'll lose my credibility. Nobody will listen to me now they have to but got to deal with me. Cuz i'm a bat. We working out. Another thing that we talked about with me. Louis county. I got a good friend reason i c a i can't figure it out i try to being racist on time. But i can't understand it john paul florida. Y'all are red.. A i really everybody. Rihanna. Another language. But i can't figure it out. So i decided. Agnostic. Chris is culturally but i don't know anything. Nobody else does either. Play hospital world of the chapter one time. You know. Nobody knows anything about god and i'm not bad but they don't know anything about god. Because it's gone is restoring is they saying. Neighbor. You know. What goes on. The trial that the ten commandments of going on. Big dog theater negril mean that take me out as the prime suspect. They grilled me for over an hour. Call me later later don't but they had two young boys they were nice looking kids about 20 45 years old they look like mormon. They wore black suit both of them or black first. Close cut hair do. Pale skin. It look like they were both severely constipated they never. They never smile. I found out later they were from jerry falwell. That explains it. So i knew what was wrong with it. Will they were drilling me severely trying to discredit manually felt like freaking do that then they would be okay but problem is it's hard to discredit old guy. You don't take anything for me. So you can't discredit me so they didn't know they couldn't but they try. What they want to know they say we heard that you are an ordained minister that trick us again. Goodwin. And he said well how big is europe. That's it well it's about 100 feet long and about 60 feet wide. Glared at me. robinson. That's not what i'm asking you the bestest turner. What are 40 years and i can't doug mcdonald's you know he was trying to be. Moderation on. And he said to me he said listen i want i'm trying to find out. How many member you have in your chair. How's the well i don't know. And that's the truth so we don't purge the role. Still members as far as i know they don't see any money but i'm assuming that's what this is all about isn't it money. Aclu is giving you money i said. I look the rap do burgers my turn out the trash. He looked at like yeah right after nobody's paying me any money. I'll take and i'm not too proud to accept the money. He decided he didn't want anymore that he said well how many people come on a given sunday. Well. I don't really know again what you truths one group will come on sunday. Sit in the next sunday another group of come in it sometime then. Explain timeless miller solar comes with bacon everybody comes in here millard. He said what what i want to know where you. How do you have. More than five people. Islip. Jesus change the entire course of human history with 12. We got more now. So i heard judge o'kelly which is a very conservative republican. Muharram by the old club. He said mr macdonald i believe mr turner has answered your question 3 times. Will you get off his back and get on with this. Never bothers me anymore. I felt like my pillows refrain enough i have to go to wake forest i don't know how to help. I have tried to answer him. The question. With the fundamentalist christian. And i could just feel the hatred. Elizabeth christian. I'm his two best friends. Good christian something else. You know you just can't do that that's not kosher. You know you do you know you can't do that. You don't like it you don't like like like the busy just ignore it. Don't kill the restaurants on turner turner turner. I could be wrong but i. Nachos big long-term you have a right to your opinion even though you're wrong. Call the time. I'll answer the phone is this that megalodon son-of-a-b**** both turn up against it is so is that you mama. The hanger phone. You don't want to run for me people you cannot turn your back and run for make people. You can't go if you do they will dog you can you die. Oh i had the plan got on to me. Landmark center clarksville highway. I'm marching with black folks on king's birthday and they threw rocks at us in. So walking lieutenant hosea came back with 180. Atlanta. North georgia. And i. Twenty thousand people showed up. I wrote the yard. Minnesota association in forsyth county told him we would comment and ask him to come out on the street. March weather. I would have ignored me if i had that since they didn't ignore me they wrote me back and said brother turner. We will be in the basement of the first baptist church praying for you i don't want to play to be in the basement of the first baptist church friend from you. Thanks a lot. But. I run into people who who. I don't like me because i remind them that they could be wrong. You know what this water bad. How many people died in the years elbow you know you you're right doggone it you're right i know you're right. People are. Those can be indoctrinated so well. That they don't know anything else. They don't know. How to do. With what they've been told they don't know what to do their frayed. Ministers have told they're going to hell. You know a lot of stuff. I wrote an article. And i think that serve about 20 years ago in milo's church in north georgia.. Madison wisconsin. Bear mountain people. I like a good thing album hello and then come on. We weren't saying. Eternal punishment they know of any kind without the potential for reductionism services. Just playing logic. But that's something that religion is real uncomfortable with. Logic. Afraid of it. And i am not afraid of the time somebody called time on me cuz i have no idea. What time it is in the river don't care but i'll sweat. When you tell me that i need to quit alright. Park. What i do want to do those give you an opportunity to rebut or him hard. Say what you need to say if you want. A question whatever you can do that anytime. But i feel that the greatest. Gilson i don't know why it's grace i guess. Reasonable eye blind you know. Grace grace i guess.. Lucky. I didn't deserve it but i got it that's that's right i don't deserve it but i'm naughty. Which is freedom. Freedom. It will that freedom we don't have much. Was because. The rock weigh in our community. Politically and otherwise. Mommiana carter left office. You don't understand southern baptist convention. Here is a man that he was a great politician. Little habitat guy in our workforce. Here's a guy who is a self-proclaimed. Conservice i am. Born again christian how much more but are you really a born-again tricks. Morgan christian church. A decent human being. Southern baptist convention. And we elected a guy that didn't even go to sirius. Good luck charms in pocket. His wife cobra driver dream still didn't know where to get up. Good morning joseph. We've been indoctrinated for so long. We don't know how to get out of the tramp. I tried to get up trap. What do i want to stand with you. What's robert rounds. You didn't get on well i don't know i've been doing it for so long wearing. Any religion you're involved in that is oppressive. Exclusive. Hate-filled. You need to get out. Get out of. Turner. You are. You kick god out the courthouse. God is so damn handsome. I can kick him out of the courthouse he needed to be kicked out of the courthouse. You talk to god about it the all-time i said what god say he didn't know what i said about it. I said well. just waiting on the body people call me and say god laid it on their heart. Celebrity call me i said i'll talk to him this morning still worried about you know. Well we're going to pray for you to pray for me. Unless they pray that i'll be like damn. And i plan to stay that way you know. Geology can be summed up. And i'm not even sure about.. But it's got in. I believe the god don't love me any him. The pantheon. No matter what i do. My mama told me not long ago we talked about this. You don't love me. Regardless of whether they see you don't tell me about want me to stop. About me. Device me angry when i say about you. But you do understand that i'm her boy. Gravity. Mama treat me like i'm seeing. Which i kind of like it pushes a good coat to. But i tell her i said mama i don't don't worry about it she said i worry about you always worried about yesterday morning. You love me with any without any condition people yet. I said regardless of what i did she said not all she's going to do it bad stuff that's a lot of plant there but if i'd be able to continue. That makes the way. Percy got the power. If i got a question. But i'm free place on i hope you are gorgeous. Serious. There is more. A fundamentalist is a conservative. Who is god a real baton. Play some music. I do conservative. I do some today. Like the old i do lord i wish we had them back they'll rockefeller. I didn't agree with everything. Eagle. I mean i believe they're evil people. Because i want to talk to you. You know what george carlin said about that. How was your concert. Your scars were my friends. Not personally. Cabochon. I am on certain days and sundays on somewhere else. So they don't feel like it don't have to be insane. So doesn't love me alright. Anti-christian especially baptist. Your walked into believing the literal inerrancy and infallibility of the scriptures. Which is a e. Suicideboys. Patatas python i don't hear that. Then you got to look at what jesus said about the commandments. To a christian. Did you ever notice how i have the old testament 89% of the time. When jesus was asked by one of his disciples. What's the greatest of the commandments keep their wealth. You don't love the lord your god with all your heart the second is like unto the first you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said. A new commandment i give unto you that you love each other like i love you so it's both we don't have three. Piper. Is a franklin have to be as big. Enrolling more over in montgomery alabama wouldn't have to have a granite wait to be going to have intercourse on. Granite piece to put that on there. It all up in my neighborhood are attacking the judicial system. Edward is a few digital parody. Well i didn't think so win-loss. Weather. Supreme courts are in florida robbed or of zambia. It is. But starter didn't help okay. The problem with the way it works is where. Would have been a democrat results. He got 50. But we don't understand that. What are saying is. Judicial system. They're trying to complete your joe kelly. One of my jokes. You can't be impatient people who make. Rock springs. They want to take it away from the judges. We got somebody to black-robed the people of the area around. Are you vicious system is one third of our. Government. Sweetworks. They might they might realize i don't like either. But if they rule against. Call me. Him. I felt like i did on the ten commandments i was okay. Don't like it but i live with. And i'm not trying pizza. Villa rides have to do. But protecting the minority. Tyranny of the majority. You study history. Anytime you got a theocracy. Where what religion is dominant. And controls the government you going to have a tri-cities. History has shown that. The pages of history of blood flow. What the approximate what people business killed in atlanta georgia for a razor. Because one group sings god is one way. You know there's a lot of people to visit the others and whatever. The people who don't have any belief in god. It's about trying to frame you. A lady tried to save me a yesterday. Taco bell place to get something. He was a young reporter was wearing a purple dress. I got some breeches look like that i wear my watch barnes do people yell at me. He said.. Where were you born again i said i'm born again everyday. Where were you saying. She said well. don't you believe. Even though i don't believe much. I believe in myself. And i believe in my ability. Pandora. He just wouldn't make fun. Do you want to fight me. He said god told. I got plenty phone number of hanford fifty-something years. If i put them in a circle here in whisper something in your ear when it came out of the tenth person it wouldn't sound like what i told you. Hitman. I'm sure there. Where is trump. Oh i can't i'm too old a hand under the bed. I'm already leaving for put up with a mark. I just feel like. You know i'll take precautions i don't i don't want to walk in the hornet rear so i really walk around if i could but. I don't. Foxy the clan when the clan. Marks on the pound they were turn sinuses play notable. So that's pretty creative now for paypal. Elderberry occupy one about. And i wrote about that in the paper. Christmas parade. One year. Jenna fischer. Lookout get always get more published in the local paper called again. Walter burke. But they had to work and they had to walk behind a horse. Text david vang. Is mayor says plan of all behind horses not stop raining. Well. Later one of they couldn't get to me cuz i wouldn't take him seriously. Did marshalltown in his lady her name is elizabeth. He was a chaplain it spelled it like charlie chaplin. How you doing girl with her baby. Call my 1:30. I have been out till. 2/8 shirts black-shirted been burned. And do i want outfits for habitat person to take a look and play some habitat habitat don't rebuild syracuse but. Habitat people that would have volunteered with me we were going to rebuild at church. If. Play warren. The newspaper's got wind of this. I didn't say nothing about it but somebody told him they came back and took a picture of all the church it was burning. I was wearing what i were just like i look round were busy on sunday. I don't dress up. Fun dress-up hair stapleton next time. Set alarm. Never want to do that. How do i start a wedding present but. Call me in a paper where am i struck you looking outfits she want to know. If i had any decent clothes to wear. Nfl.. And i just do this because our museum. Switch on guard essential mary i'm not even got my second but i'm not a millionaire. He says well why don't you run. Why don't you start acting more like a preacher your precious in your town. I'll have to fix the van. Chip coffey kept talkin at me how old i was and i told her i'm in my fifties. Hanging out more than. She was enjoying the conversation. Sausage recipe. Are you married if there's a. Good yard. Isn't he happy. But but i didn't say that i said what happened. I'm married to an. She said. She said you are. Pretty. Visible. To denver. You would. I said but not before we go any further. God was willing never sweat. Hospital. What i need to find out before we finalize. Meeting are you blocking why cuz i only date black women. Emotion t-shirt have heard. You should have heard what she called me. First airborne division nobody ever said those kind of words to me. They said some pretty bad but not what you said to me. But i'm not afraid if you're asking i'm not afraid. But i am aware. Somebody go to jail for. Because they want to go to jail. They probably would ya. But now the black baptist like me. I can priester black badges y battlefield touch me with a pole. Boost black jerky. Play that way because every bored to death in most watch her. I can tell you right now. Preview to death. I've been i have been a been there the introduction. But you talked about raising the level of them pressuring you better produce. I was involved in bodies of charlotte puppy one-timer. Ralph david abernathy. Number one person. They let him preach first. I got to get up again. Don't worry about it brother you tell him what we need to hear. He wanted a man and i did. Amen. Robert redford. What time is it in people shake in washington are digital everyone on me. If i was a black person i wouldn't go to watch i want to go where. So there. I've had i've had choir. Black wires to come in spring and not sure to do things like that but. If i was not a little falls baptist church. I want to drop out of going anywhere and when i when i have two frogs me. How do the unitarians that wants to buy this. Harassing lil b. But i'm going to attend a regular black pedicure. Cuz i like it. Flea market crowd was bigger than yesterday my god they were horrible. Kauai off and they just enjoyed themselves. Is there are you liberal. Tell me how to do it cuz i don't you know i struggle that fast. christmas. I don't know. I believe that song. We've been timid. Who came in at times when jerry falwell and. Her boy down here fort lauderdale d james kennedy. Wa criswell who is the baptist hope i didn't texas. Who's clean out loud so he don't know what plans on but. She said a lot of. Influence on baptist. Charles stanley. Television evangelist. Have indoctrinated. Severely. They're listening audience. And most ministers. Haha were coming out of the baptist right now that's all i speak far because that's all i know about. Are being indoctrinated into a virgin era for urology. To believe that mel gibson.. Roti. Christian. Now what sort of bus. Interpretation with that give to your child. As it relates to christianity is beyond meat slaughterhouse. I don't know. Well i sure hope so. Oh that was what i didn't exist. Because. Escape from the trail and you need to brother i hope you will escape latrece okay. Now you may not. Okay i know you will i've been there done that too so but anyway. What i'm trying to do. Is be honest. With you about where i've been. And i happen to know that orthodox christianity for example. Didn't come into being until about 3:15 to 3:17. With constantine the emperor of rome. And all the church bishop because constantine was putting so much pressure on them up until then every christian community around. What would be accepted. Hands off of dock. Document for the new testament. Under pressure from constipation. It have little or nothing to do with god. It had to do with a warning this done. And the orthodoxy was sent at that time canon was closed. Handle what we have. A frog that is a very narrow premillennial. Fundamentalism. It has to do with taking one or two or three verses out of the book of revelation. And making a theology out of it. Advantix golden arrow. The nobody can get in hartley. And you really got to come in and lexus 350 to get in there and staying there in my opinion. So that's where i'm coming from. And i don't. I don't hate you. By the way. Love has nothing to do with how i feel about you personally that's watching you. I can look. I could dislike you but i cannot love you. Love again been over by which means that if you have a lead that i can meet and i failed to do it then i don't love you. It has to do with what i do. Not what i believe. Or how many times i go to church. 2814. What place did you have. Clicker games. You know reason i know they're hateful. Because i will. No no. Don't know. Hateful in my church. Talking about. I've lived in this town where i'm in 454 years. So i know i didn't i dunno. The people i do know what's going on. My own family are that way. Second be really hateful. Towards people. Pay the bill walls without throwing up if you were in a denomination that we couldn't pronounce or spell like episcopalian presbyterian or unitarian. And that's the truth i've heard it since i heard a one-time to build a illiberal. Thanking somebody and has a service we were. Should i have called hell. North georgia. For years i've been writing a column for 30 years on the same subject. I've been catching hell for 30 years out of a certain number of fundamentalist the baptist. And where you at. Freely. 90% of the christians in north georgia. Braulio. Orbach. Who should we talk to about it. Something bad to somebody. I tell you something else i want alcohol and drug counselor. I used to be able to drop to it one time but i got over there. The baptist would quit drinking. They could close every saloon & beer joint in habersham county. I don't think he's going to react to me talk to me anyway i'm just telling you.. Call your sister. But don't you believe. But don't you believe what i said is true if the baptist would quit drinking. If the badgers would quit drinking. Then you can cause severe joint pain. What's the problem. Did you ever read. Everyone. Set of the pharisees in matthew okay. December 1st lee. Geology baby. You don't get out of wake forest. I don't i don't use this what i wanted to start it was getting information. Okay whatever. What i'm trying to do is laugh. You know i don't i don't i don't want i don't want you to leave your hating me. Or hating anyone else. You've got to feel logical. Mine was where yours was it one time i think i grew out of. That's just what i believe. You're welcome. Good morning john. I don't believe in hell actually. Okay. Is that your high. No he didn't. Goldberg. Look like. Urz. Brilliant. Glad to get rid of. If i bought you a. East aurora. But goldberg made. Yep this ain't mine. You said you're going to do it listen. Just that i don't believe. What are you got up here. I heard today. Very troubling. I've heard. The united states of america. Is a christian nation. You. That obviously makes me laugh. Chrysler. And the last time we were told. A group of paperwork christian. Hitler hand. Something on the belt buckles. Soldiers. With god. 6 billion people died. And he would just like to. Big george. Before he made his ruling. To remember. What happened. When one. Particular religion. Here. Domino. Over all other religion. Controls the government. That we got in a theocracy. All the potential for. Atrocities that we cannot really. Call belize. Pandora. Goldberg thomas nicole that he would. Call. Hair. Next time we win. Course. But he said he was going to call me. Straight up. So look like. Whoever this guy in. The three stooges. Blackberry winter. Bernard meyer very much. Really. Salt creek. But far. If they're good. Well you can't read the new text. Richmond. I talked all all the time about the poor. In-n-out in luke. Chapter 18 4:18. He didn't. Synagogue. He said that. Fear the lord because he has a daughter. Probation. Told me to preach the gospel to the poor. I got mine professor. To look at word up cuz i'm not a linguistic. What does that mean i want to know exactly what that mean. The poorest of the poor there's two great words. Translate por. One is transliterated. Espn. We get to work peon from. I got the person who live from hand-to-mouth. Week-to-week. That wouldn't want to talk about. Did i mention waldo who is a greek scholar said two words. That was used in loose gossip. What is the word it's almost. Unpronounceable almost like it clear your throat to philip. Ptc hof. Transliterate. It means the person. That doesn't have a coat and daughter free to dance tonight. If he doesn't get a code from you who have to coach. It's how we treat have more to say about how we treat the poor single buggy. I wake up early talk. No he did not. He didn't talk much about a hell he was. You parable. The word for hello. None whatsoever. He talked all the time about the poor how we work. He's my brother. Sisters. Unless we are fleshing it out that way. I don't care what you believe. In my mind. It's not working. Quick burn 24 hours a day. You know. We are responsible as human being for each other. We're all on this planet we can't get off. Some people i wish you would. I'm here so we got to roll together. If we roll together we can get there. But this way. Did the other polarized pass. Is rolling that way and argue theology. Which is what we're doing tomorrow. What do we care for the poor. If so how. Read beyond. Storage parable story. Macy's gospel of the great judge. I was hungry you fed me. I was making any clothing. I was thinking you came unto me. I was in prison that you visited me. Thirsty you gave me drink. The word about doing the jerk. Super worried about it. The traffic. Of religion. He talked about. Hilton. People. Need it. We're not doing that we need to get you out up. I'm involved with habitat. In the world. Starting a one-man have. He flushes out the gospel. Everyday if. Enough. He might smell dirty frederick. I saw him. You let anybody in this church obviously right.

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090405_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Is a chinese proverb. If you want happiness for an hour. Take a nap. If you want happiness for a day go fishing. If you want happiness for a month. Get married. If you want happiness for a year inherit a fortune. And if you want happiness for a lifetime. Help someone. That's the sermon. And i'm going to unpack it. Cuz i think it is. Are more wise. Then what i ever imagined the first time i read this and maybe a year or two ago. We humans have a number of relatively. Effective strategies for being happy. First there's an app category. When i really like. When i am an avoidance mode. I like the rummage the cabinet and the refrigerator for is pooh bear's used to refer to as honeypot. A little something. And i confess that i got a bag of eminem's in a drawer right near my computer right here. For comfort. I also like a cup of coffee or a glass of something. What i'm into brake mode. Fortunately i don't like the feeling of getting smashed. But that's the tension reliever in with you. Some take temporary cover. Comfort. I would categorize tv and. Computers in this category of taking a nap. Spectator sports movies and computer games. Will provide entertainment and distraction. Momentary sense of satisfaction. Happiness for an hour. 2 hours. But real naps leave you feeling a bit better off physically. Then most hours spent with electronic entertainment. They're being a few exceptions of course. And we all have our favorites. For rodger it was. Spongebob and. Nature. Some folks like to take a walk outside. That's. Arnab. Others tender animal companions. Fattening them up with treats. Still others tinker with their vehicles. They're both their motorcycles. The cars are tractors. I like to step outside and check the bunnies. It's a two-fer. It all fits the nap category. Am i thinking. Providing a short-term. Rest and relaxation. Summer better. Another facebook. Then the chinese proverb speaks of finding happiness for a day by. Going fishing. Now. And that's fishing category i put. Trips to the mountains. Hiking mountain trails meeting. The mountain goats. Jo-ann's not here today. The moose. The elk. Maybe even a bear. That's happiness for today. Foreign travel. Can open your eyes and. Taste buds. When you explore exotic wonders. And meet the real people and see their lives. Explored similarly. Meaningful relationships on fishing trips. Closer to home. Trips with friends in canoe trips. Some have you experienced that sailing. You come back soon what a day this has been. One fascinating day. Exploration after another. This is the chinese proverb category bond fishing. Happiness verde. Now if you want happiness for a month. I'm walking on. Then isaac atrisco. Sleeping in the rabbitry tonight i say. That. That's right about marriage. It brings happiness for about a month that first month. Of a committed relationship. Brings ecstasy. You're on cloud nine. Your. Probably worshipping at your own expectations. And you'll meet the real person once your eyes stop clouding over. Connecting life to live. In friendship with another person. Is really a category above sightseeing. No matter. How awesome. An exotic reviews. Alienation and loneliness are hallmarks of our society. But we're so used to it. That we think this was simply all life has to offer. Outside of the fantasy world in the movies. Going to go on about this. Around 1980 when i was about 30. 32 whatever. Single and working making. Computer cables. Cable harnesses and printed circuit boards actually i was. Quality control. I shared my apartment sublet a room with two a chinese professor from beijing university. He was an expert in computer reliability hardware and software. You know. Informing each other. On a two-year research. A granite suny binghamton new york. Dr. chao was most diplomatic. And understated anything that he might offer. And i asked him what he thought of my country. And he spoke of the large number of. People who live without family companionship. Here in this country may be. I was a perfect example. He called today. Social problem. At beijing university explain for example the only person. Without a family was an american. Teaching english as a second language. Family companionships. Is of such importance into the chinese. And his experience and he is chinese of course. Let the department. In wichita tried to set him up with blind dates. He wouldn't go. The chinese government. Offered to pay his way back to the united states to find. An appropriate partner. And he wouldn't go. And finally the university. Identified a graduate student couple with children. Who adopted him. The lone american. And years later. When american had a heart attack. It was odd couple. And their children. To saturday's hospital.. The committed relationships. A friend. Advancement companions as well as. One's marriage partner. Are certainly a category above our fishing exploration. Of the beautiful physical world. In all its wonder. And certainly. Are nap distractions and entertainments don't even come close. Committed relationship. Friendship. The chinese proverb goes on to say. If you want happiness for a year. Inherit a fortune now we're getting real. Consider such a windfall have you ever done that. What would i do if. Suppose. You inherited a piece of. Insignificant land. And like. Plandome. That piece of land produces a million dollars worth of oil. Looks like a million dollars of oil. Every year. The american dream is of course to work hard. Have enough money so you can put your feet up. Enjoy the fruits of your labors. What are you going to do. What are you actually. Going to do now. But you have millions. You quit your job. What are you going to do. Map. Go fishing on trips exploring the wonders of the world. Invest your time and energy in. Nurturing companion. Those heart-to-heart friends. I suspect that i might be wrong but i suspect. The good life. Have your feet up. Even traveling the world. Even. Partying. We get old after about a year. So. Now. What are you going to do with your millions. What are you going to do. With your life. A busy leisure. I suspect that people. Nature. And fun stuff. Will not provide your life with sufficient meaning. Year after year. The proverb says if you want happiness for a lifetime. Help. Here's what i imagine that you i know some of you. Physical imagine that you might do. If i know you you might very well obtain the services of one of our own members. I wachovia agent don hawkins. To safely the director fortune to socially responsible investment. A free shameless pad for. Pradana. You might. Contact. Recruit daisy horn. The research sharing and caring these in valparaiso in niceville. Funnel some money there or doris bird. Identify local needs of the homeless. I'm sharing you caring in fort walton beach. I bet you talked to doug porter. About the new facilities for orphaned children. You might contact chris chris larson. To learn how you could help with hurricane refugees. From the gulf coast maybe. Talk to john keith. About how you might join in partnership with the rotary and other area churches. Going with them on their next trip. Just struggling villagers in peru. What an experience that would be. You might even underwrite. A sister church relationship. Between our fellowship in the unitarian congregation in romania. You know. Surviving from tchaikovsky. Regime. There's a you a program called harvest hope there. You might have our kids raising half the cost. Define the gift of equality. Dairy cow. With cash. And i can see you. Any number of you traveling. To deliver it to the transylvania farmer. In person. You might even help this smells to prepare the roof. And replace the. Air conditioner. So that our energies my turn to sirius visioning. Regarding. Other facility needs in the coming decade. I bet you would do a lot of such. Service. Including some service that tans on. If money was not a limiting issue. Service helping others. What's the category. Providing a lifetime of happiness according to the chinese. If you want happiness for an hour. Take a nap or enjoy some entertainment. If you want happiness for a day. Go fishing. Exploring the wonders of the world. What happiness for a month. Get married or nurture nurtured a circle. Abandonment friends. Do you want happiness for a year. Inherit a fortune. And chase all your heart's desire. If you want happiness for a lifetime. Help. Work. This morning i tried to. B concrete and specific. In reflecting on what gives meaning and. Lasting happiness in our lives. Perhaps albert schweitzer. Is the greatest authority. On service and its reward its rights are wrote this. Who wrote i don't know what your destiny will be. But one thing i do know. The only ones among you. Who will be really happy. Are those who have sought. And found. How to serve. That's not what i grew up with. The fortune was. The promise. Frozen the fortune. The difference between the two concepts love and service. Services the expansive love. The goes out beyond those. To share mutual support. Without system on intimate friends and companions. Expansive. Service is the compassion. The reaches out to help strangers. And the unlovely. And even those undeserving. Who. There but for the twist of fate july. Sauron. Kirkegaard road. Did life's meaning is to be found only. In such expansive love service. Service to humankind hero. Quote. To love human beings. Is still the only thing worth living for. Without that love. You really do not live. I guess i grew up with it was very selective. The good guy. Not the bad guy. William sloan cough and offers his insight as to what it means for human beings to live to really live. Reverend coffin right. I don't know if i can. Pronounce latin-rite erase. Kokido argos film. Said they cards. I think therefore i am. Nonsense. Right coughing. Amo are goldstone. I love. Therefore i am. Philosophers and poets have spoken of service to humanity. In language different from that of theologians in ephesus there's a little more boring i'm sorry to say. I'll try to keep you awake but i'm not sure i can. Helping others. His to them. To the philosophers mattresses necessary. If we want to know lasting happiness. If we want to really live. In our interdependent web of life. Survey. Help. Loving one another is a necessary existential condition. In order to live. Maybe easier to speak the language of psychological fulfillment or spiritual. Wholeness like that. That i want to share the theological theory of justice. Gave you that. Contributor jessica. Concepts of biblical justice that call. Preparing all humankind. The predominantly christian culture my childhood. Emphasize judgement. Grounded in biblical theory of justice. God was a judging king. His righteousness demanded punishment. I'm simplehuman. This kind of justice was called retributive justice. The kind of justice. Law enforcement. Prison. Even capital punishment. But the reality is. But no amount of painful. Humiliating. Punishment. Including execution. Can i redeem a can in any way make right. The injury. Inflected by crime. What can make. That injustice right. I'll go to the experts in 1986. U.s. catholic bishops. Castro letter on the economic justice. Explain three elements of biblical justice. Which are in common language. Fairness. Charity. And social justice. Fairness charity and social justice. Wichita. Which together transcend the practice of human retribution. That vengeful punishing of one another. For what we think to be one another's evil-doing. Deuteronomy 32:35 is quoted. Twice in the new testament romans 12:19 in hebrews 10:30. Vengeance is mine. I will repay cefaclor. The point is. The vengeance is the exclusive prerogative of god. And forbidden of humanity. Vengeance is mine. I work excel. Justice among humans. Is not to take the form. A vengeful punishment. So what is the shape of justice. According to. Jewish and christian bale. If it's not. Retributive. Punishing killing. The first element of justice. Catholic bishops. Identified with fairness something we learn. About fifth grade. Maybe third grade. First grade. Maybe sooner. Natural hair. Commutative justice. Which means that everyone is held. To the same laura rich and poor. Under the same law. The rich and poor are forbidden from stealing bread. But of course. The ridge. Have no need to steal bread. And the poor. Without resources to feed themselves have no option. But the steel. Sometimes or die. So fairness under the same law. Do necessary. Is not sufficient. For justice. That's the short. 7. For a long discussion. The second element of justice. Is necessary. Charity. For what we call a what they called distributive justice. Distributive justice. Several forms in hebrew scriptures for example gleaning laws require those harvesting field. To leave corners unharvested. And any produce produce that they dropped. Was not to be picked up. But was we left. For the poor infrastructures and. Funny animals. Thai the grain. Laws inquired and required that a portion of the harvest be brought to town warehouses. To be stored for the aid. Of the poor. And strangers. Further. The prohibition. Against accruing interest on a loan. The forbidding of usury. Was a part of the law. Said that those who are able. Make loans. Interest-free loans. 2000 eid. Even such laws. Requiring charity. Could not address the fundamental property. Of those poor and strangers who had no land or other means to provide for themselves. Distributive justice the necessary. It's still not sufficient. The dress the root injustice. The property. Destitution. Not having to me. To take care of yourself. And one of us can do that. The moment's notice. The third element. The social justice. It's called social justice or contribute of justice. I think this is something that's not common to our culture. U.s. catholic bishops challenge everything that i grew up with as a christian and as an american. Justice does not mean punishment. Alexander's according to a even a single standard. With the endless charge. To provide charity to independent destitute under underclass. Justice requires something more. Justice means. Empowerment. So that. Everyone contributes. Can contribute. To the common good. Not just a duty. It's a right. Justice requires that. Every person have whatever is required to make a contribution to community. In agrarian society of the biblical times the poor had to have land. To contribute. Today. A person needs a job. Work. You need a living wage. The live while you work. Need affordable and safe housing. Have you ever seen anybody. Through. I've been sleeping on the streets. Or have you missed. A days. Or two days sleep. Enfield. The shortness of. The energy and. Patience. Persistence. You can have a safe place to sleep. You have to have an education. Estill. You have to have transportation. You have to have food. Jeff have medical care. If that child care in the list goes on. Rather than being charity. And causing dependency. These requirements of contribute of justice. Are necessary for those trapped in poverty. To contribute to society and to enjoy the fruits of their own labors. So according to hebrew scriptures. But this is more specific the background is. Contributor justice. Jubilee. The jubilee here. Every 50th year. Once in a lifetime. Was when all the people rich and poor. Including strangers traveling through the land. Would return to the ancient land grants. With redemption of their right to use the land. Here's a part of the text from leviticus 25:23. Your land shall not be sold. Or owned. In perpetuity. For the land is mine. Cefaclor. For you are strangers. And so generous with me. And in all the land you possessed. You shall grant a redemption of the land. As a kid i learned a lot about punishment. In about fairness about charity. And that's as far as atlanta. I learned little about social justice. Plasticity responsibility. To provide the resources. For all of us. Especially the poor. To provide for themselves. To contribute. To society. Disturbed. I need to serve. To feel human. To feel what it means to be really alive. American society needs less. Barbaric retributive engines. I can't call it justice. We need more than legal fairness. All the same laws. And we need more than the car. Condescending. Charity. Independency. In order to realize our humanity. We need to serve all of us need to serve. And help others. Game the dignity of contributing to the common good. Supported. By the commonwealth. It supports me and supports you. Cesar chavez. This is his prayer. Show me the suffering of the most. Miserable. So i will know my people's plight. Free me to pray for others. For you are present in every person. Help me to take responsibility for my own life. So that i can be. Free at last. Grant me courage. To serve others. Sprint service. There is true life. Give me honesty. Impatience. So that i can work. With other workers. Bring forth song. I'm celebration. So that the spirit will be alive among us. Set the spirit flourish and grow. So that we will never tire. Of the struggle. Let us remember those. 12 died for justice. For they have given us life. Help us. Love. Even those who hate us. So. We can change the world. This is a time of national disaster on the gold coast. And abroad. James baldwin. So are. National. Failure to hold and empower one another. Our failure to really live. Through server. Helping others to contribute. As well. And his aerie is his first sight is. I want to close with his words. James baldwin. The sea rises. The light fails. Lovers cling to each other. And children. Cling to us. The moment. We cease to hold each other. The moment we break space. With one another. The sea engulfs. And the light. Goes out.

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041606_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Across the english-speaking world today. Many christians are singing. Christ the lord is risen today. With different words i think. Hello the earth now wakes. Hello i drop singing this one low in the grave he lay. Jesus my saviour. Waze in the coming day. Jesus my lord. Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph o'er his foes and he lives forever with his sayings to rain. He arose he arose. Hallelujah christ arose. I want to see how many of you work. New it. Ips. Death. And resurrection is the dominant theme. This easter morning. And i would say both liberal. And can have angelica. Christian churches like. Liberal christians may think of the message as one of. Spiritual death and. Resurrection new life renewal. New life in christ abundant and free. It's a spiritual renewal. Evangelicals read the story literally. Jesus died on the cross. Was buried. And after three days rose from the grave. The firstfruits of them that died. Meaning that. All those saved christians. Will. who died. Will. Also. Be resurrected. To eternal life in a glorified body. And heaven. When christ returns. At the rapture. To christian traditions based on. Death and resurrection. The christian evangelist. Paul. Interpretive jesus's execution. By the romans. Not as humiliation. And an end to the jesus movement. Who were then known as followers of the way. Jesus death was in. Irrevocable unreputable fact. And a shock. But how it was to be understood. Weather is defeat. Present some way of victory. Had everything to do with paul. In preaching this little-known peasants. Martyrs story to the roman world. Paul played hardball. Paul declared that this man jesus was killed. But rose from the dead. And what is more paul claim that. Believers in jesus would likewise rise from the dead. And if i'm not mistaken. None of the other pantheon of. Roman religions claimed. To come back to life. Or is that all the followers. Would live forever. A powerful marketing tool. Paul explain i don't mean to. Speak. Paul explained in good legal argument. That a perfect and flawless sacrifice a perfect jesus. Was the only payment acceptable to the ruler of the universe. That could possibly. Wash away the sins redeem. The sands of entire humankind. Paul preached jesus execution is god's plan. To save humans from their dead of sin. That brings. Death. To all of us. So believing in jesus resurrection. From the dead. Offered to the roman world eternal life. Free of death. That's paul. And i'd say that's not jesus. Such as the message of evan jellicle christianity. John 3:16 for god so. Love the world. That he gave his only son that who whoever believes in him. Should not perish. But have everlasting life you've heard this. I hope. Critics. Of the theology of the cross like mary daly. Seeing paul's message of death in glory. Calling christians to follow jesus example of. Sacrifice and martyrdom. She said it might better be called necrophilia. Love of death. With resurrection the sweet everdistant hereafter. Theologian dietrich bonhoeffer. Said this point succinctly. The jesus calls us. To come and die. But this is to ignore the life. And teachings of jesus himself as best we understand them that jesus seminar folks. Consider the most. Most. What's the right word trustworthy i'll use that word. Elements accountable to jesus's the sermon on the mount. And also some of the stories of his experiences with the people. The best we know jesus did not talk about these things. Jesus teaching and his great commission we're not calls to self-sacrifice and a martyr.. Jesus and his followers out. To love one another. To share the common table. With one another. And he'll want another suffering. Jesus in in john 10:10 credited with jesus. Comes this thing. I came. That they might have life. And have it abundantly. In fact jesus shared meals with a poor and rich alike. There's so many accounts. And. It is said that the one gospel according to the critics. The jesus was charged with being a glutton drunkard. That could have been rhetoric against the opponents. Dia. New. Rabbinic tradition in competition. With the followers the way but still that was a charge. What is important to notice that jesus did not come. On a suicide mission from god. Jesus. Did not intend to get himself killed. Jesus behavior. Displayed a saving way of life away of life. Universal generosity. Kindness. Along with the courage. To live and spread the message. No matter what the cost. Jesus life and message did not celebrate self-sacrifice in martyrdom but rather celebrated the joy and wholeness. To be found in sharing material resources. Anand non-judgmental community. Death and resurrection. Wasn't easy sell in ancient days. Given the. Agricultural. Cycles. Have an agricultural culture. In john 12:24 it harkens back to the agricultural images and speaking of jesus death and resurrection. Quote. I tell you the truth. Unless a kernel of wheat. Falls to the ground and dies. It remains only a seed. But if it dies. It produces many seeds. The agricultural roots behind the death and resurrection. Tradition. An easy sell. Heaven help us if we should apply the weed analogy to humans. Planting people in the ground before they. Before their dead in hopes that little ones will literally sprout from the grave okay you know that's absurd. But the analogy is. Unless a human dies. They will not be. New life. Subsequently liberal christians interpret the whole resurrection story. As. Spiritual resurrection. Revitalization. New beginnings. A new birth. Of spiritual life. Something. That we know happens. I enjoyed a friendly conversation. With a southern baptist minister not long ago. And i was. Awed by the. Well-developed program. Interconnecting many hundreds of wide-ranging ages. An interest among the members from looking at the website of the. Baptist church. We had read one another's website. And he wanted to know more about unitarian universalist. That he couldn't just get in the printed word. You wanted more of a personal point of view. I believe that his. First impression. That he said to me on the phone is correct. The baptist in you use. Have more in common. Then we. Generally believe. In the conversation. I spoke of our covenant. That we are. Enriched by religious pluralism. And at some point. He said. That baptists are constrained by the passage and acts 4:12. Quote there is no other name. Under heaven given among man. By which we must be saved. He didn't quote it to me he just made reference. We weren't thinking along the lines of debate. We were. Not there to challenge each. We were just listening. And at some point. Before i went out the door. It struck me. The names meant something different. In the ancient days then they do today. And i said. They had. Greater significance. Then pleasing organization of sounds. With a family identity perhaps her. Geographical identity. Gorn occupational identity. In ancient days and i didn't go into this with him. But an ancient days names represented the distinguishing. Character or the power. Of the person named. It's never been the sound. Jesus. Good saves. But the spirit. Of universal generosity and loving-kindness the spirit in jesus. Without which human wholeness is unattainable. Invoked by the name. In ancient days names were used to. Evoke. Or call forth the character the. Personal qualities and powers of the person of the dna being named. Evoking. Divine powers. By calling on the name of one's personal god or gods. What's a magical. Art. Practice throughout ancient cultures. For example calling on the name of. The almighty. For defense against invading armies. Today it is comment. To have invocations. To call into. The self. The spirit empowers of the ones name. We rarely hear a christian prayer without a closing such as. In jesus name. Reminding ourselves. Calling up within ourselves. The spirit. Other person. Gospel songs repeat. The precious name of jesus using it. Somewhere between. The magical evoking. Divine favor. Andon. Invocation of the divine spirit into our lives and behavior. Reminding. Christian's of the quality of jesus. After whose example they seek to model their lives. For example i grew up singing the gospel. Song. Oh how i love jesus. Oh how i love jesus. Oh how i love jesus. Because he first loved me. Someplace between evoking. For my purposes. An invoking. For change. There are those who might be said to have fallen in love. With the. Repeated sound. Of the name jesus i think of. Gospel singers who relish. They're mere sound of the name which they sing. Over and over and over again. Lovingly. If i can think of the beginning of this verse i was nothing to you. There's within my heart i'm melody. Jesus whispers sweet and low. Fear not. I am with thee peace be still. In all of life's ab and flow. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Sweetest name i know. Fills my every longing. Keeps me singing a psycho. Jesus. I suspect there are those who. Literally believe that evoking. Or calling on the magical name of jesus does have those powers. Gaining divine assistance for one's own benefit. I'm sure there are those. Faith healers. Call on the name of the lord to gain physical healing. Money. Cars houses whatever. I think that the kind of prayers i grew up with. It started. Dear jesus. We're more like evoking. Asking god to magically give me my desires. A little bit more than invoking. Those divine qualities into myself. Maybe it was cuz i was a kid. I didn't want to change me. I wanted to get stuff. One might say that the mature christian prayer. Involves invoking. Seeking to nurture inside oneself the spirit and qualities. Of the one named. In the name of jesus. Spirit of generous love. And kindness we pray. At easter when so many christians are celebrating the cross. An empty to death and resurrection. Has the core of their face. There is a saving message. An easter message of new life. That we going to turn you versus. Mayfly. In the name. Or rather. The spirit and the example of jesus. From jesus sermon on the mount. Blessed. Are you poor because. Yours is the kingdom of god. Blessed. Are you who are hungry now. Because you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now. Because you shall laugh. Jesus embraced. The common fisherman. The disease. Inner purity tradition. The poor. And the outcasts. Jesus cared for children. And women and men. He went across. He did not do as good shoes would go across the jordan river twice before going through samaria. And instead. Talked. With the samaritan half-breed. Prostitute. At the well. Embrace the. Hated tax collector. With respect. As well as that occupying roman centurion. And the rich young ruler. As christians call upon the saving name. Of jesus. This easter season. May we unitarian universalists. Be comfortable. In recognizing in the name of jesus. That. Saving spirit. Appealing. And wholeness. That others recognize as well perhaps within loud to. Or in the buddha. Corian muhammad. In mahatma gandhi. And martin luther king jr.. Or the kind person. Nextdoor. To whatever degree. Such qualities appear. Without naming names. The hebrew prophet isaiah identified. The spirit of healing and wholeness in these words. The spirit of the lord. Has been given to me. For he has anointed me. He has. Send me. To bring good news to the poor. To heal the brokenhearted. To proclaim liberty to the captives. Freedom to those in prison. To proclaim the lord's year of favor. Isaiah 61 1 and 2 in your order service. And so. I hope. What's your name. And mine. Come to mean. Just touch a spirit. That spirit of universal generosity.

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021305_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

God is. Reality versus cloud. Grabbing a spouse whether he believes in god himself reply. Kumon name.. And who declare i believe in god. Who can steal and their display i do not believe in god. Dirty 530 do some talking about god to talking about. Reality. Everything were one in the same. Continuing douglas keinarth above up there. Not like burn down there. And do not. With kind glance the eternal stars. Rise. Do i not look at you eye-to-eye. And does not everything press upon your hair been hard. And we need to make our mystery. Invisible. Invisible around you. Do your heart is boogie videos from zack. And when you're completely blissful in the feeling. Then call it would be like. Call. Start love. God i have no name for it. The name sounds and smoke. Driving heaven grow. Griffis south crescent one17. Name god. Lancaster speaking of reality coming down to this conclusion. The main bus sound of snow. For years i've loved ones close. Inner and outer. Appealing. Cast of what we imagine to be so. Can i have a dappled you're displaying a little if i can commit that terrible crime. Relation with all the rest are found in smoke. Private immediate world. If iphone secondary. The relational source. Replacement ball. A relationship with his table. Ikea. Interdynamics psychology in my relationships with people i feel. Mister relationship with her primary. Of course our butts down and smoke. So i don't know if this will work.. Close your eyes for a moment. And imagine. Hope you cancel. Did you cancel. You can't see the world's thing. Imagine if we lived our lives. The world. Experience is made up of our relationship. Does interaction. But we tried to return. Relationship of stones and people are cell. Relation to store ceiling fan cost. The return to normalcy. Play the god is the ultimate reality. By definition of human mind can grasp god. So. What humans think about his religious imagination. The book of daniel pink gobble the woolly hair on a golden throne. Michelangelo painted in our imagination. God is a white-haired. White man floating on eye. I'm sure you close. Copies of. Castle combe. In recent years. We've come to imagine god has to get super mind without a body. I don't know how. We can imagine that.. Maybe star trek episode about you no key that obnoxious know-it-all. With all power in super arrogant. Call mom. Looking for all religious imagination what is it. Define ultimate reality. Within the christian bible gospel johnson got his cure. Casper the friendly ghost. A floating around. What do you imagine spiritual. Again. Imagine. Has been. Our word for the flashes of sinister racing. Invigorating. The grabber. Energized energized. Sometimes subtle small voices sometimes invisible forces to bring it to life. Ghost generation. Super minds and godzilla. Energy fields are simply. Linkin park. What reality. What reality. Senior. Phenomena. The christian tradition also says the god is love now i find that. Easier. Understand. Relationship. I know a little about what love is. Imagine. The love is more real. Ben ross. What we see on our hands. Robbins invisible target pie. In the story of the velveteen rabbit that we heard this morning. The new toy rabbit app. How does it cost for a become real. Enrolled in horsey tried to take the very long time. Why doesn't happen to people who break easily. Perhaps arkansas. Who have to be carefully care. Generally by the time your real most of your hair has been loved off. And your eyes drop out and get loose in the joints and very shabby. Maybe a long relationship material. This is my teddy bear from when i was little. And it's really too it's pretty daddy. Turn all the things they said i think somebody knew what they were writing about when they look like touring. The heisman odds are gone and seen her coming apart. Cinnamon. Teddy bear. Has become rather shabby. The rangers. But you know the. Stephen moore. Real the my teddy bear where my. Parents. My mother my father because my cousins are just laying there must be someone. Well i hug him and played with him. Some stuff with me. Arms i with that bastard a new not terminated. You're a senior as a real relationship. We both participate. The range of my childhood relationship including my parents and my teddy bear. Are dogs. At home. My yard and the bicycle and the fifa road. My brother and sister and kids i played with the next door. They all took a lot of wear and tear of longtime relationship like the velveteen rabbit like they were real. But there was something wrong that i did not. Relate with and we're not very real to me so we're real to others for example the neighbor's kid's dad who i never met her. And that are dog chapter with his mother. Imagine. Like will. And dinosaurs. Dragon. Unicorn. Angel. Relationship. Unless you consider reading about them. Real. And what's not real. Compass bank at relationships are everything. Scientist might prefer to spray.. A relation. Is everything when it comes to a reason convertible and secondhand experiences say institute the scientific method. Avera paint. But whether we believe anything. Or an energy field the god-king supermind. Inspiration for spirits. It all starts with relational. Relationship and everything. Now the kind of relationship it was divine. Even. Fighting girl to ecstasy. That two-way mutual relationship some called love. Relations of mutual kindness. Mutuality create an atmosphere delight of energy. Titans energy shield special holy spirit weather between two people are in a group. Again the christian top god is love. Mutual loving-kindness. Is god and got citizen. It's not all reality not all relationships amicalola. The mutual relationship. Comprise divine reality. What grass me about mutual relations about mutual kramer. Better than our hands. In our relationship. That spirit of love or not. We create relationship. We're part of it. We where we can live in mutual loving-kindness and create god among us. Or we can do everything to one about the drinks.. Spirit godforsaken relationship. It is we are selfie. Together. Create. Exterior door. Something else. During the present vs. past present. Association in the world 97. Kapoor dispensary desert permits in jesus's lonely. Mockery. Urban pocket pray for the dead he's suffering out. One day he crossed so i'm drowning.. What good will it do for me to pray. If you are in hell. Will it make the planes like angel. Rains or not what makes us suffer in hell. We suffer not from prior but because we are bound to one another back-to-back. One cannot look into another human face. But when you pray for us. The ropes are roosting. And we can turn to see each other face-to-face. I wonder. About that reality how do we relate. One another store ask for service. And put money in a hand. A present case i will never see planted and harvested the food i eat. Texas my car and i pay the bill. German long-haired built my house. Can i write a check to a facebook thing. Resetting classes and look at ideas in our head. Coming from now. Who drive. Overland and rivers among living things and. Monster rancher. Amtrak. Well. Start that hell is other people. That sometimes too. Man's world commands. Partially wrong. We're obviously red in tooth and claw. But we do see each other safely. And relate life to life. Or we were bound. Back-to-back one of the other. And i do not. What reality do we create in relationship and generous and kind around play for the other than zero. How do we spell be happy. Especially challenging formula. Domino's nearest me. Replicas. Be haunted by the fact that we do not see the form faces. Adult to pick our food and still our garments and process are food in. Makar computer kit. Do we do not have a formal fastasmr class. Some isolated from those not like us. And when we do meet by chance. I'm afraid i've learned to look away. I looked away from those who don't look like me. No irate pedigreed rather. Well it's not the show rabbits that are judged by looking at body type. Wyncote. On our relationship. Based on clothes and hair. Stratford square leg. Breast muscle. And whether one carry guns so cool. Undignified close. The book reviving ophelia mary pipher call good looking. Cat lookism. Classism. Erasers 12 angels on table ism. Anthropocentrism. Relationship. Microlife. Are we in hell bound to one another back-to-back. Stipulations define reality what are the relation. I think where we live. Ripta taking you over if i'm going to. Consumer reports. Consider the metaphors i'd like to offer you. Of our relational reality. Metaphors of a closet. Exile of ghetto. Stockholm responsible. At home. I have a front room off. A little bit like a private closet. In the privacy of my own mind my closet. I'm safe from the judgment of others as long as i don't bring. Albinism. In there with me judging myself. My rabbit ate a little bit like outside. I can be myself there. In my face. Maybe your room at home or on the golf course. On your boat i don't know. Where you can shut the world out. Your face closet. Judgemental people turning their faces away. Tearing of down even feel that we are in exile. Southpoint. There's no way we can meet all the demands to look right form right to smoke right to talk right. When we can't even look ourselves in the face. When we no longer see our own preparatory. There's not even a postcard. We can go. We are in exile. Call my cell. As well as. Sometimes we take a song attitude that we belong wherever we are. We do what we would do and let the chips fall where they may and description. Sometimes call. Whether we get kicked out or merely see faces turn away. .. A relationship nothing more real. Carpets more than walls and doors. The lack of relation. In the world. Beaman exiles even worse loss of relationship. Rejecting ourselves. Ghetto is different. Different from your closet or exile. Ghetto we are tapped out. And alone but with others. Show me terrible thing about a ghetto. Is there. It could become a community. Home. If only. We did not enjoy ourselves turn on facebook from one another. Marcel. Together the matter relationship to. Now imagine our fellowship community home. Need more than houses in free. Can bring places. A home is more than really than wolves. Doors and windows. Community. I'm home. Are both playing. Places of wellington. Recognition. Bonnie hoellein. My home. Community. We can mingle. Stuffing outside our home. A personal home because like it. When i reflect on this unitarian universalist. Seems to me that. Just talked with a community of hospitality. Even among strangers and all our diversity. All my prayers go. We will not be anyone secret garden. Or closet. With our door painted locking themselves including myself. I hope our unitarian universalist value. And principles gained notoriety. The reality of our relationships not to. Stopping smoking. Word. May the light of truth the warmth of compassion. The energy of the glass can really be invisible flames. Everyone in the emerald coast in our relationship. What are self-care the challenges for us to step out of her. Union parker. Offering generous hospitality. To all who would share our coming amigo support. Without judgement. Stop the reading. Or should we be exiles vinings ourselves only by what we are not. We have. Worthy poor bears including really guitar pick. Great american social reformers and steven sings like albert schweitzer. Going to church revival coliseum. We have lucky by you commonly held among us. An articulated in positive language of aria principal. On the back of your orders clearly not dogmatic talking. Nor legalistic saalfelden are. We can boldly say that we coming into a sermon from out. Generic worth and dignity of every person you meet one of his principal. What's a relational. Commitment. We. To hold the value. I know exile in this land of the free. Cesaro. We must refuse to be a ghetto of exile. Outkast from others and i'm able to accept ourselves. We break the bonds of rejection. When we look into one another staples. Without judgement. Ideas without judgment of articular. Articulate someone else. The personality of a style. But when you look like hawaii. Each of us has drastically replaceable and so are they. I pray that we deepen our sense of community and being a home. Raisin beautiful where we accept. Sing. Here's why you can make a stand. Paw patrol. Psy. We can make a friend of a pro. My hope is that we can turn on facebook. Corn. Rather than away from one another. Our imperfections including our own. A beautiful song to a. Not just a wooden glass. I mean small group activities. Responsible adult enrichment columbus georgia meeting. Call contrivance. Planning small craft opportunity for personal relationship. Eminem go to the private conversations that happened what happened as we will leave today. One on one. Glycolax. Sometimes. A lot of stories love extension 209. Text tom. A beautiful saying for a because of the place relationship. Even broader and more daring than our community and our home. Mango salsa beyonce sometimes sanctuary. Diverse is the world. 4 going deeper relationship. Mirror. Cold stone. Cher ever deeper. Relationship over time and grow more real. Even if our hairs love.. Winterize a sale. Even if we get amazon. Danbury plumbing. Start off that way. Please.. Kirkland's.

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042306_Rev_Julie_Kain.mp3

In a book that some of you might have heard about by malcolm gladwell called blink. The author talks about this. Amazing human ability. To make major assessments that are often quite accurate. Within a very short amount of time. In the blink of an eye as they say. He has a special term for what happens and it's called thin slicing. In essence we take a thin slice of experience. It quickly analyze it on multiple levels. And we are able to extrapolate from the short. of time i kind of dna of the encounter. It's like a quick booster shot of knowledge. Gladwell says that this is a skill we've been playing tuning in the human brain over the generations of our existence on this precious planet. Of course. Sometimes it works better than others. And sometimes it simply doesn't happen at all. We know this. By all of our preconceived notions that we carry and project onto new people as well but i do think that we've all had the experience of meeting someone for the first time. And getting a quick read of the person. And the situation turns out to be right on. Isn't it curious. How we can do that. In my former career. As a dining room manager of a large fine dining restaurant. I would train my wait staff to put an extra effort. Into having a positive first encounter with our guests. I would tell them and they would find it to be true. That if they got off to a good first step. The rest of the whole experience would be much more pleasurable for everyone. This applies to so many areas of our lives that's in it. Did you know that church experts say that when someone is looking to join a new church. They actually size up a place within the first 7 minutes. Yep. It's a good exercise for some of us who spend a lot of time in our churches. And you are always looking for more ways to be more welcoming. It's good for us to think about. Those first seven minutes of a guest experience in our. House of fellowship. What do new people see. When they drive up to your church and walk through that door for the very first time. Is the lay-of-the-land pretty easy to find or do we sometimes make it tricky for people not only to find us but to find out who we are. As you use yes we pride ourselves for not being pushy. With our religious beliefs. But how many times have you heard someone say. Someone whose life was changed for the good. When they found unitarian-universalism. That they wished they'd found us sooner. I think it's a good challenge for us to be as clear about who we are and what we value. Bright from the start. When new people are seeking us out. There's another interesting recent phenomena. That gladwell talks about in his book called blank. Maybe some of you've heard of it it's called speed dating. Have you heard about it. It happens i think more in urban centers. People who are looking for their perfect partners will attend an event that structured so that you made a bunch of people one at a time and you have these one-on-one conversations. And at the end of the time you have like kind of a little scorecard and then the host organization compares the results and shares them with you and then it's up to you the people who select you and that you select you know you can go on to pursue. The relationship. But it's based on this idea that. We actually know. Just what we're looking for even when we find it very hard to describe. It's chemistry. Let's think for a moment about the deeper meaning of this chemistry that happens between people. Whether it's between individuals. Who may be co-workers or friends. Or who may be potentially life partners. And. This chemistry that binds us as individuals to the groups that matter most to us the groups that are meaningful to us. Some of us are quite blessed. To have a positive chemistry with our families. But many of us have at least one card of our families. That we definitely do not have good chemistry with. We experienced this also in our work lives sometimes we have a group of people and it just quits. Other times we can't ever seem to arrive. On the same page at the same time. Andis chemistry thing applies also to our relationships with our churches. You might have seen that one coming. We find a church community. Where we experience a wonderful connection with people. And we feel blessed. By the precious sense of belonging. And then sometimes. Our church communities can be just like the other parts of our work and family live. A very challenging place to be with other people. There's something to be said for these challenging times as well. Emerson who we love to claim wrote. We are not very much to blame for our bad marriages. In the worst assorted connections. There is ever so mixture of true marriage. Let's think about that one for a moment. Let's think about how. The relationships in our lives. Give us so much practice. At becoming who we. Really. Full er. I mean we all have our own issues. And isn't it kind of funny how relationships have a way of bringing them to our attention on a regular basis. Have you ever noticed how some relationships in particular have a way of finding just the right button to push in you. Well. We don't like it when that happens. But let's face it. We all have. Vulnerabilities sensitivities limitations. Ingenuine williams. In what could be called a spiritual practice of engaging in our relationships. And i mean by this creating a sense of intimacy that's honest and genuine. We have lots of opportunities to experience our growing edges isn't that a great term. Growing edges what it means is that we actually have an opportunity to move. In a new direction or beyond what held us back in the past. And maybe sometimes an opportunity. To heal an old wound. Just a little bit. One of the greatest powers and mysteries of being in genuine relationship. Is that. True intimacy does offer us a tremendous opportunity for transformation in our lives. Author john wellwood who writes about relationships has said that for many of us today intimacy. Has become a new wilderness that brings us face-to-face. With both our gods and our demons. When we approach it this way. Intimacy can be an unfolding process. Of our whole self. In essence a kind of spiritual path. Haven't you ever noticed that there's something kind of mysterious about. What draws people together in relationship. Sometimes we can experience a profound connection. Esteban's between ourselves and another. Was not created by any intention are now part or effort. But has. An element of grace about it. A gift beyond our own making. Relationships like these. Can often be kind of a secret adventure and very much worth exploring. Intimacy and its variety of forms always presents us with something new. It always presents us with something precious about the way that it reveals our connections to other people. And can offer us a redeeming experience of love. In our lives. As a song in ruu hymnal though i speak with bravest fire has it aligned. Our spirits really do long to be made whole and we seek that in our relationships with other people. A man named russell hoban. Said that it came to me when people fall in love they entrust to each other. The idea of themselves meaning in a central idea. That perhaps we don't even know ourselves. Each holds out to the other. This obscure and unknown saying to be perceived. And to be kept safe. Isn't it interesting how we really need each other. When we're trying to find ourselves. I think that it's fitting for us as unitarian universalist to be talking about the power and mystery of relationship. On earth day sunday because for us honoring the interdependent web of all existence. It's an important aspiration and this includes honoring the web of relationships that hold us each in our lives. When we have. The precious opportunity to experience true intimacy. It helps to create conditions where were able to grow into the fullness the best of who we are. Sometimes that other person can see us. Cool and beautiful. Even with all our gifts and weaknesses. Better than we are able to see ourselves. They serve as mirrors for us. We really need. Each other. Quit. Carolyn kaiser. Says it this way. I believe in you. I believe that every day you are getting better and better. And if the world is saved. It will be saved by the likes of you. Now i am able to be still. And know that god is us. Because so clearly. God is in you. I believe that the power and mystery of relationships to transform us and our lives is a kind of divine intervention so to speak. The very first time. I attended a unitarian universalist sunday worship service. It was an also celebration honoring all those who have died and were born in the past year. Just weeks before. I had experienced my first death of someone close to me. It was donald. My friend who used to take me to the duck pond when i was a little girl. I happen to be looking for a church at that time to take my daughter. But it was a time when i was really ready. To have. An experience of the power and mystery of being in relationship with a community of faith. Yes donald was like a grandfather to me. But the power and mystery of our relationship was much deeper than that. Not only did i not know any of my biological grandparents. I grew up not knowing my father as well. And so donald for me played an incredibly important role in my life. That went much further than those treasured walks. To the duck pond. Those first few weeks before i walked through some new doors on that sunday morning. It was my mother. Who had given the eulogy. At donald's open casket memorial. She talked about donald and his wife. How he lived on an indiana farm in a house that he'd helped his father to build. How the only time he left indiana was to serve. During the first world war. She talked about how he'd been married once many years before. But that he'd remained a bachelor. For many years. Afterwards. And it wasn't until he met sadie. That he developed a deep and long-lasting friendship. The woman who had taken care of me. At donald's memorial service my mother talked about the special relationship that we'd had from nearly the time i was born. She talked about how even though donald had retired from his career in an indiana auto plant. The time he spent with me. What's important to him to. It had no children of his own. And his love and devotion to me. With a special gift in his life not just in ours. And the strange thing for me. About that first death in my life was that when i went to the open casket memorial. It was the five year old girl. Who saw and miss donald. Even though we'd moved from indiana when i was five. Those walks to the duck pond and all the other ways that donald had touched my life we're still incredibly precious to me. We should take care. Not to underestimate. The power and mystery of relationship in our lives. It is a power that can heal and transform each of us. Into who into more of who we are meant to be. Who we are longing. Tubi. Cool. And love. Blessed be. And i'll men.

