I am uujeff, and this is my muse kennel and pizzatorium. Why? Because I love my muse and I love pizza. And since I desperately want to learn how to work with my muse more effectively, what better way than to create a home for it that it can share with others, and to feed all of the muses the food of the gods...pizza.

Over the coming days and beyond, I will share more about who I am and where my muse is leading me in my life. For now, let me provide this brief tidbit. I am enrolled in the Modified Residency Program at the Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, seeking to become a Unitarian Universalist minister.

In part, I have created this blog to explore the nature of reflection and discernment -- two words I am coming to grips with in the process of becoming a minister. If you kind readers bear with me, perhaps you too can benefit from my journey and even come along for a walk or two.

So, stay tuned.

So, I have this muse. I have not named it. Nor do I have any cute depictions of its appearance. I only know that it is untamed, and perhaps untamable. But, sometimes, it appears when I least expect and I find myself fumbling for paper and pencil in the dark of my bedroom, or up at 3:00 a.m. typing on a keyboard.

My goal is not really to control my muse, as I sense that to be a fool's errand. I would, however, appreciate it if my muse kept more regular hours. Nonetheless, I love my muse and wish to keep it happy and well fed.

In part, that is one reason for this blog. You see, I believe that a well-fed muse is a happy muse. And a happy muse keeps churning out new ideas and inspirations, which is a must for a minister.

Why a pizzatorium? Well, pizzeria, pizza parlor, and pizza palace are all rather common names. Pizzatorium possesses just that hint of authority - sort of like calling a podium a pulpit. And, given the choice of only one type of food on a desert island (or however else you would like to phrase the question), I would choose pizza (specifically Mineo's Pizza, from here in Pittsburgh).

So, if you have a muse that keeps you up all hours, despair not. Like teenagers, it is their job to push your buttons and challenge your paradigms. Embrace your muse.

And feed it regularly.

No, not the snack crackers. Combos as in combinations. Combos are a recurring theme in my life. I firmly believe that everyone possesses talents and that few of us ever really get the chance to hone those talents to their maximum potential. It took many years, but I eventually realized that I had a talent for combining ideas in unique ways. I always had a gift for making connections or recognizing similar threads in different concepts.

Also, I have always had a fondness for those old-fashioned stores that provided two wildly different products or services. Like hardware stores with post offices in them. Or those gas stations down south that serve fantastic ribs in the back. That's why my blog depicts two major themes.

Of course, the key to a successful combo is that the product of the combination must exceed the sum of the separate components. Whether my muse kennel and pizzatorium will succeed as a combo remains to be seen. If you are reading this, then it has already succeeded on a very basic level. It piqued your curiosity. Now that I have your attention, I hope that my combo will plant seeds of ideas and nurture them into maturity.

As a seminarian, one hears over and over the importance of reflection and the "discernment" process. When I interviewed for admission into Meadville Lombard Theological School, I was asked, "What do you do when you just want to 'be'? Frankly, I thought that this was a stupid question and I had no answer for it. You see, I could not separate in my own mind times when I wasn't 'being' from times when I was.

After two years, I still think it is a silly question (at least for someone in their 50's with significant life experience). But, now I believe I have an answer. It may not be an answer that someone making an admissions decision likes to hear. It is, however, a truthful answer. When I want to 'be,' I let my muse free to bring together ideas in my head that have entered in the recent past. I allow the powers of synchronicity in the world the freedom to mate one idea to another to create new ideas or insights.

Sometimes, my 'being' is idle daydreaming. Other times, it is a cauldron of bubbling words and thoughts out of which may coalesce a single crystal shard of an idea. And, still other times, my entire life switches lanes and proceeds in slightly new directions.

So, why a blog? Mostly because it is hard to articulate my form of 'being' to those who will evaluate my progress toward becoming a formed minister. A blog is one way to demonstrate tangibly my acts of reflection to folks comfortable with writing poetry, drumming, or meditating under a shady tree in a pastoral grove. I'm way too obsessive compulsive for those forms of reflection. But, as a child of the computer, blogging seems a natural form of journaling my progress.

If you, too, are on a journey in life, then maybe my reflections will sound familiar. Perhaps we can share our thoughts as we speed along the highway.

In the past year, I have performed about a dozen weddings and unions. Surprising me have been the number of couples who met online. With the maturation of the internet as a communication device and the advent of MySpace and similar sites, bulletin boards, and blogs, the web is clearly a prevalent form of human interaction in our society today. To ignore it would be as foolish as ignoring the telephone.

I have had a personal computer since the Commodore Vic-20 and have tried to keep pace with the insane pace of technological advances in the past few decades. I will admit to being a little slow on certain things, but I think I do a fairly good job at least at keeping literate. I have participated in email discussion groups and the odd board or two, but now I think it is time to enter the blogosphere.

In part, I see this blog as an extension of reason #1. As I develop my ministry more fully, I not only need to reflect, but also interact with others. I want to share my reflections and listen to what others have to say, whether it is part of their shared voyage, or their observations and critiques. A blog is an especially important tool for someone like me, who tends to be somewhat intimidating in conversation. I do try to be courteous, but sometimes, I can be somewhat strident in expressing myself. So, a blog is an equalizer, forcing me to articulate my thoughts clearly and enabling others to respond on a level playing field.

Welcome to the conversation.

My ministry for many years served Unitarian Universalist youth. When FUUSE.com was created (a web community of UU youth and young adults) I joined. I even began a journal, which was the first time I ever attempted such a record in my life. My primary motivation was to share with youth and young adults my progress into the formal ministry, in part to give back to the community that had given me so much over the years.

Even though I had been a committed youth advisor for many years, however, I always felt like a bit of a lurker on the site. Once I got more involved in student activities at Meadville Lombard Theological School, my journal entries declined and I drifted away from FUUSE.

With a blog, though, I see the importance of that original purpose returning. I know that there are people out there who think, from time to time, about what it is like to be a minister. As public figures, I believe that ministers owe it to congregants and any interested parties to share their personal spiritual journeys and help people chart their own paths through life.

My decision to pursue fellowship with Unitarian Universalist ministers was not an easy one and I have paid a price for that decision. But, I don't regret my decision for one second. If the notion of being a UU minister has crossed your mind, perhaps my thoughts can be of some help as you reflect on your decision.

I find it difficult explaining who I am in 25 words or less, particularly about religion. As a minister, however, I know that I must develop good "elevator speeches" to answer those small questions like, "What do Unitarian Universalists believe?" That said, what are my labels?

Atheist - For many years, I resisted calling myself an atheist because of the stigma American society places on the word. I hemmed and hawed with agnostic and even nontheist. But, emboldened by other groups who have reclaimed pejorative words, I think it is time that we atheists embrace our moniker. Ironically, I fully embraced the term after a phone conversation. The person was explaining to me how he would structure an experiment to prove the existence of God. After hanging up, I thought for a long time about what proof I would be willing to accept of God -- burning bush, eclipse, parting seas, voice from the skies. I found that I could imagine nothing that would convince me that the cause was exclusively due to the presence of God. At that moment, I knew that I had ceased to be an agnostic.

Humanist - This poor word has so many meanings, that its use demands explanation. My first exposure to humanism was the Humanist Manifesto II, written in 1973.
(http://www.americanhumanist.org/about/manifesto2.html)
Although a third version has since been written, my preference is for the second for a number of reasons. It is more explicit about nontheism. In fact, it is more explicit about most of the key points of humanism. And, there is less naturalistic humanism, a point of view I have some difficulty embracing. I find the distinction between secular and religious humanism divisive and unimportant since I do not see support of religious institutions as problematic. In fact, I embrace a term coined by Professor David Bumbaugh from the Meadville Lombard Theological School of "high church humanist."

Now the big one.

Minister - Honestly, I consider myself a minister already. I have yet to complete the Master's of Divinity coursework or the field education requirements. I have yet to go before the Ministerial Fellowship Committee or become ordained. But, I believe that "minister" is truly a way of living and not merely an occupation. Those requirements are the gates through which one must pass to work as a minister. I think that living one's life as ministry is all that is required to be a minister. My call to live my life as ministry has been growing for nearly 15 years, as a religious educator and as a youth advisor. Now, as I preach and counsel, officiate at rites of passage, and am just generally present, I consider myself a minister.

Are you doing ministry right now? Maybe you have for years, but just hesitated to use the term. I think that one knows if they are a minister or not. Earning the professional credential is worthy if one has the financial resources and the time. Becoming fellowshipped is something I look forward to. But, I do not view it as defining of who I am.

Returning home from the gym last night, I made myself some dinner and sat down to do my homework. I watched George Romero's Night of the Living Dead. Really. Actually, this is the second time I watched the movie this week, since I listened to the DVD audio commentary the other night.

Now, you may ask, how in the world is this homework? I am taking a class in Religious Humanism at Meadville Lombard Theological School this coming January. My final project is about Religious Humanist Themes in the Films of George A. Romero. I love being in seminary!

It's actually not all that far-fetched. Romero's films (both the living dead series and his other horror films) are filled with socio-political content and observations on humanity that reflect a humanist perspective. For instance, Romero deconstructs every "monster," removing all supernaturalism. His zombies, vampires, witches, etc. are all products of our modern scientific world. Second, his films frequently deal with morality and the impact of circumstances on people's moral decisions. But, most important, his films always address the importance of community, communication, and altruism in the successful survival of humanity. When the monster wins in a Romero movie, it isn't because the monster is more powerful - it's because the people couldn't stop fighting amongst themselves long enough to battle a common enemy.

So, I am watching each movie twice, once to listen to the audio commentary (they are actually fairly boring) and the second time to glean good material to cite in my paper. Of course, I have already seen all of his movies (some many times). It is great, though, to have an excuse to indulge once more in this guilty pleasure. I am doing my homework...honest!

Watching a documentary on film maker George Romero last night, the thought came to me that, in many ways, movie directors can be a lot like ministers. All of the cast and crew of Romero's production companies praise him: his willingness to listen to any and all ideas from anyone; the way he empowers actors to interpret their roles; and especially his creation of a family atmosphere on the set.

I particularly identify with Romero as an artist. For most of his films, Romero has overseen the creative process from start to finish. He writes the scripts, directs the filming, and then personally edits the final cuts. He even takes part in distribution negotiations, where oftentimes changes can be imposed on a film. I respect Romero's commitment to creating an artistic vision and then fighting passionately for its unspoiled completion.

For instance, distributors wanted to cut a lot of footage from Dawn of the Dead that Romero saw as crucial to the film. So, he and his partners rented a New York theatre for a night and ran their own screening of the film. With a single one-inch ad in the New York Times, the movie showed to a packed house. A distributor who came to see the movie signed a deal on the spot to distribute the film without changes.

I see my ministry much like Romero directs movies. I work to create a vision of ministry and work from start to finish to see that vision realized. But, it's not just my vision. A successful ministry empowers all congregants to contribute and own their religious community. Together, they can resist outside forces to compromise their beliefs or limit their actions.

Lastly, Romero makes horror movies and he definitely wants to scare you. But, every one of his movies also has a very up front socio-political message. Dawn of the Dead, for instance, is a commentary on the corruption of commercialization and how we can become trapped in the pursuit of "things" to the detriment of what really matters in life. My ministry will seek to inspire and motivate. But, underneath that will always lie a core of relevance to social justice and equality, and imperative to bring our religious convictions to action.

I spent this past weekend as a guest of the Pennsylvania Universalist Convention at the Smithton Unitarian Universalist Church. As I learned when they first contacted me a few months ago, a number of the Universalist state conventions did not dissolve at the time of the merger in 1961, and have continued to operate since that time. At this point, the Pennsylvania Convention includes seven churches covering every corner of the state.

It was a wonderful time and I met some very interesting (and colorful!) folks. It is definitely a small world. One long time participant just finished a term on the Meadville Lombard Theological School Board of Trustees, so we had much to talk about. A few folks were familiar from General Assembly. And, the pianist for the Saturday evening concert and Sunday morning service was someone who used to be friends with my next door neighbor 35 years ago.

Networking is something I've always had to work at. I envy those folks for whom it comes naturally. But, the returns can be very rewarding. Especially in a religious organization, the development of social networks can lead to so many opportunities and inspirations that might not otherwise occur. And, of course, as someone who considers himself a somewhat old school Unitarian atheist humanist, it gave me a great chance to brush up on our Universalist heritage, which is alive and well in Pennsylvania!

uuworld.org reports this week about the ongoing changes in the process of approving organizations for affiliate status in the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The article cites folks who have had difficulty with this process and those in the upper echelons of decision making who appear satisfied with these efforts.

As a long-time and active member of one of the many groups now denied affiliate status, I can only report on my perception of this process and its impacts. From my point of view, communication of this process was virtually non-existent. There appeared to be little to no concern for the questions and issues of groups formerly affiliated who would be losing valuable (and perhaps essential) benefits. I worry that this effort, while perhaps guided by totally logical guidelines and solid long-term intentions, will be viewed by many very-committed Unitarian Universalists as uncaring, illogical, and heavy-handed.

Many of the groups losing affiliated status are substantial entities with long histories in our denomination. My little group, Unitarian Universalist Curriculum and Resource Developers (UUCARDS), has a few dozen members and a history dating back only a dozen years or so. And yet, this new process, which provides no replacement for the recognition we received previously, may cripple our little group. At the very least, these changes place enormous additional challenges on the efforts of incredible people whose dedication and contributions to this denomination are huge.

As a future minister, I read the explanations for the changes and can understand, to some degree, the logic for their implementation. At the same time, I hear the voiced pain of those who feel betrayed by a bureaucratic effort into which they had essentially no input and over which any objections were seemingly ignored.

What I take from this unfortunate situation is a renewed appreciation for the impact that even what may seem to be small administrative actions can have, both in an operational sense and an emotional sense, on those invested in a system. I will strive to remember this lesson when I serve my church and participate in management decisions impacting my congregants.

As I follow the Jena 6 case, I have come to the conclusion that our news media have displayed ineptitude above and beyond their normal limits. At this point, a reasonable reviewer of the reports of the events that went on in that town has little chance of possessing a complete and factual account. Regardless of the various arguments to the contrary, I am convinced that the malignancy that is our criminal justice system has once again reared its ugly head, displaying its overt racism and classism.

What disturbs me even more, however, is what I perceive to be a growing sentiment - that in time, our justice system with its various appeals and retrials will sort everything out and justice will eventually be served. Perhaps, in my childhood, I might have believed such a fantasy. But, the hard reality is that there still exist too many factions vested in a racist system of law enforcement and in a society that fails to invest in the future of our children regardless of their social status, family background, or ability.

I do not believe we can wait for the laborious process of evolution to eventually produce in this country a legal system that is color blind, or a school funding formula that does not favor the rich. The reality is that evolution consists not only of gradual change and adaptation, but also radical change and mutation. And, since we face forces with powerful resources invested in the status quo. We must be willing to be change agents.

The young men charged in the Jena 6 case are not angels. So what? Neither were their white counterparts who walked away with no charges and no potential for massive prison sentences. This community failed these young people and they should not be held liable. They and their families should not have to sacrifice years of their lives and all of their financial and emotional resources fighting unjust charges. This nation is failing another generation of young people and we should be held liable if we do not advocate for radical change in our legal system, our schools, our taxation practices, and our government funding policies.

The weekend has finally arrived for our trip to New Orleans! A group of 30 Unitarian Universalists from Pittsburgh is flying down on Saturday to work for a week with an organization called Hands On New Orleans doing Katrina-related work. We have been planning this trip for almost six months and I can't wait.

The site where we will be staying apparently has a small computer lab, so I will try to post daily site reports with a smattering of my own editorial comments as the week progresses. I am anxious to do my small share to help rebuild the lives and the city of New Orleans. I also welcome the experience of working side by side with my fellow Unitarian Universalists in the frontline of social justice activism.

We certainly owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who helped fund this trip from the churches in the Pittsburgh cluster. I want to thank everyone who attended our Brunch on the Bayou event in August and the Jim Scott benefit concert in September. I also want to thank everyone who donated directly to this fund raising effort. And, a special thanks goes to Michael Miller from the Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills for his magnificent and tireless administration of this trip.

Stay tuned!

Browsing the latest issue of the Humanist Network News, I found myself browsing an article by Warren Allen Smith. His online encyclopedia of freethinkers, Philosopedia, defines apatheism (a portmanteau of atheism and apathy), as a subset of atheism, when atheism is defined as lack of belief in deities, rather than specific disbelief in deities. "An apatheist (AP-uh-thee-ist) is someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that God, or any other supernatural being, exists or does not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of God as neither meaningful nor relevant to human affairs."

I came to atheism after years of reflection and by what seems to me, appropriately, to be a quite evolutionary process. I certainly would say that I possess a lack of belief in deities. I suppose I have yet to consider whether I also possess a specific disbelief in deities. But, just because I do not believe deities exist, nor that any proof of their existence could be offered, I think it would be slightly presumptuous of me to profess a disbelief in deities.

So, the question now is whether or not I consider the existence of God as a meaningful notion or as relevant to human affairs. Let me start simply. The existence of God has no meaning to me. And, I certainly believe that peoples' belief in the existence of God has led to some of the greatest miseries of humanity in the millennia since the inception of civilized society. On the other hand, belief in the existence of God has also created great beauty and motivate some people to incredible acts of generosity, kindness, and courage.

Therefore, I think the more relevant question is, should the existence of God continue to be a meaningful notion? I would answer that question categorically in the affirmative. I believe that humanity has outgrown its continued belief in the existence of God, just as children outgrow their need to believe in many myths and fairy tales to assuage their guilt or ease their fears of the unknown. I believe that a continued belief in the existence of God will eventually lead to more "just" wars with unjust underlying motives professed by preaching hypocrites with sacred texts in one hand and clubs and stock portfolios in the other hand.

Given that no one can wave a magic wand and excise the notion of God from human memory, one must surely admit that the existence of God has been, is today, and will likely continue to be relevant to human affairs. So the question of whether or not it should be relevant is, in my opinion, moot. The answer, therefore, lies in religious education and in the provision of effective affective worship experiences that do not require a believe in God. I have spent many years committed to the education of our youth in the ways of critical thinking and assessment of moral issues based on Unitarian Universalist principles. And, as a developing minister, I am now committing myself to the creation of worship experiences that are effective and that produce in participants an affect that is as powerful, if not more powerful, than that produced by the purveyors of the God myth.

So, am I an apatheist. Not yet and perhaps never. As a minister, I must care about the impact that peoples' belief in the existence of God has on society, and I must respond by offering religious people an atheistic option to pursue their spiritual paths and to share worshipful experiences with others.

As you know from the title of this erudite journal, pizza is one of my guilty pleasures. You've seen that bumper sticker that says, "A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work." Well, for me, even a bad pizza is better than good food that is healthy and nutritious. Well, not always, but work with me here.

Anyway, I have an idea for a book that I offer up to anyone who wants to run with it. Just send me an autographed copy or two when it hits the New York Times bestseller list. The title would be simply "Guilty Pleasures," and it would consist of an encyclopedic collection of the guilty pleasures of famous people throughout history. I know I would read it.

Now, we have to be careful about our definitions. A pleasure isn't truly guilty unless it is really bad or potentially harmful for you. So, no altruistic pursuits and no quaint but harmless hobbies. Wouldn't it be awesome to learn that Michaelangelo had tattoos and body piercings; or that Lincoln loved to skinny dip in the Potomac River; or that Confucius slipped risque limericks into the Analects? Of course, the Roman Emperors would have an entire chapter.

None of us are saints. Given that we are human, we will make mistakes and we will engage in behaviors that are risky, possibly harmful, and even potentially dangerous. I think the point is that, since we must engage in these behaviors by our nature, then we should do so with intent and in a way that maximizes our own pleasure and the pleasure of those people important to us. So, when you engage in your guilty pleasure, be creative about it and do it shamelessly. Drink responsibly, laugh heartily, and love relentlessly. Never be ashamed about your passion.

The Unitarian Universalist Association's national advertising campaign has begun. Advertising in Time Magazine began with the October 15, 2007 issue and will continue over the next several months with placements such as this UUA print ad (also shown to the left).

According to the UUA's press release, the Time.com Religion Pages will offer links to articles and essays authored by Unitarian Universalists on topics including: the relationship between religion and science; the role of religion in American democracy; and religion, morality, and sexuality.

I certainly applaud the goals of the campaign and believe such an effort is long overdue. Our denomination will always debate issues of the relative merits of any continental efforts and their impacts on congregational polity. But, I personally feel that the relative benefits far outweigh the potential harm.

That said, this first print ad even made me cringe just a little. "Is God keeping you from going to church?" I do understand the desire to be catchy, even controversial, in getting the reader's attention. The ad certainly appeals to the atheistic, yet religious person within me. But, I have no doubt that many Unitarian Universalists will see this ad and explode in anger over what they will perceive as an anti-theist tone and the heavy reliance on the term "church."

I will not be one of those criticizing the ad (do not, however, ask me what I think of the new UUA web site, grrrrr). For while I deeply respect those who might find the ad objectionable (and I have no doubt that conversations will continue for many weeks), I will suggest that nearly any attempt to attract broad public interest in Unitarian Universalism in eight words will displease many dedicated UU's. The reality, however, is that we certainly will never get the millions of readers of Time magazine to read Channing's Baltimore Sermon or Ballou's "Treatise on Atonement." Even the text of the seven principles is too long for the average modern attention span. I do not see this as sufficient reason not to produce such a campaign.

We are a tiny denomination - a soft voice amidst a cacophony of shrill shouts. And yet, we have evidence that many people share our religious philosophy, but are simply unaware that we exist. I see no harm in helping people learn that we are here and that we welcome them with open arms; in fact I believe we have a duty to make our presence known. I see no way to make this omelet without breaking eggs.

The key, in my opinion, is to assess the materials and calmly reflect before reacting one way or the other. Then, encourage discussion in your church, congregation, fellowship, society about the issues. Most importantly, now is the time that we should all pay extremely close attention to our visitors. For while we may take issue with this campaign or its specific contents, the result may be to bring people through our doors asking that question that so many of us have asked -- "Where have you people been all my life?"

I arrived at the Pittsburgh International Airport two hours early to find it nearly deserted. Saturday night is a great time to fly out. The check-in area was virtually empty of people (except of course for the person ahead of me in line with three boxes of human blood!).

This gives me the opportunity to exercise my right of free speech and express my opinion that the insanity that is airport security should make us ashamed to call ourselves civilized [rank mode on]. I challenge someone to prove that the time and resources expended in this colossally stupid enterprise has actually succeeded in apprehending any credible threat to the public welfare. I accepted this absurdity until the removal of shoes began a few years ago. This endeavor is, in my opinion, the result of unbridled fearmongering...sigh [rant mode off].

Anyway, I arrived at the terminal in time to watch most of the restaurants close their gates; all but McDonald's and TGIFriday's. Not wanting to raise my cholesterol 20 points, I headed for the acronym. Just a word of warning - a half order of potato skins is still HUGE. Ron was a very friendly waiter and extremely attentive. He was disappointed when I told him that I do not fly often. So, if you find yourself eating at Friday's at the airport, ask for Ron.

So, there are 14 of us waiting for the connecting flight to Washington D.C.: 11 men, two women (one wearing sunglasses at night), and a baby of indeterminant gender. The plane is a puddle jumper that seats about 50. Mercedes, the flight attendant, is hilarious. Her's was the first safety speech I have listened to in years.

Dulles International was much busier. I strolled through a couple of shops (Border's carried Newsweek, but not Time - I wonder if that has anything to do with the UUA's national ad campaign? Just kidding). The toy store had one of those bins with annoying wind up toys. One was a chicken that did that inane birdie dance song that is so prevalent at weddings. I told the clerk that if I had to endure that cacophony for an eight-hour day, I would end up on the six o'clock news.

On the flight to New Orleans, I sat next to a nice lady from Myrtle Beach. When she saw me reading The Pipe and Christ, a book about a Jesuit priest and the Lakota Indians, we got to talking about religion. She had heard of Unitarian Universalism, having read a biography of Christopher Reeve. She could not quite understand, though, why anyone would not want to accept the joy of a personal relationship with the Christian God. I suppose I need to get used to those conversations.

