What is the price of bliss?

What is the price of bliss? Some people don't understand the value of bliss unless there is a price for it. Can Unitarian Universalism help people achieve bliss? What is the price? Alexander The Great was willing to give his whole empire for a bottle of water when he was thirsty in the desert. Sometimes putting a price on things is done not out of greed but out of compassion. Osho explains in 6 minutes.

Is Woody Harrelson a Unitarian Universalist?

Woody Harrelson narrates his poem "Thougts From Within." It lasts about 3 minutes and is well worth listening to and watching. I don't know if Mr. Harrelson is affiliated with any church or faith community but he obviously is a man of great faith and might feel very much at home with Unitarian Universalism.

As he ends his poem, I definitely hope to see him around.

Potluck supper at Pullman, Monday, April 7, at 6:30 PM

Potluck supper - Monday, April 7th at 6:30 p.m. Please bring a dish to pass. The program for this supper will feature some storytelling by Adrienne Lattin, so children are welcome!

Lyle Lovett has a great song, "Church" which celebrates eating at church. AMEN!

"To the Lord, let praises be, it's time for dinner now let's go eat!"

It is well worth watching and listening to. If you would like to watch and listen, click here.

The Future of Pullman?

A search comittee of the Pullman is interviewing a minister next weekend and I am a member. While we all want the Pullman Unitarian-Universalist Church to prosper we might have different points of view on its' future.
Any thoughts on what we should be looking for in a minister? Where do you want to see the Pullman ten years from now? How much do we need to change ... if at all? Should we just use up the Church funds and coexist as we are? If we hire a minister at 1/4 time ... is this what is best with our money?
I know what I want ... but unsure what others think. If there are any ideas out there please let me know via chalicefire, email or a phone call.

don z

Why separation of church and state is important.

How religion is complicit in domestic violence.

On July 15, 2007, Rev. Tamara Lebak, Assistant Pastor at the All Soul's Unitarian Church in Tulsa, OK, preached a powerful sermon on Domestic Violence. It is not a topic that is often preached on and she does a super job giving an overview of the problem, a personal insight into how it affected her own life, and how churches and religion can be complicit in supporting the problem.

I highly recommend the sermon and you can listen or download it from the Digg web site by clicking on the link below.

Link: Digg - Why Have You Forsaken Me? (All Souls Unitarian Church, Tulsa, OK).

What's The Matter Here? by Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs

Karen Armstrong urges compassion and the Golden rule as a force for harmony

Karen Armstrong gives a 21 minute talk about the Abrahamic religions -- Islam, Judaism, Christianity. Karen says that these religions have been diverted from the moral purpose they share which is to foster compassion. Karen encourage us to work together to help make religion a force for harmony.

UUs believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, even our enemies

Peace Pilgrim said that she looks for the divine spark in every person and then focuses on that.

The first value/principle of Unitarian Universalism is The Belief in the Inherent Worth and Dignity Of Every Person.

When we disagree, when we find ourselves in conflict, we are very quick to denigrate, to judge, to disdain, to demonize the other. This is a primal instinct which probably has some survival value for our species. So it seems very counter-intuitive when Jesus says that we must love our enemies, we must do good to those who hate and/or hurt us.

How can we love Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, terrorists, murderers, rapists, people of other religions, races, political parties, sexual orientations?

It takes a very big person, enlightened you might say, to rise above our visceral hateful response to be afraid and hate and attack. And yet this is what the great spiritual masters, and the higher teachings of most religions teach us.

No greater love has any person than to lay down his/her life for a friend, but what about an enemy?

It seems an impossible value, an impossible principle to recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Good people do bad things, and it is for our own peace of mind that we strive to find a way to forgive them. Our individual decision to forgive may seem like a small thing that makes little difference, but in terms of the karma released into the world, it is huge.

It is possible to forgive people and still hold them accountable. Forgiveness does not dismiss accountability, and holding people accountable does not automatically lead to forgiveness. In an ideal world accountability and forgiveness would occur together, but in our imperfect world, they often are experienced as two different things or not at all.