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080705%20Chris%20Dewey%20-%20Practical%20Taoism.mp3

Fame or integrity. Which is more important. Money or happiness which is more valuable. Success or failure which is more destructive. If you look to others for fulfillment. You will never be truly fulfilled. Your happiness depends on money you will never be happy with yourself. Be happy with what you have. Rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking. The whole world belongs to you. These words are from the daodejing. Which loosely translates into the book of the way. Written by allowed sewer contemporary of confucius. His words are as meaningful today as the day they were written in the 5th century bc. Like many in this congregation i am a recovering catholic. I was taught to believe in a god in heaven. A devil in hell in humans. Stuck somewhere in the middle working to get 21 supernatural being. But inevitably sailing and falling into the company of the other. I was taught that god had a plan for me. But i had to choose to live by his plan. Only by living out god's vague and elusive plan would i be rewarded. With eternal happiness in the afterlife. No alternative ideas. A religious ideology i endure daily in catholic school. I didn't know there was anything else out there. But that all changed when i join the navy. As i travel the world and uncle sam's dollar. I became exposed to a variety of religious beliefs and philosophies. I began to wonder certainly all these people could not be going to hell. They were just wonderful people. I became disillusioned. Hello i did not know it by name. I effectively became a humanist. I also started to be housed retarded claiming to be a pagan. Mostly to annoy the navy chaplain corps. Until one day i read about pagans and realize that i really did believe a lot of what i was claiming to believe. But it wasn't until my wife carol. Give me a book to read on a rainy afternoon in virginia beach. That i discovered my meaning of life. Was the dow of pooh by benjamin hoff. The book open my eyes to a new philosophy. The carol and i. You are brett best of practice as often as possible. Covers it quite effectively it says wiley or frets. And piglet hesitate. And rabbit calculate. An owl pontificate and i've been accused of doing that too many. Oftentimes fliptop. Just kids. And it will become more and more evident as we go along. So how does a stressed-out type a military-trained personality like me. Learn to follow the dow in just be. What's hard work. And i have to work at it every single day. Dallas learn to look around and observe the balance in the universe. Good balances evil liberal counters conservative. Light replaces dark only to be replaced by darkness again. Being the nautical soul that i am i noticed the evan flow of the tides reaching equilibrium at slack tide. In her book the dow of inner peace diane drayer tells us. The doubt teaches that life is composed of complementary opposites yin and yang. Yang is active dynamic and assertive. Quiet. It is the balance of yin and yang strives to achieve. Keeping in mind the equilibrium is fleeting. Just as the tide turns the moment reaches its tab so does life change in a continual pattern. Popeyes in love. Recognizing these patterns and preparing for them is another critical aspect of practical taoism that i like to call surfing the dap. Dallas try to prepare for the inevitabilities of life but they don't try to force things. Walking the way cannot be found but rather the way finds us. Endowed pooh benjamin hoff tells a story of pooh. Piglet and rabbit sitting next to a sandpit in the forest. Who suspected the sandpit of following them because whichever direction they travel they always ended up there. Well said rabbit after a long silence in which no one's thank them for the nice walk they were having. We better get on with it. Which way shall we try. How would it be slowly. This soon as we were out of sight of the pit we try to find it again. What's the good of a task rabbit. Well said pooh we keep looking for home and not finding it. So i thought if we look for this pit we be sure not to find it. Maybe we find something else we were looking for like home. Tricep piglets will wait here for you. Do rabbits gable laughlin to show pooh and piglet how silly they were he walked off into the mist. Daiquiri don 100 yards he turned around and walked back again. In 20 minutes later. Who got up and said to piglet i think it's time to go home now. But to cry take it all excited do you remember the way. No said poo but there are 12 honeypot that are in my cupboard and they been calling to me for hours. I couldn't hear them properly cuz rabbit with toxo. But if nobody. If nobody says anything except those twelve pots. I believe i will know where they're coming from. They walked off together in for a long time piglets said nothing so as not to interrupt the honeypot. The gradually they began to recognize their surroundings. And as they enter the clearing. Christopher robin's voice calling to them and they were home. He doesn't go on to explain what happened to rabbit but i assume he made his way back some out to. But this story illustrates that the best course of action is sometimes in action. I don't mean complacency or laziness. But still active in action. Rabbit tried to think through the problem find his way home by forcing himself to concentrate on all the facts. But once he was gone it was pooh that found a way. I often find myself carrying on like rabbits. Making plans and schedules and hurrying to get things done. I have to remind myself of the old douse taoist saying life is what happens while you're out making other plant. I have to allow myself to relax and let the answer come rather than forcing things. Have some confuses philosophy with surrendering your problems to someone or something else and it's not that. Instead of trusting some mystical power to protect us doubts understand. The inevitable outcome is the way things are meant to be. The way we fit into that outcome will eventually be as clear. As pooh's honey pots calling from the cub. A dallas also understands that things may not turn out as expected. Like i say i like to say the things are neither good nor bad they just are. An outcome may not be what you wanted or what we wanted or intended but it is part of the dow. The financial guru robert kiyosaki. Has a thing for that that i try to remember as often as i can sometimes you win. And sometimes you learn. Next time things don't go your way think about what it is you're supposed to learn from the experience. God grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change the courage to change the things i can and the wisdom to know the difference. Remember the serenity prayer from our youth. But is actually buried a like. Beginning of acceptance the yang of courage. Are all there. We could easily change the word guide to dow in the poem would be just as effective. But a taoist version of the serenity prayer as a story many of us have heard before. About a farmer in ancient china whose horse runs away. His neighbors feel sorry for him because without a horse. You cannot form is filled and they start. The farmer just smiles and says we shall see. The next morning a horse returns with five wild horses in his company. Neighbors congratulate the farmer on his good fortune that the farmers responses simply. We shall see. The next morning the farmer's son. Fry's riding one of the wild horses in his throne and breaks his arm. The neighbors commiserate with the farmer because without his. Misery with a farmer over his misfortune. Because without this sun to help intend to field. The farmers going to spend a lot more hours toiling in those hot. Dry field. Again the farmers responses we feel safe. A few days later the emperor's army comes through the village looking for young men to draft into the war. Sing the farmer's son has a broken arm the soldiers pass him by and he stays safe. So you can see from the story unintended consequences. Can oftentimes be wonderful wonderful things. We ever missed your turn and end up somewhere that you didn't expect to be. I do that all the time. When i do i try to figure out what the dow has in-store for me. What am i supposed to learn from this experience. My good friend bob sullivan and i used to do that all the time in foreign ports in the navy. We'll go ashore and just let fate take us on a journey and we discovered some truly amazing people and places as well off the beaten path. Bob a die-hard baptist was convinced it was jesus guiding us the whole time but. I knew it was the death. It's important. Let you allow yourself to be changed by the dell and understand that this moment of joy. For sorrow is bleeding. The cycles of life will come full circle again. The cycles of life. Start to turn and change for me. I think of the words of a popular song that go every new beginning comes. From some other beginnings and. Another dallas tenant is the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is the art of living in the moment. Enjoying what is here now. Because equilibrium is bleeding. And fortunes evan flow with the tide is important to enjoy life along the way. When i gave up my christian beliefs many years ago i resolved myself to the fact that when i die. That will be the end. I absolutely believe. When your brain shorts out in your heart stops beating that's it. Your body's for our bodies return to dust and nourish the earth to become part of that. Interconnected web of exist. In some cases maybe that's how we live forever. That's what i believe. What i hope is that my beliefs are totally wrong. Maybe there's something out there that you can't see your measure. Maybe we all come back in another body to experience a new and different existence to learn something new in the next life. My father was convinced that he would come back as a pelican. Used to say all he wanted to do was spend his days flying around and eating fish. And sometimes out on time to buy you i swear i see him in the winter time. The difference between my beliefs in my hopes is that people commit unspeakable acts in the name of their beliefs. When was the last war fought over people's posts. Yet many have been fought over beliefs that are absolutely unchangeable. The one thing i know for sure is that one day i will find out whether my hopes are my beliefs are correct. I'm just not in a hurry to learn. With those beliefs and hopes i've been freed of the tortures. Ever promised life after death in heaven if i totaline. An internal debt and eternal damnation if i don't. This is the life i get no others. And as our good friend reverend altos was fond of saying everyday is holy now. Everyday is holding up. Whether it's a beautiful sunrise over the bio for a song on the radio that brings back fond memories of long ago. I tried to embrace the joy as what our old friend pooh. But mindfulness is not easy to practice. Sometimes i find myself resembling eeyore much more than poop. Focusing on the problem. And not the solution. On what went wrong. And not seeing the wonder and joy. In every situation. But each day i try. I do my best and realized it. When i'm not as mindful as i should be. That's my way. That's my dell and i try to go on from there. Is one great 20th century dallas philosopher put it. Take it from me cuz i've found. If you leave it then somebody else is down. To find that treasure. That moment of pleasure. That yours it could have been. Some people never find it. Some only pretend. But me i just want to live happily ever after. Every now and then. Famous philosopher was jimmy buffett. Petsmart time.

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111906_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Sitting around thanksgiving table this morning guy. You may have cranberries and turkey and dressing on your minds but rather than apples have but even so let me ask the question. What's the color of apples. Well apples are red of course. They're also delicious golden apples and green apples. Richard white christmas cards. There are many varieties of apples some a bit variegated in their redness i even saw a rabbit an apple from. So they learn something new there's also a black apple. I broke i've been brought up to believe that there's only one right answer to every question and thousands of incomplete or wrong answers. There are partially right answers such a thing that apples are red. An answer is partially but not completely right. The goal is always to articulate the one. Efficient yet comprehensive answer the one completely right answer. Apples are red golden green. Black. Variegated. This is the modern approach to truth. We can also verify a truth claim by scientific research if the evidence is clear and replicable. We may safely say that based upon certain studies. Apples are red golden green. Blackberry cake. All other apples that are. Are blue perhaps. Purple orange. Chartreuse. I simply incorrect. That's the wrong answer. There's thousands of wrong and incomplete answers. Only one right answer the idea of truce differs according to time and place though. That maybe the modern view of truth. So i'd like to offer you three pre-modern views of truth. Ancient greek. American indian and pre-modern christian. Notions of the ancient greeks. Find this fascinating. Once considered choose to be. Plural. Rather than a comprehensive system. I've replicable testable true statements. As in our age of science to the ancient greeks truth was a collection of stories. Stories that defined people. The writings of homer and hessian. Where the people's truth. Don't know system of true statements was ever offered. Bruce willis inextricable from these people's stories. A second notion of truth comes from native american people. I always hesitate to refer to the american indians because there were a thousand different. Tribes. But. Certain american indians consider choose to be plural as well rather than a single right answer to every question. Are the people of particular indian tribe i'm speaking of thought 7 right answers to every question. The single convincing right answer was never enough. 7 + right answers were required for the people to feel. Confidence. Of wisely choosing a course of action. What is the colors of apples first apples are red. Second apples are golden. Third. Apples are green. Fourth appleton variegated fifth african apples are black. More right answers could always be discovered. People. Cell. Truth ever incomplete. The native american people kept an open mind longing for more complete truth. Beyond whatever convincing answers they held. The arbitrary number of 7 isis. I suspect was rhetorical. The practice. Was the considered truth to be incomplete. To have a posture of. Humility. Then what you know and openness to innovation. Dental learning. Sir the pre-modern christian world religious truth. Was identified. With god's revelation in scripture. Which includes accounts of the life and teachings of jesus what was considered authoritative in scripture or canon. Was determined by the church fathers in the second fourth centuries. In an attempt to. Distinguish christian truth from gnostic and other forms of christianity i recently studied a book called the lost christianity's and there was. A wide. Wide-ranging variety of christian. Christian. Beliefs. Before the time of constantine. To this day fundamentalist christians test even scientific truth. With conformance with the pre-scientific stories. And even dream revelations of the. Biblical canon the truth of. Have the dreams of revelation and. What was it job. Daniel. The book of daniel. But many christians differ from such fundamentalist. Regarding scripture as the only source of truth. Reality. Presents itself to us moment-by-moment. Not only in the special private revelations of scripture. Through the bible writers but in general revelation. A public. General revelation 2. The christian bible speaks of. The holy spirit which carries on new works of inspiration instruction within individuals and faith communities. Mystic traditions including our own transcendentalist unitarians. People like. Emerson. We could list a whole bunch of them. They held that revelation is not filled. It's not sealed between the covers of the biblical canon. Rather the spiritual sources of nature. And intuition. Offer on-going revelation of truth and meaning. The christian and unitarian-universalist notion that. Revelation is not filled. In any scriptural canon. But continues to be discovered. Ongoing revelation. Open christianity. As well as american indian an ancient greek traditions. To ever-expanding notions. Abstruse. All three of these pre-modern traditions ancient greek. American indian christian. Might say that the color of apples is at least red. And golden and green. But that might not be the whole story. There may be. Other right answers. There may be further inspired revelations they may appear to contradict. What we already know. You probably have gathered that i'm talkin about what western philosophy called epistemology or theory of knowledge. I've been asking how many answers to the question of truth are we. To allow. Before we close our minds. Is there as modernist say only one most comprehensive answer. To every question. Where are there many stories. Many. Truths. Is it better to think there are at least seven right answers. But there's more to be revealed no matter how convincing. The truth were told. Perhaps. In the field of epistemology the modern era has been dominated by critical reason. Compliance. Critical reason and scientific processes. Enable us to come to replicable. Testable. True statements about the world of phenomena. Our perception of apples and such. The new monorail. The unmeasurable ram. What someone speak of is night language. The mythic. Underlying the phenomena we experience have been excluded. As areas of subjective. Perception. Rather than objective knowledge. For all practical purposes the modern age has ignored questions to which we cannot apply the tools of critical reason and scientific method. We've ignored anything below and beyond apples. That's outside what we can make comprehensive. Replicable true statements. But the modern era is ending. In the field of epistemology the postmodern era. It's taken a post critical stance. The difference between modernism and postmodernism can be seen in the story of the blind. Persons with the elephants you know the story. The blind. Manatee elephant seven blind persons. We're promised to fortune if only if if any one of them could. Describe an elephant. One was stationed in front of the elephant and he described in great detail. The shape and function of the trunk. Concluding that the elephant looks like a hose. The person stationed by the tusks gathered evidence of its density and shape. Concluding the elephant looks like a sphere. Each person stationed by the ear the leg the side. The belly and the tail of the elephant. Gathered extensive evidence. Testable. Reputable evidence. Love the elephant. And accurately describe the elephant. Is like a fan. Tree. A wall a ceiling. Had a rope. Although the blind. People spoke to one another of their separate experiences of the elephant. Because they were limited to their own unique perspective each refused to incorporate the unverified experiences. Of the others in their report. And description of the elephant. The comprehensive in their descriptions of that part of the elephant. But each described. 918 price. None. Incorporate. The nonsensical. Descriptions. Offered by others. Life is a lot like the elephant the story. Is vastly greater than. Any or all the humanity. Might represented to be. Our eyes are not the same as that of butterfly. Although there's much life experience that is relatively sheridan. Many conclusions replicable and testing. Postmodern father recognizes that even the most comprehensive. And critical representations of liber perspectival. They're limited. Bayar. Perspectives the filters. Of our own consciousness. Ensign. Sense-perception. Experience of humans. Caterpillars. Is dramatically different. Shaped by our different filters. Even among humankind it is as if all scientists. Felt only the elephant's trunk. Call phil ojans felt only the tusk. All edge. Educators felt only the ear. All politicians and business people. Felt only the sides and the belly. All workers felt only the legs. All social workers felt only the tail or thereabouts. Not to mention. What the bacteria felt. We can look at the story of the elephant from three angles epistemology politics in theology. So the perspective epistemology the story illustrates both modernist and postmodernist understandings of truth. Each modernist 6a single comprehensive right answer. In the story there are 7 modernist. Each of him explore their limited experience of the elephant. Diligently avoiding uncritical conclusion. Twista make the most rational hypothesis replicable test. Well grounded conclusions about the limited part of the elephant. They. Experience. The postmodernist is this storyteller. Who from the storytellers point-of-view recognizes. Human blindness to one another's perspectives of the world. And challenges our failure to collaborate with one another. In order to transcend our private perspectives and frankly frankly. Good method we will never. Be able to collaborate. With all beings. The second angle in the stories perspective of politics. We're all familiar with those described as the political right and left. My colleague whom many of you remember. From his part-time ministry in the here in the years past. Roy phillips characterizes the political right. Is believing. It's your own fault if you fail. On the other hand the political left believe. It's all our responsibility. That you succeed. According to. Roy phillips the right. Believe in individualism in the left. In interdependence. He goes on to make a distinction between the spiritual ride in the spiritual left he says that those on the spiritual right believe. Truth or doctrine is given the choice is yours. Meaning the individual. In contrast the spiritual left. Which includes by s'pose. Believe not so much an absolute truth or doctrine. I've been charged with love. Believing there is any truth. Hard thing to argue against. Believe that so much an absolute truth or doctrine but rather. That. God is in the meeting. Ebonics. The unnamable reality. Is in the meeting. Among us. We on the spiritual left recognize truth unfolding in mutual relationships in enter. Dependence. In the story unfolding truth lay not so much. An individual understanding. As in our ongoing collective experiences of the elephant. But our humility. The third angle the story is the abstract realm of academic theology. And we don't have to all do this. I argue against it sometimes the true prominent the two. Prominent the ologies today not only a unitarian universalist but of academic circles are process and relational theology. That. Maybe changing i've been out of school for a while. Both are postmodernist. They do not believe that any comprehensive sense of truth or doctrine. Can adequately represent the infinite breadth and depth of reality. The elephant. Is just too awesome. And as i said to my daughter. The word pain. Is different. Stabbed. Our words will never. Grasp reality. Both process and relational theology. That was just a sample. But i didn't hit her please both processing relational theology acknowledge that it is. In the meeting. Especially the meeting. The mutually exclusive points of you. Where in truth unfolds. It is in open humble. Forgiving. Listening attentiveness to plural perspective to all the stories. All the right and even the seemingly wrong answers. In the meat. That a new and saving perspective emerges. And in the silence. God in this case meaning wisdom or insight. Or the enlightening fire of the holy spirit or reality. If you wish. Happens. In a meeting when we recognize that our separate truth. Are not enough. Roy phillips right. Most people we talked to jan to think about religion in terms of doctrine. And we unitarian universalist like zen buddhist. They're trying to say the doctrine. Can kill the spirit. No doctrine can do justice. To the planet of being. Into the potential fullness. Other unfolding experience of it. And quote. We going to terry vs find ourselves in the frightening. Creative edge of postmodernist religion. Robin spiritual left. Struggling against our own most. Our own most comprehensive first. Pushing our boundaries to expand beyond. Are predominately white educated critical rational points of view. Not that i choose the wrong. But the elephant. Is greater than even the most elite academic. Capacity to grasp. I'm going to review something. I'm going to review it. Are you guys too hungry. Something my wife. Presented in a panel not too long ago. Included in your order service. I want to share relational analysis i wanted a managing. Conflict. Workshop. At the price our district annual meeting in des moines in 1998. The concept was offered by a susan smith as a district leadership school. It's a week-long institute that. It's mostly for non-clergy. Universalist. And you can see in the little yellow sheet. The the. The two. Accies there is a to axies are the degrees of certificates in for operation. The attitude of high and low cooperation is called competition. It's my way or the highway. It's a steamroller win-lose posture that. My demand don't you get it. Complimentary to the competitive steamroller. It's the attitude of low assertiveness. I'm psycho operation. The bottom right called. Accommodating. Do to accommodate make no contribution. And i lose when relationship might be heard saying okay you're right i give you win. There are others who are afraid of conflict and respond to. Any degree of assertiveness with. Non-participatory attitude of both low assertiveness and local operation. Everyone loses. The non-participation when someone says. Forget it i'm out of here. Somewhere in the middle. We're both assertiveness and cooperation or moderate is the attitude of cooperation. Compromise. Inta provides each participant modifies our position. Tilly's person says i can live with that. Participants went a little lose a little. I guess that's how we mostly live. But the optimum relationship of full service. And full operation. Take place when everyone lays all the cards on the table. Both sharing and listening. D please one another. In collaboration each my task of the other. Why do you feel that way. Tell me more. And it may take an entire lifetime. I don't get it tell me more. I think if einstein study light. Tell me more. Tell me more. A whole lifetime. Listening. I'm trying to understand. In the creative interchange a new idea. May emerge a win-win. Option. That incorporates what once seemed mutually exclusive. The process the alleged henry nelson wyman spoke of the meeting. With an other. As creative interchange. And was plurality of real. Entities. Intimately related. Come to in the words of charles hartshorn. Creative synthesis. At creative interchange. Alfred north whitehead called this process of mutual. Contribution of participation. We're something new is created. As a philosophy of organism. We are all parts of one body. This is the cutting edge of. The pluralistic postmodernist theology. So. What is the color of apples. I'll conclude with the story and some of you may know the punchline. Joseph goldstein tells his story. A friend's son was in the first grade of school. Had his teacher asked the class what's the color of apples. And most of the children answered rad if you said green. Kevin my friend son. Racist hand inside weight. The teacher tried to explain that apple's can be red-green sometimes golden. But that are white. Kevin was quite insistent. And finally said. Look inside. Perception without mindfulness. Keeps us on the surface of things. And we often miss other levels of reality.

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VLR_125_A_Priviledged_Place.mp3

A different trinity respect freedom and justice for all persons the unitarian universalist the uncommon denomination on the web at uua.org. Fluid and rod deb's the following sermon entitled a privileged place was presented by reverend rod deb's at the youth fellowship of the emerald coast valparaiso florida on january 23rd 2011. This morning we saying that lovely irish tune just now. And the lyrics are bought by tom. Nicholson. He's the pastor of the. He's a fellow island by the way. The pastor of the unitarian restless. Congregation across the street from. From harvard yard in cambridge massachusetts. Camera that that first verse. Wake now my senses. Adhere the earth call. Feel the deep power of being in all. Keep with the web of creation. Your vow giving. Receiving as love. Shows us how. Tomstar is it the earth. The earth calls us and that we have a vow to keep. With the web of creation. Sacred. Relationship of giving and receiving. As love shows us how. Feel the deep power of being at all. The deep power of being in all. And take not for granted the privilege place. Giving receiving his love shows us how. Some years ago i was study found. That we unitarian universalist. Have the highest. Or maybe were tied. With one other church. But the highest average member in, the forty or so religious face. In the united states. By the way we have. Louis. Average contribution to. That wasn't the purpose of that. Tom nicholson little irish tune. Challenges us to. Wake now my senses and take not for granted. Privileged place. What is r. Privileged place. And how should we make use of it. Rather than to simply take it for granted. Well this morning if. Projection. Is ready to go. Okay. I'd like to show you some slides. From the november 27th 2010 business insider. I don't know if it was new to me but. Someone forwarded me this and i thought it was. Quite eye-opening so. Businessinsider 15 mind blowing facts about wealth inequality in america. By gus lubin. Now. I only understood. 10 of the side so i'm going to be showing you that. I figured and by the way any topic i take up there's usually somebody in the congregation who knows more about it than i do so i'm trying not to go too far over my head here. Bring you some information to you it just be a reflection. How should we make use of our privileged place. Rather than simply take it for granted. This first slide. Shows that the poorest half of america. Sapore staff. Owns 2.5% of the country's wealth the richest. 1% owns. A third of the country's wealth. And the next richest 9%. Another third actually 37%. So 10% of us owns 71. Percent of united states wealth. The second slide. The bottom. Poorest 50% of america. Ellen's only. 1/2 as a percent. Of united states stocks bonds mutual funds. That's retirements. Justin so far. The top 1% owns more than. 50%. And the top 10% own 90%. Of. Stocks bonds mutual funds. Third slide the wealth gap is grown in the past 20 years. This slide shows the changing sheriff capital income. Earned by the top 1% as compared to the bottom. 80%. Throwing a park there. The next slide. The last twenty years were great if you were a ceo or business owner. Or banker. Or trader. Not. If you were anyone else. Corporate profits were up in green. Where's the green 106. 7/3 window. The ceo's pay. Was up 298.2% that's the top one in blue. The next slide. Despite the carrot of social mobility okay he said myth. I said. Carrot i'm trying not to be too. Streamer. Poor americans have a very slim chance of rising. To the upper-middle-class the solid line is upward mobility. And the broken line is downward. Mobility percentages. The inheritance tax was designed by the founding fathers. In order to prevent the united states from having a permanent aristocracy. As in europe into empower social. Mobility. And as you say. Well ain't working now. Six-line. Tax-cut to significantly increase the wealth gap. According to this presentation in 1962 the wealthiest 1%. Of households average 125 times the wealth. Of the median. Household. That's the top. The wealthiest 1% had 125 x. The meat wealth of the median household business insider shows the wealth gap growing the wealthiest 1% averaging. 190 times the wealth of the median household in. 2004. Income tax just keeps getting lower and lower for the highest income households. In the last 50 years. And these are the top hundred of 1% of the top 10 for 1%. The top 1% are the top three. They're coming down. How the eighth slide is the income gap is not growing in other countries. I know they just picked that one this does not give a global perspective here but just one country. This graph compares the relative changes of the top 1% of income in france. And in the united states. United states is the dark. And francis this slower one here in the end. The change of. Income. For the top 1% in the next. Fly. This shows the relative. Income gap among the states. United states. This is the the relative income gap. Within each of the states. Inequality is worse around. Wall street and oil land. And the templin. With with 1979 is a baseline the top 1%. I've seen their share of america's income more than double. This has been coming out. The bottom 90% of seen their portion shrink. And the writer of this got flu band rights. If you aren't in the top 1% of america's earners. You're pretty much screwed. Biped quadruped. And i'm going back to the first slide now. So i. It's number 11 they're returning to that. Original point of the article from business insider. The poorest half of america owns. The half of americans 2.5% of country's wealth. While the richest 1% on the 3rd and the next. Richest 9% on another third. And together that riches 10% on 71%. Of united states well i suspect that you and i are not among the top. 1% or maybe not even the top 10% of income within the united states. Oh my. But on the global saying we are certainly. On the global scene. The most. Privilege. I don't think anyone would disagree with that. Jeanette life hosted. 15 i thought i counted 60. 15. Foreign exchange students. For a year of study here. Over. As many years. You may remember draga know who is active here and ivana. It works. Work with the children in. Ella. Auntie more and most recently fairy out who did the program on islam with me here. For all our efforts. Of. The house working class children. Several came from privilege in their own countries. Maids clean their family houses everyday. Which wich. And cooked and laundered for them. Ella had a chauffeur. Drive her to boarding school each week. Privilege children. Lacked the basic skills to clean up after themselves and had an aversion to getting their hands. Literally. Girls as well as boys. Could not cook or clean. Stop after a meal. They knew nothing of sharing household chores. Common i think thing in this country. Something that we negotiate daily. Unspoken. They did not think of themselves as privileged. They took it for granted. The way they lived was how. Everybody. Compared to my parents generation. I've been. If you remember the story of the frog in the. Pan of water to turn the heat up very slowly. And the frog doesn't feel it. Until it's too late well that's what i was thinking of your i've been submerged in privilege. Slowly increasing throughout my lifetime. Okay can you picture what it was like when you were a kid. And now. Privileges. Just slowly. Increasing. I prepare meals a good bit of the time specially since genetworx till 7 now. But we doubt several times a week. Highgrove virtually no food. What i was home with dad is a kid we always had a garden. I raise rabbits but i don't eat them. Like most americans i've been dependent. Low-paid grocery restaurant. Agricultural food service. Industries i should say people. I'm dependent on car mechanics. Where is dad used to crawl underneath the. The car and fix things. Computer technicians. Some of you here. Appliance and air conditioning service providers we didn't have air conditioning. Take nothing for granted. Privileged place. So. What will we do with our privilege. Well charity compassion is an evolutionary brain function in ninety-eight percent of humans i understand neutralized by stress is oxytocin sometimes. Normally. Compassion is is. Just. An evolutionary. Function. Who among us can bear to see the hungry. Face to face. The homeless without a place to sleep in the cold. On cold nights. Are the sick or injured without medical assistance. We charities in expression of our humanity. Charity is not justice. After the example of martin luther king jr. many. Work for what they might call economic justice i think of. Social or economic justice into parts distributive justice and. Contributor justice. Which is not as often talked about distributive justice. Is when. We. Take to get workers affair or a living wage something that they can actually have a house. A car have health insurance or so for all those requirements just stay a functioning. A sustainable participant in society. Distributive justice. Little sister. Help workers fairly share the fruits of their labors. In an unregulated economy distribution is. Seldom fair or just. I'm just. The distribution creates spiral. Property and. And dependence among the poor. And among the rich. Extravagance. Independence. Dependence. The people that. Serve our meals and do everything for us. Contribute of justice on the other hand is. Something with the with the catholic bishops wrote about in the 80s i believe it was 89. The concept of the recognition that human health. And wholeness requires the poor and rich alike. Contribute in some meaningful way to the general good. The poor are not treated justly if they do not have. Meaningful work to contribute to society. And that's why so many advocates for universal education. Of higher quality. It's more than mere competition for. The better jobs. And for the highest-paid occupation. Each person needs to be educated. To perform useful. And meaningful work. In society is part of. Of. Augustus contributive justice. The healthy society requires it. We will see are not treated justly. If we do not make meaningful contributions to society either that's the other side of it. It's a matter of relational health. And wholeness. Without contributing to society. Humans feel alienated disconnected. Some of you who may have recently retired or remember your retirement. You know how it feels not to be needed. For your contribution. Don't say it's not in yet. But i've heard people say but my husband retired. Thought of anything to get him as he needed a job. When i came home from college between terms. Many years ago. My father recognized the state of meaninglessness when he said. You look lost. And he wasn't talking about her religious statement there. Children who learn to share making useful contributions to their family. And then to their community are the kids who thrive. Their lives have meaning and words that. They themselves recognize. It's not something. Artificial made up. They're not merely slaves to the dopamine surges of entertainment. Or of the latest commercial product. Or of sports competitions beating the other side. Oroville. Troublemaker. Social justice for the privileged. As well as for the poor involves each person. Finding. The place of meaningful. Useful contribution without which we die inside. A free christian gospel sandra kind of story of jesus. In dialogue with a very upstanding rich young man. He's followed all the jewish law. And peter says. There's one thing lacking. You should sell only has and give to the poor. And we could focus on whether the gospel writer believed in. That there was a conquering messiah just about to comment. + 2. To do in the bad guys and render all possessions surrendering you know your possessions of relatives. Worthlessness then. Or whether the gospel writer was speaking of all properties that the rich man. Short of rendering himself poor as well. We can talk about that but i would focus on the charge that the rich man just. Give to the poor. That part. The question is what do we have. To give to another. Just giving charity. Doesn't cut it. It's not enough. There are material. Essentials food clothing shelter. Medical care that are. Importance. But there are. Other gifts. More important greater value that others need from us. Poor and rich alike. We need to find places of meaningful contribution to society. I can call it a spiritual value. Relational value. You psychologist might said. Psychological value. Privilege gives us the rich. An opportunity and perhaps a responsibility. To give to the poor. Mutual empowerment. Of one another's contributions to society. If we are able to use our resources. Trump power. The poor to use their resources. To contribute to society. For granted a privilege play. Our privilege. If i would suggest you it's a calling. To serve. To find meaning and homeless. And empowering others to contribute. If. Are gifts. Wake now my senses. And hear the earth call. Feel the thief power. Of being. In all. Keep with the web of creation. Your val. Giving. Receiving. As love shows you how. We hope you've enjoyed our presentation please send any of your comments or feedback to vlr at ufc.com feel free to access our extensive library of audio and text sermons at you ufc.com and you can also find out more about unitarian-universalism my visiting uua.org thanks again for listening. Going to church means different things to different people and sometimes for some people they need something different from what they found increasingly people returning to the unitarian universalist a liberal religious community we're different people with different beliefs gatherers 1 faith in their intellectual and spiritual search for truth and meaning in their lives unitarian-universalist explore their philosophies and the unitarian universalist congregation welcome to join us. The uncommon denomination.

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020605%20Rev%20Rod%20Debs.mp3

After the big bang. The men's clouds of swirling gases. Were drawn together by gravity. They contracted the course he did. Until their adams. The repelling electrostatic forces and nuclei merged. The nuclei of hydrogen atoms. Helium liberating immense energy. Please turn on nuclear furnaces. Called stars. Continue their nuclear fusion. Creating heavy metals. Out of the swirling gases. Of the big bang. Has aging stars turned. Supernova and exploded. Heavy metals were flooded. Meteorites fluid. Around yonkers. And by their gravitational attraction. Became the smaller bodies. Call. Planets. Our plan. Earth. Thumb. 4.6 billion years ago. A start. Send the earthly life. The early life of. Atmosphere. Was too hot. For water to exist. And liquid for. Volcanoes vent. The atmosphere. Enough. The crowds of water vapor condense. And rain. Water. Onto the rocks of the baron. Imagine. A dry. Lifeless rocks cape. That was a nurse. Pierce the sky. Deep trenches. And as the rain falls. Water channel. And every depression. Filling each one down to the next. Water overflows the depression. Always running down. Places. Water covered. Most. The relent. The flow of water dissolve compounds. And warwick. Minut quantities of elements. To the largest bodies of water. The salty sea. Were formed by this. Imperceptible. An enormous changes cheese. Infinitesimal. Alteration. Over an immense.. Originated in the oceans. Evolutionary birth. But like many plants and animals. We cannot live on saltwater. Our lives are made possible by the hydrologic cycle by salty water. Just transformed into fresh. Evaporation and condensation. Redistributing. Around the planet. Living organisms are active participants. Hydrologic cycle. And filtering water. And breathing it back into the atmosphere. Play a particular important role transpiration. The loss of water through their leaves. The forest is an intricate device for catching. Holding. Using. And recycling. Except it's far more. Holding soil. In roots and trunks and branches water is slowly meted out. Over days. And any excess. Is returned to the. When we look at the wonderful array. The plants and animals on earth. The overwhelming lesson is a plants and animals evolve. To utilize both marine. And freshwater environments. The oceans. Kelp forest. The massive blooms of. Photo prank. The base of the marine food chain. On land. Plants and animals alike. And where at. It is also rare. Species are found in the ice. The poor sheets. On aaron mountaintops in the heart of the desert. Heels. And stamina devolve lifecycles that utilize both married. And freshwater environments. And many species inhabit. In their life cycles. But. No species. Has evolved to do. Without water. Protoplasm. The living matter. Of all plant and animal cells is mostly water. The average human beings roughly 60% water by weight of it. Trillions of cell. Intracellular fluid. Blood plasma. Spinal fluid. Intestinal tract and so on. Basically. Each of us is a blob of water. With enough macromolecular sickening. To give us some stiffness. That'll keep us from dribbling away. Daniel halal rice out in the out of earth. Zoe appear to be solid. We are in fact liquid bodies. Similar in a way to gelatin. Jailed. By their presence of an organic material. The water molecules differ. Come from all the oceans of the world. Evaporated from prairie grasslands in the canopies of all the world great rainforest. Mycare. Water physically links us to earth. Do all other forms of life. This. Is another part of our sacred. Story of life. Our secret store. He can wake up now. Langston hughes wrote. I've known rivers. Rivers in the world and older than the flow of human blood in human body. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. I bathed and euphrates when dawn's were young. I built my hot near the congo and it logged me to sleep. I looked upon the nile and raised the pyramids above it. I heard the singing of the mississippi. When abe lincoln went down to new orleans i've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset i've known rivers. Ancient. Dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep. Like the rivers. I want to. Another. Aspect of our sacred story i've spoken on. Are fat invisible substance something. That the greeks in hebrews called spirit. Why once you invite you to. Look with sacred eyes. At the visible ever-changing substance of water. Which flows through all makes. Us1. Human beings are landlubbers on this watery planet surface is 71% water. Another 3% lakes glaciers and polar ice caps. The landmass is above the surface. We're island people element. An old home we left long ages ago. But yet. Water is the raw material. Of creation the source of life. When the waters break a child is born. And fashion the earth. And the first land creatures struggled up out of the tide. Water is at the heart of. Human ritual. Baptism. Welcomes the child from the depths of the waters into the human family. Purification rites wash away the past in an uber. Especially among desert people. Of life giving elixir is a right of mandatory community hospitality. Literature saturated. With our uncertain relationship with. Crucial substance the water we come from. The water we cannot do without. The water that made drowning. Or sweep away our world. What property of water. Is its high absorption of key to change. From liquid to a gas state. The plays a critical role in regulating body temperature. To the surface of the skin by diffusion for sweat glands that are activated by the autonomic nervous system. When it reaches the surface of the skin. Water evaporates. From the body as energy. Thereby cooling skin. Remarkable. Between your body and its surroundings the inside and the outside of your body combine to manage the seven flow of water within. The ambient humidity and air temperature. Together with the level of. Physical activity determine. How much. Water moves through your skin into the surrounding air. In the same way external and internal conditions. Regulate the water that you drink. Alturacu. And the water that you would eliminate. Same is true of all the creatures. This lifelong balancing act. It's part of a. Global circus performance stage stage-managed. By the planet. And its inhabitants together. Water enters our bodies. It circulates about through it to the rhythm of the heart. Ceaselessly. Carrying food and fuel. Is cellular and molecular detritus to and from. Various organs of the body. Water seeps through skin. Escape from our lungs is vapor x. From every opening of the body. The hydrologic cycle soil. Entering plants. Evaporating into the atmosphere. Entering bodies of water. Animas way water circulates. Endlessly. From the heavens to the oceans and land. Within all living things. Before continuing the cycle. Water so familiar. The most of us accept this behavior is normal. But the physicist. Seawater as an anomaly. For example. Water is liquid at ordinary temperatures. No that's quite on. Water has high melting. Boiling and vaporization point. Tires in for iron. 30 times higher than premier mercury. 5 times higher. Then for soil. This property makes water ineffective. Repeat. Absorbing large quantities of heat and radiating it out. Because of this property large bodies of water such as lakes and oceans absorb. And release it. In winter. Making surface temperatures. Of the earth. More moderate. Ocean currents transfer heat. Warms the surrounding air. When water reaches the poor areas it is cooled. And then moves back toward the equator. Will lower air temperatures. As it absorbs more heat. The whiteness of snow. End of clouds. Reflect sunlight back from. To space. Where is water vapor. Behaves as a greenhouse gas. The reflex. Under the surface. Water special quality result. Of the strong attraction. Between molecules of water at the molecular level made up of. Oxygen. The hydrogen atoms do not line up. With the oxygen atoms. In a linear array as h o a. Instead. Hydrogen atoms form 105 degree angle. To each other. The hydrogen atoms of the molecule. That's a molecule of water is. Dipolar like a tiny magnet. This dipolar attraction between hydrogen atoms of water molecule on one side. For the oxygen nucleus on another. Is it kind of. Chemical affinity called hydrogen bond. Responsible for the. Extra-ordinary formation of crystals. And snowflakes. Water molecules. Cling to each other. But unlike actual chemical bonds. The hydrogen bonds. Change. Constantly. Molecule may change hydrogen bond partners. 100 billion x. A second. Linking adjacent molecules. In a fleeting embrace. This constant. Shifting makes water liquid. And stable. And its liquidity. To enable molecules to break free as gas. The dye polarity of water molecules. Enables them to surround adams. Or molecules at sites of electrical charge. There by dissolved minerals. And organic compounds. In the same way that water. Isn't effective solvent. Water is an effective agent of weathering. And decomposing of rocks. As a percolates through soil it dissolve nutrients. Send materials and carries them with it. The mixer liqueur cellular molecules soluble. And they're bored. Dirt bike transports materials. Within living organisms. Jack valentine make this analogy. Quote. If water. Is the. Blood of mother earth. And soil the placenta. River courses are veins. Oceans are compartments of the heart in the atmosphere. Is a giant aorta. Jack valentine's metaphor describing. Earth's ecosystem. As a maternal organism is a fitting introduction. Asians. First biological observation. In recent years james lovelock in lynn. Step step back to compare the size of the earth. To the microcosm of living organisms. The network of waterways across the continents resembles the circulatory system. Of a body. Rootlets in roots & branches. Patterns of rivulet and rivers. Patterns veins and capillaries and living tissue. The same physical realities. And bind us together in earth's. Vital processes. Lovelock and margolis observed at the self-regulating patterns of water flowing through earth and air. The crazed homeostasis within this gritty slime verse streaming service. Is comprable. To the self-regulating processors. Within plans. And animals. That define us as living organisms. They're gaia hypothesis. Is that mother or more specific. Earth. Vinyl service atmosphere and crust. Is a living organism. As a living organism. Humans are presented. With a choice. Whether to live as a terminal cancer. On our host. Or to live in mutual. And sustainable relationship. With our great mother. If this is the choice before us. Has humankind. Rweb geology universalist. Webster ology. Of sacred interdependence of life. Could be a critical development. Building a pond in. Beyond sacred stories. That are human-centered. And self-serving at the expense. Of mother earth. I draw your attention on the back of your order service. 7. Bullet. We the member congregations of the unitarian universalist association. Covenant to affirm and promote. Respect for the interdependent web. Of all existence of which we are far apart. Merely apart. Sex second observation is perhaps metaphorical. I pointed out. Just amazes me of water. May change hydrogen bond partners. 10 billion. 100 billion times a second. That's bleeding embrace. Drinking jason molecules. Pleading. This constant shifting makes water liquid and it makes it stable. And its liquidity. Constantly move. Sacred story of flowing waters of life. Odo. Does anybody know odo. Photo. He's a star trek security chief in the tv series deep space nine. Photos the grumpy. Solid the grumpy shapeshifter. Who has reluctantly. His race of changelings. Are liquid in their natural form. On their home planet. In delight they intermingle slowing together. Merging with what other ocean. The covers the entire surface. Except. Chris rock. It is that rock. Where defiant members of the chain change. That rock was that rock. Kind of alcatraz island. Relations. Withdrawing from the joyous flow and dance. The fluid and breaks into a rock. Rather than flowing and change my mutuality. With one another. Defiant members are rigid changeless rock. The rigid changelings might sing with simon garfunkel. I am a rock. Hi amanda. Enterprise. Rather than resembling the invisible breath of the spirit that we passed. Back and forth among us. Perhaps the change my moto. Is the shape-shifting hero. Of generation x. We call the children who grew up post-vietnam next-generation. They're constantly morphing. Like little plastic toys. Morphing like. Caterpillar butterfly. I'm back to caterpillars. Butterfly. Our children are the postmodern generation of changed. To reject the rigid island isolation. Auto called the solids. We modernist. Stolid. Fear the water ec chaos. Boston university two decades ago. Said that the writers of the hebrew scriptures used watering. Blood imagery. Not to talk about historic floods and. Waters but as a metaphor for social chaos. For social chaos. The metaphor of floodwater forecast. To the earliest humanoids who settled the floodplains of the great river deltas. We just observed. The effects of a tsunami. They observed firsthand. It's not surprising. Did early humans experience. Is devastator. Upon all that is planted in built and love. Ancient greeks. The moody and violent lord of the sea poseidon. Was never at all. A restless god. Who raced love to race the waves with his team snow white horses. In the shape of breaking waves. Ocean's tides. Floods. Symbolized chaos. In pre-modern storytelling. An amazing contrast. The changeling. Emerges. It's rights within the flow of change. Adapt. To meet any change. Any channel. The shapeshifter odo is uniquely gifted. That security chief. Immunoglobulin. It changes shape. He can travel. Of the body to search out invaders. Create mirror antibodies. The cataract in neutralizer. Over my head in the biological metaphor. But the message is this. Our seventh principle. Respect for the interdependent web. All existence. Of which we are. Our sacred story. Celebrates the organic unity. And the interdependence. Of life within the ecosystem. To move beyond our comfort zones of rigid identities. Interflow. Like shape-shifting water. To absorb the heat. Anime and moderate. The killing cold. Toxic stories that abound. Around among us. To be this sacred story. Refreshing. Fluid life. The inuit. Shaman. Thousand oaks. Sad. The great sea has set me in motion. Set me adrift. Moving me like. A weave in elk river. Till i am carried away. Trembling with joy.

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100205_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Ignorance based will do. That was a title of a presentation last year actually on october 3rd of 2004. By the botanist in geneticist west jackson. He's the. President of the land institute. And it was made at the 2004 prairie festival. And ignorance based. Will do. Now isn't that intriguing. At the conference doctor was jackson said. And it's in your order service. Imagine and ignorance based science and technology in which practitioners would ever be conscious. That we are billions of times. More ignorant. The knowledgeable. And always will be. Dr. jackson referred to aldo leopold. The land institute is a. This is a research center. Actually what they're working on right now is trying to. I find some. Trying to. Where they called genetic engineering to get a a perennial weeds. So as to not have to tear up the soil every year and leave it bare to. Closure. Intrusion. Dr. jackson referred to aldo leopold. He says they called the last stand. And what you described force. Alps that had produced. Quality timber since the 1600s. By selective harvesting. I'm picking out particular trees to cut. A continuous for it. Of the same kind of timber. Was clear-cut. In the 1600s. And never recovered. Despite intensive care. I found a map of the forest biomes. Of north america. I don't know you can't see it very well. But you can see the color coding. Of some of the difference. 4s the boreal forests of canada. The northern mixed forest. Of the great lakes region and the eastern deciduous forest of the midwest where i grew up. The coastal plain. Evergreen forest of the eastern atlantic. And the gulf coast where we live. And altogether 14 north american biomes. In another text i found a description of. Four horizons of soil. Very rough definition. Organic material and then mineral and hummus level and then fine clays and then weather bedrock. I found a soil profile of fertile soil what they do find it. Fertile soil as 45% mineral. A 5% organic. 25%. Are. And 25% water. Fertile soil. I suppose i don't have to convince you. That the science of forestry. Phil's countless volumes. And attacks and journals. Science scientists know a lot about growing trees. Yet despite all we know and our best efforts. The formerly. Clear-cut forest. Has never recovered. Aldo leopold road. Despite this rigid protection. The old slashing now produces only mediocre pine. While the unsplash portions grows the finest cabinet. In the world. One of those oaks fetches a higher price than a whole acre. Of the old slashings. On the old splashings. The litter accumulates without rotting. Stumps and limbs disappear slowly. Natural reproduction is slow. On the unsplash. Portion. Litter disappears as it falls. Stumps and limbs rot at once. Natural reproduction is automatic. Foresters attribute the inferior performance. Of the old slashing to it's depleted. Microflora. Meaning that underground community of bacteria mold. Fungi. Insects and burrowing mammals. Which constitute. Half the environment. Of a tree. That was quoted by west jackson. Dr. jackson rice the existence of the term microflora implies to the layman. The science knows all the citizens of the underground community. And is able to push them around at will. As a matter of fact. Science knows little more. Then that the community exist. And that it is important. In a few simple communities like alfalfa. Science knows how to add certain bacteria to make the plants grow. In a complex forest. Science knows only. That it is best to let well enough alone. At the conference wendell berry said. Our purpose here. Is to worry about the the predominance. Of the supposition in a time of great technological power. The humans either know enough already. Or can learn enough soon enough. 24c. And forestall any bad consequences. He said. The supposition is typified by selfish gene author richard dawkins assertion and an open letter to prince charles. Where he said. Our brains are big enough to see into the future. And plot long-term consequences. Wendell berry said. When we consider how often. And how recently our most advanced experiment experts have been wrong. About the future. And about and how often the future has shown us sooner than expected. With bad news about our past. Mr. hawkins assessment of our ability to know. Is revealed as a superstition. But the most primitive sort. The concern of the conference. Was with arrogantly primitive. Modern. Superstition. That knowledge base human sciences. Can figure out how nature works. How nations develop. And how people's change. Such that we can manipulate and control our world to our liking. The ancient greeks and hebrews. Understood such arrogance as. Evil. And hubris. And warned us to watch out for humans. To assume that they see all the patterns. I'm reminded the book of jobe. In hebrew and christian bibles. In trying to understand why bad things happen to innocent people the story concludes. What's a creator saying. Where were you when i laid the earth's foundations. Tell me. Since you're so well-informed. Have you an inkling of the extent of the earth. Tell me all about it if you. If you have. Have you grasped. The celestial laws. It's noteworthy that the story of jobe prevent presents the voice of god. Speaking from the world. We know a lot about. Whirling. Today's whirlwinds. The heightened hurricanes on the gulf coast. The whirlwind of the aids pandemic. The genocide in darfur of northern sadhana. Global slavery at an all-time high. In 150 nations. The exporting of democracy going rather poorly in afghanistan and iraq. As well as in saudi arabia. And other oil nations under america's wings. Certainly we should hear the whispered. Message from reality the whirlwind. That are knowledge-based exploitation of the earth. And imperial statecraft are whirling out of control. The whirlwind of our nation's internal fear and anger. Whispers to us. That our nation's legislative executive and judicial branches for all their great knowledge. Are failing to hazard constitution declares. Promote the general welfare. With the growing economic disparity. Among wealthy and the rest of us 80% of americans are currently sharing. 9% of the nation's wealth. Social workers and social activist or seeking to keep hope alive. With a tattered safety-net. And whole class of police and prisons. Religious and military enforcers. Are seeking to control any subversive. Non-cooperation. The voice of the whirlwind says. To today's. Global powers. Have you grasped how reality works. Don't tell me about it show me. If you're so well-informed. Perhaps we should post. The title of a recent piece in the harvard business review. Wanted. A chief ignorance officer. Not that we wish to celebrate ignorance. But that we wish to place our knowledge. In a realistic. Context. That we are billions of times more ignorant. The knowledgeable. And always will be. Ignorance is worldview is not to be confused. With the hubris of fundamentalism many give up on the humble. Discipline. Questioning of science. And claim one or another revealed. Text or teacher or creed. As providing absolute truth needs no. Reality test. Some declare god said it i believe it that settles it. No testing required. The book of jobe repudiate. The beliefs in the arrogant judgments of jokes friends. There. Beetle. Analysis. And teaches us to. Watch out for humans who assume they see all the patterns. Instead. Look to the whirlwind. To reality to teach you. And no. As job did. That your ignorance will always far outweigh your knowledge. Today's news is full of. Fundamentalist promotion of intelligent design as an alternative the science of evolution involving. Biological change over time. By random mutation and natural selection. West jax jackson asked. Does random. Describe a verifiable condition. For a limit of perception. In order to verify that phenomena are random would require unlimited information. Because there's no telling whether the next observation might display a pattern. What is perceived as random within a given limit may be seen as part of a pattern within a wider limit. So random actually. Describes. A limited perception rather than a verifiable condition. Years ago i realized that the term instinct also. Describes a limit of. Perception rather than a verifiable condition we see patterns of behavior in animals for which we can find no verifiable explanation. So we called the behavior instinct. Then as soon as we come up with a. A verifiable explanation we no longer describe the behavior is instinct. That is something else. But. Both terms. Describe a limit of perception. Ignorance. Something we don't know. Rather than a condition for which we have verifiable. Explanation perhaps our state of unknowing. My. Better be acknowledged. By use of religious language. Admitting. The vast expanse of mystery. Overwhelming our knowledge. West jackson. Right. Call the unknown by its name. Mystery. History suggests that we had better respect the possibility. Have a larger unseen pattern. That can be damaged or destroyed. And with it. The smaller patterns. And he's referring smaller patterns a little things we understand. We're attached to. The mystery. Is not the known. The piano. Xx portable. Not by. Unverifiable religious truth claims. But by discovery of patterns currently on scene. West jackson right we moderns have defended ourselves against mystery. By turning it over to religious specialists. To take advantage of our indifference by claiming to know a lot about it. But. If we are up against mystery. Then we darakht only. On the most modest assumptions. If you know that knowledge is not adequate to run the world. What do you do. What do you do if you recognize that you're up against ignorance. West jackson ss2. Imagine an ignorant space science and technology. In which practitioners would ever. Be conscious that we're billions of times more ignorant. The knowledgeable. And ever will be. So should we assume. A vastly greater context of ignorance. Within which we hold our. Best. Scientifically verified knowledge. Without assumption we would remember. That failure. Is possible. That. Error. Possible. The second chances are desirable. So don't risk everything on chances. You asked before launching a scientific or technological venture. How many people will be involved. Will we be able to back out. How are we going to get out of here. In case something goes wrong. Such students of exits. Want to know not only how to exist out of exit. But also how delete how did not leave. Irrevocable damage. A worldview of ignorance. Would not be a world of superstitious assumptions. For no nothing movement. West jackson road. Knowledge. Seeking would not stop. But wood and wendell berry says. Forces to remember things cause us to hope for second chances. And provide an incentive. To keep the scale small. Acknowledging ignorance. Might be the secular minds. Only way to humility. This was an interesting quote. At a news briefing. Donald rumsfeld. Our defense secretary. Said something that we must. I think i'll learn to take seriously. Quote. There are known knowns. There also are known. I know. That is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But they're also. Unknown. Unknown. The ones we don't know. We don't know. It doesn't snow good to give the unfathomable. Unknown a name like random or instinct. Or god. And assume we know what we're talkin about. Got in the box. The issue goes beyond whether we have ignorance or knowledge. Do we have a posture of humility. For hubris. When were attempting to take bold and dramatic action. I reminded. The constructive changes most office often organic. Incremental. Like the growth of a plant. Like the maturing of a child. Like collaborative negotiations. But for all its glory. Most dramatic. Change is destructive. Clear cutting. Toxic herbicides and pesticides. Quick glorious results. Domestic violence and control. Prison. The death penalty. Global economic dominance. Military threat in war. Dramatic change. Destructive. Bizarre posture. Humility or hubris. Are we assuming ignorance. Or. Arrogant knowledge. Close with wisdom from one of our more humble comic street characters. Maybe easier to remember. Charlie brown ask lucy. The question we need to ask ourselves and our policymakers. Charlie brown. Asked. Lucy. Has it ever occurred to you that you might be wrong.