We arrived in New Orleans 25 minutes ahead of schedule - amazing! On the cab ride to the Hands On New Orleans site, we passed the Superdome. It immediately brought back memories of the thousands of people stranded there with no facilities and of people dying on the sidewalks outside. It's midnight now and everyone is asleep. So, I'm in an empty room at the end of the hall until tomorrow, when I will move to the men's bunk room.

Today is our first full day at Hands On New Orleans. It is a rest day, so after breakfast we all headed over to the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans. FUUNO is a beautiful facility that suffered from four feet of flooding during Hurricane Katrina and sustained substantial damage. But, the church has bounced back and is now beginning a major capital campaign in concert with two other area UU churches. I had one amusing moment. During the service, I noticed that my hymnal had a large circular imprint on the front cover. Later, I saw the following inscription on the inside front cover. "This hymnal was used to put out an 'out of control' chalice flame Easter Sunday, April 16, 2006." No deep meaning, but it seems somehow appropriate.

After church we returned to "base camp" for lunch and our first community meeting led by the Hands On coordinator Stefanie. There are several jobs we will be working on this week including: construction on two houses; building a community playground through an organization called Ka Boom; helping the Animal Rescue Shelter of New Orleans (the only 'no-kill' shelter in the city); Project Lazarus, which helps AIDS patients; and doing outdoor cleanup and planting work with Groundwork: New Orleans.

After lunch, we piled in the vans to take a tour of the city, especially the most affected areas. The tour consisted of many pages of text carefully prepared by First Church. Eventually, we drove into the Lower Ninth Ward. Watching all of the documentaries did not really prepare me for the desolation. Street after street of what used to be home-lined and tree-lined bustling communities is now just one empty, scrub-filled lot after another. One can literally count on a couple of hands the number of homes that seem to have been repaired completely. Most of the structures still remaining are in various states of disrepair, often with "Do not demolish" spray painted on their sides.

According to the tour, the former residents are besieged on all sides by bureaucracy and a society that has abandoned them. Many home owners (and 68% of the homes in the area were owned by their residents) inherited their houses from parents and never filed official papers regarding the transfers. As a result, home owners unable to prove ownership have been denied compensation or assistance. Also, people whose homes were destroyed and lack the money to rebuild, are being fined by the city if they fail to keep their unusable properties clear of overgrown plants. It doesn't matter that the population of the area probably numbers in the dozens. No matter how one slices it, the injustice looms massive. It was a sobering experience.

As we looked at the infamous levy, we learned that some people have alleged that the levies were blown up. Apparently, many decades ago, the city blew up the levy in the poorer district in order to spare the richer district from flooding. So, the legacy of this colossal act of public ill lives on. It is not hard to imagine why a local resident would believe stories of government corruption and conspiracy, especially as contractors bilk property owners out of money and developers pressure the city to take over via eminent domain.

The rest of the evening, we spent in the world-renowned French Quarter. Anyone who asks why New Orleans should be rebuilt simply needs to go to this one-of-a-kind site.

Tomorrow, the work begins!

After breakfast, everyone broke into their work groups. I was part of a group of seven folks working on Ms. Evelyn Green's house in Center City. Ms. Green is a widow and I understand a very prominent person in her neighborhood. During Hurricane Katrina, her roof was damaged and the house sustained a great deal of water damage. By the time she could move back in, water had seeped everywhere and mold was growing.

After hooking up with Hands On New Orleans, crews went into the house and gutted it. All plaster was removed, down to the rafters and joists. Everything was then power washed and treated with mold remover. Now, the crews are working on restoring the inside of this interesting old house, built in the 1890's.

Tonight, many of the volunteers from Pittsburgh met some of the members of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans for dinner. In addition to the fellowship and sharing, we had a presentation by one of the church members on race and class issues and Katrina. Of course, race and class remain (unfortunately) significant factors in the lives and well-being of Americans, which is perhaps no were more apparent than in aftermath of the Katrina tragedy. For instance, the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act currently in Congress lays out the deliberate racist and classist actions of people in authority at the time to shut down quality public housing sites and evict existing tenants after the disaster largely to replace public housing with higher cost housing. Ironically, one of the chief opponents of the bill is Louisiana senator David Vitter. We were urged to join the campaign contacting Senator Vitter's office to ask that he stop his efforts to block the bill.

Reverend Melanie Morel-Ensminger of First UU Church also spoke in response to a question of how we should respond when people ask why New Orleans should be rebuilt given its geographical location and the danger of another devastating storm in the future. Reverend Morel-Ensminger replied that people would not ask this question if San Francisco needed rebuilding, even though it lies on a fault line. She said that people did not ask whether the cities on the Mississippi River flood plain should be rebuilt, even though the flooding of several years ago may well occur again. These questions would not be asked because, in this case, the vast majority of victims were people of color, the poor, and often both.

"You are a New Orleanian," she told us, if you love jazz music, red beans and rice, and the other cultural contributions of New Orleans. You are a New Orleanian if the federal government controls a dam, or bridge, or other piece of critical infrastructure whose failure could cost you your home. She expressed the hope that no one ever experience the displacement and discrimination that many New Orleanians have faced, especially now that in just weeks, FEMA will be shutting down trailer camps, yet again putting low income people on the streets.

You are a New Orleanian if you believe in justice and that our government should protect our rights as home owners and citizens against the legions of the greedy, the narrow minded, and the uncaring. "We don't want your pity," she said. What New Orleanians want is for us to join with them in the fight for justice for all and in recognition of our common desire to live lives of freedom and dignity.

Everywhere we go, people ask about us and thank us for taking the time away from our families to help out their city. I think that New Orleanians will one day excel in helping others in need, since they so well understand the value of the services given through the kindness of others. Interestingly, I heard the other day that the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans collected funds recently and sent them to our church in Findlay, Ohio, which suffered huge losses from a flood recently. So, maybe all of this giving and caring is not only contagious, but comes back when you least expect it.

This was our last work day here in NOLA (New Orleans, La.). Most of the job sites were repeats, including the Live Oak School, Project Lazarus, and the various construction projects. I spent my last day back at Ms. Evelyn's house pulling down plaster and lath. We got the huge timber installed under the sagging corner of the house, so our crew chief was excited.

I do not consider myself a gourmet by any means. In fact, I am really not all that discriminating an eater at all. But, there are some foods that turn me into that drooling vision of Homer Simpson. We ate lunch at Cafe Reconcile again, and today I had the Shrimp Creole, Crawfish Bisque, and chicory coffee. New Orleans deserves to be restored to its original condition if for absolutely no other reason, meals like this.

Tonight, I walked a few miles along St. Charles Avenue to the Camellia Grille. My daughter has been raving about this place for years on her visits. Again, my palate was delighted. They had a chocolate pecan pie. I told the man behind the counter that I do not order pecan pie north of the Mason-Dixon line, because we Northerners just don't know how to make it. He assured me that I would be delighted.

I watched as he cut the slice of pie and inverted in onto the grill. Then he squirted a little butter on the grill and flipped the pie over. After placing it on the plate, he topped it with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream. Words fail me in describing that experience.



I don't exactly know what makes a memorable experience religious. Perhaps seeing a child's precious stuffed animal atop moldy textbooks in a collapsed elementary school in the Lower Ninth Ward two years after Katrina is a religious experience. Perhaps every experience is religious to some small degree. I am not sure what the percentage must be in order for an experience to be truly described as religious. I think that I have reached a point where any moment in our lives that takes us beyond the normal and routine, and that stimulates our thoughts and emotions, is religious.

Because if God is the ultimate, or the combination of all experience, or the universe, or however one views the concept, then any experience that opens our senses, our hearts, or our minds to something beyond ourselves is placing us in the presence of God. Perhaps thinking of eating a chocolate pecan pie trivializes the nature of experiencing God. I certainly do not intend to do so. I am trying to say that a simple act - feeling a breeze, wading in the surf, watching the first golden rays of sunlight in the morning - can inspire awe, and put one in a state of self awareness and awareness of our connectedness with all of existence.

The potential for such an experience should exist every Sunday morning in worship services. But, we should be on the lookout for these moments all during our hectic lives. Perhaps a truly religious life is one filled with religious experience - some that are life changing epiphanies, and some that waft on the wind like a butterfly.

The past week seemed to be immensely rewarding for each of the participants. It is hard to assess the impact one short week of effort by our little group had on this city still recovering two years later from the trauma of Katrina. In some ways, our presence alone appeared to have as significant an effect on the residents as did the weeds we pulled, the nails we hammered, or the food we sorted. And, even though we paid Hands On New Orleans for room and board for the week, we brought to the trip additional financial resources by purchasing a good deal of food, drink, and souvenirs, and through charitable donations.

For me, the experience was an interesting contrast of the close quarters and strenuous effort for six days among adults with my many past weekends spent at weekend district youth conferences. As the week progressed, we learned a good deal about each other and many friendships developed. We spent much time in the common lounge area at Hands On talking and sharing. At the same time, the living quarters presented unfamiliar challenges that created moments of modest tension. Living in bunk beds in a room with 8 to 16 people, and sleeping in the Southern heat and humidity, fosters forces that bind folks together in shared intimate exploit, but also produces strains that accentuate the differences that can separate us.





A lesson that this week strongly reinforced for me was the importance of assuming the good intention of others. Affirming and promotion the inherent worth and dignity of every person entails an appreciation of the very different personalities we all possess. When these personalities clash, we can avail ourselves of many tools to resolve conflicts and reunite in common purpose - a caring thought, humor, a gentle touch or a hug. But, most important, I believe, is the discipline of walking in another's shoes just long enough to see the world from their perspective, and hopefully understanding the influences that produced the person as they are today. Just a moment of reflection can help all of us see the basic goodness that lies in each person.

Living in a human society, our lives intersect which each other on a daily basis. At school, at work, and at church, our interactions can create moments of shared joy and wonder. But, crossing paths can also generate friction. When that happens, before we look for the hurtful cause, or the evil in another, it helps to first assume the good intention of others. Finding the good in others may also help us intensify the good within ourselves.

Certain words delight me. They find their way into my speech and writing, partly because they have deep meaning. But, they also usually possess something interesting as words in either a visual or auditory sense. For instance, I love the word "paradigm." Ever since I read Joel Barker's book on the subject years ago, the concept (and that silent 'g') have given me immense joy.

I was reminded of another delightful word recently. In closing an email, a friend signed off with "Yes at times irreverent, but respectful of boundaries." What an absolutely wonderful expression! Of course, now that I travel the path toward a life of ministry, the word "irreverent" has new meaning. How exactly does a minister act irreverently? Can a "reverend" be irreverent?

Well, I certainly intend to explore irreverence as a "reverend" in my ministry. For one, I strongly encourage people to challenge assumptions in their lives and to facilitate paradigm shifts. My most commonly asked question is "Why?" Why do we follow certain rules and behave in certain ways? And, please, never expect me to accept as a valid answer, "Because we have always done it that way," unless you are able to substantiate the tradition with detailed justification.

Another favorite form of irreverence is humor, particularly satire. My ministry is as informed by the "sermons" of George Carlin as it is by any theologian past or present. Humor gives us permission to lower our guard, so that we can examine ourselves safely and with an open spirit. The act of laughing relaxes our bodies and eases tensions that might make us less open to insight and sharing.

Perhaps my favorite form of irreverence is the use of popular culture as religious metaphor. I frequently infuse imagery from movies, television, and so-called "lower" art forms into my sermons. This summer, I delivered a sermon on the Gospel According to Ed Wood, and I am currently writing a paper on Themes of Religious Humanism in the films of George A. Romero. If someone had not already written them, I would have composed religious education curricula on the Simpsons, Star Trek, and Dr. Seuss.

Irreverence, however, should be wielded with a substantial degree of precision. Like any tool in the arsenal of the minister, irreverence can hammer a point home, or smash its intended target indiscriminately. Sometimes, paradigms exist for legitimate reasons. Sometimes, making light of a topic is simply not appropriate. And, sometimes, we need to appeal to a "higher" state of intellect, emotion, and being to achieve a desired affect. So, I shall strive to always maintain a healthy irreverence, while remaining mindful and respectful of boundaries.

Another favorite word of mine is "entendre." A cousin of the pun, another low brow figure of speech, the entendre relies on innuendo (yet another cool word) as a way to to express oneself in a playfully risque manner. Now, appealing to my base sense of humor, while immensely gratifying, is not enough to warrant entry in the pizzatorium. Oh, no. Pizzas are all about combinations of tastes and textures. So, the truly effective double entendre must be couched within a framework of aburdity to merit attention.

We have a radio show here in Pittsburgh every Friday on Carnegie Mellon University's station (WRCT). DJ Zombo, tends to play bizarre and silly music from all eras. A recent favorite is a song called the Wiener Dog Polka. Not only is this a "roll on the floor laughing" piece, loaded with double entendres, but it is performed by a group called Polkacide. Here is where the surreality steps up a notch.

Polkacide (the band's logo is a skull and crossed kielbasas) was originally organized to play a one-night stand for the Deaf Club in San Francisco in 1985. The Deaf Club (an actual club for deaf people) had been hiring punk bands to perform. When it was suggested that some did not want a punk band, founder Ward Abronski, along with his long term girlfriend and Polkacide's first drummer, formed a "really loud polka band" to play. When the gig was cancelled (ironically for noise abatement), Ward realized it was too good of an idea with too many great musicians, to let it die. I love synchronicity.

The challenge, of course, for a minister, especially a somewhat irreverent reverend. Is to find some "appropriate" way to insert such wonderful snippets of human creativity into a sermon. I find such reflections entertaining, as well as challenging. And, no, doing a "Humor in Religion" service doesn't count. That is low hanging fruit.

I have yet to think of a good spot for this little tidbit, yet. But, I firmly believe that every dog has its day (so to speak), so the opportunity will arise sometime. That is one way to get people to read their church newsletters.

I don't get many opportunities to wear my kilt, and I could not pass up the chance of being the only Scottish zombie at this past weekend's Pittsburgh Zombie Fest (actually one other young man also came in a kilt and I enjoyed commending him on our spanning the generations of kilt-wearers at the event). The highlight of my weekend occurred during the record-breaking zombie walk Sunday morning. I ran into a young couple dressed as Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. I was busy admiring their excellent costumes and neither of us recognized the other. But, then we realized...I am officiating at their wedding next month!

Of course, I realize the silliness of the whole thing (and I wholeheartedly support a little silliness in everyone's life). But, even in the midst of this bizarre moment among 1,000 shambling undead, entered a ministerial opportunity. A true pizzatorium moment.

I believe that our lives are vectors traveling through space and time, bent and twisted by forces known and unknown in this vast universe. Sometimes, our paths cross in more than passing ways, offering us the opportunity for deep human interactions. These amazing instances of synchronicity are the house specialty of my pizzatorium. I do not ascribe supernatural or mystical origin to these coincidental conjunctures, nor do I ignore their potential for significance.

I believe that we all have a muse. A sad reality of "civilized" life, however, is that few of us are ever empowered to embrace our muse and allow its fullest expression. Many people spend their entire lives with their muse locked away in a dusty attic, or secured with heavy chains in a dank basement. But, the funny thing about muses -- no matter how hard we try to suppress them, they still find little ways to make their presence known. One goal of my muse kennel is to bring together those creative forces in all of us that resist the leash and provide a space for them to play.

This week, I worked with the Director of Religious Education at our church on our intergenerational Thanksgiving service coming up in three weeks. I have known Jen for many years and consider her a dear friend. The funny thing is that we have worked together on religious education and youth events for 10 years. We have supported each other as colleagues with a common commitment and passion for Unitarian Universalist children and youth programming. But, I do not recall the two of us ever really creating anything together.

We met a couple of times over meals (muses aren't alone in needing food), hashing ideas back and forth, and generally just letting our muses romp. What a joy! A couple of times, I sat back in my chair and told her just how much fun I was having writing this service together. What happens, of course, is that the more freedom you give your muse, the more energetic it becomes. I left our last meeting buzzing with words and ideas begging to be typed into the computer. I was amazed at how just a slight change in my view of our professional relationship resulted in such a fresh approach to our artistic and spiritual expression.

I am a huge fan of paradigm shifts. But, revolution is not always the answer. We don't always need to tilt at windmills. Sometimes, all our muses ask of us is to tilt our perspectives just a little and approach projects from a different point of view.

When I was very young, I had a tricycle. I don't really know if I imagine this, but I remember that this was the biggest tricycle around...bigger than any other kid's tricycle. My trike was decked out with a Tigeroo (with the furry tail attached to the back). We lived out in the country on a very busy road, so there were few places to ride. But, I remember that I loved riding that tricycle in our driveway, roaring around like a king of the concrete.

As a young adolescent, I had a two-wheeler with sissy handlebars and a gold banana seat. That was true love. Growing up in Pittsburgh, one learns quickly about hills. I used to walk up about a half mile hill (the bike had one speed - Jeff speed) just to get to this area of streets that was totally flat and I would ride around the blocks for hours. Eventually, I gave my golden stallion to my nephews. But, I never forgot that bike or the countless rides on Osage and Valleyview Drives.

I have not ridden much as an adult. Bicycle riding stopped being fun when it became exercise; it stopped being fun when the seat resembled a medieval torture device; it stopped being fun when it contorted my body into the position of a human torpedo; and it stopped being fun when maintaining a bike became as difficult as maintaining my car. All I should have to worry about is keeping air in the tires and slapping some grease on a chain occasionally -- that's it.

Walking to work today, I passed a bike that gleamed in the morning light, reminding me of my golden beauty of yore. I experienced a nostalgic pang for those days of my youth when riding my bike meant just being alone and thinking. I wasn't burning calories or fine tuning a finely crafted investment. I sat upright in comfort and weaved a path along the cracks in the asphalt under a canopy of elms and buckeye trees.

Riding my bike trained me for managing the rigors of adult life. Whether I am pushing a shopping cart, mowing the grass, or driving down a highway, I can send my mind into that time of simplicity on wheels. Maybe someday, I'll create a park with nothing but winding bike trails and no-speed bikes with sissy handlebars and banana seats for everyone. And Tigeroos, too.

Pizza in Pittsburgh resembles American politics. You can love Mineo's and hate Vincent's. You can love Vincent's and hate Mineo's. Or you can love one of the multitude of third party candidates who have no chance of ever getting more than a percent or two of the popular vote.

Personally ironic is that I love it as a metaphor, but am wholly monotheistic when it comes to pizza. I not only worship at the altar that is Mineo's, but I am a zealous member of the thick crust double-cheese sect. In 30+ years of eating Mineo's pizza, I am not sure if I have ever even tried any of their other varieties. I suppose one might consider my culinary tastes boring, if not downright dogmatic. I prefer to think of myself as pious (and no, I'm really not trying for an awful pun).

However, since I have adopted the pizzatorium as a reflective metaphor, I find myself straying ever so slightly from the fold. After all, I risk being hypocritical if I preach the value of diversity in pizza only to adhere to a rigid creed in my own dining.

So, at the invitation of a friend, I tried not only a different type of pizza, but a different brand - a double heresy. We went up the street from Mineo's to Aiello's and had a pizza with pepperoni, pineapple, and green pepper. This combination would have revolted me perhaps only a year ago. But, you can be surprised by the directions your spiritual quest can take you.

Now, I'll have to admit that the meal was supplemented by several hours of delightful conversation, which always enhances digestion. That said, the pizza was not bad (it also helped that I had just worked out and was starving). They used canned pineapple, which I love, but not necessarily baked in a pizza. Otherwise the flavorful blend was tasty and spicy.

I suppose that I could now be tempted to engage in a global quest for pizza perfection. But, my pizzatorium is not about seeking out variety for the sake of variety. Frankly, the primary value of the experience was the invitation to try something new and sharing that communion with a friend. That is the real spirit of my muse kennel and pizzatorium.

Do you have a favorite pizza? If so, then the next time you feel inclined to partake, invite a friend to commune with you and experience it together. Perhaps the world is not ready for "Peace Through Pizza," but I can imagine a broad ecumenically Epicurean approach to bridging the gaps between people and even societies.

I recently listened to the latest podcast of the Institute for Humanist Studies' Network News. Noteworthy were several brief interviews with the notable "New Atheists," such as Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris (http://humaniststudies.org/podcast/). The broadcast focused on comments made by Sam Harris at the Atheist Alliance International annual conference in September, where he told the crowd that they should not identify with the atheist label.

The rationale was perfectly logical (and frankly not a new argument), and reflected my own thoughts about the term for many years. "Atheist" as a word carries an immensely negative connotation, and is really not a particularly valuable label. As Harris pointed out, atheism is not a world view, as is a belief in rationality. Atheism is simply a rejection of an unsubstantiated notion.

What troubled me, however, was not the comments made in response to this argument, but rather a question asked of all three figures and their answers. The interviewer asked whether atheists should pursue the reform of religion or its destruction. Now, obviously, as someone pursuing the life of a minister, the question is at best problematic. My more visceral reaction, though, is one of offense at its simple mindedness and nastiness. My reasons for such a reaction are these:

1. Contemplating the destruction of organized religion is a waste of time, given that billions of people on this planet support the concept and many of them are willing to kill themselves and others to defend it. As a long-term evolutionary goal of human society, perhaps I would be willing to consider the idea, but it's priority would lag far behind a multitude of more pressing human needs.
2. Simply discussing the desire to eliminate religion as a "yes/no" question ignores the many positive contributions of religion. One might just as logically argue for the elimination of all government because some politicians are corrupt, all families because of instances of abuse or divorce, and all other forms of human interaction and organization because they produce some negative as well as positive outcomes.
3. The question assumes that atheism and organized religion are mutually exclusive (an assumption which all three of the speakers appeared to share). This assumption is unwarranted even under the current dominant paradigm of our modern view of the cosmos. There are at least hundreds of thousands of American atheists (many Unitarian Universalists, for instance) who belong to and participate regularly in churches, fellowships, societies, etc.
4. The assumption is particularly erroneous if one is open to new quantum views of the universe, in which one acknowledges that many fields and forces exist that we do not yet understand, cannot yet quantify, and may well have wide ranging effects on our lives in biological and perhaps spiritual ways (however one chooses to define the term).

Obviously, I have no desire to take on these giants of the movement, who are far more adept at verbal repartee and public debate. I do, however, think it matters when public figures present their views in a cavalier manner that divides potential members of a movement. Atheism has faced this problem for decades, as have humanists. I find this paradox fascinating, given that two billion people are comfortable labeling themselves Christian and another 1.5 billion are comfortable with the term Muslim. Until atheists and humanists even come close to 1% of any nation's populations, how can they ever hope to become the dominant paradigm of thought?

I had my first encounter with the press as a budding minister and, so far, I have to say I'm am very satisfied. Our local scouts hosted their second annual Ten Commandments hike the day after Thanksgiving. A group of 350 scouts, parents, and leaders walked to a number of churches in the local area, stopping at each to hear presentations by representatives of different religious traditions. Presenters included Jews, Catholics, Byzantine Catholics, Baptists, Episcopals, Lutherans, Christian Scientists, Hindus, and Buddhists. At each stop, we were asked to address one of the 10 Commandments and how our religion interpreted that particular rule, as well as briefly discuss our religion.

I was assigned the commandment against taking the Lord's name in vain -- which is enormously ironic since I am particularly fond of swearing. But, I explained that my interpretation of the commandment is that we should not judge or disrespect others vainly in the name of whatever we consider of ultimate importance (referring to Tillich's concept of Ultimate Concern). As an example, I asked the scouts to look at our principles in the hymnal and pointed out our commitment to the democratic process. I said that it would be wrong for me in the name of Democracy to disrespect another person's religion just because its structure was hierarchical.

In describing Unitarian Universalism, I told the scouts that the people they meet in one of our congregations might display a wide range of religious beliefs. I explained that they might find Christians, Jews and Muslims; atheists and agnostics; pagans, wiccans and pantheists; humanists and folks with many other views on the nature of god. Then, I told them that I am an atheist and that I do not believe that atheism and religion are mutually exclusive. That definitely raised a few eyebrows.

Funny, though, was that when the boys asked questions, they were mostly about the church building and our organ. One young man asked if Unitarian Universalists could also belong to another church. I explained that it was common for our families to have one UU parent and one parent of another faith tradition, and that these families often attend services at both churches.

A reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette attended the event. She asked me about the conflict between the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Boy Scouts. I explained my understanding of the situation and added that that conflict at the national level has not yet hurt our relationship with local scouting groups. Needless to say, I was amazed when the article came out the next day how much focused on what I had said. I was even more amazed at how well she quoted me and represented my comments. She not only mentioned my comments on atheism extensively, but also mentioned prominently our church's banner, "Civil Marriage is a Civil Right." So, I was able to address both of the major issues of contention with the Boy Scouts in, I believe, a constructive way.

Of course, it remains to be seen if there will be any follow up on the article or comments from readers. I really hope that some folks will read it and try us out. I particularly hope that some teens who are questioning their religious beliefs will read it and realize that we are there as a noncreedal alternative as they search for truth and meaning in their lives. I know that as a teenager, I would have loved to know an adult I could talk to on these issues.

Exploring my religious philosophy with friends recently, I have engaged in the ongoing debate over groups of people reclaiming words once deemed pejorative. For instance, "Unitarian" was originally meant as an insult, yet our religious forebears took ownership of the word. Addressing the Boy Scouts, I commented that the song "Yankee Doodle" was written and sung by the British to mock the bumpkin colonists. In my opinion, if African Americans want to reclaim the n-word, and gays want to reclaim the q-word and women want to reclaim the b-word, then I am all for it. I have always loved the quote from the movie 1776, when Stephen Hopkins from Rhode Island breaks the tie vote allowing the Continental Congress to debate independence by saying, "I've never seen, heard, nor smelled an issue that was so dangerous it couldn't be talked about. Hell yes, I’m for debating anything!" Well, I have never found a word so inherently harmful that it couldn't be used during intelligent discourse. That does not mean that we must use it, but I reserve for myself and others the right to use it should we choose to do so.

I feel especially possessive about the word "atheist." According to Wikipedia, atheism "originated as a pejorative epithet applied to any person or belief in conflict with established religion." The following citation is used to support this statement.

Drachmann, A. B. (1977 ("an unchanged reprint of the 1922 edition")). Atheism in Pagan Antiquity. Chicago: Ares Publishers. ISBN 0-89005-201-8. “Atheism and atheist are words formed from Greek roots and with Greek derivative endings. Nevertheless they are not Greek; their formation is not consonant with Greek usage. In Greek they said atheos and atheotēs; to these the English words ungodly and ungodliness correspond rather closely. In exactly the same way as ungodly, atheos was used as an expression of severe censure and moral condemnation; this use is an old one, and the oldest that can be traced. Not till later do we find it employed to denote a certain philosophical creed.”

I believe it imperative that atheists fully reclaim this word and refute the long held association with amorality, which I would contend is still held by many today.

For me, reclaiming "atheist" looms especially large because I seek to become a Unitarian Universalist minister. I feel a duty to provide other atheists (as well as agnostics or others questioning their theology) with a role model of an atheist who is also religious -- even devoutly religious. I feel an equal duty to help theists understand how someone can live a religious life (and perhaps lead their religious community) whose theology lacks theistic underpinnings. It is important, for instance, for an atheist minister to model respect for and reasonable analysis of others' sacred texts, interpreting the wisdom of those texts removed from the assumption of an anthropomorphic motive force in the universe.

And, I feel an especially enormous duty to our children and youth, growing up in a predominantly theistic cultural paradigm. If you are an adult, do you remember those early teen years when you began to question the wisdom passed on to you from parents and other elders? Imagine being 13 today in America, questioning the existence of God in a community where nearly everyone you know is Christian and in a world where nearly every major religious movement begins with the premise of an omniscient being that will, in most cases, punish you for such thoughts. Young minds need to know that such thoughts are healthy and reasonable. Young people need to know that giving up the notion of god does not mean giving up meaning in life, or the joy of human community. Children and youth need to hear the voices of adults - theist and atheist - unafraid to worship together, focusing the power and love of the human spirit on their thoughts and feelings and actions.

I have been enormously tardy posting lately as life has been intervening. Between searching for an internship site, preparing for classes, leading two worship services this week, and actually working at my University job, things have been hectic. I've also spent a good deal of time lately talking with my 21-year-old son. Probably the hardest part about parenting is watching your children struggle to find their way in the world. I just want to swoop down and solve every problem and provide every answer. But, I know those are the worst things to do if you want your children to become mature and responsible adults, fully equipped to explore the joy, the angst, and the fulfillment of life.

Like many young adults his age, he is searching for a life path and a career that matches his talents and desires with at least the ability to keep himself reasonably fed and sheltered. One thing he enjoys is poetry. Now, this is one area that I am particularly inept at providing much assistance. I have never been much of a poetry fan - "The Cremation of Sam Magee" is a personal favorite - so I feel relatively useless providing him with much in the way of support. Like me, though, he thinks big and likes to envision art in large scope. His ideas for novels start out as trilogies and his film ideas are 24-hour marathons.

But, I had an idea that combined my love of sermon writing with his poetic muse. I though it would be interesting if we exchanged pieces of our work and then wrote accompanying pieces - he would give me a poem and I would write a homily, and I would give him a sermon and he would write a poem. If we could put together enough examples, I even imagined that this might be something that Skinner House might consider publishing.

So, here is our first crack at this project. We would love to hear any feedback. What did it make you think? Do you like the format? Would you read more?
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My Brother’s Dreams
Tyler and Jeff Liebmann

The smooth penetrating glow of your radiant smile
A toothy grin of ambivalence and naivety
I dreamt of you abbreviated brother, pervading my eyes,
shining through the cloudy maze of my thoughts
You hadn’t aged, brown slivery locks danced above your
lids, constantly peering, laughing
Visits have slowed over the years, with each rustling
autumn I wonder, have you forgotten me?
How do you pass the days, slumbering in dark corners
of my mind, tucked away from the harsh reality that
stains the memories
Words spill from your rounded lips, half-phrases of
inequity and longing, muted words of love and
abandonment, long forgotten, dust in a desert wind.


Growing up, I never heard of Unitarian Universalism. And yet, my parents possessed a streak of religious nonconformity we often brandish with great pride. My parents were Christian, but they each assumed that label on their own terms.

For instance, my mother was raised Methodist in Moundsville, West Virginia – named for a large Adina Indian burial mound in the middle of the town. As a young girl, she once told her minister how she looked forward to going to Heaven so that she could be reunited with her deceased pet dog. The minister informed her (I always imagined in a rather patronizing tone) that her dog would not be waiting for her because there are no animals in Heaven. Without missing a beat, my mother told her minister that if her dog was not in Heaven, then she had no interest in going herself.

When I knew her as an adult, my mother was no shrinking violet. Many was the time she left some store clerk, teacher, or anonymous bureaucrat quaking in their officious shoes. But, I have to really admire the courage of a little girl to challenge the senior ecclesiastical authority in her life on an important point of theology. I take some measure of delight in her raw chutzpah, risking her minister’s vision of eternal hell fire over her love for the family pet. With genes like hers, I suppose it is little wonder that I eventually took the path toward Unitarian Universalist ministry.

This relatively harmless, amusing anecdote lived in our family’s history for decades and, obviously, made an impression on me as well. My mother has been gone for many years now, but her telling of that story lives clearly in my memory. An interesting question, however, is that of all the memories of childhood she could have retained, why would my mother, who lived into her 70's, remember that brief exchange? Of all the folksy wisdom she could pass on to her children, why would that conversation rate consideration?

I believe my mother clung to that story because it represented her most primary belief in the nature of the human soul. My mother clearly felt that Heaven was not merely a Shangri-La of limitless joy and boundless serenity. No, she obviously felt that Heaven is a very personalized paradise populated by all of the dearly departed in a sort of mirror of our Earthly world. To her, Heaven would not be heavenly without her beloved pet, because her dog was an essential component of her life – a life that had earned selection into the Kingdom of God.

Let me carry the Gospel According to Helen one step further. My mother believed that her soul, once shed of its mortal body, would live for eternity in Heaven. Now, animals are not baptized, nor do they make any conscious choice to accept Jesus into their lives. I doubt that she believed animals have souls, per se, so one might ask how her dog would earn entry into the hereafter. Certainly not all animals would be there. If there is a Heaven at all, then surely it is devoid of rats and roaches and rattlesnakes, since they would evoke memories of fear and danger. So, for a particular animal to earn ascension, they must do so by displaying a humanlike devotion, living on even after death as part of the loving memory of the soul of a human being. I imagine that my mother would have agreed that as long as that dog lived on in her memory, even subconsciously, then her Heaven must include that dog.

My mother was no theologian. I am not sure that she could have given you much of an answer if asked to define the human soul. But, she knew what the concept meant to her and that was sufficient. To her, the soul was the immortal essence of each human being. The mind is the seat of thought and reason, but the soul is the seat of understanding and compassion. The mind may be the end result of neural synapses and biochemical reactions. To my mother, the soul was the vessel of the spirit, that divine spark, that piece of God within us. And, upon death, that piece of spirit reunites with God in Heaven.

But, not all of us are so fortunate, as my mother was, to have an unambiguous faith. Very few Unitarian Universalists believe in a continuing, individualized existence after physical death. Even fewer believe in the material existence of places called heaven or hell where one goes after dying. If we believe in the concept at all, we believe that immortality manifests itself in the lives of those we affect during our lifetime and in the legacy we leave when we die.

So what do Unitarian Universalists believe about the human soul? I somehow doubt that you can find any two Unitarian Universalists who will answer that question in quite the same way. To even begin would require a month of Sundays to simply lay the philosophical groundwork. Thinkers of distinguished pedigree have considered the nature of the soul to be one of the most fundamental notions of human existence, worthy of entire careers of contemplation and learned writing.

My mother lives on in my memory. I do not remember her as she would be today, in her mid-80's. I do not remember her as she was when she died, after fighting liver cancer for a year. I remember her mostly as she was during my adolescence, when we talked for hours after school, over the dinner table, or during summer vacations. Ageless. Divorced of static from the distractions of life. She lives in a corner of my mind, tucked away from the harsh reality that stains the memories.

Does some measurable aspect of her actually live on in some tangible way? I doubt it. But, until science determines the nature of memory, how do we define the ripples left in the universal pool by the skipping of our mortal lives? Until science unlocks the mysteries of time and space, who is to say that some flicker of our life light does not continue on in the cloudy maze of thought, perhaps even retaining some mote of consciousness?

I do not believe in heaven or hell, but do take comfort in knowing that my life matters and will matter, even in a small way, after I die. I do not believe that a god imbued me with any special essence. I do think, however, that there exists something more to us than the sum of our molecular composition and collected energies. For now, I am willing to accept the uncertainty of soul and embrace the undetectable influence of others’ souls on my life.

Over the winter break, my son and I had a number of conversations about his future and the state of the world in general. He is a 21-year-old student attending Ohio State University. Tyler is a bright and creative young man. But, he also feels a good deal of frustration in his life and sees few role models out there to mentor or inspire him.

Interestingly, we found that we agreed on many observations about 21st America, although our approaches to dealing with those problems may vary in technique and intensity. As one might expect from a young man, he is inclined to revolutionary change and abandonment of dysfunctional systems. I am still inclined to changing the system from within. The upshot of our discourse was that we would begin the process of drafting a manifesto for a new kind of revolution -- one that creates a new type of society within the existing structure -- and eliciting feedback from others. So here goes.

Why are so many people disillusioned with the current state of American society? Everywhere we turn, we hear people who have turned off the political discourse and, when they do vote, make their choices based on selecting the lesser of available evils. Many young people, after spending 16 or more years in institutionalized education, find themselves unemployable, unfulfilled, or significantly unprepared for the "real" world. Our daily lives seem filled with a bombardment of consumerism and the resultant unhappiness derived from debt and impossible expectations. Many adults find that they cannot give their children the quality of life they received from their parents, and must combat seemingly uncontrollable forces of substance abuse, over-medication, and over-exposure to sex and violence in our media.

Why are so many people disillusioned with the current state of American society? Because we are reminded every day that our nation is not what we thought it was. We are reminded every day that our nation is not what we were taught it was. We are reminded every day that our nation is not what it should be.

What does it mean to be disillusioned? Disillusionment is betrayal. Many of us are frustrated because we cannot live lives that make us happy. We feel angry because it sometimes seems that everyone in any position of authority is either a liar, a cheat, or a fraud. We sense hopelessness because we see no answers to the multitude of problems that beset us. Many Americans feel that their country has in many ways fundamentally betrayed them. That is the negative view of disillusionment.

Is there a positive meaning of disillusionment? I believe that there is. Disillusion means that we are being freed of our illusions. Disillusion means that we have the capacity to make change and to define our nation. By embracing disillusion, we can shed ourselves of outmoded ways of being and create a new society. In my next installment, I will begin to discuss our illusions in 21st century America.

The positive meaning of disillusionment is that we can be freed of our illusions. Since I risk misunderstanding and possibly offending strongly held beliefs, I want to be clear exactly what I mean when I call something an illusion. I believe that this country was created with some intent to adhere to a range of noble concepts that were, to a large part, new paradigms for running a nation. They were as imperfect as the people who created them, but I value these concepts and would like to see a return to them, or at least a valiant effort to strive toward them.

While our rhetoric today may still reflect the ideals of the founders, our society today has strayed far from their vision. We may use the same labels, but our actions belie a hypocrisy of commitment, priority, and ideology. What are our illusions in 21st century America? There are many, which I will address in future posts, including among others: democracy, capitalism, freedom, education, and family. But, in this first post, I will address the illusion of primary personal importance. In 21st century America, religion is an illusion from which we should be freed.

What can a person in seminary studying to become a minister possibly mean by saying that religion in America is an illusion?

• As an atheist, I see my nation violating universal codes of moral behavior, often in the name of the Christian God, to further its own agenda. What part of 'Thou shalt not kill' are we not understanding? When was the last politician we elected who was meek, merciful, pure of heart, and a peacemaker? What would Jesus think of 21st century America?
• As a humanist, I see millions in my nation continuing to embrace willful ignorance, supporting creationism and intelligent design. I see my government spending billions on an illegal occupation while millions at home lack decent medical care, fairly funded schools, and well-maintained societal infrastructure. Where is the righteous indignation of our churches?
  
• As a Unitarian Universalist, I see our government continuing to abrogate the rights of gays and lesbians by denying them equal rights to marry, and invading the personal private decisions to end life.
• As a parent, I see one church leader after another accused of crimes against children and learn that the church itself not only knew of the behavior but willfully acted to conceal the knowledge from the victims. I see one religious leader after another modeling shocking personal behaviors while railing in the pulpit against those in our society who are marginalized already.
• As an aspiring minister, I see few of my colleagues calling out corporate war profiteers, or politicians owned by special interest groups. I see few of my colleagues preaching against the power structures supporting racism, classism, ageism, homophobia, and all of the other psychoses of fear and hate infecting our nation.
  

I could go on, but probably do not need to. If you hold that a creator God loves you and will reward you with an eternity in a heavenly hereafter if you simply believe in him, then nothing I say can ever sway you. But, if you see God largely as an invention to control the masses and to keep people from critically assessing the activities of their religious leaders, then you should be examining this illusion. If you see most religions today as a pleasant anachronism with nothing to offer in the way of solving modern problems, then you should be examining this illusion. If you want your church to truly love all people and to commit action to social justice and equality, then you should be examining this illusion.

So does this mean that all organized religion is worthless? No. But, I do believe that we need to examine the role that religion plays in our lives and ask whether or not our churches are, or can ever meet those needs. In a disillusioned America, what form of church should we aspire to create? Personally, I believe that Unitarian Universalism provides one answer. As a church that does not force a creed on members, and that values the search for truth and meaning, I believe Unitarian Universalism can address many of the illusions of religion while still providing the loving community, acknowledgement of life transitions, and the worship experience. Unitarian Universalism welcomes you whether you are atheist, agnostic, pantheist, pagan, or poly-, mono-, or henotheist. The world has seen many prophets over the centuries, many of whom have delivered a similar message of compassion. Unitarian Universalism honors all of them and their universal message.

When you look over the course of your entire life to date, what has given you the most unbridled joy? What was it in your life that made you so happy or had such worth that you would preserve at all costs?

I would guess that most of you thought about things like family, love of a partner, children, and accomplishments. I would also guess that few of you thought about acquiring some amount of money, buying an expensive car or appliance. We live in a society that espouses a capitalist economic philosophy, and yet, the truly important events and experiences in our lives rarely have anything to do with money or the acquisition of wealth. But, a huge proportion of our lives seem to revolve around getting resources and obtaining commodities.

We have all read statistics about how a tiny proportion of people in our society control a massive amount of the wealth. We read these statistics and we shake our heads at the economic injustice that creates poverty, and its affiliated afflictions of racism, inequality, and hopelessness. But, we continue to buy insurance, invest in mutual funds, and buy brand name products of things that we "need" at Wal-Mart and its clones. Have you ever asked yourself why you do this?

We do this because, from childhood, we are taught that these are the behaviors that make our society healthy and strong. And who teaches us this lesson? Who owns the vehicles of this message and propogates this philosophy on every billboard, web site, television show, and magazine? The answer is people who have money and want to acquire more money. So, if their goal is to procure our resources to fill their coffers, should we not question the basic assumption about whether our current form of capitalist economy is indeed in our best interests?

You may ask, what is the alternative? Let me respond with a series of questions.

• If you lived in a community where your well being was guaranteed by the community, would you need medical insurance?
• If you lived in a community where, upon your early death, the well being of your dependent loved ones was guaranteed, would you need life insurance?
• If you lived in a community that valued the elderly and fully integrated their lives in rewarding and meaningful pursuits, would you need retirement plans?
• If you lived in a community that guaranteed a basic level of a satisfactory lifestyle to every citizen contributing to the welfare of the community, would you need to spend the majority of your life pursuing the acquisition of wealth?

Now, you may well be thinking that this sounds like communism and that we have seen that communism does not work. You would be right in that this sounds like communism at first. But, here is the difference.

• In this society, you keep your earnings - up to a certain level - and those earnings are yours to spend as you wish.
• In this society, you are free to pursue the occupation of your choice, with rewards given to those whose activities exemplify social responsibility, justice, and community health.
  
• In this society, you will give up unlimited choice of consumer products in return for lower prices and preference given to a market basket that is produced ethically and responsibly.
• In this society, all market choices are made publicly and disseminated freely by democratically elected citizens (to be more fully discussed in another posting).

Is it possible? Once we shed the illusion that the capitalist system that we have in 21st century America is actually working for the good of all, perhaps such a vision is possible. But it will not be easy. Citizens entering this community must agree to limit their annual income to a cerain level, with amounts exceeding that level going to the community as a whole. The assumption here is that very few people (if anyone) "hit the jackpot" of the American dream, or that they ever do it alone. This model also assumes that the possession of was sums of wealth by any small minority of private citizens is inherently bad for the community, no matter how magnimous those people may be.

Once a caring community of responsible citizens comes together in common purpose, do you really need to buy security? Once you can depend on your neighbors, do you really need more than one home? Once your community functions ethically and responsibly, do you really need the status symbols of wealth? Because, like it or not, our participation in our current system of economics make us complicit in the ongoing poverty and oppression of millions in this country. Until we create an economy that is just, ethical, and compassionate, we will continue to spend most of our time earning money just to buy things and keep us away from the people and experiences that truly bring us joy in life. Until the priviledged in this country sacrifice their "earning potential," that is their ability to acquire more wealth than they would need in a rational and loving community, then the poor will remained consigned to lives of desparation, class systems will perpetrate economic injustice, and people will continue to hate each other merely on the basis of skin color, physical appearance, or accent.

I recently began reading Abbie Hoffman's 1969 book Woodstock Nation. Two portions particularly caught my eye. One was the following from “Thorns of the Flower Children.”

They were sick of being programmed by an educational system void of excitement, creativity, and sensitivity. A system that channeled human beings like so many laboratory rats with electrodes rammed up their asses into a highly mechanized maze of class rankings, degrees, careers, neon supermarkets, military-industrial complexes, suburbs, repressed sexuality, hypocrisy, ulcers, and psychoanalysts.

Education will be a subject of a future posting on this topic, but not today. After the initial assault of reading this passage, I felt that mixture of wanting to soften it for those involved in the system who are indeed doing good work and the feeling that nothing had really changed in nearly 40 years. I was 13 at the time Hoffman wrote this, and was fully enmeshed in middle class comfort. So, the radical hippie message was an alien voice to me.

But, today, after more than 30 years in the American higher education system, I am beginning to speak Hoffman's language. Dealing with the bureaucracy and, too often, hypocrisy of a system that is bankrupting our youth financially and perhaps in other more important ways, has left me cynical.

Then, I read further in Hoffman's book, to a selection titled "Che's Last Letter." I saw Motorcycle Diaries when it came out and then read Che's Diary. The writing did not reflect the angry image I was taught as a child, but a gentle and reflective person. After calling for the youth of the United States to join in the revolution, Hoffman's chapter continues

"What is so revolutionary about your revolution?" But, of course, you are cynical. Your universities teach you to be eternal cynics, a cynicism that can only be drowned in alcohol and diet pills and psychoanalysis and golf. Forget your cynicism...You must vomit forth your cynicism on the streets of your cities...

One may argue with the content or philosophy of the revolution. But, this passage speaks to a truth that the motivation to effect change in the world may only begin with the seed of cynicism. In order to view the illusions we live in, and grow the tree of a new way, we must shed cast aside cynicism as our primary tool. We must be willing to put aside the axe and use the shovel and how. We must always use the microscope, but add poetry and song. A revolution in society must be born of reason, but also passion.

A humanist vision can be critical of our current progress and helps us break down centuries-old paradigms and institutions. But, the intellectualism of the humanist vision needs to embrace the cocktail of Hoffman's anger and Che's compassion. Cynicism can serve as a primary vehicle to disillusion. We should water our tree of transformation, however, with the sweat of our determination, the wine of our creativity, and the tears of our love.

To the Editor, Midland Daily News:

Dear friends, I am deeply troubled.  The doors of the first Unitarian church in Midland had barely opened in 1885 before letters to the editor slammed them for heresy.  And now, more than 125 years later, recent letters again condemn people in our community with different religious beliefs (see third letter and here).

Every prophet throughout history has taught one lesson in common…Love. Love of mother and father.  Love of our children.  Love of our enemies.  Love of all our neighbors, be they rich or poor, White or Black, man or woman, gay or straight, believer or nonbeliever.  Why do you preach hate and intolerance when your own scriptures teach gentleness, kindness, and hospitality?

You have neighbors who love you. Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Agnostic – and yes even Atheist – neighbors who love you.  And I love you.

We ask nothing but to be allowed to live our lives freely, with respect and dignity.  We do not ask you to change your beliefs, merely to permit us to have our own.  People of faiths different from yours are not evil.  Atheists are not evil.  Evil is the void in a heart where Love should reside.

If you share this Love, I invite you to visit http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org/.  Standing on the Side of Love is a public advocacy campaign that seeks to harness Love’s power to stop oppression.  It is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association and people of all faiths and beliefs are welcomed to join.

Rev. Jeff Liebmann
Midland

Recently, I have found myself at odds with my dear mother’s teachings.  All my life, she instructed me that if I couldn’t say something nice about someone, not to say anything at all.  Well, Mom, wherever you are, I’m sorry.

After fighting against the outrageous assault on reproductive freedom taking place here in Michigan for the last few months, I didn’t think I could get angrier.  I was wrong.  The recent comments by Rep. Todd Akin and others like him who emerge from under similar rocks have left me beyond furious this week.  The brainless and unwarranted dogmatism of these elected officials staggers the active mind.  I simply cannot comprehend the mindset of a nation that condones murdering children in other lands for oil, despoiling the earth our children must live in despite overwhelming evidence to its impact, increasing easy access to mass killing weapons that daily steal us of our loved ones – but – willing to trample our most intimate privacy and every woman’s right to self-determination and medical care, all to protect a blob of cells that happen to possess human DNA and absolutely no evidence of anything resembling human personhood.