If our national, community, family, and personal policies were based on an operational process of implementing the belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and this led to acts of forgiveness, we would be living in quite a different world. However, it is our fear of being hurt again that contributes to our defensive posture of hate, discrimination, subjugation, and oppression.

It is because UUs actually believe in this principle and value of the inherent worth and dignity of every human being, I strongly believe in our faith. Bringing this value into practice in my life is a daily challenge, and when successful, fills my life with grace. I recommend it to you.




If I Had A Rochet Launcher by Bruce Cockburn

The fifth value/principle of UU - right of conscience and use of democratic process - Who's the Decider?

Rev. Michael Schuler at the First Unitarian Society of Madison gave a wonderful sermon on March 16, 2008 entitled "Who's the decider?" There is a brief description of the sermon on the First Unitarian Society of Madison web site. Where is what it says:

"The fifth Principle of Unitarian Universalism guarantees freedom of individual conscience and encourages UUs to practice and promote democracy both within and beyond our movement. But how absolute a standard are we talking about here? Are there instances where, as a religion or as a society, we might want to embrace a different approach to decision-making?"

Rev. Schuler makes the point that most Americans are pretty ignorant when it comes to their democracy. Most Americans cannot name the branches of government, identify their state senators, describe the Bill Of Rights or identify the significance of Roe vs.Wade. With Americans this ignorant, it is no wonder that most of them are not aware of the civil liberties they lost with the passage of the Patriot Act.

Rev. Schuler makes the further point that Americans are not very politically sophisticated. When asked if they favor more welfare spending they say "no", but if asked if they favor more spending to help the poor, they say "yes".

Rev. Schuler makes the point that the United States is more a plutocracy run for the benefit of the rich upper classes than a democracy working for the common good.

The fifth value/principle of Unitarian Universalism is "the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large." This is not just a poltical value but a spiritual value as well believing that people do not live well with material things alone, but more importantly as Rev. Schuler says, with the opportunities " ... to express themselves creatively, candidly, cooperatively, and allows them to have a hand in determining their own destiny..."

You can access a PDF of Rev. Schuler's sermon or an MP3 file by going to the web site by clicking here.

Call It Democracy by Bruce Cockburn

A corner in Byron

I pass the corner daily in Byron where the accident occurred.
A mother with two young kids had turned into the path of a truck and only the mother survived. Initially I saw the tire tracks of the truck embedded in the earth and I would pause at the corner and reflect on the fraility of life and the sorrow of a family having to continue its life ... I paused often ... and then the snow came.
Yesterday with the snow beginning to melt away I saw a memorial for the children near the accident site. A growing mound of flowers, toys and many stuffed animals. Memorials large and small such as this can be seen more and more as we travel in our busy lives. On a train tressel I have noticed a painted sign pleading with people to slow down because ’Johnny’ died here ... and maybe he didn’t slow down enough and should have. The statutes to remember family and friends on road sides killed by a drunk driver can be seen everywhere.
Maybe these memorials will slow us down to be more cautious in our daily life and not ’drink and drive’ ... maybe.
For me I’m stopping today and adding to a memorial and will be reflecting on how lucky I am and remembering ’the fraility of life’.

Happy One Month Birthday to Chalicefire

Today, March 25, 2008, Chalicefire is one month old having been started on February 25, 2008.

To date Chalicefire has had 433 different visitors who have visited the blog 881 times for a daily average of 28.42 visits. During those visits there have been 1926 page views.

Pullman Memorial Universalist Church is a small congregration in Albion, NY which has an average church attendance of about 25 per week so it is interesting that PMUC is making its presence known to the outside world. It is hoped that making the presence of church known more people will take advantage of and contribute to what it has to offer its members, its community and the world.

Thank you for your visits, for your comments, and for your ongoing support.