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VLR_120_Killer_God.mp3

A different trinity respect freedom and justice for all persons the unitarian universalist the uncommon denomination on the web at uua.org. Hello and welcome to the voices liberalism podcast with your host reverend rod debs. The following sermon entitled killer god was presented by reverend rod deb's at the youth fellowship of the emerald coast in valparaiso florida. November 28th 2010. This morning was saying to old thanksgiving heaven. Last week we sang a new version. But chris is made of of the. Thanksgiving him number 67. The lyrics. Written by the late edwin buer. And if you find it in your hymnal i'm just going to read some of the words that first 10. We think now together are song of thanksgiving. Rejoicing and goods. Which of the ages of rod for lifan pholtus. And helps and heels. Holds. And leads beyond the goals. Which our forebears thought forebears and saw the second verse talks about. The freedoms that we have. The martyrs heroes their labor their sorrow. The third verse about the prophets teachers. Designer workers. The last first we sing of community. Now in the making. In every far continent. Regional land. With those of all races all times. A names and places we pledge ourselves. Incoming at all ways to stand firmly. This is the unitarian universalist rewriting. Of. An old dutch warsaw. The hymn written in 1597 by. Adriana spell delirious. The celebrated the dutch victory. Over the oppressive occupying spanish. Horses died in the battle of turnout. And i want to. Astronaut to project. Yeah i think you'd get most of the words here significantly different spirits here. We gather together. That's the lord's blessing. Cast lord's blessings on it. He chastens and hastens is will to make known. The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. They won the battle. Sing praises to his name he forgets not his own that's us. Beside us to guide us our god. With us. Joining. Ordaining maintaining is kingdom divine. So from the beginning the fight we were meant winning. The lord were at our side. All glory be vine. We all look stole the leader triumphant. And pray that thou still our defender will be. With our congregation. Escape tribulation. Dining be ever praised oh lord make us free. A little bit. Different tone. But. Probably reflective of the reality of the people. What is the character of god. What's the ultimate character of. Reality. That's the question i like to dress this morning. Tune oppressed people. Griff suffered murderous. And destructive war parties. And years of occupation. The power of liberation. Fate. If you wish ultimate reality is. Our god with us joining. Ordaining maintaining his kingdom define. A triumphant leader. Defender at our side. Call glory design. It seems appropriate. When king david. What describes compiled. And for the first time wrote down. Their history of the hebrew people. I said darius reliever people. Around 1,000 before the common era. Their god was a warrior god liberating them from slavery in egypt. Their ultimate reality was of necessity. An imperial conqueror. Who ordered his generals to destroy enemy cities in the in their promised land. Killing every man woman child and beast. A dog called. The fear of all nations. The fever god known for his mighty deeds in history. In the history of the hebrew people. After the babylonian exile. We came down as a cosmic warrior. Judge and king. Above and beyond all time and and above earthly history. Before it was up god was only in history the mighty works in history. First slaves in new brutal oppression and occupation. The ultimately divine reality. Could only be conceived. Is a concrete. Liberating king. Do farmers fertility goddesses for the oppressed. No turtle. Lifting people from the water on her back and digging up mud to create land. Slave need a god would kick butt. A large part of angelica christianity. The large park. Evangelical christianity today celebrate. God is almighty king and lord. Demanding obedient. And threatening hell of eternal torture. And death. For those who do not bow. And confess and accept his son. As lord and savior. John dominic crossan. A jesus seminar scholar ricin cocoon magazine. About. Private spirituality. They're so popular among those who have. Lost hope and both religion. In on the one-handed on six secular society. From the other. The crossing lights. Is there anything at the moment. The spirituality does not or could not mean. As long as it supports spirit over flash. An individual needs or desires. Over social systems and structures. He writes. But how exactly in such a situation. Do you distinguish between. Spirituality and. Sentimentality. Do indeed between. Spirituality and prozac. Okay over. Spirit of a flash individual needs over. Over social systems extractor. In a world of. International chaos. Disease deprivation. Brutality no society. The selfish consumerism. Competitive egoism. Both secular and religious. For many. God there alternate reality. Is found in those interior islands of private tranquility. Donut spirituality. A prozac. Crossing seems to consider such spiritual sentimentality. Cadillac. Faith. To be without faith. Now i grew up in the average local branch of the friends church. In addition to believing in god is almighty king lord. We believed also and discipleship is i believe many evangelical churches do. Following the life and teachings of jesus. Evangelical friends believe that went to follow so closely to god. Eventually. That one would grow into union. With god what that man. Was it when the human will is so obedient. T'god that you no longer even want to do. Anything other than god's will. Assuming that you know what it is. Set union with god is called sanctification. Or sanctity. And let me tell you years ago i had a hell of a text i just figured. Cross and raises his question. If we humans should seek sanctity or union with god. It matters very much. The character of god. What is the character. Of the god of abraham isaac and jacob. The god of david who waged a war of extermination against the amalekites. Out of the prophet samuel. Who received god's command ordering their genocide. A quote from first samuel 15:3 now go and strike amalek. And devote to destruction. All that they have. Do not spare them. But you'll both man and women and infants. Ox and sheep. Camel and donkey. Church of god crossing rights. By using the term sanctity. That's stating which human willis in union with god. The focus has shifted immediately and initially to one's god. The questions this what is the character of your god. Are saying that the after all. Could make us. But the killer children. The killer god. The tickling magazine. 98. That grabbed me when i first read that. Are we. The killer children. Of the killer god. What is the character of ultimate reality to us. Or someone call. God. John dominic crossan rights there are constitutive. Avancer documents. That make us who we are and there are steven core moments with phrases within them to become normative criteria for all the rest. Such moments are phrases mayweather we like it or not. Come home to haunt us. He's pete rights as i read the bible about judaism and christianity. Such a privilege text is psalm 82. I don't have that to project here but let me give you his description of it. You'll have to imagine this charming irishman. With a cool broken talking. The song presents us with a magnificently and serenely mythological scene. As god sits down in heavenly council. The judge the gods ruling the nation's here below. The divine ceo. Meet with upper management to discuss downsizing. But in this case. Downsizing means that they're all fired. For malpractice in office for mismanagement of birth. You are god conceived. God. Children of the most high all of you. But you will now be allowed to die just like mortal princess. The indict indictment is as clear as the judgment. You have. Judged unjustly. And showing partiality to the wicked. Or more precisely. You have failed to give justice to the week. And the orphan. To maintain the right of the lowly. End of the destitute. To rescue the weak and the needy. And to deliver them. From the hand of the wicked. Therefore god is taken. Personal charge. To ensure justice for the nations of the year. Neat picture he paid. Crossing continues. Certain conclusions flow. From that extraordinary song. First. Unjust situations. Do not simply create a world less kind and gentle. Then it should be. They entail and te'o. Cosmic. Tastrophe. Sent by their presence. Quote all the foundations of the earth are shaken. That makes sense. Second. The reason they insure catastrophe as if they're not just individual or personal cases. But systemic or structural. Processes. We understand that. Third this now in charge god of all the earth. Is a god of systemic justice. Put conversely. That would stands against systemic. Injustice. Is the god of all the earth. But that does not seem to be a matter of decree or decision. Of law or command. Of choice. Or option. It is more a matter of character. Being. Nature. This god could not be other. And justice law gravity is not with gravity slides. But what gravity is. So the law of god is not what god decides. But what god is. Neither therefore. Can the land the people the covenant. The kingdom the sun. Or the gospel of that god. The other. The manifestations. Of divine justice. On earth. Sanctity in such a context. It's terribly if not. Terrifyingly obvious. It is the submission of the human justice. The divine justice. A human will to divine will. Or better. A human being. The divine being. Is spirituality focuses on individual problems. Brothers and social structures or and on personal struggles. Rather than on. Cosmic systems. It can never be acquainted with sanctity. And will never encounter. The biblical god of psalm 82. And the foundations of the earth. We'll go on shaking. I quoted extensively from. Because. The systemic. Catastrophe. That we read about that we are concerned about. In our. Ecosystem. Ourworld. It's not about a private issue. It's about. Systemic. Justice. I've been reading a little book. Sean to me by one of my more mystic friends in the. Interfaith group. Intimacy with god. Say that doesn't sound like rodger reading. It's a. The book about centering prayer. A written by thomas keating a cistercian monk. The killings work on centering prayer is influenced by the $0.04 14th century work of an unnamed monk. The book entitled the cloud of unknowing. The cloud of unknowing imagine. Buddhist city. Okay. And also by the air of interest in buddhism. After the vietnam war era in the 70s was over. And so thomas keating right. Growth in face. It's gross and the right perception of all reality. Perception of all reality. Cousin faith. Thinking about the hebrews perception of reality of slaves in egypt. Of the jews. Perception of reality during their babylonian exile. Then their perception of reality during the oppression of successive. Roman occupiers. And modern jews perception of reality after the holocaust. I also wonder. At the growth of modern christian most loving secular. Fearful. Perceptions of reality. .. I also have a little book. Entitled george washington's. Rules of civility and decent behavior. In company and conversation. And your wife enjoy reading 110. Suggestions everything for about spitting on the gray. But i couldn't find what i was looking for. I had heard. The george washington always wore white gloves. The shake hands. It wouldn't say cancel it. I can't. Some people's perception of reality is. Filled with phobias. Germs. Sometimes you think they're well-grounded rykel. Germs. They're not touch anybody anything in public it doorknobs handrails don't touch money. The love shake somebody's hand i remember also being afraid of the dark i mean there's a whole list of phobias if you want to go over but. Got over it by. Actually. Thinking about. The fact that my backyard. Had the same things. In the dark of night. As if you do it at the. The tree and it had the clothesline post that i could run in. Everstaff. And i just. Thought. It's the same thing as if i close my eyes during the day. Water out. So i got over that phobia. Sympathize. Perhaps. The one that's most in our face today. And really applies to all these. People who suffer depression i've referred to in history. Post-traumatic stress disorder. It's just such a. Warped fearful perception reality. Well grounded. It experience. I believe that we cptsd and both individuals. Hampton entire nations. When we observe exaggerated fears. Hyper security consciousness. The militant over-reaction perceived threat. I suspected god conceived as a conquering king. Almighty lord and. Savior mirrors. This fearful. Perception of reality. The guide the people with ptsd need. Thomas keating. Thrice the christian spiritual path is based on. A deepening trust in god. Because trust is so important. Our spiritual journey may be blocked if we carry. Negative attitudes toward god. Temperley childhood. And i just stopped this quote to interrupting think perception of reality if you wish. But when he speaks of god. Negative attitudes toward god from early childhood these negative attitudes of god which are implanted in his largely. As a result of early religious training or in fact. A legacy of past generations. At a pervasive set of religious attitudes that represent and distortion. Sometimes a 180° distortion. A scriptural and gospel values okay. This is about the catholic monk i just want to remind you here okay. He writes the destructive teaching of jansenism a distortion. The gospel of one of the heresies. Good insinuated itself into seminaries. As a mainstream of catholic teaching. Jansenism thought that the body is totally corrupt. And that the salvation brought by jesus christ was not universal. This pervasively distrustful attitude toward human nature. Together with a pathological fear of god. Dominated most catholic educational institutions. Prior to the second vatican council. Long after jansenism was condemned by. Ecclesiastes. Authorities. Egosoft well-intentioned but he'll conceived religious instructors. Can make god seem like a tyrant. Demanding instant obedient to his will however arbitrary. Drumettes very tails children know what a timer. A child who sees god is a tyrant is. Going to want to go anywhere near him. Unless forced to do so. Another attitude status. God is an implacable judges gavel is ever poised. To bring down a verdict of guilt. Here again. is presented. With intense overtones of fear and even terror. The third attitude is that of a policeman always on our trail. Always on the watch that catches in the least fault. Whatever this child thinks of god off goes the emotional judgment that says. This god is dangerous. He's a tyrant. Policemen always on my trailer the judge ever ready to condemn me to eternal hellfire. I don't know i want the next section i can say i i know this is true. A speaker pay here. These attitudes persist. Ethan theological training may not affect. The emotions that have recorded. In the programming of early life. These unhealthy ideas. Could have been avoided if children were encouraged. To develop a relationship of trust toward. Reality. Fear is useless. Fear is useless. While faith expanding in the boundless confidence. In. Reality and god. Is life-giving. Emotion of fear tens of its nature. To keep one as far away from god is papa. Trust grows through efforts to serve god out of love. At the deep end the relationship. This cannot be accomplished if we are afraid of god. Using the criteria of dissimilarity. That particular biblical passages not reflect the sentiments of the authors or the other contemporary interest. Of the day. There's one passage. Attributed the jesus to jesus seminar scholars have judged is among the most likely authentic. Sayings of jesus. Something just doesn't. With the writers mindset. Are they put it in anyway. It isn't jesus address the almighty king and judge. With the language of familial. Familial intimacy. Calling god. Daddy. Calling god. Daddy. Call your reality. Thomas keating writes the work that we can do now. To develop more christian attitudes. Especially a relationship to the ultimate reality. Jesus called ava. Father. Ava is passionately. Concern for every creature. Especially human beings. We're called to manifest god's goodness more than any other aspect of creation. A distorted personal mysticism. Luce's touch. With christ vision of the kingdom is. Grounded in compassion. For the suffering in the poor. This car challenge that i see. Cross container versus shift. Abandoned. It sometimes we pull out our swords and slash at. The christianity of perception of reality based on fear and terror. The challenge. Trusses to distinguish. Between the biblical distortions of ultimate reality as killer god. Our defender and protector. Hydrofirm the biblical. Perception of reality articulated. By the hebrew prophets. And by jesus's ulta ultimate reality as loving. Hi. Gracious bountiful. Healing. Have intimately affirming. Of our worth. Do we see reality is out to get us. Route to get our enemies. Are we surrounded by earth's bounties. We just came to your thanksgiving. Buy good and worthy humanity. People that we see value in. Go by lions and tigers and bears oh no. Germs and tereson unemployment ono. Shabbat prayer for this religious communities that we valiantly live our covenant. I promise. To be a safe and affirming place for everyone. Without regard to religious sentiment or. Personal condition. None of us has to leave our part of herself at the door. The we will grow and that face. In our environment. In our community. Not one another. Droid our perception of reality. As a world of bounty. And loving kindness. Because we become. Like our perceived reality. Our god. We hope you've enjoyed your presentation. Please send any of your comments or feedback to vlr at ufc.com. Feel free to access our extensive library of audio and text sermon at you ufc.com and you can also find out more about unitarian universalism by visiting uua.org thanks again for listening. Going to church means different things to different people and sometimes for some people they need something different from what they found increasingly people are turning to the unitarian universalist illiberal religious community we're different people with different beliefs gatherers 1 faith in their intellectual and spiritual search for truth and meaning in their lives unitarian-universalist explore the wisdom of the world's religions philosophies and the unitarian universalist congregation welcome you to join us in that search. The uncommon denomination.

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112705_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Unitarian universalist this is a real guy elmer fisk. Thanks his dog. By the name of boob. Believes in ghosts and here's the story. This is a story by. That was collected. Buy a colleague. Gary kowalski who wrote the soul of animals and the gospel. According to noah. And i i think a couple other books. And his parishioner elmer fisk. Elmer and his family were moving. And the night before the moving van was to come. Elmer made a late-night trip to the. Dump with a load of junk. And in the trash was a. Paper mache. Had one of the children had made for halloween. What was. A little under side under life-size and lumpy. I was sickly greenish color. And it use. The burned-out flash wolves remember when they used to have flash goals. Stuff for eyes okay. That was really a horrible looking thing well. Believing that they had had one more good scare left in it. Elmer decided to position it. Carefully behind a fresh mound of kolaches at the dump. And just happen to be peeking over. The top. Meanwhile. More debris. Was collected at home. So it necessitated him making one more trip to the dumping the dog boo. Was begging to ride along. Well boob is a highly intelligent doggies a border collie. And they have kind of wide-set eyes and. That he had long brown and white fur. So elmer was quite surprised at how the dog behave when he saw the grotesque. Little head. Peeping over the pile of ashes. When you got to the dump. And this is how elmer describes boobs reaction. This debt this in this way. Quote. Boob saw it as soon as i did and reacted. In a way that i had never seen him behave before. All his. Back hair. Rose up. Is lipstreu back from it from his fangs. And a low moan sounded in his throat. Well he. Trembled so badly. Already struck the car. He was a thoroughly scared dog. He made no effort to get out of the car. I know boo boo was not the bravest of dogs he was scared to death of any sharp noise from. From thunder to the explosion of a cap gun. But he writes i think. That had. It been a bear in the dump. Or a lion. He would have. Turn the door down to go after. But this was different. Whatever boob saudis saw. It was obviously beyond anyting. Kid encountered in his previous experience. And therefore something. Beyond nature. Or if you will supernatural. The dog boob never took his eyes off of. Off of that thing and was still craning his neck. To keep it inside as we made. The turn toward home. When he could no longer see it. Relief was written all over him. And quote from the souls of animals. Now we can laugh at poor boob. But fear of the dark. Fear of the unknown is one of the few instinctive emotions. The humans still display. Rudolph auto. In his book. The holy. The idea of the holy. Speaks of the primal religious experience among humans been grasped by mysterium tremendum. Fangraphs. Something that really grips you. The visceral sense. Of all. Or wonder horror. It makes the hair on the back of your neck go. The experience of overpowering. Before the unknown or the mysterious. Elmer's union minister gary kowalski. Rights that we humans quote. Fill the void of the unknown. With shapes of our imagination. Shapes of our nightmarish. Imagining. Fear. Of the imagine supernatural. Are superstition. Is unholy other reality the freaks out. Enterprise imel. Human response. That we apparently share was at least some of the other animals. If boob is in any way representative of dogs. Well my concern this morning. His house so many of us humans. Seal. Disconnected. Feel. Isolated from other beings. Apart alone. Alienated in. An awesome life that we share. Our eyes wide open. To say we're trapped and terrorized by superstitions. Really calls for more examination that doesn't tell you much. It just turns into pejoratively labor. Superstition. Ic3 western. Religious. Imaginations aspects of our western religious imagination. Did i think. Help explain. First hebrew monotheism. And then seconds arrastran dualism. Answer the aristotelian hierarchical ism. That have led us to think ourselves. In some way. Separate an alien from our earthly life. And from our global companions. So i hope this doesn't for you. You're the three developments of our religious imagination. That makes us feel like we're. Alone. First hebrew monotheism. Hebrew history. Evolved a variety of names in response to that feeling of. Overpowering. Mysterium tremendum. The tribal hebrew names included. The fear of isaac. Or the god of my fathers. Hebrew scriptures return referred to. The great god l. Head of the pantheon of gods. 2500 *. Refer to it. And it's plural form. Hello him. So the great. Yachts i guess. The great. God of gods. Other forms of el included. Aloha. Aloha. El shaddai god. The one of the mountain the almighty. El elyon. God most high. El olam. God of eternity. Elbrus and i hadn't heard of this one before. God of the covenant. Elbrus. And elroy god of seeing or divination. And the title adonai meaning my great lord. These are some translations that are the best guesses. Have some scholars. I had a conversation this week. That was rather interesting it was right before the rehearsal. I am. It was december 11th jellicle college students friends of sydney's from. University of west florida. Before coming he was coming to pick up some of the stuff. They were adamant that. The guy that ordered genocide in the hebrew scriptures. Is the same god. Jesus. Who taught. Quote returns no person evil for evil. And clothes. Love your enemies. The god of. Genocide. In hebrew scriptures of the same car. They actually argue the genocide. Punishment. If humankind could be an expression of divine love. I don't get it. Now don't get me wrong i do believe that all reality. Is 1. And intertwined. Including that which is most awesome. And wonders. I believe it is 1. But the same time. The hebrew and christian scriptures. Display dramatically. Difference in evolving notions of god. But that which is awesome. Gripping. Andover power. I do see a similarity. Between the hebrews and. Boobs. Religious imagination. Fear. And trembling before an unknown terror. But i am more impressed. Really struck and amazed by. Another. I won't call it a name for god. But the four letter name called the tetragrammaton. Yhwh. Which we today pronounce yahweh. It was found 6800 times in the hebrew scripture. Although its pronunciation has been lost since after the babylonian exile. And i always wonder whether it had a pronunciation. I don't know. The unnamable. These four. Letters. This name stands for the verb to be. A non name. Suggesting. Divine mystery. And freedom. The way. My. Profs described it it could be. Interpreted is. I am that i am. Or i will be what i will be. It was a refusal it was a riddle. A refusal. To the. Hebrews to moses at the burning bush to give the hebrew people a name. A magical name through which they. Like so many other. Cults of the day. My own and control their god for their selfish purposes. I refuse i'll be what i will be. The monotheism. One.. Seconds arrastran dualism. Until. After their exile in babylon. The hebrews. Evolve that single. Greatest god. Known through mighty works among the people here on earth. Before the exile in babylon the hebrew god was in the world. The god had no evil counterpart. No satan. After the babylonian exile. Hebrew religion changed. The earliest dateable hebrew reference to satan. Is found in the book of zechariah 18 years after the babylonian exile ended. 520 before the common era. The first reference satan. The restaurant is in babylon. Held it there was a cosmic battle. Between the forces of good and evil. Hebrew religion. Was subsequently influenced by zoroastrian beliefs. That the good god. Aurora mazda would send the savior down-to-earth. To defeat the forces of evil. Led by ar rahman. And bring an end to time. And then in the restroom ism. The dead would be resurrected. And tried at a final judgment and the righteous would live forever in paradise. And the wicked would go to a realm of endless punishment. Sound familiar. Christian religion was further influenced by. The zoroastrian cult of mithras. Practiced by roman soldiers in the first century. It was very. The soldiers during the time. Of jesus and of the first-century church. Does christianity especially developed a dualistic cosmology. Of god and satan. Heaven and hell. Dual destinies. Search. I want to say something more there. It was heaven and hell that it was us. Kind of like. Waiting to go on play store. Get the big eyes with. Boobs the guys together okay. Third aristotelian hierarchical ism besides the religious imagination of. Hebrew monotheism. One god in the world. Doing amazing things. Zoroastrian dualism. The two powers battling it out. Are western sense of being disconnected is rooted i think in a hierarchical worldview of aerostar. The tutor of the roman conqueror. Alexander the great. For aristotle. The heavens are literally higher than the earth. In aristotle's notes on the parts of animals aristotle wrote quote. For all animals. Man alone stands erect. In accordance with his god-like nature and essence. Quote for it is the function of the godlike to think. And be wise. And no easy task. Wear this under the burden of a heavy body. Pressing down from above and obstructing. By its weight. The motions of intellect. And the general sense. + 12. Aristotle place. Animals below humankind. Because they like children. Crawled on the ground. Implants. You might wonder they're taller. They're nutria. Nutritive that was. Nutritive organs are located in the soil. They were considered even lower than in their admixture of earthy matter. As opposed to heavenly intelligence. You could see the pyramids hierarchy. The later history of august saint augustine's. Antibody christian doctrine the glorification of the spirit. Of the. Reason of the intellect to. Over carnal flash. Plays out in. Patriarchy of men over slaves. Andover animals. Another women. Andover plants in that order. Aristotelian hierarchical ism has resulted in it. Repression. The bodily feelings below thinking. Oppression. Of women and slaves by men. An exploitation. Of animals in a vehicle system. The earth. And we. Have come to feel disconnected. Alienated. Against our own animal nature. Stuff down there. Against our bodies. Against our feelings. Against one another. It's not just a matter of. Religious exclusivism waging religious wars against those who don't believe in the particular name of god that. You claim. One group claims. Our alienation is gone far beyond that. We are at war against our own flash. I guess the earth. And against all that grows and flows. And flies and crawls upon it. Western religious imagination. Is at war. With earthly life. Are unitarian versus covenant articulates our aspiration. Kill the alienation and to restore holness. The seventh principle of our covenant it's on the back of your door service it says. Well it says we the member congregations. The unitarian universalist. Association let me see and get right. We remember congregations unitarian universalist association. Covenant. To affirm and promote. And then there's seven bullets.. And the last one is. Respect for the interdependent web. Existence. Of which we are. Part. It's not. That we simply. What an end to war and bigotry. The healing of racism and classism and sexism and. Lookism and homophobia and ageism and speciesism. And of self-righteous judgmentalism. We longed to create wholeness. The interdependent web. Of existence of which were apart. Well. Aristotelian ism did have a sense that. All these different levels in the hierarchy. Or enter. Dependa. Marcus aurelius. Wrote this and seems to. Setlist at. Era. Quote. Cease not to think of the universe. As one. Living being possessed of a single. Cease not to think of universe. She get that. Didn't say it right. Don't stop thinking of the universe is one. Living being. Possessed of a single substance. And single saw. The earth. As well. A single saw. And how old existing things are joint causes of all things that come into existence. And how intertwined. In the fabric. Is the thread. And how closely woven the web. Gary kowalski rides. We are animals. But same time. We despise animals. An emotional contradiction that has its costs. For the denial. And repression of our own animal nature. Representative form of self-hatred. A rejection of our own being. And quote. Facebook. The bible according to noah. She also quotes boris levinson the founder of animal assisted therapy. Animal assisted therapy. One of the chief reasons. 4. Humanities present difficulties. Is. His inability to come to terms with his inner self. And to harmonize his culture. Within his membership. In the world of nature. Rational man. Has become alienated from himself. By refusing to face is a rational self. His own past. As personified by animals. It's on our own presents. Let's personified by animals. I'm taking a new look. At the story of jobe in the hebrew scriptures to. The story ask the question of why bad things happen to the innocent okay. And it's a classic story. Now if you're looking for a rational answer. You're not going to find one. Rather the story of jobe. Chose a way to healing. Job declares quote. Ask the animals. And they will teach you. The birds of the air. And they will tell you. Ask the plants of the earth. And they will teach you. And the fish of the sea. Will declare to you. Jump 12-7 the last monologue. Chapter 38 on on. Declares the wonders of the natural world and it's just i would have loved to read the whole thing. Television city. I couldn't answer.. But the last after talking about. The waters and the ice in the snow and. All these different things. He goes on to talk about the lion and raven. The mountain goes in wild ass. The force and locust. The hawk. And the whale. And a crocodile. Does on and on about the crocodile. There you will find our place. In the wider story of life. Ask the animals and they will teach you. Many native americans use the phrase topic for my. Service sermon today. All my relations. All my relations to describe that fences. Interconnections with the earth. And its creatures. Pawnee chief. Little coats lisa said quote. In the beginning of all things. Wisdom and knowledge were with the animals. 4 tarawa the one above. Did not speak directly to man. He sent certain animals to tell men. That he showed himself through the beast. And the from them. I'm from the stars. The sun and the moon. Man should learn. All my relations. Is the perspective of interconnectedness. Of all life a potent force. For healing. For making what is broken hole. Projo. Okay let's get to the nitty-gritty walt whitman. Whitman wrote. I think i could turn and live with animals are so placid and self-contained. Translate what animals you looking at. I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition. They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins. They do not make me sick discussing their duty to god. Not one is the satisfied. Not one is demented with the mania of owning things. No squirrels maybe. Not one kneels to another. Nor to his kind that live thousands of years ago. Not one as respectable. Or unhappy over the whole earth. You got some. Good points that right. That one is respectable. Or unhappy over the whole earth. Kowalski rates. The word ken is cognate with the word kind. This connection suggests that we're. Most sensitive to the needs and feelings of those we recognized as our own flesh and blood. Beings whom we feel to be. Fundamentally like ourselves. Receive our solicitous attention. Well those whom we see is alien. Are excluded from the circle of our care. Kowalski goes on to document charles darwin's recognition that we are kin. The first to make a systematic study of altruistic behavior in animals. Was charles darwin in his book the descent of man. His conclusion was that quote. The difference in mind between man and the higher animals. Great as it is. Certainly is one of degree. Not of kind. At various times race skin color another superficial qualities of ben. Used to deny. The rights of others. And exclude them from our affection and concern. And justice 19th century europeans justified colonialism. With a rationalization that primitives and. Savages. We're mentally and morally inferior. We continue to justify exploitation of the animal world in the same way. We tell ourselves that human beings. Heart of a fundamentally. Higher-order. We can therefore colonize and enslave. With impunity those who are. Lower. Improv kowalski. In the long. Course of our moral and spiritual evolution says darling. We've gradually learned. To broaden the circle of our concern for others. Perhaps it's time now to bring. Not only other races and. Nations. But other species within our. That arc. Sympathy beyond the kinds of the confines of man darwin notes. Sympathy beyond the confines of man darwin.. That is. Humanity. Toward the lower animals. Seems to be one of the latest. Moral acquisitions. Humanity toward the lower animal seems to be one of the. Latest more like was isshin. But we must. Kowalski raccoonus realize the other animals are not lower than ourselves. Only. A good distinction. Where to keep our family homestead. Earth. Safer coming generations. We must awake. Two new respect for the family of life. Like boob we humans are terrorized. Why are religious imaginations. Running afraid of what our imaginations make of the world fraid of the caricatures. Navarre. Imaginations make of other beings. And afraid of the. Depravity our imaginations paint of ourselves. Before i close i want to tell you one more story about boob. That is religious imagination. Elmer 5th stroke this he wrote. We have moved into our new home in burlington and boob was sound asleep on the floor between the dining room table and the door to the patio. It was a blustery night in october burlington you can imagine. And the wind was blowing the fallen fallen leaves against the house. Suddenly a freak gus lemon simultaneously. Blue open the storm door in the inner door. And it noisily whisked through the opening a half a bushel of dry oak leaves. Believes rained right at the spot where booba sleeping. But he was no longer there. With that first wish of the wind and rattle of leaves boob sprang up a foot from the floor and landed running running in place until he got traction. All the while looking with bulging eyes back toward the door. Just writes all that was an eerie couple of seconds. I didn't see anything coming through the door except wind and leaves. But i think boob thought the devil came in. Or that little green man from the dump. There's a lot we can learn from our animal companions. About our human fears. In supernatural imaginations. May we call him the very real terror we humans. Often have. Before life's powerful. An awesome events. May we pay attention to all our relations. And let them teachers. We're never alone. The word of john robbins. To affirm our kinship with life. Is to take a step away from loneliness. An alienation. A step towards finding ourselves welcome. And well. Among the earth community. It's about learning to take our place. With reverence and respect. In the councils of all beings.

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012206_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Good morning. There was a story i'm adding this. There was a story of a. A fellow who. Woke up. And noticed that his dog. Was walking beside him on this little road. And he was sure that his dog had died six months before. So he didn't know where he was. The dog was there. He could touch it. So he kept walking along there was this high. Shining wall on one side and it came to these. This magnificent. Structure. Gates that we're just shining brilliant. And there was a doorman there and he said. Where am i. And the doorman says well this is heaven would you like to come right on in. Okay well fine and he started to go in and guesses but your dog can go. He said well. Let me think about this and he's so he kept walking on the road around the. The hi shining walzem. Any came along to an area that looked a little more rustic and there was a. The kind of like. Dirt gravel road in a little gage and. Very broken down fences and. And backup this lane he could see her an old house with a pump you know and. And. The house looks like it has never been painted. And i was all fell sitting in rocking chair. the other lane he says. Mindfire. Go up and and get a drink. And and something for my dog. And. Yes it sure is our help yourself he says there's a. Picture up there in a little ball you can. Water. For the dog. 3 goes up and he helps himself and pumps of water has a drink. Comes back out the gate and he says. Where am i. I guess this is heaven. He says this is heaven. It says. Well. What's that down this way that's so shiny in. Magnificent and he says well that's hell. And the guy says well. Why'd they told me it was having down there. He says definitely make you angry that. They're misinforming people and saying that that's having down there and it's really hell. And. He says. You do know that's all part of the plan he says. That's for the people. We're willing to leave their friends behind. Well. I thought i'd add that it might have something to do with the switch. I i am. I'm aware that some of the things i came across for the beginning of the message today. Uses general categories terms liberal and conservative. And. All of us are humans. And we may identify with one of those terms or another different times. And so you'll have to forgive me for. The reference to these general categories. I hope you don't take offense and i hope you can see the. The point that george lake off makes. With his. With his ideas. I don't intend to leave anybody behind. In. In this discussion. And for you newcomers i want to say that. Covenant here is to be a safe place for you to have your in. Your. Personal integrity. As of. Religious sentiments. And so we want to honor that. And. That's aren't at. At the university of california and berkeley. George lakoff is a professor. Of cognitive science and linguistics. He wrote a book about. 3 years ago called moral politics. How liberals and conservatives think. And he distinguishes to cognitive. Metaphors that frame how many people. Identify moral values. The metaphor. Of a strict punishing father. And the metaphor of punishing was my. Interpretation strict father. And the metaphor of a nurturing parent. I just recently ran across a. Lecture of his where i. I heard these i thought there's some santa. It may seem that. Political issues of. People identified as liberal or conservative. Don't have a common denominator. Issues. Such as. Abortion. Flat tax. Environmental regulations. Gun ownership. Tort reform. The death penalty they. Conservatives and liberals generally fall on opposite sides of these issues. But what's the common denominator. It doesn't say there doesn't seem to be one. So professor waychoff spent ten years of research of the. Reasons given by both conservatives and liberals. I further moral stance the logic. The language the particular. Language that they used. For their moral stance on these wide-ranging political issues and it came to these two metaphors that provide the cognitive framework he says. For consistent. Differences of moral sentiments. So the first one was. The cognitive metaphor of the punishing father. There's a strict father. It links power. And moral authority. Lynx power and moral authority. The reasoning goes like this he says if your moral. You'll be disciplined. And if you're disciplined you'll be prosperous. And if your prosperous. You deserve power. Conversely if you're not prosperous then you must not be disciplined enough. And if you're not disciplined you're not moral. And if you're not moral you deserve the poverty and. Punishment for your lack of moral discipline. Relatively makes sense. Loosely. The moral order places the father god. Above men below. Then women's and children then animals on the earth. All based on their ability to exercise power. Over those of lesser discipline lesser moral. Standing. Based on prosperity than america. Is more moral. Because it has been more disciplined than other nations of the earth. And based on that moral authority. Justly exercises power. The punishing power over those. Less moral people's lyrics. And here's an example. Of this moral reasoning. And then quails acceptance speech at the republican convention. In 1992. A regarding the graduated tax. Income tax he said. Quote. Why should the best people be punished. Cutting taxes. Is something sometimes called. Tax relief. If you look at that language. The term relief. Is not generally used to describe. Ending something that's good and noble. Right. So you get relief from something oppressive. So to speak of tax relief. You're referring to taxes oppressive something that punishes. Those who are taxed. And dan quayle identified those texts. More under a graduated income tax. As the best people. They made more. You're the best. The most prosperous presumably. From the best. Individual discipline. An alternative language say there's some generalizations there that hold water. Or not. An alternative language. Describe taxes as a civic duty or as. Shared responsibility. Suggesting that those who pay more taxes not laugh. Those who pay a higher. Fair share. Armoire. Responsible. In nurturing the common good. They're being more responsible. Like paying higher taxes. A different. Bit of language. In this alternative cognitive framework. Caring more tax responsibility. Is a more moral. And respected behavior. Rather than a punishment. Alternative cognitive framework the cognitive metaphor. Of the nurturing parent. On one side the kind of metaphor. Four of the strict father. Now the nurturing parent involved protection and responsibility. The reasoning goes like this. Those with more power. Competency. Productivity. Knowledge. Are not more moral. But every sieve those blessings from a community that protected them. The nurtured them. And encourage their development. Morality lies. And there then taking responsibility. To protect. To nurture. To encourage the power. And competency and productivity and knowledge of others. As we have been nurtured. A different way of looking at it. As opposed to the punishing father who. Judges the prosperous to be the more discipline and more. Moral individuals. Free of dependence on assistance from anyone. The nurturing parent on the other hand takes responsibility. To protect and encourage each person. Without judging or punishing for their shortcomings. At the moment this is my responsibility. To nurture. For the nurturing parent. Morality lies in. Mutual responsibility. The nurturing each to contribute to the common good. I believe these opposing frameworks of moral politics. Can be observed. Now in changing notions. Of god in the hebrew and christian scriptures. And this was the title i chose before i discovered the lake off analysis. And excuse me again for the. The he he did annalise. That there were multiple kinds of conservatives. And if liberals. I just came across laycoffs research. In cognitive science in linguistics but during the december holidays. I had a conversation with three of angelical students from the university of west florida. Friends of our exchange student last year sydney to. They came by and spent half a day in. And heavy conversation. In our conversation. I wanted the student said that god would sometimes kill out of love. You know the gentle cycle stories in the hebrew scriptures. And this gave me. Real paws. Flight i just asked. Which god of the bible. Do you believe in. And i was told. And no uncertain terms that there's only one god in the bible. That all the different behaviors and names of god refer to the one true god. His ways are beyond our human understanding a god. Have both genocide all justice. And the god of self-sacrificing love. One.. And these visitors were not interested in hearing of centuries of. History studies. Refined by. Numerous biblical scholars offering their best. Conclusions to peer-review. And criticism over. Many generations. Who agree that the biblical accounts refer to different cards. Or shall we say if you wish. A developing historical concept of god. Different gods. Gerhard. Hard fun ride. Rights. That the early hebrew. Plans. Kabiru. Tended flocks in hers. But unlike the bedouin midianites who owns camels that have burial also farm. On a modest scale. I'm going over some of the history they didn't want to hear. Before the habiru. Were united in the worship of yahweh. They had various gods of their ancestors. The god of abraham. The fear of isaac the strong one of jacob. What was unique. About these. Gods of the beer root ancestors. Was that none had any attachment to fixed. Holy site holy places for worship and sacrifice the canaanite gods of mount tabor of bethlehem in shechem in beersheba. They were fixed. To their holy sites just as the canaanite people were connected to the land that they farmed. But the habiru gods. Of the ancestors. We're in a special relationship with a place. But with a clan. The gods moved. When the clan pulled up stakes for better grazing. The gods of the ancestors no matter what wandering clan. We're presents. In a tent of meeting. Where the elders of the clan medan loyalty. And in right relation. Of the term. Is used for both. Justice and righteousness right relation. The tent of meeting. What's the place of that. Liberating phenomena. The divine presence. But then change took place. The habiru. Plans began to settle. Among the canaanites at different times the leah group who worship the god of abraham sell the round. Early around shechem. The rachel group settled later after certain dramatic wilderness experiences. The tribe of simeon settle around beersheba. The tribe of ephraim who worship the god of jacob settled near bethel. The tribe of levi which included egyptian names like moses. Settled after experiences in egypt. And in the kadish oasis.of.the or the red sea. The tribe of joseph. Who worship yahweh. Where the last to settle. In canaan. Now as an aside. It is probable that the worship of yahweh arijit originated in the distant midianites bedouin land of sinai. Which included the kenites moses his father-in-law jethro. Was ike a night priest. And according to exodus 16 18 12. He did not just attend. But he led the offering of sacrifices to yahweh. And there are secondary sources nabataean inscriptions in sinai the seem to support this conclusion. There's history here for hooks. The habiru worship of ancestral gods. Changed. Has the clan settled in the land of canaan. They worshipped him. Local sanctuaries. Rather than in the tent of meeting. Sanctuaries where fertility gods were also worship. Ball. Beth-el. Lol elroy of the pantheon of the great god l.l. meaning the great god and you notice that in the names. Bile. Bethel lol i'm elroy. Yahweh was worshipped. Also in these local sanctuaries. Taking on an identity like l. As being the greatest of the pantheon of gods. Then about 1,000 years before the common era. King david scribes. Compiled. The oral traditions of the clans. In 21. Integrated. History. They rewrote history. Yahweh. Was identified with all the gods of the ancestors. And the ancestors themselves became relatives. By being written into one common family tree. The israelites. They were all related now. With a common history. David's scribes david. Succeeded in organizing the hilberry tribes. Into an israelite confederacy. That was able to surround and dominate all the canaanite land. Thanks also to the waning of egyptian influence in the region. And david. Made himself king. And all the glory of the egyptians. It's a fascinating story to read about the prophets. Coming back and god said. There should be no. And the prophets saying that's what the people want. And god says. We'll give him a. The point of this biblical. History is this. Hera barrel godzilla cluding yahweh changed. And have been removed from being semi nomads. To being an established. Ruling power. Yahweh change from the divine presence in the tent of meeting. To become the all-powerful father. Of a military. Saviour king. The common religious element among the wandering nomads have been that kind of meat. We're elders of the people gathered in. Loyal solidarity and righteous judgement. An experience their god is that. Sheltering cloud with a presence. The tent was lost as yahweh became connected to the sanctuary. Rather than adjust. To the josten loyal solidarity of the people. Yahweh became connected to bethel then check of shiloh and kill cow. It's in the text no matter. Who came to worship. No matter whether they were loyal to the community. Weather just. Or self-serving. King david. And solomon deciding jerusalem in the temple after the egyptian model. The tent of meeting was transformed. Into the tabernacle of the covenant. Storing the lockout. Gone. Was the meeting place where the divine presence was made manifest. Among the people. Adopting. Egyptian cosmology. The hebrew king was called the son of god. King david was called the son of god in psalms. The savior of the people. The ruled on behalf of yahweh. Godson. In the flash. The divine in this was the egyptian mod. The divine presence. Was supposedly in the saviour king. Rather than among the people. In the tent. This is the. Royal davidic tradition. As opposed to the mosaic. Fedex. To take today. We are confused by competing. God no strings in jewish and christian religion. The hebrew tent of meeting the mosaic. Covenant tradition. It's all mixed up with that royal davidic tradition. It was modeled after egyptian pharaohs. The earlier ted of meeting promise to saving presents. A condition of loyal. Righteous behavior among those who gathered. The later royal davidic tradition. Promised. Military salvation. In exchange for obedience and cultic sacrifices. The hebrew god continue to change. The babylonian exile brought hebrews under the influence of zoroastrian religion. With a supernatural no longer historical the supernatural gods. In cosmic warfare. Thereafter. And hebrew religion salvation. Through the military davidic king or son of god. Became projected into the heavens. Has a cosmic battle ending. With a supernatural apocalypse. The son of god coming in majesty and go. Salvation again. The tenth reduction. What's an earthly. Historical. Community. Covenant. But promise. The royal tradition. Was cosmic. Supernatural. Promise of salvation. Least two notions of god continued. In biblical history. We read in the hebrew scriptures of the corruption of the davidic kings. The hebrew prophets. Rosa. And condemned those. Who trusted in royal military salvation. In chariots in swords. More than injustice. Crises in history. Fear. Inoffensive. Helplessness revive the dream of a messiah. Longing. For the return of a royal davidic savior a military. Conqueror. Who would come down from heaven. To rescue the chosen people. The two notches of saving power continued. In jesus's followers of the way. And in christianity. Jesus was in the 10th tradition. The prophetic. Tradition. Calling for. Righteous or just. Loyalty justice. And love i'm on people here on earth. In the flash. Check out on the sermon on the mount if you wish. But jesus later christian. And perhaps. Gm self in his latter days. Considered himself. To be the royal davidic savior. The messiah. Come to save the helpless people. Under roman. Both traditions. Are in the hebrew and christian bibles. You'll probably hear me. Am i. Speaking refer to the hebrew prophets. Who called people to write relationship to righteousness. And justice especially caring for the poor. The widow. The orphan the stranger. The displaced person. Among us. And i also. Refer to the way of jesus articulated in the sermon of the mount. His call to care for the least of. The poor the outcasts and i do that. Give us special. Credibility because of jesus seminar scholars. I'm not a scholar. They assure me that those are the more. What's the word trustworthy i'll say. Text. Authentic text to jesus. However. There are two apocalyptic books in the bible. 6 lb in frightening detail cosmic battles. And supernatural salvation. At the end of time. The book of daniel in the old testament. Talks about god high and lifted up. And the book of the apocalypse revelation at the end of the new. Both books are by the way accounts of dreams. Toss that in there. I don't know how you can. Interpret a dream literally i just. The book of daniel was written during the brutal reign of antiochus epiphanes. The roman who waged a genocide all campaign against the jews. There was no hope. For relief. From romina tri-cities. And the book of daniel. Promised salvation by a supernatural. Similarly the new testament book of the apocalypse was written from the riders exile. We believe on the barren island of patmos. The dreams of cosmic battles. Supernatural beast. Envisioning fantastical victory of. The armies of the cosmic king. What were the armies of satan. It's guaranteed to create nightmares in young children. And maybe in adults as well if you read. This is the royal davidic tradition with a vengeance. They can be found in the scary left behind series of books. And movies that you can even find at walmart discounted. Movies among evangelical christians in its. Really terrorizing. I call it religious abuse i know i grew up with it. I would like to say that the royal davidic apocalyptic. Message of cosmic. Salvation. Damnation. It's not biblical. But it is better. It abandoned. The covenant of the tent of meeting. It abandoned the prophetic message of justice. And jesus message of expansive love. To include. Everyone. It is simply wrong. The false god if the. King david apes. The corrupt power hierarchy of pharaohs egypt. Setting himself up as a son of god. And the military savior he attacks the northern tribes to build military fortresses. The temple and palaces. And lasalle. He conscripted labor. Laborers the hated. Practice of corvi used by the egyptians. Thunder king's. The tribal confederacy. Fell apart. The hebrew. People were divided. Enslaved. An exile. Forever. Prophets. Cried for a return to the practice of justice. As opposed to trusting in military might and other gods. Yet from exile the hebrews dream. Of another king who would save them. A royal davidic messiah. The jesus taught the prophet's message of grace. Undeserved love and justice. Especially for the poor. Depressed even so. Evangelical christians reject jesus message. And worship an apocalyptic king. Who will wreak vengeance on those judged undeserving. The sheep. And the goats. Separating. Savefrom the damned. As one of my visiting evangelical student said. Jesus messages. Don't mean anything if you don't believe in christ the savior. Who died for our sins race to eternal life. Does message. Love loving kindness. Occlusion. Of nurture. All that matters. It's a supernatural salvation. The challenge before us today we have friends and relatives. We are. Christian. Many of us. Identify with. Are followers of the way. The challenge before us. Today remains a choice between the two gods of the bible. And they're probably more. Will we co-create. That saving presence among us in the tent of meeting. Where we include everyone. In our covenant of loyalty. Of justice of loving-kindness. Even the undeserving. Even the undisciplined. Or will we follow a cosmic king. Who wrecks apocalyptic destruction or allows it to happen. On those who do not submit. To discipline rule in his almighty name. George lakoff named the conservative metaphor of a strict punishing father. As opposed to the liberal metaphor of a nurturing parent. The bible percents both images in the tent of meeting. And in the conquering king. The choice is between judgments. And grace. Between. Punishment. Or nurture. Between apocalypse. Or loving-kindness. When others preach judgment. Punishment. Apocalypse. May we invite. Oh. Lifescan. Daniels. Without exception. Into a tent of meeting. Leaving. No puppy behind. Where they will find kindness. Nurture. And grace.

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120405_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Throughout history people have been baffled by that mystery. Of how ideas come to our minds. Where they come from. Seemingly out of nowhere. One social convention from ancient times has been the angel the divine messenger. I being without a body. Chris said to bring messages from god. The point was that people received ideas as if. Someone invisible. Has spoken to their minds directly. As in a dream. The infant narratives that you find in the in the gospels of matthew. And luke. They believe were added at a later date. In in them an angel appears to the priest zechariah. To mary and twice to joseph in his dreams. But in the hebrew scriptures other messengers besides angels. I brought messages from god for example. You recall the voice of god that spoke to moses. From the burning bush. Then there was a very interesting story. Of the prophet balaam. In this story. In the book of numbers. The king of moab. Sends for the prophet to come and curse the israelites. Who were invading his lands. Balaam's saddles his donkey. And sets off in the morning but the donkey season angel. With a sword blocking the path some of you recall the story. If the donkey turns off into the field. Only to be beaten by his rider the prophet balaam. As the path then proceeded along wall the donkey kenzie's angel blocking the way with a sword. And this time he turns toward the wall smashing balaam's foot against the wall. And again he is beating. And for a third time the donkey sees the angel blocking the path is it goes through an area funeral. Passageway. And the only thing the doctor asked to do. Ice to that change a word in there. So it lays down and balaam is so angry if he had a knife he would have killed the donkey but he's beating the donkey. And it's balaam beat the donkey for the third time and i'm not making this up. The bible says the donkey spoke to balaam. Saying why do you beat me. I've carried you faithfully for many years and now when i turn aside from the angel on the path is going to kill you. You beat me. Then going to i'm suddenly is able to see the angel with the sword. Genesis is harsh treatment of the donkey. The story goes on to say the valam eventually. Goes meets the king and instead of giving curse. Gives a blessing. The on the israelite people. But what's interesting in the story to me is that. When a human. Is. Not willing or not able. To receive the divine message from an angel. An animal. Becomes a second-hand messenger able to speak for god. Ambetter courses social convention. Is normally a messenger from god is called an angel. The social convention. Of angels was bodiless minds. Bodiless mind. Delivering god's message. However storytellers of fleshed-out these messengers. Since then. The christmas cliche is of course that angels have. White feathery wings. And this is what we see whenever we see pictures. And drawings of angel. The recent television in last few years. Shows do not make that birdman combination. Angels on tv today have a human form like. Jesus incarnate. You know god become flash and dwelling among us. Kind of an incarnation. Of an angel which is a. Totally different thing from the. Bodiless voice of god. This morning. Crafty or disappointment i'm really not so interested in angels. But in the idea of body list mines. Bodiless mine talking heads you might say. This morning i went to offer three views. Of what it. Means to be human. That were for example. Animals that sink. Or that we are mines. With buddies. Was it were human beings in relationship. Animals minds. Beings in relation. Only weekend with the humans as animals. It seems to me that the worldview that drives are. Day. Today living. Is it we are individual animals. In biological struggle for survival each against all. Money is the medium of survival. The medium of social exchange of goods material and otherwise. And this otherwise is really a great value. You say we have found that we cannot live by bread alone is the. Scripture says money. Is also a symbol of social success. And standing. The medium not only of material privilege. But if social. Acceptance. Of social existence. Without money you will not. Exist. Social. And you will not law long exist biologically. Financial status is what to a large degree. Vines. Human society together. It's our civic religion. We are animals. Driving to rise above the rat race. Struggling to accumulate wealth that will allow us to become somebody to somebody. Enter humanize our existence. On the other hand. We our minds with bodies. Are socialization involves. Learning social rules and rules of behavior. Paying our dues working our way up. Outworking our competitors. And that is just to stay in the market. Are animal bodies are negatively productive in the marketplace. Unless we can think of a way to sell our time and skills for a price higher than required to maintain our bodies. It's the mind. It succeeds or fails to exploit. Whatever intellectual material resources are available. It's just how the market economy works. I'm concerned. The society's glorification rewarding of angel ism. Jacques. Martin dean martin's word for the bodiless mind. Angel ism. Unhealthy work schedules and deprivation. Which we praise is deferred gratification. Has led to. Reactive consumerism. Our bodies take control. And other bodily. Compulsions because we know there's no end to the rat race. Modern western society. Has struggled with the. Spiritual istic dualism of mind over body since the time of aristotle's hierarchy. They call it. Apollonian apollo. I've been at the top of mind. At the top. In aristotle's i quoted this in another sermon. In aristotle's on the parts of animals we read. Horrible animals man alone stands erect remember about height. In accordance with the godlike nature and essence. What's the function of the godlike. The sink. And be wise. And no easy task for this under the burden of heavy body. Pressuring down from above and obstructing its weight. The motions of intellect. And the general sense. Aerosol. And then origin. From the 3rd century at christian theologian seems to carry this on. Sometimes we claim him as a unitarian. Because he wasn't a trinitarian be held this. Apollonian dualism of mind. Inspirit over the body. He wrote. There's a love of the flash which comes from satan. Could it be satan. And there is also another love. Belonging to the spirit. Which has its origin in god. And nobody can be for possessed by two loves. If you have despised all bodily things. Then. You can acquire spiritual love. The dualism. It's either the body. For the life of the mind in the spear. Early christian ascetics. Lived in poverty. They starve themselves. Didn't bathe. Isolated themselves in caves maybe those two go together. Sat on pedestals for months. Flagellated and mutilated their bodies. Nco elgin's declared such abuse of the body. To be holy. Our modern economy sales to pay a living wage to manny. And at the same time. Praises sacrificial work ethic. Our economic system shows great disdain for the whole person. By not providing healthcare another elements of sustainable living. And prophets. From whatever sacrifices the labor market will bear. We are our bodies. But we can't find wholeness in. Self-serving. Alone. We are mine. But wholeness comes only if we are. At-home bodily. In the global community in ecosystem. If we're at home. In the contacts. Contemporary dualism of competing. My body's are buying. Does not do justice to the reality. Of the interrelatedness of life. Nobody alone. No mind over matter can create human wholeness. We find our humanness not as competitors each against all. But in a kind of trans subjective reality when wearing mutual relationship. Body with mine. Self with others. The between. Relationship. I tended to think of potlucks. Ivan. I guess i talk to you about potlucks before. I tend to think of them as rather insignificant occasions you know. It's the things that the mines are important right. Listening. Listening is another of those exercises. In. Open-hearted hospitality to another person that feels rather common. Just listening. Whenever we actually share. Mutual relationships. Not that reciprocity of splitting the time i talked for so much time and you talk for. But mutuality where each suspend self-absorption. To hear the other. That's when we become. Warhol. Trans subjective. Is just a fancy word for the. Opposite of self-absorption. It's the growing holness. Trans subject. I feel ocean by james james nelson name of james nelson. Surprise me in his book called embodiment. He said that the opposite of sin is communion. I was thinking about the little boyfriend wine. That's what we was talking about. The opposite of sin is communion. Sin is described as broken separatists alienation. Being locked in her. On bodies. In our own minds. So does make sense. The communion. Of mutual. Interactive. Engagement. Of relationship. Moment-by-moment. Would be homeless. The opposite of sin. In communion. Brokenness finds. Healing. You've heard it before. The former president of the unitarian versus association. In current i believe it's international director of amnesty international. William shultz wrote these words this is the mission of our faith. To teach the fragile art of hospitality. To revere both the critical mind. And the generous heart. To prove the diversity. Need not mean. Divisiveness. And to witness to all that we must hold. The whole world in our hands. We believe this in terms of our relationships with other people. But what about the moment-to-moment. With the body. And with other bodies. Represent themselves. What concerns me is angel ism. That you and i are tempted to live in our heads. Nra ideologies. Rather than the fleshly. Between. Have real relationships. What are body presents. And what other bodies. Are presented to us. The theologian psychologist sam keen wrote that he had a spiritual awakening at college. He realized that he knew more about the dusty roads of palestine. Then he knew about his own hometown. He felt closer to the crude fisherman and outkast followers of jesus. Then he did to the real flesh-and-blood people around him. Samke had to decide. Whether he would live in religious nostalgia. Radiological nostalgia. The weather he would wake up. And come alive. To real relationships. Here and now. Taking his own bodily world seriously. As if it mattered. That's when some sam keen stopped. Living in his head in came. Home to his real world. The challenge for us for you and me. Is that we come back to our own. And to the bodies around us that we leave the heavy. Angelic. Mine. And begin to be present. With the bodily beings that present themselves. May we be hospitable. Maybe be more hole.