Men!  Football season has arrived and it is time for you to get off the bench and into the game!  Rise up in solidarity with your sisters and daughters facing this reactionary siege of anti-intellectualism and hatred.  Stand with your wives and mothers whose most sacred rights are being raped by hypocrites who have sold our representative democracy to stuff their off-shore banks accounts with the billions of a handful of hyper-wealthy extremists.  Ally yourselves with all women – your elders and children, your neighbors and friends, your sexual partners – being shackled by modern-day moral slavers whose insecurity regarding the power of women, their minds and their spiritual strength turns them into single-minded assassins of the very freedoms and democracy they were elected to defend and the well-being of our country.

Tell these uneducated morons that they are wrong.  Tell these zealots that their personal religious views must be checked at the door when they represent us in our government.  Tell these partisan robots that you will vote them out in November and elect people who will listen to the voices of women.  Tell these theocrats that they are not “pro-life;” they are anti-woman, anti-family, and anti-freedom,

I walked alone through the woods. Only the distant sound of engines and the narrow, sandy trail before me recall that human civilization lies not far away.

Shriveled ferns now cover the forest floor and the once abundant mushrooms have nearly vanished. A squirrel hops calmly in the distance. A rustling reveals the striped back of a chipmunk in the brambles.

A snake wriggles across the path and freezes in expectation of my departure. The hated snake; so reviled in our culture. The image of Evil and of the Fall. And yet, this little fellow wants nothing of me other than to be left free to pursue his life.

A few bright green and healthy ferns defy their surroundings. One tattered mushroom, then another nearly perfect specimen boldly stands watch in the grass. They stand alone. And yet, they are not alone.

They share with each other an energy, a spirit of living in the midst of the declining season. Here with the snakes and ferns and mushrooms, I am among a community of loners, an army of life energy battling the forces of conformity and resignation to Fate. I am a Chaplain in a hospice of hope and perseverance.

I walk in a hospice because, after all, everything must eventually die; that is, the organic shell binding us to this particular reality will one day cease functioning. But, everything thing exists forever in the Spiritual Realm.

My path joins a much larger trail. At the junction, a bench invites me to sit and jot notes. Two women on horseback ride up. As they pass, one inquires, “Are you drawing?” A short time later, a father and his young son approach. “Is he fishing?” I hear the child ask. “It’s a nice day for reading,” the man poses to me. A young woman comes up. She commands her spotted spaniel to “Heel!” several times. I feel for the animal who clearly wants to know, “Can I come over and greet you?”

What exactly am I doing?

I am feeling empathy for creatures no free to pursue their wishes and whatever brings them joy. I am experiencing and learning all the time, letting the omniverse speak to me; and I am actively seeking out that mystical voice. I am also creating my own interpretations of those messages.

And I am in solidarity with the fighting ferns.

Many diversions have kept me from posting recently.  But, greatest among them towers the virulent spread of an incomprehensible plague; a plague that threatens to leave many of us stunned into hopeless silence.  I wish I was referring to something as simple as a zombie apocalypse.  No, I am writing about the mass psychosis that now represents the Republican Party.  Next Tuesday, whatever you choose to do in your polling place, I can only beg you not to further infect our society with this pestilence.

I didn't always view the GOP this way.  I respect the desire to control the size and influence of government in our lives.  And I admire fiscal discipline.  But this current mutation of the Republican Party leaves Goldwater and Reagan spinning in their graves.  The principles driving this party border on - no, I take that back - they are insidious.

• Mostly middle-aged White men seeking to make medical decisions for young and poor women, parents and children, regarding not just reproductive issues, but basic health concerns.
• Fanatics imposing twisted religious doctrines on the population - rape is a gift from God, but homosexuality is a choice.
• Outright deceit and hypocrisy, bald-faced lying to the people and then shrugging unapologetically with coy smugness when called on their lies.
• Caring only about fetuses, but not children; only about troops, but not our veterans; and always about wealth and the wealthy and never about workers or families, children or the elderly.
• Proudly displaying complete ignorance of the most basic scientific principles, while denying global climate change and evolution and continuing to commit us to unsustainable and dangerous environmental policies.
• Placing the right to own automatic weapons designed only for mass killing above the basic right to affordable medical care.
• Giving corporations the rights of human beings and continually violating the rights of real humans.
• Proudly holding our government hostage, costing this nations millions of jobs and access to health care, all for their own political advantage.

I am an Occupier, so I don't trust the Democratic Party much more.  Both parties are corrupt tools of the 1%.  And I will continue to fight in the future for a system of government that is compassionate and fair.  But, this is not the time to vote for a third party candidate.  While I share many concerns of Greens and Libertarians and my more anarchist allies, the time for a protest vote is not now.  Barack Obama is by no means perfect - illegal detentions, drone attacks, "clean" coal - but the alternative, a Romney presidency, makes me think of the worst dystopian visions.

We must come together and vote down the current iteration of the Republican Party, the party that worships ignorance, religious dogmatism, mean-spiritedness, and the most short-sighted expedience.  After the election, we can then begin again the hard work of making both parties understand that we are done putting up with business as usual from our politicians.

Please, people, you have not just a right of conscience, but a duty to act upon your conscience.  Justice and fairness will not be handed to you.  You must fight for them.  And on Tuesday, your best weapon is your vote.

Years ago, I was deeply troubled reading The Handmaid’s Tale, the novel by Margaret Atwood.  After a catastrophic plague, in the Republic of Gilead (formerly the United States), theocratic ideals have been carried to extremes.  Women are strictly controlled, unable to have jobs or money, and are assigned to various classes: the chaste and childless Wives; the housekeeping Marthas; and the reproductive Handmaids, who turn their offspring over to the "morally fit" Wives.  The tale is told by Offred (read: "of Fred"), a Handmaid who recalls the past and tells how the chilling society came to be.

Like all stories of its kind, The Handmaid’s Tale is meant to be fantasy, but just real enough to be cautionary. Sadly, we seem to be moving closer and closer to the fantastic here in Michigan.

I have been very actively opposing Michigan HB 5711, 5712, and 5713 in recent months – bills that would, in effect, make it nearly impossible for women in this state to receive abortions for any reason, be it rape or incest, even to save their own lives.  In just the past few weeks, more bills have been brought forth that jeopardize our core tenets of religious freedom in this county.

• HB 5763 would legalize discrimination against adopting parents by allowing adoption agencies the ability to deny a placement based on that agency's "moral or religious beliefs." HB 5764 would protect government funding for agencies choosing to so discriminate. The bills even acknowledge that a religious or moral conviction that could allow an agency to deny adoption rights to certain families does NOT imply "that the proposed adoption is not in the best interest of the adoptee." The obvious targets of this legislation are gay and lesbian, non-Christian, or nonreligious parents.
• SB 975 could allow emergency room doctors and nurses to deny emergency medical care to gay people, women who need a life-saving abortion, and even those with AIDS, for reasons of "conscience." This bill would create the possibility of the unimaginable cruelty suffered by Savita Halappanavar in Ireland a few weeks ago.

To be honest, I would rather spend my time writing sermons, providing pastoral care, and teaching religious education classes.  But my conscience and the spirits of Unitarians and Universalists who sacrificed through the ages to provide us the freedoms we enjoy command me to resist these efforts to create a dystopian theocracy in this state.

Ironically – and I wish I could laugh at the hypocrisy of it all – the sponsors of these bills argue that they are defending religious freedom. And yet they also back SB 59, which would allow people to legally carry a gun into churches or other places of worship, schools, day care centers, sports arenas or stadiums, day care centers, bars and taverns, hospitals, and college classrooms and dormitories. In other words, these theocrats want to use the church to shield their hate and discrimination, but then trample what the church represents when its principles runs counter to their lobbyists’ wishes.

You cannot have it both ways. You cannot live a moral life only when it is convenient or expeditious, or when it benefits you. A truly religious person stands for truth whatever the cost and whatever the consequences, because it is the truth.

And the truth is that it is wrong for churches receiving public funds, and thereby acting as agents of the state to deny any qualified adults the ability to provide their love and care to the 14,000 children needing homes in this state. It is wrong for any medical provider to deny treatment to anyone on any basis – ever. And it is wrong for government to force churches to allow loaded handguns – tools whose primary purpose is to injure and murder other human beings – into their sanctuaries.

Unitarian Thomas Jefferson defined religious freedom in the United States. His writings formed the basis of the separation of church and state, whose tenets include the freedom from the establishment of a state religion, and the free practice of religion by citizens. Any attempt to twist Jefferson’s words to support the withholding of public services on the basis of religious or moral beliefs is a vicious assault on our freedoms and our civil liberties. Jesus would certainly not approve, nor should the teachings of any mainstream, non-fundamentalist religion.

State Senator John Moolenaar, serving the 36th District, and State Representative Jim Stamas, serving the 98th District (both of which include Midland), have both supported or sponsored these bills. They will continue to support these attempts to erode true religious freedom until people speak up. I truly believe that we are approaching a tipping point in this state. And if we say that we promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations, then we cannot sit idly by as our legislators rewrite the U.S. Constitution. To paraphrase Edmund Burke, the only thing necessary for the triumph of prejudice and hate is for good people to do nothing.

I returned to Lansing today to testify before the House Committee considering SB 59, a bill that would allow gun-owners with a modicum of training to carry concealed firearms into churches, day care centers, schools, hospitals and other "no-carry zones."  The following were my prepared notes.

This proposed legislation is one of several recent bills that directly impact churches and other religious facilities. Some lawmakers feel that these bills protect religious freedom in this state. A few weeks ago, testifying before his own committee on one of this bills, Representative Kenneth Kurtz said, “…we need to make sure that government doesn't force these organizations to operate in a manner that violates their beliefs…We should never put faith-based organizations in a situation where they have to violate their faith in order to carry out their social mission.”

Now, I testified against that particular piece of legislation, not because I disagree with the need to defend religious freedom, but because I believe Rep. Kurtz’s reasoning for that instance was faulty. So, to stress the relevance of bills such as SB 59 to the issue of religious freedom, let me reference Thomas Jefferson, the father of our legal concept of religious freedom. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was written by Jefferson and enacted into the state's law in 1786. In part, the Statute reads:

Whereas, Almighty God hath created the mind free;

• That all attempts to influence it...beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and therefore are a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion…
• That the impious presumption of legislators…who, being themselves but fallible…men have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible…
• That our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions in physics or geometry…
• That to suffer the civil magistrate to intrude his powers into the field of opinion and to restrain the profession or propagation of principles on supposition of their ill tendency is a dangerous fallacy which… destroys all religious liberty…
• And finally, that Truth is great, and will prevail if left to herself, that she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing to fear from the conflict, unless by human interposition disarmed of her natural weapons free argument and debate…

SB 59 promotes the further dissemination of the most heinous tools of violence and human injury in our society into our most sacred spaces – our schools, our day care centers, and of course our churches and religious sanctuaries. This bill tells religious communities that the decision of the state to expand the free reign of gun owners matters more than centuries-old traditions and beliefs, and more than the moral tenets of religious people in search of places safe from the sorrows and concerns of the secular world. And this bill threatens our religious freedom.

And as Jefferson asserted, religious freedom is not about legislators imposing their particular moral and religious beliefs on the populace, or acting as agents of those who would have government restrict the free practice of religion. Religious freedom is not about imposing the will of fallible human beings on the citizenry, but freeing us to make their own informed choices and seek Truth in an atmosphere free from coercion and violence. To protect religious freedom, then we should protect our schools and churches, where the presence of guns will only increase the likelihood of overt acts against peace and order.

Personally, if the powers of the universe granted me the capacity, I would eradicate every handgun from the face of the earth. I loathe handguns and the evil made more easily committed by their possession. But I realize that I do not have that power, nor can I even prevent them from existing in our streets. But I can fight for stronger laws regarding their purchase and registration. I can advocate for sterner measures regarding their use. And I can plead for you to protect important areas of our communities from their presence.

I will never allow handguns through the doors I was called to protect. I believe that handguns in my church are an anathema to my moral beliefs and to the religious tenets of my faith. Handguns present a vile assault on the universal religious principles of love and peace. A handgun presence in a religious facility is a depraved violation of the sacred protection our sanctuaries provide.

I also added a couple of comments based on assertions made by the bill's proposer at the hearing.

• Many of the people who walk into churches and schools with loaded guns were "law-abiding citizens" up to the point that the first bullet flew.
• Predictions of tragedy are not exaggerated - shootings have already occurred that this legislation would simply make more possible and less preventable.
• Empowering gun owners only emboldens those with no respect for the safety of children or the sanctity of sacred spaces.

Here is what passed for logic and reason for Republicans in Lansing this week.

• We must restrict access to abortions in order to eliminate abortions,
• We must increase the rights of gun owners to carry concealed weapons in order to reduce gun violence
• Religious organizations using public funds to do the work of the state may discriminate based on their religious beliefs
• Someone with a few hours training has the right to bring a concealed, loaded handgun into your church

As Rep. Brandon Dillon said on the floor of the House on Tuesday, Michigan is now the place where democracy goes to die.  Despite the clear voice of the people last November, the Koch-funded governor is recreating the emergency manager function, which creates total autocracy in a local government and the suspension of everything you would view as the democratic process.

The nation awakes this morning to the shroud of shame woven by Michigan Republicans last night.  If you call yourself a patriot and American, the events of this week should jolt you into action.

• Bills introduced and voted on before legislators or voters have the slightest chance to read them
• Bills passed without any Committee review or opportunity provided for public comment
• Bills rammed through the House and Senate without legislators being given the opportunity to discuss them or to offer amendments

If this is democracy, then what moral superiority does this country have the gall to claim?  Even if you support this legislation, you cannot support the manner in which it is being passed in Michigan.

When the wealthy can write the legislation and purchase its passage, then our elected officials before whores.  And if the people say nothing in opposition, then we are their pimps.

I do not want to live in an America betrayed by greed and selfishness.  I cannot live in a country where the people are too apathetic to stand up to rich bullies who maraud our state and our nation with impunity.  I cannot enjoy a season promoting the principles of the Sermon on the Mount knowing that we now mourning the death of democracy have no hope; that the gentle will inherent a barren landscape; and that those who thirst for righteousness will choke on the dust of corruption.  If we are pure in heart, perhaps we will see God someday.  But, right now if the pure in heart do not start overturning some moneychangers' tables, then the people in the here and now will suffer increasingly grave injustice.

I mourn for the women soon to die from medical complications because clinics are forced to close.  I mourn for the innocents soon to fall to the bullets of "law-abiding citizens."  I mourn for the workers and their families who will endure decreased wages, outsourced jobs, and increased job-related accidents and illnesses.  I mourn for GLBT folk who will be legally denied their rights.  I mourn for a generation that will not know the benefits of public education.  I mourn for people of color, many of whom will live under the dictatorial rule of politically-appointed cronies.  I mourn for all of us as we watch the dream of Adams and Jefferson die.

Over two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson wrote a document that forever changed our understanding of politics, of society, and of the citizens’ role in change. Now, events here in Michigan call on us once again to evolve beyond our current political structure, and to assume a more perfect state of equality and justice. A decent respect for the diversity of humanity and the complex demands of living in an interconnected environment requires us to declare the causes of our discontent and the elements of our vision for a better future.

We hold these truths to be self-evident; the People deserve equal rights under the law, regardless of any personal attribute, self-identity, social class, or status. The People have the right to a core level of health care, education, legal representation, and access to employment. The People own their bodies, their identities, their labor, and their privacy. All People should be accountable to the same rule of law and held responsible for their actions. The People have the inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness and should not be made to fear their safety and well-being as a tool to manipulate their actions, guarantee their compliance, or demand their obedience.

To secure these rights, a nation consists of three important bodies – the People, government, and the private sector. Government exists to protect the People from harm, whether from external or internal sources. When the private sector proves itself incapable of providing services that abide by these core values, then Government must create regulations that guarantee the maintenance of the People’s basic human rights. The People and the private sector each benefit when the implicit social contract between the two is kept in proper balance. The private sector provides the People with jobs, fair wages, and products for consumption. The People provide the private sector with a lasting social infrastructure that allows the private sector to function and grow. The People each have one vote and no one human person or non-person entity should have the capacity to unduly influence free elections. Society must provide all of the basic freedoms guaranteed to the People as human beings – freedom of speech, freedom to assemble, a free press, the free practice of religion, and the ability to redress grievances.

Nations exist within the larger framework of a global society. The United States is one of 200 sovereign states in the world. Each of these states deserves the same consideration for self-determination and existence for its People that we demand for ours. Any global call for assistance or intervention should be coordinated by global or regional representative bodies. Violent intervention should always be the very last resort, and only considered after every possible diplomatic effort has been fully exhausted.

We also live as part of the interdependent web of all existence. The People must acknowledge the rights of other life forms and our responsibility as stewards of our planet. All nations, their People, governments, and private sectors must place equal emphasis on the future of our global society as on the immediate gratification of needs. Any action that threatens future generations, regardless of the short term benefits, should be considered a non-viable alternative. The highest aspirations of all humanity can only be achieved if love is our most important core value – love of self, family, community, society, and the world.

Whenever the social contract between the People, government, and the private sector becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles. Such change should not be undertaken lightly, but when a long train of abuses results in insurmountable corruption and tyranny, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together. We write so that all people who feel wronged can know that we are your allies.

As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of our planet requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors. A democratic government derives its just power from the People, but the private sector does not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments.

Democracy in the State of Michigan is under siege from a well-funded horde of marauding savages. Their names are Greed, Selfishness, Hatred, Bigotry, Misogyny, Ignorance, and Elitism. We call for a revolution of the spirit of our nation and of our world; not a revolution of bloodshed and violence, but a revolution to win back the souls of the People.

We absolve ourselves from allegiance to this government and to the private sector as currently constituted. Instead, we pledge allegiance to the People, to the heart and spirit of our human community. We pledge allegiance not to dogma, but to our capacity to reason, to love, and to courageously seek to build the best society for all. We pledge allegiance not to hollow promises and creeds, but to honesty, integrity, and openness in our words and our actions. We pledge allegiance to no status quo, but to respecting ourselves and others and to helping everyone gain and maintain the basic freedoms guaranteed to all. We pledge allegiance not to blind obedience to ancient voices, but to a respectful consideration of all the sacrifices made and being made by all people so that future generations can be empowered to continue the legacy of peace and freedom.

We pledge allegiance not to any flag or other symbol, but to the inherent rights of all people to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We pledge allegiance not to any currency, but to fair compensation, free speech, freedom to believe, freedom to define one’s own identity, and the freedom to love.

I have been cheating on the muse kennel and pizzatorium.  I found another blog.  But fear not, dear readers, I have not forsaken my blog for another.

I was recently asked to become a contributing writer to the online blog of the Midland Daily News.  Since the paper has a reputation of leaning to the conservative side, I welcomed the opportunity to present a progressive voice.

I will be posting weekly on timely issues, and usually on issues of social import with justice implications.  Now that I have settled in and received an enthusiastic (?!) welcome from some of the local regulars, I will cross post to the paper and to the pizzatorium/

Also, BIG NEWS!!!  My e-book is up and available for purchase on Amazon.  Sauntering: Wandering the Path of Mystical Omnitheism offers beginning advice on how to open your body, mind and spirit to new insights without resorting to complicated spiritual practices or time-consuming meditative arts. By sauntering, you explore the path of Mystical Omnitheism - the idea that ours is only one of countless universes and planes of existence - and that all existence is god, everything is sacred, and that you and everything that exists is important. Sauntering opens the door to mystical experiences with all universes.

After years of trying meditation and prayer, various arts and devotional activities, I always returned to the spiritual practice that worked for me - sauntering - the act of mindful wandering. I offer tips on how to use this spiritual practice in your life. With each chapter, I also include reflections on my own saunters through woods, along railroad tracks, or through city streets (some of these saw their first publication here in the muse kennel).

As a long-time atheist, I have found the hard line attitude of most atheists combative and unrealistic. In a world where people want the good that religion has to offer, I feel that the answer is not to reject all religion, but to find a cosmology that allowed one to live a useful religious life - one dedicated to helping others and to making the world a better place.

As the Boy Scouts considered an historic (and long overdue) elimination of their ban on gay scouts and leaders, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights released its report on LGBT Inclusion Under Michigan Law. The report contains shocking and compelling stories from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals across Michigan who have faced discrimination in the workplace, schools and housing. The study concludes that there is indisputable evidence of alarming rates of LGBT discrimination in the state and outlines the negative economic impact discrimination has not only on LGBT residents, but also on employers and students in Michigan.

Whatever your personal opinion about sexual orientation and gender identity, legalized discrimination against LGBT individuals must end. Just as we did with women and then people of color, we have learned that discrimination against people on the basis of who they love has no foundation in science, law or morality. Discrimination against gays and lesbians is unjust and should be made illegal.

The Report called for the expansion of laws that protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression in employment, housing, and the full and equal utilization of public accommodations, public service and educational facilities. The current nondiscrimination clause used by the City of Midland Human Resources Department “considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap or disability, or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran in accordance with federal law.” I call on our city officials to be proactive and take the steps needed to add “sexual orientation and gender identity/expression” to its nondiscrimination clauses for hiring, for contracts, or for any other public use.

Let’s join other progressive communities in Michigan, like our neighbors in Mount Pleasant, and support this action.

This week on Valentine’s Day, February 14, I will join women and men across the globe as we stand and dance as part of the One Billion Rising event. I will be at Delta College in the morning and then at the Tridge in Midland at 5:30 p.m. to rise up against the global pandemic of violence against women.

But, what happens on February 15? I believe that until men reclaim their manhood and define a useful and productive masculinity, then our mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives will continue to live in fear. So, I propose a Men’s Manifesto to do just that. I hope that men everywhere will read this and sign on to this redefinition of our gender.

I will be Strong, applying my body, my character, and my will to productive pursuits. I will care for my body through exercise and diet; my character through moral commitment; and my will through a proper balance of purposeful action, creative expression, and intentional relaxation.

I will be Wise, using not just my body but my mind to resolve conflicts nonviolently, solve problems creatively, and build upon the world left to me by my fathers.

I will be Responsible, caring for others, especially those in need. I will own my actions and do everything I can so that others do not suffer because of my choices.

I will be Visionary, looking beyond my own immediate needs and gratification. I will strive each day to think beyond that day, toward building something greater in my own life and in the lives of others.

I will be Forceful, working with purpose, but forsaking violence. I will teach my children and mentor for others the power of ethical reasoning, controlled energy, and the proportional application of my abilities to any problem.

I will be Honorable, keeping my word when given and holding others to their commitments. I will live with integrity, obeying the rules of my societies, while living according to my personal moral code.

I will be Passionate, unafraid to show my love openly and in healthy ways. I will work tirelessly, giving my time, energy, and commitment to causes I believe in.

To this end, I vow never:

• To take what is not mine;
• To strike another person in anger;
• To intimidate through the threat of violence; or
• To abuse others through my position, control, or influence

Truth and Meaning: A Sacred Season

We are in the midst of an exciting time of the year for many people of faith. My Christian colleagues are celebrating the Holy Week leading up to Easter. My Jewish friends are completing their Passover observances. And my Pagan neighbors recently observed Ostara, the vernal equinox. It is a time rich with symbolism and metaphor. From the resurrection to the exodus to the hare and egg, this spring season ushers in thoughts of new beginnings and rebirth, of light and warmth, of the cycle of our lives.

Whatever your faith tradition, this season is one of reflection — of self-examination and reaffirmation of core values and beliefs. In particular, core values of these religious observations emerge as critical in our lives. Easter gives us the unconditional love Jesus felt for everyone — a love unfettered by judgment or prejudice. Easter gives us the love for humanity and the goal of creating the beloved community among all men and women. Passover gives us the courage of people enduring hardships and suffering to persevere. Passover reminds us that faith and conviction are always rewarded with self-determination and freedom. And Ostara gives us confidence that our love and conviction will live on if we care for our children and for our earth. Ostara reminds us that life is about change and growth and that we are meant to never stop evolving toward more enlightened selves.

Acceptance of each other regardless of our differences, mutual courage and perseverance despite any obstacle, and love for all and commitment to their well being — these are core values to which we can all agree. Whatever you call your god, your higher power, or the eternal mysteries of our universe, we can come together in acceptance, courage and love. Whatever your appearance, your identity or your heritage, we can come together if we try.