Love, Death, and Easter - a sermon by Forrest Church

Rev. Forrest Church delivered a wonderful sermon on March 16, 2008 at All Soul's in New York City entitled, "Love, Death, and Easter."

Rev. Church spoke about the mysteries of love, death, and resurrection. It is rare to hear such experiences talked about with such eloquence and understanding. I recommend his sermon to you and you can listen on Digg web site or download it. You can go to the web site by clicking here.

The responsible search for truth and meaning

The fourth value of Unitarian Universalism is the responsible search for truth and meaning. The search for truth and meaning takes us to strange places sometimes such as this Houston youth minister who has found a Cheeto that looks like Jesus praying with outstretched arms. As the news network says, "We report, you decide."

What makes Unitarian Universalism special?

One of the unique characteristics of Unitarian Universalism is that it does not require any particular credal belief. The joke is that UUs can believe in anything. Well, yes, but, while we do not necessarily subscribe to the same creeds, we do have the same values. Here are the seven values which UUs subscribe to:

The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;

A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;

The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;

The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;

Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Over the next several weeks, there will be several articles on these values. In my mind, it is the values that UUs hold dear that makes Unitarian Universilism special and makes it a light to the world.

The UU Blues by Nate Hill from the Unitarian Universalist church of Spartanburg

Annual meeting of PMUC is scheduled for April 27, 2008.

The annual meeting of the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church is scheduled after the service on Sunday, April 27, 2008 at approximately, 12:15 PM at the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church at 10 East Park Street, Albion, NY. All members and interested friends are welcome to attend.

The earth is resurrecting - Happy Easter!

In the Christian tradition, today is the day that we celebrate new life. Jesus has been resurrected after being brutally killed. A life and ministry which ended in ignominy and defeat, much to the fear and sorrow of his family, friends, and followers, has taken an unexpected and joyful twist.

Whether you believe in the physical resurrection or not, it is clear, and a fact, that the spiritual resurrection occurred, because the story has survived and continues to be told 2000 years later which is a remarkable and wondrous thing.

What is it about this story of death and resurrection that we humans have found so compelling that it has taken on mythic proportions that has transformed our orientation to the world?

We experience it every spring when out of the dead of winter we see the earth come alive again as the flowers bloom, the trees grow new leaves, the birds return, and other creatures come out of hibernation and begin to live again.

As Cat Stevens sings, Morning Has Broken, which as a Unitarian Universalist, I find to be a joyful and meaningful Easter song.



Or if you like something more traditional how about Jesus Christ Has Risen Today, Alleluia!

Spring cannot be held back. The spirit of life rejuvenates to our wonder and gratitude

Holy Saturday is the day before Easter. Jesus is dead. His family and friends mourn. Having grown up in the Catholic church, I remember that on Holy Saturday the church is stripped bare. The lighting is minimal. There is the sense of a vacuum and that something significant is about to emerge. There is the bittersweet sense of sadness, sorrow, and grief, while there is also the anticipation that something new is about to manifest. Here is part of the Wikipedia article about Holy Saturday:

"In Roman Catholic Churches, the sanctuary is stripped completely bare while the administration of the sacraments is severely limited. Holy Communion is given only as Viaticum. All Masses are strictly prohibited. No Mass at all appears in the liturgy for this day. Many of the churches of the Anglican Communion observe most of the same traditions, however their altars are usually stripped or colored in black. See Liturgical colors.
In some Anglican churches, including the Episcopal Church in the United States, provision is made for a simple liturgy of the word on this day, with readings commemorating the burial of Christ.
Liturgically speaking, Holy Saturday lasts until dusk, after which the Easter Vigil is celebrated, marking the official start of the Easter season. In Roman Catholic observance, during the "Gloria" of the Mass (which is the first Mass since that of Holy Thursday), the church statues and icons, in places where they are covered with purple veils during Passiontide, are dramatically unveiled."

At the beginning of the Easter service the priest sings several times "Lumen Christi!" and the congregation answers, "Deo gratias!"