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091204%20Rev%20Rod%20Debs.mp3

Universalist. Fellowship. Ours is a relational religion. With a covenant rather than a religion of stockton decrees. The word covenant i just discovered this week. Is related to the word convene. And that were. 4. Convene here. With certain promises of how we're going to be here together. Rather than. Any agreements of what we believe. Behavior resin bleeps service. Witcher some of your very familiar. Please if you're not. Begin with these words of the unitarian universalist association. Covenant. Convenes promise. To affirm and promote first. Inherent worth and dignity of every person. And then it goes off. The principles we seek to live up to our far more challenging. Then say the ten commandments. Which. Merely say not to kill or fornicate or just your parents and so forth. We strive to go far beyond. Such prohibitions to a chat. That we. Affirmant remote. Worth. And dignity of every person. Not everybody believes in there. Coronavirus maine. But that's what we covenant. To affirm. And dignity of every person as you go on to read there are other things we haven't we also covenant. To affirm your right of conscience. As well as our own. So we don't tell you what you have to believe. Rather we strive to accept and to encourage one another. In each of our spiritual growth. Only included. Enriched by the differences of our religious sentiments. So this morning. Rank my ranch again we stand. In the spirit of mutual trust and support. Before raising the question of what are you doing here. Exactly are you doing here. About what i'm doing. The priesthood of various ancient traditions. Have. Always been a special keepers of. Priests and priestesses nucci. And incantations. The magical names. That they could invoke. Divine favors. Mere humans. Priests and priestesses near the magical. Secrets of how to call upon the name of the lord. Gets struck dead. Then vacations by the way calling on the name of the lord's prayer is that ancient magical. Right which many religions had. If you knew the name of god you could get special favors. Magical name. So when we. Say dear lord or so forth. Traditional religions. That's an ancient. Magical incantation as at work. Dia. Priesthood. Carved and moltres molten images. Ritual vestments. I grew up. More quaker and i. Fine robes and stuff. Very. Strange 3. Inspiring and moving. Address up. They. Gold and silver bowls and. Knives and candlesticks in. All kinds of rituals materials as well as relics. With magical powers and they maintain the sacred temples. And the altar. Sacred trees for waters. Holy waters or a sacred fire. Times have changed. Since the council of nicea in 325 the common era. When the pagan. Emperor constantine decided. What was orthodox beliefs and what was to be destroyed. Christian. Terribly convoluted doctrines and creeds. I saw you sent me some. Very. Complicated doctrinal statements that you found. Yeah i think is in presbyterian. It's amazing how the more you study about it. D'amore. Andy's have overshadowed. The importance of rituals and sacred objects. And even though. A religious sites the sacred. Cathedrals. In the middle ages. The only literate people. Where the priest. The monks and nuns sometimes. So the illiterate masses came to church. To hear the doctors of letters. Preach the doctrine. Scripture. And stages. And ever since the fourth century constantine. Western religion has become. Lauren laura matter of belief. Rather than religious practices. Ritual. Times have changed. About doctrines and creeds. The traditions of the educated clergy of the sunday preaching service. Structures but my experiences. They're bound to be people in the congregation to know more than i do. About any subject race. My former iowa had phds in religion. And psychologists and scientists and educators. People. It was just amazing life experiences. Insight and wisdom. Far beyond. Meijer. And despite your expertise. You have called me to share in the ministry this fellowship. Has the pastor in the pulpit. I received from you freedom of the pulpit. Freedom to struggle with those. Hidden problems. Not our hearts. Ralph waldo emerson described as. Has dealing out to the congregation. The minister's quote. Lines pass through the fire start. I don't have the facts the truth. It's a pastor coulter. The humorist storyteller garrison keillor. Right and i quote. When a minister stand in front of people. Here she is interrupting what the people of temperatures for. The preacher had better have a good reason. Otherwise he or she should stand up and talk. So. What are you doing here. Whatever. Priests or priestesses secret. Incantations magical words. Invite you to think for a moment. What are you here for. Jot down maybe three different ideas to come to mine. Be quiet for a couple minutes here. How much you think about it. What has become most important. What are you here for. Obviously you don't think you're going to be tested. If you've thought of a few i see you're not writing down this. Facade of a shoe. Mark in your mind. Which one's number one. Feeling. What's the most meaningful for you is apart of this you fellowship. A colleague of mine wrote these words. If a church is justice minister. Then it's only a visual. If a church is just it's. Intellectual stimulation and religious education. Another academic institution. If a church is just a series of potluck suppers and special events. Then it's only another social club. If the church is just a social action group. Then it's only another civic organization. And i would have a churches just a caring circle. Then it's just another support group. And my colleagues concludes with these words. Primarily a church. Is the quality of the interaction of all its members and friends. The fellowship of people. 2. Care for one another. And for the vital values of the common life. I put it involved in my test. Primarily a church's the quality the interaction of all of its members in france. A fellowship of people. And for the vital values of. Our common life. Corinth. The reason. Intellectual stimulation. Are you going to turn your versus values and principles whenever i ask people. What's most important fellowship. I think without exception is always told me that it's the relationships. Is the people. Now. You can make me a liar. I'm going to ask him to test. Is that what you're here for. What's the most meaningful to you is the relationships. Okay okay. That's what i don't know if you looked around but that was a pretty strong. Pretty strong affirmation. Starhawk wrote these words. A good pagan. Starhawk road. Quote. We are all longing to go home. To some place we have never been. A place remembered. And has envisioned we can only catch glimpses of. From time to time. Community. Without having the words catch in our throats. Somewhere. A circle with handle open to receive. Light up. As we enter. Voices will celebrate with us whenever we come into our own power. Community mean strength. The joins our strength. To do the work that needs to be done. Arms to hold us when we falter. A circle of healing. Circle of friends. Someplace where we can be. You know this is. We normally think it's about. Irrational. Intellectual insights. Better take on the way the world works. Boston university geology in the 80s. And. In the 70s. I began to change from. Philosophical theology. Mostly white male academics. Tried to write modern. Theological system. Explain religious truth for all people for all time. Man. Trying to come up with. System that explained it. Revolution took place in 70s. To address religious questions. But just don't come up for seal out in their ivory towers. The particularities. Of being a present suffering under brutal central american. Military regimes squad. Brought a different theological perspective. Liberation theology. The unique perspective of women with articulated in. And focus more on telling. Her stories. Rather than. A single abstract theological system and religious. Hist. Story. Korean. From the particularities of being the poorest of the poor. Starving in prison. And tortured. American slave heritage classism in racism. Gave rise to roxy ology. A new men's theology and gazy ology. Black woman. Theology. Presented. Theological reflection on. Unique. Particularities of people's lives of rich. Everyone else was oblivious. Questions nobody else. Had to live with. The focus upon. All kinds of people telling and making feel logical reflection. On what justice would mean in their lives. Has become known as relational theology. Relational. Evenflo esophageal theologians. I brought their abstruse theological. They even the source optical theologians brought there. Impossible to understand language to relational. Particularities. In what they call process theology. And it's another form of relational theology. Was just an acceptable.. Boston university school theology theology. I still have a couple copies reference. And i entitled it. Relation is all the name that sounded smoke. Relation is all the name but salmon smoke imagine. Satisfied. All the words in theological reasoning. Think about the experiences a fetus in utero. The babe in arms. The child in the family circle. Kids. In the circle friends. The young-adult in the lover's arms. The labor in the marketplace. The citizen in the nation. The scientist. In the austin embrace of nature. The believer in god's everlasting arms. The dying he's by caring hands. The body lying back in the embrace of mother earth. It's all about how we are held. The embrace. From the time you're in utero. It's all about the quality of our. Relationships. Relation is all the rest and feel logical text. Color. Rituals sephora. Just sound and smoke. Fighting retention. Our relationship with our own thoughts and feelings are experiences and insights involved reason and understanding relationship. Internal relationship. As well as feelings. Understanding of life meaning. But integrity. Write relation with your own inner life does not necessarily systematic theology. It does involve attentiveness. And. Honesty with yourself. A journey of. Self-reflection. It's all about his relationships. As i spoke last sunday relationships with self. Relationships with. Other beings. And with the mystery of life. What's unknown. An awesome. Napoli's. It's not about anyone claimed absolute truth. Wisdom. It's how we hold in our held in relationship. With ourselves. With other beings and with. What unfathomable. James baldwin wrote the sea rises. The light fails. Lovers cling to each other and children. The moment we cease to hold each other. The moment we break face. With one another. The stress. And the light goes out. That is experience for many people. There's a story told of a four-year-old child. The child next door neighbor. Was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry. The little boy went into the gentlemen's yard. And just sat there. When the child's mother. Ask neighbor. The little boy said nothing i just helped him cry. No words. No profound reasonings. It's all about how he holds another. The quality of our relationships. There's something in the human condition that eternally yearn. For greater sense of connectedness. Your insta reach touch others. Throwing off the pain and loneliness of separation. To experience. Connections with others. This is experience of community. Relationships of various qualities. The treatise. Worst. Nothing. As if we don't matter as if we don't even exist. With certain agreements. At least to aspire to more affirming. Inattentive relationships. With ourselves. We have to. Take ourselves seriously. With. Others and with what is a mystery to us all. So we come here to share and mutual trust and support. Messages of the pastoral pulpit. Are of value in the process of engaging our own inner dialogue. On. Various issues. Minister of the day brings up. The sunday speakers open a topic. We share. From the poetry of our lives. And from that of sages in our tradition in from the wall. Wisdom. Then the balls in your court. Here we strive to be a safe place for each of us. To reflect. Aeronautic sentiments. And say them. To draw out of wisdom. And to benefit from that of others. But it's important. It's not more important. Are the various. Small groups and one-on-one opportunities. For you to listen and engage one another. And iowa. This run. Counter to our whole. Tradition of the. Educated priest the literate. Passing on to the unwashed masses. The truth. What's. I think is important are those small groups. There's one on one. Conversation louis venues. As. Order a service at the top. Henry nelson. Nothing contributes so much. To the enrichment of any person. From other people's you're honest. An open communication about their experiences. Coffee time. Dinners for lunch. The women's group wow. Freethought society. Card games. Are times when conversations are engaged. When we tell our stories. Free listen. And we really hear some fascinating wide-ranging. The last night at virginia and bruce reynolds. Got in and out of all kinds.. And the same was true at the men's game on friday night. A colleague wrote. Member the conversation. From alice through the looking glass. Which takes place when alex meets the unicorn. So the unicorn finds out that alice has a child and says. I always thought children were fabulous monsters. Canalis responded. Juno. I always thought unicorns were fabulous monsters 2. I never saw one before. Well. Now that each of us has discovered the other said the unicorn. If you believe in me i believe in you. Is that a bargain. He concludes believing in one another. It seems to me is what community is all about. Relationships of mutual trust and support developed. From. Believing in one another and engage even different. Believing in one another so much that you look beyond disagreements. Even. Life changing. Disagreements. Until you see the life experience. Behind one another's perspectives. Unintentional venues. Sometimes some focus more than. Loose conversation. Quakers are very good. At listening as opposed to filling your time as we use wrap to do. Myself included. Quakers are very good at listening. The quaker parker palmer. The great gift we receive. On the inner journey. Is the certain knowledge that ours is not the only act in town. We learned that we do not have to carry the whole load alone. We can share it with others. And sometimes we're even free 2-way are part of the load down. Ccd. You don't have to have the one final answer. That you can sit and watch and listen. For me adult religious education small groups are. Wonderful examples of sharing the burden. Erlanger burn down. Reflection and insights you don't have to have it all figured out. I understand that some of you have become close by participating in building your own. The summer before sunday services another group. Started. And got to know each other through a program called lifecraft. I thought that was a fascinating. It's not just about listening to the minister to your own inner dialogue. It's about. Meaningful interactions on topix. Of interest. It's about listening listening. And learning to speak your own. Perspective. If you're used to being silent. It's about the relationships that emerge in the bonds of mutual trust. And support. That happened. Now you're talking about. Things you care about and telling you stories. That's why i think the most important thing. Does this uu fellowship. Are the small groups of children's and adults religious education. Everyone can participate. And that's just the genius. Everyone can participate. If all of you. You couldn't participate. In small groups there's time to listen to one another stories to reflect. And to engage in a meaningful conversation. My wife is always say. When i got done reading. You want me to look at. Commercial. This is very practical. On sunday evenings beginning tonight at 5:30. You are invited. To the small group articulating your you principal. Define the details in your way. Option one option two. The second and fourth tuesdays of each month. You're invited. Free bible study. It's already. Invited. Beginning i guess not this wednesday the weekend wednesday after. Which i thought was a 22nd. Scotty. Anyway. Okay well speak to scotty. The 29th i guess is the first one. Called cakes for the queen of heaven. Cakes for the queen of heaven. Successful. Helping people understand. On alternate wednesdays at 6:30. The ones other than cakes wendy's. Beginning. On. The 22nd. You're invited. To the deep ecology groups third program. Choices for sustainable living. Everyone will not be able to participate opportunity. Is for small groups. Everyone be engaged in telling her stories. Smallness it's required. For developing relationships of mutual trust and support. It's not always what it's about what it's about is not always what it's about. It's the chance to be. Together. I want to conclude with this. Vistaprint by marge piercy. And reason together. We must sit down. People standing went to hold forth. They rained down upon faces lifted. We must sit down. On the floor. On the earth. On stones mats and blank. There must be no front. To the speaking. No platform. No stage or table. We will not train to see who's speaking. Perhaps we should sit in the dark. In the dark we could enter our feelings. In the dark. We could propose. Indescribable. In the dark. We could not see who speaks. And only the words would say what they say. No one would speak more than twice. No one would speak less than once. The saying what we feel and what we want. What we fear for ourselves. Centereach other. Into the dark. Perhaps we could begin. To begin to listen. Perhaps we should talk in groups the size of new families. We should start by. Speaking softly. The quiet ones must learn to speak. The vocal ones must learn to bother to listen. Summit learn to say. I think this is so. Others must learn to stop dancing on the ceiling. After each speaks. She or he. Will say a ritual phrase. It is not i who speaks but the wind. Wind blows through me. Long after me. Is the wind. What are you doing here. It's time for me. For you to stand up for me to sit down.

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073006_Bill_White.mp3

And now two large speakers. You all know bills. Little bit more bottom show. That you will. No more about. Bill was born in montreal canada. Bill served at the american forces. He has a portuguese wife. He's sitting in the back row back there or name is belle. Married nearly 50 years. Bill and bell love traveling and have lived in the fort walton beach area for 30 of those years. It's 32 years. They have four children and eight grandchildren. A humanist counselor. And celebrant. Bill's been a fellowship person since. 1986. His 22 military years involved communications director support and training job. These were followed by another 20. Years in florida department of hrs divers road. As welfare and youth probation. Work with. Just people with disabilities. Social and vocational counseling. Bill leads an active retired lies and has authored. A soft little book about where humanity. Maybe headed. Entitled hope school. He leads our philosophy group and considers himself a world citizen. Anoka lucien by default. These things just happen. Bill white. Good morning. I'll tell you what. Drum up a lot of hospital follow. Open my book and i turn the page and i read we all live in a mighty television. Aeroplane. Air conditioning on streamline trains and. And you see what happened. Any of you remember that that's a little snippet from. The movie years back call song of the south. Any of you fellows that are old enough to remember that. Probably due for prostate break but i can't help it. Okay face face we could dance around the line between faith and belief all morning probably but. For the sake of brevity let's call. Play the belief or knowledge and things unseen. Usually in the mind of the beholder. I guess a lot of things have been blamed on faith including wars but wars aren't really caused by face wars or caused. My dogma. People of the book. Lots of books. Secular and sacred. From das kapital to minecon. In fact hitler wrote 1933 that the shirley. God was on their side. Maybe. If we trace faith back we can probably go back into the caves of early early days. When man would go out and stick his head out the cavern door and look around at nature. And whisper. Don't hurt me. Make me strong. Well. Then he'd run back into the cave and scratch out of visual him. On the rocky wall inside. Many sundays ago i introduce you to a couple of neanderthal brothers twins in fact if you remember any of you remember that mug life and movement. Glass of course. Was born 30 seconds. Before mama so he was the senior obviously. Now the thing about them was ugly life. Had all the answers. Motor mount on the other hand had all the questions. Well if you're looking for their descendants all you have to do is go inside the beltway perhaps enough capitol hill. Eyeglass got a lot of people hanging out down the street during the nearest big-box church probably to. Now if you're looking for descendants of mumma. You might just turn around look at the person next to you. Anyway here we sit. Caught somewhere between the book of revelations and atlas shrugged. In a world that kind of teams with ugly flights. Such as dobson robertson falwell. The mullahs too numerous to name. Years ago longshoreman philosopher eric hoffer. Wrote a book called. True believer. In that book offer warned us he says when you run across. Someone has all the answers. Run like hell. Which always amazes me giving the times we live in with all the hurricanes and tsunamis and whatnot. How come we haven't had a resurgence in neptunism. Anyway whatever comes along the abrahamic tribes are still at it. Boring with each other warring with women. Warring with weddings that are kind of funny and their eyes watering with gay people. Anything that doesn't quite fit there. Play pattern. Theologian paul tillich. Wants to find religion. Has the seeking for the answers. To the profound questions in life. And the ability and willingness to accept what you found. Even if it contradicted what you thought before. Obviously that doesn't pass for the definition of religion very much these days. Of course there are few exceptions to that like bishop spong. Bari lynn. Around davidson ladder. And of course george carlin. George carlin mentioned. I have just as much authority as got. Just not as many people attend so. Won't surprise anyone i guess to understand that. The first humanist manifesto in the thirties. Was signed by unitarian clergy and lay people. They're on their third now the second came up. Almost about the time the unitarian universalist got together in the 60s. Now humanist manifesto 3 is on the internet. If you like to be a signer and be part of history. Google humanist manifesto and go to it. As for myself i could very happily be. I faced follower of leo to. A very devout dallas in fact and in fact if you go back and look at the plaque on her back wall there. It's kind of hard to understand these words were written five centuries. Before jesus of nazareth. In our bible speaks of faith hope and charity. And in my estimation at least. The least of these is charity. Tricky word charity. There's some sense of tolerating toleration in there. Kind of sticks in your craw. Even the start almshouses and orphanages of dickinsonian england. We'll have a hard time comparing with today's tortured and displaced of our own time. We know the statistics. And however troubling those can be. They're still not really people. In our minds. We often look on recipients of charity. As somehow vaguely interior lacking skills maybe. The right stuff. Unfortunate. We might even envision them is infantile or incapable. Well years ago and san francisco will you probably came closer to being right. During our declaration. Universal declaration of human rights. If some of your read that it's a wonderful document. United states. Simply that a decent existence. Is warranted simply as a human birthright. No charity please. Of course it's not very charitable when we look at the scene. Nowadays and find more money flowing out of the poor countries. Into the wealthy ones. That's not too charitable in fact recently if you recall a g8. Made a lot of. Fuss over the fact that they forgave the poor nations. Are there deaths. Unfortunately they turn right around and subtract that amount. From what they already set aside parade. Well. I guess you could even find a darkside to the gates and buffett. Philanthropy if you tried. But it's at least superficially. Very encouraging is assemble. In a world where the half. Of the planet is dying of affluence and surplus. And the other half south of us dies of scarcity in the elect. Obviously that has something to do with all of populism that's going on down south of us about now. Needless to say they're mighty forces at work. Busily converting. Want to needs. Such a thing even is water. Has become a commodity there was a recent article in harper's. Talkin about. The bottle water drop giant coke pepsi and nestle. Who's been hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Convincing us that their product is pure safe. Healthy and superior to tap water. Well scientifically that's pretty shaky stuff. Highly enough about half of us drank bottled water. Inside the six of us drink only bottled water. Which just happens to be the fda's least-regulated product. Anyway. Once out 4 oz. Bottled water. Ron's 242 10000 times. The price tap water. So that's that requires a pretty good sale. And yet a quarter of it comes from taps. Including coach dyson. Pepsi. Awkwafina. These are the same companies that drain. Much of their water for their cokes and soft drinks. From the poorest countries on the planet. Nestle. Drains about 218 gallons a minute. Michigan's waterways and wetlands. That's due in court by the way. That's hardly charitable of nestle. To go into into india's rotary pradesh province. And lower their water level over 50 ft. So it's so sad passive affairs really. Such vital things to life. Are simply piard marketed and sliced into pie. These are the same forces that are added 24/7. Convincing us that our wants or needs. Building cultures based on witless distraction ruthless competition and instant gratification. Altogether nice building cultures. Built on witless distraction ruthless competition and instant gratification. Actually when is the last time you heard anybody say she's i got it whipped young rich baby. Do you ever hear that from anybody at all ever. Track this. Scott burns in our local paper defined. Well from richmond c said. You know you're rich one more money. Won't change where you live. What you eat. What you drive. Or who you sleep with. So why if we're doing so well by we fight night and day all the time constantly. Obviously hype has a lot to do with image. Dolomite walking ferry park. It's close by the house. It's quite a scene. Martin jefferson thing. Little portuguese lake. Slouching along behind. I was given for a while to wear a muscle shirts and a brokeback mountain hat to walk in. And i thought you everybody's got to be a cowboy at least an hour of their life right. Then we converted to parasols. Them's umbrellas for yourself nurse. This one very well apparently has two ladies walked by and said she that's a good idea. On the other hand some guy in a pickup truck whistle. Anyway recently americans. Have decided that they they don't care so much about our national parks and great outdoors as they used to now they're rivet on the screens of their tvs. Video games and internet machines. Once upon a time. Admiral probably all remember it's not from the picture from older times. Once commented on television he said television is like a sword. Rusting in the scabbard. Well the old chain-smoker roll over in his grave if he can watch the evening news today. You know half of it is commercial half infomercial and half corporates squeeze. Do the math i passed the fcat i'm okay. Roman circus is scarcely could raise a candle to the height. The girdles the globe right now and tractors hitler hadn't been blessed with access. And television. It's very likely i'd be doing this in german. If they could see us now the old soviet abret apparatchiks. Who are think to be making a comeback i by the way. What's positively drool over such things as focus groups sound bites. Push poles. Frankly when the commercials come on. I fast-forward. Or put it on mute. Okay homeland security i'll go peacefully. Anyway on a more somber note the governing boards down it associate associated press and public broadcasting. I've also now falling into right-wing hands. I like most corporate heads. They seem more attuned the sociological an ecological needs. As they meet their bottom lines. Sean. If i guess i even the chinese want their suvs now. But if you think back to the sixties the yale chaplain. William coffin sloan if you remember that name. Made a comment one time. He said it doesn't matter. If you win the rat race. You still a rat. If i was a mexican i'd be swimming the real tonight to. They want to ask bank robber willie sutton. Yeah really why you rob banks. That's where the money is. Why do they swim. Visiting vegas a few days ago. Behind all the glitter and glamour and glow and glitz. You often see the inner workings of the machine they ain't quite as pretty but i assure you. Even looking around us these days we see that razzle dazzle. Ain't got us from building side billboards everywhere there's space to fill. There's a message. Squint around in the traffic to rooms in destin tonight. And you never saw so many messages around you. Everybody's got a message. In fact my own and if you notice my old station wagon out there. That's probably the last visualize world peace left in the east coast. Maybe in the country. And t-shirt. Messages aren't quite that that. That hateful either because the kids gave me one. That says. I took the road less traveled now where the hell am i. Or another one that they always heard from me was. It's not what i perceive. How i perceive it. Little bill ellis cognitive stuff there. Prince very true and we raised our kids on it. Perhaps the ultimate gimmick would be if they were to implant a little chip in your eyelids. Didn't even while you're sleeping. Bring it all in. Get the message 24/7. You guys are like sports understand of course the drips testosterone and testimonials. Night and day. Religion rocks they discovered. The media. I mean you've got wrestlers for jesus and all the religious music is hitting the charts like crazy. I mean. Don't knock success. They've had religious airways blanketing this country if you ever take his car driving you looking at myself for some music. Can be a problem. Yeah it was kind of encouraging when i sign victor. Was visiting. But. Three weeks ago now. And the first thing he did. When he got off the plane. I love them for it. He turned off his blackberry. And he didn't turn it on again till 11. I guess we all need to kind of escape. Once in awhile. Maybe. Close down not reboot for awhile. Meditate. Be a quiet place. Somewhere. Paraphrasing rodney king. Maybe we real really all just can get along. We live in hope. Which we arrive at home. And i believe the spite of all the gloomy. Proceeding stuff. There are species really is teetering on the edge of a new age. New spirituality. I believe. Possible for the human family not today's. Delusional dogmas and power plays with. Or even something that the science-fiction writers dreamed up when they found better mind control or. More deadly reagan's. Rockets. Enso on ice. Eldridge cleaver. Right. Competition is the law of the jungle. The law of civilization is cooperation. There's some really. Hopeful things to read in this number national geographic for those of you who get it and maybe you've already read it. What does little piece in there by a vermonter by the name of bill mckibben. It's called a deeper shade of green. And that's a really encouraging. Read and yet it's realistic. My own faith lies. In our abilities i see it. To become the aristocracy of earth's creatures. If you want to hear some real aristocrats. I hope you're listening to bill moyers faith and reason. Margaret atwood. Blows me away. Marvel. Person. I'm taping it by the way there's one more session. And i'm going to leave some copies back in our library. Just take it a week that you're not doing anything else and catch up with it if you haven't seen it as well worth. Watching app also got a couple of copies of hopeful back there the doors mention. In fact i just have a couple with me today in case anybody has to go home without which one. And it hopes fool. The point i think that i'm trying to make is it we're living in a time such as we've never experienced before. Toddler calls the third wave. If you like acronyms. I go with sia s i a. Which is kind of shorthand for service. Formation. Service automation information. I can imagine the new aristocrat maybe one of our grandkids. Arriving on the scene. Will the media modem tennis backpack. Backpack. Maybe a meatloaf sandwich. On a bicycle. I think that maybe apollyon is notion and summarize but let me wrap up by just touching on a few things. That i mention and hopeful because i think it's a hopeful book. Hopeful well. Title speaks for itself. But the first chapter is about violence. Material physical and mental which is probably the hallmark of our times. And violence is a means of settling disputes. Is only going to be remedy to international consent and cooperation. Things like the un ngos. I'm just cultural outfits that ever cover. I've been waiting long enough to do peace. Commerce and economics. Was the strange topic for me john could probably do that better nitro. But strangely central to commerce and economics i think. Is a new humanistic. Sort of religion obviously you know. I'm going with that one. But i think even the gates foundation. Has found that humanistic value when they fun things like the grameen bank. Which. Doesn't lend money to the big cats it lends them two women that want to open street saws and a little businesses. And provide for their families and educate them. I obviously the media. How to socialize. As well as commercial lights for a change. Much as that may seem like mind control. And of course current pbs battles reflect that right now. He's going to get some ideas the first that really count for something. Government. It goes without saying the government. Desperately needs more citizen involvement. I think we'll play it much much more intense role in the future. Because necessities off in the mother of invention is reno. But there's trouble something going on on the internet. Because the government is trying to get us out of this business of petitions was she. As you probably know how i love to do i send everybody and i get to delete. But the petitions. When they hit the congressman's office in the morning and there's 30,000 them in the inbox. I know he doesn't read but i know he counts. I guess another thing that to do with media is that there's there has to be a move towards more world citizenship. Like it or not we're world citizens and our kids and the grandkids. I think we're going to have a much more personal. Unless material view of things. And their interactions with others. At least we live in holts. I'm also hoping that they'll store resorts around the world. For just the kind of things that were fearing right now as summer progresses. And be ready for things before they happen. That's the whole idea of being a human being you can visualize it tomorrow. Law well. The chapter law probably a first-year law student could. Contrast my butt. The clear need in this land of lawyers is the fact that. We need to desperately have more justice and less law. Conflict mediation is as you teach you probably noticed. It's taking a larger and larger role in school and thank goodness for that. If i were school superintendent. I probably eliminate. Student parking lots. Surplus. If i was a middle school guy. Ot cholla middle schoolers to play chess. Cuz i know 64 squares you can learn more about life. You can learn.. Your actions have consequences you can learn to plan for the future you can learn that healthy competition does work. Lot of things on a chessboard. Lastly this is it baby boomers roar into old age. Elderly that is. We're going to find much more activity. In our older citizens. Much more learning much more teaching. I think perhaps older people will regain some of that respect and honor. Due to our wisdom and experience that we've lost somewhere along the line. It'd be kind of nice that to feel like a tribal elder again. Uu minister robert fulghum. Most you probably read his book all i really needed to know i learned in kindergarten. I had some very good rules of the thumb. Not rocket science for sure because he says love one another. Eat slowly. Cher. Be careful crossing the street. Isn't it strange that all facing to preach that we should be as children we should. Somehow regress back to an innocent time in life. When perhaps we were most secure. Well we've been sold a lot of insecurities that's probably fairly obvious. And even now. From the darkest part of the cave. You can hear that voice. Don't hurt me. Make me strong. Well nature doesn't listen. We got to do it ourselves. Anime clothes with this another quote that someone might recognize. Cassius was right. The fault dear brutus not in our stars. Within ourselves. Tonight. Maroon 5 solo. Thanks for listening.

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061304%20Rev%20Tom%20Butts.mp3

I wanted a to hear that introduction. Black m. Thank you. I'm delighted to be here today i have the brooks with this church this fellowship. Back when you in fort walton beach. Carmel drive. And i was at trinity and you wouldn't have a preacher some sunday i preach the trinidad 8:30 and then do the uu church and then i'mma go back to training and preach 11th way. With a certain one of those i like about you is. You don't let out the club is that right. Electric is it start at 10:30. It gives you a great feeling of. Plenty of time to do whatever you want to do. Reverend deb's thank you for. Letting me come and speak here today and to all of those that you've had some part and getting me here. Especially my dear friend bill campbell. Didn't get the church a lot but. Has been delegated to get me here safely and get me back. Sometimes if i don't have somebody to guide me i get lost this age and stage of my life. Right after 9/11. I was invited to come back to trinity to do a wedding. And i don't usually go to. After rehearsal dinners arthur receptions at the weddings i mean after about 1,000 it wears you out. But this couple. Prevailed on me to please come to the reception it was at the officers club at eglin. And i finally agreed to and then. When i got my card starting at the gate today when i found out they had not put my name on the list. After 9/11 it took some fast-talkin. To get past the emps on the gate. But finally i made it to the officers club and as i walked in there was. Lady standing at the door with. Troy wine glasses and i went by and picked up juan went to the order of stay bullet. Enjoyed myself with horderves and then i started doing what any good methodist preacher thug i started working the room. Shaking hands with everybody and. That's what i thought to myself you know i don't know any of these people. And when the bridegroom came in i realized. They weren't the couple that i had married. So it's quick as i could i kind of backed out and. Saying goodbye to everybody and got down the hall and found the right reception then stayed fart. So that's why he'll die signs. My friend bill campbell. To take care of me and see that i get at the right place at the right time and point me back toward monroeville when it is all over. I'm glad molly is here today. We don't have animals at our house but we have three visiting cats. It belongs to the levoy next door and goldenrod always meet me at the back door every morning when i'm going to the church office. And walks with me across the street then she waits for me. And walked me back across the street. I've had a little bit of experience dealing with animals in church or animals in general when i was first church montgomery number of years ago at that been debited. Dumont and i got invited to do the. Invocation of prayer for horseshoe. And it was a big stadium where they had all the horses and everything in this young lady breathlessly was trying to run this whole thing finally found me and do you know how to do this. I think i can pray at a horse show at the show because i've been preaching the jackasses for almost. We had a wonderful time with hank and lynn christian on. The friday night they had a dinner party. And invited building me to come and. Meet friends and. I want to thank them for that and for the opportunity to see them with i know them they are recovering methodist by the way. And they're very special and dear to me. And as lynn and hank. Provided all these good things for us to eat and drink there i thought about this. Lady who had a dinner party and invited number people. If you rush through everything it was a hassle and finally when they sit down to table. She said her seven-year-old daughter said diamond would you like to say the prayer. Always says. Little girls is overlord why did we invite all these people here today. That was this. Three little girls upland church one day. No children left plate search. And they decide to have a wedding. Do them one the bride and groom another girl was going to be the minister and she got her little black book. Have them stand beforehand then she said to them. You have a right to remain silent. Anything that you said do may be used against you in a court of law you have the right to a lawyer and you do not have one one will be provided for you. You may kiss the bride. I appreciate a lot of different churches this is my sixth year in retirement. And i have not done well with the tirement because i. My wife says let's go to nothing charge of things anymore. But i still travel around preacher lot. Couple years ago i went out to little country church out by monroeville. Was doing a revival meeting for them know something you don't know about revival meetings that i explain it to you at the church is over. But at that night i had preached to that was good. I really got it that night and on the way back home i was driving along i said the hill that they do know they're not many great preachers anymore. And she felt a minute should your right and there's probably one less than you think of their hits. She has a way of keeping me in manageable units. Most of the time. Last sunday i preached in montgomery. New hope metropolitan community church. Some of you might be acquainted with the metropolitan community church. Denomination all over united states. The gay lesbian church. Left right there several times if any you want to hold hands during the service it's alright it won't offend me at all just go right ahead. Today i want to talk to you for a few minutes on. Planning invisible. Would you buy here just for a moment meditation. I begin by asking you have. You ever felt like you would go into pieces. That your life was just sort of falling apart. If you have then let me welcome you to the human race. Because to live is to be anxious. Live in the kind of world in which we live in today is to expose oneself to the possibility of acute anxiety wall climbing anxiety. Of course we do. So many unhappy things to ourselves. The others. When we make ourselves vulnerable to anxiety. Never called so much of the natural world is beyond our rational understanding and of course i can true. We even come to. Be anxious about the. Natural world and sometimes that the natural world is a hostile place. The book he wrote a number of years ago. coppola cornelius with psychiatrist reminds us of the far-reaching implications of this truth. He said think how many people today. Live as if they were surrounded by a host of them is. The cold and the heat little rain the sun germs poisons other human beings society. Psychological complexes. And there are people who spend their time. Being irritated and complaining and protecting themselves and being afraid. But to be surrounded by enemies. Real or imagined. If the comes live in a constant state of anxiety threat and fear. And it also then makes us more vulnerable to real threats. 60 added another aspect to this. Would you rather scary to me. He wrote what we long fear we soon come to hate. Think about that. But after is providing and constant. Weather is okay snow in miles. We all know the smell of fear. Anxiety. And the threat. Of uncertainties. The surely the great god of the universe. Did not intend for us to live that way. Faith that we talked about. Do we have developed through the years in our lives. Can help us deal with this invisible enemy of the soul. Which when it gets turned loose tonight alive killed with quality-of-life. That's what i want to talk to you about today. What faith and goodcents can do to save us. From the erosive effect. Of anxiety. There's an unforgettable found singing in one of john beck's novels john steinbeck's novel the novel called the grapes of wrath. The jeweled family as you may remember you read the book. They are on their way to california along with thousands of others. Looking for a. Better live at al and they've never seen. The dust bowl was in the middle of the country. Thousands of people traveling. The problem with the joad family. Is casey. Former preacher and a very troubled person. It was a regular 1925 car breaks down. Casey the plumber pretty begins to pour out his trouble to doubts about. This seemingly jinx. Rush california. The song jose tom resist cases pessimism and his predictions with a simple answer to him look casey. At least on my dog's one at the time. Yes it's casey but when offense comes up at you you going to climb that fence. Yes at times i climb fences when i got fences to climb. Casey just shakes his head. And says. I got admit tom that beats the best way. But there's different kinds of fences. And i spoke like beans what climbs fence is. That ain't never been strung up yet. And just can't help it. Does that sound like anybody that you know. The most of us it does have a familiar sound and a familiar feeling. Because in the secret councils are sold anxiety in some form is nearly always an agenda. What is that. Invisible enemy that rears its ugly head in so many forms and bleeds life of happiness and reinforces most irrational fears. We may not be able to define it but cope with it we must for it is part. And parcel. Of life itself. Start asking life is not to plant a lifestyle in which there is no anxiety. But a lifestyle in which we keep our anxiety in manageable units. The cost to live is to be anxious. Don't talk i know who are not anxious or in the cemetery up beside the methodist church where i live in monroeville. And of course it is said that only the dead are without anxiety but you know even that is an assumption of the living. What is correct to say that the be alive is experiencing anxiety is also equally true that not all anxiety is created and not all anxiety is alike. The theologian paul tillich. Makes a distinction between destructive anxiety and created anxiety. The first the destructive is a pathological anxiety which is. Neurotic spreading and uncreated response to an unreality. The second is existential anxiety which arises out of our very nature of human beings. The pathological anxiety is this a disproportionate response. To a real or imagined situation. And it's an illness that needs the treatment. Steele counselors opposition. Existential anxiety is normal. It is a proper feeling that exists in proportion to a threatening situation. Anxiety the part about nature human beings. And it has to be confronted. And to be conquered by the resources of our faith. What anxiety is a cute and we cannot trace it back to some situations are some events that could or should have caused it. We need the skillful help a person who by training and experience. Can help deliver us from it. And the good advice of well-meaning friends which is offered in. Dutch braid. Leaving the principles of the clergy from the pulpit. Are not adequate for treating pathological anxiety. So let me talk to you then instead basically about the treatment. And the living with existential anxiety, anxiety the kind that we all have sometimes and sometimes it leans hard against the wall and sometimes we keep it manageable. Inability. Start the case baby. Our failure. Except our own nature is human beings. We. At times in life tend to have unrealistic expectations of ourselves. Perhaps all of us at some time in life have felt that we were ten feet tall and bulletproof. Do we can handle anything that comes down the pike if we just put our minds to it. Expectations like that for ourselves with bound encounter times and occasions in which we come away. Feeling defeated. And guilty. And anxious. Because we have not met those expectations. We expect perfection of ourselves and we are so obviously imperfect. We have limited knowledge. We have limited strength. A limited understanding. Which they rented x feelings. That. Are not under our control. We are not. Paragons of virtue courage or love. We are not perfect although we know some people. Who think they are. In fact we made these people who think we are. But i remind you that we are human beings and what i love about this church. Is the. Humanism. I'll put you always remind us when you have your worship services. Live long enough to know that there are certain limits that we have. Competence our strength. And our knowledge. And if we cannot accept these meditations. We are damned and doomed. Do i have level of existential anxiety and probably headed toward pathological anxiety. Friend of mine tobias story about it. Chaplain during the korean war who was in a foxhole with two soldiers. And the battle was going on and an enemy love to hand grenade into the foxhole and the chaplain just instinctive it up and threw it back. The explosion kill to. And the chaplain was absolutely devastated. Because he knew he was not supposed to be a combatant. But he broke down and started trembling. Finally was the old master sergeant who brought him back to his senses. He shook him and said to him. Before you were priests you are a human being. Brother dave's we all need to learn that. No matter what kind of veneer we used to civilize our nature. Underneath that veneer is a fragile uncivilized human being. You scratch the surface of any of us. And there's a savage down there. And the veneer is much sooner than we would like to admit. Expectations dramatically over reach our nation our nature. Existential anxiety may soon become pathological. What are the earliest. Sources of anxiety with a human being. Comes when we were children when we. Have the basic fear of losing our parents. Are losing people who love us. Psychologists tell us that the earliest there but y'all. Is it the year of losing one or both parents. That's why severe family arguments are absolutely devastating to little children because they are afraid that one of their parents will go away. In 55 years in the ministry i've dealt with a lot of cases of divorce. Where they were small children involved. Unless you have been through this yourself off you have been through it with one of your children you cannot imagine the emotional damage and pain. Did this almost always causes. Small children. Always respond in this little divorced parents. By thinking that it's their fault. The pain and the fear of losing both parents. Call just pitiful and long-lasting problem sometimes that do not really show themselves. Until well into adulthood. We never really get over. The fear of losing people upon whom we depend. Anxiety can be seen at almost every age and stage. Reply. No it is here. Graphite comes in. It we believe in something or someone somewhere. Bigger and stronger and more able than we are. And when we cannot keep life into manageable units we can commit our alive into that direction. Everybody needs a small core of orthodoxy. And if a. Not a big one. But a small core of a orthodox something that you can always hang onto no matter how hard the storm lady. I've spent most of my life fighting orthodoxy. Because i became a christian and a minister not because of orthodoxy but in spite of it. When i grew up in the fundamentalist church in conecuh county. Alabama. But i do feel that we all need. Little bit of something we can hang onto while we experiment out there without thinking an understanding of reality about other things. I'm not to be taken by great body is a theological understanding. Because i'm old enough and have been around long enough to know that all feel like chicken propositions are human construct. Therefore they are fallible. But in this malaise of things that we know are shaking. And in some days we don't believe in other days we try to. That we have a small core somewhere down there in the middle. That we can lean on. And what's up what's through the hard times. That sometimes our anxiety is intensified. Because we wonder if we are the only people that are suffering from anxiety. When you get anxious but get the beds you feel like you got it written across your forehead. Most of the people with whom you brush elbows today. Are people who are somewhat anxious in a little bit afraid about something. And they too will probably be set with the concern. That they might be the only people on the street who having trouble where they nerves quote. And every life they are some fears anxiety and struggles of sold at the casual observer never cease. Behind the pinched faces and deferred browse a friends and acquaintances everywhere there is some anxiety. They are burdened understandable only in the light of the lives in which they occur. And they are part of daily life. And some limes these burdens to handle the well. Unfortunately there are some in which they are not handled at all. All pastors are counselors of some sort to maybe a good one or a bad one. But you're going to be a counselor brother deb's you know that you bet people will come to the pastor. Trying to find some way to handle the problems in their lives and their anxieties. People come to see me who were anxious and afraid. More often than not. What's problem. Both the baptist has a great saying i love. Both said it's not about what it's about it's about something else. And most of the people that i deal with the past in a counselor. Come and talk to me about something they got a drug problem but alcohol problem i know that it's not about what it's about it's about something else. The drug and alcohol only a symptom. Something that lies much deeper. Much deeper. Then that. There's also another dimension of anxiety. Sometimes we began to feel vaguely anxious about what is known. The future. And ralph waldo emerson put the madden clear perspective when he wrote some of your hurts you cured and the sharpest two volumes 25. Bro what torments of grief you can do word. That never arrived. When faith runs and we always ask for proof and we would settle for some reassurance. But the big dread of the unknown future. Call just asked to imagine and fear things that we imagine. Might happen. Thomas carlyle once said. Our main business is not to see what lies dimly. At a distance. But. Do what clearly lies at hand. I think we all spend too much time planning fences that are not there in a future that has not yet arrived. Ma. Greatest hero in the traditional courses jesus. Jesus wants said do not be anxious about tomorrow. Tomorrow will look after it's left for each day has enough trouble. Autozone. Those of you who come from backgrounds and traditions where the lord's prayer is used. The prayer that jesus taught you will remember there's a sentence in that prayer. Which suggests us that we are not to be. Worrying too much about things that haven't gotten here yet. That sentence says. Give us. This day. Our daily bread. The illegitimate timeframe for us to concern ourselves. Today. And i know for so many of us worrying is up. Flavored indoor sport. And i will admit that there are some problems. Some things that are worthy of a concern i heard sid. Leading lifting sum up this morning thank you for that little speech you made to assist. But worrying is not a creative way to handle a problem. What we can do about. Worrying. Knowing fears about things that have come. Is the. Petco three steps. The first is to be very intentional. In dealing with your worries. It's a certain times of the day that you worry more than other discipline yourself not to do that during that particular. of time. Just refuse to do it. Whatever you understand god to be say i'm going to leave this in your hand until in the morning when i get up. You can watch out for a bit overnight i'd appreciate it a lot. Also we need to lay aside some of the things that we worry about not carry it all around it one time. I would also suggest that we need to. Organize our anxieties. Categorizing and keep them manageable. Don't ever try to handle it all at one time. No beers ago. Rearranging my office. And i have an awfully large 4-drawer filing cabinet. That contains hard copies of all the sermons that i've written over the past 50 something years. I'm headed stuff. I was trying to move the cabin and i couldn't move it i called them teenage son laying in to help me. And we couldn't budge it. Send a message to daddy why don't we take the drawers out. And move the frame of it and then put the. Cabinet drawers back in once the time. Ever since then. After my son taught me that. I've been able to move that filing cabinet right by myself. You and i can do the same with our anxiety it is that we don't try to handle them all at one time. It is too heavy. Too heavy. I know that. Feel anxious the kind of world we living in right now. Sweetie up fool not to feel some anxiety. But our faith auto helpers. The handle it. N. Not to get around it. But under it but to go through it. And use the mind god gave us. Thank god this is one of the places of worship. This fellowship. But you're not required to park your mind is it over. Will you talk coke when you come in. But your mind is considered to be a part of the. We put you faith your way through. All the things that life has. That my friends. Watch out for those invisible fences that ain't never been strung up yet. And don't you waste your time. Climbing. It'll get you absolutely. Nowhere. God bless you and so glad to see you i'm glad you came today. And thank you for inviting me.

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VLR_123_When_the_Song_of_the_Angels_Is_Stilled.mp3

A different trinity respect freedom and justice for all persons the unitarian universalist they uncommon denomination on the web at uua.org. Hello and welcome to the voices of liberalism podcast with your host reverend rod debs. The following sermon entitled. When the song of angels is stilled what's presented by rev ride dad's at the youth fellowship normal coast valparaiso florida on december 26th 2010. At the end of last week's message. Unbeknownst to me. This howard thurman quote that you find in your order service. Was used at the perfect. Introduction to what i wanted to speak about today. He said when the song angels are stilled. When leaves start the sky have gone when the kings. And princes are home when the shepherds are back with their flocks. The work of christmas begins. Define the lost. To heal the broken. To feed the hungry. To release the prisoner. To rebuild the nation's. To bring peace to others. To make music in the heart. Howard thurman was a boston university school theology. Personage. Camano island history. This year i haven't sunbury many. Christmas carols. Usually i try to pack them into the. Services but i didn't this month myself when i was leaving services. I remember caroling in the homes of. Iowa shut-ins we would. Get a group of us together bundled up and have some clothes. Confit piling out of cars trying to find a place where we wouldn't get stuck in the snow. Singing sometimes with the snow falling. I think thurman must have been thinking about those carols. When i read about when the song of angels. And then mentioned the stars the kings. Shepherds in sulphur. Going up and levin jellicle christian church. We sang mccarroll's it was a matter of. Tradition. I couldn't imagine christmas. Without singing the traditional carols and hearing you always had red. The passages. The gospels that told the difference infant narratives has stories the christmas story. Spin at home then. This sometimes feel odd for me to hear these songs here at the church. But it's home we put the record on and leave here. About the up on the rooftop and rudolph in. Frosty and silver bells mill springs. Those weren't that what we sang at yours. It was fun. The christmas tree. Santa the presents. Driving to grandma's house. The christmas cookies mom made and. The christmas cards i thought she had taped up to the. Hallway door. Cultural christianity. I think howard thurman is challenging. Christians. To go beyond the cultural festivities to do the work of christmas. Define the loss to heal the broken and so far. Rebecca parker who's the president starr king school for the ministry in our universal cemetery. In san francisco. She writes the. The liberal religious imagination. And i quote. Please change. Coming through an evolutionary process. The gradual dismantling. I'm just interrupt systems. And the eventual. Unfolding. How's life integrator forms of beauty and justice he rides. I have done my share of. Calling for the end of evil empires. Announcing that the promised land is just around the corner. She had better united methodist minister. Before she came. To unitarian universalist. She continues but i have come to believe. That we need to let go of this religious myth. About the evolutionary. Transformation. She writes. As we enter the new millennium. We need to see ourselves as people living in the aftermath. Of cataclysmic violence. Focusing our attention on the marks. Apass violence. In our personal and collective experience. We must notice the breakdown. Sorrow and legacies of injustice. The characterize our current world order. We must discover. How we can live. Among the ruins. She writes the task. Is to walk among the ruins. Find what can be saved. Gather up materials. Can we build. The religious enterprise can be imagined as kind of salvage work she says. Recognizing the resources. That sustained and restore life. Tending to injury in ourselves and others. Collecting resources. Buried in the rubble. And constructing shelters. Her body and spirit. Family and community. From blessing the world what can save us now. Rebecca parker offers three. Practices. 3. Healing. Practices. First truth-telling. We who use language have a tendency to confuse. Words with reality i think we call it a nominalism. For example we love humanity but we. It's the people we can't stand. Dukakis idea this word yumanity. And as mark twain said if we could only take into our hearts and hug hug. But down here on earth. Despise. So many different people. Remember hearing about the attack that took place in our knoxville church one sunday morning. Killing two and injuring others i was at a meeting of unitarian versus ministers. And one of them began singing. That what i can only consider wishful singing. He sang i've got peace like a river. I've got peace like a river. I couldn't see it. They got around to the versus dead. I got pain. Like an arrow. I could swing that. It's easy to. Have the words. But not the reality. The hebrew prophet jeremiah called 42 stelling. What he said. They have healed the wound of my people. Lightly saying. Peace peace. When there is no peace. You know maybe ebenezer scrooge at a point. He was onto something when he refused to pretend. The kindness compassion and generosity. Exist in a world that allowed the destitute underclass. The supper 11 months of the year. Denigrating them as lazy criminal. Or unworthy freeloaders and then on christmas. Suddenly the cheerleader wish them joy and peace offering a merry christmas. Along with a free bird and toys for the kids. Charles dickens. Wanted more. Reality. It is christmas. He said that's at the top of your order service charles dickens and unitarian that. I will honor christmas in my heart. And try to lift it. All year round. All the year. Most every sunday i celebrate our unitarian universalist covenant. As articulated in the principles that we promised to be a safe place. For each person's integrity. So that no one leave a part of themselves at the door you heard it this morning and. To welcome everyone warmly as our promise. Our aspiration. Our ongoing discipline i say it's not automatic. Just because we say it. Doesn't make it so. Nominalism. Hipper example are practicing to make smokers feel uncomfortable. Or. Maybe secretly. Aa folks. Are confronted by alcohol at all our social occasions. Where perhaps only nominally welcome. I don't use those as example. There's lots of people in lots of different. That we have the words were welcoming. But. What's the reality. Actions speak louder than words. The challenge is to make our words real. With each new cover. 2 arcturus. With each hidden part of ourselves. That way. Discover. Undisclosed. Simply say we promised our mutual trust and support. Does not make it so. I always have to push our. Precious toward that next stretching. I do think we are very welcoming. Play departure recommend as healing practice the first was truth-telling. Not just the words. But the reality. His her second was salvaging. Military vs. celebrate many sources you look in the back of your door service we often talked about the principal rybolt right below that if you look at it or the sources. The we confer we honor many sources. And for which we have many diverse religious sentiment. The final words of our covenant right at the bottom. The statement of principles reads grateful. For the religious pluralism. Which enriches and the nobles are fee. Enriches. The noble therapy inspired to deepen our understanding expand our vision. Personally i enjoy. Very much. Give me itching and ennobling diversity. Unitarian universalist religious pluralism. It's so wonderful to hear people with. Diverse religious. Insights with life experiences in. Cultural. Background that's really cool. But report rebecca parker. Challenges us. To be more than. Religious consumers. Delicates. She challenges us. Pacific through the rubble. And determine what needs to be saved. From among the world's wisdom traditions. Judge what gives life. Water presses. She writes we need the sabbath candles. The house of study. The bread communion. The silence of sitting. The teachings of jesus. The dance of sufis. The body rhythm of gospel singing. The word of prayer. The narratives of the souls dark knight. The cross. And the ox herding pictures. We may come to unitarian universalism with their own. Personal religious. Ori religious sentiments. But i work is to sort through and salvage. Those healing and life-giving elements. From those less helpful. And healing relationships. Heading building communities of mutual trust and support. Truth-telling salvaging. Third rebecca parker recommends. Counterintuitive. Approach to spiritual leadership. Counterintuitive. Countercultural albay. She writes. The guys we should he. The guides. We should head. Are those whom william james called. Twice born. People who have grappled with suffering. Los. A depression. And. Found a way to survive. Such as african-american weapon. Lesbian gay bisexual and transgender people. Those who have recovered from addiction. Those who are present with us. Bearing the scars of suffering and survival. And they. Should be our guides. Our spiritual leader. Art teacher. Although we love to sing peace on earth wall good work well. The work of christmas is more real. And more rewarding the winter wonderland. And. Christmas cards sentimentality. Rebecca parker rides. Hit our time. Hope. Means not running away from the ic hard ground suffering. Violence and justice and deceit. Savoring the sweetness. Human love. Lighting the sabbath candles. Smiling being sent. Opening our hearts to the sources of refreshments. And grace that are given to us. Survival means reconstructing from the ruins. A world of hospitality. And peace. It means living as one of those who. As adrienne rich says. With no extraordinary power. Reconstitutes the world. May the work. Generous. Compassionate. Loving kindness. Continue all year. We hope you've enjoyed your presentation. Please send any of your comments or feedback to vlr at ufc.com. Feel free to access our extensive library of audio and text sermon at you ufc.com and you can also find out more about unitarian universalism by visiting uua.org thanks again for listening. Going to church means different things to different people and sometimes for some people they need something different from what they found increasingly people are turning to the unitarian universalist illiberal religious community we're different people with different beliefs gatherers 1 faith in their intellectual and spiritual search for truth and meaning in their lives unitarian-universalist explore their philosophies and the unitarian universalist congregation welcome to join us. The uncommon denomination.

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111404%20Articulating%20Our%20UU%20Principles.mp3

Many times were asked about our face. Call our coffee our chat. Good morning carter how's your weekend. I got a question for. I'm you you are you. It means i'm a unitarian universalist. We were you church. Valparaiso across the street from the post office. It's not about that makes us you use you use have a diversity. What unites us is how we are to behave towards one another. We need not think alike to love ally. We have seven principles. But they are about behavior rather than beliefs. One of the principle states that we affirm to promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Another principle of respect for the interdependent web. Call willing good. No not really. Affirm. To promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person to hire requirement. Because it includes people. I might check it out. That be great. When friends and family asked you what do unitarian universalist believe do you fumble and falter or do you sometimes stumble and stutter. Or do you find yourself embarrassed by your own lack of knowledge. If you answered yes to even one half of one of these questions then you need to be enlightened friends. Okay how do we return universalist enlighten ourselves forced. Wearied. Before i read a chosen faith. Dolphin lift friends and family members confused about what i believe. I left them asking me more questions. Then earlier. And i failed to articulate myself very clearly. But now after reading a chosen. I am secure and i am capable of answering those others. Very tough ones on my dad. And if you are willing and able to fill out a mirror $15 + 1/13. You will have a treasure trove of information at your fingertips which you can use to eloquently to your friends and family. This commercial is brought to you by the give you a jealous already class articulate. Okay. Juanita. What is this unitarian-universalism. Universal. And everyone. It is a very diverse and unique. You have to come and speak. We just don't take. Anything anything. Danny. What do you believe. What do. I guess you could break that down into about 45 hours. But i guess what i believe. Only one journey. And i've got to live. For this very moment. Jesus talked about letting. The dead bury the dead. How to take care. Concentrate on zack. The moment. And how i live with others. And that is what i found here. I can throw. Others. Challenge. New idea. Does this make you that doesn't mean that you take jesus into your heart. I believe. That jesus is among us when we work together. Styles. What is a unitarian universalism. Unitarian universalism is represents the me a diversity of beliefs. It's a place where we can have doubts. I myself still struggle with with. Some of the. Christian. Teachings that i grew up with. Find a tie. That more often i'm saying what i don't believe. Rather than what i do believe and that's that's. Very typical. For you use so it's something that i continue to struggle with it's a. It's a religious path. What has this classement to you. This class is been an opportunity for. Each person to articulate to. Ask themselves questions to think about and take some time to practice articulating. What they personally feel that they can say honestly. Our tradition since the middle ages has been. And taught everybody. Truce right. It's it's important. That lay people reclaim and not application. And the right of conscience to. As exercise. It's a delight. To hear. Unitarian universalist. In the language of christianity to take seriously the spirit. And to learn to articulate. What is it that you. Well first of all i believe that you you is a way of living. It supports our wholeness. When i first joined uu church i took building your own theology one of our courses. Come up with kind of a statement. The only god i will ever know is if within myself. Religion consists of taking responsibility for this. And manifesting it in the larger community. You you is a religion i found that supports me it's really the only religion i found that supports me in my individual search. Am i individual definition to spirituality and conviction. What is this. You believe in unitarian universalism. I'm sorry i was too busy complaining to myself that i had to answer it what is unitarian universalism. I believe i believe it or not i think the bigger question is when when someone asked you that question. Did you have to. I personally believe. 14 * 40. I'll answer what i personally believe in what i personally believe. Is that. We are a community of people together. Humanity has many people ride together. And that. That was divine is that little spark inside of us is exactly the same. The ground of all being. And that's what god is. Religion traditionally religiously liberal pluralistic. Tradition. I find that unitarianism. Is the best way. Whatever found to approach. This multi-faceted. Concept of divinity. Can approach a multi-faceted concept. And. You turn your verse 11. Is that. Cut diamond that gives you all the different angles. To get into it. And that well. Surprise myself. Okay dora what is this unitarian-universalism. Okay i'm like carter i'm going to have to talk from my own personal viewpoint. But let me put a plug in for a chosen faith. Not. But but you can't the back of the church after the service. I found some words in this book. Really helped me some up my beliefs as unitarian universal. Because. He said that one's religion is never complete inferno but is always constantly evolving. And i feel like that i feel like the person. The person that joined this church 12 years ago. It's not the same person sitting here today. Amaya faith and my beliefs have of where there's just no resemblance. And you've heard me say this before. 4 years ago i had a spiritual awakening. And it was very affirming to read. About that awakening because i have never. Reddit cnet articulated in such a way. And let me just read you a quote. We must be born again and again and wake up to the fact that all of life is a gift. Awakening is an ongoing process. By remaining open annex.. By remaining open. To experience the mystery of life i am born again and again. I am moved to a renewal of the spirit. And that's what you do is listen to me karen. Anybody like to add anything. Jeanette. That it's about what relation. How we treat each other. Walk the path or walk the talk as people often say. Chesterfield what i what i treasure about unity. I am following the path. It fits for me. What you call a life. I had what i considered my religious beliefs and thoughts. And then i had. My outside. How i lived in the world. My back and rationalism. And then i stepped into my. Church. And i've kind of wash my mind of that. And try to take on. My second life. Here. I was able to blend. Myself into. And i think that's happened to us so much as we live do alive so much. But for me here i was able to accept. Inconsistent. Continue. Rod what is it that you believe. Community. For me. Teachings of the hebrew scriptures of the prophet. Groupme jesus for loving kindness. Generosity. I was raised a quaker and ideas but there's bad of god in every person. That is awesome and beyond our imagination. And every person. Inspiration is important to me. Respect. Seriously. I'm also. Activist. Salvadoran war. Waterford. Meditate. Just learning not to be so reactive. But the let things settle into try to say. A religious practice. Toosii. Gandhi when he. Fabric instead of taking up arms. Learn to spin. Disappointment. I believe many things. I think this is a church with many. The bleeds more than anybody else. More belief. Ability. So. Juanita. What does displacement mean. Glasses helps me to articulate. It's it's just been enjoying all these. And last night i mean. About. Talking about our consciences. Different sayings and helps me get to know one another. And how different we are. And how it all comes together i just can't imagine not. I want to thank all of our members of the class brought dad's juanita garcia. Jeanette dabs stop thompson. For helping to present to you today. Articulation that we've gone through and searching. If you're standish you're willing and able for the expiration. Before the extinguishing the chalice. I want to make a closing words. Amf charles is currently the director. International director of amnesty international. Universalist association. And he said these words. This is the mission of our faith. To teach the fragile art. Hospitality. Revere. And the generous heart. The diversity need not mean. Tomorrow. That. We must hold the whole world. The task of the religious community. Essential tasks. There's the connectedness. Relationship. And the lives of others. It is the church that assures us that we are not struggling for a of a larger community. The religious community is essential. Our vision is to narrow to see all that must be seen in our strength. Together our vision and our strength is renewed.