But in order to do this, we must also embody other meanings of these holidays. Easter teaches us the need to sacrifice. Passover teaches us the need to have faith. And Ostara teaches us the need to live in balance with our world. Can we do this? Can we join — as people of all beliefs, all walks of life, all attributes — in sacrifice, faith, and balance? I believe that we can.

Start today. Put aside your differences and seek out common ground. Look for solutions that benefit all parties and do not simply gratify your own needs. Try to understand those unlike yourself — walk in their shoes before making assumptions. With acceptance and sacrifice, courage and faith, love and balance, there is nothing we cannot do.

Truth and Meaning: Greatness

America is a great nation. America embodies important principles of freedom, democracy and humanity uniquely and often with enormous success. The American people present an entrepreneurial spirit that is less complicated and certainly less refined than previous world empires. We are a determined people unaccustomed to anything but success and dominance.

And yet, like a dream team that fails to win the gold medal, our spirit does not always translate into a winning performance. Our educational system ranks 16th in reading, 31st in math and 22nd in science among leading nations. While our gross national product per capita puts us in the top 10 globally, our income disparity is among the worst. The United States ranks 36th in combating poverty, 40th in infant mortality and 40th in life expectancy.

On the other hand, we are No. 1 in prison incarceration, divorce, gun ownership and rapes. And, of course, we are first — far and away from the rest of the world — in military expenditures. These are not the rankings of a great nation. These are the numbers of a nation that values global conquest rather than caring for its own; punishment over prevention; and immediate gratification over investment in its future.

As a minister, I meet people struggling to find jobs and raise children, coping with disease and addiction, and desperately searching for love and meaning in life. I meet people with no health insurance; people fired from jobs for being gay or lesbian; and people who followed all the rules and are still denied the American dream. They are denied the American dream because of student loans, greedy banks, prejudice and discrimination, and because of systemic inequality that no amount of grit and determination can overcome.

I constantly meet the casualties of our various wars across the globe — our own people starving for resources. I am tired of funding wars that give us record stock prices and leave veterans homeless and suicidal. So let’s declare a new war … on ourselves. I want America to declare war on injustice, assaults on freedom, and corruption within its own borders — to win the hearts and minds of the American people. We need to stop bickering over unimportant differences and join together to build the great nation that America can be. We need to embrace each other — black or white, gay or straight, citizen or immigrant, man or woman.

A great nation should have no homelessness, no hunger, no untreated illnesses and no unemployment. A great nation should not tolerate violations of the inherent worth and dignity especially of its own people. We can be a great nation if we all come together.

Truth and Meaning: Bigotry

I grew up watching the television show All in the Family. Viewers learned firsthand about bigotry by listening to outrageous statements from Archie Bunker. Public figures are once again making similar statements. Sadly, these are not shock media pundits, but elected officials. Surprisingly, they are shocked when they are subsequently called bigots.

A bigot is a person who regards members of a group with hatred and intolerance based on unproven prejudices. So, with apologies to Jeff Foxworthy, I offer the following list as a possible guide to our politicians.

• If you believe that a person’s inherent capacity for intelligence, productivity, or violence is connected to their skin color, then you might be a bigot.
• If you suppose that the current gender gap in salaries simply reflects free market economics, then you might be a bigot.
• If you think that legalizing same-sex marriage has a logical connection to beastiality, then you might be a bigot.
• If you believe that any one specific religion has a monopoly on morality, then you might be a bigot.
• If you consider another group’s culture as subhuman and inherently inferior to your own, then you might be a bigot.
• If you believe that rape is acceptable, justified, or deserved in any imaginable situation, then you might be a bigot.
• If you automatically connect homosexuality with pedophilia, then you might be a bigot.
• If you believe that you have the right to make medical decisions for other people based on your personal religious beliefs, then you might be a bigot.
• If you imagine that anyone chooses to be homeless, or addicted, or poor, or a victim of abuse, then you might be a bigot.

Truth and Meaning: War and Peace

As a pacifist, I generally resist using war rhetoric and metaphors. So I am hesitant to claim that we are at war. I don’t mean Iraq or Afghanistan, Syria or Yemen, or the countless other American incursions across the globe.

We, each and every one of us in Michigan and in the United States, are at war — a domestic war for the soul of America. The enemy arrayed before us is vast and powerful. The forces we face include:

• Greed — the belief that privatizing schools, prisons, even local government can produce anything other than corruption and abuse.
• Misogyny — the conviction that women are primarily objects for the sexual gratification of men and disposable vessels for the unborn.
• Homophobia — the assertion that gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender folk are damaged and dangerous and must be treated as subhuman.
• Ignorance — the rejection of science and reason when they do not support blind faith, immediate gratification of needs and dogmatic views.
• Indifference — the hopelessness of masses of people who feel powerless to stand up and fight for their self-determination.

The weapons of these enemies are diverse and include:

• Arrogance — a petulant self-righteousness that allows them to stampede any opposing point of view and to stymie any attempt at rational discourse, compromise or legislation.
• Wealth — endless finances devoted to corrupting politicians and influencing organizations to create the appearance of representing the voice of the people.
• Violence — a cold and heartless worship of weapons; suppression of our basic freedoms of speech, religious liberty and assembly; and use of brute military force to answer all problems.
• Hate — an evil attitude manifested from the belief that privilege equates to rightness; that rich, straight, white men control our nation because they are somehow inherently superior.

Sadly, we are at war. And we are losing the war. We are outmatched by our enemies’ resources, their willingness to resort to atrocities and their dedication to single-minded, simplistic courses of action. Is there hope? Do we, outgunned and seemingly outnumbered, stand a chance against such foes?

I have faith that we do. In his autobiography, Gandhi said, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall.” Gandhi freed a nation from colonial rule without raising a gun, a hand, even his voice in anger. Martin Luther King Jr. freed a people with nothing more than words, energy and conviction. From Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall, the ways of truth and love have emerged victorious in our history.

In order to emerge victorious, we must have courage. We must transcend boundaries of belief and unite behind the power of reason and faith in the inherent worth and dignity of all people. And we must always act out of love. I dream of a day when we will all live in loving service to each other, in a place where we are united by our wondrous differences. I dream of a land where no one wants for basic needs; where greed, misogyny, homophobia, ignorance and indifference are banished; and all are free to pursue their heart’s dream free of hate and violence. I dream of total peace.

Truth and Meaning: For the Love of God

I recently saw a posting on Facebook that read, “Never forget that God only gives you what He knows you can handle. There is no situation that you are experiencing alone. God walks beside you, always.” My initial reaction was anger — rage that anyone should presume to offer simplistic slogans to people justified in feeling that God has forsaken them. Women abused by violent husbands and told that they are worthless, pushed to the brink of desperation. Teenagers bullied for being gay, or for refusing to conform to social norms, or just for being different who see suicide as their only escape. Children all across the world dying of hunger, drinking dirty and parasite-ridden water because of senseless wars, political corruption, racial discrimination, and greedy manipulation of natural resources.

But then I remembered Viktor Frankl’s incredible book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” in which he described his experiences in Nazi concentration camps. A belief in a god of love has indeed helped millions overcome great trials and strife over the centuries. So, regardless of my personal lack of belief in a creator who oversees and intervenes in our lives, I still appreciate that many people derive tremendous strength from the love of a higher power that offers them meaning and hope.

I can’t help thinking, however, that we can be far more than passive receptors of divine love. Just as it is wrong to lay the blame for all that is wrong with the world on god’s doorstep, it is equally wrong to automatically attribute all goodness and love to him. And the fact is, few of us today are doing all that we can to spread love in the world.

If we truly want to create a culture of understanding, then we need to concentrate less on our different opinions about the existence or nature of god, and more on the everyday welfare of our brothers and sisters, and on the future we are bequeathing our children. In reality, we are all viewing the same spirit of life and love that we know by many names. We just see that spirit through different lenses, through different windows into the mysteries of existence.

Regardless of my pious preachings and my prayerful proclamations at weekly worship services, I fail as a religious person if I do not do everything I can to help that desperate and abused woman, that teenager considering suicide, or that emaciated child. All of the love for god we express means nothing to the hopeless victims of our indifference if we insist on filtering that love through our personal lenses alone.

Truth and Meaning: Sharing Opinions

Midland Daily News staffer Chris Stevens is distressed that ESPN announcer Chris Broussard received angry replies to his comments regarding Jason Collins’ recent announcement that he is gay (“Who’s showing more courage – Broussard or Collins?” MDN, 5/1/2013). Stevens calls on us to air our opinions freely without the fear of being mocked, ridiculed, belittled or intimidated into silence.

I applaud this call to civility. This will certainly be a welcome change from, say, the last 2,000 years of human history. GLBT folk have been burned at the stake, herded into death camps, beaten and bullied by the millions. Gays, lesbians and their allies will welcome a conversation where they do not need to fear being mocked, ridiculed, belittled or intimidated into silence.

Perhaps appropriately, this call from a sports writer will challenge our fortitude and our conditioning. When people express scientific opinions that run counter to nearly every piece of available scientific information, it is hard not to mock or ridicule such an opinion. Few of us would respect someone who argued, for instance, that the earth was flat or that our planet resides at the center of the universe. And to date, the overwhelming preponderance of scientific research indicates that homosexuality is not a “lifestyle” choice, as Stevens labels it.

Unfortunately, opinions such as Mr Stevens' and Mr. Broussard’s have dominated the conversation for centuries, resulting in countless deaths and endless misery. Religious “opinions” based on biblical interpretations enslaved millions of Africans, abused and objectified every generation of women, started dozens of wars of conquest and colonization, and facilitated the widespread genocide of the world’s indigenous populations. The Broussard statements simply reflect one more example. Citing a handful of highly debatable Bible verses taken out of context and never intended to describe healthy, loving gay relationships hardly defends the expression of hurtful and oppressive opinions.

Stevens should spare us his righteous indignation when people point out the implications of these statements. When he uses his public forum to decry the “opinions” of the Westboro Baptist Church — who carry their vile and degrading signs everywhere they peddle their message of hate — then perhaps GLBT folk and their allies will respect his opinion more.

It is not intolerant to point out when someone is being intolerant. Refusing to tolerate intolerant judgments, such as those expressed by Chris Broussard, is a right and the duty of all religious people. For the Bible also says in Romans 2, “you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.”

Truth and Meaning: Mother's Day

After Unitarian Julia Ward Howe wrote The Battle Hymn of the Republic, the American Civil War raged on for four more bloody years. Five years later the Franco-Prussian War broke out in Europe and Howe acted. She began a one-woman global peace crusade, starting with an appeal to womanhood to rise against war. She went to London to promote an international Woman's Peace Congress. That effort failed, so she returned to Boston and initiated a Mothers' Peace Day observance on the second Sunday in June. That meeting was observed for a number of years.

There were other movements afoot to create a day honoring mothers. Ann Jarvis was a young Appalachian homemaker who tried to improve sanitation through what she called Mothers' Work Days before the Civil War. When Jarvis died in 1907, her daughter Anna worked to found a memorial day for women. The first such Mother's Day was celebrated in Grafton, West Virginia, on May 10, 1908, at St. Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal Church, where Anna’s mother had taught Sunday School. From there, the custom caught on and eventually spread to 45 states.

In 1913, Congress declared the second Sunday in May to be Mother's Day. The following year, President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day a national holiday. This is long before radio and television, and advertising was still a new industry. But, the growing American consumer culture had successfully redefined women as buyers for their families. Politicians and businesses eagerly embraced the idea of celebrating the private sacrifices made by individual mothers. As the Florists' Review, the industry's trade journal, bluntly put it, "This was a holiday that could be exploited." The new advertising industry quickly taught Americans the best way to honor their mothers — by buying flowers.

Since then, Mother's Day has ballooned into a billion-dollar event. For those who appreciate irony, Anna Jarvis became increasingly concerned over the commercialization of Mother's Day, saying, "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit." She opposed the use of greeting cards, calling them "a poor excuse for the letter you are too lazy to write." In 1923, Jarvis filed suit against New York Gov. Al Smith, over a Mother's Day celebration. When the suit was dismissed, she began a public protest and was arrested for ... disturbing the peace.

This Mother's Day, let us disturb the peace for our mothers, our daughters and sisters, our wives and partners. Let us disturb the peace for an end to war, an end to attacks on health care, an end to efforts to undercut public education, and especially an end to a culture that endures and supports domestic violence and rape.

​Truth and Meaning: Cleverness

We Americans consider ourselves a clever people. We equate education with knowledge and privilege with power. These are both false assumptions.

True wisdom doesn’t come from a book, but from a willingness to embrace unknowable mysteries and to acknowledge that we cannot know all of the answers. True power is not a birthright passed down through traditions, but is gained only when we use our inherent gifts of reason and intuition to discern our own truth and meaning in life.

Love is as the ark appointed for the righteous,
Which annuls the danger and provides a way of escape.
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment;
Cleverness is mere opinion, bewilderment intuition.
                 -- from Book IV of The Masnavi, by Sufi Poet Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi

Rumi is perhaps the best known adherent of Sufism, the inner and mystical dimension of Islam. Rumi’s writings remind us of the need to seek the divine spark within that connects us all with each other and with all existence.

We cannot come together through facts and figures, through clever arguments and debate, or through the uncritical application of ancient scriptures. We can only come together by putting aside materialistic and political concerns and by loving the divine within each of us.

Truth and Meaning: Providence

Born in 1741, John Murray’s childhood was dominated by a Calvinist father whose fears for John’s soul led him to beat and isolate his son. The boy saw religion as a gloomy means to control people’s behavior. As a teenager, Murray met John Wesley, who encouraged his protégé on the path to the Methodist ministry, and to read books John’s father had forbidden.

Murray started preaching. But several personal crises and family losses, combined with his growing doubts about John Wesley’s theology, propelled Murray into a state of despair. Believing there was a higher purpose in life for him, he left Ireland for England. John heard a sermon by George Whitefield and admired the preacher’s nondenominational, welcoming style. Whitefield soon asked Murray to preach at his Tabernacle in London, where John fell in love and married Eliza Neale.

James Relly, a Welsh preacher, was in London lecturing on universal salvation. As a good Methodist, John despised Relly, but found his arguments persuasive. Murray read Relly’s writings and found that his interpretation of the scriptures made sense. John and Eliza heard Relly preach and both were profoundly affected. John wrote in his autobiography: “It was clear that Christ Jesus died for all, for the sins of the whole world and that everyone must finally be saved…I conceived if I had an opportunity of conversing with the whole world, the whole world would be convinced. It might truly have been said, that we had a taste of heaven below.”

The Methodists expelled John from the Tabernacle.

John’s contentment with life ended abruptly when Eliza and their infant son died. Debt-ridden and despondent, Murray decided to leave the ministry and move to America. His ship ran aground, however, on a sandbar off the New Jersey coast. John went ashore in search of provisions and encountered a farmer named Thomas Potter. Potter had built a meetinghouse on his property for itinerant preachers and was waiting for one who embraced universal salvation. There was no doubt in Potter’s mind that God had sent John Murray for this purpose. He urged Murray to preach, but John refused, preferring to leave his past behind and sail on to New York as planned.

Potter warned Murray, “The wind will never change, sir, until you have delivered to us, in that meeting-house, a message from God.” And the wind remained calm for days until John believed in God’s intervening hand and he delivered a sermon. He felt his sense of calling and purpose return. Over the remainder of his life, Murray spread the Universalist message in America.

Whatever you call it — God, Yahweh, Allah, Nature, Synchronicity — we are all called by providence to heal and not to harm. To paraphrase a quote often attributed to Murray: Go out into the highways and by-ways. You may possess only a small light, but uncover it, let it shine, use it in order to bring more light and understanding to the hearts and minds of men and women. Give them, not hell, but hope and courage. Do not push them deeper into their theological despair, but preach kindness and everlasting love.

Truth and Meaning: The Way

To some of you, I am a fresh voice preaching a simple message of hope and compassion. To others, I am a bearded anarchist tossing bombs at sacred institutions. Perhaps I am both.

Many of you may be thinking, “I like what he says, but it’s just not realistic. It isn't human nature to be the way he suggests.” To you, I respond, “Who says so?” Babies are not born violent, or sinful, or racist, or homophobic, or misogynistic. We teach them these things. We teach them to love guns, to lie and cheat, to covet money, and to hate people different from themselves. We teach our boys that rape is OK if the girl provokes it. We teach our girls that they are innately less worthy, less intelligent, less capable.

Some of you may be thinking, “I like what he says, but it’s just not practical. We can’t change the world to be that way.” To you, I respond, “Why not?” We teach our children that the world is the way it is because it is the product of centuries of progress and civilization. We teach our children that great people led us down this path and that we must not stray. And I ask, what if those people were wrong, or misguided, or misinformed? What if those people made the world the way it is today because it was to their advantage to do so?

A few of you may be thinking, “But, there is no way out. The system is too big, the changes required are too massive, the people with money and power will never let change happen.” To you, I respond, “What can you do?” If you could teach just one child something you were not taught, what would you teach? Would you teach them confidence in themselves? Would you teach them that they are beautiful just as they are? Would you teach them that every person has inherent worth and dignity?

The Way to a better world really is quite easy. Who can follow it? You can. Why should you follow it? Because the way of love is the only right way. What should you do? Whatever you can.

Will it be enough? Who can say? Look at the impact of people who listen to their own inner voice and simply live lives of love. In the end, the world will change. All the guns in the world cannot kill love. All the hate in the world cannot engulf love. All the rules and dogma and intimidation in the world cannot prevent love. Teach love and it will spread.

Truth and Meaning: Who I Am

A few days ago, someone wrote in response to my most recent post. The writer took issue with me on a number of issues. The arguments were not new and call for no new responses.

However, at the end of the rant, the writer asked, “who do you think you are?” Here is my reply.

• I am a father and a husband who believes that men who abuse women and children are cowards and bullies, and that men must speak out against our culture of rape and violence.
• I am a straight ally working to help everyone to live according to their sexual orientation and gender identity, and toward a society without discrimination against people for who they love.
• I am a religious person who needs no creed or threat of godly punishment to live a caring and honest life, and who respects all those who love their neighbors.
• I am a feminist who believes that all of the sisters and daughters should control their bodies and their medical choices, and that all women should be free to make their own family planning and life decisions.
• I am an anti-racist who believes that people who hate others on the basis of their skin color or ethnicity are ignorant and hateful, and that those who refuse to call out such bigotry are complicit in its evil.
• I am a citizen who believes in duty and performing public service that benefits all people and not just the rich and the people in our society born with privilege.
• I am a student of history who understands that greatness comes from commitment and ideals and not from brutality and bullets.
• I am a man who believes that manhood is defined by character, compassion, and reason and not by intimidation, force, and rage.
• I am a dreamer who sees a future world without hunger or untreated illness; a world working to eradicate the causes of war – greed, violence, inequality – and the oppression they produce.
• I am one voice speaking a message of hope and love and listening for other voices to join in the chorus.

Truth and Meaning: The Place for Commandments

A Michigan legislator has introduced a bill allowing the ten commandments to be posted in our public schools (SB 423). Many people object to such efforts, not necessarily because they disagree with the commandments themselves, but on the grounds that such displays infringe on our guaranteed freedoms of religion in this nation.

You may wonder, though, even if someone were not Jewish or Christian, why would they object to displaying the document, since it presents such an seemingly acceptable list of rules of conduct. While acceptance of the ten commandments may seem inherently obvious to some, perhaps even most Americans, they run fundamentally counter to my beliefs and the tenets of my personal faith. I view the posting of the Ten Commandments in my public spaces as an attempt to impose a religion on me and on all those people who do not hold with those commandments’ underlying assumptions and emphases.

So, while I respect anyone's desire to live by these rules, let me explain why I do not.

1. Have no other gods before me — I do not believe in the Christian god...or the Hebrew god, or the Muslim god, or any other religion's specifically delineated deity. I believe that everything everywhere and in all times comprises godness, including each of us. Therefore, I hold all of existence sacred before the gods of the New Testament, the Old Testament, the Qur'an, or any other text. Verdict: I reject this commandment as inconsistent with my religious omnitheism.

2. Do not make graven images/idols — I refuse to be threatened by and intimidated into worshiping what this commandment identifies as a self-proclaimed "jealous god." I bow in commitment to love and to doing everything I can to make this and all worlds better places. I need no golden calf. I worship the vision of beloved community, a future where the inherent worth and dignity of all people is respected. Verdict: I reject this commandment as irrelevant to my religious beliefs.

3. Do not take the name of the lord in vain — I respect others' beliefs, and ask only in return that my own beliefs are respected. I cannot promise to remain respectful, however, when followers of the biblical god curse me and seek to infringe on my freedom of belief by presuming that theirs is the only true religion of my country. I cannot stand mute and allow some to murder, torture and oppress others all in the name of their god. Verdict: I reject this commandment as unfair and disrespectful of my religious beliefs.

4. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy — I reserve the right to determine the times and places that I consider holy, whether it is in a church or a forest, on Sunday morning or any other day of the week. My sabbath occurs not when I am on bended knee before a god, but when I kneel to feed a hungry child or give hope to the hopeless. Verdict: I reject this commandment as unimportant to my religious practice.

5. Honor your father and your mother — I honor my father and mother because they earned my honor by doing their duty as parents, not simply because they procreated. I take pride in my parenthood, not because I made someone pregnant, but because I love my children and raised them to be loving and responsible adults. A person earns honor by loving all of the children of the world, whether they are a biological father or mother, or not. Verdict: I reject this commandment for its misdirected emphasis from the real meaning of parenthood.

6. Do not murder — The Bible abounds with killing sanctioned by god. This commandment includes only a proscription against killing one's own kind (murder). I reject ALL killing, whatever its form or its supposed justification. Verdict: I strongly reject this commandment as biased and weak in its failure to respect the sacredness of all persons.

7. Do not commit adultery — I believe in respecting the bond of love, which also includes the right of ALL people who love each other and wish to commit to each other to be married and to receive the rights and privileges of married couples. Supporting the institution of marriage should also include making it available to all consenting adults, and ensuring that families have the resources they need to stay healthy and happy. Verdict: I reject this commandment as inconsistent and hypocritical.

8. Do not steal — Every person deserves to own the product of their labor, which goes beyond mere possession of objects or payment of salary. A just society commits to economic as well as legal justice, and does not permit a privileged few to steal wealth from the efforts of the masses. Verdict: I reject this commandment for failing to address the evil of greed and the preventable scourge of poverty.

9. Do not bear false witness — Not lying must also include a commitment to seeking the truth. Too many religious people refuse to examine and weigh evidence regarding their beliefs, which is the worst form of lying — lying to yourself. Verdict: I reject this commandment as failing to encourage free thought and the use of reason.

10. Do not covet anything that is your neighbor's — Loving your neighbor must mean more than resisting jealousy. Loving your neighbor means that I am willing to sacrifice for my neighbor, that I am willing to love my neighbor even if he does not reciprocate that love, and that I am willing to defend the rights of that neighbor regardless of our differences. Verdict: I reject this commandment for failing to address the greater important message of compassion and our ministry to each other.

The ten commandments — as well as every other list of rules suggested by other world religions — have played a part in the development of human society. But, these ancient lists bear little significance to modern society. And their posting in public places, which brings with it an implicit endorsement by the state, is inconsistent with our commitment to the free exercise of religion.

I applaud you if you live by the ten commandments, or the five pillars of Islam, or the analects of Confucius, or the noble truths of Buddhism, and have crafted your personal moral code from these teachings. Unitarian Universalists make all of these codes, and more, available in our churches and fellowships. We educate our children about all religious traditions and in the critical thinking skills needed to craft their own principles. But religious texts should only be made available in public academic settings if they are going to be open to the same free inquiry and analysis as other writings, and not as inherently representative of the beliefs of all Americans.

In my journey into ministry, many heroes have lighted my path and fortified me when I faltered or felt weak.  Some, like Gandhi and King and Jesus, I share with billions.  Others, like Reeb and Liuzzo, Servetus and Weigel, are perhaps known mostly within Unitarian Universalist circles.  For me, these icons of courage ARE ministry - they represent the commitment and impact I wish for my own life, either through my own direct action or through those I may influence.