In the Unitarian Universalist there is no such liturgy but there is a celebration that the Spirit Of Life is rejuvenating and that after the dead of winter the spring cannot be held back. We are overjoyed with the signs of new life. Alleluia!

George Harrison, Here Comes The Sun

Another interpretation of the Easter story

"I think the Easter story has meanings even for an agnostic like me. I accept that it is a Christian takeover of pagan spring festivals. But it is different, because it combines spring renewal with the Crucifixion, and what the Crucifixion teaches is that the sufferer is superior to those who inflict suffering. Merely by willingly submitting to torment, and dying, he triumphs because he remains innocent - and his triumph is, for me, not affected by whether he comes back to life again as Christians believe he does. It is just his pain, his helplessness and his endurance that make him superior.

I know it is irrational to believe this (as irrational as to believe in the Resurrection) but I believe it all the same. I connect it with the innocence of nature which can be crushed by brute force but will always return. As D. H. Lawrence said: 'The Pyramids will not last a moment compared with the daisy'."

John Carey, author and Oxford academic, quoted in The Times, 14 April 2006.

The story of Good Friday

Good Friday in the Christian tradition is the day Jesus of Nazareth was killed. He was killed, so the story is told, for a variety of reasons, but my understanding is that He was killed because he was perceived as going against the grain, of upsetting the apple cart, of disturbing the status quo. He threw the money changers out of the temple and was giving talks that called the religious authorities of the day hypocrites.

This is not an unusual phenomenon when a person takes unconventional positions and stands that upset the group. In my lifetime, Gandhi was killed, Malcom X was killed, Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed, John Kennedy was killed, Robert Kennedy was killed, and millions of people are excommunicated every day from their churches and their families because of their unconventional thoughts and opinions, or their unwillingness to toe the party line. We have seen Americans threatened with unpatriotic branding if they don't agree with the current administration's hawkish, militaristic policies.

So Jesus is not alone. Most of us human beings have been punished, if not killed, for taking unpopular stands and positions that go against the conventional wisdom held by the group. One of the few faith communities, if not the only one, that celebrates its heretics, is Unitarian Universalism. However, for most of the world, following the party line, complying with the program, is a requirement for acceptance and belonging. Perhaps the theme song of Good Friday is John Cougar Mellancamp's great song, Authority. But before you get too discouraged and depressed, remember that there is Easter.

UUs mark fifth anniversary of Iraq war in San Francisco

The First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco hosted a community vigil for peace on March 16, 2008. Marking the 5-year anniversary of the war's start, speakers, including the Rev. Gregory Stewart, called for an end to America's involvement. (Sound clips from Peter, Paul, and Mary)

The message of Maundy Thursday - "All That You Have Is Your Soul"

Today is Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday, the day we remember the Last Supper where Jesus took bread and wine and said" This is my body, this is my blood, do this memory of me." And we who find inspiration and meaning in this story do take the time to remember today and what I remember is that Jesus said that the way to the Kingdom of God is "to love as I have loved", and that, indeed, is the Good News.

Jesus said that we are here to love ourselves and each other and He believed in this so strongly that He didn't let anyone or anything distract Him from this value and unfortunately He was killed for his beliefs and I think Tracy Chapman captures the spirit of Jesus when she sings, "All that you've got is your soul."

What does a UU look like? A UU looks like you.

The Rev. David Gillespie has a blog named "David's Dish" and on March 15, 2008, he had an interesting article entitled, "What's a UU look like?"

Rev. David crunches the numbers from the Pew Forum's U.S. Religious Landscape Survey 2008. He finds some surprising things in terms of UUs age, geographical location, income, and educational level. If you are interested in demographics, Rev. Gillespie's article is a place to start.

At PMUC we are all white and would love to welcome people from all racial and ethnic backgrouns. Wetend to be older although there have been younger family folks coming in the last year which is great.