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TenCommandments_RevBoTurner.mp3

But i wanted to retire and do something else. We don't want to do it at the well. I really time to do some other things as well do what you want to do and come back when you get ready so. That's kind of way i'll do it once a month. Somewhere. Over the southeast. I've been in a lot of 28 or 30. Alabama georgia. South florida. South carolina north carolina. Atlanta that's another state. Georgia. Your your tell me a moment to gold. Brother i got copy of a picture here. Has the guy that you were talking about it and are shaking hands. He became more docile when i got over there than it was when i was over here. It's about something else. Can get the van then you can start dealing with it. What about hemisphere. Call anda. He's afraid. The really. Enjoy life he had his. King james chain reference. Bible. Outside so you around all day that's double trust time baby. Sphere. I kind of feel badly far. 4 person like that but i'm going to put this up here for anyone want to see the picture. Also i brought a couple other things. Fru probably about 30 toppings or so i use missing your call from. I thought some people might be interested. And this one is from you play for clippings all the ten commandments battle. Has me on the front page of the atlanta journal. Which is a pretty pretty good ride learn. Thought you might be in. A word knowledge might injure your prejudice is already put that on front shoulder. These are these are copies of newspaper columns are written on the budget. Call what's going on i've been writing columns about 30 years ago i didn't just start this yesterday. I've been lost. I've been screwed up for a long time. Well it's good to be back here and i hope we get to come back sometime. I'm down here at the taco for the seventh year in a row i'm not sure that i'll be back next year. Although diane pickathon home. I learned about you talk while i knew about the one in yardley. I didn't know that there's one in florida. I learned about it in this. In this gathering here are number years ago brother 9897 or whenever i've done here i have been invited to come take you to church by. Whoever heck invited me i don't remember now. Arthropedix someone came up to me and just hands with me and says hey i need you to come to chautauqua. I say you do.. And i said well. Where's that what you talking about. You dumbass new york i can't go to yard cuz i've been there and still need to go back. Started. Well this year. Let me knowing it. I didn't plan for it to turn out this way i kind of suspected it might but i didn't plan it. He asked someone from your newspaper want some newspaper nigeria. Call me. In clarkesville georgia where i live. And asked about what i was going to do. I told her there. And she said well i guess you know. Or maybe you don't know that there are ten commandments hanging in the courthouse in defuniak springs. I said one. Bring ralph goldberg with me the visalia attorney i just said that just as like i said the horses. I just went there. My god. Dying breed the phone never stopped ringing. They works really. And i did but honestly. Tell her. I tried them it was going to try to be noble. Whatley back out of it if you-all can't stand the heat cuz i don't work. Mike any problems for you.. This is the most publicity we've ever had. He's already paying for you going to do next year. We got to come up with something. Nfl what about a month before i come down i'll call the newspaper lady and tell her that i'm going to hold a math game wedding. I don't care. You know what they want to be married or joined or whatever the terminology want to use i don't care that's fine. And my wife and i have been married almost 47 years. And none of them i've ever heard i keep hoping somebody would but they don't ever threaten. Hopefully i'll get to see you again but. What i want to do is kind of. You know i talked all weekend about the ten commandments and i really don't know what i said we're so. If i receive myself is because of my seniors. Status of moment i have more than senior moment now than i used to house. But i have a good buddy in love. Ethereum. Got in missouri of all places. And he emailed me to watch lawless. Straighten me out. And he says that he thought he sent me email jokes about unitarians and i'm going to share a couple of more you probably already heard them hurting but if you have one here in life anyway.. Still make me feel better. Sleds. Yes me if i knew. What you get if you mix the. He said well you have a person go around knocking on doors with absolutely nothing to say. And then he wanted to know if i knew what if you mix a unitarian with a q plus playing person i didn't know that is there a burn question marks on your lawn. And he's just full of them he gives a 1/2 a week and i just you know. Just a great guy. Met him when i rode my bicycle across from 15 years ago. Amazon. He just a great guy. He's the one you sent me are y'all. A t-shirt that has. Sunburst. The head on jesus is a liberal that's where i got the tattoo that i put on his arm he got to take it to the tattoo artist. They can you put that on my army said you got it. I said how much do it cost these are usually charge $150 but for you i'll do it for nothing for nothing. It deliver on there. Names of shaman. On the wind river. Indian reservation. Gave me if it meant someone who rides iron horse. Endless summer. Do barcelona. Dreamcatcher. Iron horse rider i have on there. Real interesting god real. Greek gyro. About 50 years old. College-educated. The ranch. And we were talking he said the. You're one of us but i forgot do you mean i don't know what that what you mean i want to eat that you're one of the people. The people they don't call him. Is that because somebody got lost didn't know where they were in boston. Columbus discovered america with her already there. But it is right. This guy on. I was one of the people i know it song about. What's my line. He said. He about to make me to remember the shoshoni crow tribe. He's been watching too much television. Okay i can go for that. Bald eagle feather app. And it's against the law for a white man. Bald eagle feather. 15 years. Prison. He was a native american. Tequila eagle though. To get it. They gave him 15 years. If you're welcome you got to turn it in. If a lady 51. But. Feather out. Hello caillou. How do you spell thought. Recommended. He didn't inhale a starting line. He chanted with shannon we were young. We had a great time is what we need to do for about 3 days but i don't have 3 days what larger handle. Keep moving on. I do remember the trip johnny crow tribe. You need to know that i want to tell you about that way. But. Maya. What was with the county commissioners. Intercounty over the ten commandments. I never really meant to get involved i didn't i didn't i use the 10 commandments were on the wall. Call emma it bother me and i was kind of thinking about maybe i should do something and maybe not. So i figured well i'll just ask the commissioner. To take something. About it. Everybody knows male been living there 54 years. I've been the mayor couple times. you know i like anybody of mayor of. Nobody knows me. Call write me if not. Like me i love people like me. I'm ostracized affair i've been there long. I moved from a somali. First. Eraser so i talk to her. Not formally but informer just a look. We got people in this county who are not judeo-christian. We got baseball who are off. Log different place we got people with no face. You know what. Awake i get there myself i just don't have any at all the time find it. Surround. We don't need that. They sure will. We're going to do it in here. What was going on but i didn't know at that time. There is a whale finance. Group of people up there and in almost every. Fitbit finance by the yard. As it relates to the ten commandments. Sabor. That are pushing the commissioner. The commissioners are. Call teisha. And the. Major purpose of a politician is to get reelected. It's not the do anything else i mean. You may believe you are well. You probably won't get reelected. Whatever the reason. It might be ego it might be on. Desire to serve. But usually. What about about he's got something else in mind. Solar solar. The right-wing christian coalition. Mainly. A couple of. Focus on family like james dobson. Clarkesville georgia of all places. Is there their financing. The project. And they're putting pressure on the commissioner. The commissioners have no choice if they want to stay elected. They got no choice or i stay well i would not serve that way i would quit. I would walk out i would not serve. Because to me. That's not good. But to y'all. People. Or putting pressure on them to. Kt tape. You know i believe in what they do. Hold on on the concept on their philosophy. They'll help a klansman or somebody else gets their rights are being them. And i like that. I like the way they handle their just laid-back poke. They just. Great paper artist enjoy being around. Not uptight. They don't have any phylogica constipations anything like that video. Good taste. Goldberg is a secular you he says he's either. He has a practice his religion is a lot of practice mind anymore is i know how to do it. So we just have a lot of fun i go down and eat lunch whether we just have a great time. But i thought maybe. They will take them down. When we file. Our first i sell you call them. It's holding also takes away. When they wouldn't do it. I filed enough. I thought they would. I would get phone calls people offering me money. I said i don't want me to look like a w**** baby but i ain't a horse. You know i you can't buy me off i'm not but i won't be bought off. Well we're going to get you. We're going to get you well okay. All the clan used to threaten i've had a couple of different from the from the clan in my lifetime but they're not going to do anything. Is the piglet don't call me and tell me they're going to kill me that i worry about. If a person called matilda all i want to do is harassment. And i used to try to convertible i got them on the. To my policy. Or something and hang up on me. But i'm not afraid to go to call me and tell me they're going to get me it's the ones that don't tell me. That i worry about. When i'm riding my bicycle i want to know what it means if somebody wipe me out pretty well. Not on my motorcycle. Bicycles kind of dangerous. So they would not. A bud johny. When they will have their. County commissioners meeting. There would be. Two or three hundred people show up. How's it going now. It sounded like a. Pentecostal revival. Pooping clown contrave. You know it was just weird. So we trying to get them stuff done that you know they were disturbing the peace. End up over the airwaves with those were their garbage but they would listen to us. Also wallaby. Court smooth slowly honestly know there's alot going on. It took about a year-and-a-half. Before the. And what did the other. What did gainesville georgia which is a nearby town about 30 miles from where i live. Gainesville times i tried calling for them and you'll see them up there. Courthouse compact outlook. Fundamentalist christian. Nude people from all over everywhere they have. Police snipers on top of the building. Do they really were. Sprint. Because they had gotten phone calls the judge got 10 thread. You don't threaten the federal judge for crying out loud. Cuz they got the guy. Boy. And your voice is like a fingerprint. And they wouldn't got your honor your honor you are. But i give you somebody has to stupid they are. But all the principles are the tv people for firebird abc cbs and fox and everybody was there. With the cameras and. And the interview just one. Legacy have. Show about 5 kids like like dorothy. And what a boy was about five years old he was watching me i can tell he was just intrigued. He was watching was looking at. You know so i knew i knew he was okay. His mama are you by worrying. And. Personality. Mute person asked her why are you here. Children because she said that. The public schools were of the devil in. Sephora. 4 years. Cheap red dog. I brought my children because i wanted them to see what. The election looking. Look like. Sohar mr. dissection i suppose. Youtube. To tell your children to tell someone something like that to demonize a person just because they think differently. And the guy with a flag on his chest for crying out loud i think a patriot is a person that'll stand up against his government has government grown. Don't wrap the yar. Flags. Will campbell. As it rose.. Campbell results. Kudzu in the comic strip. Zeus will will be done is will campbell. That's all. Hampton. Theology. But you been involved in silverado. Yes. Different guy elisabeth different drummer. Call anne he was bomb in atlanta to speak. 2. Whoever want to come here and oversee columbia theological seminary witches of presbyterian seminary the day. The southern baptists were holding the convention atlanta to read. Anoint charles stanley stanley down here. Tv. Is the pastor of the first baptist church of atlanta. Attila the hun. We who didn't want to go to the convention. Went over the hill will. Standing room only. A whole chapelwood about. 4 / 4 * 5. Probably about 500. Pat. People standing outside. Because he's a trip. Maybe it'll take two or three. Short guy like you don't look like much. Start to talk and then he looks pretty pretty much. Like a giant submarine. But when will walked in he came down foster phone podium. Good for about a minute looking at them. Pregnant pause. Just looking. What is the symbol of caesar doing in the house of god. Another one. Mini strokes. Aflac. Take a nap. Man i wish i could do that. You know. I guess i could but i don't know so we'll. He just left. A place. Like you went up there to do a seminar for a week in advance. You better. They do you better wait. Okay. Well but talk about the. Poverty. Solo. Wondered what what he was going to say is he tells me the story. And he say it to him. Where you recognize place called. Talk about how much money record. Goodwill. Well we're going to talk about the poor. Wilson weather. You recognize. We sold this property up here. Give the money to the poor it would help them. When y'all do that i'll come back. They were not happy. And they're still not happy but will says he doesn't really give a damn. He says i can talk about it so i left. Burning right when i get back to the ten commandments. Strange people let me tell you. Call will one-time spoke to a unitarian gathering. And it would what you told what is it that you. Okay. Birmingham so i went over to hear it. And dog have a building big enough to hold the crowded showed up so they they borrowed the presbyterian church which is a mantra. To hold me and we'll just lay it on so i tell you what. Goodwill. Congratulations. He's the kind of guy that he became up. Nashville tennessee. For waylon jennings. He became the cook. Panther chapman champlin. Or a bunch of what he called. Jtree baptist preachers. They can't even read the english text understand what degree. Text adam. Jefferson. What time is it. How much time do i got. Five more minutes. E-file. We felt. But we were not. Majority. There's about 70 to 75% of the people. Imposed. In the united states. Play they would like to. The ten commandments. The courthouse wall. If you think about it. That means they didn't and did not go to history classes are for did they slip through them. They don't understand august reward. The price of chicken place all about. All they've ever lived in a theocracy. Obviously. For 75% of the people to believe that. Separation of church and state. Your friend on your fort lauderdale d-md that maverick presbyterian. Multi-millionaire he's furious that he blesses them. Sunday with his apapa sauce. Presentations and they're all going to heaven together. He says the separation. Will. They must have a clearinghouse for all the propaganda because all the groups that i run into use the same terminology. You pick up the same words. Clarkesville georgia golf places. We have this lady who were here on forever office of there's never been like to do anything for a lieutenant governor lifetime. Tell you something. Her name is nancy. Olympia's got more money than you got intelligent. And she's going to change that woke up world for the better up there you don't straighten up out. Will you just breaks out on this deal because up. General dollar. When the when they have the rally they had a rally and brought some dude in from texas. 2. Yoga space immediately. Derek jose cuervo baxley. Real scary dude. Ohia. Steelers brawl. There for about an hour. $15,000 for killing. Royal. Alphonse about my wife. Oh and the deer was. That's all. Anthony gracer money. Pay for the rally in the payless. Guys feeding all the time. Ten commandments. I should have got in on that early and lay some of us older myself. How do you think about it but. But they did not.. Have as much money as they needed after they did that so and ask you put a an ad in the newspaper. The ten commandments rally. Please send money in blah blah salon. And i forgot about that it did it just because. Aggravating. And i forgot about it. I just forgot about it was grilling mean. Pretty. Pretty hard he couldn't he wouldn't get much off. Call bobby. I thought i got it forgot about that. You read this and tell me that your signature i said i don't have to read i tell you then. What i put on it stick on things. Put on it. Do not spend all of this in one place. Braided round it makes the grass greener. He said read that tell me what that mean what that means is i didn't want her to squander all at dollar in one place. And it makes the grass greener if you were in. Do it right. Lisa with what's right after well. What's the color of that valerie did it drain. Another judge that fits a messy mcdonald its head this is not going anywhere and i'm glad that the judge play my butt on that one because i didn't know what i was going to do with it. Bustime. I'm not popular with her. Nor with her. I've never been invited to speak to a baptist church. In the light. 50 years. Except black man. And they complained. I wish i could stay here until you a bunch of jokes but i'm about finished and i'm going to let you go and then i'll talk to y'all later. Again god god be with you if you believe in god and god be with you even if you don't all right. Either way it's not going to really like a whole lot of different like the lady said right here don't see any locust i'm old i'm going to talk to the good lord cuz he and i are friends we can talk a lot. Dental office on you okay. So you got enough two hands. And i hope you're saying come. Okay. And thank you for inviting me god bless.

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052905_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Do you remember the mel brooks movie. Snickering already the history of the world. The lefteris french king mel brooks. Is jessica worse sexual submission from a. In exchange for release. Imprisoned father in the maintenance overwrought. With the father's arbitrary imprisonment. And. Resigned herself to sexual violation by the king. And that's when the king returns for a close up to the camera and says. It's good. Good. Is it good to be the king. Are wealth and fame in the subsequent. Power. Social power. Are they good. The dao de jing. Quote. A massive store of gold and. Jade. And no one can protect her. And disaster will follow. Or self. Which matters more. Self. Orwell. Which is more precious. Game. Or lost. Which. Is more painful. He's with attached to things will suffer much. He who saves. Will suffer heavy losses. The daodejing. The predicament. Prosperity. It's something that i think you and i deal with everyday. And i stink. I think this is the toughest thing that we have to deal with. The predicament. A prosperity. Which matters more wealth and fame. Or mutual community. Herself with others. How do you. New balance. Could it be that gain is as paint. Is it possible that wealth and social status. Corrupt our lives. It could be. That material wealth and social. Are the most difficult. But you and i bear. I'm guessing that my income. Puts me in the upper ride say 40. Certainly. Above the upper 50%. Of americans. And. The top 5% i guess. At least of the wealth of the world wealthy of the world. Imagine where you are. Yes. Struggle. With the predicament of. Prosperity. Mahatma gandhi. Quote humans are equal. For though they are not of the same age. The same skin. And the same intellect. Any qualities are temporary. And superficial. The soul that is hidden beneath the earth waycross. Is 1. And the same for all men and women. Belonging to all slimes. Gandhi said the word inequality. Has a bad odor to it. And it has led to arrogance. And in humanities. Both in east and west. Inequality. Donnie recognized and promoted a sense of unity. And solidarity. And empathy among us all. Is having one in the same soul. Speaking of wealth gandhi declared. I suggest we are. If i take anything that i do not need for my own and keep it. I seen it. From somebody else. You and i have no right. Really have until. These three million are closed. And fed better. You and i who ought to know better. Must adjust our once. In order that they may be. The thing maybe nurse. Stand enclosure. There is enough wealth to meet everyone's need. But not everyone's greed. This is tough. Countless ages. The same wisdom that wealth is to be held. As the public good. The greek righteous road. All fortune good and bad. History sheridan. Common by the community as a whole. St.thomas aquinas wrote in his summa theologica. All material riches belong in common to the whole human race. He also wrote. Abundance is dubai natural law. To the purpose of suffering the poor. It is a hungry man's bread that you were told. The naked mans close. That you store away. The money that you bury in the earth. Is the price of the poor man's. Ransom. And freedom. One cannot over abound. An external riches without another. Lacking. Saint thomas aquinas. Pope john paul the second voice on behalf of the common good. We went on a visit to canada. Quote the needs of the poor take priority over the desires of the rich. The rights of workers over the maximization of profit. The preservation of the environment over uncontrolled industrial expansion. Production to me. Social media. Overproduction. For military purposes. Concept of the common good in the federalist papers james madison road. Quotes. The public good. The real welfare of the great body of the people. Is the supreme object to be pursued. And that no form of government. Whatever. Has any other value. Then as it may be fitted for the attainment of this object. The public. Look to the declaration of independence. Was modeled after the words of john locke the values of. Life liberty and. Property. But they changed. Pursuit of life. Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Articulating. A different value system. Wealth of private property was explicitly replaced. My happiness into public. Answer the preamble to the u.s. constitution the firm's national community with these words. Seeking a more perfect union. And the general welfare. Our founders provisions for the public good. Was presented as a necessary contacts. The necessary contacts. For humans individually. 2 chainz. The public good. Was necessary. Hesitant. In 1630. Going back further. Aboard the arab arabella's. John winthrop. Not a minister preach the sermon. They wrote. The sermon of our communal spirit in these words and i quote. Ford is a true rule. The particular state. Cannot subsist. In the ruin of the public. We must be nipped together in this work as one man. We must be willing to abridge ourselves. Superfluous. Okay. For the supply of others necessities. We must delight in each other. Rejoice together. Mourn together. Labor. In suffern. Together. Members of the same body. Social we keep the unity of the spirit. In the bond of peace. Say that word again we must be willing to abridge ourselves. Ivar superfluities. For the supply of other necessities. So should we keep the unity of the spirit. In the bond of peace. There are moments when i feel greedy. Inhuman. Leaving abundance. From the common good while 3 million. Are destitute. And i know you feel that way too sometimes. And it takes a lot of internal arguments rationalization. To repress this recurring sense of except in moreland. But over time my sympathy for the downtrodden and oppressed. Is replaced by various. Ideological justification. For my prospera. And the feelings. Sometimes i have to step back from the self-serving argument and take a distant view of injustice and of my. Insensitivity. For example the book arguing about slavery. Presents the sincere and honest conviction. Not only of the morality. Slavery. In the early 1800s. But also the moral superiority. A slave society. Reminiscent of the glorious golden age of classical greece. Beginning an 1835 ex-president. John quincy adams. As a senator. Engage the nine-year battle to defeat. The gag rule whereby represented the southern state start their petitions. By abolitionists for the elimination of slavery. It wasn't enough that abolitionist petitions. Be referred to state committees where they died of neglect. It was a matter of southern honor. That's the gag rule. The sincerity. Indignation. And moral insensitivity of southern flavor. Is apparent in the congressional record. In the words of south carolina. James henry hammond. February one 1836. Quotes every is said to be an eagle. That impoverished is the people. And destroys their moral. If it be. It is 12 watts alone. And we are contented with it. Why should others interfere. But it is no evil. On the contrary. I believe it's abby the greatest of all the great blessings providence has bestowed upon our region. Sir i do firmly believe. The domestic slavery. Regulated is ours is. Producers.. The purist. Best organization of society that has ever existed. And rendered our southern country. Proverbial for atwell. Genius. And it's manners. Slavery. Does indeed. Create an aristocracy. An aristocracy of talent. Virtuous. General. In a slave country every free man. Is an aristocrat. Be he rich or poor. If he does not possess. He has been born. Do all the natural advantages of the society. In which he is playing. And all its honors. Fly open beforehand inviting his genius. An industry. Saint cloud. Sincere. Honest. Southern nostalgia for the golden age of classical greece. Can we see the architecture of plantation mansions. With their distinctive. Greatcall. Two games with wonder at the glorious accomplishments. Southern and northern aristocracy. Has in recent years. Ben balance. With truth-telling to suffering of slaves. A poor white. The women. We have uncovered the corruption of those. Homemade individual wealth and social status of primaries. Over the common good. Has members in community. Poor people who internalized greed also suffered wealth corruption as well as the rich. They were one of these. Unitarian universalist theologian 10 deca. Notes that. Quote. White working-class and middle-class americans vote. As if their economic interest. Are identical to the rich. Only a tiny elite actually. Enjoy wells privilege and power. Whether rich or poor though. The daily hardscrabble to the top of the heat creates and moral insensitivity. To those one climbs over. Those left behind. Steven. For those one. And often. Suffering. By being climbed over. In our dog-eat-dog struggle rich and poor alike to the suffering of those left behind with arguments of entitlement. Is john d rockefeller said. The good lord gave me my money. We know ourselves to the destitute by rhetoric that. I work hard. And deserve every penny i made. Arrogant. As deserving. Every unhappiness that comes their way. It's part of our. Calvinist. Rizal. And circumstances nothing. The poverty of those who fall by the way not a misfortune. To be pitied and relieved. But a moral failure to be condemned. Swinging richards. The blessing. Which rewards the triumph of energy and will. And laziness and everyone else. Our self-righteousness is cuber. Kenneth kutner rights in economic illusion. An investor happens to hold the right stock at the right time. An autoworker finds himself in the wrong trade in the wrong decade. The unexpected passing of a rich aunt. Produces a windfall for one family. Well the untimely death of a husband produces hardship for another. Citizens who save and invest sometimes lose their shirts. Diligent loyal workers often lose their jobs. People reap fortuitous windfall. Or suffered devastating reverse is there nothing to do. With their social contribution. And their personal effort. And clothes. Despite the evidence of inheritance. Blind faith. And the workings of impersonal social forces. We credit our prosperity. To our own efforts. As if we deserve our success. And those others before who worked hard to. We're less deserving. The moral foundation of laissez-faire economics found in the thought of adam smith. He's also useful justification for seeking personal. Self-interest as if. And invisible hand the divine hand. Guides the market transforming individual selfishness into the common good automatically. In his day though. Adam smith was confident inviting people to pursue their self-interest. Confident that the expenses. Would be countered by law. Morality by religion. By custom and education. I don't think it is said the same today. Today. People sense of community no longer. Tempers. Individual xs. Green. Is no longer considered one of the seven deadly sins. I'd rather. The invisible hand promising. To maximize the common good. Grade. Breathe. Is sacred. Even adam smith road quote. By having their mind constantly employed on the arts of luxury. The people grow assignments and dastardly. Let me give it to you examples. How the invisible hand of the market is thoroughly incompetent. To create the common good. The market flowers the greatest prophets. Okay. Subsequently. Production resources. Labor. Research development genius. Equipment. Are allocated to create. Consumer products and services. Consumed by those who have. Zillow. Luxuries for the rest rather than necessities for the poor. The common good. Subsequently the price of necessities. Research and development of dazzling suvs displays. Rmv on low cost cars and alternative sources. There's more money in selling it. Nonprofit food stores and hospitals close. Close in economically depressed neighborhood. And exotic store restaurant. And hospitals catering to his elective and high-tech. Procedures are opened in wealthy community. Make a profit. Harlem. The common good including the productivity. Of the poor. Productivity the poor is not served by market forces. Good morning i can be survey and highlight the insides of this book. I've done this twice. Military time. This is how much do we deserve by richard gilbert. Longtime minister in rochester new york. But i want to mention one more thing and close with a story of hope. Prep the most destructive effect of the market etiology. The greater good. Is the fragmentation. Community solidarity. Of our feeling. The self-righteous wealthy. And wealthy wannabes. Judge others who are unfortunate being responsible for their own poverty. And deny to them the basic needs required for anyone to participate in the economy. And to contribute. To the commons. Cutting it. A widening gap. Between rich and poor. Isolation of the wealthy. The ones that don't even know what a scan or is it a grocery store. Isolation. And the poor fracture. The sense of community solidarity to work together for any common. We despise each other. We compete. In fact. Public goods are abandoned. And that communal context. Individual productivity. The necessary. Unicorn text. Disintegrate. And the class war. The wealthy and wannabe welty each against all. I think leda was right when he advised quote. The possession of goods and chattels. When they are an xterra. They produce enmities infused broken states. And privately. Wallace they are deficient. They produced as a rule surf. And let no man love rich's for the sake of his children. In order that he may leave them as wealthy as possible. For that is good neither for them. Nor for the states. Play-doh. And the modern-day richard roberts tells this story. He was visiting the fourth grade class of the son daniel where the teacher at organized. Sounds like a child a balloon tied to his or her leg. And the object was to obliterate everyone else's born without reading anything happen to yours. Did was everyone for oneself and use against all. As soon as somebody stomped you. You were out. And the child is still had a pump flipping balloon when everyone else's on the limb. And tattered. Would have the winners glory. The teacher gave the signal and the children lips ferociously on each other's balloons. Doing your best meme. All that is except one or two rack the spirit of competition. Henry's words. Just made by all the hullabaloo and air balloons work. Predictably laid waste. In a few seconds the balloons were very. Banana disturbing thing happened. Another class. This time. A class of mentally handicapped children. Was brought in and prepared to play the same game. Balloons were tied to their legs and they were breached. To the rules of play. Said roberts. Sinking feeling in my midsection. I wanted to spare these kids. The competition. The pressure. Competitive brawl. Only have the foggiest notion. What episode. A few moments. Fusion. The idea got across to one or two of them. Did the balloons were supposed to be strong. And gradually it caught on. What is the game got underway. It was clear that these kids missed the spirit of it. They went about methodically getting their balloon stung. One girl. Carefully held. Caronan place. So the boy could pop it. And then he did the same for her. When all the balloons are gone. The entire class cheered in unison. Richard gilbert rice's children. Had mistaken the competitive game for cooperative one. But their error has some advantages. And the original game. Only one child could wind. But they discovered how to make. Everybody a winner. Has a children. Play that. The game. Whisper camaraderie. The others are there to help you along. Play of these children. Foster's generosity. Foster's truck. The fosters cooperation. It fosters gentleness. It fosters concern for one another. Consensus. Community. Uncooperation. Rather than fear and insensitivity. Play raven more productive. Has john winthrop road in 1630. May we. Both here in the greater community. Quote. Be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities. Go to supply. A brother's necessity. May we delight in each other. Rejoice together. Mourn together. Labor. And suffer together. Members of the same body. So shall we keep the unity. Obstreperous. In the bond of peace.

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Creating_Loving_Religious_Communities.mp3

Welcome you're listening to the podcast of the size of florida's emerald coast time ron fraser rod deb's the minister at the unitarian universalist fellowship of the emerald coast. Rod and i have been friends ever since we served on a religion panel at a local chatauqua. With the other panel participants we started the interface celebration of okaloosa county florida on the panel that we wanted to keep the experience going. Good morning rod to have you join me for a podcast for some time but i wasn't sure. What to talk about until our conversation last friday i drop by your church and we had this fabulous discussion on spiritual unity within religious organizations so i was hoping we could recreate some of that. In this podcast. But before we get into that. I want to talk about unitarian universalism. Can you give us a brief overview. Yeah ron universalism actually. We trace our origins back to the radical reformation. How do i get to. You know too intense here but. The anabaptists we're looking at both. The catholic in the reformed movements. And saying there may have been some. Improvements in the corruptions. The institutional church. But that the theology. Was still not in keeping with what the original. Christians have the original christians scoring anabaptists we're not in organized. Highly organized religion with knob creeds and they took seriously. Jesus's instructions to the. Bowers go out and show the common table with people. Other words to loving-kindness the sharing of goods and. And that resulted. In in a roman world where there was no welfare program slaves and women could become could come to the. To the early jesus followers. Common table. And they. And they can survive. The roman world. Eventually their husbands were citizen. Became christians to the success of the christian movement was not based upon its theology its philosophy of greed. Better pawn. The loving. Sharing. Healing. Community of christians. Open to the poor and to the slaves into women. So when we trace our roots back to that. Once the bible was translated. What the 16th 17th century into a vernacular that english people could read common people could read it once they were literate. They looked at with institution churches. The church of england. Sad and they said i don't see that there. And they. Develop various different gather their own congregations. So. What we're having here is not a religion based on authority of some of the pope of the bishops. Caprice or of the kings saying this is your religion. Cuz this is i'm in control of this country. But congregations gathering their soul in this country. That sentiment of the right of conscience which made the founders of our country had. And. You know that religious integrity was was critical. Many of the founders of our country identified as unitarian benjamin franklin. Was a member of joseph priestley's unitarian chapel in london. And thomas jefferson in his private letters called himself unitarian. And the john john quincy adams and many of the social reformers like. Ralph waldo emerson and henry david thoreau the transcendentalist. They identified as unitarian. And i think what they identified with. Was that. They needed to have some intellectual integrity. They needed to be able to. Be honest and not just obey what some religious authority told him. So they found it a country. Based on that. Strictly speaking circular. But which made space for. Honest. Religious sentiments of many different people many different religions it's been more successful from then european countries that have state religions more religious people practicing their religious sentiments. So unitarian verses. Unlike magicians we don't have a creepy don't tell you. This is the right way. Each of us are very committed to our own insides. You may have questions still in and still learn. Which we hope you know you are from each other. We make a promise to be a safe place a covenant. That we will respect the inherent worth and dignity of every person democratic process is the right of conscience. Conscious being one of them that means that even if you say something crazy or dangerous. It's my responsibility. To to treat you like you're doing the best. Did you know with the information you have. And to respect that. You know because your integrity. Of religious sentiment is. I mean if you're just being coerced or scared. Into agreeing with me or because you're a politician and the state says you have to be this saturday does think you're doing it just for that reason it's an authentic it's not really. So that's. So we do claim many of the founders of our country but at the same time much of the country. People do believe there's only one right answer. And they feel it's merciful. To correct those in error. And maybe even. Well. Twista rhymes. Because and ultimately they're doing them. Good and bringing them to the right way. And you got understand that kind of compassion when people really are convinced that. You know if you're going to hell they're not doing you any favors. By remaining silent so you have to respect that degree of commitment. But our tradition is one that i think it if you were to use christian language we. What honor the working the spirit in each hard. Don't the light of the inner light that each person has using quaker language. So today. If you ask who are unitarian verses. Allahu akbar. Family in traditional what we speak of his traditional religious. But some who consider themselves. Liberal christians they very much honor. The teachings of jesus in the sermon on the mount and his life example is compassion is universal love. And then there's some that are liberal jews say. They would bring much honor the. The profits as i do. Locations of justice and regulation. And there are some who are more scientifically oriented. They may be humanists or even call themselves atheists because they don't think a human i'm making a monopoly of god in human form as a white hairdo the sky to be. I do justice to this awesome unfathomable reality. That they see around them in the microscope or in the heavens the plants and animals in an argument relationship. So that for them don't they just they don't believe. In the king judge damning judge. Daddy kind of god they think it's. Let's go tonight so they might call themselves atheist. And we also would have folks who call themselves pagan because they know that when they handle their animals when they go out into nature they feel healed and they feel odd. Or they find in. In ancient myths. They find that to be exciting. And be inspiring so. Our tradition is dallas buddhist. I said buddhist meditation. And i find it it's really. Good for me. It helps me be calm and and be deliberate rather than reaction. Reactive. In my behavior. So. And people say your wishy-washy perhaps. But i say that we really are committed to honor each individual's sincere and authentic religious journey. And religious sentiment. Maybe that it's not that the church itself is wishy-washy. It's the each individual is in the church is free to be committed and thoughtful. And searching. Along certain path. And those pass can be very diverse. Hibiscus what's impressed me about that you use that i've met in in your congregation. I want baby just impressed about the whole congregation it innocence is like herding cats i would imagine you've got you got such an incredible diversity. Within a single congregation. You don't run i think. Throughout society we have great diversity. But because of fear. A rejection and. People hide their honest sentiments. And it's not safe out there. I grew up with my father and grandfather evan jellicle ministers. And. I remember the terror of thinking i was left behind. Separated forever. For my mother and father coming home from school one day. A minute later my mom came in with my baby sister at picking up groceries. The terror. Of. Eternal damnation. People really are afraid that they heard. That there's damnation eternal damnation that there's only one right answer. And that if they should. Question that. It's letting in sin. And that there's supernatural powers that are going to take over the mine. There's a passage that talks about love cast out all fear. And how can. We have a religion of love when people are terrorized. That. It's not a passage in the hebrew scriptures i believe it is that. The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom. I think the translation you and i talked about this that the translation is probably not. I'm very effective translation really it's the all. And wonder. Of the sun. Fathomable reality. Described as the lord. It's not the terror. You don't talk about that i think you. Studied some of that. Language and the translations. Anyway i. I think. We have more diversity in our communities. Then people dare to allow out. And when we hide our wisdom. Our insides are questions are down. When we hired them we're doing a great disservice. I think the christian notion of the spirit working and every person. It blows where it will. That we're not trusting the work of the spirit of it. The divine spirit. And that if you're living in fear if you're living in fear. We're not trusting it. If we are so afraid that we might make a mistake. You know if we can't talk with one another and share. That of god. Enough listen to messages that we feel. I mean if we just parroting. What we're told is the safe. Why. Don't get you into heaven. What's benders thousands of ministers. Each saying that they have that one. Thin razor. Yeah sharp path. To heaven. I'll be right there are sincere and the hard part for us. Is for us to recognize. That that is there. Honest and sincere. That's their best guess. Given their information experience. And unless we honor. Then how are they going to hunters. We really need to honor people. And if at some point they recognize that there may be a path was more integrity. And this answer their questions. May lead to greater depths. And an open hardness that the spirit works in other people not just them. You know then. The opportunity for us in the community in the notion of the. Asia. Of the religious community of the church. That's where. We can then share in each other's. Inspired. Learning. Where the spirit moves in us we can share with one another. And you know we can always. Say that doesn't quite work for me and my life experiencing. You know we have to recognize that we can each be diluted. But that's where he. You know the testing of spirits wing race questions each other. But if you can't even be honest yourself there. I suspect that's what the unitarian i think universalist. We're about the universalism being kind of a universalist. Nobody left out. There's nobody outside this. Circle. These are all my people. And the unitarian you know being this recognition. The right of conscience in the. Is there something that you could get thrown out of the unitarian universalist church for. Sure those behavior that's that's. We have lots of different the covenant of the promised we safe ice. There's a lot of ways you could but you could. Do damage the community. I mean you can imagine in any community if we mistreat children you know but most of the time what. I think a practice. Is that we seek to help everybody lifted their better selves. And if we need to set parameters for behavior we do we have. Safeguard mission processes and religious education programs for children. When we are in small groups we have a general sentiment we want to hear everybody's fake we don't want to exclude women that are shy or men who are shy. Or people who may not have had this much education others. You know we have that just a common sentiment but if we find that we're misbehaving we're too excited with our own ideas we're not making space for everybody else then we come up with some way of going around the circle or. Taking the native tradition native american tradition of the talking stick has been most of the time we can trust people that actually we're missing out if we're dominating floor. Other people really have something in there we don't we don't learn more talkin.. Something that interests me is that it seems like the goals of you you. Almost identical to the goals of the baha'i faith. Celebrating the diversity of mankind respecting all peoples. And allowing them to find god divinity or inner peace in their own way whatever that is. But it seems like our religions approach this in almost opposite way. You use and correct me if i've got this wrong but they seem to accept people of all religions into sort of a libertarian constructs. That allows any religious thought that doesn't impinge on the rights or dignity of other people. While the baha'is approached the same goal in a much more structured way. Through the teachings of what we believe is a new messenger from god and. And in a way distresses a deity. And obedience to these new laws that are contained in the message. These new laws will were told create using spiritual methods. The kind of world that i think the uu's are striving for using rational message. Does that. Sound right to you or. If i just misinterpreted as we talked over the years. Couple years here. When i think about it. I'm impressed with the ability of the behind eyes. Honor. The witness of prophets. To take seriously. Very seriously. I believe you would call divine wisdom that is come through these messengers. I think that in this america which is. You don't protestants protesting. Against the dictates of bishop priest and king. There's a you use the term libertarian. Liberty is very critical. The authenticity of the integrity. I think it's ingrained in many america. That if it doesn't make sense to me i dumpling. And i draw from many sources. I draw from wisdom traditions i. I just handed. My spouse copy of kayla lebron's the prophet. Now i really don't know for sure. If he comes from newsom experiences iranian or persian. A telugu. Uecu saying his name better but. Which author many traditions including poets. And. And the newspaper. Current events books. We're constantly searching. I would call a little bit like scientists. Searching for the new words. And i would say that if we were to make a distinction. That. Revelation is not sealed. It's not. But the spirit works. Those weren't will. I think that's what we would say as unitary of restless. That a child can lead us. A prisoner can have an insight. From experience that i never had. You know criminal. And we can see by watching. You know the person fall in the ditch ahead we can learn the lesson. We're not to go i mean there's just many ways. The that we would believe it revelation. Is is. Open it continues. And that it we all need to be attentive to new inside. And into what our life experiences teaching us. So at the same time. For a group. To goand apps. Had to take very seriously the wisdom. Of a prophet. I think is worthy. I would trust. That your own life experience and the other wisdom sources. I also got into some consideration as you understand. The words of. The process. Yeah that's true. We take the writings of baha'u'llah to be sort of a gold standard. By which to measure other things. But. We're free to. Look at other. Knowledge and. And what was specifically told to study the bible into study the koran. And use those too well i can't quote anything here but at the idea of my head is to kind of go back and forth use of the high writings to illuminate the bible use the bible to illuminate the baha'i writings and that's. In some sense there's some security in knowing the gold standard. I would daresay the unitarian versus would not feel that we have. In some sense we would say i like for me. The life and teachings of jesus are just. Pretty trustworthy. You know in terms of transforming power. I do think he was a pacifist return to no person evil for evil love your enemies. Some very hard teachings. Generosity and kindness. At the same time i'm glad i'm not restricted. The only the wisdom of jesus because in his age. The realities of environmental destruction. We're not an issue for him. I want to see invitations i said in the hebrew prophets in the jubilee the the sabbath. Puzzle and you you protected the the soil from working every year you know every seventh year the year the land was to have a sabbatical. And the animals were not allowed to work on sunday so you're protected and some sense it was an enviable sense in early hebrew traditions i just don't see it in the teachings of jesus. And so as much as i would say i'm a follower the way it says the early jesus followers were i'm not limited to his historical setting. In which. Today with the with the abuse and the gray. Dangers environmental dangers of. Humans just treating the earth as if it's a. You know it to be discarded and to be poisoned and support. I just think that it's really good that i was able to. Be open to this sense of the sacred earth. And i would say that probably i got some of that. From various sources probably from native american sense of the the mother the. The earth is as a mother. And maybe a little bit from ancient. European pagan traditions although i don't remember what's this exposure today. What i'm saying is that if we don't have a guarantee. Getting it right. That. May i actually 10 toward a little humility. I'm not sure i see that in a lot of unity because we really do. I have strong commitments our own insights we like to share them. But. Ultimately insofar as we listen. We recognise that there we may not have all the answers in there maybe. There may be something. From a third world country. Insights you know the survivors of the tsunami. The illiterate. Mountain people that. New something. Everyone else didn't know and survived. What is it that we're missing. You know we may have a lot of knowledge. But to be open to other people's wisdom is maybe a gift. Let's talk a little bit about developing a real spiritual love in a religious community. That's what you and i were talking about last friday. Send it. Gave me the idea of doing this podcast and maybe trying to recreate that little bit i found. Things that you were saying really. Fascinating and i'm sure it would be useful information for every baha'i community that might be listening to this and and christian communities that are listening to it also. Thank you. There's a stone center for developmental research a psychologist there looking at relationships. And that's in cambridge massachusetts hurts most in wellesley. It's in wellesley massachusetts. And across the river in cambridge physical divinity school there's a professor there. Who has the chair christology episcopal infinity school. And she talks about. Dodge identity of god. No and if god is the unnamable unfathomable reality. Greater than what human. Imagination can fabricate with our hands out of stone or clay. Or words or thoughts if it's. If it's really greater than that. Should we just take a name. Oh my god. Well. We have images in our heads. Abba father the jesus talk like a daddy. More like a mother. Caring for us like a mother. Well the question is. We are trapped in some of our idolatrous notions. Anthropomorphizing making god in our own human. Imagination. Carter heyward talks about in the biblical sense. Atticus clothing store of god in spirit god is love. I got his justice. And she would say god is not a person. Poor thing. What is spirit. What is love love has all kinds of definitions. Everything from infatuation. To a sacrifice. 2. Abuse. People say my dad beat me because he loves me. Yeah they're all kinds of ideas of what love is. Rough. Other the stone center looking at those relationships. Good another definition. Mitchell relation. Mutual relations love is mutual relation. I think we need to define those terms usual. It's not equal. Like in an example that you and i were talking about is the lovely tween a mother and a child. There's not an equal relationship the mothers. Got many skills and powers that our child doesn't have any and the off and i remember the people from the stone center and and carter hill would talk about. Example of a mother teaching a child of parent teaching a child to tie the shoe string. And there's a power there a power over the child. I do it. Enough forum. But then there's let me show you the rabbit ears. And annette and here you can do it. It's the empowering. It's. It's really wanting the best for the other. And relinquishing it power here they know that's great and it's falling apart negative. Tripping and into themselves so you kind of titanic quick. But you constantly wanting. Wanting to nurture the best. And. This is not necessarily sacrificial. When it's mutual. Is that each person longs to see the other person. As fully. Kohl's. In their first mistake can be and that was what we were talking about i think that. And it what is love. But if it's one directional. You know you found love with movie star even if matt. It's not mutual. You know if it's. If it's abusive you met some people may call that love. It's not mutual. The divine love or talking about. That we humans can experience that we would call define and ecstatic. And empowering and energizing. Is mitchell. And can you can you imagine. You so rarely do people know us well enough. Like a mother with their child or parent with a child. But. Lovers. That. I've gotten to the point that they're committed to the others holness. And they know the other person and they will suspend their own desires for the other person's happiness. And it can you imagine. Community. A people who so aspire. Each person's wholeness. Back to integrity. Recognizing that they're different. No. And wanting to see them reach. If they're different reach the phone with so that difference. You know that. It's a what is god. In cudahy words words from the episcopal day school. God is love god is that spirit of love. That happens. Between us we can create. And that spirit of mutual relation. The gives power and energy. Best. And excitement that ecstasy. If we can create that in community. When i was listening to you say that. I was a little concerned. It seems like you were saying that god was the love between two people. In that mutual relation. And that that feels if that's true i think that's that feels like it's limiting god just a little bit. Or maybe. I think the baha'is would say. That's at. That love between two people in that situation is. Servin emanation from god maybe the holy spirit is as. Christian might say but not god. As god. Any any sense of that yourself i think is a point well taken that if got at the biblical story says that god is love. And that god is a spirit. A spirit is not a person. Aurra sing. But if you define spirit is a quality of relation not just between. Two persons but among. You know in the community. You can tell when there's a spirit of love in a room i think or between people and when it's a spirit of fear or hatred. Or violence i mean there's just so many different spirits and i'm making. I think. Common sense heroes we can be you know we kind of have a sense. What these things are. If that's what. If god is a spirit. And the spirit is love. Then. We understand love. Through many images in jesus use the term abba father. And he was i think invoking an image of. Have a relationship quality. That was both. Strong. On the party for each other. And. Gentle. And. Kind at least an example he gave. And generous. Defending you. So these are all human images. But if god is spirit. God is not. A human. Right and so how do we grasp. That concept of that awesome. Whatever it is. It's beyond our imagination you're right it's not enough to say it's between two people. It's. But that's just the hints of the of the of that particular scriptural yeah i can't. Maybe it's a health in terms of creating love in a religious community maybe it's a help. To think. That. The love between two people is somehow connected with god not that it is god and it bounds god as as that simple idea. But. There is something divine there and if we respect the love between. Ourselves and another person. We're respecting god so by association i guess. Is is if that if if i if i respect your child i have respected you i got shown. I respect. To you you would accept. My showing. Respect to your child as if i had shown respect to you. And so i think there's something going on there too when we show respect for the relationship between us and another person. We accept there's some divinity going on there. We're also showing respect to. To god and how are we defined, if we if we're ever going to say that god. Is excluded from some parts of creation of reality. Then we might say that god isn't. You know. There are many spirits but if we're to say that. The spirit. Goes where it will. Emerges in certain. Circumstances that we have some part in that. We. Live and breathe and have our. Ivar being in this reality then we could hardly say that. The human love or. Kindness. Or. Toward children or among us is not the rim of god. It's not the realm of this divine power. Right i think what interests me is that how do you. How do you invoke. The holy. That wonderful power that we know with our experience. Witch's love. I wouldn't throw cat in. I think that's why the language of neutralization. Righteousness justice. The word justice is translator also his righteousness or write relation. And what can it be and people say it's all kinds of things it's justice if i get it. You know. All kinds of justice violence is justice. You know if you wonder how do you. How do you in. Both. How do you make a real god among us. Is it just when jesus was here. And that's where we come back to the language of the spirit. The spirit among you. And i think that's why we try to. C2b in the. Jesus is a model. The way he's. At least according to sermon on the mount his teachings and what we know of his life that's that's kind of a model of what we could. Create an if we could create that in community. We can create that in our neighborhood sooner. Country. Our world it says it's not it's it's what we can fathom of a possibility. Are there some. But let's getting back to. Fellowship. Is there. Some practical steps. In your congregation. To create this kind of love and harmony. Well that's that's good we have traditions that are cultural. I need each people has have that. And we have a church we have a preaching service. However. I think that what's what's divine. What's holy among us. Is are those relationships those mutual relationship so how do we facilitate them. Well first of all you your promise not to beat up on each other you promised simply to take each other seriously. And a promise is beginning. You know it's going to be hard. You find somebody said something these think it's crazy. You know. You call tree-huggers are you. Are you think they believe in some weird supernatural thing or something. Be kind of back off of that you know they are using the imagery of some. People. Mha jenny if you had no sheep. In this country. The lamb of god who takes away the sins of the world would meet me nothing. Any christians here. They couldn't identify with. Appropriate prayer time in the middle east. Raising sheep in the sheets that are butchered and that imagery is part of how we know christians no. Christian stories. So each. Effort is tried it is. For us the promised to take each other seriously to suspend. That you're crazy line. You know and even a hint of it. Enter try to say tell me more. And we will bear witness to what we feel no. As true. So i think i think the promises that this is starting point. After that some practices. Some common practices. And that is. That we share the air space meaning. You don't just do all the talking you listen. Okay so it sounds like you've got some structure to your unit meetings. So you don't allow people to monopolize the conversation you don't allow them to. Attack each other. 4. The views that express you try to treat you mention the word safety earlier so you really try i'll try to create a sense of safety. Yes and end the don't allow we don't feel that. That controlling. We find ourselves. Getting excited and monopolizing the floor like people do. But we aspire. As. It just like a apparently aspire. For the other person and we know we're missing out on the potential. Applause. Now that inspiration that the other the quakers are wonderful at this. They listen to that of god in each in themselves. But i've heard them say i'm not just here to listen. To my own inner. Inspiration. But to hear. Nevada got from you. And that silence is part of the time and making space for the other. So there are things that i think we don't always realize. For instance if you're in a group we're different people. Are passing around this floor. And some never get a word in and then youtoken lycee. We haven't heard from you you say something now. It's a strange thing but when there was like in the native american tradition a bit of silence. Where we listen. And we noticed we've been excited we just say okay i'm going to calm down now little bit. And let's and listen. You know there's kind of like a. You develop in community a little more of that a little more of that. Until you realize that when i went to a meeting right at all the talking. I felt good. But i didn't. I don't know there's something missing but when the person who doesn't usually talk a lot. Actually said something. It was like wow. There was an insight there or a. Or at least maybe not in inside but. A human. Presents. That i've been missing out on. And and so in small groups. You can get both. Diversity. Of. Life experience and insights inspiration. In small groups. There's enough if he gets a 8 or 10 people. But there's not. But it's not so large. But you can't really listen to everybody. So i really think smoker ministry is probably superior to the preaching the one benefit because the religious professional draws upon. Wisdom traditions far and why they're not just giving their own opinion. There's a danger that we interpret everything we read. So that's why i think it's really critical and insofar as baha'i groups or small or small christians groups or any group. It's fairly small enough to be surprising surprise each other but. Small enough that you can listen to each person. Nnb safeware where's the little quiet person. Will actually speak up at some point. An inner with sharing their life experience. Or as the christians would say the spirit working in them. That i think you just get the richest. So we create many different. And there's a little bit of american. American forcefulness you know. We have our exciting idea nobody else listens to us but we can come to the unitarian universalist church and we're bound to have somebody listen to us. And there's a little bit of that. I guess we need to little healthy ego. Or we would never speak up. Unitarians going to have that. And i would hope. Hidden interface. Exchanges. The unitarians. Did i can be exposed to. The insides of other people. He's been sitting there silent you noticed. That was a good point you made that i'm taking seriously the prophets. You know that in some sense we don't have a gold standard. And sometimes the gold standard is our own integrity. And we're all going to say well there's no guarantees right. We can be deceived. And i guess that's why we need community we need to see a mirror of ourselves. You know somebody show guys. There's a question i'd like to talk about a little bit. What is the purpose of a religious community. In terms of you you. Maybe if you if you're if i'm not coming to the unitarian church so the priests can give me certain ceremonies when i need them. If i'm not going because i i need to have a minister tell me what the truth is why do i go to a unitarian church will how do you think most unitarians would. Would answer that what what's what's pulling them here. I think. Download avaition can be many different things just like any. Person going to a church or any person not going to church. Can can say. That i have certain longings. I think today people go through family crisis. They got kids they want them to be. Exposed to ethical and religious teachings. And so people will come they've they've. The gun through divorce job change depression. Any of those life-changing events. Can lead people to say i can't handle it alone. I think one of the. Allusions in great errors in american society and in the. And then the entire western world view is that where individuals. And that i couldn't that's a strong individual should be able to make it on their own which is totally absurd. We are all depended upon. The technological and educational. Linguistic. Material gifts of of people before us. We live. Mn we swimming all the stuff taken for granted. We're all dependent on all these gifts. So. To think that you can live. I'm doing it myself. Is really absurd. You know any of the earth supports this as well. But when i when there's that sense of insecurity. People will then seek out religious community. Now. There are different kinds of religious community. Sunday promise eternal salvation. Some promise you know that this is the key. And give different kinds of comfort. And imagery of what will happen. And. That's good and comforting and people choose that. I think people join the unitarian verse list. Religious community for a place that will provide community. Human compassion. Respect. Be taken seriously. And the same time keep their integrity. If there if they have doubts about certain things. To be able to doubt it if you have. Passions about certain things. If you're if you're passionate about. Anyting. To be able to be respected for that and an exception for. So i think. I think both freedom. And community if you can get both of those. That's pretty amazing and i think that's why people come. Isn't that mutual. If you can. I don't think everybody comes here preparing to give that to other people i came to unitarian universalist. The congregation. And was excited thinking that they would be all over like me. So i was wondering what i could get out of it. And i never saw that i was going to be challenged. To suspend. My. Religious and political and personal values. To say that maybe some other people. Have different religious. Personal. And political values and it's my challenge now. To do for them what they've done for biggie. Let's just shut up and listen. Not to have to. Not to have to say you're right when i don't think so. But when i do make statements. The recognized. Now is a minister. That. I want to also say other people may have. Different experience for me and have different. Insightfulness. So just give them. Give him a window. That i don't pretend. To say that i speak. Forgot. You know that i know it all. Why they come i think the key you said is religious community. It's community but it's religious community. And religious combined together religio to bind together. And they're not finding a non-person you are somebody. You have some commitments. So we want to bind you. For who you are. That's an artificial you. That you're shaving yourself. The binding people together in. The bonds of love it's not a binding of. Obedience. Attentiveness and sharing. Which i think tyson's back is the anabaptist it to the common table where you share your wisdom. Prophetesses that prophesied. And the women. Early church in. Slaves and manning. And people that were mixed ethnicities. No the samaritan women that jesus reached out to. He did not have the purity tradition of the jewish. Culture. So that. Followers of the way we're open. To all those. All those people especially the marginalized. And what what a delight to be taken seriously in derby. I received the comfort both of. A spiritual comfort and healing. But materials compassion. Of the common table which. You know the lord's supper or what's been made. Symbolic and eucharist. This is much more than that. You know we need to share. That's why potlucks are so popular and so many christian church. Islam is a joke about the. These kids are. Ennis cooler told to bring in religious symbols for show-and-tell and. Total jewish boy brings his manure in a little catholic girl brings in her mother's rosary beads in this little the hydro brings in a casserole dish. But i think eating together we mustn't forget. The food is important part of the desert hospitality where people learned that even. The anime you provided water and food i mean. That's a compassion's stretched to its limits of love your enemies. To provide hospitality you don't have to to agree. I think that's a divine impulse. That's what people are looking for. Hilton hospitality. Let me ask you okay. How do you see the baha'i. And the unitarian universalist. Traditions. Working a sisters in transforming. Just the relationships of people we bump into. And we love to say transform the world but you know making a difference in the community. Well i think our goals are the same i think the the. The world. Baha'is have is the same as the worldview that's a. Unitarians have i think the. The way we'd like all people. Treated. Justice for all the people in the world economic justice social justice. Racial justice any kind of. Any kind of prejudice that exist we believe. Should be eliminated. So i think we're going after the same thing. Something you and i talked about is the pies aren't allowed to be political we're not allowed to join political parties. And. We're not allowed to get out in the streets demonstrate. The unitarians are so. I i feel myself. Applauding things that the unitarians do. They were not allowed to. I think in the baha'i faith where we talked about the greater plan of god in a lesser plan of god and. You would think that the greater pav god would be what the heiser about but it's really the other way around. The baha'is have the lesser plan. We're we're doing. Stuff in the background. We believe that god is working through all kinds of. Groups all over the world. In there in the lord's prayer talk. i will be done on earth as it is in heaven and we believe that god is is doing that whether we like it or not. That but he has his will and he's fairly insistent on his will being done. It's not an option it's not something that we can choose. For instance early part of. The baha'i faith the prophets were writing about. The equality of men and women women children girl children to be educated even in preference to male children. Because obviously all children need to be. Rack educated but if it's there was for some extraordinary reason you couldn't educate all the children you had to educate the girls first and then the boys. So that you made sure that the girls got educate. But. As this is being written. In. These foreign languages that people in the west couldn't read. Women in the west are women and men not. just women but people are starting to educate children. In the. The consciousness of the planet. That children all children must be educated. Colleges i mean how many colleges were created during the 1800. And so what we would anticipate his obviously had nothing at all to do with the baha'i faith. In terms of what the highs were actually doing themselves with their own hand we believe that this is the greater plan of god that god is working through these organizations. Creating. The heaven on earth. Against our will kicking and screaming he's changing us to be the kinds of people that unitarians. Ara striving to be. Since i am. Thinking about that and. Thinking back about all the social reformers worse man was unitarian. He believed it would not just the rich kids but everybody should have an access to. Public education. And others working for women's rights in the movement that we're going to turn. But i'm also thinking that in recent years. The political changes that are taking place. L. Can can lead. People to significant changes in culture. But the people have to change. And the people still. Vote. The politicians in. And you making some sense the greater. Mission. It's not for us. Is political activist to get this that or the other. Great leader. But. To get the people. To recognize who they are potentially. What is this community as a loving world of. Isn't this the role of education. As long as you have people that are minimally educated. Maybe they can read and write but they haven't been taught to think. It's easy for people to mislead them and to direct them into certain mindsets. But i guess what i believe is over the next few hundred years. This. Upsurge in education throughout the world. Is going to severely limit the ability. A people to manipulate other people. I don't have quite the. The hope that you have in that years ago. Give me 200 years ago you would even think of educating a woman. Much less allowing her to be a doctor. Ancestry. So we had a tremendous change in just 200 years. And maybe we'll have even more change in the next two under. My hope is in. The spiritual education. Because there's a lot of educated people do a lot of cruel things. Certainly i see a lot of hope and and interface celebration. That we reach across to the secular people. As well as across face. To say there's. Something that education may not teach. And that's the treat others as sacred. And the earth. And that's going to come down to. Us transcending radfar theological ideological. Whatever differences. I've been delighted when southern baptist come to our interfaith. Group evangelicals. Because i think. There are people who may have literal interpretations of scripture which i think her. Not. I think they're modern twisting of storytelling of the days old. But they're good people doing the best i can. What's the tax. Being read the way that reading. And i think that. Working with them working with all people. They're all my people. There's no enemies here that we have to do the spiritual education. By writing certainly say that the spiritual education is primer. And then the other kind of education. We'll build on that to direct. Knowledge. But i'm really thinking that. The politicians to get elected. Based upon the kind of. Media. Misinformation or nor so forth. Abased. Not a pain always the population having the healthiest attitude. Toward other people's. You know there's a lot of caricaturing of islam. And and i really hope that we in the interface group. We're not the caricature each other. You know what is a southern baptist. Refused tarians were the pagans or the temple of isis for anybody. If we can get over it. And share in this and that kind of spiritual education that we need to. To do. Dasuquin. One of the big errors that we can make his human being to seeing other people as others. There's you and me and then there's those people out there as long as there's this. Suspicion. People from that country or people of that religion or that race or of that age maybe i'm young people i don't trust old tp5. Are are divisive. And i know exact that is something that's central. As we've said a couple times i take it this podcast to boast that unitarian-universalist and the baha'i faith is. Is getting rid of all these prejudice and just accepting everybody. As they are and it did everybody's walking some spiritual path it's working for them and. Somehow by rubbing up against each other we get little glimmers of these other people's paths and. And help us just redirect our own path just a little bit. When that happens it something inside ourselves some choice we're making not something that we're being forced. Or humiliated into or. Yeah i think it was this allowed the prophets. I've had experience of rubbing. Of putting their flash and touch. With the marginalized population. Whether spending many many years in prison or walking with the outcast as jesus did. Or is gandhi when he traveled up into upper india. And then decided to dress as a peasant. When you get out of your cocoon i think that's where you can either go to ways you can either say. The others are inferior to me. I'm on the right path and they're on the wrong one. Or we can get out there and. Seek. Way to respect. And to honor. What makes look different to us an inferior and. I just appreciate. To meet. Face-to-face with. People of other faiths. But i do think the missions. And not so much to change people to become like us but the missions to. To give a helping hand people are struggling. I certainly jesus did that he. Most of the people of his religion of his day would cross the jordan river twice to avoid going through samaria. When jesus went through samaria and he stopped and he talked with a woman at the well. I mean those are examples to me. All right folks we're going to cut it off thanks very much for listening. I can say thank you for the kind i'm free this opportunity and. Greetings to people many-faced traditions nations that are able to listen to this on the podcast. And remember you're welcome to join us at any time. You've been listening to the podcast of the baha'is of florida's emerald coast. If you'd like to learn more about the baha'i faith. The international site is. Baha'i. . org. You'll find information about the faith and there's also links to the baha'i communities in several dozen countries around the world. Or check out our new blog. At. Ecbp. blogspot.com. Sec bp. blogspot.com there's links to baha'i websites and some great baha'i podcast. You can phone us if you want to talk to a human call when 822 united orin florida. Call. 850 54321 29 you can leave us a voicemail toll-free at 866-590-4545 or email us at. Panhandle the highs. At aol.com. Thanks for listening.