This is why I blog.  I write, not because I consider myself uniquely qualified or particularly erudite, but because I can.  After years advising youth, I saw what hard work and a willingness to be vulnerable, to serve as a mentor or role model, could do for seekers, for those walking alongside me on the path toward truth and meaning.

That is why, when I was invited to become a regular, contributing blogger to the Midland Daily News, I jumped at the opportunitiy.  Midland is a great small town.  But, Midland is also a very conservative town - or at least it seems to be dominated by the voices of conservatism and privilege.  I saw this as a fantastic opportunity to spread a message of progressive values, of hope and love, of the vision of the beloved community.

Almost immediately, opposition to my message arose.  And that opposition has been dominated by the voice of one person.

This voice is the voice of hate.  It is the voice of intolerance.  It is the voice of violent intimidation.  It is the voice of the schoolyard bully.

We all remember the schoolyard bully.  Most of us felt powerless to stand up to their strength and their willingness to employ any means to mold our behavior to suit their needs.  Those who did resist were beaten or shamed into submission.

In the adult world, the bully has more powerful tactics.  And this bully uses them all.  He has dressed in the sheets of the Klan, showing this community his endorsement of their legacy of murder and destruction.  He taunts and labels opponents with every term of vile slander his mind can conceive - terms of racism, misogyny, hatred of gays and lesbians, and anyone who does not share his unique view of Christianity or American history.  He twists and perverts sacred texts, bending them to support his claims.  And he directly threatens violent action, all in attempt to silence my words.

Early on, I had to decide - do I engage with this bully or simply ignore him?  And while ignoring the bully is a viable tactic, I remembered my heroes.  I remembered the authority of my pulpit and my ministry passed down to me from thousands over the centuries who faced their own bullies.  And I decided that the powerless, the voiceless, the underprivileged needed me to be a good ally and to stand up to this bully.

And so, I have engaged this man and his alleged supporters.  I have endured his slurs and his hate.  I have read his threats and lies.  And each time, I have refuted his arguments, called him out on his threats, and challenged his assumptions, all with the power of love.  For I believe that love can indeed conquer all of the bullies in the world.

This week, so many of you have approached me at General Assembly, offering encouragement in this ongoing struggle.  Together, we are standing on the side of love against cowards who wear sheets and burn crosses, against the ignorant and hateful who carry signs and chant slogans, and against our societal paradigms that continue to oppress the poor, the undocumented immigrant, women, people of color, the young and the old, and those who challenge our social norms of gender identity and sexual orientation.  I owe all of you an enormous debt of gratitude.  Thank you.

Truth and Meaning: Hope and love

Hope and love. These are wonderful emotions that people of all faiths can share and grow. We can worship together and feel the transcendent power of our spirits united in common concern. We can work together to help the needy and build beloved community. We can read, sing and pray inspiring words that foster compassion for humanity and our world.

Hope and love are beautiful flowers — fragrant … and fragile. Hope and love require careful nurturing and protection from the elements and from forces that would consume them until they withered and died.

Hope and love require courage. They require the courage to resist the storms of hate and oppression. They require the courage to stand up to the winds of ignorance and bigotry. Hope and love survive only when people have the courage to protect them from violence and the evil influences that poison the soul.

Hope and love are the crops cultivated by farmers of the spirit. And in order to grow a crop of hope and love, we farmers of the spirit must be courageous. We must persevere when problems abound like locusts, or seem as insurmountable as a hail storm. We must labor to fend off invasive plants, the icy frost, or the flames of drought.

But, most of all, the farmers of the spirit must guard hope and love from the attacks of the ignorant, and from the slander of the hateful. We must nurture the fields of hope and love from the violent bullying of those driven by fear and prejudice, of privilege and entitlement, of irrationality and selfishness.

This is not easy work. It can be exhausting, even scary, and always challenging. But the harvest … the harvest is magnificent! The bounty of hope and love will spill over the tables, feeding all who hunger, all who yearn for its sustenance. Farmers of the spirit, join with me! Let us till the fertile soil and protect our seedlings from the pestilence of hate, the storms of fear. Let us stand, hand in hand, until the sweetness of hope and love dispels all bitterness, and let us join in that communion table together.

Truth and Meaning: Are You a “None?”

The Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life completed a study of religion in America last year. One of their most significant findings was that the number of Americans who do not identify with any religion continues to grow at a rapid pace. One-fifth of the U.S. public are religiously unaffiliated, the highest percentage ever in Pew Research Center polling.

The religiously unaffiliated now include more than 13 million self-described atheists and agnostics (nearly 6 percent of the U.S. public), as well as nearly 33 million people who say they have no particular religious affiliation (14 percent). Much of this growth is occurring as Millennials (those ages 18-22) replace older generations. But generational replacement is not the only factor at play. Generation X’ers and Baby Boomers also have become more religiously unaffiliated in recent years. Interestingly, the overwhelming majority (74 percent) of the “nones” were brought up in a religious tradition.

And yet, many in the world of religion write off the “nones” as disinterested in organized religion, or in finding spiritual communities. Many clergy dismiss the religiously unaffiliated as lost souls unworthy of outreach efforts. This attitude prevails because roughly two-thirds of the unaffiliated (65 percent) say in surveys that religion is either “not too important” or “not at all important” in their life.

But I believe that many of these 40 million Americans simply find our current religious bodies irrelevant in modern times. They find churches of today that harbor hateful attitudes and outmoded orthodoxies. I believe that many of the “nones” will welcome a religious community that preaches hope instead of fear, action instead of creed, and love instead of damnation.

If religion is not relevant to solving the problems of the world, then it is just therapy. If religion does not offer hope for a better world here and now, then it is just a social outlet. If religion does not encourage us to live lives of Love, of fundamental change in the human condition, then it is a collection of fairy tales.

Are you a “none?” Please don’t give up on religion. There are churches dedicated to improving this world, committed to the fight for social justice, equality, and human rights. And there are churches that don’t pretend to have all of the answers, and welcome your questions.

Truth and Meaning: Fascism

A popular discrediting tactic used by pundits is to compare an opponent’s position to something Hitler did. Even when the application of this comparison is ludicrous, the strategy can work because our visceral reaction to Nazism is so intense. And this is how it should be. The evils and inhuman achievements of the National Socialists in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s are legendary for their brutality and viciousness.

So let’s take a calm step back and deconstruct this loaded term of political ideology. The Italian term, fascismo is derived from fascio, which means "bundled (political) group." The term also refers to the movement's emblem, the fasces, a bundle of rods with a projecting axe-head that was carried before Roman magistrates as a symbol of authority and power. The name of Mussolini's group of revolutionaries was soon used for similar movements in other countries that sought to gain power through violence and ruthlessness.

Fascism, therefore, is defined as a system of government marked by centralization of authority, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppressed opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of intolerance and bigotry. Fascism seeks to purify a nation of “foreign” influences deemed to be causing degeneration or of not fitting into the culture of society.

So let’s examine recent actions in so-called red states. Legislative rules ignored, voting rights under attack, gerrymandering, right to work laws undermining labor, vitriolic rhetoric aimed at anyone expressing progressive views, and the demonization of GLBT folk, non-Christians, immigrants, the poor and women. And everything backed by a small cabal of ultra-rich neo-conservatives intent on corrupting the system to protect their wealth and status.

I am not suggesting that the United States is heading down an inexorable path to a Fascist state. I am merely pointing out the tragic irony that politicians in Ohio, North Carolina, Texas, and here in Michigan who claim to support small government, who claim to support democracy, who claim to support inalienable freedoms seem to be employing the Fascist tool kit.

And what American hasn’t pondered the question, “Why didn’t the German people do more to oppose the Nazis?” Well, now is your chance to ask it again. When your government passes bills in the dead of night without public comment or debate, why don’t you do something? When local elected officials are dismissed by government-backed dictators, why don’t you do something? When government gets small enough to fit into a woman’s vagina, why don’t you do something? When religious zealots remove another brick from the wall of separation of church and state, why don’t you do something?

As the great American patriot Edward Everett Hale once said, “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do.”

Truth and Meaning: Nice

Clergy work in a world of words. Sometimes those words come from sacred sources, texts written by those listening to the mouth of god. Other times, our words come from saints and prophets, or great thinkers and theologians.

Today, my inspiration comes from a more modern sage, Patrick Swayze. In the film Road House, Swayze plays a zen-like bouncer, a master of martial arts and a scholar of philosophy. Teaching his new students the art of being a “cooler,” he tells them that they should be nice … until it is time to not be nice.

Nice is an apt word for Michiganders, for that quaint Midwestern attitude of people who strive never to offend others. Nice is especially appropriate for Midlanders. For we live in a nice town. Like another philosophical film, Pleasantville, Midland is a nice town. There is no crime in Midland — at least not the kind of crime you find in other cities like Flint or Detroit. No one in Midland lives in their car, or roots through dumpsters for meals. Like the residents of Pleasantville, everyone in Midland is colorblind. We treat everyone the same regardless of their race, their ethnicity, their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Midlanders elect polite, conservative politicians because we want nice government. We don’t need food stamps or medical insurance assistance. We don’t have unplanned pregnancies and we don’t traffic in women. We trust money to trickle down and politicians to not be swayed by greed and corruption, by private interests with deep pockets.

Nice is good. And, I want you to be nice. I want you to be nice … until it is time to not be nice.

Well, that time is coming.

In Texas, women are being dragged out of legislative chambers. All across America’s heartland, people are being arrested for stopping a pipeline. And just down the road in Lansing, the protests are growing — protests for guaranteed medical insurance for all, for marriage equality, for letting doctors and their patients make medical decisions, for restoring democracy, and for keeping intact the wall separating church and state.

When anti-intellectual fundamentalists run our government, it is time to not be nice. When the powerful and greedy seek to control all of the wealth and property, it is time to not be nice. When bigots seek to oppress women, people of color, GLBT folk, immigrants, and the poor, then it is time to not be nice.

Not being nice is hard. Fighting for human rights and liberties is hard. Swayze concluded his lesson by saying that we just need to watch each others’ backs, and take out the trash.

I mourn for the family of Trayvon Martin. I mourn for every person of color who feels even less safe now than they did yesterday. I mourn for us all as a society when we care more about unfettered gun possession than we do the sanctity of life.

Every time I write our Senator John Moolenaar about the outrageous assaults happening in Lansing on reproductive freedom or about his own misguided twisting of the concept of religious freedom, he responds touting his belief in the sanctity of life. Where are his so-called “pro-life” ideals now?

Where is the pro-life movement when 400,000 Michiganders need Medicare expansion? Where is the pro-life movement when programs supporting living, breathing children are defunded to support tax breaks for corporations and the super-rich? Where is the pro-life movement when lobbyists try to push more guns and bullets into schools and churches, hospitals and day-care centers? And where is the pro-life movement when Trayvon Martins die every day on our streets?

If you are not outraged at the outcome of the Trayvon Martin murder trial, then do not dare call yourself pro-life. If you care more about forcing unnecessary and invasive vaginal ultrasounds on women than providing them with affordable access to birth control and health care, then do not dare call yourself pro-life. If you live in Midland and do nothing about the fact that Saginaw - our neighbor just 30 miles away - ranks as the #1 most dangerous city for women IN THE ENTIRE U.S., then do not dare call yourself pro-life.

For you are Trayvon Martin. Today, tomorrow, or the next day, a George Zimmerman could stalk, attack, and murder you or your son, your nephew, or your neighbor’s boy and walk away unpunished. When the injustice and stupidity was great enough, even Jesus got angry.

I will continue to be nonviolent, because violence only begets more violence. I will continue to love my neighbors, even when they seek to trample the right of women, GLBT folk, people of color, and immigrants. I will continue to try to find the good in legislators who ignore their own rules of conduct, who seek no public comment or expert opinions, and who pass bills in the dead of night while democracy sleeps. But I will be nice no longer. And neither should you.

This service was intended to help people through the emotions deriving from the George Zimmerman trial for the murder of Trayvon Martin.

Buddha and the Angry Man

One day Buddha was walking through a village. A very angry and rude young man came up and began insulting him.

“You have no right teaching others,” he shouted. “You are as stupid as everyone else. You are nothing but a fake.”

Buddha was not upset by these insults. Instead he asked the young man “Tell me, if you buy a gift for someone, and that person does not take it, to whom does the gift belong?”

The man was surprised to be asked such a strange question and answered, “It would belong to me, because I bought the gift.”

The Buddha smiled and said, “That is correct. And it is exactly the same with your anger. If you become angry with me and I do not get insulted, then the anger falls back on you. You are then the only one who becomes unhappy, not me. All you have done is hurt yourself.

“If you want to stop hurting yourself, you must get rid of your anger and become loving instead. When you hate others, you yourself become unhappy. But when you love others, everyone is happy.”

The young man listened closely to these wise words of the Buddha. “You are right, O Blessed One,” he said. “Please teach me the path of love. I wish to become your follower.”

The Buddha answered kindly, “Of course. I teach anyone who truly wants to learn. Come with me.”

Reflection - Mark, chapter 3:1-5

Jesus entered the synagogue and a man was there who had a withered hand. The Pharisees watched Jesus to see whether he would cure the man on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. Jesus said to the man, “Come forward.” Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

The Bible abounds with allegory, metaphor, and other non-literal parables. In this case, however, the story would appear abundantly literal and blunt. When confronted with suffering, Jesus not only ignored the Law, but disobeyed the Law publicly and in the full view of those responsible for its legislation. Jesus angrily called out the Pharisees for their adherence to an unjust rule. He committed no violence, nor did he stand by idly in passive submission.

Sermon – The Angry Jesus

When I was a child, I attended Sunday School regularly at a Christian Community Church in Ohio, and often participated in their summer vacation Bible camps. I remember hearing the traditional stories about Jesus and coloring pictures of him preaching, healing the sick, and feeding the thousands. I remember memorizing verses to recite during games like spelling bees. I was a real dork, so I always excelled at those kinds of competitions. As I recall, most of the versions of the stories that I learned in my childhood came from the Gospel of Matthew. Then, every year at Christmastime, we would visit the saga of Jesus’ birth and the Nativity as told in the Gospel of Luke.

Imagine my surprise when, as an adult, I finally read the Gospel According to Mark. Many of the stories are the same as ones told in Matthew and Luke. But, the Jesus in Mark is not the Jesus of coloring books. In fact, he is often not at all a nice person. This Jesus gets frustrated with his disciples, when they repeatedly fail to understand his teaching. This Jesus tells off the community leaders who he feels misinterpret the Laws of Moses. This Jesus even gets angry at ordinary people who come to him for help. Once I got over the shock, I really liked this Jesus. This was a Jesus with a backbone, someone I could admire.

But then, I became more confused. You see, my favorite part of the Gospels is the Sermon on the Mount. And I had trouble reconciling my new image of Jesus with that of the man who asserted that the meek would inherit the earth. I think that part of the conflict I faced was over that word...meek. I never quite fathomed what it was about being meek that warranted acceptance in the eyes of God.

As I often do when I have difficulty over the language in a specific verse, I consulted my Parallel New Testament. This wonderful resource displays eight different versions of the Bible all on the same facing pages, so you can study the variations, which are often quite striking. In this case, however, I found relative agreement. Every version of the New Testament used the word meek...except for one. Only the New American Standard Bible quotes Jesus as saying, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.”

This discovery sparked my curiosity, so I looked up the definition of the word meek in the dictionary. The first definition concurred with my original interpretation of the verse – easily imposed on; submissive. I never imagined that Jesus taught us to be gullible. The second definition paralleled the New American Standard Bible translation - showing patience and humility; gentle. It seemed to me that this second definition of the word meek – showing patience and humility; gentle – was the one Jesus really meant. Patience, not passivity, would eventually rule the earth.

This kind of difference in Biblical translations, quite frankly, evokes in me the same emotions Jesus frequently expressed in Mark. The myriad of versions of biblical scriptures frustrates me because such ambiguity produces wholly unnecessary division and rancor. The insistence of different Christian denominations on the validity of their particular translation angers me, because the historical evidence for one over another remains insufficient. At best, the most reliable extant accounts of the ministry of the man known as Jesus the Nazarene was written almost 40 years after his death. Can you relate with any accuracy conversations you overheard 40 years ago?

Like the Jesus in Mark, I weary of the anger and frustration such unclarity produces. I grow fatigued of debating scripture with those convinced that they know conclusively what Jesus preached, even though the gospels are filled with inconsistencies and known historical inaccuracies. Whenever I think of the thousands and thousands of people over the centuries who have lost their lives over differing interpretations of the many texts considered sacred by religious adherents, my blood boils. I remember our own Unitarian ancestors, burned at the stake, or condemned to die in prisons for their religious convictions. Most concerning for me, however, is how the anger I feel over textual disagreements makes me less likely to engage with my Christian colleagues in other, meaningful ways.

The point of my discovery, however, was not finding yet another bone of contention for scholarly debate. As much as the historian in me enjoys studying the context of words, and the meanings of idioms and metaphors commonly used in first century Palestine, the gist of this particular epiphany for me was far more personal. For now, I could see how a frustrated Jesus, an argumentative Jesus, even an angry Jesus, could also promote meekness. Because I, too, can imagine expressing my frustration patiently; I can envision stating an argument humbly, yet directly; and I can even think of ways to release my anger gently and compassionately.

As with the wisdom of all great religions, one does not need to adhere to the dogma of a specific faith to find meaning in its language. Jesus shows us throughout the Christian gospels how best to deal with emotions like anger and frustration. Take time alone to separate yourself from the stressors in your life for calm meditation and reflection; if someone gives you cause to be angry, tell them – don’t bottle up your emotions in shame, guilt, or fear of another’s reactions to your honest communication; and, yes, sometimes you need to go into the temple and toss a few tables around. For me, Jesus does not need to be divine to be a wise role model. His actions speak loudly, teaching us ways to cope with our very human feelings and emotions.

Last Sunday morning, we awoke to the news that the jury in the case of the murder of Trayvon Martin had found George Zimmerman not guilty. I was not scheduled to be in the pulpit that morning but I debated coming to the Fellowship anyway. Regardless of whatever service the Worship Ministry Team had planned, I considered coming and leading some kind of activity to help you deal with this news and the emotions you might have been feeling.

But, my anger was simply too great. My heart was sick and my mind was ablaze. No matter how I envisioned it, I could not imagine myself leading anything that would be healing or helpful. I knew that I had to heal myself first before I had any chance of helping or advising you.

I also knew that I needed to be in solidarity with African American people. That morning, of all mornings, I needed to be physically in the presence of the people most truly damaged by this tragic story, which sadly repeats itself in cities and towns across this country every day. I needed to be in the presence of their emotions and to do whatever I could as an ally.

So Jody and I went to the Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Saginaw. We picked this church because they had made an impressive showing at the Great Lakes Region AIDS Walk last fall and I imagined them to be comrades in justice if not so much in theology. I’m not sure what I expected their worship service to be like – I simply knew that I needed to worship with them that morning.

We were greeted by dozens of people. Every one of them was happy to be there and thrilled to meet us. I heard no conversations about the trial, or frankly much conversation about anything that was troubling anyone present. During the entire two hour service, not one mention was made of Trayvon Martin or the verdict. The focus of the sermon was on the importance of taking our problems to God and not complaining when we face challenges. Nothing but joy filled the room and I detected no trace of the heaviness I anticipated on the minds and hearts of those present.

My brain found little to agree with in their message, but my heart left the building less burdened. I returned home no more able to cope with the question of why such injustice exists, but better able to deal with my anger about that injustice. Their worship service reminded me of the need to be gentle, to be active, yet patient and humble.

For what exactly is anger? For Buddhists, anger is a poison. Anger is the hot coal you intend to throw at your enemy yet burns your own hand. Anger is something that we create within ourselves. The jury rendering its verdict did not somehow magically inject me with anger. I allowed my fears to create that anger. I allowed my fear of never ending racism, of never ending violence, of never ending injustice to plant anger into the soil of my soul. And my ego nurtured that seed into a personal anger, an incapacitating venom rendering me helpless and self-absorbed.

So what do we do when society presents us with injustice? What do we do when politicians trample our rights? What do we do when the greedy and power-mad erode our democracy? How do we respond to wrong, to oppression, to evil?

First, we must recognize and admit that we are angry. Don’t run from it, don’t hide it away, don’t deny that it exists. Be mindful of your anger and honest with your humanity. The greatest prophets of love and peace in human history got angry. You should feel no shame in feeling the same.

Next, ask yourself why you are angry. Why was I angry last Sunday morning? The outcome of this trial has little, if any, impact on my life. The verdict has little, if any, impact on the lives of people I know. And, given the long history of institutionalized racism in America, this trial will likely have little impact on the lives of people of color, even in Sanford Florida.

I was angry because the verdict was not the one I wanted. I was angry because my vision of the world faced one more infinitesimally small delay to its fruition. I was angry because I made myself angry. I was angry because I wanted to feel anger about the situation. Ultimately, I was angry because I was selfish.

And out of my selfish desire to feel anger, I resigned myself to the anger – to the helplessness and hopelessness of the poison. This self-indulgence, this careful cultivation of anger makes it impossible to respond to a situation in a positive way. Anger keeps us from responding with love and with kindness. The Dhammapada says, “He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a real driver; other people are but holding the reins.” Anger turns our lives into runaway cars careening down the highway, sideswiping other vehicles.

What is the alternative? Patience. Patience until we can act without harming others. We take the reins of our rolling chariot and control the horses of anger. Think back to last Sunday morning, or to any other time this week when something angered you. Relive that moment. Feel the hurt of that moment. Now ask yourself, “Why am I angry?” Don’t push the anger away. Don’t cover it up or hide it. Allow yourself to feel the anger. Ask yourself again, “Why am I angry?” Feel the reins in your hands. Grip the leather. Start pulling back on the straps. Feel the resistance, but pull harder until the vibrations throb through your arms.

As you manage the reins, know in your mind that the anger will not help you deal with the problem. Know in your heart that the anger will not help you deal with the hurt. Know in your gut that the anger will not help you respond to those you blame for the anger.

The Dhammapada continues, advising us to overcome anger by love, to overcome evil by good, to overcome the greedy by liberality, and to overcome the liar by truth. We weed the anger out of our gardens by cultivating love – love for others coping with anger as well as those we might see as the source of that anger. We conquer evil in the world not by using the tools of the evildoers, but by doing even more good ourselves.

We reveal the greedy not through violence or revenge, but by being even more giving, more liberal with our generosity. We defeat the liar by telling the truth. And we wield that truth not as a sword, but as a scythe. We swing the scythe of truth to cut down the weeds of lies, of corruption, and of false assumptions. We swing the scythe of truth to harvest the grain of understanding and compassion.

But, most important, we follow the example of Jesus – not the angry Jesus, but the gentle and patient Jesus. When faced with an unjust law, with a law that oppresses and hurts our neighbors, we rein in our anger and drive the chariot of disobedience. When society calls on us to hate, to marginalize, to objectify the “other,” we resist. When we feel anger rising up inside, we stand our ground – not with violence, not with murderous intent, not with self-righteousness. We stand our ground of love, of good, of giving, and of truth.

We all feel anger when others hurt us, intentionally or not, directly or indirectly. We all know that gut twisted sensation, that rush of blood to our heads, that tensing of muscles in our shoulders and chest. When that feeling arises, stand your ground. Feel the love and the goodness. Be mindful of the power of charity and truth. And when you give this of yourself, it will be returned a hundred fold by others.

Closing Words – From the Dedication of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial by Barack Obama, November 13, 2006

Like Moses before him, [Martin Luther King, Jr.] would never live to see the Promised Land. But from the mountain top, he pointed the way for us – a land no longer torn asunder with racial hatred and ethnic strife, a land that measured itself by how it treats the least of these, a land in which strength is defined not simply by the capacity to wage war but by the determination to forge peace – a land in which all of God's children might come together in a spirit of [brotherhood].

We have not yet arrived at this longed for place. For all the progress we have made, there are times when the land of our dreams recedes from us – when we are lost, wandering spirits, content with our suspicions and our angers, our long-held grudges and petty disputes, our frantic diversions and tribal allegiances. And yet…we are reminded that this different, better place beckons us, and that we will find it not across distant hills or within some hidden valley, but rather we will find it somewhere in our hearts.

