Atlanta Unitarian

I acknowledge the sordid and devastating history of racism in the United States. This history includes not just the brutal enslavement of black people, but also racially exclusive and demeaning laws and policies against Asian Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, and others. It is essential that all Americans understand this awful history and weigh with gravity the history of inhumanity in America’s past. Portions and perspectives on this dark history are still being uncovered and it is important that we all continue to hear these emerging voices.   I acknowledge that racism is a force still in effect in our society today, with significant harms. Social science and our own direct observation teaches us that racism still exists in institutions such as the criminal justice system, in education, and in employment. I acknowledge that racism exists not just as personal animus, but through policies and institutions that have been shown to negatively impact racial minorities. At the same ti

Anyone with a cursory knowledge of history and cultures knows that all cultures have both oppressive and liberatory aspects. Historically, it was quite typical to conquer, kill, and enslave neighboring groups or nations - just ask the Aztecs or the Mongols. Historically, European and American culture are rife with oppressive aspects, but not particularly more so than any other culture. Part of the joy of being an Unitarian Universalist for me has been its openly syncretic approach to finding wisdom; that is, we seek great wisdom from all cultures, and at least historically have been able to borrow and build upon such wisdom without apology. In my own personal experience, I have gained wisdom from European, Asian, African, and Native American cultures, among others; as well as Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, and Pagan beliefs. To pursue truth and wisdom wherever you find it has historically been one of our great blessings. With new walls being erected about certain traditional bel

When I think about what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist and how that might change, I think about two different ways of having conversations. If the first way, we start from the principle of universal human equality and human dignity. We start from the approach that the search for truth is grounded in love. This is based upon our current Seven Principles. Based upon these principles, all voices will be given equal weight and an equal chance to be heard. And those listening will endeavor to listen charitably, with an ear to acknowledging and empathizing with what each speaker says. Under such conditions the growth of mutual understanding is possible. While agreement will not always be reached, we can build community through this process of recognizing each other, including recognizing our very real differences. In the second way, we start from the assumption that all verbal interactions should be seen through the lens of unequal power. People of color, women, and LGBTQ people hav

I want to start writing about politics again. Certainly, I do not consider myself an expert on political matters. But I see a deep and yawning need for respectful dialogue across the political divide. So much political discourse these days is about score-keeping, or rallying the troops, speaking within an existing political circle to bolster anger and outrage at the other side. I cannot pretend that I am either non-partisan or unbiased. I am a strong progressive and I have been that way as long as I can remember. However, I genuinely want to understand people with alternative points of view better. I genuinely believe that I do not know all of the relevant information and I am open to having my point of view change. I genuinely believe that even if we disagree passionately, we can find other areas of agreement for our mutual benefit and protection. I believe that people can be respectful and honest to each other even when they disagree. What I want to address in this essay are the reas

I think most of us have a default question that we ask whenever there is a down moment, a slow moment, in our lives. This default question has great power over our happiness and well being. For many of us, the default question is "what do I want now?" The minute the business subsides, we ask ourselves, what do I want now? As philosophers over the centuries have observed, directing ourselves by the wants of the moment is almost certainly a formula for unhappiness. We are likely to be frequently frustrated. The open palm of desire knows no bounds, wanting is a bottomless pursuit. It is quite likely that a yawning gap will open between what we want and what the world is capable of providing. For myself, this question has often been "what should I be doing right now?" It turns out that this is also a problematic question. Just as wants are bottomless, so are achievements, and so are the problems of the world. If we are continually directed towards newly emerging nee

Some of the challenges I have faced during the last few weeks have made it clear to me that I carry within me a wounded soul.  A wounded soul is a soul that has been disappointed in some fundamental existential way, so that an implicit trust in the universe is no longer possible.  It is not necessarily a paranoia, but a sense of profound disappointment that could re-occur again at any time.  In many ways it is the opposite of naiveté, the confidence that the universe is a safe place and that things are fairly certain to work out. Feeling this wounded soul moving within myself can be disturbing.  The darkness within me is very easily and quickly cast out on others – they can become characters in my own personal morality play, signifying the disappointments I have encountered.  If I have not received the praise which is my due, I cast darkness upon those whose efforts are lacksidaisical, angry that they have not worked as hard as I have.  If I see others flourish and succeed with ap