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042405_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

This morning i have a couple people going to help me. The story of exodus. The exodus from egypt. Is perhaps the most important in. Story in judaism. When the story was told around campfires i understand. A hundreds of years. Before it was written down. Everyone joined in on the parts that they had learned to recite. This morning i'm going to. And you can join into okay. When you hear the name of moses the hero. Or when something good happens in the story i invite you to cheer quietly as those who are. Jeff. Cheer. Like this making their hands okay. And where's the. The q card yours. Okay. You can. But the name of otis okay and good stock. And when i say the name of pharaohs everyone. And when bad things happen in the story. There's no silent way to do this you just have to hit okay and we have a cute card. Alright. The exodus story are you ready. Okay. The people of israel. Were slaves in egypt. Working on massive construction projects. There were so many slaves that pharaoh. Was afraid the hebrews would rise up in revolution. Sparrow. Ordered midwives kill all baby boys. Born to hebrew women. Once upon a time. Was born to hebrew woman. And hidden in a basket floating in the river. Yeah very good for you. Was discovered by pharaoh's daughter who adopted moses. And raise him as her own son in pharaoh's tower. The wedding rich moses. Was grown. He saw an egyptian. Beating a hebrew slave. Moses. Knew he was a hebrew. He was angry at the egyptian cruelty. He killed the egyptian. As curious what you do there any ran away to the mountain desert. Moses. Became a shepherd and married a herders daughter. One day moses. Was tending his father-in-law sheep in the mountains burst into flame and kept burning. And didn't burn up. Moses. Heard a voice telling him that if people were suffering in egypt. And that he moses. Should go rescue. Said. Good enough parker to do that. The voice from the burning bush told moses. Exactly what to do. And then it said that moses brother aaron would speak for him. Moses. Said. Who is this relay. And the voice in the burning bush used to give a name. But gave moses. A riddle. I am that i am. I will be that i will be. And to this day jews refuse all god names. Because reality is just too awesome and fabulous four names. Vyond thank you. There are quite a few moses stories in hebrew scriptures. Are the 10 plagues. That would be a fun one to do. Escape from egypt. The parting of the red sea. Water from a rock. Manna from heaven. The tent of meeting. The 10 covenant commandments. Do you realize that the hero. Of the exodus story of someone who murdered a man. The hero. I find it really curious with the greatest person. And israelites history. And religion was a murderer. Brother stories. Have him complaining and arguing with god. Are with the voice of god. And once when he was told. To hold his staff above a rock. Define water. He angrily struck the rock. And for that he his punishment was but he would. Be forbidden from. Actually entering the promised land and he died on a mountain overlooking. The promised land. One might say. Moses had a recurring problem with controlling his anger. And yet it was he who is chosen. At the burning bush. Believe the hebrews out of slavery. Through the desert for 40 years. And to the promised land. It was the angry moses. Who received the tablets of the covenant. In fact. The only human to see god. And lived was moses. Doing is used murdered the egyptian. So much for purity. The hebrew religion has so many. Flawed heroes. Like the raging moses the question i raised there. Where they l in spite of their flaws. So where they l. Because of their flaws. Long ago before the printing press when all the scrolls of. Cora. Shouldn't. Hebrews used to memorize and sing psalms or chance one song goes like this. The stone which the bird. Which the builders rejected. Has become the keystone. This is yahweh's doing and we marvel at it. This is the day which yahweh has made. A day for us to rejoice and be glad. And can you imagine people have this memorized. Storytellers. Get them started and they all join in the stone which the builders rejected. Has become the keystone. This is yahweh's doing. And we marvel at it. This is the day. Which yahweh is made a day for us to rejoice and be glad. I don't know if you've ever tried to pile rocks. Maybe building a wall or something. But if you come across a rock that shaped funny. No matter how you turned it. It sticks up and can't be laid flat nothing to be laid on top of it. Well that's the kind of sonia tossed aside. When the builders are making an arch. At the very. Each of the arts. As there. Putting the rocks. They need a very special stone that points down on the bottom. It will fit in between the arching side. They need a keystone. They need the stone. They rejected before. Not because it's better than the others. But the very reason it was most useless before. I think of the murderer moses. Like the stone that the builders threw away. Moses was able to stand up to pharaoh. And demand let my people go. According to the story. Not because he was more. Have another hebrews. Rather he directed his ravenous. Palace trained arrogance. The face down the power of egypt. Arrogance is good. And when confronted with continuous rebelliousness. Of the hebrew people. Complaining in the desert for 40 years. 40 years. Are the raging moses was able to smash the tablet. And faced down the hebrews. Worst mutiny. The stone which the builders rejected has become the keystone. Here's another hebrews story. Over 3000 years ago invaders from creed. Call joel osteen's began building great cities of the mediterranean sea the sea coast of prednisone. Now the philistines are so. Technologically-advanced that they over ramsey. The herders were whenever they expanded england. Once upon a time there was an unusually strong hero. A hebrew by the name of samson. No some. Hebrews. Like samson believe they cut their hair. Their god-given strength would be cut off to. So all of. Is life. Samsung never cut his hair. And sure enough. His samsung grew stronger and. Stronger. Until he was the champion.. The arnold schwarzenegger of the hebrews. Now. For all his prowess samson had a. A floor. He was an easy touch for beautiful women. He took a fancy to one particular philistine. Philistine soldiers came to her. And threatened to kill her and her family. Unless she found out the source of samson's strength. So she begged samson. Endlessly. But to no avail. The philistines. Burned her home. Killing her. And her family in it. In revenge. Samsung went on a rampage. Hundreds of philistine. And no one could injure sampson. Send samsung another philistine. The beautiful delilah. This time. The philistines offered hundreds and hundreds of silver shekels if delilah would find out the source of his strength. At first when delilah ask samson for his secret. Samson teasing i told her that if you were bound by 7 new bowstrings he would be helpless. Give up. Just. That's being sad and cried out the philistines are upon you. When samson easily broke free delilah. Wind. Did samson had lied to her. And delilah greg to know the secret of his drink. So. Samsung said. If you were bound by. 7 new rose. He would be helpless. So why. Delilah bound him in new ropes. But at the alarm samson broke free again. Over and over. The beautiful delilah cried. To know the secret of his strength with samson only teenager. And kept. His own counsel. Samsung. Gave in the beautiful divine delilah eventually wore samson down with her appeals. I'm samson in a weaker moments said truly that is his. Hair was cut off he would be as weak. Has any other man this time. When samson awoke. And delilah's bad his head was shaved. When he was immediately attacked. Philistine sisters the story goes. He found himself helpless. The. Hebrew stories are sometimes gory so i'll go. The philistines bound samson in. They gouged out his eyes. They chain samson there's they would boxing. To a millstone to grind grain in the center of the city. We're all the philistines good laugh. And taunt the hebrew champion. Who had killed so many. But. As the months of his humiliation went along. His hair grew. And hebrews like this part of the story. On the day of sacrifice. So the philistine god dagon. The once mighty samson. Was letting chains by a tiny child. To the center of dagon's temple. Where thousands of philistines beard in blood. Samson ask. Deline against the temple central pillars. And pressed his arms against them. With a prayer he pulled the pillars. And all the temple down upon himself. Killing thousands of philistines as well. There is an old folk saying that the car. Is warning to those behind. That's a more compact way of telling that. The short folk singer is warning to those behind. The story of the flawed hero samson was meant as a warning to young hebrew men. Not as a historical document. But as a warning to young hebrew men not to marry women whose families and loyalties lay with the philistines. Don't go out with those girls. But notice this as well. A virtuous. Samson. Who didn't pursue the women could not have been the warning lesson. Sylveon hebrew man. Then our own day i recall reading that. Albert einstein was not a very good student. Stephen hawking. Who is widely regarded as the most brilliant theoretical physicist. Had an even worse google record. Until he came down with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Lou gehrig's disease. Hawking was told. That he had 2 years to live. As a half-hearted phd stern when she was he didn't know what to do. He became depressed and he brooded. At one point he dreamed that he was going to be executed. You recall the biblical dreams released. The dream of revelation of the book of. Hebrew scriptures. Yes the other one. Anyways and so he had to scream. And then he thought of all the things that he could accomplish. If he were retrieved. Stephen hawking did get some of dying turned into 32. Brilliant creative work on quote theory of everything. Stephen hawking married. Fathered two children. He now i still believe he's living the right. Any holds the newton's chair. As a lucasian professor of mathematics at cambridge university. Though he is no longer able to control voluntary muscular activity. Except in his little finger. And some of the words stephen hawking. I want to read the short quotes. I suddenly realized. Is that there were a lot of worthwhile things i could do. If i were reprieved. Another dream that i had several times. Did i. Was that i would sacrifice my life to save others. After all. If i were going to die anyway. It might as well do some good. Stephen hawking. So the question still haunts me is stephen hawking the world's most brilliant theoretical physicist. In spite. Of his debilitating disease. Or because of it. As you and i build our lives with many shapes stones. Palace and flaws. That make us who we are. Is it only our talents that contribute been officially. Or could it be a flaw. That. Stone that stands anyway. This society would throw away but makes. Becomes the keystone. In the christian bible king james version we read. I just discussed pretty often. It's often misread. The quote is from matthew 648b therefore perfect. Even as your father which is in heaven is perfect. Better translations today let something like this let your love be boundless. Is god's love is without down. But our unitarian. William ellery channing. Did not have the benefit of modern biblical translation. Running use this passage. Calling for human perfection. In preaching against calvinist. Doctrines of. Depravity of human beings. In 1828 channing road says he wrote. The divine attributes are first developed in ourselves. Incense. Transfers to our creator. The idea of god. Sublime and awful as it is. Is the idea. Have our own spiritual nature. Terrified. Large to infiniti. In our cell. Are the elements of the divinity. Elsewhere heroes. I meet perpetual testimonies. To the divinity. Of human nature. Chatting had no doubt. About the existence of a god awesome but unfathomable. As for our human consumption idea of god. That was something altogether different. Contradicting the calvinist views of human depravity he saw in our human lives. The origin. Of our idea of god. Our own spiritual nature. Purified. An enlarged to infiniti. He spoke of them as the powers of soul. Of love. Creativity. Of influencing one another in sulphur. To realize perfection. Of this human. Divine. Image. Rigorously. Perfecting. Away the floor. Was channing's notion of the goal of human life. Channing road i would teach the likeness to god is a good so i'm passing all other good. That whoever admits it as attainable. Must acknowledge it. To be the chief aim of life. Likeness to god. He also wrote religious instruction. Chiefly to turn human aspirations and effort. To that perfection of the soul. Which constituted a bright image of god. I've got to save all the books i've al you channing's collected works the most i probably should have. Brought that old. 1871 volume. His spiritual leadership in the founding of american unitarianism is profound. And deserving of all of our study. Yet i want to say a criticism. I daresay that. In his zeal. To reject calvinist projection of depravity on humankind. Channing glorified in. Anti-human. Angelic. Perfectionism. Equally blind. Too human holder. Channing misses division. Humanity. Reconcile. To the so-called in protections within ourselves. And among. As a community. Stones the builders. With throwaway. Could be the keystone. The perceived imperfections. Enough. And another is maycomb to be indispensable gifts. In life unforeseen. Circumstances. Good news. I want to close with god. 2 stories. The story is told of a village plagued by a fire breathing dragon. I couldn't find this. I think this is a good story for the kids anyway. I'll save this one for you. The fire in the dark of night. Randomly fast. Homes are set of fire by the dragon. Fields of weed burn before they can be harvested. The people are scared to death. After months of living in fear the townsfolk. Call upon jerome. They didn't have money for george the dragon slayer so they had the frog. Display the dragon. And so the normally kinds rom. Set route to rid the town of this terrifying enemy. Quoting from the story. Jerome finds the dragon and draws his sword. But the dragon asks why. It is after all his nature to breathe fire and burn villages. Jerome ponder's. And i discuss discuss things for a while and finally come up with a solution agreeable. And lie around and tell lies. Jerome does not try to convert the dragon or convince them to be good. But instead. Help send to be more fruitfully. Who he is. Since dragons. But also like to be admired. And appreciate it. End of story. Give carol pearson the hero within the credit for that one. Reconciliation. Reconciling reconciling ourselves. To ourselves. The life's realities. Involves rejecting the human curse. Both mistaken notions of the human condition. Calvinist depravity. Enchanting perfectionism. He's a spec of each person we encounter. Each day. Including our own dragon tennessee. Is a divine gift. We could struggle to kill the dragon. Score to douse the fire. But for us to be reconciled to his nature. Would be for us to find a place of. Hornet. Even the most threatening in ourselves and others. Finds embrace. A safe place. Adventure marvel. And rejoice. In each dragons precious gift. There's great wisdom in the song the stone which the builders rejected has become. The keystone. This is always doing. And we marvel at. This is the day what yahweh has made. Add a forest. Oh yes. The title had something about squirrels in it. A famous unitarian. Henry david thoreau. Was a patient observer of nature. It's row notice that maxim. Great oaks from little acorns grow. It doesn't really tell the whole story. He watched. And oaks. The vast majority of acorns. The drop from oak and there's huge numbers. Only land the ground where they freeze in winter and rot. In spring without giving up. The only acorns survive to grow again. Are those that the squirrels take away. And then forget. Observed that the success of oaks. Depends not on the great productivity. Nor upon the excellence of the. Nor on the efficiency of the squirrel. In finding. And eating everyone that they buried. It is a squirrel failure in forgetfulness. Allows the great. Lowry some acorns to glorious. Becomes the great auk. May we to find wholesome holness. And reconciliation. Blessing whatever curse. Life may present to us.

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091805_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

Good morning. Unitarian first listen. That question is come up if you don't have an agreement of a creed. What keeps you together. What. If you don't have hell. What keeps you good. Where is an old universalist to once said. It was asked you know. Without. Some don't believe in hell. What keeps you from. Raping. Murdering stealing. And. Blue said to him is that what you really want to do. Universal doesn't have a creed. Because we believe that our. To honor one another's integrity. Is critical and so. What's curious about it is that. The question is. We want individually. To be honored for our own integrity. But we find that. There are many among us. Whose integrity is different. Showmars. And how do we. Honor there. That's the tough part. I want to begin with a reading from. The unitarian ralph waldo emerson. You said to have been the single greatest 19th century influence. Upon. Our nation's identity. And there are a few excerpts from his essay entitled self-reliance. He wrote. To believe your own thought. To believe that what is true for you in your private heart. Is true for all men. That is genius. Speak your latent conviction. And it shall be the universal sense. A person should learn to detect. And watch that gleam of light. With blood which flashes across his mind from within. More. Then the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages. Great works of art teach us. To abide by our spontaneous impression. With. Good-humored inflexibility. Then. Most. When the whole cry of voices is on the other side. One must take one's self. Forbetterforworse. As one portion. Bravely. Let us speak the utmost syllable of our confession. We bought half express ourselves. Anar shamed of that divine idea which each of us represents. But god will not have god's work. Made manifest by cowards. It needs a divine human to exhibit anything divine. A person is relieved and gay. When he has put his heart into his work. And denis bear. But what he has said or done otherwise. She'll give him no peace. Trust thyself. Every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you. The society. Of your contemporaries. The connection of event. Great people do is done so and confided themselves childlike. To the genius of their age. Betraying their perception that the eternal. Was stirring at their heart. Working through their hands. Predominating in all their being. And we are now. Human. And must accept. In the highest mind the same. Transcendental destiny. And not pinched in a corner. Not cowards. Fleeing before revolution. But redeemers. And benefactors. Pious. Aspirin. To be noble clay. Under the almighty effort. Lettuce. Advance. On chaos and the dark. Now this part. Is interesting. The nonchalance of boys. You are sure of a dinner. And would disdain as much as a lord. To do or say ought to conciliate one. Is the healthy attitude. Of human nature. How's the boy the master of society. Independent. Irresponsible. Looking up. From his corner on such people in faxes pass by he tries. Instances them on their mara. In the swift summary way of boys. That's good. Bad. Interesting. Silly. Eloquent. Troublesome. He gives an independent. Genuine verdict. That we could pass again into this neutral. Godlike independence. Society is everywhere. In conspiracy against humanity humanity. Every one of its members. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is if the version. Whoso would be a human. Must be a nonconformist. Nothing is at last sacred. But the integrity. Have our own mind. Absolve absolve you to yourself. And you shall have the suffrage of the world. No law. Can be sacred to me but that of my nature. I'm ashamed to think how easily. We capitulate to badges and names to large societies. And dread institution. We're not to go up right. And vital. And speak the rude truth. In all ways. Rough. And graceless would be such a greeting but truth. Is handsomer. Then the affectation. Of love. Your goodness. Must have some edge to it. Or it is not. Trust your emotion. If you would be a human. Speak what you think today. In words as hard as cannonballs. And tomorrow speak with tomorrow's thinks in hard words again. Do it contradict everything. You said today. Let us bow and apologize no more. I will stand here for humanity. And tell why would. Make it. Kind. I would make it through. This. Is a very difficult passage. I am struggling with how we can stand for humanity. With a spirit that is both true. And kind. Emerson spoke in an era of puritan perfectionism. Any challenge to restrained. Fellow new englanders. He challenged them to trust your emotion. Abide by your spontaneous impression. With. Good humor. Inflexibility. Put that together. Good-humored inflexibility. Emerson went so far as to celebrate. The independent irresponsible nonchalance of boys who treat authority with disdain. Calling there's. The healthy attitude. A human nature. Irresponsible independent boys. We would call them unsocialized. He challenges us to speak the rude truth. In all ways. With words as hard as cannonballs. And yeah. Ralph waldo emerson wrote let us bow and apologize no more. I will stand here for humanity and though i would make you manatee. Kind. I would make it true. So how can we speak the truth in love. In kindness. How can we speak. Route truth2power. Kindly. For criticizing united states foreign and domestic policies. Friends of hask me. Why do you hate america. It makes me very sad. That the powerful fox news another idiot logical sources. Planters expensive question. In the hearts of my friends and neighbors. It's like asking when did you stop beating your wife. It's not a question to me. But a judgment upon me. Thereby criticize our government's policies. I am not only unpatriotic. But i hate america. Instead of having to answer. For administration policies and hold our elected officials accountable. For their leadership. By labeling critics as america haters. Enemies on our own soil. Then all criticism. May be ignored and no accountability and required. In 1918 theodore roosevelt said. Quote. To announce. There must be no criticism of the president. Or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong. It's not only unpatriotic. And servile. But is morally treasonable. To the american public. And quote is there a kinder way i could say that. Mostly i remain silent. To tell my friends if this fox news attack on my patriotism. Is moral treason. Just doesn't do any good. It simply breaks our relationship. I've come to believe that there's no single strategy. For speaking the rude truth kindly. Because each person responds differently depending on the quality of our relationship. Speed leaves of the albany institute identifies a continuum of conflict. In relationships levels of conflict i want to share those with you. The first level was problem solved. It's a high level of mutual relationship in which the focus of the conflict is on the problem. Rather than on person. There's a real difference of opinion with the beginning. But through open sharing. And collaboration asking each other for more information. Mutually acceptable solutions can be attained. Usually without any assistance. The second level called disagreement. Is also high level of relationship but individuals take it more personally. Feeling. The pic that they need to win and save case. Rather than being open and collaboration individuals my hold back information. 4 calculated gain. Still. Without effort. Win-win solutions can be. Negotiate. Problem solving disagreement. The third levels called contest and it's a lower level of relationship involving. Win lose. Dynamics. Individuals are not able to collaborate with the enemy. And freely. Distort information intact. Integrity of the opponent. Mediation is just necessary. To negotiate a compromise solution. However. Defeating an opponent. Defeating the opponent. Becomes. An element of winning. Contests. Win lose. The forest level fight-or-flight is a shift away from winning. And toward getting rid of the epona. True believing factions are solidly. Established without identification with the other. Ideology is more important than any particular problem. And mediation of negotiated solutions. Provides only temporary. Resolution of ideological conflict which opponents do not wish. To resolve. The fight-or-flight. And finally level-5 intractable. Conflict. Involves losing sight of. Any particular problem. At all. The problem becomes existence. Of the opponent. The opponent is perceived as harmful to society. And any negotiated resolution. Is no more than a temporary pause. In the necessary. Elimination. The opponent. I used to think. The honesty integrity. And truthfulness men to engage every person. With the same statement of personal perspective. No matter who i encounter. Present myself otherwise i thought was to be two-faced. Conversation with another person was all about. How well i could articulate my current understanding about an issue. I would then listen to feedback and then seek to correct misunderstandings that others might have of the truth of the matter. As i understood it. The conversation was all about me about my understanding. My ability to articulate. My analysis of misunderstanding. And my ability to convince the listener any listener without distinction. It wasn't about them but about my. Truth. The late brazilian. Frostproof education paulo ferreira. Offered an alternative to what. He called the banking method of education. The transferring of fact currency. From me. From my mental account to that of the learner. Tyler freres dialogue method in his alternative method of education involved mutual interchange. Dialogue. Each print presenter must explore the experience and understanding of the other. By engaging in dialogue. $1 camaro education that i learned it boston college with tom groom is called the five. Stages of share practice five questions though. Presented that way. The first question you can ask a child what's happening. The second question what do you think about that. The third question is. What what what do weather say including myself. Think about that. And the fourth question is what do you think about them. And finally what do you think should be done please start out with what's happening. What's the issue presenting itself in what do you. Think about it. Dialogue starts with listening. Basic agenda for the reality since agenda. And you have to literally think about it then there's the opportunity is don graham used to say that the catholic doctrine. And the way we would say it is to say what do other people say. But there's got to be a place for you to be able to say. I also have an affair. And then you returned it to them what do you think about that and finally. What do you think makes sense do. It's dialogue. It's not all about me. The banking method of education on the other hand teaching other you're rude truth like cannonballs. Probably only works. In relationships with the highest. Level of rapport. And the least. Conflict. I've often spoken against. Rude cannonball. Conversation. Such conversation is one directional. Instruction. Firing at them. We going to turn your verse with self. Have too often. Found ourselves all trying to be the teacher. Striving with one another for airtime. In which to share the wealth of our intellectual currency. That we have banked from our wide diversity of education background. And experience. Envoy do we have it. Rich accounts. When are relationships are strong. And the conflict levels are low. We're pretty good about listening. And learning from one another. But once there's a degree of conflict say. Disagreement or. Competition. Our mutual effort to bless one another with the wealth of our information. Leads the last listening and less successful communication we're also generous. Ensuring our trees especially those cannonballs through wheel of the singers. When the levels of conflict the highest. The levels of fight or flight. For intractable. Conflict. Are passionate. Etiological commitments lead to a willingness. To eliminate. The other. We hurt one another. For our higher causes. Albert camus road. In such a world of conflict. A world of victims and executioners. It's the job of thinking people. Not to be on the side of the executioner's. Sure we would never. Hurt anyone physically. But we're all too willing to execute and kill one another's ideological views. As i often call dickie smothers. You know it by now. Tommy's thompson where angels fear to tippy toe. I find myself stomping in on others beloved ideologies. Christian faith in virgin birth and blood redemption istomp real hard. Partisan love for one or another politician. I restrained myself. Personal and professional commitments to national defense. Lifestyle commitments. That i don't share. Economic priorities. It's so easy to stomp on one another's. Feet. When were in the one directional mode of informing others. And dominating their space. Without dialogue. Is emerson road in the natural history of intellect in 1893 without dialogue. Quote. All the thoughts of turtles are turtles. Another rabbit. Rabbits. If we want peace write the danish bulletin flosser. Confine. If we want peace to the things we must accomplish to deserve it. Our first to win each other's trust. And second to deserve it. As long as we're stopping on one another's precious turtle or rabbit perspectives. Sure that only ours have ultimate legitimacy. There's no trust no save space. For dialogue. I know it's so hard to hear and i know that my ideological commitments lead me to believe. That the lives of hundreds of thousands depend. On the spread of my personal political and religious perspective. I really believe that. Yep perhaps parker palmer is right. When he says that quote. The greatest gift we receive on the inner journey is the certain knowledge that ours is not the only act in town. The greatest gift we receive. Is ascertain. The towers is not the only act in town. How do i spend my life exploring philosophy and theology. And political activism to. I struggled. Many long nights as have you. Reflection analysis the hard fact is this my perspectives are not. The only worthy political and religious views in town. I must learn to ask questions and dialogue what's happening. What are the issues that matter to you. What do you think about them. What weather say about it it's your mind you. And what do you think about that. What makes sense to you to do about it. St.thomas aquinas said we must love them both. Those whose opinions we share. And those whose opinions we reject. For both of labored in the search for truth and both. Have helped us in the finding of it. Kabir said it this way. Do what you do to another person. But never put them out of your heart. What this means to me. Is the. I must evaluate. The quality of relationships in the level of trust. I share with those i mean. Each person. I must make my best gas. At what level of sharing of use between us. Might do some good. Lest i stopped where angels fear to tippy toe. Sometimes i can. Peacefully offer a contrary view in the marketplace of ideas. Sometimes. It's just. Nothing good that i can do. Orsay. In the moment. Deer quaker friends. Understand that. Sometimes when i speak with my neighbor i remain silent. But there's much i like to say. Sometimes with my daughter there is no good that i can speak. Car with my spouse. But when i open my mouth to speak i must ask. Am i doing any good. Or will it only do harm to my relationship. I must never put others. Out of my heart. Abraham joshua heschel. The rabbi. When i was young. I used to admire intelligent people. As i grow older. I admire kind. I'm coming to feel greater admiration. For the people. The car. For the kind. Who know when to speak and when to wait. I'd love to think that i have enlightening insights to share. But now i'm beginning to wonder. Whether i can do any good. With those brilliant singers. Miguel de unamuno said. It's not more light more brilliance more light. But more warrants. We die of cold. Not a darkness. It's not the night. Kills. Frost. How is ours is a world of great conflict and much is at stake. When we engage the life-and-death issues. Of hundreds of thousands. People in for generations to come. Mary. Do what you do to another person. But never put them out of your heart. I guess. When people think of us as unitarian universalist. Will they be able to say yes. Frances david is being proved right. We need not. Think alike. Total love i like.

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VLR_124_Being_Faith.mp3

A different trinity respect freedom and justice for all persons the unitarian universalist the uncommon denomination on the web at uua.org. Hello and welcome to the voices of the following sermon entitled being faith. Presented by reverend rod dabs at the youth fellowship of the emerald coast at january 16th 2011. The 44th chapter of ecclesiastes. Begin fitness. This always bothered me okay. Let us now praise famous men. And our fathers that begat us in quote. But. Don't stop there. The passage goes on to celebrate. The countless. Forgotten common women and men. Who strove without achieving fame. That's what those first 15 verses are about. Those whose lives laid the foundation. For the accomplishments. By those famous. In our day. Howard thurman. Is the name that you need to if you're interested in martin luther king jr.. That would not have been. A message. The martin luther king jr.. If it hadn't been. For howard thurman. And many others i'm sure. Let us now praise famous men has been taken. Title. Of a depression-era book published in 1941. By james agee with photographs by walker evans. Documenting the stories of white alabama sharecroppers. And stark. Photographs images. I've gone families huddled in bear shacks. In the 1930s depression. Entitled. Let us now praise. Famous me. Such irony the irony of the title. Was chosen for that very purpose. To point out the countless forgotten people. That have survived despite. Desperate conditions. Perhaps more faithful. And they're striving than the privileged. Famous view. Play the song we didn't sing this morning the lyrics. Of the african-american national anthem. Which read in part. Stony. The road we trod. Better. The chastening rod felt in the days when hope. Unborn had died. Yep with a steady beat. Have not our weary feet. Come to the place. For which our fathers. We have come over a way that with. Peers have been watered. We have come. Treading our path. Through the blood of the slaughtered. Sing a song. Full of the faith. That the dark past has taught us. Sing a song.. But the present has brought us. Facing the rising sun of our new day begun. Let us march on. Till victory is. What is. The faith that the dark past. Has taught us. I want to suggest that there are many different faiths. Like my teeth. Victor hugo says a library. Is an act of faith. Faith in human drive to read. Of things beyond our personal experience. To learn. Play somebody's going to use the library. Build a library filled with books. And your face and that human drive. Curiosity beyond the limits of our experience. Will. Be rewarded. I have a neighbor who repairs boats for a living his wife. He loves to ride his motorcycle. His wife got in the cottage across the street. Light hardwood floors on doors. Replace walls and ceilings finish them. They built in a new kitchen. Painted inside and out made bricks. For a driveway. Mike seems to be able to do anyting. Last night. Believe it or not last night. He had. It had to be city equipment borrowed from. Yeah. What huge equipment and they were trimming the live oak trees that were shaving the lawn. And they work in this morning by the way. With floodlights. You should see. Oh by the way we hired him. To take out an old tub and install. And. Glass blocks. Brand new shower head is beautiful. Mike can do anything. You should see his their five-year-old son. That have seen their dad and his friends. I've seen mom running a circular saw. Table saw. He's a little daredevil riding a skateboard on his stomach. Down the road bicycle without a seat. Isn't take a duet. Is paris can. I called his a courageous faith. Airzone physical abilities. Best buy. It's a gift he has received. I'm watching the his parents. And the superhandy friends. Around him making and building. There are. Some lose faith is driven by fear. The hebrew prophets warned the people of israel not to fear swords and chariots not to trust in them. But to do justice to the poor the widow the orphan. And the stranger within your gay. The prophets knew that a healthy community. Can tap wells. Wisdom. Trickiness. Courage. Greater than the threat of overpowering military might. But the hebrew scriptures tell of kings. Fearfully. Subjecting themselves to foreign powers making alliances and suffering brutal oppression. Raising a pin. In resistance and they take him to slavery. Or on the other hand. Raising alliant joining alliances. And fighting. Greater powers only to be brutally defeated and then again i press to the slave. That's a whole history of the bra. The people of israel. The message of the hebrew prophets is. That only face and community justice and right relationships. Can i label a people to survive. Surrounded by overwhelming military might. Black walesa said. Deep face. Eliminates fear. How can this be. Deep faith eliminates fear. Sometimes we i would say i think confused face with beliefs. Beliefs are mere intellectual convince meant i would say. Intellectual convention what surrounded by. Arguments for various worldviews or practices. That are purported to solve our problems. We don't know are around experiences limited. Maybe some of these practices and products actually work. We may be intellectually or emotionally convinced. I really believe with our hearts and mind. But our beliefs or more. Pipe dreams. Sometimes. Wishful thinking. More than a matter of faith in action. Based on lived experience. What are packers vs christian scripture which you might find familiar ephesians 2:8. For grace are you saved through faith. And that not of yourselves. It is a gift of god not of works. Lest any man should boast. Scripture speaks of grace grace is understood by christians is. Undeserved favor. Bestowed on humanity. But i call it god or reality or the unnamable mystery. What other whatever the unfathomable source. Humanity is. Graced. With undeserved favor. According to this text. The saving grace is. Quote. True faith. And that not of yourselves. It is a gift of god not of works lest any man should boast. For centuries christians have understood faith to be again. The gift of god. In our own history unitarian king john sigismund of transylvania. Presiding at the diet of torta declared as much. In 1568. Eleni read from sigismund's act of religious toleration and freedom of conscience. This is the document it reads. In every place the preachers shall preach and explain the gospel. Each according to his understanding of it. And if the congregation like it. Well. If not. And no one can compel them. For their souls would not be satisfied. But they shall be permitted to keep a preacher whose teachings they approve. Therefore. None of the superintendent's of others. Child abuse the preachers know when she'll be reviled for his religion by anyone. And it is not permitted. Did anyone should threaten anyone else. By imprisonment. Or by removal from his post for his teaching. For faith. Is the gift of god. This comes from hearing. Witchery. It's by the word of god. 1568 that's backlund. The reformation. People were fighting in. Faith. I would translate this a little faith is. A gift. Hope you have a fallible. Daughter reality if you wish. There are however. Different face. As different as there are cultures and spheres of human experience. If life is showing you the power of violence. To destroy invite destruction to coerced and control others. The face you receive as a gift. Mandy be a face. Violence. If your dad and his friends can build and fix anything with the ada power tools. And huge machinery. The gift of faith. You may grow into. Is a faith in yourself. Like your dad. If likelike will elsa. You have i said his neighbor. You don't have.. From poland you have. Just like him you have seen solidarity. Among workers. The gift of faith you have received. Maybe that. The people united. Shall never be defeated. Even buy weapons. And violence. Faith is a gift of life we grow into. That we dare. To live. Sherwood eddy right. Faith is not trying to believe something regardless of the evidence. Faith is daring something. Regardless of the consequence. Mahatma gandhi said faith is not something to grasp. It's a state. To grow into. Are american unitarian forebears. Rejected the so-called enthusiasm so the great revivals. Emotional preaching. Today along with it music you do beautiful. Emotional music grass hearts and minds. Motions. To believe. To repent to convert to religious. Idea. Throughout history. They're good profits. But also demagogue. Who could convince masses to believe. To believe their ideologies. David koresh. Jim jones. Adolf hitler. On the one hand on the other hand. These. Muhammad. Mahatma gandhi. Martin luther king jr.. We humans can be mobilized by. Political or religious rhetoric. The wage war on so-called. Evil empires. Nazis are coming. The lock and load on socialists and godless liberals. Hate radio and tv. Opinion reporting. Guided by eddie illogical think-tanks brilliant. Ideological think tank. And highly paid. Public relations firms. Have great power. To raise religious. And political and suzy azzam. Our beliefs. Can be manipulated. And that's why we think i could that make education with his checks and balances of global. Reality-based academic fields. Reality. Is the trustworthy source. For all our imperfect gasbuddy. The gift of faith. Is rooted. And more then. Enthusiastic beliefs. Richard buckminster fuller road. Faith is much better than belief. Delete this when. Someone else does the thinking. Personally the faith that drives my ministry. Who i am why i'm a minister. Is a kind of intuition. A skepticism. A bulldog doubt. Deeply rooted in. My past experience. Call it the still small voice of. Integrity if you would. Even when. Reason and rhetoric authority. Ann coulter. Gang up to say that i'm wrong. When all the arguments even in my own head. Why not. Against my inner intuition. I cling to my integrity. The gift of faith. That the reality of life has buried. Deep in me. And i think you do too. Emily dickinson road of this. Reality-based intuition. That nibbles at the soul. Challenging the conclusions of belief. This is her poem. The world is not conclusion. A species stands beyond. Invisible. As music. But positive as sound. It beckons. The baffles. Philosophy. Don't know. And throw riddle at the last sagacity miss. Go. The guest puzzle scholars. Ticket to gain it. Mana born contempt of generations. And crucifixion. Shown. Faith slips. And laughs and rally's. Blushes if any see. Alexa twig of evidence. And ask the vein. Weathervane. The way. What's gesture from the pulpit. Song hallelujah is roll. Narcotics. Cannot still the tooth. Nibbles at the soul. Because of this. Belligerent integrity. The guy and i think you feel. Within ourselves. We need a safe place. The nurture are reality-based faith. Unitary versus gatherings that. I promoted support. Pluralistic. This covenant community. Promising to one another to be a safe place. For your religious integrity as well as my own. The gift of phase with each of us receives from. The unfathomable reality. Of our life experience. From god if you prefer. Does actually differ. Ivana. Requires humility. To celebrate one another's different view. As if we are each gazing. At a different facet of the same. Diamond. Reality. Tumi. Humility is the only posture. It's appropriate before the awesome wonder. And power and. Mystery. Of reality. The arrogance of demagogues belief. It's so contrary. To the humility of faith. Emmanuel kenny said. Has your faith is strengthened. You will find that there is no. Longer the need to have a sense of control. The things will flow as they will. And that you will flow with them. To your great delight. And benefit. I want a taken aside you want to visit the thai buddhist. Attitude of sitting in the great on knowing. Breathing in. Seeing the way it is. Going with the flow you. This weekend we celebrate the face of the reverend doctor. Martin luther king jr his face in the. Power of love. The message of jesus and for that matter. According to. Colin. Armstrong. The compassionate care of all the major world religions. Hero doctor king's words describing. Is faith. Every person must decide. Whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism. For the darkness. Of destructive selfishness. Have we not come to such an impasse. In the modern world that we must love our enemies. Or else. The chain reaction of evil. Hate beginning thick be getting hate. Ward's producing more wars must be broken. Or else we shall be plunged. Into the dark abyss. Of a dilation. And again he rides. I believe that unarmed. Truth. And unconditional love. Will have the final word. In reality. This is why i write. Temporarily defeated. Is stronger. The evil. Silly question. What is the faith. Nibbles at your soul. Are you at i be faithful. May this be a place. It affirms and supports. The growing of fooling. Of your. One another. Faith. Rabindranath tagore write. Faith is the bird that. Feels goliath. Hempstead. When the dawn is still dark. We hope you've enjoyed our presentation please send any of your comments or feedback to vlr at ufc.com feel free to act of library of audio and text sermon at you ufc.com and you can also find out more about unitarian-universalism my visiting uua.org thanks again for listening. Going to church means different things to different people and sometimes for some people they need something different from what they found increasingly people returning to the unitarian universalist illiberal religious community we're different people with different beliefs gatherers 1 faith in their intellectual and spiritual search for truth and meaning in their lives unitarian universalist and the unitarian universalist congregation welcome you to join us in that search. The uncommon denomination.

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102206_Rev_Rod_Debs.mp3

All god's critters got a place in the choir. Samsung. Low and something higher something out. Loud on telephone wire. And some just clap their hands or paws. Or wings or claws or anything that got now. This vision. That every person every critter. Has a place in the choir singing out their own song. In a world of mutual trust and support. At least 1900 years old. Mabel. A study group i'm in was reading a text on the history of the western world. Integrate. The history. In the west to integrate science and religion it's called. The book is by richard rubenstein title. Aristotle's children music george mason university. Rubenstein pointed out. That before christianity involved into a hierarchical organization. The very first followers of jesus were. Might be called. What he called a charismatic community. What charismatic community means is that they recognize unique. Terrorism. Or gifts. Of each follower of the way that's what the. Jesus target all followers of the way. Without hierarchical distinction. They thought. The end of time is coming soon. And they. Gathered and community. With recognizing the many many gifts. Each person without distinction. Pirate. But those earliest followers the way slowly came to realize that they were. Not quite accurate in their time schedule. The realize at the end of time of the roman domination was not actually going to happen in their own lifetime. As they had expected so they began to see a need for leadership. The govern the tiny scattered christian communities. This moves toward hierarchical organization. Was later institutionalized. When constantine made christianity the state religion of the roman world. And at the council of nisene. Nicea in 325. Establish the nicene creed. One way of thinking. And subsequent bureaucratic hierarchy. To have authority over the christian world. Now our forebears. In the radical reformation of the 16th century. Specifically the anabaptist. Look back to that original. Charismatic. Church. Charismatic. Community. The early christians. That had no single creed. Of beliefs. Backyard lots of creedmoor more diversity than today. No hierarchical organization. And those first years. But which celebrated the gifts of each person in the faith community. These radical reformers of the 16th century. Laid the groundwork of our faith communities today. Uu congregation. Do celebrate diverse religious sentiments. And diverse gifts both within our congregations. It's route to diversity. A secular and religious communities. Rejecting the authority. The bishop priest and king. We celebrate that. All god's critters got a place in the choir. The choir of decision-making. Having our own integrity. For our own face. And in this country. Running our government. We all covenant with one another. Our mutual trust and support. That's our. Unitarian universalist heritage. Regarding mutual respect i remember an old story religious story about a monastery high in the mountains. The monks had fallen on difficult times. Few pilgrims came to pray. The monks. Found it no novices at join too many years. As the eldest among them died. More work. Fell on those who remain. Aging is they were. Evermore irritable and unhappy. Soon they feared the monastery would have to close. So the head mark the oldest. Took on himself a pilgrimage. To visit a renowned teacher in a very distant monastery. After many months of travel. Over mountains you're harsh weather. The head monk found himself. Ushered into the presence. The renowned teacher. The old man told his heart to the teacher. Seeking wisdom. Guidance for the sake of those now and. In the future from the monastery might search. The teacher had been under a thousand islands allowed only one spoken sentence of year. Quotev. 1 scripture. Wherever two or three are gathered. The my name. There i will be among you. Any left in silence. Twists. The old monk. List of straw new that verse 3. And that's all he had to take back to the monster. He traveled those hundreds of miles. Rough-terrain harsh weather. Meditating on the scripture. The christ would be among any. Two or three gather in his name. The trip was hard in the old monk. Collapsed. At the broken down gate. Of the mountain monastery. The aging monks found in there. And thought the nursing to health is what i ever. Broth and herbs they could. Master grumbling all the time. That their head monk and abandoned them to make a pilgrimage. Here. Again he was abandoned. Bye.. That's the old monk. i spoke only these words. Christ is among you. And so a miracle took place. In that mountain monastery. Each month. Not knowing. Who among them was the christ. Thought somebody loving kindness toward each other. Treasury. The gifts. Each brought the community. Word of their mutual kindness and respect. Each for the other. Travel throughout the land and pilgrims and novices. Came from distant lands to visit to take valves. Intouch community. Because the spirit of loving-kindness. Was present. Okpreps of stories to orthodoxy or taste. Here's a poem forward to me this week. It also describes celebration of one's unique gifts. Kaelyn hart rides. God says yes to me this is her phone. I have scott is it okay to be melodramatic. She said yes. I asked her if it's okay to be short. She said sure is. Answer if i could wear nail polish. Or not wear nail polishes at honey. She called me that sometime. She said. How do you can do just exactly what you want to. Thanks. i said. And is eva okay if i don't paragraph my letters. Sweetcakes godson. Who knows what you picked that up. What i'm telling you is yes. Yeah. Yes. Will unitarian universalist. Are a community bound together by a covenant a promise. To say yeah. Yes. Yes the one another's gifts. We are at charismatic face. In the true sense of the word. Work. That we celebrate the gifts of one another's presence. Our strength. And our weaknesses. Insights and are misinformation. Our faith and our fears. Grateful for the religious pluralism. The human diversity. Leaving the diverse twitter call perspective. That enriches and a noble czarface. Plastic hard part. When we welcome new members to this uu fellowship. As a minister i get to do the charge. And the charge to do members. Is this. Welcome as new members. I charge you to share your wisdom. Your experiences of life. Your questions. Your doubts. Your sorrows in your joy. And that which matters most to you. I charge you to shake us up with your honest thinking. Stiris with your conscience. And to stimulate our hopes. With your dreams. But you know all this already this is the easy part. What i think you and i don't really know. Is the great range. Of our gifts. As living. Breathing. Experiencing human beings. I think that's what we forgot. Robert fulghum was built. Robert folsom innisbrook. Writes this and i'm going to call you mcclain. He writes i've been a frequent guest to school. Most often invited by kindergartens in colleges asked if kindergarten class. How many of you can draw and all hands shoot up. Yes of course we can draw all of us. What can you draw anything. How about a dog. Eating a fire truck in a jungle. Sure how big you want it. How many of you can sing all hands. The first we sing. What can you sing anything. What if you don't know the words no problem we make them up. What's playing. Now yes why not. How many of your dance unanimous again. What kind of music do you like to dance to any kind let's dance. Now sure why not. Do you like to act. Lycan plays yes. Do you play musical instruments yes. Do you write poetry. Can you read and write and count yes we're learning that now. Their answer is yes. Over and over again yeah. The children are confident in spirit. Infinite. In resources. Eager to learn. Everything is still possible. By the same questions on a college audience. A small percentage of students will raise their hands. When asked if. They draw or dancer singer payne track. Or play an instrument. Not infrequently. Those who do raise their hands. Will want to qualify their response was their limitations. I only play piano. I only draw horses. I only dance to rock and roll. I only sing in the shower. When asked why the limitations. College students answer. They don't have talent or not majoring in the subject. Or have not done any of these things since they were in third grade. The worst. Embarrassed. Brothers of steven singer dancer at. And you can imagine the response. The same questions. Asked of an older audience. The answer. No. None of them. What went wrong. Gas. Between kindergarten and college. What happened to yes. Play camp. What happened. To that voice inside us. It says. Sweet cakes. What i'm telling you is yes yes yes. Well we're so busy. Fighting centuries-old battles with institutional impressions. All those isms and i won't denigrate anyone by naming one. Fighting those great expressions. Out there. The far enemy. We all love to attack and. Which righteous fury. It's the near anime. Internalized oppression. Whereby we fail to exercise our gifts as living. Breathing. Relating beans. We let our childlike gifts. Exploring. And celebrate. Life. Atrophy. Okay let me make it real. Cuz i don't know. I don't know how this is going to be i know. This is the confessional park. You haven't seen me playing in the world's most beautiful white sands and emerald waters. Because of my internalized oppression. That i'm not willing to be seen in a bathing suit. I'm embarrassed. For the scoliosis deformity of my back. I'm embarrassed to be seen. In a bathing suit. How many mm. You and i. About the beaches stolen from us. By those voices of criticism. And ridicule that we've internalized. Wayback maybe in junior high. Internal voice is mocking us. For not being good enough. Not good enough to live. Life. How rare the body. Who says yes. 2 exploring the joys of life. Relationships. Like a little child. We're always thinking excellence. I think we grown up since. Taking performance absolutely too far. Critical and judgmental voices inside essay. Am i good enough to do that. Orgeat. Or that. Or is that is that. Or anything anymore. We die long before we die. When was that little voice inside us. Become unitarian universalist. With a promise. Up trust and support. We need one another's help. In learning to say yes to life. We need encouragement. To childlike. Joy not judgment. Childlike. Playfulness not criticism. We need to blast one another. And receive one another blessing. Christian scripture says in 1st timothy 5:12. A little child. Cholita. So here comes a shameless invitation. Used cons we need adult advisors to drive the cars. Where's lisa he's back there you can talk to. Yeah did you get to stay at the khan has the idea and be a part of it is a lot more than driving. Amanda these words. There's a child rights rug rodger robert fulton. And you and in mesa. Waiting behind the door of our hearts. For something wonderful to happen. The child who is impractical. Unrealistic. Simple minded. And terribly vulnerable. Teacher.

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022606_Rev_Nels_Oas.mp3

The face of freethinkers. From pains at wayne. Obviously i'm not going to cover all those hundred and some years. And i'm not going to say much about twain. But. The familiar themes. Go on in that some hundred years between those two great american authors. Will recur again and again throughout this essay. Just last week of course was president. Holiday. I didn't read a single thing. Or hear a single thing. That gave me any sense. Of the unbelievable drama. That took place in the hearts. All the great leaders. Are the foundation of this republic. I heard nothing. About either. Lincoln or washington or any other of the other founding fathers. That gave me the end of the inspiration. It's rationed that i would like to pass on to you today. There is so much disinformation. There's so much distortion of what it means to be an american today. That this sermon should be preached probably every other sunday or at least something. Nru youth services ought to reflect. The foundation. Not just our american pit. Kurt ism. But our unitarian faith. The holy days. Communitarianism. Are holidays international scene. Again and again if you go out throughout the year. We major. In the great american holidays. Will it be martin luther king. Birthday in january or president's days. February. Or whether we move into the memorial day or independence day. Thanksgiving day. These are holidays. Holidays. Not just for us as americans. The process unitarians. Today we hear a lot about. Holy. Pilgrimages. We're here we're going to have lent this week the beginning of 7 weeks. We're going to have mardi gras. And we know what's happening. 2 places of pilgrimage in the mideast. They getting hella bomb. of them or whatever resides in those places. A religion. There are stories that are being told. Stories that reflect. Gauges in the decades in the centuries. Of these religions story. I want you today to be challenged by the unitarian story. As the american story. I want to see the parallelism. Between our faith. As you use. And our foundations. In our democratic. Soul and spirit. New you cover story today and this. Month. Because it comes every 6 week or every 6 months. Take home your new you. World magazine and take a real look at the cover story. There is in it. That which i want to. Say to you today it talks about the great story. The great story. Not just of this country with a great story of creation. Of what we understand about our solar system and what we understand about our orthology. It's a marvellous and i'm page 32 you have it spelled out so beautifully. Echoing thomas paine. Echoing. Thomas paine where our story. Was thomas paine. So clearly set it in the age of reason. Is bass. On the bible of nature. The bible of science. Not on the books. Of scripture. Today. We are living in a time. Which are foundational language. Both as americans as well as unitarians. It's being black theme. Our words that were holding our founding fathers such as. Democracy. Such as humanism. Such a secularism. Such as free thought. Is being dragged through the mud. As dirty words. Throw my swear words now to talk about being a liberal. Bring a secularist. Being a humanist. We are living in a time. But we need to tell our story. But some of the guts of a thomas paine or a mark twain or an hl mencken or robert green ingersoll. We need again. To hear someone. Who echoes. And expresses. In the face. Awesome nasty cartoons. In fact the whole fundamentalist evangelical orthodoxy. Statements these days are nothing but cartoons. Besmirching and blaspheming. Our faith. Over it again let's go back and take a look. Briefly. I'm tom payne this little bio for you just to remember. 1737 he was born. In england. Of a mom who is anglican and a dad was a quaker. It's somewhere in the age of around 8 or 9 years old. He went to a protestant service. And heard the anglican preacher. Tell that story. That biblical story. Which we all have heard. The story of salvation from our sins. From our sins we inherited from adam. And in the story of jesus we get reprieve and we get redemption. And now we have to have the right words in the right language to fit ourselves into that crazy atonement story. My dad. Well you did find out. George washington was a mason. In the masons were totally. Secular oriented creationist in the sense of. Deism. Innocence of natural theology. My father. I really doubt that he would never coursebook for washington sex i don't believe. That most americans today would both for any of our founding heroes and father's not a one of them. Would get on the ballot. Because they're not fundamentalist they're not stuck. To a literature a sacred scripture. Well. They got to just take a look at thomas paine. How is fitz in. To our american history. George washington said that. His sword. Was not as effective as tom pains pim. Tom payne spin. Begin with his book called common sense. He came to this country. From. Europe. Hosted by benjamin franklin. At the beginning of this american life we almost there's a book in. Benjamin franklin. What a naturalist who was the other end of the bookends of thomas paine's life are with. Tom jefferson. Thomas jefferson pick them up. Traffic going to europe again brought back to this country and these two great. Founding. People of faith. Of a naturalistic safe. Forum bookends to his life. Well this book and over here begins in in 1774. When it comes to this country under the. Sponsorship of benjamin franklin. And 1775 you right. Common sense sells 150,000 copies. 50,000 copies during the colonial.. What's a 13. Early colonies. Was an amazing. Bestseller. And it was written in a way that the average person. Could read it. And understand every word of it. It stated the case. Very clearly. People on this side of the atlantic. We're second tired. Of king george. And all that it meant. To be run by a throne. Across the sea. Well. Thomas paine shortly after he'd written this. He spent time with george washington. And george washington's early. Campaign failure sisterly deceits. And he's with him for zapping the horrible winter of 75. And american. Populous. We're growing very. Afraid. They were. Very much. Under the samsung. We can't win this war with the brits. Thomas paine begin writing. Accessories. 13 papers called. The american crisis papers. The second great great literature output. Be at writing is about every other month. Was the cheerleading that came from these simple pamphlets. The rallies american people. To the cause. All the revolutionary war. And. The story of course we know so well from there on. Thomas paine. Live through them these years. I was at war so many tears. 1787. He felt that piece was secure here. Democracy. Was on its way. And he could get back to what he really enjoyed. Which was designing bridges. Thomas paine like so many of our founding fathers and mothers were very very creative people. And so he returned to europe. Trying to sell them on a special. Single span bridge. But you got caught up in the french revolution 1789. He became a member of the french national assembly even though he wasn't a citizen because of his reputation. Where's the american revolution. The french. Delta thomas pink. Should be right in there. And pitching the same great propaganda battle. Pro-revolution for the french that he did for the americans. Well things didn't go so good. The violence says we known the french revolution turned sour and turned very evil. He was. Amongst some of his friends. Some beheaded. He was sent to prison. But before he went to prison get a time and there which he had one other thing. That he felt he must write. Before he got killed before he got beheaded. He. Was able to get. Auto prison. His first copy. The first edition. A book one. Of the age of reason. Book tune. Took place. Completion. Update resume. About two years later. When he was released from prison after a year-and-a-half. And then. Things went sour in europe because there were people who were reading age of reason there. As well as on the american side the atlantic who didn't like the contents. They in fact were deeply deeply disturbed by the contents. Thomas paine. American hero system. And popularity was all of a sudden. Being thrown to the dogs. For his theology. No. What is in the age of reason that's the focal point today. What is in that book. That is so offensive. And so difficult. 4 people. A fundamentalist evangelical. Orthodox conservative. Especially christian religion. What is in there. But it's so difficult to swallow. Stop me region eggs. We have the book here someplace. You can get a wonderful addition of thomas paine. Four basic writings. What's a very nice. Biographical. Summary of his life. And it main activities. Collected writings of skald collected writings of pain. And up. Air force has all these. Four grape volumes. That are i think. Part of the american heritage. It should be part of every. I wish every religious heritage certainly. Are unitarian. No you priests of every description were reached and preach. Written against the former part of the age of reason. What have you to say. Will you was a mass of evidence against you staring you in the face still have your shirts to marching your pulpit. And continue to impose those books in your congregation. Has the works of an inspired penman. Other word of god. When was evident as demonstration can make truth appear that the person who you say other authors are not the authors. Let you know not what the officers are. What shadow of a pretense have you now to bruce for continue with this blasphemous rod. What have you still do offer guests a pure and moral religion of deism. The support of your system of boston by daughtry. Pretended revelation. What have you. Just say. Well you can just imagine. This. Storm. Is going to turn into. Thomas paine. Essentially saying in both volumes. Age of reason. Is that. There are three basic tyrannous. Easy remember you can pick this holman. Put it on the fridge. T t t. Cheese. Attorney for the throne. Record that's king george. Or any kind of a tyranny resume on the robespierre. Rodger rodger. French under napoleon or whatever it might be. The tyranny of a state. Empire seeking. Republic. A fascism. S t has to do with temple. Eternia comes from a religious source. The temple in jerusalem for example. Which jesus constantly address. As the enemy of true religion. So that. Tina's disciples decided to go down there one year to celebrate the passover. And it was. His end. Because of his words. About the temple. As well as the other two tees the third team. That's what really got him in trouble. Blasphemy against the text the torah. The text. What today. Getting the cartoons. And the arousal a religious people. Something that's being said against the text. Thomas paine spare no words. Accuse a cartoonist. I'm sure that. He probably would have added. Temporary graphic ways of expressing histogram. About biblical. Fundamentalism. Today. We have the benefit. I was thomas paine. 200 years. Of scholarship. Scholarship that has. Not just coming off of a hothead like thomas paine was or coming off of. Deeply passion. Response. Village of the hist time. But careful scrutiny. Particularly our christian scriptures. Do we need to turn safe. Have ample opportunity. With the opportunity. Not just from our own books in our library what comes up and you uworld. And our own leaders. But we can look at the cover stories of time mag. Newsweek. The monthly magazine. The weekly magazine. We can watch discovery channel history channel. And we can understand. Truth being told about the scriptures. And that was tom payne. Big big message. He was so sick and tired of lies of christians. And today we know how that works. We know how. Christianity. Is being. Smokescreen. And be clouded. Buy all kinds of voices. Tom payne with call that. Blasphemy. And so do i. The bicentennial took place thirty years ago. This year. 1976. Foundationalism. Patriotism. My unitarian faith. Was born again at that time. I'm a 30-year convert. To be an american into being a usual. 30 years ago. I opened up. Those books. I opened up that story. And i heard it for the really the first time. I want to buy bible. And my black bible. I turned to the beginning of genesis. And with a red ink pencil. I put in there. At least 45 warnings. Warnings about the violent scene. Of yahweh. As well as the christ would come at the end of the bible in the book of revelation. Who is not to me the jesus of nazareth at all. I wrote in there about the warning of the degradation. Women. The warning about the patristic domination of men. I warned that bible. About to denial the demeaning of creation page after page. Tell the girls into the christian story of the gnostic. Dualism a plato denial. Other reality. Of the solar system. But the last thing i put in there. I put in. This book is full of blasphemy. 30 years ago. Blasphemy. Ue. I know we smile. I don't know if it's a smiling issue or not and i don't even know if i want to join the crowd. Call the cartoonist. But. 2 weeks ago. In panama city. Front page. We have this article. Cartoon. Steerer no surprise to the author. Doug marlette. Who is a syndicated columnist and a cartoon called croods always been. Running. Crystal cartoons for years. Has this. Cartoon book that i bought and got an autograph from him. Happened to. 3 years ago. Put in a cartoon. In the charlotte observer. What would muhammad drive. No talk about a blasphemous cartoon. Here is muhammad. May peace come from him. If you're a good muslim you say may peace be upon him i would say muslims. Play it this way may peace come from him. If i was a muslim. But i'm not. We need to tell him. Will say. Ispy upon. Muhammad. If you will say. Is come from him. Well i'm here we've got muhammad driving the ryder truck. Moving services. And we all know what the writer truck symbolizes. Oklahoma city bombing. And the in the back of the truck is a huge bomb. No. He got lots of hate mail from that 3 years ago. Nobody had a riot. In baghdad. Pakistan or around the world such as going on now. But. That was a blasphemous cartoon. I don't know. Should we be doing. Tom payne type indictments. Of what we consider to be blasphemy against all religion. I think we need to say some things. That will echo. That we have convictions. We have commitments to efface this ground is not justin. United states constitutional principles. Bass. On the very nature of reality we have a story as are you your world so so eloquently a story of creation. But we are better than and believe in. There's another new book out. Well it's been off for a couple years actually. Call confessions of an economic hitman. Confessions of an economic hitman. Really tells. How do i shocking story of how. Many in our country. In our foreign. Relations contact to. Corporations multi corporation. To our economic. Waze. Weaker countries. That we are guilty. We are guilty of an insidious imperialism. An insidious and colonialism in which we make these countries indebted to us. Depths of the cannot pay in there for we can get payoffs. In terms of political. Goody's. Or other economic. Advantages. Confessions of an economic hitman. All the way through. This hero is. Well. Let's conclude this. We all need to. We all need to hear. What this free-thinking this free-minded. Rationalism. I know we're going to transfer. We're not supposed to talk intellectual overly rational reasons we're supposed to downplay. To the heartfelt emotional things i know and i'm all for it. But. You've got to go if you never have. And make your pilgrimage. Do i cut what i consider a spiritual father. Of our souls as well as of our country. Thomas jefferson's grave site. And he'll there. And read. Read. I have sworn. On the altar of god. Eternal hostility toward every tyranny. Over the mind of man. And on that gravestone. Three incidents of his life. To summarize his epitaph. Nothing to do with the presence of the country. Nothing to do but he did in europe. Ambassador. Nothing to do with it did. Vice-president minis other things. Free ferry. Heart telling. And soul telling. Events. Father. Of the university. A virginia. The intellectual development that thomas jefferson wanted to see essential to the movement of democracy in this country. A rational people. Uneducated peep. And how that's being torn down today. The blasphemy against thomas jefferson. By our people who want our school system. To absolutely go to shreds. And who are teaching things that absolutely bastardize in minds of children about the nature of reality. God we need thomas paine back again. And screaming from. Puppet. Thomas jefferson the second item in this. Tombstone. The statutes. For the freedom of religion. In the state of virginia. The statutes. In the virginia constitution that separate. Government. Secular ism. From. Religion. Religion must be something that the individual is free to have but in no way to impose. On the secular arrangement of irrational. Government. Answered. What else would be there. Well it's probably. What i consider to be. Holy writ. My secret scripture and yours. The declaration of. Independence. Make the pilgrimage friends. Hear that. Hear that. Story. Destroy that. Became so dramatic 200 some years ago. It's asteroid. Does powerstories unitarians. And if you need to read tom payne again. To get some inspiration. Define adherent epistle are real epistle from god. From creation itself from the human mind which is creations great glory. Read it. And also. One more thing. Watch fox news 90. I know what you going to say. Watch fox news. Watch hannity and colmes. And watch. Holcombe. Tries to work in a little time. For example. Pat robertson rusano's couple weeks ago. Pat robertson was on to review his book of miracles for christians. Which. Really amounted to fulmer i could get i won't buy them. Plus book but i try to get a gist of what it was about. It is about an attack on science. Anna reason. And augmenting of faith in the supernatural. And in the miraculous power of god and cole says do you believe. Other religions. Can pray and have miracles also. Do you think you got a chance to. And after the owner sean hannity cut in. Is that what really bitten does gist of it. That would really be getting to the heart. A1 religions way of saying we have all the truth and you don't have. Well i don't know how much truth we have it. At times but. I do know some convictions that i have. Will i get sick and tired of hearing blasphemy against them. And i trust that. Perhaps some of you will. Pick up the schedule or the voice or your pin. Or whatever it may be. And find in your conversation. Ewe. To express what we need to. Hempstead. Over and over again. Tom payne was right. Is right. I'm going to lose. A democracy. We lose our thinking. If we stop seeing. The bible is written in nature. And now we have a book. It says it all. Saving our children. From nature deficit. Disorder. How about saving adults. Nature deficit disorder. Well we can go online i have another hour to hear but i want. I want to give you an opportunity to. The clothes this by turning in our handbook to a wonderful. Concluding statement. It's number 77 and waller chalices being extinguished. I would like to have us use this as our closing words. Are closing benediction. And then we're going to hear willie nelson and the poster doing everything is beautiful in its own way. Which is really a continuation of the scene from number 77. Seek not afar for beauty louis close in duet grass is all about your feet. In birds and sunshine childish faces suites. Stars in mountain summit topless nose go not abroad for happiness. Behold it is a flower blooming. At your door. Bring love. And laughter home. And evermore joy shall be yours. As changing gears. Unfold. And then read with me. In wonderwork earnings of some busha flame. We look for truth and fancy a concealed. What an earth common sings it stands review. Well grass and flowers and stars. Spell out the name. Amen.