Truth and Meaning: Belief

The second wedding I officiated years ago was for a gay couple. The ceremony was beautiful and after delivering the blessing, I began to eat dinner at the reception. An older gentleman sat alongside me and introduced himself as the father of one of the young men.

He explained that he was life-long Catholic, but that the church’s position on his son’s marriage had shaken his faith. He asked me for my advice regarding his troubled beliefs. We talked for half an hour and I did my best to comfort him. I tried to reassure him that I believed that Love mattered more than our flawed ability to interpret scriptures written thousands of years ago or to establish ironclad rules of law that could apply equally in all times and places to all people. I suggested that he look to his faith for the core of his beliefs for strength. And I suggested that he not abandon his faith, but rather to stay and advocate for what he believed was true and right.

Recent events have raised more challenges to belief for people in our society. Last Sunday, I awoke to the verdict of the George Zimmerman trial. I was overcome with anger — anger that seemed to nearly incapacitate me. I knew that I needed reassurance — reassurance that this travesty of justice was an exception, that the death of Trayvon Martin was not an indication of hopeless racism and gun worship in this country. I needed to be with African Americans in worship. I wanted to be with them in solidarity, but I also wanted to ask them for something that I had no right to ask. I needed to ask them for reassurance that whites and blacks in this country CAN live together in love and peace, freedom and equality.

So Jody and I went to the Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Saginaw. We found a joyous congregation celebrating their love of Jesus and the gift that was his life to us. We found no sad faces, no complaining, no bitterness, and no anger. We were welcomed with open arms and open hearts. Even though I do not share their creed, or their mode of practicing their faith, I left reassured that we shared a common belief in the power of Love to overcome all evil.

I was in no position to help my congregants last Sunday to deal with their anger over this case and the verdict. I was too full of my own anger; my own belief in this country and its people was shaken. But, now I can help others to cope with the sad story of Trayvon Martin, and all of the other lives so stupidly wasted in this country. Sunday I preached about the roots of anger and how we can deal with it (see The Angry Jesus post for the full text). For I believe in the future of this nation and its people. I believe in the power of Love and the force of Reason as guides. And I believe in the strength of our Commitment to build the Beloved Community.

Truth and Meaning: Prayer

According to Merriam-Webster, the word prayer comes from Middle English and Latin roots meaning "obtained by entreaty." The modern definition centers on an earnest request or wish to a God or god.

Hexham's Concise Dictionary of Religion calls prayer the "means by which an individual or group attempts to enter into verbal or mental communication with a deity."

I believe that prayer can be separated into two categories: prayer with and prayer to. When we are with others, either during a worship service, at a meal, or alongside one who is ill or troubled, we can pray with. Prayer with begins with listening to and caring about those we are with. Our prayers reflect their needs, and the matters afflicting their minds and hearts. The purpose of prayer with is to let others know that they have been heard, that they have had the opportunity to articulate their fears, and that they are not alone in their struggles. Prayer with aims to help others find within themselves, their family, and their friends the resources to cope and to explore the wonders of existence.

If one does not believe in a deity or a specific God or god, then what is the target of prayer to? We are all part of a universe of forces, fields and life. We may never comprehend all of the levels of consciousness that exist in that expanse. As constituents in that enterprise, prayer to simply means asking for help from whatever resources there are — whether those resources lie in the depths of time and space, or deep within ourselves.

So for me, prayer is the act of engaging spiritually with our inner selves, with others, and with the universe by reaching out and asking for help, support, and reassurance.

Today, when we are so beset with challenges in our lives and in our society, we need prayer to but we also need prayer with. With so much distrust, selfishness and sadness in the world, we need to come together in prayer with each other asking for help from whatever source exists to supply it. So, whether you are a theist with a firm belief in a specific deity or an agnostic who simply doesn't know, or an atheist who resists the construct of god, we can all unite in prayer with each other for peace, for justice and for love. And when help appears, we can unite in gratitude for the grace of the world.

Truth and Meaning: Taking Sides

As children, we were always taking sides. Whatever the game – red rover, tag, softball, or soccer – we set up “us” versus “them.” Winning always seemed to require that someone else lost. And expressions like “everyone is a winner” usually rang hollow in our ears.

Because even as children, we knew the score. Winning is better than losing. Winners are better than losers. One should be willing to do almost anything to avoid losing, even if that means bending a rule, being called for a foul, or spending time in the penalty box.

Well, listen up everybody. It’s a lie. The better player often doesn’t win. The playing field is never level. And life is rarely fair.

As adults, we know that hard work is not always rewarded. We know that some people get a head start, no matter what the race. We knowingly play a game that it is rigged. And we learn that “not getting caught” means the same thing as “following the rules.”

Why? Why must we endure unfairness and injustice? Why do innocent people get hurt while others seem to get away with murder. Why? Because we keep taking sides.

Well, do you want to know something? There are no sides. There are just people. There is just you and me and how we choose to treat each other. And right now, we are doing a pretty lousy job.

• When a woman is molested, abused, beaten or raped, we fail as a society. I don’t care what she wore or said or did. We fail if our women feel unsafe, objectified, and unloved. 
• When a gay person is taunted, bullied, or discriminated against, we fail as a society. I don’t care whether you believe homosexuality is nature or nurture. We fail if our GLBTQ folk feel hated, victimized, and afraid. 
• When a person of color is mistrusted, pigeon-holed, stalked, and murdered, we fail as a society. I don’t care what neighborhood they are in or whether you feel misguided superiority. We fail if our Black, Latino, Asian, Indigenous and other neighbors live in constant fear of our judgment and violence.
• When a person winds up homeless, jobless, or hopeless, we fail as a society. I don’t care how much money or political clout you have. We fail when those with privilege oppress those who build our machines, serve our food, or teach our children.

We need to grow up. We need to stop failing as a society. And we need to stop taking sides. Hunger does not care if you are Christian or Muslim. Hate does not care if you are young or old. Illness does not care if you are Republican or Democrat. Hopelessness does not care if you are liberal or conservative.

Life is not NASCAR. The only way to truly win the game is for everyone to cross the finish line together.

Truth and Meaning: Shame and Guilt

During his high school years, a very good friend of my son committed suicide. Eddie had been to my house. He was successful in school, had many friends, and seemed to have it made in life. His suicide was sudden and completely unexpected. We will never know why this handsome and gifted young man took his life.

Tragically, there are stories like Eddie's every day. Over 36,000 people die yearly by suicide in the United States. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young adults and the third leading cause among teens.

Suicide is also strongly linked to mental illness. The National Institute of Mental Health reports one in four adults experiences a mental health disorder annually. But, because of the stigma society attaches to mental illness, far too many people lack access to the help and support they need to treat their disease.

The shame and guilt felt by those who suffer from mental illness is unfair and unwarranted. Our society's inability to help the victims of mental illness is tragic and inexcusable. We can change this. We MUST change this.

Through education and awareness we can reduce the number of deaths by suicide and increase help-seeking behaviors. The best treatments for serious mental illnesses today are highly effective; between 70 percent to 90 percent of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with a combination of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments and supports.

Next Saturday, Aug. 17, my wife and I are joining others in a Walk for Hope — Depression and Suicide Awareness at Northwood University. All funds raised will be used in the Great Lakes Bay Region to host special events, training and education in an effort to build awareness of mental health and suicide prevention, intervention and aftercare. Just as important, this walk gives people the opportunity to come together and share their stories. And by sharing our stories, we may prevent just one person from reaching the desperate point where they view suicide as their only viable option.

If you believe that you suffer from depression or other symptoms related to your mental health, please seek help. If you suspect that someone you know suffers from mental illness, do not wait. Reach out to them and invite them to share their stories. Consider registering to walk with us or sponsoring a walker at http://www.crowdrise.com/walkforhope2013

Together, let us eradicate the shame and guilt felt by our friends and neighbors in need.

Truth and Meaning: Integrity

Recent years have given us much reason to despair at the seeming lack of integrity among our elected officials. Whether it involves questionable personal ethics, or a clear disregard for democratic processes, few politicians show a true commitment to ideals such as truth, honesty and openness.

Wiktionary offers three definitions of the word integrity — and I frankly find each lacking.

“Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.” I do not believe stubborn or dogmatic thinking shows integrity. It takes little courage or talent to simply follow laws without any personal judgment or interpretation. The language of moral and ethical codes is far too inexact for our adherence to be so rigid as to not allow for unique circumstance, or for human weakness and frailty. No prescription can take into account every possible situation or demand on our dedication or compassion. True integrity lies in living morally and ethically — not adhering to rules carved in stone, or to the unyielding tenets of a particular person or group. Integrity demands individual application of human reason and relevant experience.

“The state of being wholesome; unimpaired.” Personally, I view life as a wonderful, but challenging crucible of experiences. The joys and delights of one day can only be truly appreciated in the perspective of the challenges and sorrows we face on others. Life is about impairment and how we respond to events and situations that make us face our fears, our limitations, our darker impulses. Wholesome is for milk; for human beings, give me good intent, effort and passion and the result will usually result in the presence of integrity.

“The quality or condition of being complete; pure.” Here, I imagine the dictionary is referring to integrity as it relates to a person possessing all of the requisite parts, to being integrated. But again, I believe that the most important element of integrity is the recognition that none of us are complete or perfect. We each possess unique strengths. However, we each also must own up to the gaps in our perspective, our thought processes. How can we really grasp and make most use of our strengths without a firm knowledge of our weaknesses? And when we understand our shortcomings, we are best able to work in community with those best able to help us overcome our failings.

So, when I look for integrity, I look for someone open to the thinking and experiences of others, and whose judgment is not up for sale to the peddlers of easy answers and single-mindedness. I look for a hard worker with a vision and the drive to strive for that vision whatever the cost. And I look for someone who makes the most of his or her strengths, but then also is strong enough to lean on others for help.

Truth and Meaning: Privilege

As you read this post, Jody and I will have just returned from Washington, D.C., after taking part in the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. The memory of that event and the leaders who spawned it humbles me as the impact of their greatness lingers on today. Sadly, also lingering on today is the root cause of so much injustice in our nation – racism – and the privilege that racism engenders.

To understand this issue, you must understand this basic fact – the concept of “race” is a lie. The notion that homo sapiens is somehow divided into subspecies based on skin color and other physical attributes has no foundation in fact. Race is a fabrication of 19th century Europeans and Americans who presupposed that “white” culture is superior to other cultures and that all people must be converted to the “superior” religion of Christianity. And out of this flawed thinking derived theories of eugenics, which ultimately were responsible for multiple genocides in the past century.

Racism also creates the sense of privilege in our society. Privilege is the common conception that certain birth attributes are somehow “better” or more natural and therefore deserving of greater inherent worth. It is privilege that promotes the notion that non-whites are inherently more violent, more criminal than whites, and not simply that whites dominate our criminal justice system and control most of the wealth in society. It is privilege that blames women for being raped and abused, and not simply that misogynist men promote the objectification of all women as whores and house slaves. It is privilege that breeds fear of the non-existent “gay agenda,” and not simply a lack of education about sexual orientation and gender identity in nature.

So I march as an ally for those who cannot march; I speak when the oppressed have no voice; and I help open doors that are closed to those without our society’s privileges. For, like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I have a dream of a society where all of our boys and girls, gay or straight, will be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. I have a dream that all people, however they appear, whatever the gender of their identity, or whoever they love, will have the same access to housing, to jobs, to health care and to civil rights. Like Jefferson, I believe that we are all created as equals and that we are all endowed with the inherent right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Tuesday reader's view: No standing in race conversation

Mr. Chris Stevens, the religious person in me wants to forgive your shallow and heartless diatribe on Sunday, August 25 as merely misguided and ill-informed. But, the realist in me hears the voice of the bigot, the snap of the overseers’ whip and the angry shout of whites claiming righteous indignation when the target of their oppression dares to advocate for equality. Your editorial exhibits a shocking and remarkable vacancy of knowledge of the black experience in this country and in American history.

How dare you, the beneficiary of much privilege in this country, equate any paltry response in retaliation for the Zimmerman travesty with the countless examples of white racism perpetrated over centuries. You are obviously an educated man, but apparently have not availed yourself of African American history courses or any of the many informative books detailing the unique actions of white racism in this country. Sadly, the fact that you use your position to spew such malicious trash on readers in this community displays an unwillingness to learn about our history of racial cleansings, pernicious economic and social violence against blacks and ongoing systemic efforts to impoverish and dehumanize people of color and the poor. Recent efforts installing dictatorial emergency managers have targeted mostly black communities, and state governments passing voting rights restrictions to resolve non-existent fraud but clearly aimed at poor people and students, are just two examples of current deliberate attempts to disenfranchise blacks from the American dream that you so easily take for granted.

The common ground you call for starts with you, and all whites, educating themselves about the black experience in the United States. The common ground you seek starts when you learn about our history of violence against blacks, our history of legal repression of blacks and our ongoing social and economic assault on blacks in this country. The common ground you call for starts when you accept your complicity in accepting the largess of white racism through the accident of your birth and recognize the vastly unlevel playing field we live on. Until you accomplish this, you have absolutely no standing in this conversation.

As we mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, all people of good will and believers in social equality remember the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his commitment to nonviolence. But, violence is not just about hitting someone with a fist. Violence is also persistently paying people low wages, restricting access to affordable health care, underfunding public schools, providing little of no access to avenues of social mobility readily available to others and supporting a separate and not-equal justice system. If you want to trot out your handful of examples of violence, then you must be prepared to answer for the wave after tsunami wave of violence perpetrated on blacks in this country by whites for the past three centuries. Once you are prepared to undertake that work, then and only then, will you understand that you have no claim to victimization. Then and only then will your heart be tempered with the humility and compassion needed to serve, honor and respect the true victims of racism.

Truth and Meaning: Labor

On this holiday weekend, I am reminded of everything we have to be thankful for as a result of our institutions of organized labor. Workplace safety regulations, fair wages, fringe benefits, standardized hours and work weeks … the list goes on. Having recently returned from the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, I was reminded of the words of Walter Reuther, president of the United Automobile Workers of America and vice president of the AFL-CIO, who spoke before Martin Luther King Jr. on that day in 1963. Sadly, I was reminded of the truth of his words ringing in today’s America, where politicians hold our citizens hostage in order to coddle special interests and radical fringes.

“We need to join together, to march together, and to work together until we have bridged the mortal gap between American democracy's noble promises, and its ugly practices … American democracy has been too long on pious platitudes …”

“There are too many high octane, hypocrisy Americans. There is a lot of local talk about brotherhood, and then some Americans drop the brother and keep the hood … this rally today should be the first step in a total effort to mobilize the moral conscience of America, and to ask the people in Congress of both parties to rise above the partisan differences …”

"If we can have full employment, and full production for the negative ends of war, then why can't we have a job for every American in the pursuit of peace?”

“Men of good will must join together, men of all races, and creed, and color, and political persuasion, and motivated by the spirit of human brotherhood. We must search for answers in the light of reason through rational and responsible actions. Because if we fail, the vacuum of our failure will be filled by the apostles of hatred, who will search in the dark of night, and reason will yield to riots, and brotherhood will yield to bitterness, and bloodshed, and we will tear asunder the fabric of American democracy.”

So, this Labor Day, as we watch the parades and picnic around barbecues, let us also remember the greatness of the labor union movement — a movement dedicated not only to a better workplace, but to a better society … a better America.

Truth and Meaning: Bombs Are Not the Answer

For more than a decade, many Americans wished they had done more to prevent the inexcusable waste and destruction of our invasion of Iraq. The combined stupidity and immoral willingness of our government to lie our way into war must never be forgotten, especially now as we stand once again on the brink of madness.

The events taking place in Syria are tragic and must be addressed. However, the world community has not even begun to exhaust the nonviolent, diplomatic avenues toward peace and reconciliation. And if Barack Obama — with or without Congressional approval — engages this country’s military with Syria before those avenues have been tried, then he will be as guilty of war crimes as his predecessor.

If you love America, then do not stand idly by while this nation rolls down the path to unnecessary war once again. If you love the men and women of our military, do not remain silent waiting for them to die once again on foreign soil while non-military options remain. If you support life and freedom, then do not sacrifice both so that the United States can once again play the role of world police. If you support justice, then voice the opinion that the corporations of our military-industrial complex should not grow fat on more contracts building bombs while our own people live homeless, hungry and hopeless.

If you regret your silence preceding George Bush’s wars, then speak up now. If you watched American bombs fall on Baghdad on CNN from the comfort of your living room, then get out on the streets now before they start falling on Damascus. If you saw neighbor children die or come home injured or suffering from PTSD, then protect your own children now.

If you remain unsure whether involvement in Syria is just, ask yourself these questions:

• There are ongoing conflicts all over the world: Central African Republic, Darfur, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burma, Chad, Somalia, Sri Lanka. Why are we not engaged in those conflicts?
• Just what is the history of the conflict in Syria, and have Western governments and corporations aided in the creation of the chemical weapons now being unleashed? If you don’t know these answers, then how can you possibly justify bombing a sovereign nation without knowing our own role in creating the situation?
• Could we invest billions of dollars each day more productively toward resolving this conflict? How about aid for Syrian refugees? Or support for the United Nations peacekeeping forces?

President Obama has already tarnished his Nobel Peace Prize with drone attacks that have murdered countless innocents. Oppressed people across the globe already view Americans as heartless imperialists only interested in oil and military bases. It is time for us to make our government prove that position wrong.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Midland will host a Peace Prayer Vigil on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m. Each year since 1981, when the General Assembly of the United Nations created the observance, the International Day of Peace has been observed around the world on this day. Come and let Sept. 21 be a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. All are welcome.

Truth and Meaning: Silence

Midland Daily News Editor Jack Telfer recently blogged about the frustration he feels lately. He expressed his sadness over people who “have no tolerance for Christians who believe the Bible is the word of God and that it provides all the wisdom we need to live our lives.”

I can certainly understand the frustration when one receives criticism and negative comments from people who reject one’s religious viewpoints. But far more worrisome for me than the barbs of critics is the deafening silence from those who purport to be religious.

This nation lies in the grip of a fundamentalist movement typified by mean-spiritedness, selfishness and intolerance. Legislators denounce people daily whose lifestyle differs from their own, or who lack the privilege granted white, straight men in this country. This group disrespects our president, even when doing so is inconsistent and illogical, and I am hard-pressed to not attribute some of this hatred to their bigotry. They have ground the functioning of our government to a standstill and continue to throw political tantrums (and millions of taxpayer dollars) at attempts to block our provision of basic, affordable health care to 50 million Americans.

Far more mystifying to me than the regressive politics of these extremists that have hijacked the Republican Party, however, is the silence of many Christian colleagues and friends. This group purports to speak not only for conservatives in this country, but also for the Christian majority. And in doing so, this group promotes cutting aid to the poor, attacking civil rights of minorities, trampling medical care access for women and children, and undermining governmental support for community infrastructure.

Victim-blaming has become a national pastime — from an innocent boy stalked and murdered in Florida, to countless women raped and beaten, to gay youth bullied every day into suicide. To people of faith, when are we going to say “Enough is enough!” When are we going to say that it is time to institute common sense gun control laws? When are we going to start telling men that rape is NEVER permitted? When are we going to stand up to the bullies and command them to stop hating their neighbors?

This is not anti-Christian rhetoric. The wisdom of the Bible is very clear on these matters — as is the wisdom of the Qur’an and the Tao te Ching and the Analects of Confucius. Love your neighbor. Care for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the imprisoned. Do not worship golden idols. You will be judged not only on what you believed, but by what you did in life — “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

If you remain silent when your brothers and sisters ask for your help or demand justice, then don’t be surprised at the response your silence receives.

Truth and Meaning: Social Welfare

Midland Daily News editor Jack Telfer’s thoughtful and heartfelt blog posting this week began with this statement. “Many conservatives have a difficult time with government social welfare programs.” As a progressive, I also have a difficult time with government social welfare programs. As a progressive, I believe that the social contract between the people, the private sector and the government should function so that such programs are not necessary. As a progressive living in a nation committed to a form of capitalist economy, I believe that more than enough profit exists to adequately support return on investment, to fairly compensate labor and to sustain an appropriate social infrastructure guaranteeing future prosperity for all.

The problem arises when the system gets out of balance. When the private sector seeks to maximize its share of profits at all costs, then resources available for social welfare decline. When the private sector then uses its profits to corrupt government and control public policy to its exclusive benefit, then democracy suffers. When the private sector seeks to control the application of all profits — even those designated for the benefit of the people and society — then freedom and self-determination suffer.

I agree with Jack — people of faith can lead the way to achieving balance. By calling on all parties to first ensure the basic safety and well-being of all people, we can meet social welfare needs before profits are skimmed, and not after the fact with expensive and bureaucratic government programs. By calling on the private sector to be responsible citizens, then everyone — investors, businesses, labor and government — is credited with their contributions to profit generation. By calling on the people to serve the public interests selflessly and to participate in our democratic processes, we expose light on those who would corrupt our government for their personal gain.

I eagerly anticipate a continuation of this dialogue. Our current environment of name calling and victim blaming serves no purpose and wastes the opportunity that is the United States in the history of humankind.

Truth and Meaning: What’s wrong with us?

Five years ago, I developed a sudden ventricular tachycardia that nearly killed me. The doctors said this condition is caused by a virus that can affect anyone. After a few days in the hospital, I had a new pacemaker/defibrillator in my chest — and more than $150,000 in medical bills. Fortunately, my medical insurance covered nearly all of the expenses.

I was born into a privileged family. My white, middle class parents could afford to buy a home in the best school district and pay for my college education. So it was easy for me to get a job with great benefits for myself and my family.

Without that medical insurance five years ago, I would have had two options — impoverishment or death. That was the choice faced by tens of millions of people in America, the richest nation in the history of the world. That was the choice faced by tens of millions of people until the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

The events of this past week in Washington, D.C., however, leave me pessimistic about our future as a nation. We have watched legislators gleefully extol the shutdown of our government, showing not the slightest concern for those affected by their singular preoccupation with denying people access to affordable health care. Even if you oppose the Affordable Care Act; even if you disagree with everything President Obama does, how do you justify this act of political terrorism? How do you justify what amounts to a street mugging — a thug saying “do what I say or I will hurt you. “

This shutdown results in:

• Millions of people directly or indirectly furloughed from their jobs;
• More millions of people getting no financial assistance for food, medical treatment and child care;
• Veterans facing even longer delays than usual for their benefits; and
• Workplace and food safety inspections stopping, as well as many programs providing assistance to consumers and small businesses.

And for what? This action is specifically directed at denying people access to affordable medical insurance. Even if the ACA is flawed, can it possibly be worse than people dying because they cannot afford medical treatment that will bankrupt them and their families? What is wrong with us?

If you want to effect changes in law, you debate the law before it is passed; you offer alternatives to the law; you elect politicians who will enact the laws you want passed. The Affordable Care Act is law. The opposition has offered no alternative aside from outright rejection. And they lost the last major election. This government shutdown is nothing short of a childish tantrum with devastating effects on countless innocent people. Any delight expressed in support of this effort is un-American and in violation of our most basic principles of democracy.

And as a nation that prides itself on its religious foundations, people of all faiths agree that the current course of action is reckless and counterproductive. I will go further. I believe that the suffering inflicted by this shutdown is unconscionable and evil. I listen to the words of those who caused this shutdown and hear in them a meanness of spirit and cruelty I could not ever have imagined possible.

I could not agree more with Thomas L. Friedman, whose New York Times column Our Democracy Is At Stake published on Wednesday, Oct. 2, summarized the trends leading to this tipping point of American democracy — gerrymandering, the corruption of campaign financing and the decline of an objective media holding politicians accountable for their actions. If we don’t start standing up to this bullying, to this political fear mongering, then any semblance of our democracy will evaporate in the days and weeks to come.

“I steer my bark with Hope in the head, leaving Fear astern. My hopes, indeed, sometimes fail; but not oftener than the forebodings of the gloomy.”

- Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, April 8, 1816 as published in Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 4, p. 271

We live on a mighty ship lighting a beacon of freedom for the world. But we must trust our masthead of Hope and leave the doomsayers in our wake. And we must all take up the oars to keep the ship’s direction true.