At PMUC everybody is welcome: young and old, rich and poor, Ph.D's and drop-outs. We welcome people of all races, religions, sexual orientations.

Unitarian Universalism is a huge tent, and a UU looks just like you. Won't you join us?

"Come On People, Smile On Your Brother, Everybody Get Together, Try To Love One Another, Right Now"

The Youngbloods - Get Together

UUA President William Sinkford makes a statement on the 5th anniversary of America's war on Iraq.

President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Rev. William G. Sinkford, gives a 5 minute statement on the 5th anniversay of the American War on Iraq. He makes a thoughtful statement which is worth listening to. I believe this statement was released on March 7, 2008. I recommend it to you.

Spiritual people have no need of false prophets

Happiness on this earth makes looking forward to happiness in the next less attractive.

If happiness in the next looses its appeal what is the need of the priests, the pastors, the Imans who promise it? The clergy offer grand promises and if you feel insecure, inadequate, lonely, these promises are very appealing.

True spirituality is nourishment in the here and now, not in the hereafter. A spiritual person has no need of clergy making false promises and threatening with false punishments.

Peace comes from the liberation from supersitions and delusions. Peace comes from being at one with cosmic consciousness.

Jesus told us to be aware of false prophets. An irrevernt saying in Buddhism is "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him."

And being in touch in our hearts with the Tao relieves our fears, our lonliness, our depression, our anger, and we achieve serenity here on earth as it is in heaven.

What kind of a God sends people to hell?

First woman who appears to be in her 30s: "My pastor told me I'm going to hell."

Second woman: "Gosh, that's an awful thing to say. Why did he say that?"

First woman: "Because I told him I'm thinking of leaving the church because I disagree with some of the things he is teaching."

Second woman: "What kind of a god does your church believe in?"

First woman: "What kind of a god does my church believe in ?"

Second woman: "Yeah. I mean is it like a Catholic god, or a Protestant god, or what, that is sending you to hell?"

Barack Obama's church has been smeared by political opponents. What's the truth?

What is Barack Obama's Trinity United Church Of Christ really like? Barack and his church have been smeared by his opponents. Get the facts.

Jane Fisler Hoffman, a Minister in the United Church of Christ who also attends church with Barack Obama, talks about Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and the United Church of Christ. This video lasts about 3 minutes and is worth watching. I recommend it.

What do you know?

"I know something. I know we're all One. I know it so well that if I'm falling out of tree, I know we're all One before I hit the ground. I'm not going to forget it; I can't give it up."

Stephen Gaskin, An Outlaw In My Heart, p. 123

Where Do You Find Your Hallelujah? - a sermon by Lizard Eater

On Sunday, March 16, 2009 Lizard Eater posted her sermon entitled "Where Do You Find Your 'Hallelujah'" on her blog, The Journey. Here is the introduction:

Each of us has the responsibility for finding that out, for ourselves, according to where we are at the time. In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl says that to ask what is THE meaning of life is like asking a chess master, “What is the best chess move?”

Well, there is no “best chess move.” It depends on what’s going on in the game. And it’s going to change with every game, it’s going to change with every turn, as another piece is moved.

I highly recommend you read her whole sermon which you can access on her web site by clicking here.

The Good News is that Jesus came to show us the way to love and peace not suffering and crucifixion

Rev. Don Reidell gave an interesting sermon today at Pullman Memorial Universalist Church about Palm Sunday which begins Passion week in the Christian tradition. Rev. Reidell said, "I don't think that Christianity is anything that Jesus would want to have anything to do with if He knew about it today."

Rev. Reidell said that as a kid he liked Palm Sunday better than Easter because it seemed exotic with the palm fronds and because "Palm Sunday brings excitement and expectation...that this simple rabbi, riding on a donkey, might be the one." "The one who might lift the hand of wickedness and bring in the rule of justice."

And yet it seems people, centuries later, became enamored with a myth that Jesus' death was a blood atonement for the sin of Adam and Eve rather than a manifestation of the belief in love and peace as the thing of value in a person's soul rather than violence, coercion, and hatred.

