I believe we must follow the example of our radical reformation cousins, the Quakers, and try to “speak truth to power.” Sometimes that means taking an unpopular stand. Sometimes, and this can be the most difficult thing, but also maybe the most important;, it means calling ourselves to account. I believe this commitment to truth-telling is a powerful and a dangerous commission given to us from the depths of our spiritual perspective. We must be willing to turn over the… Read more

My last few posts have been devoted to ruminations on the nature of liberal religion. Fair warning, it’ll continue for a few more days. I’ve worked up seven of these reflections and today posted the fourth of the series. I will continue posting them as I polish and feel them more or less ready, probably one or so a day ’till they’re all up.But today, I find myself thinking a lot about our American presidential elections.I’m so glad that the… Read more

(Education is) a political activity with pilgrims in time that deliberately and intentionally attends with people to our present, to the past heritage it embodies, and to the future possibility it holds for the total person and community. Thomas GroomeQuite simply, I consider religious education one of the most important things we do in our churches. Possibly the most important thing we do. One of the better things I inherited from my Baptist background was the belief that when a… Read more

One’s-Self I sing—a simple, separate Person; Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-masse. Of Physiology from top to toe I sing; Not Physiognomy alone, nor brain alone, is worthy for the muse—I say the Form complete is worthier far; The Female equally with the Male I sing. Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful—for freest action form’d, under the laws divine, The Modern One I sing. Walt WhitmanI. Me. How sweet the words. The movement of Western… Read more

The most visible activity in belonging to a religious society is our gathering together on Sunday mornings. In fact, many people think there is nothing more to belonging to a church than attending Sunday services. (How goes the old joke about ministers? Missing six days a week, incomprehensible on the seventh?) Of course, there is much more to our shared lives than that. What is true is the Sunday service is the visible focus of our religious lives. And, I… Read more

I find the many connections between people within our congregations and within our denomination create tendrils of affection and interest that intertwine and bind us tightly together. Our tradition honors two truths in particular. We profoundly honor the preciousness of the individual. This cannot be overstated. And our churches cultivate a broader engagement with the world informed by a profound intuition of our radical interdependence with each other and the world itself. Within this creative tension of knowing we are… Read more

I’ve just learned that the nominations for the Fourth Annual UU Blog Awards have been announced. I was pleased and honored to learn Monkey Mind has been nominated in several categories. Although, for the life of me, I don’t know why I received at least one of the nominations…Some friends dismiss projects like these awards as a bit too inward turned and self-congratulatory. I’m sure they’re right. But, having some readers and fellow bloggers thinking something I wrote worth holding… Read more

William Claude Dukenfield was born on this day in 1880. He is, of course, better known as W. C. Fields. He started out as a juggler and traveled internationally with a comic mime act. Returning to the states Fields’ quick wit became the basis for a monologue that accompanied his juggling. In 1915 he made his first short film. From there Fields began his famous career as a charming rogue and almost, but never quite buffoon. He was featured in… Read more

Well, after several false starts, Jan & auntie & I finally saw Atonement last night. Jan had already read the book. And she had warned us it has a sad ending. Then an hour or so before seeing the movie a friend suggested as I go in to the theater to recall that line from Truman Capote, which goes something along the lines of “The only unforgivable sin is betrayal.” Of course I delighted in such a layered saying, coming… Read more

Well, I guess this proves it is not good to have a little time on one’s hands. Thinking, wow, a free hour! I’d been meaning to reformat the blog a bit. And now, several hours later, I have. Hope you like it.In the process I lost all my blog links!. Never was very mechanically minded. As you might notice I’ve tried to restore them. In the process I’ve put a few up I’ve been meaning to for a while, but… Read more