Atlanta Unitarian

The title of this posting, " The Paradox of Choice ," is actually the title of an interesting book I've read in the past couple of years about the negative psychological impacts of too many choices. It's a frequent theme in my thoughts, a problem that is particularly acute in modern western society. The other day I was visiting a book store and I was overwhelmed by my choices. So many books to read, so many appeared to be interesting, I had no idea how I should go about selecting one. On top of that, I feel like I 'should' be reading certain books in order to keep up with current events. On a whim I went to the religion section. I browsed the sections on Christian spirituality, which included any number of subsections I can't think of now (devotionals, fiction, Catholic theology, inspirational, bibles...). Each section seemed compelling, and I browsed the titles with a pang of guilt. I skipped over Islam, Judiasm, and Sufism (all the time wondering ho...

I just reviewed the president's candidates positions in a helpful summary by the New York Times here . I find the Republicans constant call for tax cuts disingenuous. If taxes are always too high no matter what their current level is, then the optimal level of taxes would logically be zero. Yet no Republican has come forward proposing to shut down the government entirely yet. It's easy to be for tax cuts, because no one likes paying taxes. But it's intellectually and morally dishonest unless you can explain what level of taxes you would find justified or supportable. I find it morally dishonest because I believe it feeds into today's mentality of something for nothing - that I ought to be able to benefit from government services without having to pay for them. In civil society, where so many of our investments require common payment and provide common benefit, this self-centered thinking is corrosive. It feeds into cheating the system and promotes the attitude tha...

Look to what you care about deeply that in no way concerns your self interest; there you will find your faith. Now do not seek to understand this irreducible force within you; instead seek to live it and embody it fully. You may find that it grows and that every day you stand upon firmer ground.

If Unitarian-Universalists believe there is wisdom to be found in other faiths, then we should accept other faiths as legitimate in themselves. Where we find some wisdom, others may find a lifetime's worth. If Unitarian-Universalists believe in the right to individual conscience, then we should respect the chosen faith of other individuals acting by their consciences. In short, we should be, true to our name, accepting of the wide and diverse faiths found among humanity, and not hold ourselves to be superior to others. In the great family of all faiths, we should be the conveners, the ones who find common ground, the ones who seek to bring the family together over shared values and commitments. Besides, it is the mark of a mature and settled faith to accept those of different faith without fear or discomfort.

One of my life-long struggles is finding appropriate and meaningful channels for my desire to serve. I feel passion in my heart, I envision various and wonderful possibilities in my head, but when my hands get to the work of service, I find myself stymied, bored, frustrated, and unsatisfied. One of the problems is that the reach of my mind (same as any educated person's mind) is so much greater than my capacity to influence. I see the importance of addressing global warming, but I feel powerless to make a difference. I've reduced my carbon footprint and signed various petitions online, watched "Inconvenient Truth," followed the issue in the news. But what more can I do, as one individual with no particular power or influence? There are so many issues I care about so deeply. I feel so helpless to make a difference. What I do almost always feels like a drop in the bucket. Just off the top of my head, I am concerned about torture and human rights, ending the Iraq w...

Recently I came across someone, I think a politician, discussing that the moral imperative to love the stranger is common to all religions, and it got me thinking. As a UU, I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. This is not simply a political statement; it is also a religious statement of faith. Within every person is inherent value, which means, that every person brings some merit or value to this planet and the human community. Ideally as a person of faith I would be able to see that value in each person, to be able to find common ground and common humanity with any person, no matter how different from myself. I find myself falling pretty short on this measuring stick. Recently I have had occasion to have several long term visitors to my home. I have found that, when placed in close proximity to a stranger, I tend to focus on what I object to in others, to think about how I would like them to be, to see them as a negative reflection of my own points of prid...