Here is a video of Peace On Earth by U2 sung as Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem only to be killed as He protests the wickedness, hypocricy, and materialism of His day. It doesn't seem that much has changed. I like Gandhi's line that he would convert to Christianity if he ever found a church that actually followed the teachings of Jesus. The one I have found that comes closest to the values of Jesus is Unitarian Universalism. Jesus would have been a great UU.

Why does a man hate another man?

Several months back, we at Pullman were challenged on the topic of prejudice. A description of the Museum of Tolerance (Los Angeles, CA) was given where the lobby depicts several aspects of intolerant behavior and the only way to enter the museum itself is through one of two doors - one challenges the visitor to admit they have a prejudice and the other allows the visitor to claim they carry no prejudices. The "unprejudiced" door is locked.

This is a challenge statement - carrying with it the belief that every person on this Earth, in one way, shape, or form, is prejudiced.

This weekend, my partner had the opportunity to spend several days immersed in a UU Youth program and was uplifted by the experience. The report was that she saw efforts to develop young men/women into adults who understand responsibility and where they fit in the world. For the first time in months, she had a renewed faith in the human race.

Then came worship.

She decided to not stay at the host church for their service, rather to drive most of the way home and celebrate with one of the other churches in our home cluster. What followed was one of the most disturbing events she has experienced since making the decision to join a UU congregation.

From the pulpit came 20 minutes of a hateful diatribe aimed at America's police officers. The "sermon" painted broad generalization as to how police officers "assault" citizens, and racially profile individuals. The individual who lead the service was obviously deeply engrossed in their hatred of a group of men and women - all the while speaking about how horrible it is that THEY held preconceived notions about the citizens they serve and are not deserving of the public trust. The allegations did not focus on individuals, rather placed all those who enforce the laws into the same caste of ruffian thugs who have little intelligence and delight in the opportunity to cause physical and emotional damage to the innocent.

The ethnic background of the speaker? European-American (the term "white" rather bothers me). The speakers social background? Upper, middle-class from the suburbs of Boston. The number of times the speaker has had any interaction with the police? None. Aside from the obvious ethnic background, the answers came from his own admissions during his "sermon."

At what point does this speaker choose to acknowledge his own prejudicial hatred of law enforcement? By what moral authority does he speak regarding the perversion of justice caused by hatred - or perhaps he speaks from first-hand knowledge.

John 8:7 provides a story wherein Jesus (aside from any divine aspects some give him, he did speak wisdom) says "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone...."

Is the face of law enforcement in this nation spotless? Not by a long shot. Those involved in law enforcement find the acts of a few to be a reason to hang their head in shame, if not directly deny their affiliation, regarding their occupation. But then, I am certain that RC priests, lawyers, and other professional groups also feel the sting of the actions of but a few.

Perhaps, before making strong allegations, we should ensure that our house is clean - prior to pointing out the dust mote in a neighbor's house.

The colors of Christianity - What are the shades and hues?

On March 15, 2008, Daniel Lewis posted a good article on his blog about the various types of Christianity. I liked it because he doesn't just divide up the spectrum by denominations but by practices and belief orientations as well. The categories he uses are brief and easily understandable. His article is well worth reading and you can access it by clicking here.

UUA President Rev. William Sinkford speaks about environmental issues

Rev. William Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, speaks at the UU Witness for the Earth Rally in Portland, OR, 0n June of 2007. The rally was organized by the UU Ministry of the Earth. The video lasts about 8 minutes and is well worth watching.

A Chosen Faith: An Introduction to Unitarian Unversalism

A Chosen Faith: An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism by John Buehrens and Forrest Church was first published in 1989 and then updated in 1998. Each author writes a chapter describing from his point of view each of the six sources of the Unitarian Universalist faith. The six sources are direct experience, words and deeds of prophetic men and women, wisdom from the world's religions, Jewish and Christian teachings, humanist teachings, and the spiritual teachings of the Earth Centered traditions.