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VLR_119_On_Toenails_and_Roadways.mp3

A different trinity respect freedom and justice for all persons the unitarian universalist the uncommon denomination on the web at uua.org. Hello and welcome to the voices of liberalism podcast with your host reverend rod tips. If only sermon entitled on toenails and roadways was presented by reverend rod deb's at the new fellowship of the emerald coast valparaiso florida on november 21st 2010. The poet james baldwin. Grew up in the ghettos of new york city. Black and gay. He wrote of how self. Loathing grows. In a culture. The teacher is a child the feeling. That his presence is not welcome. Have a sense of sacredness of others is lost. Relationship severed. And how. Ugliness. Permeates all aspects of living in. Despair. Happens. It hangs like a. Cloud over people's lives. One might expect people who. Feel self-loathing. To strike out with destructive behavior toward others and toward themselves. We see that enough for sure. But in his essay. The fire next time james baldwin. Speaks of the rhythms of jazz. The resilience of the people. The freshness of the children. Growing up. Any rights. He writes the question remains. What do we do with all the beauty. What do we do with all this beauty. This is a spirit of gratitude. Of deep. Thanksgiving. And i try to figure out how he could do that. We're not of the highest privilege i suppose. But i suspect that we might agree that you and i enjoy. Willowton privileged in our lives. We have our complaints are aches and pains. Taxes. Household chores. Car repair. Children's week motivation and school. Unfriendly people dishonest people. War. Poverty. Injustice. Aggressive religious ideologies. Depression. Grouchiness. Mosquitoes barking dogs blind. People who smile too much stupidity. Everything going to hell in a handbasket. You buy a bumper sticker that says if you're not outraged you're not paying attention. Relatives give you two mugs. One reads see who must be obeyed in the other. Old grouch and you know which one's yours. Then to top it off the minister is preaching some drivel about gratitude on thanksgiving. Robert fulghum. Counts of working nights as a. At a motel as a teenager. He complained that the motels so-called free lunch of wieners and sauerkraut. Was unfairly deducted from his pay. And the old bookkeeper. Numbers tattooed on his forearm. Listening to robert complain about wieners and sauerkraut day after day. Said. You know what's wrong with you fold gym. I thought you don't know the difference between a problem. An inconvenient. If your house burns down. If you break a leg that's a problem. Wieners and sauerkraut. That's an inconvenience. Most of my problems are really only inconveniences i think. Culture. The forces cell. Loathing in the ghetto. Now that's a problem. Despite the tangible despair of the ghetto. A real problem. James baldwin saw. All this. Beauty. Simply to see its beauty. Is to transform ugliness. From despair. To help. It is possible. The shape the world by the perspective that we today. Denis waitley said i think you've heard it before. I had the blues. Because i had no shoes. Until upon the street i met a man who had no feet. Despite my relative privilege the difficulty. Is that my perception of reality is shaped by the. Brain survival instinct. It's a revolutionary. Survival value for human attention and focus to lock on to perceived threats. To pay little attention to all the good stuff. It's in our lives. Example. When i have a toothache. I am a toothache. That's all i'm aware of little attention. Paid. Tomato my foot my ankle my knee my dry my but my stomach my chest my shoulder. My hands my eyes my fingers. Ears. I'm just. A tooth. Are unconscious selective attention. Allows us to take all the good stuff for granted. So let's reframe some of our complaints so as not to take. For granted the good stuff. Take taxes for example. We can choose to understand taxes. Funding social programs. At least we hope so. I consider taxes a sacrament. You say why. Well. Biblical. From those to whom much is given much will be required. Luke 12:48. Truly i say to you. Inasmuch as you've done it. To one of the least of these my brother. You've done it to me. Matthew 25:40. Sakura. If we open our eyes to all the privileges that we take for granted. We might realize that we were born on third base. I know we didn't make it home run. Might not have even ever had to hit the ball. There's so much. What are childhood that we. Took for granted to get where we are today. Employed parents. Food. Close. Housing. Not in warzone. Education. For able-bodied. Medical care. Civil society. Uncorrupted police and courts. Makes a difference. Tax supported public services of rose sewers. Sanitation water yelp. Electricity. We take it for granted. Except when we have a hurricane. Then we notice. The freezer. Betternet. And a free press. Government protection. Our lives are full of nature's gift. From toenails. We're not doing anything about that they grow on their own. The trees. Water are. Sunshine. None of us can make. A tomato grow. We can help. Our lives are filled by society's gifts. From roadways. Houses. Technology. To the nurture we receive from parents. Community services handed down. For many generations. That we may be in the habit of complaining we can choose. To reframe our lives. Those experiences that we might complain about. We can choose to reframe them if we wish. We can be thankful for taxes that make our. My possible lives of privilege the general welfare is the constitution test. The general welfare and civil society. We can be thankful for mortgage payments. For rent. That mean we live in houses which other people built. We can be thankful for aches and pains. That we are still able to get out of bed walk and move around. Without assistance. We can be thankful for willful children. Not traumatized by war. Or deprivation. I can be thankful for my. 98 degree scoliosis curvature yes. That my body has adapted. The remains. Amazing. Pain-free. We can be thankful for irritating family. In france. That we have companions. Who put up with us. We can be thankful for political opponents. To humble us. Who force us to relinquish arrogance of our good arguments. And uncompromised. Uncompromising control. We have to let go. We could look at the challenges of our workplaces. Antsy. Job security. We are actually needed. To influence things for the better. Challenges you wouldn't be needed. Thomas edison saw the good in experiment failure. He said. I didn't fail 10000 times. I successfully eliminated. 10000. Time. Materials and combinations which wouldn't work. Call it rose colored glasses and lack of realism. If you wish. Ostrich with his head in the sand but let me ask. What in your experience works better. The old grouch is always the devil's advocate. At the mud. Pointing out everyone's failures insufficient season. Shortcomings. We all have a bit of that is. Or the one who trains the good. A picture. Thankful. And refrain. Reframes what it first appears discouraging. Persistently. Discouraging. Like a child in the dark horse stall. Shoveling. Who declared. With all this manure there's got to be a pony in here somewhere. When it comes to simple pragmatism. Scientific research does not support the old grouch. Approach. It's effective for good results. Children perform better when they receive positive reinforcement. They say 6 times as much as criticism. They perform worse. When they receive anything less than three times as much praise. That criticism criticism is really bad. It's partly destructive. I think it is for adults too. And they don't world appreciative inquiry implemented it. Cleveland university hospital. With more effective and achieving overall health. By promoting wellness. Rather than by fighting disease. Appreciative inquiry. At at&t the corporate setting. Appreciative inquiry improve the bottom-line profit. By focusing on successful areas of productivity. Brethren by focusing on problem area. Ai appreciative inquiry. Troubles. For the love of the pony. Our ancient brain unfortunately. Find morbid satisfaction. In latching onto problems. I don't think i can help it. i do that. I try to solve problems. And threats to survival. And. Waging battle. The good fight. Rather than nurturing positive energy. Finding. What we can do that's good. Together. Being an old grouch maybe more fun. It's just not very effective. So. Coming to understand the spirit of gratitude. That richard gilbert wrote in his poem. Each morning we hold out. Are chalice of being. To be filled. With the graces of life. Which abound. Air to breathe. Fugees. Companion. To love. Beauty to behold. Art to cherish. Causes. To sir. They come in ritual. Procession. These gifts supply. Whether we deserve them we cannot know or say. They are poured out. Ours is a task. Of holding steady. The chalice of being. Look for the pony. Hope you enjoy the presentation. Please send any of your comments or feedback to vlr at ufc.com feel free to access our extensive library of audio and text sermon at you ufc.com and you can also find out more about unitarian universalism by visiting uua.org thanks again for listening. Going to church means different things to different people and sometimes for some people they need something different from what they found increasingly people are turning to the unitarian universalist illiberal religious community we're different people with different beliefs gatherers 1 faith in their intellectual and spiritual search for truth and meaning in their lives unitarian-universalist explore their philosophies and the unitarian universalist congregation welcome you to join us in that search unitarian universalist. The uncommon denomination.

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UUCA-2013-04-21-03-reading.mp3

Reminder read a short story for you all. One summer day in 2002. Two unlikely acquaintances strolled along a park pass. Annie's oxford university's dreaming spires absorbed in conversation. At the time. Richard cizek was the head lobbyist and public policy guru at the national association of evangelicals. In washington dc. Sir john houghton had recently concluded his 14-year chairmanship. Of the scientific arm of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. A steadfast british evangelical as well as pre-eminent climate scientists. And his modest yet evocative way. Sir john spoke to cizek of his own experience at the face science intersection. Out of the particular role american evangelicals might play. And moving the united states to action on climate change. Their john made the case that i couldn't shirk. Shrug rationalize or escape. My biblical responsibility to care for the environment cizek recalls. It changed me. Like john wesley is famous aldersgate experience and 1738. In the course of their exchange. Zizek suddenly felt his heart. Strangely warmed. An experienced a conversion to climate change that echoed his conversion to christ. Two decades earlier. This feeling caps two days with a large and sundry group of scientists. Policymakers and christian leaders spent discussing the scientific. And religious dimensions of climate change. Something that god had intervened in his life at this crucial moment. Psychic departed oxford with a passionate commitment to climate care. Tend to become a leading advocate for the cause across the atlantic.

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UUCA-2013-03-31-01-12eggs.mp3

Easter is a major christian holiday celebrated in the spring. There are many holy days leading up to easter and we're going to learn some of the stories behind them to this morning. To begin with easter is a moveable feast which means it's celebrated on a different day each year. The date for easter is set at the first sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox which marks the first day of spring. For christians. The season begins 46 days prior to that. With ash wednesday. The first day of lent. When is a. of time when many christians commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries. Such as chocolate. Or something else they love. While others use the. of lent as a time for introspection and prayer. Many easter traditions including the name easter come from pagan traditions. But this morning we focus on the story of jesus. Who was a great teacher who lived about 2,000 years ago. Like the christmas story is a story about jesus's birth. Easter is the story of jesus's death. It's important to understand that christians don't celebrate the death of jesus. But rather what happened after his death. This morning we're going to use the popular easter symbol of the egg. We have with also a pagan symbol. But here we have 12 eggs. The biggest ones i could find on amazon. Each egg has a different objects and we'll use these objects to learn about the easter story i'm sorry to say none of the eggs have chocolate bunnies. But here are our first three eggs. The first bag contains a bible. Know everything we know about jesus is what is written in four books of the bible. Matthew mark luke and john. The bible isn't a big history book full of facts. But a collection of books written by different authors. And these four books about jesus don't agree on everything. Jesus had been dead about 30 years before the first book about him was written. We're going to take parts of all four books. As we tell you the story of easter. In our second egg. We have a map of palestine. It's very small. Jesus traveled around the little country of palestine teaching people how to be kind to each other and how to live good lives. He taught that every single person is left by god whether they were rich or poor well or sick male or female. Large crowds would gather to hear this message of hope love and welcome. Palestine at this time was ruled by the romans. And they didn't like jesus stirring up the people and worried that he was a dangerous troublemaker. The more people came to know and love jesus the more the romans worried. Particularly as some jews began to say that jesus was the messiah. The great person that jews have been hoping would come and help free their nation from the romans. The jews believe the messiah would bring peace to everyone. Jesus had been teaching about 3 years and was about to undertake a public ministry in jerusalem. He spent 40 days fasting and praying before traveling to jerusalem and this is the. we celebrate as lent. Jesus knew this trip to jerusalem was going to be dangerous given how much the romans hated him but. He believed his message needed to be heard. Egg number 3. Tom. Jesus traveled to jerusalem with 12 friends who were called his disciples. Many jews had come to jerusalem to celebrate the passover festival. Celebrating the israelites being freed from bondage in egypt. We had our passover seder here at uuca last night over 80 people came it was really a blatt. When the people of jerusalem heard jesus was coming the whole city went wild with excitement. The christian celebration of palm sunday one week after easter marks his entry into jerusalem palms because people spread their coats and leafy branches in his path for his donkey to walk upon. Just like we spread red carpet for movie stars today and in that spirits maybe one another. The fourth egg. Contain silver coins. Unknown to jesus one of his disciples names judas betrayed him. Cutest offered to lead the roman soldiers it's a jesus in return for being paid 30 pieces of silver. All that week jesus continue to preach in the temple every day until thursday evening. The time for the passover meal. This day is known as good thursday in mark's what is called the last supper. Commemorating the last meal jesus shared with his disciples. It was a sad time for him because he had a feeling that he was going to be killed. A rock back exactly 30. At our next egg. We have a piece of bread. During the last supper jesus broke a hunk of bread and told his followers to think of the bread as his body and to think of him when they ate it. And then the next egg we have grapes. Then he took a cup of wine and pass it around. To each of his disciples to drink. He told them to think of the wine as his blood. And to think of him. As i drank. He told them that in a very very short time he would be going away and leaving them. And when that happened they should love each other. Does he have love them. The seventh egg. Contained praying hands. After the meal jesus and all of the disciples except you this went to a quiet place to pray. Call the garden of gethsemane. Suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps. And through the darkness he could see lanterns. In flaming torches coming toward him. It was judas. Bringing the roman soldiers. The soldiers arrested jesus and took him away. Our next egg. Has a purple cloth. The soldiers took jesus to the high court. Where the governor of palestine pontius pilate. Ordered jesus to be put to death. They dressed in purple in a purple robe. Put a crown of thorns on his head and mockingly called him king of the jews. The next egg contains a cross. Jesus was sentenced to die a very very cruel death by being nailed to a wooden cross. Which was the roman punishment in those days for people. Considered troublemakers they called this. Crucifixion the day jesus died is the day that christians commemorate. It's good friday. The tenth egg contains a rock. After jesus died a friend took his body wrapped it in a linen cloth. And placed it in a tomb cut out of rock like a little cave. A heavy stone was rolled across the entrance. His disciples all scattered frightens that the roman soldiers would hurt them too. They were sad beyond words and felt hopeless. The messenger of hope was gone from them. Killed by the cruel roman empire. What were they to do. The 11th egg. Is empty. The third day after jesus died a group of women who are his friends went to the tomb. Bringing spices to anoint his body. When they got to the tomb they found the stone rolled away and jesus's body gone. Women ran away very frightened. And this is where the story ends and mark. The first book about jesus. Later another part was added to the book of mark. This part said. That jesus appeared to a woman whom he had once healed. And then he appeared to 11 disciples. After he talked to them he was taken up to heaven. The other free books about jesus say nothing about his going to heaven. But they do say he appeared. Talk to his disciples. The word. Resurrection. Means coming back to life after dying. Many christians believe that jesus was resurrected that he came back to life. After he died. The 12-day. It's a heart not to get rattles. Most you used to not believe that jesus is body came back to life again. We think rather have jesus as a great human being who taught people to love. Rather than to hate. And we think that the story of the empty tomb gave his followers hope. And allowed them to remember jesus in their hearts. Knowing that love is stronger than cruelty and death. In that way jesus and jesus message lived on after he died. So let's remember that easter sunday is in celebration of the day that jesus came back to life. Whether you believe in a physical resurrection or renewal of his message. Of hope and love. Death and cruelty are not the point of the easter story. The point is that love. And hope triumph. And that the message of love lives on. The story of easter has important wisdom for all of us. Offering a life-affirming message that it's an antidote to despair even in the most. Difficult. Uptime. Note also that the easter story occurs in spring a time with the natural world itself is reborn. Seemingly dead plants at 4th new shoes. Baby chicks hatch from eggs the egg itself is a symbol of rebirth. The message is very simple even in the most trying of times. Transformation is possible. And the message of love. Goes on.

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UUCA-2013-03-03-01-sermon.mp3

Like this one this story. The legend of creation from the rig-veda in india. About a primal seed that floated. In the fathomless. See. For 1000 years that slapped. Embraced by the warm generative ocean waters. Until i grew into a great cosmic egg. Until the wind blew agitating the waters. Hank leaving. The golden egg into. Out of which like an embryo giving birth to life fire. Allured surface. Yearning to create world for himself. And so we did. This story this myth which contains its own very true metaphorical truth. Is one of the many told since ancient times. To describe and to explain the mysterious miraculous rise of life on earth. And then there was also. That mathematician and religious naturals brian swims definition of the story of creation which it calls the universe story. The story based in evolving scientific discovery. Of the genesis of our universe. The galaxies the stars and planets. Including our own. It's a story about great heat. And stardust. End-of-life appearing much earlier in the life of our planet than we might have ever. Ever imagined. Intitle tools and clay beds or volcanic vents life emerge. And from that first life all other life has come. Bill bryson in his short history of nearly everything which is kind of a scientific odyssey and a telling of this universe story. Makes clear how mystifying the rise of life really is. How difficult how impossible really it has been still to try to replicate the protein soup as he calls it. Degenerated the first stirrings of life. So long ago. The dna. The proteins the atoms the molecules. The carbon hydrogen oxygen and nitrogen. The combination of elements in just the right order in just the right proportions in just. The right atmosphere. And how early in the earth's history that life arose not the few thousand years proposed by biblical fundamentalist. Not the less than 600 million years assumed by scientist well into the 1950s. Or even the 2.5 billion years projected. Well into the middle of the century button by a few adventurous souls in the 1970s. But the present data bryson declares of 3.85 billion years. 3.85 billion years. Is stunningly early at the surface of the world did not become solid until 3.9 billion years ago which is a blink of the eye. In the timeline of our galaxy. Life emerged swiftly so swiftly that some scientist have been convinced. That was helped along by a crashing meteor studded with amino acids. Some scientist dismissed as imprudent on the fringes of reasonable and responsible speculation. Have even suggested that the earth was deliberately seeded with life. By intelligent aliens. And of course none of us believe that doing. But whatever prompted life to begin it happened just once. Everything bill bryson tells us that ever lived plant or animal days its beginnings from the same primordial. Quidditch. Some little bag of chemicals as he described in. Pictures of interlife cleaved itself and produced an heir. It was the moment of creation he says for all of us. And it was what the scientist call and i love it the big birth. The big birth. Many of you will be familiar with the seven wonders of the world how many of you can tell me the seven wonders of the world. Historically a listing of the seven sites known to the ancient greeks as the most notable locals and their known world all of them created by humans they were pyramids and hanging gardens and statues and temples. Will the 1997 our own cnn announced a new configuration naming the so-called seven natural wonders of the world. The grand canyon the great barrier reef the harbor at rio de janeiro mount everest. The northern lights. Paricutin volcano and victoria falls all grades. And grand wonders. What isn't on that list of most wondrous natural locations is a place called shark bay. Shark day which is to be found a long way from anywhere in western australia. It is as described by paleontologists richard 48 huge and ragged bite into the profile of the western coast of that country and continent does designated as a world heritage site. For the discovery they are in 1961. Ava community of stromatolite. A kind of living rock. A slightly weird but saw the structure mounds built up slowly by microscopic organism apparently they look like cauliflower. The first appeared in this is the main thing to know about them they first appeared 3.5 billion years ago on earth. Jamal toys are the most ancient organic structures and the recognition as fossils transform the way we now understood stand the endurance of life on earth and the evolution of its atmosphere they are swarming with life 3 billion individual organisms on every square yard of rock. Giving out oxygen that in 2 billion years raise the level of oxygen on earth 20%. Preparing the way for newer and more complex ways and forms of life. This giver of life however did not die out i think we sometimes assume that one thing dies out and another thing comes up. But has survived in the saltiest of seawater. Proof of the ingenuity and versatility of our ecology. Paleontologist forte admits that viewed with complete impartiality when it comes to visual impact. The shark baymount are not on par with the empire state building. Or the pyramid of cheops. But the smaller tides no matter that they are quite dull lusterless and gray and they indeed most resemble cowpats. He still believes are in instead and indeed. Among the most wondrous wonderful wonders of the world. Restless are not permitted to have shrines he says but if they were shark bay where these ancient living rocks were discovered which is now kind of a minor tourist destination might be high on that list. Because they give proof to how old. And how continuous and how discoverable. Life is. When i read about this remote corner of australia and it's exciting microbiological treasures i wondered if my father who was a microbiologist had ever visited shark bay. He had after all travel to and lived in melbourne on a year-long scientific exchange project. A decade after the discovery of those old rock steaming the tiny organisms. Did he make the drive i wondered he did he navigate the boardwalk the kind of take you out into this bay did he view the ugly but venerable species. Well i am really sorry now that before he died i did not ask him what his list of seven natural wonders would be. The places in the world he had gone or what it wanted to go that were the most splendid to him as a humanist. And it's a naturalist whether his list would include the habitats of the very smallest creatures. And the oldest vestiges of original life. I can tell you as young children my three brothers and i've been taken to the same places that other children go to see non-human animals and exotic plants so we went to the national zoo. We're like most children i believe we preferred the tall and the big animals. The elephants and the lions we went to national parks where we saw a moose. An elk and giant bears in fact i remember bears chasing my mother from one end of our trailer to the other. He was quite exciting. Sea parks and aquariums where we watch the dolphin and the whale show then like my two-year-old grandson in singapore who holds up oversize plastic animals to our skype camera dinosaurs of course and giraffes. Children like big animals. Big animals the bigger the better. We went to beaches like most children with our pails in our shovels dipping our toes in the cold pacific waters scrambling back. To warmer dryer sand. We picked up before it was illegal to do so. Abalone shells and clam and mussel shells less as specimens than his trinkets. But i do remember being 8 years old and being taken on a field trip to moss beach california which is now a protected nature preserve. For the first time when there were dozens of tidepools to climb around in and explore in our worn-out sneakers. They're even the young child i was then grass that something extraordinary about them as john steinbeck wrote. It is advisable to look from the tidepool to the stars. And then back. The tidepool again. What wonder there was in the variety and the intensity of life. In the shallow indentations on the rocky shore. The lycan in the barnacles the hermit crabs a sea palms and see an enemies. Sea urchins and sea stars. The coming in and out of the ocean waves. The hungry cries of the gulls and other predators. These tiny. And fragile manifestations of the universe story. My family later on bought a weekend house at moss beach where i became less and less in chanted being a teenager with anything having to do with that frigid northern california coastline. Chilled and blown by fog and winds and my father's and my brothers spent most of their time watching shorebirds. Or fishing off a nearby peter would drop lines because my father was too cheap to buy real fishing poles. And nowhere near those pools of micro creatures. It was only in his laboratory where i would visit him afternoons after school. That i connected with my father the microbiologist. And his fascination with and focus on small living things only visible under a microscope lens. He had several labs over the course of my growing up. At the national institutes of health in maryland where he devoted research to malaria and other parasitic diseases. A stanford where he was the lead investigator for an entire cancer research division. At the palo alto medical research foundation where he headed up the microbiology lab. Contributing important insights into gene mutation and the genesis of cancer. And later cdc where he finished his career investigating drug-resistant strains. Of tuberculosis. I think i was just like any other kid whose father was a milkman or a postman i never really asked him. What he was doing or why he was doing it. I never asked him and he never chose to tell me so much a member of the silent generation as he was. How we came to choose to research those tiny organisms those deadly ones cancers and viruses at that. As his life's work. Because i knew he had left to study birds and insects as a child in boston. Taking long walks through the parks and on the common. How did he go from watching and learning about animals he could see with his bare eyes. Or with binoculars. Just spending hours and days and years cooped up inside a sterile room. Squinting at clusters of cells. Was it really is one of my brothers recently told me simply a matter of vocational counseling advice for my college professor that it would be more advantageous career-wise. For him to go the bacteria route than the insect route. Or might it be that microbes were and are inherently beguiling and challenging and omnipresent. In our lives as humans and he could not resist them. We are told that every human body consists of about 10 quadrillion cells. But as host to about 100 quadrillion bacterial cells. Think about that for a minute. 100 quadrillion bacterial cell. They are insured a big part of us stay dying off the den billion or so flakes of skin we shed everyday. And the oils that we generate we are there perfect buffet. There are trillions more tucked away in our god's in our nasal passages clinging to our hair and our eyelashes and drilling through the enamel in our teeth. We couldn't live without them bill bryson reminds us they process are waste and make them usable again they synthesize the vitamins in our guts or stomachs and go to war go to war with alien microbes that slipped down our gullets. They provide the air we breathe. And they keep our environment stable. They will live and they will thrive on almost anything we've spilled dribble or shake loose. They eat would they eat the glue and wallpaper and the metals and harden paint. They haven't found living and thriving in boiling mud pots. Lakes of caustic soda and deep inside rocks and at the bottom of the sea. Yet as common as they are bacteria can be exasperatingly difficult to isolate and study. A scientist have found only 1% of them grow in a culture in the auger of a petri dish. They are elusive they are hard to replicate they defy us at every research turn. So when they are good they are very very good essential to our survival most microbes are harmless enough and they're even beneficial in fact in a new interior design movement of the beauty of bacteria plays a lead role including the marketing of the bacteria carpenter. A chandelier containing petri dishes with bacterial cultures that change the quality of the light. Last week's new york times style section. Because i never lied to you. But when they are bad they are very very bad causing a whole plethora of infectious diseases often with the help of inside of carrier insect carries mosquitoes in particular malaria and yellow fever and dengue fever encephalitis and a hundred or so less celebrated. They can outwit antibiotics become completely resistant especially as we overprescribing over ingest them. There will maybe a bacterial component we are now informed and many kinds of other disorders. Heart disease. Asthma arthritis and multiple sclerosis. A disease that my father was inflicted with. Perhaps as a result of his constant exposure to microbes and live viruses over the course of 40 years. In fact very likely. Viruses that attack healthy bodies and bacteria afflicted. Was smallpox and rabies and polio in a bolognese. Reproducing in a fanatical manner doing immense damage they can sweep through populations and epidemic proportions like the great spanish flu epidemic in 1918. World war 1 killed 21 million people in 4 years. This flu killed 21 million people in 4 months. Perhaps it was this the inescapability of microscopic life the ways we depend on it the ways we are threatened by it the convinced my father as so many others past and present to join the ranks of microbe hunters. Popularized in the book by bacteriologist in pathologist paul de kruif in 1926. Translated into 18 language this is a classic account of the first scientist to see and learn about the microscopic world. Including how a micro was first viewed in a clear drop of rainwater. And when for the first time ever louis pasteur discovered that is simple vaccine could save a man from the ravages of rabies by attacking the microbes that caused it. It chronicles chronicles a dedication and near obsession of these men their single-minded eagerness to live the life of endless and often disappointing experimentation. As well as those who would have rather study poetry and epic drama and then got pulled into microbiology. Then dedicate their lives so singularly. It documents the fierce competition among these researchers to be the first to discover a cause or a cure some of them even swallowing tubes of virulent cholera microbes. In search of scientific progress and the edge and research. The dubious cruel and deadly use of animals and human subjects are documented here. Let alone let alone the massive contributions the scientist made. To the dream of ridding the world of killing diseases. I think it is telling that my father gave my brother a copy of microbe hunters to read when he was 10 years old. Never discussing it with him just putting it down and saying you should read it. But obviously trying to expose him to his scientific world and perhaps a possible following in his footsteps career option. He died disappointed that while two of my brothers were scientists. Not one of them was a microbiologist isn't that disappointing. I have no doubt that my dad had read the same book when he was younger and that it influenced him weather for his look at the pure virtues and grandeur of this line of scientific work. Or the sometimes not so pure and not so ethical thrill of the microbiological chase. My father like the pioneer biologist before him believed that the major infectious diseases. The plagues of humankind could and would be cured in his time. Through human agency not an erroneous belief in evil spirits or blind faith in a supernatural being. He began with work in wiping out malaria and was convinced that this would be eradicated in his lifetime. 70 years later it's still a flicks millions of men women and children worldwide who need the simple and inexpensive mosquito netting that might keep them from harm. Joy bora one of our own members undertook a 60th birthday project to help supply just one african village with life-saving and hardening results. My father the public health microbiologist has lived through the end of the great flu epidemic and the epidemics of polio. And through his associations with scientists working on the vaccine against this crippling disease. He was certain that polio to would be eradicated. What what do you have thought about the recurrences of polio in three countries now nigeria and pakistan and afghanistan of an entirely preventable disease. Or the killings of at least nine polio vaccine worker shot together in nigeria just a month ago most of the victims women all shot in the back of the head. Victims of suspicion. And superstition. In the 21st century. He lived long enough to know that 90% of staph bacteria had become immune to penicillin which had been the miracle cure. He remained well-read and well-informed enough to know about newly emerging global diseases coming plague. The eruptions of new and old infectious diseases due to the dramatic increases in the worldwide movement of people every time what time we go on a jet plane. Removing ourselves we're moving our bacteria and the infectious microbes that we carry with us. He was and would be today disappointed especially when human ignorance and bad health practices were and are the reason for the lack of progress in fulfilling his dream. Of limiting and even ending the scourge of bacterial and viral illnesses and death. But i don't believe i don't believe he ever lost his optimism about his own journey of self-discovery through science. For his humanistic face. You see my father was never a literal or laboratory foxhole theist. He would have been he would have concur concurred with though i do not know whether he actually read the humanist manifesto beginning with the very first one which is preface by the assumption that are larger understanding of the universe. And our scientific achievements among other changes in understanding and knowledge. Had created a situation which called for a new statement of the meaning and purposes of religion including the incorporation of and valuing of the scientific spirit and method which is exploratory which is open to continuing revelation and which is always always always life-affirming. He would have agreed i also believe with dr. f gonzalez crew see a fellow microbe hunter and public health worker that while our optimism about winning the war against deadly strains of infectious disease was premature there will be another generation of microbe hunters who will in his own words sort those invaders one more time. That human intelligence will serve us well this time as well in the past. That the solution to the cures of these diseases lies in science and technology not. Not. In fear and blame. We must believe all of this he says because we simply have no choice. Reinhold niebuhr a christian theologian whose beliefs would not have been my father's to put it mildly. None-the-less captures for me my father state of mine and sentiment. As his wife his life was about to end. Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime. Therefore. We are saved by hope. Hope as ancient and enduring as those first. Tiny outcroppings of life. All of those billions of years ago. The big birth. May it be so.

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UUCA-2013-03-10-02-sermon.mp3

In a recent edition of parade magazine novelist and hood wrote about her mother and her mother's circle of close friends who gathered every friday night at one of their houses. In a cloud of cigarette smoke and aqua net. Grafton velour sweatshirt skirts with matching sweaters. Elastic waist jeans and shirts that said best mom or deck the halls. Some wore wigs or wiglets or false they were a dirty dozen in all as they describe themselves but more often hood remembers. They were just the girls. They're all grown up in a small village in rhode island and all lived within a mile of each other. They were high school dropouts secretary. Assembly workers. They drove station wagons overloaded with kids. And looked forward most of all to the friday nights they would spend with each other over the years eating chips and dips. Platters of cold cuts are fried chicken laughing. Smoking and playing poker. Sharing their worries about their husbands and their children and about money always about money because there was never enough. They were the girl still after their children were grown after cancer struck and broken hips and knee replacements and lumpectomies and alzheimer's. These grown-up girl women who had so little currency. Looking forward to each week to some respite from a grinding and limited life. A few hours of cards and gossip. We're the reason many of us their daughters we second-wave feminists so fiercely refused to be called girls. Wanting the dignity and power and mantle hood of full adulthood. And the rights along with the responsibilities of what went along with that. We did not see the tensile bonds that held these women together over cards. And over the years. So when our own daughters began so casually and affectionately to call themselves girls. We were horrified. I felt we had sealed them we did not know and perhaps could still not understand that for the next generation of young women. Those that came into adulthood in the new millennium that wall calling adult women girl was once insulting ourselves shaming. They assured us now that they could choose and use the word themselves. Without any self-deprecation or any insult. Said one such girl that the word applied to women over 18 have been rehabilitated. At the term of relaxed familiarity comfy confidence the female analog to guy. And not a way of diminishing or belittling women. In manifesto a book written by two gen-x women over a decade ago they explain the use of the world girl from riot girls. Too girly to girlfriend as no longer convinced anything retrograde. Or when coming from up here or friend. No disrespect. Ask for girly. One of the most common and embraced nomicos gurley's were adult women usually in their mid-20s to late 30s. Who's feminist principal so they wrote we're based on reclaiming the girl culture or the feminine accoutrement. That were tossed out with sexism. During the previous wave of feminism be it barbie dolls. Housekeeping or girl talk. So 12 years later enters girls. And hbo comedy drama created by and starring twenty-six-year-old lena durham dunham based on some of her own experiences living in brooklyn with a closed group about their 20-something. In the show's pilot episode aspiring writer hannah gets a shock i mean a real shock when their parents visit from east lansing michigan and announced they will no longer support her. Since leah johnson sir graduation from oberlin college two years previously. As one critic couldn't left to her own devices and the need to pay rent she and her friends navigate their twenties one mistake at a time. The reviews and other reactions were and have continued to be mixed as the show is midway now through his second season it's been signed up for a third. It has been called raw. Audacious nuanced and richly often excruciating lee funny. It has been described as conveying real friendship the angst of emerging adulthood. Nuanced relationship. Sexuality self-esteem body image intimacy in a text abby world that promotes distances. The bloodlust of surviving on very little money in brooklyn. And the modern parenting of entitle children among many many other things. Is also ben savage i mean savage. A showing a privileged group of vapid women. Whining about being forced to be even remotely responsible for themselves. All white women and men at that in the otherwise culturally diverse setting of new york city causing lena to sincerely apologize for her oversight. And create among others a black republican character as hannah's love interest in the first two episodes of the second season. And then she dumps him until you haven't seen it okay. I first became interested in girls because my own 26 year old son who lives within a few miles of where at lena dunham did when she first wrote this series and who is himself a comedy writer and aspiring television series producer. Told me about it mostly in terms of understandable nd that someone of his millennial generation and from his general neighborhood had gotten to fame before him. I was of course familiar with the dark and deadpan humor of his writing and directing and see some similarities in style. And even point of you let alone the predictable potty mouth. I had very much wanted to show a clip from the series but decided against it when it was almost virtually impossible to find more than a minute and any episode that did not have multiple f-bombs. Let alone full frontal nudity. References to all manners of sexual positions masturbation and sexually transmitted disease. I began a marathon of screaming girls ironically on friday international women's day. A dozen 33-minute episodes and found myself being caught up in a narrow landscape of cluttered brooklyn apartments. Graffiti spoiled buildings littered streets industrial warehouses and occasional views of manhattan. And within this world is tangled web of girl boy boy boy girl girl relationships. Offense caving and unflinchingly self-critical. What i didn't see however was a larger context for their individual and relational angst. The marginal dead and employment or unemployment the waste the other waste of degrees and talents. The sense of drifting indolence and brittle hopelessness. I called my son and i asked if i had missed something in the stories of these girls and the men who surround them was there no social consciousness no justice consciousness. He said no. That this was his generation his generation in new york especially self-absorbed narcissistic. Too busy navigating its streets and alleys to get outside themselves. And frozen and adolescence. Defining themselves as being the opposite of adults with adulthood meaning a real job instead of temp work or constantly downsizing work or what is being labeled 22 22 22 internship. 22 hour days for 22 year-old for $22,000 a year. And marriage maybe that man adulthood ending up instead of hooking up. But that was years ahead. As writer susan beth lehmann has written lease lena dunham and her series girls has been called the voice of her generation if this is social amounts than this is in many ways a brash and groundbreaking writer and actor actor who is representing a generation of women who have made no social progress from their mothers teens and 20s. Who win her words think falling in bed freely render some somehow remarkable. Lost and confused waiting to be fabulous. With no idea what fabulous actually is. Who are actually falling farther and farther behind in real economic progress. And whose human dignity and privacy is being frontally attacked. We're outside the doors to their walk-up apartments outside their burrow is a society where gender equality is simply stalled. Where women are being paid less than men at every educational level and in every job category with african-american and latino women having even greater disparities in white women. Where they are less likely than men to hold jobs that offer flexibility or family-friendly benefits. We're only 4% of the ceos in fortune's top 1000 companies are female. Where the definition of what is rape is being challenged and trivialized where thousands of rape test kits are being allowed to sit untested in police custody for years. Due to lack of funding to process them. Where the arkansas legislature just passed the most restrictive abortion law in the country banning them completely after 12 weeks. Where it was considered recently a very great advanced for women that the federal violence against women act was finally reauthorized. Where justice and equity for women and girls is still an uphill battle. Where are girls need compassionate and tough-minded allies to not only lean into their careers. But to push back as maria shriver has written this past week in the huffington post. Against and from hardship and distress. In a country and a world where women hold up half. The sky. Where women hold up. Half. The sky. It was during the year 2000 millennial celebrations at agnes scott college that small all-women's college which is very near my town. That i purchased a bright red t-shirt with black chinese lettering and underneath that that ancient proverb a popular by mount si tongue. I loved the sentiment i love the bold simplicity ashley like the color. The president of the college then was a china scholar in fact she returned to china after her time there. This t-shirt and this campaign to lift up woman's power and rights was a natural for her. And for this college that had so much diversity and quite a few international studies and students and scholars. Over the years of wearing it often to the gym. Biak educationally had been given withering looks for wearing a communist quote on my chest. Or comments really. About how out of reach equality is for women in china even today. It may not be great admits zhang you host of a popular women's talk show there for many years. But she reminds us of the five goals laid out for women 100 years ago abolished foot binding educate girls free marriage a job and equality with men we got the first four. But not the last one. Which is a good deal more than the women who. Are half the sky in so many other countries around the world. Nicholas kristof in sherwood on a pulitzer prize-winning married couple of journalists have made both that saying and the cause of protecting and liberating women and girls much more well-known first with their book published several years ago is a best-seller won the pulitzer prize. Then the television documentary saw a piece of and the educational foundation called appropriately half the sky. They argued that while in the wealthy countries of the west discrimination is usually a matter of unequal pay. Or unfunded sports teams or unwanted touching from a boss. In contrast much of the world's discrimination is actually lethal to women. Well this is sumption underplays the real pain and suffering women and girls in this country still suffer. Do the battering and the lack of access to reproductive health care. And increasingly cavalier attitude toward sexual abuse and rape. Cedar point is one of severity and scale. The chinese moderator who defended the status of women in her country downplayed the bias still against a baby girls in her country. How's 39,000 baby girls die each year. Because their parents do not give them the same medical attention as boys receive. And that's just in the first year of life. In india wife burning to punish a woman for an inadequate dowry or to eliminate her so a man can remarry still takes place approximately once every 2 hours. Forest weddings and honor killing still play take place in communities in england. And of the united states and in pakistan women and girls are still doused with kerosene or sprayed with acid. Prep received apps of disobedience. And then there's the almost two million women who disappear each year worldwide some to human trafficking and others simply a mystery we don't know where they've gone they just vanished two million women and girls every year. Gender violence is one of the world's most common human rights abuses kristoff often reminds us in his regular collins in the new york time he used to ride a lot about a lot of different political things now is he's almost a one-note. By paul krugman is about the economy almost every column kristoff rides is about the status of women and girls. Women worldwide are likely to die or be main because of male violence. More of them because then of cancer malaria war and traffic accidents combined more girls the authors wrote were killed in the last 50 years. Precisely because they were girls than men killed in all of the wars of the 20th century. More girls are killed in this routine gendercide in one decade than people were slaughtered in all of the genocides in the past. Century. It's hard to hear all this but i want you to put. Out and hear it. Everyday in newspapers and on the internet we can learn stories about acts of discrimination and violence against women. We read about a brutal attempted honor killing in afghanistan or the gangrape in india that sparked widespread and continuous protest. Attacks on a murders of fame as an unknown women in south africa women's marches against virginity test in egypt. Teenagers sold into prostitution in haiti. And a twelve-year-old girl felt forced to marry and kenya to pay off her father's debts. Everyday. Every day there are also ways to act to help women and girls. To emancipate them and fight global poverty as we are urge by unlocking women's power. As economic catalyst. By giving two organizations that work to empower girls through supporting school lunches. Or paying this is amazing paying for iodized salt to help prevent brain damage in female fetuses. Sponsoring individual women in joining citizen advocacy network. In researching their book the author's visited indian brothels to see the 21st century slave trade. Of women and girls an estimated 3 million women and girls worldwide krnfx the property of another person and in many cases can be killed by their owner with impunity they are being rescued sporadically by organizations willing to fight the sex slavery. By pressuring local police and threw the trafficking victims protection act of 2000 which it least has created some awareness. They visited a school for girls in pakistan and a women's welfare league. They visited reproductive health clinics in microcredit projects. They thought for themselves small but impactful solutions to some of the larger problems. Building schools is good they agree. But sometimes just making sure that adolescent girls can go to school during their periods. What sounded hurry facilities or introducing cable television with soap operas geared towards both entertainment and enlightenment of women and girls. Can make a big difference. In their education. And their self-worth. Our dining for women chapter here at uca is a dinner giving circle where members dine-in and then they take the money they would have spent eating out that day. Out to programs benefiting women sending funds to international groups with a commitment to living lifting women and girls out of poverty and misery. Both of our uu associate organizations are working to stop the exploitation and oppression of women and girls. My own women's federation william the president i have to. Say for at least six more months. With grants are groups in this country primarily we did one in florida which had billboards warning girls about sexual trafficking which was actually pretty successful. And we started sympathetic counseling lines for women who were seeking abortions most of the counseling lines are from right-to-life groups. Cool talk you out of it this is one of the first for women who wanted an abortion. And wanted somebody to have a sympathetic ear. And then there's a you use service committee working in partnerships abroad. The service committee has helped support the rock women's group in kenya teaching impoverished parents and students. The skills they need to take control of their own lives. Protecting them from trafficking and the dangerous forms of labor that often thrive during downtime and of the only places that women can get jobs. In port-au-prince haiti they helped construct camp oasis. A home in school that is providing a safe haven for 40 girls orphaned by the catastrophic earthquake. With a secure place to live the girls will be far less likely to become victims of gender-based violence and on the way they actually get a little education. These organizations grounded in our principles are enabling us all to live out our value of the inherent worth and dignity of every person regardless of gender and justice and compassion in human relations. The reverend william shultz who's the president of the youth service committee believes if the exploitation of women has played a defining role in societies around the world. In such a role that it might be called civilizations original sin. And he tells us that we can never achieve a truly just world until we finally expiate that's in. We don't use the word very often. But it's a very powerful statement. In the words of the mystic catholic theologian and non teresa of avila. The divine has nobody on earth but yours. No hand but yours. You were to the eye through which the divine compassion is to look out of the world. This women's history month and all year round. May it be so.

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UUCA-2013-01-27-01-sermon.mp3