Liebmann: The soul of America

We face a spiritual battle for the soul of America. And yet, rather than address our real mutual enemy, we bicker amongst ourselves about the color of our uniforms. We the people, of all faiths and beliefs — religious and spiritual people, caring and thinking people — have allowed the enemy to define this battle. We have allowed the enemy to keep us separated by pitting us against false threats. We have allowed the enemy to label us — Catholic and Protestant, rich and poor; Muslim and Jew, conservative and liberal; agnostic and atheist, black and white; believer and nonbeliever, gay and straight. And by accepting these labels, we divide our forces and allow a united enemy to undermine our common core values. Who is the real enemy?

• Obamacare is not the enemy. The enemy is our indifference toward the plight of the uninsured.
• Abortion is not the enemy. The enemy is our failure to embrace God’s gift of sexuality and to treat that gift responsibly through education, medical treatment and birth control. 
• Unions are not the enemy. The enemy is our runaway greed and the misguided and dangerous notion that a corporation possesses the same inalienable rights as a human being. 
• Women are not the enemy. The enemy is our culture of machismo that sanctions abuse, domestic violence and rape, blaming the victim rather than the men who commit these cowardly acts.
• Gay people are not the enemy. The enemy is our fundamentalist arrogance that presumes to know all truth about human nature, and to punish anyone who does not share our personal vision of cosmic design. 
• Guns are not the enemy. The enemy is our ignorant belief that by refusing to regulate the sale of guns, we protect democracy and are not directly responsible for thousands of innocent deaths each year.
• Terrorists and immigrants are not the enemy. The enemy is our complacency in accepting undeserved privilege and failing to correct the imbalance in our society and our world.
• The poor are not the enemy. The enemy is our failure to apply capitalist theory correctly and our amnesia regarding our responsibility to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. 
• And lastly, religion is not the enemy. The enemy is our dogmatic assertion that any one religion possesses unique ownership of truth, or is the sole recipient of divine providence.

This enemy will stoop to all manner of evil to keep us enslaved — enslaved in the cycle of poverty, racism, homophobia, misogyny and religious intolerance. But we have the power to disarm our enemy of these weapons. We have the ultimate weapon – a weapon our enemy cannot use.

And that weapon is love. Until we love each other unconditionally, indifference and irresponsibility will undermine our society. Until the privileged love the poor and oppressed, greed and cowardice will rule our governments. Until Christians love non-Christians, arrogance and ignorance will stifle common purpose and action. Until we love everyone regardless of their gender identity, skin color, social class, ethnicity or personal theology, then complacency and amnesia will doom our people to violence and hopelessness. Until we reject the labels our enemy pins on us and unite as Americans, dogmatic pride will define us as a nation.

Truth and Meaning: Putting our Podophobia into Perspective

My dad traveled quite a bit as part of his job. I remember fondly going to the airport, riding the moving walkways and collecting Avis buttons that said “We try harder” in different languages. But I most remember standing at the gate, anxiously waiting and watching for him to walk off the plane.

Those days are, of course, long gone since one now must have a boarding pass and proceed through a rigorous examination to be granted access to the gates. As someone with a pacemaker/defibrillator, I was recently reminded of the heightened concerns for security in our nation’s airports. Since I cannot pass through the standard scanning machines, I typically must endure the TSA pat down. If you have not had the experience, I imagine this examination rivals the treatment of prison inmates. Every time I travel by air, I recall our ever-expanding safety priorities and the clutch that the iron fist of irrational fear holds us in.

Well over one million people fly in the U.S. every day. And because someone tried to sneak a shoe bomb onto a plane, one million people must take off and put back on their shoes every day before approaching the gates. (In case you are curious, at 30 seconds per person, that requirement equates to almost one full year of lost person time each day). Our possessions are restricted, probed and scanned, our bodies X-rayed and fondled, all in the name of security. And the sad fact is that anyone who passed high school chemistry could still get a pretty wicked combination of explosive concoctions onto any plane in a modest carry-on bag.

Now, even if you believe this massive bureaucratic effort is worth the price, consider this. With last week’s shootings at Sparks Middle School in Nevada, there have now been 32 school shootings since the murders at Columbine High School in 1999. Thirty-two school shootings compared to one domestic shoe bombing attempt. And yet, in spite of overwhelming support among the American people, we still have no mandatory universal background checks on gun purchases and no restrictions on assault weapons or high-capacity magazine clips. Why are we more afraid of our feet than of guns?

All the American people want is common sense. Even gun owners generally support mandatory background checks. When will our legislators stop acting like petulant children and start showing some real concern for the safety of their constituents? Instead of shoes, we should be afraid for poor people losing their food stamps, veterans getting poor medical attention, and hard-working people without jobs because their employer shipped the work off to China. And we should really be afraid of our crumbling infrastructure, poorly-supported public schools and inadequate regulations on fossil fuel producers.

Truth and Meaning: Friendly Fire

As a boy, I remember hearing this phrase during the Vietnam War. My oldest brother served a tour in the Central Highlands, and I remember well events like the killings at My Lai 4. The country was in deep shock at the notion that our soldiers could act so brutally … so inhumanly. I was old enough to understand the debate about the changing nature of war, the chain of command and responsibility.

Noncombatants die. That has always been a fact of life. Throughout history, the women and children, the farmers and shepherds, the poor innocents have always paid the price for our inability to resolve conflict. The events during Vietnam, however, numbed us deeply to the notion that these victims deserve our sympathy.

Friendly fire rages all around us. Our nation drops bombs all over the world every day. We argue that drones kill terrorists and that we are justified in using this great technology. We cut food stamps for millions of children. We argue that our government must be fiscally responsible. We starve public schools, cripple organized labor, and ship jobs overseas. We argue that our economy depends on “free markets” and capitalism.

Here is what I say. If we cannot stop terrorism without murdering children, then we are no better than the terrorists ourselves. If we cannot balance a budget without making children go hungry, then we have become morally irresponsible. If we cannot support an economy without lining the pockets of selfish special interests, then we doom our public welfare to financial slavery.

How did we become so heartless? When did the unfettered purchase and possession of any firearm start to trump children’s lives? When did our pursuit of profits become a higher priority than our entire global climate? When did grandstanding and brinksmanship become the only tools in our political repertoire? When are we going to grow up and put out the friendly fires we are lighting everywhere?

If you support democracy, and you feel as I do, then the time has come to speak out. Until people of faith place moral values above conquest, people above balance sheets, and economic self determination above trickle down lies, then our nation will continue its spiral into moral decay. As citizens, we must let our voices be heard and stop listening to the corporate media spin machine. People are dying, starving, living homeless and hopeless. It is up to us to stop it.

Truth and Meaning: An Atheist’s Jesus

I am an atheist. And I am religious.

I am not a Christian. And I am a follower of the teachings of Jesus.

I am a pacifist and proponent of nonviolence. And I am an active agitator for justice and human rights.

Yes, I am an atheist minister. I have little use, however, for that strident form of atheism than condemns all organized religion and would throw the baby of love and charity out with the bath water of dogmatic intolerance and oppression of the Other.

Yes, I am a non-Christian follower of Jesus. Whether he actually existed or resides merely in myth, I admire the person who walked humbly, helped everyone without judgment, and stood up to the authorities of the day speaking out for equality, fairness and mercy. If he walked our streets today, I imagine him decrying our cuts to food stamps, calling out business greed that destroys families and demanding an end to our violence against each other.

Even the most hardcore atheist can find much to admire in the life of Jesus. He fed the hungry, healed the sick and comforted the oppressed and outcast. He debated the learned experts on matters of policy interpretation and law, showing them the errors of outmoded and irrelevant thinking. And when the time came for action, he forced the defilers from the sacred places and denounced their love of money.

Jesus lived a life of principle. He didn’t “do” charity. He didn’t attend events. He didn’t plan protests. He lived every day according to the ideals he upheld — love everyone; care for the needy; speak out against injustice; and stand up to the corrupt. He loved everyone regardless of their station in life, their gender identity, their religion, or their occupation. He lived in neither opulence nor poverty and sought similar fairness and justice for all people.

Jesus lived a model life, a life we can all aspire to lead, whatever our beliefs regarding religion.

Truth and Meaning: Addiction

We have in our nation today a vacuum of responsibility. All too often people and organizations want the benefits associated with their actions without bearing the responsibility for the negative impacts. Our elected officials increasingly avoid tough compromises fearing that taking responsibility will cost them votes. Businesses avoid taking responsibility fearing loss of sales. And we avoid taking responsibility for a number of reasons — it is hard; we will look uncool; people will judge us; we cannot bear the repercussions.

As a result, blame rolls down the hill. Those with resources and agility dodge the blame, which continues rolling. Those with friends in high places get advance warning of the coming blame. And, in the end, the blame settles at the bottom of the slope, in the hands of the weakest members of our society — society’s victims. This inevitable slide of blame teaches us that weak people deserve to be taken advantage of, minorities deserve to be oppressed because they are the wrong skin color, sexual orientation, age, or ability. Women deserve to be assaulted and paid less in the workplace because, after all, it is a man’s world.

All of this blame, all of the burden of responsibility weighs heavily on these unfortunates. The pain of responsibility, of shame and guilt, hurts no less than a fist, a fractured bone, a broken heart. And when aspirin is not enough to kill the pain, people seek stronger remedies. In time, the victims become addicted to the pain killer, whatever form it takes — alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gambling, food, self abuse. And when the addict seeks help, they become victim once again, as society tells them that they are responsible for becoming the junkie, the drunk, the drain on society.

Well, this is wrong. We are society and we can change this. Because addiction is a disease — a disease we can understand and treat.

We can start by helping our brothers and sisters with their burdens. We can help by making therapy and rehabilitation far more available. We can help by stopping the blame from passing us by and taking up our share of the responsibility for society’s problems. And we can tell the powerful, the wealthy, the elected officials to start leading again and exhibit the courage we need them to model.

Truth and Meaning: The War on Women Continues ...

Michigan legislators are considering acting on a petition that will clearly reveal their level of callous disregard for women. The petition calls for a ban on abortion coverage as part of Michigan health insurance policies. Instead, to get this coverage, women would be required to buy a separate abortion insurance rider policy.This action would make access to comprehensive health care nearly impossible to obtain for many women around our state. This proposal singles out women and denies them health care coverage for life-saving health care services with no exception for rape, incest or the life and health of the mother.

Now, let’s be clear. The proposal does absolutely nothing to eliminate abortion in Michigan. The action only increases the cost of abortion to women. So the only undeniable impact of this proposal is that a legal medical procedure will now cost a specific, targeted population of citizens more money — money that many of these citizens do not have. This proposal singles out women, forcing them to pay more money for medical treatment to which they have a legal right.

But let’s concentrate on what this proposed action does for the rest of us. If enacted, the proposal will do nothing to make us better men. It will not make us more responsible sexual partners. It will not make us better husbands or fathers. But if we choose to rape, it will make it more likely that our victim will be forced to carry a resulting pregnancy to term and to live with the consequences of our rape for the rest of their lives.

So the real impact of this proposal is to facilitate economic and physical violence against poor women. A woman with enough money will still have access to abortion. But a woman lacking financial resources will now have to play Russian roulette with their health care. A woman suffering a life-threatening pregnancy will now bear an even greater financial burden in order to live. And victims of incest or rape will face one more hurdle to restoring their health and well being.

I urge legislators to reject this ill-conceived and offensive proposal. And if they feel that they must proceed, then stop playing political games and put the matter to a vote of ALL the people — not just the small handful required for submitting such a petition. If legislators truly consider themselves “pro-life,” then they should do the right things to reduce unwanted pregnancies: mandate comprehensive sex education for all children and youth; make birth control widely available and affordable; hold men accountable for violence and sexual assault against women; and provide universal, affordable health care, better child care services, equal wages for women, and quality public education for all of our children. If they are unwilling to support these causes, then they should stop calling themselves “pro-life” and call themselves what they really are — “anti-woman.”

Truth and Meaning: Christmas is for Children

In a few days, people around the earth will celebrate the birth of a child — a child who changed the world forever. Christmas celebrates the miracle of birth, the miracle of children in our lives. Christmas is a time of wonder and magic, of mystery and anticipation. In the deepest cold of winter and the longest nights of darkness, Christmas reminds us of joy and light, of laughter and love.

But this year, families across the country will remember this season for another reason. They will remember today, Dec. 14, as the day that a man with a gun stole a child away forever from their family. Twenty families will remember children killed in Newtown, Conn. one year ago today. As they remember the birth of a baby in a manger, they will also remember their own birth and raising a child. They will remember sending their child to school, to the safety of friends and committed teachers. And they will remember that they will never see that child alive again.

They will pray for guidance. They will cry and mourn and ask “Why?” Perhaps they will find answers. Perhaps the wisdom to cope with such devastating loss will be delivered to them. Perhaps the grace to forgive the executioner will be granted. Perhaps their faith will sustain them in the absence of any rational reason for the meaningless death of 20 children.

They will pray in silence. Many of us will join in silent remembrance as well, connecting perhaps through our own pains of grief and loss. We will weep silently and feel the dread cold of the eternal night surrounding us all, but which came far too early for these 20 lives.

But, the question, “Why?” must not be asked silently. The question “Why?” should be shouted from every home, at every legislative office, in every hall of government. Why do we allow people to access guns freely without background checks? Why are we incapable of passing one law controlling the sale of guns when the overwhelming majority of Americans desire it? Why do we do nothing as our children continue to die?

Jesus taught the ways of peace. The babe born on Christmas Day commanded his disciples to sheathe their swords, saying that those who take up the sword will die by the sword. America has taken up and embraced guns with the caress that should be reserved only for infants. And we are paying the price for nurturing a gun culture with the blood of our children.

So when you go to your church to honor the babe, pray silently for the 20 lost children, who will never know another Christmas with their families. But come home and scream, “Why?” Go forth and demand that America put down the sword and pass sensible gun legislation. Shout until your voice cracks and your throat grows hoarse so that no family must endure this pain again. Let there be no more silence — let us send out the call for remembrance and resolve.

Truth and Meaning: Peace

As we prepare to celebrate a holiday proclaiming peace on earth and good will to all, let us take a moment to ask ourselves a question. When Jesus taught us that peacemakers are blessed, what exactly did he mean by making peace?

For nations, peace means the absence of war. Peace silences military conflicts, disarms combatants and finds long-term resolutions to differences. So, making peace requires first a willingness to avoid combat, the rejection of physical violence as a solution to disagreements. Second, a peacemaker must actively seek ways to eliminate the causes of war. Therefore, making peace requires us to seek a fair distribution of the world’s resources, so that no nation feels compelled to invade another out of need or deprivation. Making peace calls on us to understand and respect other cultures, and to find common ground that spans our gaps in perspective. Making peace means honoring the sovereign rights of all nations and defending those rights, when necessary, as nations united by common core principles.

In our communities, peace means the absence of crime. Making peace means supporting the laws of the community that define peaceful behavior. But, beyond mere policing, making peace requires us to build a healthy network of cities and towns, and maintain the balance between the interests of the people and those of the private sector. Only by maintaining this balance can industry be assured of an educated, healthy and motivated workforce and consumer base. Only by maintaining this balance can the people sustain the social infrastructure and capitalize on economies of scale for the provision of services and products. Only by maintaining this balance can industry thrive and the people earn the due rewards of their labor. The job of government is to ensure that the people and the private sector honor their social contract of mutual assistance, and fill the gaps when the system falters and leaves either individuals or businesses without a safety net.

How do I do that, you ask? How do I learn to love myself? Here are some suggestions — my Christmas gift to you:

• Make peace with your present self — You may be a creation of God, but you are not a god. You are a wonderful and amazing … and flawed human being. To love yourself, stop trying to be Superman and just be the most super man or woman you can be. Forgive your feet of clay so long as they are walking in the right direction.
• Make peace with your past self — Whatever lies in history is done. To love yourself, take responsibility where it is yours and ask for forgiveness. And if the blame lies with someone else, then leave it to them. You cannot control the feelings of others, you only have control over your own feelings.
• Make peace with your future self — Goals are great and we should all have them. But life is chaos. Life is unpredictable. We never really know where the next day will lead. To love yourself, make plans, but live your life. Live boldly, fearlessly, sometimes even recklessly. Only by living can you love.
• Make peace with your eternal self — Death is inevitable. However you view what happens after death, your spirit will live on through your actions here and now. And since none of us can know what happens after death, stop worrying about it and focus on the here and now. To love yourself, embrace your spirit and treasure the gift you are to the world. Love yourself by being the most ‘you’ that you can be. Love yourself by letting the flower of your life blossom.

Let there be peace on earth this holiday season and all the year round. And let peace begin with each and every one of us.

Truth and Meaning: New Year's Predictions

On Christmas Eve, I cited Isaiah from the Jewish Bible. A prophet of ancient Israel, Isaiah foretold many things, including the birth of a baby that would lead the people to a world of perfect peace. As a seer of future events, many people consider Isaiah’s predictions remarkably accurate.

Of course, there have been many prophets over the centuries. Far more predictions have been dismal failures than have hit anywhere close to their intended mark. For every Isaiah, history has forgotten countless others who dared to foretell future events.

So, at the risk of joining the thousands on the trash heap of history, I offer my predictions for 2014. And, perhaps like Isaiah, I offer these predictions not so much in the spirit of clinical accuracy, but in the desire to instill hope in a people whose faith could use a boost.

• In 2014, the trend of electing mental midgets, corporate tools and special interest pawns will decline.
• In 2014, the federal government will heed the overwhelming will of the people and pass comprehensive legislation creating mandatory background checks for all gun purchases.
• In 2014, the kinks in the Affordable Care Act will slowly disappear, silencing its critics into well-deserved irrelevancy.
• In 2014, the voices of women will grow until even the most hard-of-hearing legislators are forced to listen.
• In 2014, long overdue immigration reform will provide a reasonable path to citizenship for millions of future Americans.
• In 2014, progressive leaders and thinking will sprout from the dunghill of reactionary, no-nothingism that has strangled our nation for too long.
• In 2014, Michigan will join the growing list of states removing restrictions barring same-sex marriage.
• In 2014, we will look less for the differences that separate us, and more for the common bonds that unite us. 

I profess no special gift for prophecy — only the spirit of hope for this nation that we will lift ourselves from the doldrums of complacency and fear. I believe in America and I believe in the American people. And I believe that we are destined to be better than we have been in recent years as a nation, as a people and as individuals.

Truth and Meaning: Prophesy

Last week, I posted some predictions for the coming year. I do not consider this a trivial task, or a casual posting to pique the interest of the reader. Through the ages, to prophesy has meant conducting the act of revelation, giving an inspired message from god or the gods or a divine source. Usually a prophecy is associated with foretelling the future, but it can also include messages of inspiration or admonishment towards a particular people or even an individual.

Grammar plays an important role in determining the use of the term "to prophesy." In its transitive form, the act of prophesying implies that the message originates from a deity ("The minister prophesied rewards for the faithful and punishment for the wicked."). In its intransitive form, prophesying derives from the human speaker ("The minister prophesied possible futures in the Sunday morning sermon.") In its intransitive form, therefore, anyone is capable of prophesying — to teach, to predict, or simply to make observations.

In this broader view, any oration in a religious venue can be viewed as an act of prophesying. Ordained clergy, who have generally received extensive instruction in religious matters and gone through a discernment process to prepare them for ordination, might be expected to regularly prophesy as part of the practice of homiletics (delivering sermons aimed at the spiritual needs, capacities and conditions of a congregation). When viewed as a profession, prophesying might be considered an act expected of ministers to offer insight, inspiration and instruction through preaching.

I don’t believe that I need to stand behind a podium in order to prophesy. And because I consider everything I do to be religious in nature, prophesying is any act of speaking or writing to make observations, to inspire or to teach others. This is my purpose in this blog, a purpose I will continue in the coming year. Consider that the last of my New Year’s predictions.

Truth and Meaning: As goes Utah …

If you follow the news related to the removal of bans on same-sex marriage, you should be watching the events playing out in Utah. That is because the same series of events may happen in Michigan in just a few weeks. On Tuesday, Feb. 25, Judge Friedman of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan will hear arguments in a court case regarding adoption and marriage equality in Michigan. The judge may deliver his ruling that same day. One of the possible outcomes is that the judge will rule Michigan’s ban on same-sex marriages unconstitutional, opening a window for a wave of same-gender marriages in the days following the ruling.

Equality Michigan is maintaining a database of clergy who will be available to perform marriages. At this point, I am the only minister in Midland on the list, and one of only four in Mid-Michigan. The anticipation of the joy I feel for that day cannot be measured.

Now, if the idea of legalizing same-sex marriage still sends you into a tizzy, let me challenge your thinking.

1. Legalizing marriage between partners of the same sex does absolutely NOTHING to hurt marriages between straight people. Those who argue for the “sanctity” of marriage should look to the real factors destroying the institution of marriage in this country, such as infidelity, domestic violence, income inequality, and the lack of necessary health care and family support services. And if you argue that marriage is only intended to support procreation, then why not ban marriages of infertile couples, the elderly, or those choosing to remain childless?

2. The fact that the ban in Michigan arose from a voter referendum is of ZERO relevance. A basic human right is exactly that – an inalienable right – and cannot be “voted” on by anyone. Two consenting adults committed to each other and bound in love have the basic human right to have their union recognized and respected. They deserve the same rights as married heterosexual couples.

3. Keeping gay people from marrying IS discrimination. Hundreds of laws make life extremely difficult for people whose partnerships are not recognized by governments. These exclusions are cruel, punitive, and inhuman, and they serve no social good.

4. The Bible contains nothing barring loving couples from joining in marriage. You don’t get to pick and choose from Leviticus unless you are willing to adopt ALL of its laws (no shellfish or meat cooked rare, no mixing of cloths, no tattoos or shaving, and hundreds of other common modern practices). Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed for allowing gays to marry. They were destroyed because they threatened the violent gang rape of strangers. And Paul was talking about depravity in general – not committed relationships between loving partners who wished to join in marriage.

5. Research shows conclusively that children reared by same-sex couples fare just as well as those raised by different-sex couples. And if you still think that homosexuality is a lifestyle choice, then you need to read the scientific research before forcing your uninformed opinion on others.

If you are a gay or lesbian couple looking forward to getting married in Michigan, get ready. If Judge Friedman rules in our favor, the window of opportunity may indeed be short. The Midland County Clerk’s Office is prepared to offer licenses, and I would be thrilled to officiate at your ceremony!

With today being Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I remember once again the massive work remaining before us to achieve King’s vision of Beloved Community. Last week, I spoke to sophomores at Meridian High School about pacifism and the failure of the institution of war to ever resolve any problem without creating new ones. War in the 20th century was a colossal failure of human interaction with more than 100 million war-related deaths, and even greater misery and destruction. The scale of human conflict may be declining, but our capacity to kill and to cause harm only increases.

How long will it be before someone poisons our water, our air, our food to the point of near extinction of the species? How long will it be before fundamentalists push everyone to the brink because of their intolerance? How long will it be before oppressed peoples rise up out of frustration against modern day imperialists and tear down everything humanity has built?

Were he alive today, Dr. King would advocate for peace; he would advocate for acceptance and understanding; he would advocate for a sharing of the earth’s bounty equally and fairly among all people. But, most of all, Dr. King would remind us that peace begins not at tables of nations, not in legislative halls, not in town meetings, but in our own hearts. Dr. King would tell us that peace begins when we live and love with peace in our own lives every day.

The Beloved Community is a dream, but it is an achievable dream. And the price of admission is really quite small — we simply must adapt and accept new ways of thinking.

• We must accept that any good derived from violence is far offset by the damage. We must, therefore, forsake violence forever.
• We must accept that all roads to enlightenment and salvation are valid. We must, therefore, forsake religious intolerance forever.
• We must accept that we are divine creatures full of the capacity for love. We must, therefore, recognize and embrace love in all of its forms.
• We must accept that money is also violence; greed is a slave owner to which we bind ourselves. We must, therefore, bridge the chasms of economic disparity that create poverty and inequality.
• We must accept that tyrants will take whatever we give them and that they cannot succeed if we take charge of our lives and our communities. We must, therefore, empower ourselves to change the world and to conquer the forces of ignorance and hate.

Dr. King would tell us that if you see an injustice, speak out. If you see an act of oppression, support the oppressed. If you see an act of violence, stand up against it. Live and love with peace in your heart.