The book is written in a very informal and personal style which makes it interesting to read. Both authors share some of their personal experiences in their faith development to exemplify how the sources might inform one's own religious theology.

This book should be high on the reading list of anyone interested in religion and especially in the history and modern practice of Unitarian Universalism. It is an interesting and enjoyable read and I recommend it.

Scared of the dark or is darkness your friend trying to teach you something?

Rev. Michael Schuler gave a great sermon on February 3, 2008 at the First Unitarian Society of Madison entitled, "Scared of the Dark". Here is a description of the sermon from the First Unitarian Society web site:

One of Simon & Garfunkel’s better known songs begins with the line “Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again…” The fact is, though, darkness is not considered the least bit “friendly” by most of us. The vast majority of our cultural metaphors for goodness, holiness and safety refer to light. Moreover, our preference for a well-lit environment has made it difficult, in many parts of the country, to recognize familiar constellations in the night sky. Darkness as a physical and figurative fact is our focus at our services this weekend.

You can access the a MP3 file or a PDF of the sermon by going to the First Unitarian Society Web site by clicking here.


The Sound Of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel

People who forgive refused to be defined by injustice

Stephen Gaskin says that forgiveness is getting straight with people. I think he is on to something. I also think there is something more to it that just getting straight.

Forgiveness is many things. True forgiveness is a decision on the part of the victim to put the unjust behavior of the offender into context. Forgiveness requires a perspective and attitude that humans have a hard time cultivating and rising to. Our primitive reptilian brain wants vengeance, retribution, to kill or eliminate the perpetrator of the injustice against us. To overcome these powerful, primal instincts takes tremendous self awareness, courage, patience, understanding, love, and in a positive way, self abnegation in the sense of being able to rise above the hurt, the pain, the indignity, the lack of respect which injustice entails.

Forgiveness does not give up accountability. Forgiveness is not the same thing as pardon or reconciliation. Unjust behavior has consequences, it sets loose a karma in the world which cannot be recalled but can be redeemed. Reconciliation may not be desired by the victim or the perpetrator and yet forgiveness, peace in one's heart, can still be attained.

The victim forgives first and foremost for the benefit of oneself and only secondarily for the perpetrator and others.

Forgiveness is a power we all have to live happy and free instead of bitter and depressed defined by the injustice perpetrated against us. People who forgive refuse to be defined by injustice and victimhood. They realize they are much more than that. They realize they are beloved children of God in spite of how they have been treated by ignorant and dysfunctional others.

Is the Nowhere Man stupid or overhwelmed?

Rev. Scott Tayler gave an interesting sermon on March 9, 2008 at the First Unitarian Church in Rochester, NY entitled, "Are You Stupid Or Just Unsure What Kind of Jeans You Want?"

Scott makes the point that people seem to be overwhelmed in this day and age with too many choices and too much information. Feeling overwhelmed leads to feelings of identity diffusion or not knowing for sure who one is, and where one belongs, and what one stands for.

I think this feeling of being overwhelmed with too many choices and too much information leaves a person feeling stressed and at loose ends and then feeling anxious and insecure. At these times people are looking for answers and fundamentalist beliefs are comforting. Experts who can give us the answers quell our fears and insecurities. Demogogues, religious, political, and secular in the form of celebrity adulation are very seductive.

The antidote I believe is knowing what it is that's important to know. A person has to have priorities and values that contribute to discernment. Not all things are equal in importance. Not all things are important to know. Do we set our own priorities and agendas or are they dictated to us by the media, our friends, and the culture we live in? The process of discernment is a personal process which we each have to take responsibility for, and yet this discernment also happens in the context of trusted others who support our honest search for the truth and important.

Scott's sermon is worth listening to. As the bumper sticker says, "Don't believe everything you think." You can listen or download Rev. Tayler's sermon at the Digg web site by clicking here.