Was i promised i'm just so honored and delighted to do this introduction. Montana just met each other. At panera. But i hope to know you for many years. Monica is executive director of sisters song the national women of color reproductive justice coalition and i think she's going to be telling you. Some things about that but it is. Our national partner unitarian universalist ocean national partner moving forward in the reproductive justice initiative for the next 4 years. We couldn't have had this initiative without them and we are so lucky to have such a song headquartered in the west end of atlanta. So that we are really at the center of the movement. Monica was born and raised in rural north carolina and doodler life experiences to decided at a young age to dedicate her life. To educating and uplifting for community she's worked extensively in human rights violations. The prison-industrial complex racism and intolerance. And the systematic physical and emotional violence inflicted upon the minds bodies and spirits out of african-americans. With an emphasis on african-american women and the african-american lgb. Pqq community. So she comes to us with a background in that issue as well. She was hired as the first person of color at the lesbian and gay community center in charlotte as the operations director. She was coordinator for a grassroots organization there as well over the course of 45 years of service to grassroots leadership. She served as a grassroots fundraising coordinator and supported organizing efforts for their national campaign to abolish for-profit prisons jails. And immigrant detention centers. Dude that work in other worksheet answers she has become a nationally sought-after facilitator and organizer. She is a founding board member for charlotte north carolina black gay pride. And the african-american giving circle of charlotte. She has served or is serving as a board member for resource generation and the fund for southern communities. Which we have also honored in the past and she's been featured in many publications for her advocacy effort and she's written many articles. But she's also an actress which i didn't know. Just called to southern belle with an edge. So she'll be i'm sure she'll be amazing this morning she's also you always used your talents of singing spoken-word and acting in her local community and nationally to address social justice issues. She regularly performs with her band. Here in atlanta. Anise performed in theatrical. Production such as for the love of harlem walk like a man the vagina monologues and for colored girls and she is currently working on her first solo album. All about love. So i am so thrilled as i think you will be too welcome monica to the pulpit this morning so let's give her. Good morning everyone. It's such an honor to be able to stand. And this pulpit in front of this awesome congregation and share with you about an issue that is near and dear to my heart. I feel kind of weird to me tell you all when i was born in the south and i was born and raised in the missionary baptist church you going to hear about that in space a little bit. So i'm not quite used to the way things go. I was ready for some running and other things to happen but who knows what may happen for the rest of the day but. I am really really excited to be here and excited to stand before you as a representative of sister song. And as a representative of reproductive justice so. We're just going to go ahead and jump in but i would like for you all to. Work with me on one thing that's really near and dear to me before i do this i was ordained as a deacon in my church. So i've done sermons before right but this is not really a sermon. But before i kind of dive into what i have prepared for you all today i would like to ask for you all to pray with me is that possible. So dear heavenly mother father god i want to thank you today for this opportunity to stand before your people. Ask right now that you remove anything of me that is not of you and replace all but i need all the wisdom of all the courage all the love that i need to be able to deliver that which you have given me to give to your people. I thank you in advance for all that you have done and i thank you in advance for what will come of this. And and of the work as it moves forward all the things i pray and ask in the name of love. Amen. Little bit about me i wanted to make this as conversation with possible i also wanted to connect it to my personal story because reproductive justice and talking about this stuff can get a little heady sometime. So i definitely want to make sure this is something that you all could kind of stick to. Don't want to start by sharing a little bit about my personal story. So i grew up in a small rural town as reverend keller said in a town called wingate north carolina. When. I didn't think so there is literally 1stoplighting my town. And they got another one as i grow older that turns into a caution light after 9 p.m. so we don't really count that as a stoplight. Outside of wingate university being like the main attraction for the town. We also have the huge jesse helms museum. Right as you drive into town so can you imagine the race dynamics. Of the city or town but i grew up in. How to grow up in a very interesting community that was known as the heel it was the low-income community where that was predominantly african-american that was right across the street from the university but definitely never connected. To the university. It was that type of community where my mom wouldn't necessarily let us ride our bikes past a certain point. Because she was in fear what could possibly happen to us so those were some of the dynamics that was dealing with growing up in my mother and my grandmother raised me and they raised me in the church black branch missionary baptist church. And that's why i spent all of my time i felt like i spend every weekend there every weekend i was at church at choir rehearsal missionary meeting usher board the secretaries meeting i was at church all the time so can you imagine like this now became my community. I soon you know i'm all the children we were together and growing with each other so as we continue to grow with each other. We then turn from little children running around the church to very defiant preteens. And then we turned into very curious teenager. And can you imagine what we were interested in. I bet you can imagine. I am going to say the word sex. From the pulpit today. All right and that's exactly what we were interested in sex everybody want to talk about it we didn't know. What it was we knew it was something that we were excited about. So. The only thing that we ever heard about sex in the church was that it was a sin if you weren't married. Or i even remember my pastor chastising a woman from the pulpit for being pregnant out of wedlock. Our school system didn't make it any better they said that abstinence was the only way to stop us from burning itching or dying. We were even asked to sign a promise to not drink or to enter abstain from sex for our prom promise. anybody else ever do that. I guess it was just us and you have a full laminated card that you got to carry around and you did not want to be the child without the laminated card. So we were constantly told things like sex as bad if you aren't married and if you had sex you would get pregnant in your life would be over or you know you will go to hell because it was a sin. Baba's fear. Was put into us as young children. Corsi's preston not stop us from even talking about engaging or wanting to be a part of this whole sex thing. Northern make it easy for us to have conversations about our changing bodies as young women and men we did not have an outlet to have that type of disc or so we were forced to explore on our own. And did we explore. To never young woman in my congregation with pregnant. Before she graduated high school except for me my little sister and three other girls. All of the rest of the young girls in my congregation with pregnant before they. Exited high school. There were three mothers in my graduating class and two were expecting. Most of these women weren't even 18 years old yet. I felt like it was an epidemic and i could not understand why the issue wasn't being address. It seemed like no one went to address this very visible elephant in the room. Because of religious pressure and lack of education these women were thrown it's a motherhood and they did not feel like they even had a choice. Dreams of bears became. Distant memories as they had to. Enter the reality. A bear new life. But i was one of the lucky. I made it to college without a baby or disease. And even though i started having sex at 12 years old. 12. Years old. Now that may be a stop for some folks. Right. But it wasn't normal way of living for young girls in my community. Most of us were lost our virginity at a very young age mostly to older men who preyed on the naivety of young girls who had wavering self-esteem issues. We knew these men and didn't feel as if there was anything wrong with what was happening to her. We also did not have any place to turn to for refuge. Without fear of judgement. So many of the unwanted pregnancies were a result of what i now know today as. Statutory rape. But i left all that behind me as i made my transition to college c i was excited to be in a new place. With a new state of mine's at my historical black university. I was very clear but i did not want to deal with the racial dynamics anymore so i told my mom i'm going to a black college. And she did not think that was a good idea. She didn't think that we get the best education. Anything like that but i was determined i was like i want to do something different i want to see this thing differently and so i went. But. Little dino. Sex was still there too. And it would be even more prevalent and you have even more access to it. And now instead of all the conversations happening about obstinate since making sure that you save yourself for marriage now we're having condom. Thrown down our throat but there was still no discourse around what to do with the condom we were just told to use them so that you don't get pregnant or catch a disease. But how do you move from a place where you for the mere thought of having a condom with such a taboo. To being inundated with them and expecting for folks to actually use them. How do you do that. Well don't folks may have used them as some folks were successful but. There were times that things did not always end up. So picture this it was a beautiful. Sunny afternoon. All my campus in one of my good friends asked me if i would go out. With her and. It was so she had me at food she didn't have to say anything about paying for it she had me at food. So i said sure until we went to our local burger spot and we went got our food and we're sitting down eating and we're talkin and we're talkin about all the normal things that you talked about in college she was talking about her boyfriend i was talking about my girlfriend. We'll get to that later and we're talkin about finals and then she said. The sentence i had not heard since leaving. Wingate north carolina. She told me that she. Immediately started to cry and so did i and she was scared and didn't want to tell the guy that got her pregnant or her parents. And i didn't ask any questions i didn't judge her. I just sat. And tried to support her and then she asked me. If i would take her to get. The abortion wasn't something i really had to deal with coming from the community that i came from it was something that was totally off the table. We heard like some stories of like some girls in high school and unfortunately most the time it was like you know white women we found out they were saying they were going off to this other state to have abortions we thought it was urban legends and we surely didn't think it was something that we had to deal with. At all but here i was sitting at this table. With his young african-american woman. First-generation college. No job. No health insurance. Trying her best to make the best. For her life. And she knew that she wanted to be a. The hive. An opportunity to make the decision she went to wait for motherhood so her option was hey. I have. A choice. And so she asked me to take her. And i said yes. And then she asked me to help her get some money because we didn't know that it cost so much money to us at the time to even have this procedure done nothing about this so we came together as a group of friends and said that we were going to contribute a little money for my work-study checks and. The money that i parents may have sent us to help her. Get out of this situation that she. Did not want to be in and i start to think back. On my time and wingate north carolina. Aphmau. What if. This was an option. For all of those women. Who became pregnant before 18. What if it was a notch. But what if it was conversations been had about. So. I agree to help. We went to our local planned parenthood and it was the first time i ever saw live protest. The only protesters i had ever seen where the ones in the civil rights videos of the pictures and they were always so you know non-violent and. Singing together and kumbaya style we shall overcome this was not. Mckay's. At the local planned parenthood i saw pictures of distorted children and babies and people were yelling at women as they were going in telling them that they were murderers and. It was just. The most horrible experience i ever had to. Endure with someone and we just did like everybody else and we walked in and try to ignore them but. Their voices. We're still. Very. Very clear to us. So i waited for her to return. After her procedure for what seemed like an eternity. And when she returned she was. I'm always reminded of this story as my entry point when i think about my journey. Becoming an advocate for reproductive justice it was one of the defining moments in my life as an activist and organizer. Although i wasn't actively having sex with men anymore i knew that this issue would still be a major factor in my life because i. Was still. On this past tuesday january 22nd we celebrated the 40th anniversary of roe v wade. And for those who don't know roe v wade remains one of the major victory for the pro-choice movement in this country it was an epic game-changer that gave women the legal authority to make their own reproductive decision as to whether or not they wanted to complete their pregnancy. I wasn't born in 1973 when this law was passed. But it was in college as a freshman in 1999 but i was able to. Impact. Of the roe v wade. And although roe v wade was a monumental leap forward in the quest for women to gain full autonomy over their reproductive lives the case alone did not address the issues that women and women of color in particular had to contemplate before making the decision to have. An abortion. See my friend had the right to choose her decision as to whether or not to have a child with. But hard decision as to whether or not to have her child with impacted by all of the issue. Does she have to deal with before she could even think about having the child see there was a deeper. Need. 4. A deeper connection and knowledge of the human rights framework and the need for more intersectional analysis. For women. As they were thinking about making their reproductive.. See the vin privacy base model that the reproductive health and choice movements were working on from that time. Work for those women who can access the information in the services. Poor women and women of color felt alienated they felt as if the current framework did not honor all of their lived experience is so 21 years after the roe v wade victory women of color came together to tackle these issues and created a new framework. But it's now known as reproductive justice and in 1997 sistersong was created to amplify and strengthen the collective voice. Of indigenous women and women of color to ensure reproductive justice through. Securing. Human rights. So i'm going to paul's right here for a minute because i was wondering if any of this sound. Familiar to this make these find any parallels any other. Some folks had access to some didn't. Sample primarily poor working-class people of color begin to feel alienated and organized to create better conditions for themselves into and to demand to be seen as equal. Does any of that sound familiar. It does to me too when i remember hearing the stories of the major struggles of moving from segregation to integration as we just celebrated martin luther king day and as we celebrated the inauguration of our president again it made me think about all those folks who were champions for human rights and i can't help but smile thinking about how the civil rights movement not only served as a template for many movements to come but how much the social justice movement is so interconnected even though we sometimes appear to be working in. With still. So now that have enough my chest let's jump back and reproductive justice. The new framework expanded the analysis set by the reproductive health and choice movement by asserting that women should have the right to have a child to not have a child and two parents their child and save healthy and sustainable environment. Reproductive justice rooted in the human rights framework links abortion to other social justice issues such as economic justice environmental justice immigrant rights disability right and discrimination based on race and sexual orientation it affirmed their all these issues directly affect a woman's reproductive. Decision making. It is no longer just about abortion it couldn't be. Anymore not with so many social justice issues that concern communities of color. In the mix. In order to bring women of color together though. There had to be a common ground but women could route themselves and that could really allow us to move forward as a movement and that link was. The fact that we needed to link all of this back to reproductive. Oppression so what is reproductive oppression it is the catalyst. For this movement work that we do and it is a control of exploits and exploitation of women girls and individuals through our bodies sexuality labor and reproduction. How to make it a little bit more clear let's talk about some of the examples of reproductive oppression that surround us. Historically and what's around us today so it's darkly reproductive oppression showed up as forced breeding of african american women during slavery. It showed up and sterilization abuse of native american african-american puerto rican women in mexican american. Women. I know many of us just heard about the north carolina. Case that was going on about the sterilization issue and this has been happening historically. The other women of color. Forced removal of children. Moving them away from there. Normal environment into boarding schools into foster care we look at all of those different sister. We look at human experimentation on puerto rican women for the contras. Captive. Actually using a group of people to say that we're going to use you as a trial stud. To see how this think of that. Workforce. And particularly choosing a marginalized. To do so. And we can't forget about the anti-immigrant laws that really continue to pull at this movement as well and then today we see these reproductive oppression issue still going on restricting and criminalizing immigrant families incarcerated subsidence substance abuse mother's for fetal abuse forcing or coercing the use of dangerous contraceptives on vulnerable women family caps and welfare policies and forced marriage initiatives and federal policies against abortion including hiv age restrictions and limiting access to reproductive health information and scientifically accurate sex education information you all they are okay. And as we look at the reproductive oppression that is so blatant in this country is easy to see why reproductive justice was created with keeping women of color at the center women of color have been systematically targeted for reproductive oppression. And reproductive justice took the full woman into consideration unlike the pro-choice model which was very much focused on the right. Right making sure we have a services and the rye. Reproductive justice uses them or intersectional approach to how many people have heard of the term inter. My favorite word. Actually if i could have gotten my degree and intersectionality. I would have done it. But i haven't really found a program. If anybody knows let me know. But that's what the reproductive justice framework did it took on intersectionality and it addressed how oppression based on race. Class and gender affect women of color it is expanded into recent years to include age and ability sexual preference immigration status religion and national origins and addresses the multiple layers that each of us have like there's nobody sitting in this room today but it's just a singular individual. You are women and you are african-american are you are woman and whatever your heritage is you are your age you are so many different sentence with layers. Each person in this room. Cancel all of those layers have to be honored whenever we think about making a reproductive justice or reproductive decisions. We can't just look at it from a very singular of you anymore and that's why reproductive. What's important is. So important. Also this is also very clear to see why reproductive justice is rooted in the human rights framework. How many do we do we do y'all hear the human rights framework. Talked about a lot anymore. Right. It's a beautiful way of being we love the human rights framework in particular but the reproductive justice movement really rooted. Itself in that framework because unlike his predecessor other movement has framework. Rooted and human-rights gets more. 2. The actual lived experiences of people who gives us more power it allows us to be able to. Buy an advocate for things as a human being right not just as. Something else as the human beings that we are. Human rights the us declaration. Had like these eight major categories and so the reproductive justice framework is rooted and the sexual rights category which means i have the right to have or not to have children right to marry and when. Same-sex rights transgender rights rights the birth control and abortion rights of sexual pleasure and to define family. All of that included in that's only think about having a document or having a body of law that we can base i work off of why not thank you. It spells out for us very clearly. And that's why reproductive justice is rooted in it. And it is our human right to make personal decisions about one's life and the obligation of government and society to ensure that the conditions are suitable for implementing one's decisions. Human rights provides more possibilities for our struggles and the privacy concept of the pro-choice movement claimed only using the us constitution would allow them to. The women's movement across the world have been using the human rights framework to claim their rights but we are behind the mark. In doing that here in the united states of america so we're still basing our work and our advocacy in our policy work on a very flawed constitutional system. The constitution's proved to be inadequate to protecting women's rights they didn't ever pass the equal rights amendment that really focus on women we're still looking at what's going to happen with the. Violence against women's act there's so many different things that's the system that we currently have is not allowing us to do and helping us to move forward in our quest for reproductive justice. But you ask is not been so quick to use the human rights framework in the states because most of the policies of their push. In america are in violation of human. One example of that is the welfare reform that went down in the clintons are when they start to kick out more people off welfare and then we can even talk about that today when we see what's happening in georgia and across the south what we're fighting to expand medicaid so that more low-income people will have access to the benefits of the aca which is really helping to move reproductive justice. I hope you all are clear. On what reproductive justice is so far because there's not one thing i want you to remember from what i'm saying today's i want you to walk away from. What understanding what reproductive justice isn't we say a very easily it is the right to have a child. To not have a child. Apparent. That child and safe. And healthy. Stainable. Environment that might do a pop quiz later. So hold on to that. So i can stand up here all day and talk about how important. The full rj framework is and how it needs to be addressed and how we need to talk about birth justice and how we need to especially in marginalized communities where we have been discouraged and shane. For thinking that we should not have so many. Or how important is a stop to schoolhouse the jailhouse pipeline. And how there is a need for more investment in our school systems in our food system and our environmental system and the need to stop random heartless shootings of young urban children such as trayvon martin in order for us to parent. Our children and safe. And healthy environment. All of these issues of reproductive justice issues but abortion still remains one of the most controversial and debated topic cinema. Even though roby wade made abortion legal women are still in town during various to abortion access across the country especially in the south mississippi if you all don't know is desperately. Trying to hold onto a glass. Clinic that that makes abortion possible for the women in mississippi is the only clinic in the state. If this clinic is closed we were just there on rovi way we went to support them and to really help to bring you no awareness to this issue that they are closed women in mississippi will have to travel over state lines. If they need. To have abortion. Planned parenthood zorbing defunded. I know we all saw that taking money away. And that's not only taking the money away because they're focusing on the abortion piece but planned parenthood and even the mississippi clinic they don't only provide abortion. Their clients are providing much-needed preventive services for women. And making sure that were able to take care of ourselves but they only keep focusing. On the abortion in 2010 right here in atlanta georgia that was a huge billboard campaign by you remember it. The most dangerous place for african american child is in the mother's womb. Beautiful baby's face splattered across its billboard shaming black women this campaign moved across the country new york chicago. Pittsburgh. In california they even started to target the latino community y'all they are moving. Fast and they are not stopping. The world women headlines took over the airwaves and headlines in 2012 couple with anti-abortion bills popping up across the country. Personhood mandatory ultrasound bill. Things of the sort. Not to mention that policymakers are focusing solely on the procedure and the numbers of abortions performed and using it as a wedge issue to further bill political platform. I'm continually amazed if there is so much focus and energy put on the numbers of abortions that women have as opposed to putting more emphasis on the need for more discourse on the reasons why. There are so many unintended pregnancies that contribute to the increased numbers of abortions performed. I also find it unfortunate that house flo life-saving legislation such as the violence against women act move to a legislator but anti-abortion legislation gains momentum around the country by the minute. We need to discuss how is she such as economic immigration reform interpersonal violence rates and lack of comprehensive sexual. Education. Part of the equation needed for reproductive justice to be achieved once these issues are addressed and legislation is enacted that supports and maybe then we can have discussion around the numbers. Of abortions being provided i recently told my co-workers i haven't quite worked out yet so maybe i can help me. I really want to start my own billboard campaign. And i wanted to say we'll stop having abortions whenever you stop killing our children. Can we think about. The countless murders that happen. With a young especially trayvon martin that's still like affects me so dearly and we think about the other food but our children the food that were eating all these different things. But you get mad cuz we'd want to not have children because we're not ready or whatever reason to her i have a quite work it all out but i'ma work that thing out. I'm going to have my own billboard campaign. Finally some of you might be wondering what's go back because i told you i was going to jump back to something earlier than my speech. That you heard i like girls. As some of you may be wondering why are you so invested as a lesbian and working for reproductive justice why should lgbt folks be involved in the first place i mean y'all don't necessarily have to have kids. You not having sex with men so how is that going to happen. They get really confused. It's on no but you always and you may be aware that this past week in the national gay and lesbian task force. Had his huge reading change conference i had an opportunity to be a part of that and it was incredible and then after conference it was a huge yes there was a like this. There was a huge push for the reproductive justice track they're really talking about these issues at creating change and it's time to talk about it and not only were we talking about reproductive justice issues were also talking about using the human rights framework as a movement to be able to move our agenda for this lgbtq cute. Mall. I got mix 1. Thank you for always miss one i try so hard. So. I was pleased to see all of that and i was on this panel on thursday and one of the participants asked me specifically about how do i address the fact that pro-lifers are using title 3 of the human rights framework. Where does says that there's a right-to-life right there really don't like no we're going to use a human rights framework to. Right to life in the. That's awesome i push back to that and you all can take this with you if you may be badly with folks and kind of throw that thing at you. Pro-lifers are not necessarily about life. They're not pro-life they're pro birth. They don't care anything about that child once the baby is here. I don't care anything about that mother and her lived experience if they got her to the place that she is they are pro birther. Not pro-lifers anything i'm a pro-lifer. And i'm sure there's some of you in this room may be that way because we are looking at this from a more holistic view of the mother the child and the life. Of that chili. So you can take that with you. You're not pro-life. Your probar. But there's another name that that there is a major need for the intersection of rj movement and the lgbtq. There's definitely a need for that and as we look towards as we're looking to expand the definition of what family means. What is family there is a need for this type of framework that allows us to do so. We can lean on the reproductive justice framework. As a community to be able to say that this is how we can help too. Expand that definition of family also have to remember that and that acronym there is the letter. Be. Anybody. No abby stands for right. Bisexual right. When you think about gay focus just women and women are men and men are not thinking about all the other variations of what this movement is. That is also why reproductive justice is so crucial to our community there are folks who are still having their babies and still creating their families and still kind of doing their thing and so we have to be able to income. Involve all of that. Only talked about why there's a nice intersect these two moves. And then there's also i need to discuss that violence against women is not only happen to straight women. It happens to women across the board. And so our community my community as a lesbian woman needs to be connected to the reproductive justice framework because it allows for us to prepare ourselves for that into advocate for our rights as well. And i don't want to leave out of the discussion. The conversation about contraception and how it is needed for women. We don't retreat we only talked about that semi cuz we kind of caught up in the abortion hype sometime but contraception is major. And there are still so many restrictions for women who need contraceptive access and that doesn't stop with just straight women either. Women who identify as other also have to have access to contraception and not necessarily just to prevent themselves from pregnancy. Although that could definitely still be their reason for using it but contraception has also helped women in terms of their chemical makeup of chemical imbalances in his help women for many many years. What's necessary. We need to have this access. Unitarian universalist. Church here in atlanta and as your national movement you have taken an incredible. By taking on reproductive justice. As one of your major social justice. I wish i could give you all the round of applause it might not sound very loud but give yourself a round of applause for that. You are a leading example. For faith communities. On y on taking this issue on in and why it's so important. You're leading the charge on this and we as reproductive justice advocates are so great. You see this is one of my major victory. And i'm movement-building work. And. I think it's also important. For faith communities to be connected to this because it's in the face communities at fault. Are getting there first. Dost of. Education around. Their folks dose of education around like what does it mean to. Engaging and how do you act with a cuz i got go back to my story. That's where it began for me. And i'll just thought about what if my church had embraced a reproductive justice analysis. At that age what would the lives of those women look different with my life look different how would it have changed things. I think it would have changed things tremendously. I thought the fact that we have a faith community this willing to take this all in your starting now. It's completely amazing. When i go home and i go to visit my church when i talk to my college friend who is now very successful and has her family. And living the life that she. I think back on all of what reproductive. The intersectionality that it be. The human rights framework that it's rooted in. I think about all the women. Who i'm doing this. And i think about how. It's necessary. For us all to continue. To take his charge. In the baptist church there's a song. Bethlehem. Besides a charge to keep i have. And i always hold that. Near and dear to me as i do my work. Because we do have a charge this is our. Life. We're creating. These are our bodies. It's our fight. And it's time for us. Continue to build. And move forward. To creating the movement. That we need. To ensure that women. Men girls boys. Everyone. Has the right. Tubi. Who they were called to be. And the right. To continue to live their lives. As they choose i thank you all. So much for this opportunity. I hope that you learn something from this. Today because i definitely. Continue continue to learn so much from this faith environment and i know they will continue to learn a lot from you. Many blessings and.

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UUCA-2013-04-14-05-sermon.mp3

Of course i want to thank our musicians that i want to think in advance the pope's among us who had the courage and the grace. To be with us this morning and share from their hearts. I really do appreciate. Quite a few years ago in this very sanctuary a not so young at all. But very new minister was ordained on a spring sunday. She had invited her mentor a woman who had once interned here. And at the time was in her early years herself. Of a long and sustained and successful ministry. In a college town in alabama. To deliver the sermon. Traditionally this sermon is both a personal message of advice and inspiration to the one. Who is about to be formally consecrated or launched as a reverend. Another kind of state of the union address. About our faith tradition. She titled her sermon comes the poet. From a poem by the same name by walt whitman from his collection his very famous collection leaves of grass. And used as the primary text for a book by professor of religion and theologian local theologian walter brueggemann. Quite a controversial book at the time. Titled finally comes the poet. Daring speech. Proclamation. And this is the whitman poem after the seas are all crossed as they seem already crossed. After the great captains and engineers have accomplished their work. After the nobel inventors after the scientists the chemist the geologist. Ethnologist. Finally she'll calm the poet worthy of that name. The true son of god shall come. Singing his songs. Organizations are like wedding services for the couple being married or in this case the minister of being crowned and blessed. Like the marriage i perform just yesterday late afternoon outside of lakeside lakeside park in avondale estates. The young man and woman facing they were only barely present. At this grand occasion into which they had poor. So much energy coming to the decision as i told them to risk loving. Enter risk living from their very hearts and souls. To make the commitment hopefully permanently. To this relationship and this institution. I could tell as is so often what happens if they were both overjoyed and terrified in equal measure. And somewhere far away from the words i was speaking to them. Perhaps one day or i hope perhaps one day they would want to know what had been said. But for that moment they were experiencing their own private interests ceremonies. You've been to those weddings right. So it was for the person being ordained that afternoon. That person who was me. So it was. It was a grande made so by many people in this congregation who had planned it. Did the inviting on the decorating and the sumptuous catering i think it was one of our grandest catering occasions ever. By the colleagues who came to support me march with me speak to me about what i was leaving behind. And what was coming ahead. With so much gravitas. And so much humor and so much honesty. But like a bride i was not really there. Exactly what the preacher said. Slipped away. What i remember of it is only this. That the speaker mymentor the reverend diane jordan ind. Quoted the whitman poem about that poet worthy of being called poet. Saying that i had told her the very very first time we had met. That i was a poet. That's where to self ordination. Which made people who knew me and those who didn't laugh. Both with me and at me in the kindest. Subways. I imagine or dimly recall that at that moment i might have drifted back in my memory to the first scribblings i wrote at 7 or 8. The short free verse poems that my mother typed onto that thin onion skin paper. And kept for many years they're gone now lost. Onion skin paper is not archival. Palms that were praised and put up on a bulletin board by a beloved third grade teacher. Which made me feel so special. And so capable. And then and then there was report i did on famous poets when i was ten at the conclusion of which i said that i hope one day i might be known like one of them. Perhaps it was emily dickinson. Perhaps it was robert frost. At that point. My fifth-grade teacher announced to the class that i was bragging. And furthermore my poems did not rhyme so how did i ever expect to be famous. I did not write again. Or at least share my poems for many years. Came the poet to a child who did not know it was wrong to welcome her. And then that poet was shot down. Again it was a supportive teacher a high school history instructor whose assignment to write a report on apartheid south africa became a clutch of original poems for me. Including one about the church's role in discriminating against what they viewed as the primitive and immature bantu religion. And this one i asked. What kind of god is it the tells them that because their skin is pale that they are meant to be my master. Is there a man to live on the best land to drink the best wine to eat the best food can you hear that high school angst going on there. Well despite the misspelling zandpour typing. I got a good grade. Am i poetry. Was resurrected. These memories some sweet some painful or what most likely distracted me from being fully present or actually being present at all. During my ordination sermon. It happens to all of us when something is triggered in us. That takes us far away. So i contacted diana recently to ask her if there was any way she might have kept a copy of that sermon. Written before it was common practice to email it or posted or podcast it. As soon as it was delivered because there were no such thing. Did she search for remember to the bin on an old hard drive actually a ex-husband. That was lost to her. And lost to me. But she told me that she was sure she must have talked about the poet's eye and the power of language to move and to change people. Brooker men's intro is subtitled poetry in a prose flattened world. Apparently it is he was said she recalled that preaching at its best and truest. Is a poetic construal of an alternative world he is also said such preaching is not moral instruction or problem-solving or doctrinal clarification it is not good advice. Nor is it romantic romantic caressing norris at soothing good humor. It is rather the ready steady surprising proposal. That the real world in which god invites us to live is not the one made available by the rulers of this age. Poetic preaching a sharp awareness and deep metaphor as an antidote to the one-dimensional bible toting drilling and sometimes droning of the radio and television ministers. Who's still dominate the airwaves or the showy shallow pyrotechnics of the megachurch pastors. This is what bruggeman believes in my mentor was charging me to aspire to. And charging those of you in the pews to expect. At least some of the time. The true god come singing. Finally finally comes the poet. As poet denise levertov observed the prophetic role of poets. Is to awaken. Sleepers. To awaken sleepers. As you've already been told april is national poetry month and an article heralding this one well-known regional poet told reporter that poetry is the still the smallest needs of american literature. It is this tiny little speck in the spectrum he said you are not going to make a living off poetry. Big surprise. So you do it he has come to realize for the love. You do it he has come to realize for the art which is cliche he said. But it's true. It's a calling. Austin cliff on in his wonderful little book steal like an artist. Remind us that t.s. eliot believe that immature poets imitate mature poets steel bad poets to face with a take. And good poets make it into something better. Also was convinced that not making a living off poetry working a day job is good for the soul. And better for writing. He says for the day job puts us in the path of other human beings. Who we can steal from. Who we can learn from. And which allows for creative freedom if we remain disciplined and regularly using the time that remains in the service of our creativity. And indeed there is a long history of writers especially posted a job. William carlos williams. Who worked his whole life as a medical doctor elliott who clocked in in the london bank. Others who were hotel clerks. And secretaries and writers for fashion magazines and who knows who that was. Sylvia plath. As a young working mother and just beginning to be published poet i was interviewed. Which i just remembered recently for a study of women poets by a graduate student in anthropology. Who was examining the changing role of women in the world of arts which she argued had been sadly neglected. She focus on a small sample in the san francisco bay area while there was a diversity of age and lifestyles and maturity in the writing style and she actually said that mine was one of the least mature. And for some reason i didn't notice it when that got written a response. All of us piece together a creative like in the midst of holding down other jobs and foursome caretaking as i was. Of two very small children. I was teaching in a childcare setting i was submitting freelance articles and reviews two local newspapers. Writing a book on parenting and holding together a marriage. And while i complained about the difficulty i found in carving out time and energy to write. And the narrowing of my world to the constant and demanding task of child-raising and housekeeping when i wasn't working for money. I spoke to the researcher about my real body need to write. My real body need to write. Which led to capturing poems as they flew into me. Reflecting the life that i was given. No matter what form that it took. In the poem called exchange while bemoaning what i saw as a loss of emotional range and creative flow in magic in my life i wrote. I never knew them again. The sorrow or the melancholy dreams. The beating wings are moths fluttering these ledon mornings we rock together. An uneasy stillness. It seems we must always change one gift for another. Fertile dreams for conception. Passion. For birth. Poems came to me as i heard stories about the women in my mother's generation like her best friend pearl who lived in her 3-bedroom 1-bath brick house on the corner and polish door knobs when she felt like fleeing took out the jar of wax and spread it until the 20 knobs lit up like candles in the national cathedral. Home spotify children's party where i found myself. On this birthday long exposed. Without my pretty gold babies cry. Like a white duck skirt. In all the wrong places. Or an extended. of rainless neskowin siding with the birth of my second child a daughter and the connection between her infancy. And the story of noah. Droughts baby you have never heard a storm define our roof. Or watch the rainbow inscribed god's covenant. In the sky. Purses that rolled out like the pastry dough of pies i made with other women writers. We we should have stayed with apple picking pile sorted bruises gone over and cut away. Our talk light and measured our deepest fears laced with brown sugar and cinnamon. Poems written in addition to instead of weeping over a dying partnership. I wrote if i could believe in spring lee's i could hold onto love renewing itself at the ends. A festering branches. Where the found moments the pure joy of checking in on a sleeping child. The diligent moon transforms your room into a nursery. Nestled in the rich soil of darkness. You lushly bloom. At dawn. What i called in a real body need to write even if it took rising an hour before the rising of my very early rising children. And mopping my floors late at night to buy myself the time when they napped. So i did not have the time articulated at the time as such as spiritual practice with spirituality defined by roman catholic poet carolyn forche a. At the capacity to be awake. A consciousness. To notice and to experience what is outward and inward reality in the present moment. Which leads to what you described as the revelation of the deep essence of selfhood. The inwardness. The light. Her voice is one of many in a god in the house a recent collection of poets talking about faith. Poets from christian and jewish and muslim and buddhist and actually atheist traditions. From those who embrace a personal god to those whose theology and spirituality is much more universal. And grounded in the natural world. Their assignment was to link their writing with their religion or spirituality something the hand of god directly in their creativity. Others noting how their particular practices such as sitting or walking meditation makes possible or at least enhance has their poetry. Which unable a writer like zen buddhist jane hirshfield to stay at she puts it. Fearlessly in the moment. Fearlessly in the moment. To experience awareness and to allow wildness. To live a life that belongs to her alone. That does not belong to others. Among us unitarian universalist when we talk about the connection between poetry and spirituality. We see how poems force us to think differently. To pay close attention to the sound of words and to slow down. We talked about holmes capture small moments in beauty. Offering sometimes unexpected clarification. How it helps express one's soul however we experience or define soul. In a volume of works by unitarian universalist poet. Jennifer boss failed ask them in all of their cultural and theological diversity to tell her about the intersection of their poetry and this faith condition tradition and i'll tell you interesting lee. The men were more likely to say there was no connection at all. And it was a stupid question. Just saying. One poet explain that for her there is a natural affinity between riding and her uu affiliation because both require a searching. A putting aside of easy answers. In favor of an exhilarating and often lonely quest. Another spoke about the healthy skepticism of our worldview that serves poets well. Another believes there's a very close link between unitarian-universalism and writing poetry. Because both of them asked us to walk inside our own experiences. Striking up whatever light we can. And other speak about the link between authenticity and poetry or self culture and poetry and the honoring and celebrating of all life. We have our famous uu poets or poets we claim. William wordsworth longfellow perhaps emily dickinson. William carlos williams carl sandburg e.e. cummings. Sylvia plath and may sarton. Mary oliver is not a unitarian universalist. Sorry. So our beacon press has published her and we very often use for amazing homes and worship she is not a unitarian universalist. For me may sarton poems were not her highest form of literature i prefer to autobiographical writings with her observations of nature of the sacredness of gardening and domestic life. But her writings about creativity and the poetic life have impacted my sense of myself as poet. And poetry is spirituality. Uu scholar beverly anderson forbes who died just this last week wrote about sartin's work on spirituality in a compilation and study guide and it we learn about her views on creativity as a dialogue with god. In which she says she has felt the world of art. Especially the world of poetry was a dialogue between herself. Which must always present resolution instead of conflict. So she rode angry prayers were unfit for god's ears. She wrote that there was hell in her life but she kept it out of her work. She believes that her creative worker poetry brought her a sense of wholeness. Whatever the wounds we have to heal she said the moment of creation usher's us that all is well that one is still in tune with the universe. The inner chaos can be probed and distilled into order and into beauty. She wrote at 70 that she was fully herself perhaps only when she was creating something. For me her most influential writing was about the relationship between poetry and grace grey's a term growing up as a jewish unitarian universalist i hadn't a clue about. A quote of her stayed in my refrigerator for years yellowing and fading as they all do and it she said that while interview all of her writing all of her writing with a gift from god. Poetry was a gift of grace. Coming through her whole and perfect like small unexpected and unmerited comforts and kindnesses. Since i was a young girl much of my poetry has come from that place this gift of grace has given me access to ways of seeing my life and the world that i cannot explain otherwise. As certain declared if i were in solitary confinement i'd never write another novel and probably would not keep a journal but i would write poetry because poems you see are between god and me. Unitarian universalist minister and poet angela herrera writes about how poets pray. What do you do with the secret versus of your heart. With your need for redemption the story without words. You weave this energy into a poem luminescent strand shot through with light from an unknown origin. And then you whisper it. Into the dark. May it be so.

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UUCA-2013-01-06-03-sermon.mp3

There's a daily natural disaster list on the world wide web. The keeps a record of all felt earthquakes active volcanoes. Flash floods cyclones tornadoes tsunamis hurricanes. Mudflows and solar flashes. Along with major storms. On december 21st 2012. The list reported 17 erupting volcanoes. Snowstorms that cancelled 600 flights. Blizzard warnings in the midwest. Avalanche warnings in mount shasta in california. A moderate earthquake in japan a light 1 offshore in guatemala. A shallow one in nevada and a tornado that touched down in mobile alabama. Destroying at least 10 homes. December 21st 2012 the day that the 5125 year-long mayan calendar was to end. And with it the world as we know it. The run-up to this day which turned out to be all in all a pretty ordinary day disaster wise on this planet. Made this however an out-of-the-ordinary holiday season you got to say. Does columnist gail collins wrote people do seem to love a good. Accomplish. Apocalypse. So in addition to the usual television fair of endless showings of home alone 1. With this hapless water bandits being brutally outwitted by an 8 year old boy. And the christmas story where another kid gets his tongue frozen stuck on a metal playground pole. And then newer additions like a reality show. Holiday er chronicling. Christmas eve emergencies recreated with full medical accuracy. This past season as far as the national geographic channel was concerned decided that christmas hanukkah and kwanzaa were for sissies. Along with this regularly-scheduled so-called duck-and-cover show. Doomsday preppers. National geographic added several special new programs to its december lineup including evacuate earth. And maya underworld the real doomsday. All of these tv shows tv writer mike hale observed. Played a double game. Pointing out either the absurdity or the sheer speculative notice of their subject matter. While marilee fear-mongering. Shaking their fingers at all the attention being given these specious predictions based on thousand-year-old stone carvings while devoting huge chunks of airtime to them. And making lots of commercial profit. And a new twist on doomsday prediction instead of relying on biblical scripture sometimes known as god's weather control. To buttress their argument these shows appointed to science. At least pseudoscience. A collapsed star due to pass through our solar system tearing apart our planet. Or over on the history channel a talking head spokesperson for some apocalypse institute droning on about a galactic superwave theory featuring a black hole that was due to cost solar storms on our sun setting off massive cataclysmic earthquakes and roaring volcanoes and the destruction of our entire electronic grill grid. With no cell phones no lights and a permanently darkened wild continent. When we work particularly in ties to stay glued to the most current doomsday run-up specials people around the world responded with the end of the world parties. Including one here in atlanta held by radio station q107 of them have a zombies theme as well. And another ironically violent house party in san bernardino california that led to a gunfight leaving a twenty-year-old man dead. In russia there were reports of unusual behavior with inmates in a women's prison near the chinese border. Statue of experience a collective mass psychosis. So intense that the wardens had to call in a priest. To calm them down. And in the factory town east of moscow. Panicked residents trip the shelves of matches and kerosene and sugar and candles. And then they were selling these emergency emergency kits with vodka. For like $29 that they sold very well. Russian officials decided to put an end to this doomsday talk in behavior. The minister of emergency situations announced that he had access to methods of monitoring what is occurring on the planet earth. And said with great confidence that the world was not going to end in december. He acknowledged that russians would still be vulnerable to the usual set of rush and calamities. Blizzard ice storms tornadoes floods. Trouble with transportation and food supply breakdowns in heat electricity and water the usual stuff that goes on in russia year-in and year-out. Lawmakers in moscow wrote a letter to russia's three main television stations asking them to stop airing materials about prophecy. And one official proposed prosecuting people who spread that rumor. Starting december 22nd. Got it. You cannot endlessly speak about the end of the world and i say this as a doctor said one member of the parliament's environmental committee. Everyone has a different nervous system and this kind of information affects them differently. Some people in the light of this are provoked to laughter some. Heart attacks and some to negative actions. And some. To pack up and run away like one of the preppers interviewed about the impending doomsday was planning to do in the event of the disaster. Putting his family on bicycles all of them armed with rifles. Imagine. Autobike. Wearing combat fatigues riding from orange county california to a secluded part of arizona. Stopping along the way at storage units he had pre stocked with a 4-month supply of food. And other essentials. When i was in kindergarten in the maryland suburbs of washington dc my teacher got on the topic of earthquake. One day. I still have no earthly idea why. And declared in her teacher leeway that she would never ever ever live in california. Because one day there would be the big one and the whole state would slide into the pacific ocean. Starting school have been traumatic enough for me what would getting on the bus every morning and having to stop crashing the symbols during rhythm band when she told us to. It started when i was done playing. But her story about rumbling or and vanish coastlines haunted me especially as my family decided to move west. A few years later. This is a dangerous planet was a lesson she had perhaps inadvertently taught me. And i was headed straight for its deadliest epicenter. That first year in california i had my first earthquake preparedness drill basically to get under my desk ducking and covering holding on. When the shaking began. Later that very same year there was a moderately sizable earthquake that opened up big cracks and highway 1 which curves around the coast. And my father have been driving on that very road. Earlier in the day. Over the years i learned in science classes about the seismic waves earthquakes. And how their forces could be measured on the richter scale. How common are earthquakes were every day on average somewhere in the world there are two of 2.0 magnitude or greater more so around the pacific rim which is where we were now living but i was told they could happen almost anywhere in the united states only florida and eastern texas. And the upper midwest have been so far almost completely immune. Well i got used to the periodic window rattling and dish breaking small to moderate quakes learning to find an interior doorway to stand in until the quivering stopped. I never got used to the constant talk about the possible catastrophe. We seem to surround me. That the big one the big one was still to come and sooner. Then later. Part of the time the talk was around the bible the warnings and revelations about a great earthquake signs that we were under a curse and headed straight for the day of judgement. Sometimes it came in academic report. From the seismology lab at the university with warnings about the san andreas fault and other nearby fault one that actually ran within 600 yd of the house we built. That's why we got it on a discount. Truly how powerful they were and how vulnerable we were. It didn't help that i knew where those fault lay and that what ground was solid and what was quivering bathe till you know that most of the san francisco area is just built on sand. Like jell-o. Unless i never left my home i could never guarantee where i would be when the fault blue and the ground shook until buildings began toppling and far as began burning. So one time in the 1970s. Following intense and unremitting publicity about the prediction by 1 seer or another that the big one was going to happen and that the california coast would indeed fall into the pacific ocean. I demanded that my van husband and i get into our aging compact car and drive as far away as possible. To detroit michigan where his family lived and wait it out till it was over. We really did. And the quake of course. Income. I felt momentarily relieved but existentially still very much afraid i fear that did not paralyzed me on a daily basis. But which continue to create a sometimes vague and sometimes acute sense of dread. I love being unsettled. When the earthquake of 1989 happen. And i was in the ballpark watching the. World series. And the bay bridge dope into the water and the highways were sliced open and fires ring the city and we were told it still wasn't the big one. That was one of the factors in our decision to come to atlanta. Where we happened matt with tornadoes hurricanes ice storms and yes even an earthquake. Buffalo because for the most part it's british geologist derek the auger said the history of anyone part of the earth. As i said before consist in long periods of boredom and short periods. App error you can't escape it it just happens. Very few places get a pass from natural violence. History tells us there been any number of surprises. Like the discovery in switzerland this past year that there was a large inland tsunami. Which was written about in the sixth century but about which there had not been geological evidence until this year. One of the scientists observe that people believe that if they live by an inland lake that they are safe from those large banks of ways i can destroy everything in their path. But not necessarily so. A friend of my husband lives in tucson arizona a place where so far there have been no. Recorded natural disasters. Nor are there any conditions that might cause them she says that she believes that living in such a place causes her no more or less anxiety about going on about her daily life and if she lived in a place like san francisco. But i say how do you know you've never lived there. Yet even she is not immune from the drummed up hype of eminent doomsday's or the coverage that we see all the time. Of actual disasters around the world. In the very very brief time since the possible end-of-the-world came and went there have been blinding snowstorms and strong tornadoes has been a blizzard in western kentucky and a bad flood in brazil has been a typhoon in the typhoon in the philippines that killed nearly 300 people with whole family that are still missing. Yesterday there was a massive earthquake in alaska. Triggering tsunami alerts in other places. In the annual the lives they lived obituary edition of the new york times sunday magazine which i always look forward to. Along with pieces about the death of whitney houston and neil armstrong and dave brubeck and nora ephron among others. There was a very poignant memorial article about the death. A paradise park new jersey. Which was born at the town around 1951. Which was struck off the map by hurricane sandy on october 29th 2000. 12. The storm raised up boats and hunks of doc from the marina and flung them through walls and ceilings. It's some of the homes were peeled off their frames. More than 60 days after the superstorm hundreds of thousands of people and businesses in the path of sandy. Are still waiting for that insurance money they are owed. To even begin to rebuild their lives. On christmas day in haiti three years after that horrendous earthquake that killed 200,000 people and left more than 1 million homeless. Residents in a refugee camp told a french reporter that hunger and want would mark the holiday like any other day of the year. For them there would be no reason o christmas tree. The best christmas we could hope for one woman said would be to get out of here and live a nice life in a normal home. But she sees little possibility of that ever happening for her. Three years later she and her family live in this camp with no electricity or running water in the shadow of a complex of luxury hotels. Endless days analyst days of grinding poverty and idleness. But add to her just fear. More than seven years after hurricane katrina struck new orleans and 1 million people evacuated the region. Thousands of mostly poor people still have not been able to come home. And those who have returned have seen whole neighborhoods demolished. Schools closed. And communities torn apart. Severe weather and natural disasters have been with us and will be with us till the question is what is our human response to these events that caused so much. Devastation and so much misery. Obviously the earth was still here on december 22nd. This was as expected by both the mayan and hopi elders who maintained all along that they never prophesize that everything would come to an end. Rather that the date indicated a time of transition from one world age to another. In merida mexico thousands danced and chanted and otherwise frolicked around ceremonial fires and pyramids. Not to mourn the coming of the end of the world but to welcome the beginning of a new era. A time to make different and better choices about how we enter the future. Moving through this with either resistance or acceptance the elder say will determine whether the transition will happen with cataclysmic changes. Or gradual peace and tranquility. They'll be up. of purification they tell us. Followed by renewal. What might that look like. Where nature is inevitable in a world that still delivers danger and violence. In an article by susan krauss white-white burned in psychology today a couple of years ago she wrote about the aftermath. Of disaster. She pointed out that media coverage of these events documents for days on end the human toll. Why are we so likely she have to stay glued to the news media during these times of crisis. Are we rubberneckers or disaster boyer's getting some thrills from others misfortunes even death. And why our attraction to fictional and documentary films about these disasters year-in and year-out. She says that research on the brain suggest differently that these events get her attention because they trigger our deepest sense of identification. And compassion not just actual events do this but disaster movies 2012 which was a huge box office success. About almost everyone in the world being swallowed up in the melting top layer of the earth except as we saw the characters in john cusack's family although we actually didn't see them doing very well yet but ultimately they do. By watching the ways in which the movies characters make key choices about how to survive. We have the opportunity to test our own decision-making. And coping mechanism when we watch it we ask ourselves what would we do. And that helps us to practice for disasters to come. The new movie impossible which just came out and going to get academy award nominations it's getting a ratings on rotten tomato. Just saying. Which chronicles the story of one family who were victims of the tsunami in asia in 2004. Is another opportunity to be drawn into their lives and participate in their horror and their separation their sadness their survival enlisting are empathetic responses to their particular and individual pain and suffering. In doing so in watching them their stories become our stories invoking a desire to help and commiserate at least in the short run she says if we don't get empathetic really quickly and do something. Then it usually goes away and we go into kind of an apathy again. A critique of impossible is that while a compelling and engaging slice-of-life portrait of one family's experience of the earthquake and the tsunami which killed and estimated 230,000 people. And displace almost 1.7 million. It focuses exclusively exclusively. On people of privilege. Tourist visiting a first-class resort. Those rescued and those health in the hospital are all non-asians. With the resources to secure a high price medical care in singapore and be flown out on private jet. When disaster strikes or as we plan for disasters what are the values. That undergird our responses. And are planning. Do we go the route of preppers ensuring that we and only we and our immediate family and friends. Get those emergency supplies protect ourselves. Prepare for the worst that disaster and human response might bring. Remaining uninvolved and indifferent to those thousands even millions of people whose lives and communities are shattered while we are still safe. And unaffected. Or do we do a both and learning about the successful actions of others and taking what happens to them personally assuming that bad things can happen to others. Anime will happen to us and getting prepared learning from them. As best we can. Avoiding the bystander effect resisting being passive observers when we could intervene to help with our checkbooks with our caring presence with our muscle power and our listening hearts with our righteous indignity when racism and classism and isolationism. Prevents our systems from working for all who suffer. Not just the privileged few. In all of this science teaches us some of the why and how the planet of ours is dangerous why and how asteroids and meteors strike why and how plates shift and earthquake shakes and tsunamis come behind them. Why and how guys are spray and volcanoes blow. But. It will never stop all of the natural violence nor make us safe from all harm. Science cannot do that. In the face of a sometimes dangerous and unpredictable cosmos. Religion can provide comfort. A sense of something beyond this plane of existence to hold onto in the face of disaster but it can also cause apathy. An indifference to the physical world and a disconnection from the earth. It is the human spirit. The human spirit and community that will show us the way. Purification and renewal. It will show us the way to rebuilding and the way to healing. The way to justice. And the way to true compassion. Welcome 2013. A new year never look so good.

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UUCA-2013-01-13-01-reflection.mp3

So. At first i wondered what it said about me that reverend killer picked me specifically into work with her on the service about meth. Indifference. Apathy disinterest mild disapproval. As one chicago tribune blogger put it if this shrug of a word where a person. It would be derek smalls the bassist in the fictional rock band spinal tap. Who characterized himself as lukewarm water. Me. Then. I learned from wikipedia that this little interjection first made its appearance in the early 90s. Featured in that most sacred cow of generation x. The simpsons. And then it made sense which other lay minister would have the deep connection to the world of springfield usa. To bart his parents homer and marge and his sisters lisa and baby maggie. Baby. So my first escaped lisa simpson's lips. In 1992 as she described our generations nonchalance regarding events like her father homer's triple bypass surgery. And it's wormed its way into our collective consciousness since then. By 2008 it was included in the dictionary. In 2009 it was one of the bbc's 20 words that defines the first decade of the 21st century. Alongside sustainability. Truthiness. Bling. And sweet. Cnn's end-of-year entertainment roundup proclaimed 2012 and its pop culture offerings of call me maybe. Gangnam style and honey boo boo. The year of math. And from the online catalog thinkgeek. You can order a t-shirt that simply reads. Math.. The item descriptions gold's. If you don't know what math means. Perhaps your life just doesn't properly suck. I can understand why meth is a word that works for us right now. We are living in a time when pretty much everything is set up to disappoint. Because things are just built up too much. There's a huge disconnect between imagination media hype. And the inevitable ordinariness a reality. The blizzard of 2010. The iphone 27q. And the fiscal cliff.. Or as it was called by the daily show with jon stewart the cliff pocalypse mageddon to cost. Subtitle it totally solvable budget problem. Everywhere we turn there is apocalypse or mageddon brewing. The results. The delightful cozy quiet holiday season that i remember from when i was a kid. Back when the days of christmas didn't actually start until christmas day. Not when that creepy elf shows up in the freezer. Now target puts out christmas merchandise before halloween. And the last quarter of the year has become one hectic block of stress-inducing busyness. So much so that i quickly get to the point that i'm just looking forward to it being over. I can barely enjoy the meaningful parts. By the time christmas finally arrived last month. All i wanted to do and did. We spend the next 72 hours in my pajamas. It's not just media retailers with this mindset always focused on the next big thing. The most common question i filled it at my wedding reception was. So when will we hear the pitter-patter of little feet. As soon as people confirmed that my first child had the normal number of fingers and toes they asked. So when will he be a big brother. And even before his baby brother was born in september folks were asking when we are going to try for a girl. We weren't allowed it to even spend a few moments enjoying the beautiful milestones in life. As soon as it happens the wedding the baby. Is. And we're onto the next big thing. This big thing is never enough. Matt isn't just annoying. It has a hurtful side to. It sneaks into the things that really matter. You know. The ones that don't make an appearance in animated graphics on the local news. Auto college i taught an intercity atlanta middle school. And there was a lot to be passionate about their. Important life-changing work to be done. I work harder than i probably ever will again. Playing counselor and social worker and coach and mom before i could even think about ancient greece and five-paragraph essays. My heart swells when i think about my former students. The national championship debater. The slam poet who put out his cd on his 21st birthday last year. The gates millennium scholars who's about to graduate from holy cross and go on to medical school. But my heart broke on an almost daily basis to. Because no matter how hard i worked. The overwhelming power of intergenerational poverty. It won a lot of battles. Monte rio fought and got suspended. Again. Ciara got pregnant. Myra and undocumented immigrants. She started showing up in heavy makeup and revealing clothes. And soon she banished. A victim of the active atlanta sexual exploitation. That's what are social workers. Despite the challenges. I miss my students everyday. What i don't miss. Is the other grown-ups. Because there i saw a big steaming pile of me. Indifference. Disinterest. Mildest. The real life equivalent of the grinch. With a heart. Two sizes three sizes too. And i got it. It's human nature. Having your heart broken on a daily basis swell. And it's hard to keep letting it happen. Many of my colleagues were just going through the motions. They tried. But as the wise teacher of yoda once said. Do or do not. There is no try. Once they stopped letting themselves care. They gave up doing. They became yet another roadblock. Another pointless meth comment clogging up everyone else's news feed. As writer john hodgman tweeted. Almost universally seems to signal. I am just interested enough. To make one laugh. Joyless nitpicky. So. Matt isn't just a symptom of the january return to the ordinary. But. I won't bother to wish you happy new year. It's already valentines. At target.

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UUCA-2013-01-13-02-sermon.mp3

Last time i checked the new york times did not consider meth meth. A matter of indifference. So so not worth the ink on the page. Quite the contrary each week in the sunday magazine the editors dedicate a solid inch. 2a not hot not not met list called from suggestions on their twitter / tag met list. Some recent ones. Please. Matt. Grover the muppet. Brown mascara. Turkey thighs. Wool hoodies. Framed maps. Caribbean cruises. Limited lifetime offers. Chopsticks. Double dating. And the world did not end. One rather shocking to me item on the med list in early december was the national hockey league lockout. It has been an untested theory of mine that for the men in my life sports are never meth. Giving them a definite advantage when it comes to the possibility of sinking. Into generalize math because as my husband has pointed out. No sooner does one sport decide its champions been another sport ramps up. From football to basketball to baseball and for some hockey. Punctuated with tennis and golf tournaments and especially during the summer olympics beach volleyball. So. And we all know why y'all watch that don't we. So right out of the holidays comes the high point of the pro football season with visions of chili and spinach dip dancing in their heads. No time for apathy. Football is not even close. Tamara for me. It actually evokes a healthy emotion of loathing. Last night the fort san francisco 49ers play the green bay packers for a division win. I would say i didn't know who won but i do. But it brought back a vivid memory of when football went from not hot not not. 2 detestable for me. I was a junior in college when i was hit by a car standing on the sidewalk in berkeley california waiting to catch a bus. And was laid up in the student health center with a smashed pelvis and many other broken bones. Laid up as in couldn't leave the bed for many weeks my father and two of my brothers came to visit me on a sunday afternoon. Rather they came to visit in austin make sure they didn't miss the fourth quarter of another 49ers versus packers game. Play more than 40 years ago. So there i was immobilized. Craft. To be most accurate as the crowd roared announcers voices rose and fell with each play and my family in the moment totally in the mix. I'll be at spectators. Groaning and cheering oblivious to my pain. Physical and mental. No sports don't seem to be meth. In fact they might well be a surefire antidote to indifference providing regular burst of vicarious adventure. And when i did a very very random poll this past week of what to look forward in january besides the super bowl. I still got back. The super bowl from the preponderance of males. Yes i'm aware that 40% of the fans are women. There are those about who scored of course it's moving going and for whom january holds the prospect. Are the golden globe awards this evening and the oscar nominations. My own most current specific mailing list includes all of the half-hour primetime network comedies. Korean tacos. Bacon ice cream. And infinity pools no matter what country and what cookie-cutter resort they are attached to. And taking all my god this is going to be huge the huge risk of being shunned by a large percentage of the american female public. I was mad about the premiere episode. Of the third season of downton abbey last week. You know. When asked you told me some of you what was mad one of you admitting that cooking has become that way when once you went out of your way to cook from scratch now it has become just another repetitive chore. Others of you talked about ma more universally as being not happy not sad going through the motions while your emotions are in the fog. Uninspired. Unimpressed. Unpersuaded. So uninterested one of you told me that i don't care to provide or engage in further discourse with respect to the topic on hand. Man is when you don't have the energy to say blah. And monday mornings are definitely matt worthy another admitted. Nah. Can feel like the mild blues not good. Not bad. Just less-than-ideal another congregate responded. When nothing nothing is going on and the sun isn't shining. She can slide. Into anyway. Like the last few weeks. Like midwinter. A few days ago i drove past a hardware store with a sign out front inquiring are you ready for winter. I imagine that the aisle displays were prominently featuring portable heaters and bags of salt in case of ice and stacks of real firewood. From what i could see there were no bedding plants available and of course the christmas greenery was gone. Well i wanted to retort. Which winter are you talking about the one with temperatures dipping into the low thirties and nasty rain like friday. Or the day we had yesterday mild and gray in the morning the sun breaking through in the afternoon with the children running around the streets after being cooped up for weeks. And the crocuses poked up already pushing their way. Pasta seasonal pansies. And will the daffodils be far behind. In other words winter in georgia. Long before the fear of in reality of global climate change this mashup. Of weather patterns. Well we move south. Not for the weather. Which was fortunate because i have discovered in the 20 years i have lived in north georgia that these parts aren't meteorologically unpredictable. Like the california that i lived in as a child and a young adult. I said was told her that if you didn't like the weather here one day then you just waited till the next. And i'm just not talking about that famous march blizzard number about 25 years ago or the severe thunderstorms that strike even in january sometimes. I'm talking about sick blankets of fog the ones that i had escaped so far from the ocean. I'm talking about overcast and wind and chill. Yesterday it indeed broke 70° and today it will be nearly the same. I checked the farmers almanac so to verify what i thought i heard or read someplace. But this mild weather this mild weather which might infect tricked flowering trees to start budding and even blossoming. This mild weather will soon turn as soon as this coming week. And we will still be only in the middle of a winter that will be in some 2 degrees warmer than usual with just a little bit less rain 2 in below normal but a little more snow. Overall there will be more cloudy days and not even if they are those tauntingly slightly overcast ones you know those never quite funny ones. Winter lights. The dimmer days. The paylor days the bear sky the bare trees. Grey on grey or black and white landscape tree trunks and bare branches gnarled. And ghostly winter for those of us who do not fare well in the dim and the loss of light can come to view this season mainly as a time of sorrow and baroness. Or more often as just. It is the winter described by former islander writer jamaica kincaid who observes that people will go on and on about the beauty of the garden in winter. But this is not true at all for me. She now lives in vermont where she says that for her the garden simply does not exist in january. It is lying underneath an expansive snow there's a deep thick miss slowly seeping out of the woods. And when i see it i am not. Enraptured by it. And her spiritual biography of winter between the end-of-summer she rides and these short days of the year. She battles a constant feeling of disbelief. All things come to a halt rapidly they die die die the garden is all brown stocks and the ground is tightening. People who go on and on about the beauty of the garden in the winter they will point out those scarlet berries in clusters hanging on stark brown brittle branches. Not so for her in her garden what she sees is little beauty. In the depths. She rice that white is not a color. It's the absence of color the color she longs for and hopes for with the coming of spring. Until she stops hoping. As a seasoned drags on and the apathy. Sets in. Even in this culture where most of us can live almost in eternal light and warmth. Plugging in our lamps and ramping up the wattage and arbol. Turning up the thermostat lighting are wood and gas cars is still there. It's still there that sense of darkness that might never end. Batman. And for those of us those 10 to 25 million of us in this country. Who have what is sometimes called the winter blues. The common name for seasonal affective disorder. Or sad no amount of scientific information or even cognitive awareness. Can simply make this sense of gloom and doom and hopelessness go away. The winter blues sad can be a serious disorder. Causing those who suffer with it during degrees of meth. Even depression through the winter months. Year. After year. More women than men have said that anyone can be affected and millions of children and young people are affected in this way by this condition we have it because during the winters as the days get shorter and our exposure to strong like it's less. Our internal body clock can get out of rhythm. Producing the wrong hormones. At the wrong time of the day. So that's sad. And that's part of what we feel in this midwinter of our lives. But we call matt and make light-up ain't well also because acedia. Which means in greek. The absence of care. The absence of care the subject of a book written a few years back by poet kathleen norris. Based on her own internal history and her fascination with the monastic life i don't know how many of you know but she actually spends part of the year. Every year in south dakota at a monastery. The greeks called it the black gaul. Existentialist the place where we wait for godot. Acedia described a medical dictionary as a mental syndrome the chief features of which are listlessness. Apathy and melancholia have been around in our literature since the fourteenth century and then it disappeared for a while. Never saw it again until after two world wars. And then it came back in the dictionary. It was an epidemic occupational hazard among early christian monks. Confined as they were to the same quarters and the same chores and the same songs and the same chance day in and day out. 2a tedium beyond our imagination is kathleen norris tells us. In their efforts to enter into a deeper relationship with god to strip away all novelty and all distractions she tells us. They were off on afflicted with one of them called a vicious and tenacious temptation. To despair. As norris rides apathy and torpor doesn't even begin to cover it. Try restless boredom frantic escapism commitment-phobia chronic dissatisfaction acedia can manifest as a smaller and milder discontent. Or an extreme what she calls a hatred of place. A hatred of place. The hatred hatred of a monastic cell. Of a job a marriage a strong and put us to check out and walk away. Whether literally or by setting ourselves apart in our minds and by our actions. The line between depression and a cd is notoriously fluid she tells us. Depression being an illness treatable by counseling and medication. Acedia she abused as a vice. She even calls it a sin. She calls it a character flaw that is beth countered by lifestyle discipline. And spiritual practices. Disciplines and practices that might well save us from an apathy which is one writer noted. Is a sword of living oblivion. It doesn't even compare someone said with a dark night of the soul because that means we can still feel the cold. And see the dark. There are things we can do to make the winter blues the method acedia less debilitating we can watch how much caffeine retaken. We can watch the cards we can watch the sugar we can eat more protein we can watch for those patches of sun and make sure we take advantage of it. We can walk. Even if we don't feel like it. We can work out. We can actually let ourselves cocoon take a timeout but not so long that we let the foul mood of acedia or the numbness of meth afflict our souls. As the monks would say. And if we do retreat we need to watch for baron self-absorption as kathleen norris describes a. Because she says if we withdraw to completely we die inside. And we forget our basic need for other people. Our need for what she called moral conversion kind of a strange and strong word. A commitment to seek to self accusing truth about ourselves. Not just self-acceptance. But self-renewal. We can take up a new hobby or practice we can walk the labyrinth we can learn to meditate we can learn new music start a scrapbook or journal work with clay or would we can do in other words instead of letting ourselves. Be passively buffeted. All of those of us who find winter physically and emotionally particularly challenging and those who can take a winter or leave it or even find it the best time of the year. Can look at winter itself as a great spiritual journey. Not ignoring its dimmer darker aspects at all. Because full spirit will growth is not about just looking for and living for the light. It's about sharp and soft. Blossom and decay and the complete cycle of life and death. For each one of us. The outer and inner landscape of winter includes also lessons in the sense of being personally scoured. Cleaned of excess and pretense. It's about helping those for whom winter and life. It's especially harsh. Winter can highlight our fragility and vulnerability. Our need for community and hospitality. 40 and 4 comfort. For reaching out. Winter makes us aware of those for whom cold and that makes them especially vulnerable to illness. And helplessness. Winter can show us the corners where children are too cold. To get out from under the covers. To dress in unheated rooms and go to school where the homeless wrap themselves in green garbage bags and huddle underneath under passes. Or in city parks after dusk. Where the holiday food baskets empty. And the produce gardens. Leigh barron. Winter can teach us so much. Winter can teach us to look for small glories and reasons for praise. The same minut red berries that are jamaican whitehurst offset. Inner needful for luxurious tropical beauty. She also admits can be breathtakingly beautiful. And there's singularity. That flash of a cardinal she rides. Or single candle light. I had been asking for a standing bird feeder for years now one of those on a pole with a baffle. It was always on my christmas and my birthday list along with cucumber and vanilla bubble bath and silver hoop earrings. Got a lot of those. Only this past holiday it finally arrived and now it's standing tall in our front yard filled with black sunflower seeds in full view. From my living room window. Even on a dreary morning i can sit in my rocker coffee in hand and observe dozens of birds visiting. And eating the food that i have provided the scattered hus devoured by the waiting squirrel. I can watch them. Like a notice their red beaks and their striped wings how they fly off. Spindly branches. Or perch patiently waiting their turn on rusted sculptures. And i can feel a duty to them. A duty to them to keep the earth healthy. For their sake. And the sake of my children. And my grandchildren. With this practice and through these experiences i can re-engage. Out of my meth. Holocaust survivor and novelist elie wiesel has written. That the opposite of love is not hate but indifference. It's not giving a damn. My wise worship partner rebecca reminds us that there is a fine line between meth. And a healthy sense of perspective. She reminds us of buddhism teaches us that non-attachment or releasing our false sense of control and letting things be as they are is the path to peace. This is healthy. There are precious few outcomes in life that we can force. And that is just what's true. The buddha did not give us permission however she reminds us to ignore the second half. Serenity prayer. God give me the power to change the things i. It is anyting. It is anyting. But indifferent. And disinterested. It is love.